Welcome: An Introduction

Sharing the insights I discover as I explore and experience the mystery that is our reality. Join me in my journey and share yours.




Thursday, December 22, 2011

Breaking Free of Belief

                                                                        Courtesy of Google Images



For awhile I lived a very comfortable religious life. I believed I had some sense of experiencing God.  Experiencing God was that warm fuzzy feeling one felt during worship, or maybe praying with others or during a good sermon. That was the extent of what I felt experiencing God amounted to. I was perfectly comfortable living out taught beliefs.

There came a time after I had incorporated meditation into my spiritual disciplines and began to really encounter the presence of God within that I no longer found these taught beliefs and doctrines fitting in with my sense of what I was beginning to feel was true. I struggled to find ways to incorporate them in the new paradigm I found myself merging into. I tried rationalizing and twisting them almost beyond recognition in order to conform. But it was to no avail. The pursuit amounted to being as futile as trying to jam the wrong puzzle piece into the wrong space. They just wouldn't fit.

The struggle to believe in my presupposed ideas based on the doctrines I was ascribing to and their conflict with the truths I was receiving was becoming the source of my Undoing.  This  process was suffocating me spiritually to the point where I was ceasing to find life, light and meaning in my beliefs at all. I could just see walls, like those of a prison, hindering the full view of which I had only caught glimpses of through moments of meditation. Walls, that had to come down.

I realized I wasn't after hollow doctrine. I was after truth and thirsted to experience that truth firsthand. I wanted God, not man's words about God, to reign in my heart. Contemplative prayer and other forms of meditation allowed me to realize that that was truly possible. I would, however,  have to let go of all that I once held dear in order to find the greatest treasure of all buried within my soul: God Himself. I would have to sell all of my land just for that one field where I knew the treasure to be buried and then spend the rest of my efforts in separating dirty ego from divine Self in discovering it.

Imagine God being like a powerful river swiftly flowing. It was as if I was relying on people's interpretations of the river and merely viewing it from a portrait that they had painted of it. And then, still more, reviewing charts regarding the facts that defined it. Memorizing the rules that determined its nature and the outlines of its topography and where one could swim, where one couldn't and who was allowed to swim. The problem was, there was no swimming going on at all.

It's as if I stood by the bank one day realizing the beauty and reality of the river and decided that rather than studying it from afar it'd be tons more fun to just jump in and let it carry me away, becoming one with it's flow and rhythm.  My experiences of meditation up to that point had gotten my feet wet. Now I wanted to saturate my soul as well.  I wanted no more barriers between myself and God and at last decided it was time to strip myself of the dogma that clothed my sense of what was real spiritually and take the plunge into the swift waters. Doing so has released in me the sense of merging into the great I Am and given me glimpses of what it's like to live in the great We Are. Not fully, but enough to know it's possible. There are still rocks I reach out and cling to in desperation, as I feel truth sweeping me in its current and my own inner insecurities resisting it, trying to slow it down because it's all so much to process in one experience.


There are a lot of analogies that use the illustration of the river to symbolize truth, reality and God. Just the other day I was having a conversation with a friend regarding the truth and how it cannot be contained only experienced. The book I am currently reading, "The Wisdom of Insecurity" by Alan Watts, illustrates this idea perfectly.

"You cannot understand life and its mysteries as long as you try to grasp it. Indeed, you cannot grasp it, just as you cannot walk off with a river in a bucket. If you try to capture running water in a bucket, it is clear that you do not understand it and that you will always be disappointed, for in the bucket the water does not run. To "have" running water you must let go of it and let it run. The same is true of life and of God."  
                 ~ Alan Watts, "The Wisdom of Insecurity", p. 24

For so long I hadn't just tried to "capture truth in a bucket" but I allowed it to be served to me on a platter. Served to me in the form of other men's words and visions about God without experiencing my own.  I had to  learn to surrender myself to God and the process of understanding unhindered by labels and superficial rules. I had to trust my own inner voice and not the voices of others. I felt my subconscious beckoning me to cease my struggling and to flow with the current and not resist it. For God is the current itself, the ever changing flow of what Is.  

Alan Watts talks about the law of reversed effort and how when we struggle against the water we sink but when we stop struggling we float. Finally, when I stopped struggling to cling to my preconceived notions of belief, trying to fit them in to interpret my experience, I rose to the surface of the water I had been submerged in and my spiritual lungs began to fill up with the air they so desperately needed.


