Our relationship with our concept of god affects every choice we make. It is also the source of our personal value. We often determine our worthiness based upon what we think “God” wants from us even though we may not really understand who or what this “God” entity is. Our concepts of spirituality and religion are not of our choosing, but are handed down through cultural lore and generations of tradition that have become our birthright. In the human experience, we are hardwired to believe in something, but if our belief system is not resonant with us, it becomes a corrosive on our lives. What happens when you stop believing in the religious structure bestowed upon you during the most crucial time of your life?
Understanding god is subjective. While some may connect to spirituality in an abstract way, others connect through personification. It is imperative for your personal growth and the authenticity of your experience that you discover a belief that is in alignment with who you really are. In doing so, you must challenge the beliefs that you have inherited. Developing a relationship with the reason you believe is the foundation to understanding the unseen forces behind your life. Turning away from your religious tradition to create a relationship with your understanding of a higher power takes courage, strength, and resolve. Start by asking yourself why you believe, followed by the observation of your belief system’s effects on your life.
The undeniable disagreement between your heart and mind during this time can be daunting. You may think that you are hell-bound for disbelieving the stories told or be disillusioned from the synthetic connection to a fabricated system of punishment and reward. You may feel ungrounded without the safety net that has carried you through the understanding of the processes of life and death. These moments of doubt and fear are pearls of wisdom in the making. In recognizing that belief is a choice, you become fully empowered to participate in the exchange of ideas that the whole of existence has to offer.
The spiritual coming of age process is a time of mourning and reflection that may happen more than once in your life. Throughout each era of your life, your belief system ages, dies and is reborn alongside of you. It is important to grieve in this process, but know that you will discover people, places, and moments that will restore your faith. Reach out to others that are similarly exploring a spiritual life outside of the god-box and heal with the recognition that you are not alone in the process of maturation. Release negative emotions of fear, anger and guilt by employing boundaries of logic and reason around the mental tripwire that tells you that you are unworthy or that your wandering off of the path is wrong because of church doctrine. Connect to the reality of who you are with deep inner focus on self-acceptance while affirming your worth, gifts and talents you were given. By doing this, you enable a connection to the trueness of all things divine that are within you.
As you break out of your shell, you will begin to learn the differences between religion and spirituality that were once hidden. Religion is a regularly practiced discipline outside of yourself that governs you within, while spirituality is a state of being within that connects you to every aspect of your surroundings. While spirituality does require your full attention and complete availability, it does not require you to meet it through an intermediary nor does it ask that you submit to a hierarchy. Spirituality is a culmination of the teachings from your deepest experiences and the inmost aspects of you that make you unique. It is your connection to serendipity and your participation in the expansion of the Universe. Spirituality is found in your relationships with teachers, lovers, friends, nature, work, life, death, and so many more beautiful nuances of the human experience. Shed your skin excitedly and disarm your religion to discover your life.
