Spirituality, what comes to mind when you think this word? Maybe you think of stained glass windows, a choir fully dressed in robes, maybe you think of a priest, an imam, a rabbi, or some strange hippie practicing yoga in some rather picturesque state park. Whatever the case might be, one must agree that within the past few hundred years, or even within the past hundred years, a lot has changed within the dynamic of the spiritual world.
The first is an increased understanding that you can think for yourself — your relationship with deity/the universe/your higher self/God is your relationship, and a religious sect shouldn't dictate that. This quality, to think for yourself, is such a powerful one as questions are then put into your own hands to answer with life experience.
Who do you feel that you are? Do you believe in God? Do you believe that there's an afterlife for yourself? All of these questions have one thing in common, besides being philosophical, that they involve your own self thought, your own philosophy, your own thinking. After all, one ought to "boldly question all things" as Thomas Jefferson suggested.
The second change to the realm of spirituality is an increase of knowledge in our age of learning and of technology. One could search up a website that completely lays out the foundation of a particular sect, the good and the bad of history and things regarding the people who follow the teachings within the group. This is super helpful if you're a scholarly spiritual nerd like myself who has explored almost every religion available.
Really at the end of the day, the point of spirituality is to develop your own philosophy within the context of the universe, and sometimes within the context of divinity via an ultimate deity – mind you this is completely okay if that's what you feel is correct. What is not good, and many can agree with this, is to have someone tell you what to believe in every aspect and for you to believe them completely.
This writer holds to the theory that no one, no matter how well educated, holds the fullness of truth, rather they hold opinions that they've developed. The universe is so vast and so expansive, and to think that one person holds the fullness of truth is such a strange idea to me.
I encourage you then to go out and experience life, experience nature, experience love, music, friends, family, your pets even — in all of these things exist a portion of God. Did I just say that music has a portion of God in it? Yes I did. So I encourage you now, think for yourself! Listen to music, experience life, and find your identity in the grand scheme of things.
In Solidarity,
- Mark N. Laws