Watts explains the difference between faith and belief in this passage:

Belief, as I use the word here, is the insistence that the truth is what one would "lief" or wish it to be. The believer will open his mind to the truth  on condition that it fits in with his preconceived ideas and wishes. Faith, on the other hand, is an unreserved opening of the mind to the truth, whatever it may turn out to be. Faith has no preconceptions; it is a plunge into the unknown. Belief clings, but faith lets go. In this sense of the word, faith us the essential virtue of science, and likewise of any religion that is not self-deception.

                                  ~ "The Wisdom of Insecurity", p. 24

Sometimes an awareness of reality's purely unknown and bottomless depths breaks upon my consciousness and I literally laugh. I laugh because I don't know. There's so much I don't know!  There's a sense of freedom and joy in this seemingly hopeless condition because it's not hopeless at all when one really looks at it. In this condition is the reality of the freedom to admit ignorance and not be bound by the illusions of knowing.  It's the only way to experience hope in its truest form. How can you have hope without freedom? Belief binds. Faith in the experience frees one to plunge into the infinite void of God. To experience and explore all possibilities and not be bound to just one. There's a deep sense of  freedom in knowing that I am not bound by things that hinder me from exploring that unknown chartered territory that is God.

 The Tao te Ching puts the condition of not-knowing in this way :

 Not-knowing is true knowledge. 
Presuming to know is a disease.
First realize that you are sick, 
then you can move towards health.


To me, that means that we have to realize the full magnitude of what we don't know in order to really begin our journey into discovering what there is to know. One has to recognize the need to make new discoveries when on the spiritual journey or he isn't on a journey at all but has pitched a tent along the wayside. Of course, in this pursuit for God and truth one shouldn't have such an open mind as to let other false truths akin to those that have already been dismissed to filter in. We need to use spiritual discernment and critical thinking to separate the wheat from the chaff. We need to allow the light of God within us to shine through and dispel the darkness of that which hinders our view of the Divine. George Fox, the leading founder of the Quakers, used verses from scripture to teach that that eternal light is within us all. It is our teacher along the way. Fox said that, "people had no need of any teacher but the Light that was in all men and women".


 Zen master Shunryu Suzuki once said, "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's there are few."  I began my pursuit to discover God's truths with my ideas and philosophies bound in a neatly wrapped package. I figured I would go about learning and discovering God but within the confines of certain parameters. My search for encountering and exploring the Divine has burst open that package and dispelled my once held myth that God could ever be categorized. I feel more a beginner now to the process than I did from the very beginning. And I'm okay with that. To me it confirms that my compass is pointed in the right direction.

 
Thoughts? I'd love to hear them. Please leave them in the comments section!


51 comments:

  1. If God created the entire world then the entire world should be our playground. All of man's ideas eventually blend into God. I can't imagine a life of not soaking everything in. I love religion, ALL religion, and I never have and never will stop at one door and call it home. There are too many curiosities I would miss out on.

    So I'll put my belief aside and pick up my faith. Faith in my ability to experience spirituality myself as a living thing, and not have it handed to me in doctrine, in unchanging artifacts.

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  2. "Faith in my ability to experience spirituality myself as a living thing, and not have it handed to me in doctrine, in unchanging artifacts. "

    I love that JR! Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. The above reminds me of what the Buddha had to say about not taking information and beliefs handed down to us but testing everything through our own experiences.

    Thanks again :)

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  3. JR said it the best; it is what I feel. I love all the natural world around me and rejoice in my faith. Your post was excellent I was enthralled.

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  4. JR is a wise friend! :) Thank you...I'm glad you enjoyed the post.

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  5. You're very welcome, Jessica. It's an honor to watch you explore religion and spirituality.

    Thanks, Jan :)

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  6. "He who will lose his life for my sake will find it . . ."
    This is the verse that popped into my mind as I read this marvelous post. Yes! We must let go of the preconceived notions, dive into the living waters, and be carried away on His ever-rolling river.
    As you are finding Him through meditation and contempletive prayer, I am discovering Him more and more as I write the devotions . . .
    Let us journey on in faith! :)
    Blessings always, Jessica!

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  7. Thank you Martha...a great verse to bring up! Very applicable. We must die to our own sense of ego and truth and rise up, born again into a new awareness of what Is.
    ~many blessings

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  8. Hi Jess,
    One thing stands out as missing in your post...

    Who pays the penalty for sin, and how can we avail ourselves of that penalty being paid...?

    Unless that either doesn't exist anymore or it doesn't matter in your spiritual pursuit.
    Just wondering, as it is at the foundation of all pursuit of God in Christianity.

