Most people feel some sort of connection to the great beyond in way that creates the need to express this sensation. Finding where you fit in with regards to expressing your spiritual side comes easy for some people while it is a lifelong pursuit for others.
The first thing you can examine is what spirituality means to you as part of your life. Is it a casual thing that you turn to in tense moments or ponder in relaxed states of mind? Is it something that if you would embrace with a few hours a week devotion if you could find just the right place and people with whom to interact?
Levels of Commitment
Which of these best suit you:
Casual
I love a good talk about what the meaning of life might be and want to know what other people’s ideas of what the universe holds beyond what I can experience with my five senses. But I don’t want anyone telling me what to do and if I made a commitment to go to a church service and something else came up involving my friends or family, I would cancel my plans for enlightenment to live in the here and now.
Interested
I’m searching for something to answer some of my questions about having a purpose in life. If those questions were ever answered in a way that opened up the possibilities, I would certainly commit to learning more along that path. A few hours of week of study, especially if it involved other people with the same values seeking the same goals, would be an exciting way to add meaning to my life. I might hesitate about making any radical changes in my life or devoting all my free time as well. I can see making a donation to a good cause but there are limits to what should be expected from one person.
Committed
I am relieved to have found the way. So many people are confused, lonely and lost. The chaos of the world, though, was explained to me in a way that made so much sense that I felt an instant peace. My daily life must include my spiritual side interwoven with this world. My social life centers around the people who have also accepted the truth I have come to accept. There are certain special days to be marked by performing rituals proscribed in the lore of my faith. I understand that my commitment requires a regular financial donation. It is the least I can do for in exchange for all the peace that this spiritual enlightenment has brought me.
Convinced
It is not enough to believe and study. I had to leave my world behind as the spiritual path I went down was a transformation of who I was. My old life is gone and I have devoted every part of my being to living my belief in action. I live with other people who are just as committed to this spiritual belief. My goal is to spread the word so that others might be saved. All of my relationships are predicated on these beliefs and stated goals. Material things like money are only useful if they are going to serve the purpose of enlightening all of humanity to follow this specific spiritual path.
Inherent Values
While there are many specific religions, the spiritual path that is right for you will reflect what you need to make you complete. Different people have different needs that influence their choices. Which of these sound most like you?
Cultural Connection
I grew up in my faith and had many memories associated with worshipping together with my family. As a young adult I strayed a bit, questioned my faith, but returned because it was of great comfort and all of the answers I was seeking had already been answered for me as a child.
The Seeker
I wanted to satisfy my spiritual thirst and found that my curiosity for what was behind this a particular belief was what was driving me. It is hard to stay with a particular belief when I have grasped the core messages that it has to offer. I integrate what I learn and follow my heart on new pursuits. And yet when I begin to follow a study of a new way of looking at the hereafter, I do not feel disloyal to any of the previous spiritual paths on which you may have found me in the past.
Building Boundaries
My belief system is based on achieving the spiritual peace that can only come in submitting my ego to a way of behaving. I am accountable to the rules and teachings of my faith. There are certain things in life that other faiths might not have a problem with but I will never go there because in abstaining from some earthly pleasures in life, I grow closer to the true meaning of my understanding of the divine.
Congregation
Spirituality to me is, first and foremost, belonging to something that is greater than myself. To see the same group of people and to be a part of their extended family reinforces being part of a universal family beyond our material existence. While I could take a class or join a club, our congregation has a great social network and there are plenty of activities to entertain me and keep me busy.
Consciousness Elevation
My need for spiritual growth requires me to expand who I am and how that relates to my environment. Meditation and prayer allow me to connect to the universe without committing to an ideology. Understanding the basics of astrology allows me to see how my personality responds to the universe as well as to cope with times of planetary tension. Knowing the Tarot gives me the opportunity to describe my role in the constant change that defines the universe as well as to accept those destinies that I cannot change.
Understand your level of commitment and your spiritual pursuit as a reflection of your values. Once you know yourself and are aware of how expansive an approach you are willing to take, following a spiritual path will be easier because you will have a clearer aim as you choose the one that suits those needs of ours that stretch beyond the material world.
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