The tools for
your life
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The tools for
your life
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Difference between spirituality and religionThe things not visible to our our everyday consciousness we refer to as (eso-inner) esoteric. this level of consciousness is not our everyday understanding but a deeper mystical, meditative, intuitive state. We develop sensitivities to the delicate energies that come only with a deep love relationship with your creator. To help you focus on these energies you will need the assistance of the holy spirit to fully recognize the difference between spirituality and religion. Thankfully there is explicit writings about how to access this spiritual realm through through prayer and meditation. In contrast the (eso-outer) esoteric refers to our ordinary everyday non-transformed consciousness. Science for example is a eso-level of consciousness. This is at the materialistic level in which you will often find those consumed with religion, without sense of spirituality. The belief is, the everyday mind can understand reality, any expedition outside the usual state is considered unnecessary and an unnatural questioning of what your loving God has set before you through your church, state and pastors. Good pastors will like you to discern and cultivate a spiritual life and learn the difference between spirituality and religion. Esoteric and exoteric are not hard categories however put rather guides to help orientate us to the difference between spirituality and religion. Think of esoteric and esoteric as fuzzy areas on a continuum which can help us connect with other realms of connection. Esoteric devotion through singing can bring us into a deeper esoteric focus of our creator. Often the rational materialistic world asks us to deny these deeper spiritual intuitions for fear of what harm may come to the individual or church. Our position is it's time for the church to recognize the fully spiritual nature of existence. Our journey then becomes to remove some of the distractions that impede on us making connections with our creator and the world around us. This way we become free to fulfill our full role in the creation process, here on earth as we recognize the difference between spirituality and religion and act. You can think of religious action as the exoteric outer world. In the book of James true religion is described as helping widows and orphans. Religion in this sense expresses a true unselfish servitude to the other. This type of act even today is generally esteemed amounts any community. It is not about conforming others to a moral code in attempt to solve ones own values over authors. It is a real heart act of addressing a real need done in a spirit of grace. Interestingly the writer all the time ago addressed an issue that continues today in the problem of religious views that attempt to right society by imposing increasingly stringent judgments on particular behaviors. I like the passage about helping widows and orphans then because it clearly tells those who want to live a life pattern of service to others from where they are at. When you begin to serve others in this way you begin to transform yourself from the inside (spiritual, esoteric) rather that trying to force transform others from the outside (religious, exoteric). In the serving act the inner and outer begin to act in harmony in which the difference between spirituality and religion is quickly distinguishable. Serving is an example of action where a meeting with the creator can take place. In this meeting the inner voice of the creator can have a lasting positive effect. It is in the interactions in this spiritual zone, that zone if interaction and relationship facilitated by acts of servitude to the Creator that the outer world and our identity is transformed and renewed each day. Without devotion to this relationship, acts of neglect to the creator will tend to limit our judgments of others. Without cultivation of a spiritual life the default is set to how others serve us. In perfect vanity the material self attempts to conform others to the image we have of ourselves. Like a pack of vultures like attracts like and this is how materialistic cultures are formed. The basis of these societies are founded on false beliefs on what individuals believe as right and true. In religious societies there is a tendency to reduce the Creator to a set of moral codes in an attempt to gain independence from creation which the materialistic ego sees as a treat to self. This independence becomes an obsession and problem as soon as we present external codes of behavior an an answer to life's problems. In The Spirituality of Jesus and the Mess of History the difference between spirituality and religion is explained by showing how moralism becomes a false solution to solve the worlds ill and seek independence from a living Creator. Eugine explains; Moralism
means constructing a way of life in which I am so good and my neighbors
are so good that we don't need God anymore. Moralism works
off a base of human ability, and arranges life in such a way that my
good behavior will guarantee my life against disaster, or poverty, or
punishment. Moralism works of a base of strength, not weakness.
Moralism uses God or the revelation of God in order not to need God any
longer. Moral codes are used as stepping stones, stepping stones,
stepping stones to independence from God. Moralism works from the
outside in. It imposes right behavior on oneself or others. There is no
freedom in it and no joy in it.The Spirituality of
Jesus and the Mess of History
The difference between spirituality and religion then is that moralism attempts to homoginize individuals to preconceived judgments of how individuals should behave that don't take into account their individual relationships with their Creator. In fact moralism far from working as a freedom agent, merely results in moral panics and the use of fear control methods. The author goes on to give a classic story that highlights the difference between spirituality through the effects homogenizing external control methods. Procrustes?
He had a house alongside a well traveled road in Greece. And when
travelers would come by he would invite them in to spend the night. He
had two beds in this house. One was for short people and one was for
tall people. After giving them a good meal and making them feel like
they wee welcome. The guests in his house. The short person would be
put in one bed and the tall person in another bed. And the short people
would be attached to a rack and stretched so that they would fit the
bed. Arms and legs and pulled. I can imagine what was going on there.
The tall people who had their arms and legs hanging over the bed had
them cut off, so that they would fit the bed. So everybody
that left Procrustes house was the same size. They were moral. They
were the way a person ought to look.The Spirituality of
Jesus and the Mess of History
Through cultivating the relationship we have with the creator we gain an understanding of our true potential. There are many exoteric methods we can use to cultivate this relationship, that exist in the joys and wonders of how the creator made us. Many of the dreams that were put in there when we "were knitted in our mothers womb" are there waiting for us to develop. The tools below are there for you to find out and live out the difference between spirituality and religion. Back to the top of the difference between spirituality and religion.
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| Spiritual Self Tools | Function
in the Spiritual-Self journey |
| Levels |
Represent transformations in human, societal, cultural and self development |
Spiritual Gifts |
Represent intelligences that can assist our ascent through the spiritual levels and the breath of our compassion for others. |
Fruits of the Spirit |
An efficient tool to track development through the stages and how effective the aspects of the One spirit have been integrated into the likeness of God. |
Spiral Dynamic Colors |
Human
nature, the self, culture, society, consciousness and understanding of
Spirit is not fixed but evolves through MEMES. We were all Spirits
creation and created equal but you need to choose to know spirit to
ascend through the developmental journey. |
Page Titles |
Identify core areas of development at each of the stages of this journey. |
Heroes Journey |
Sequences
Spiritual Development in a symbolic quest that has remained stable
throughout the ages. Inspires you to stay the course and go on to
inspire others. |
Process Drama |
A powerful agent of change where you create and learn from acting from inside experiences. |
Key Issues |
Represent issues of everyday concern and empower the individual for victory in those areas of their lives. |