    Bruce

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  9. Jessica, I am moved by your quest and by your eloquence at describing it! How regrettably few religious souls seem able to escape the surly bonds of base fundamentalism and soar among the stars, and how wonderful that you appear to be well on your way, even if it may be more lonely and difficult for you at times than you'd like, especially with clueless naysayers trying to weigh you down with guilt over illusory sins and with nagging doubt about your course.

    I say follow the course that your head and heart working in concert have wisely plotted and pay no heed to the naysayers. But then you already knew I'd say something like that. ;-)

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  10. Bruce,

    Thanks for stopping by. I really do appreciate you reading this post and leaving your thoughts. I'll try to answer the question you asked...

    I have been coming to a different interpretation of Christianity; that what Jesus revealed through his teachings was really the most essential life and truth-giving gift he came to offer. I am coming to believe that God works His truths into the hearts of man through expressing Himself within the contexts in which they can best perceive Him...through all religions and am coming to the conclusion that He isn't as "personal" or "intentional" as we are I first believed.

    I believe that man has been touched with a deep awareness of the Divine...of something within and greater than himself, and this is reflected through all of man's religions through their many stories and symbols that they use to express this reality. And that Source of which we are connected with dwells within the deepest parts of our souls/consciousness. My journey is to discover this Source more fully.

    Hope that answers your question...

    ~Blessings,
    Jessica

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  11. Steve,

    Thank you so much for stopping by and your encouraging comment. There are sure to be those who disagree with me and some of the conclusions I'm coming to and that can certainly complicate things and make it more difficult. More than anything I'd love for those that might not understand or might really disagree with some of the conclusions and the path which I've decided to take, would have an open mind and hear me out..who knows..freedom can be contagious. ;)

    ~ Namaste :)

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  12. Jessica, for those who believe that "the foundation of all pursuit of God in Christianity" is psychologically flagellating oneself for one's irrepressibly sinful nature and singing endless praises to God as "payment" for his barbarically sacrificing himself to himself to spare us the roaring bonfire he himself built to everlastingly torture us for unfreely acting the way he programmed us to act, I don't think anything you say here will be anything but used against you in condemnation if not silent or even public denunciation. But that's on them and not on you.

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  13. i pray the Holy Spirit will engulf you and teach you all Gods Truths through His Word...pray and read...daily
    Gods Peace

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  14. Jessica, freedom CAN BE and IS contagious! I want to put these in caps because I was caught in a lie for so many years. The lie that everything is "relevant" and Lord Jesus was "just a good teacher". How can we grow in God with that limiting, crushing, human-centered mentality?
    The answer? We can't!
    Those who question you and try to murk your waters may have a message, and may actually have one of importance, but take all with a grain of salt.
    For you are the salt of the earth. You have it. You're on it. You know it - the right path.
    And, it tastes good. It's flavored just right . . .
    You are an inspiration!
    Blessings and Merry Christmas!

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  15. Jessica religion and spirituality to me are very different. Religion is a foundation of what...where...why for society ..Where as spirituality is something that one feels within..a conviction of knowing the inner essence of who I am.
    How I live my life and find balance within both my worlds inner and outer.Reflecting my practice into my actions or movements...

    I really enjoyed reading this.

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  16. Jess,
    Steve is a ship without a rudder...
    The soul that sins will die...
    All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God....
    You want to contend with that, have at it, but if you love the truth, it must come into play in a foundational way.

    Sorry... you cannot move the eternal boundries, in the end, they will be confirmed as true and reliable.

    He who has forgiveness of sins, wins in the end. And you cannot pay for them yourself.

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  17. Each one has their own interpretation of spirituality...“I want the presence of God Himself, or I don't want anything at all to do with religion... I want all that God has or I don't want any.”
    ― A.W. Tozer

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  18. "But as I had forsaken the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and those esteemed the most experienced people; for I saw there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. When all my hopes in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could I tell what to do, then, oh, then, I heard a voice which said, "There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition";[30] and when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy." George Fox, 1647

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  19. I agree with you on this one. Sometimes we need to break free of all the doctrines and belief to truly experience god

