Religion is a communal event... a participatory gathering in discourse, and more than often, a willfull indoctrination of the understanding and acceptance of the words both spoken and written pertaining to the spiritual experiences of one who has had a spiritual awakening, which may also be called 'self realization' or its equivalent.
Spirituality is a personal (versus communal) experience that transcends the mundane and reconnects the individual with the inner self... a practice that does not (necessarily) require (a) religion.
There has been many words said about religion - whether it is a dying institution, unnessary, no longer pertinent to we humans. I don't see that happening any time soon, even though I certainly see that many of the present day religions that have been, (and are), well-entrenched in the world's societies no longer serve many of their flock.
Conversely, during this period of upheaval within religious institutions one can see that while some religions are losing practioners few others are gaining in numbers. Islam apparently is gaining in numbers as is what has become called "Evangelical Christianity." And there is a constant flux that goes on with what I'll term 'World Buddhism', to singularly attempt to define the well established Buddhism of the Far East, i.e., Tibetan Buddhism Japanese Buddhism, etc., depending upon the geographical locations... collectively the 'sects.' This trying on of different religions can be seen as a search for something more fulfilling for our growing restlessness in knowing our Self.
The list of our world's religions is a lengthy one. No need to attempt to list them here, for that is not the purpose. But when our population of some 6.4 billion people are acknowledged, so must our acceptance that there are 6.4 billion individuals attempting to find community and historically religions have offered a sense of community more than politics has. Politics offers us basic human needs like economy, security, defense, etc..
The beliefs within religion run the gamut of our imaginations... all for attaining God (or an equivalent experience). This is part of our being, the core of what it is to be human. It is an historical fact throughout our human evolution there has always been some link to our 'supernaturalness.' In our primitive beginnings there were (and still are) the shamans, the wise-ones, the curanderas, the witches, the priests... those that the tribes looked to in times of personal and communal distress. These were/are the ones that had personal spiritual experiences, the people that the community felt they could turn to for assistance to tap into that spirit world that they themselves knew existed but were unable to fully access.
For reasons that can only be assumed, certain few of those in tune with the spiritual were not only acknowledged by the initial tribe or community, but were known to have persuasion over larger and larger groups beyond the tribe. People like Siddhartha became 'the Buddha" for millions, Jesus became "the Christ" for millions, Mohammed was revered by millions... and their adherents continue to this day. These few examples obviously were able to relate their own 'self realizations' in a way that touched the hearts, minds and souls of so many.
Nature does not stand still. Change is the reality. Nowadays we are seeing growing numbers of people that want more than what is known from what the followers of these great, early 'leaders' of religions teach. Mankind's evolution has been part of the change. We cannot help it. We have learned many things throughout our growth. We have to practice those things that we have learned. We are learning creatures... if nothing else we have always learned throughout our own history here on this one planet.
This learning should not reduce our desire to find our own Self. The paths for achieving that oneness has opened up from all our learnings. We need stepping stones to pass over the rushing waters of doubt and confusion. Every stepping stone can be viewed as a religion, no matter how large or how small, as long as it will support us to reach the other side, it is beneficial on the journey. Reaching this 'other side' is our completion in knowing our Self - fully realizing our individuality, our authenticity, just as those that taught us.
<center>Do not give the stepping stone more value than the journey it allows. </center>
Many feel that the stepping stone they are on is the whole answer, the final destination. They build their lives upon that one stone and call it home. But that one stone is surrounded by dangers. No man is an island nor should he attempt to live like one. We must connect. We must complete our journey. The stone is but a temporal reprieve from the journey, not our home but a resting spot. The swirling waters will eventually flood that stone and all that is upon it... washing away all that they thought would be their answer. We move by learning, by accepting new stones reaching towards our journey. We should never call one stone home. It is the distant shore that is our home and that should remain our objective. That shore completes our journey, fulfills our being... our freedom, our peace is our final attainment, where the stepping stones of religion are no longer needed.
[Inspired by a question from artguy. Thank you, Kurt!]
Cecil
06 Noviembre 2005
In the garden -
