One of the key elements in The Five Facets Philosophyis the spiritual facet.
I chose the term spiritual over religiousbecause each of us is born with a spiritual essence.
Though organized religion attaches itself to spirituality, our spirit is not linked inherently to organized doctrine.
Our spirit is our very essence; at its core it includes things like our compassion, convictions, courage, and hope…
Our spirit is at the root of the way we treat one another, the land, and all that encompasses our universe…
Our spirit is like a window to our soul, the place where wonder and heartache shimmer and shatter.
Our spirit is free to choose destiny, desire, and destination.
Organized religion often asks us to adopt the values and beliefs of others; it directs that what is good for one is good for all.
Doctrine and scripture often tell us that there is a God, Entity, or some Energy that is dictating our every move and our every experience.
Some scriptures ask us to put our entire faith in His hands, and to implore Him to do with us what He chooses.
After my Gavin died, I, like so many of us do, questioned God’s role, His mercy, His choice.
I saw paradox everywhere I looked.
One such dilemma for me was the assertion that God isn’t a cruel god, that He is loving, kind, and generous.
The definition of cruel is to knowingly inflict pain on someone.
If God were making all the decisions, then He knows how much suffering we incur when one of our children dies.
Those things are contradictory…
I am a person who has come to believe in a God who screams out in agony when hate, injustice, and suffering occur.
I’ve also come to appreciate a Higher Power who rejoices when we experience joy.
My God gave us free will and The Golden Rule, the ability to choose love, kindness, and generosity…
That is my spirituality and those are the beliefs I chose to adopt in healing my heartaches.
While coming to my own conclusions surrounding my faith, I learned a valuable lesson: What is so right for one may be so completely wrong for another.
Take for example this church sign I noticed driving home one day.
“Man is a sinner who needs God and is helpless to save himself.”
Those words resonate harshly within me. They tell me that I don’t have the ability to choose resilience, courage, change, or healing for myself.
I once had a conversation with a man who helps inner city children in Louisiana; he said that people he works with believe that God chose extreme poverty for them. They believe hardship, joblessness, and dependency are their destiny.
He also said that leaders around him believe that they have been designated as Providers.
I cannot wrap my thinking around this sort of helplessness…
And yet, the individuals living those roles are accepting of that edification.
In my many conversations with others who have suffered tragedy, I have met believers who were able to reconcile their suffering through a belief that some One or Some Thing is in charge, that there is a Master Plan, one which begs us to accept circumstance and decline questioning.
I received a number of condolences from strangers after my son died, people who read the obituary and felt so moved to send comfort.
One such person sent me a laminated poem that spoke of a God who every now and again plucks a young rose from Earth to make Heaven a little more beautiful.
My exhalation left a steamy haze on this giver’s glass, a shadow that, for a long time, prevented me from seeing this person’s spirit, kept me from gazing into a piece of this neighbor’s soul…
I no longer harbor angst or anger against this fellow journeyer, for I recognize that she, too, is making a choice that feeds her soul and fuels her inspiration…
What do you think, about the sign’s message, Journeyer? Have you ever stopped to reflect on the two sides of spirituality? Sound off!
And one final thing before we part: Our neighborhood is rapidly growing! Please join us by adding your name to receive a free digital copy of our power mantras poster. It includes ten of the top quotes that feed my soul and fuel my inspiration! You’ll also receive my free monthly newsletter!
We can’t wait to have you as our neighbor!
Until we meet again, yours in hope, healing, and happiness,
~AE
2 Comments on “Healing and the Two Sides of Spirituality”
Beautiful post! I believe that spirituality is individual, which is why I often have a hard time with organized religion. As for the church sign you saw, hmm… I also believe that God gave us free will, and he “helps those who help themselves”. It seems like the easy way out to say we are helpless and have no control over what happens with the way we live our lives.
Also…I’m adding your blog to my Blog Roll so your updates are always right where I can see them. 🙂