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  20. Hey Jess,
    Sounds like you have a lot going on in your head these days. Good for you. I wonder what it is you hope to find. I read lots of hope and acceptance and desire in your essay. Do you think ultimate truth exists? If so, is it discoverable? Also, is knowing and understanding a potentially unified truth even necessary? How would you use such knowledge? How would it improve the quality of your life or the lives of others? One of the quotes you used described how some people ignore ideas that conflict with their deeply held beliefs. I suspect that simply spreading the word of your newly discovered, hypothetical truth would have little more effect than any other preacher out there. The world already has an abundance of religious 'truth' to choose from and continues to suffer in needless ways. Are you hoping to see a right way to live? I think you already have a sense of good and evil that needs no discovery. As far as personal habits such as diet or prayer, I doubt a supreme truth is concerned with such matters. I think lots of people are driven to spiritual pursuits out of fear of death, but death shouldn't be feared. It's part of a natural progression found throughout the universe. As far as knowing what happens after we die, you'll know soon enough. Before it happens, you can never really be sure. For me, the only relevant truth is the truth of my actions. What I do is my truth. Not what I believe or think or intend to do. For good or bad, my actions are completely my responsibility. The only thing that truly matters is how I treat others. The love in my heart is only as good as the love I spread in this world. Freedom is more important to me than truth. Freedom gives one the option of being good on the spot. When in contemplation, as I find a part of myself that is limiting or biased or negative, I try to recognize it for what it is. Next step is to stop it from manifesting in my behavior. Easier said than done. Have you ever read anything by J. Krishnamurti? I think you would really enjoy him. Well, I've gone on long enough. Have a nice xmas with your family and I'll talk to you soon. MAQ

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  21. LyonsLady, thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you for your prayers...along with my other reading, I will always treasure my time in the Scriptures. God certainly shows up in its pages :) ~blessings

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  22. Savira,
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts and what spirituality/religion means to you. I enjoyed hearing them. I'm glad you liked this post. :)

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  23. Alpana..Beautiful quote..and so true. Thank you for sharing! :)

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  24. Anonymous..Thank you. The words of George Fox have really inspired me along my journey. I loved that passage you shared. ~blessings and light

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  25. MAQ.... You had so much to share. Thank you! I love people who make me think. ;)

    "Do you think ultimate truth exists? If so, is it discoverable? "

    I do think ultimate truth exists..though it might be fluid. I Believe it can be discoverable, through experience.


    "Also, is knowing and understanding a potentially unified truth even necessary? How would you use such knowledge? How would it improve the quality of your life or the lives of others?"

    Knowing and understanding, encountering more of God is, I believe, always a beneficial thing for an individual to experience. This is because to know and experience God's love and truth at deeper levels, begins to transform us in that love from the deepest recesses of our subconscious outwards, and in turn, has an effect on what motivates us. We begin to be more motivated by our Self and not our ego self. We begin to be more compassionate, and loving, and in turn that is a contagious thing, others are affected by that. As Eknath Easwaran says,

    " As our desire to draw closer to the Lord within us deepens, it draws self-centered desires into it like tributaries into a great river. The power of that love swells until it becomes cataclysmic; we begin to inspire other people through the transformation we have wrought in ourselves."

    I believe encountering God through meditation and being transformed in His peace and love and the reality that we are all interconnected can bring a lot of peace into this world as well as understanding and empathy.

    And I agree...death shouldn't be feared. And the reality that death is unavoidable is perhaps the biggest sales pitch that makes us cling to some beliefs that might be more anchors than wings for us spiritually. It is a great benefit to one spiritually to be released from that fear..

    I haven't read anything from J. Krishnamurti yet...I'll have to check him out. Thanks for the suggestion. :)

    I'm still reflecting on a lot of what you said...I'll probably respond again. :)

    ~namaste

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  26. Bruce,

    Thank you for being honest about what you believe. I do think Scripture comes from God and needs to be considered...in context. I'm still figuring out some of its context. ;)

    Many blessings,
    Jessica

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  27. Jessica, a lot of this jibes with how I feel about poetry. It's spiritual for me. It's an absolute search for truth that can only be experienced and therefore expressed through a description of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.

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  28. Thank you Sweepy...:) I can definitely relate to what you wrote. I definitely believe creative pursuits can have profound ways in tapping into one's spirituality.

    Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  29. I completely agree with JR and was going to say exactly what he expressed very well and clearly.

    Very thoughtful post, Jessica. Kudos to you for writing it.

