I love spirituality, but I do not much care for religion. Religion can be a gateway to spirituality, but it can also be a cage, preventing us from going deeper. If we go deep enough into any religion, then we end up at the same place, in the golden light of universal truth, in enlightenment. However, as soon as we say that "our belief" is true, and that the beliefs of others are false, then we have adopted a religious ideology. And then religion becomes a trap.
Religions are based on control, on authority, on a hierarchy. Religious authorities tell us how to worship, and how to behave. They depict God as external, and only reachable through that religion. They require that we follow their directions, and do what we are told.
In the new spirituality, we are not told what to think or what to do. We are our own best authority, as we work to know and love ourselves. We learn to listen inside, and discover how to live a more spiritual life.
The old way says that there is only one true path, and that all other ways are wrong.
The new spirituality says that many paths lead to spiritual freedom and peace.
We have a rich array of gems from which to draw illumination: the world's religious traditions, mythology, psychology, healing methods, scientific wisdom, and most of all our own experiences. We each take a personal selection from these gems, and string a necklace all of our own.
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