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  30. Thanks John...glad you liked it! :)

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  31. Dear Jessica, it was wonderful learning about your journey and I would say, I am treading the same path as well.. and as u said, I think I have put up a tent on the way for now.. but hopefully, will resume my journey soon. As for what I have learned through meditation, is that all the myths and dogmas related to God and his existence does not make sense if we are just accepting hear say and haven't really seen/experienced the miracle of God. And this miracle comes out of a divine store of power within our own souls.. That realisation was more than enough to open my soul's eyes. And I am stronger today.
    TC!
    Punam

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  32. Hi, Jessica! --

    Love this: "I wanted God, not man's words about God, to reign in my heart. Contemplative prayer and other forms of meditation allowed me to realize that that was truly possible." I had a similar experience after an important spiritual teacher told me, following years of sort of haphazard meditation practice, that I seriously need to meditate every day. Thank you for the nudge to remain true to that ideal ;-x

    This part reminds me alot of my current post -- the kids' attachment to pre-conceived ideas which are merely someone else's interpretation: http://www.dangerouslinda.com/?p=1679: "Imagine God being like a powerful river swiftly flowing. It was as if I was relying on people's interpretations of the river and merely viewing it from a portrait that they had painted of it."

    I enjoyed this ~

    Thank you for all that you are!

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  33. Punamjr...Thank you for sharing where you are in your journey right now. Perhaps sometimes pitching a tent is a necessary stepping stone, a resting place along our way..as long as it isn't fixed and permanent, it has its purpose.

    Thank you for coming by...I hope you come back to share more of your thoughts in the future. :)

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  34. Linda,

    Meditating regularly is a difficult thing to do...I, myself, struggle a lot in this area. Life is full of distractions! But with determination it becomes more and more possible and when it becomes a daily practice much fruit is born.

    I loved your post btw and encourage everyone to visit it! Thanks for stopping by. ~Blessings

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  35. You said:
    Imagine God being like a powerful river swiftly flowing. It was as if I was relying on people's interpretations of the river and merely viewing it from a portrait that they had painted of it. And then, still more, reviewing charts regarding the facts that defined it. Memorizing the rules that determined its nature and the outlines of its topography and where one could swim, where one couldn't and who was allowed to swim. The problem was, there was no swimming going on at all.

    This passage reminds me of Siddhartha:
    http://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Modern-Library-Classics-Hermann/dp/0812974786/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1324809619&sr=8-6

    What you wrote above, Jessica is almost theme for theme what Hermann Hesse wrote in his book. I highly recommend reading it if you haven't.

    I have to say again as I've said here before I love that you're on this path of self discovery. God is in the details. Keep digging. Keep searching. Keep learning.

    I think the fact that you recognized your discomfort w/your old paradigm shows intellectual and spiritual growth. You have to go through a phase where attempt to fit new belief into your old world view.

    When your attempts fail and you understand its time to move on that's when you recognize that you're indeed growing. When it becomes a struggle to believe in my presupposed ideas based on the doctrines I was ascribing to, it is then that you should look for a new belief, because as I've written many times in my own blog:
    Life shouldn't be a struggle.

    Happy to see that you understand this and have continued to find meaning in what you believe.

    Good for you, Jessica!
    Merry Christmas, my friend!
    --
    Chris

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  36. Hi Jessica, I guess we all have different views when it comes to spirituality.It was interesting to read what people have to say and to hear the different views. That is what makes us so interesting. I guess for me it means feeling God`s Spirit in me. Walking the spiritual path, to my final destination: Heaven :)

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  37. Hi Jessica,
    I think it might be indicative that you qoute a scripture as the main subtitle of the blog...

    Jeremiah 6:16 Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

    But... you leave off the last part of that verse which I think is most important and revealing... they didn't want to walk in God's path, but they made their own. I hope you are not doing the same by forsaking the foundation of His Word and what He has declared to be the truth.

    ... the part of the verse that ends that quote is, "But they said, we will not walk in it..."

    Check out IS 28:12 and IS 30:15-17 it says the same thing, are you willing to do things His way? Do you really want to know the "good way and walk in it"? He is the only One that has that answer, and He will give it freely to anyone that asks with a whole heart.

    Just thought I'd comment again, since you seem to want more commenting on the post.

    Blee you,
    Bruce

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  38. Chris,

    Thanks so much for stopping by. I miss you on fb! We do have to catch up sometime. :) I still haven't read Herman Hesse's book...you've mentioned it before...I'm going to add it to my reading list!

    Thanks so much for your thoughts...I completely agree. :)

    I hope you enjoyed your Christmas and ope to chat soon. :)

    ~blessings

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  39. Nelieta,

    Thanks so much for stopping by. When it comes to spirituality, you're right...there's no end to the diverse views! I'm always interested in hearing what others think. Thanks for sharing your reflections. :)

    ~blessings

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  40. Bruce,

    "Do you really want to know the "good way and walk in it"?"

    Yes and it is my intention to be true to God in my pursuit of Him. This means that I should not limit His nature with any presupposed ideas...

    "I hope you are not doing the same by forsaking the foundation of His Word and what He has declared to be the truth."

    I am leaning on God right now to help me in reading Scripture and other inspired works with discernment...I have come to believe that there are different ways in how the events in Scripture can be interpreted...our interpretations undoubtedly differ...

    Thanks for stopping by Bruce.
    ~ Blessings

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  41. Oh my, how I relate to this post. I'm constantly finding everyday, how I'm only just tapping the beginning of depths that are beyond my comprehension. God's ways are higher than ours and yet, He lives and has His being right here in us, with us. My denomination was detonated years ago and blew into a million fragments. I was lost as to what I was do without my pet denomination. Lord have mercy, who was I without it??

    And that was over 14 years ago. I've been set free to explore Him outside the confines of traditional church. When Jesus truly becomes the Head of His church, well, that's the BEST place and the hardest because then the real work of iron-sharpening-iron and sanctification truly begins.

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  42. I was reflecting on a series of your posts :) Maybe I was trying too hard to let the words sink in. I was talking with my sister the other day and she was sharing the same thing. She wished to break free from the 'bonds' of the traditional Church.

    Anyhow, your post is very enlightening. I call it as 'crisis points' in my life when God sends thought provoking events that make me ask a lot of whys.

    It is only through those moments when faith is tested real, strong and true.

    God doesn't make the path clear~ there are many times when I'd make big leaps after discernment.

    I guess this post is a continuous invitation to seek God more and throw away all our securities inorder to be free...

    I'll come back on this again :) and again...

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  43. Tammy, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your experiences.

    "I've been set free to explore Him outside the confines of traditional church."

    I can definitely relate to that. :)

    ~blessings

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  44. Jessica,
    This post mirrors so much of what I believe. I used to hold on white-knuckled, so afraid of sinning and falling short. Now, I know what Christ meant when he said it is finished. I also know that I can't look outside of myself to another person to interpret or guide my spirituality.

    With that said, it was so refreshing to read this post and find another soul who is brave enough to listen from within.

    Hugs,
    Leah

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  45. Melissa,

    Thank you so much for stopping by...I always love hearing your reflections :)

    "God doesn't make the path clear~ there are many times when I'd make big leaps after discernment."

    So true, sometimes the path can be quite blurry. In those moments I think it's important to trust our own spiritual instinct and know that it comes from God. :)And if we do make mistakes, which are inevitable, God is love and offers us His sanctuary of love to take refuge in during our moments of brokenness.

    "I guess this post is a continuous invitation to seek God more and throw away all our securities in order to be free."

    Absolutely. Perhaps what we hold on to in order to give us a sense of being "secure" is most revealing to us about what we are actually insecure about. I believe the spiritual journey is about letting go...simply of all preconceived notions that have helped "keep order" and "security" for us, and plunge unabashedly into the depths of the Divine. It's not an easy thing to do...and I am certainly no expert in this kind of endeavor...but I'm learning...and I am thankful that there are others that are on a spiritual journey as well that I can confer with...like you. :) Thanks sis for your great comment.

    ~blesings

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  46. Thank you Leah!

    I find your comment refreshing and encouraging. :) Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. I agree, we must always seek within, for God is there and the true compass for our spiritual journey can only be discovered within the center of ourselves, not in any other man's words. They can give us insight, a little direction, but ultimately each person is responsible for their own journey and salvation..an idea the Buddha expressed so very long ago and a principle that is eternally applicable to all.

    ~blessings

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  47. very thought provoking!

    I believe that it is through seeking that I find...my answers!

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading this...thank you.

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  48. Thank you Amy :) And I agree with you about finding answers through seeking...it's the only way in my opinion! :)

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  49. I found you through a comment you made today on another blog and I'm so glad I did. I've been on a similar journey and there is a bit of pushback and so I also appreciate the example of answering questions with grace while still being honest about where you are and where you might be going.

    Namaste

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  50. Thank you well written and great quotes. It seems in our small world Christ enters and leaves as we try to grasp Our Lord in a tight fist of a hand, but when we open the mind to the vast, deep and limitless Christ mind, then we relax and rest in a state of peace. We let go and “Let Thy Will be Done”. We are no longer tied or grasping a human predicament. We are no longer poking about our interior with a flashlight, but opening the blinds, windows and doors of our Soul to the present moment of God. We no longer seek God because we know he is always present so we seek the barriers that separate us from That Glorious Presence.

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