5 Things I Believe About Spirit, Soul, and Faith

posted 9th November 2010    Written by: Doniree    CATEGORY: Doniree, Inspiration, Season 3, Spirituality, What I've Learned

Southern Baptist childhood.  One year in a Jesuit Catholic university.  Friends of all faiths.  A year in a hippie-like, yoga-fied, meditating near-mountain town.  Spirituality.  I’ve had a lot of religion in my life, largely Western influences, Christianity, prayer, repentance, and judgment.

In the last year or two I have identified much more with a broader worldview, more similar to Eastern religions, but not identifying as Buddhist, Taoist, or Hindu.  I’m learning, exploring.  Exposing myself to new world views since as a youngin’, I was simply taught that everything else was wrong, but never really understood what “everything else” meant.

I also know that it’s tough for me to discuss religion and spirituality sometimes, as I don’t want to imply that my practice is the right practice or that one idea trumps another.  I don’t know that – I don’t have the authority to say that.  But I know what works for me, I know what resonates.  I know what keeps me grounded, what keeps me connected to my world.  I’ve boiled some of what I do know down to a series of simple, straight-forward beliefs.  These are a few of those:

  1. I believe in love and kindness.
  2. I believe that religion doesn’t make you spiritual and spirituality doesn’t make you religious.
  3. I believe in a higher power and in Divinity, and I believe that that Divinity is present in all beings.
  4. I believe that yoga, meditation, clarity, self/Self-awareness, and intention are crucial in my own spiritual practice.
  5. I believe that I don’t know everything.

I don’t believe in religions that teach love and kindness but don’t exude it.  I don’t like labels, but would rather see evidence of faith and love that comes from within.  I believe that ideas and acts like prayer and putting it out in the Universe are synonymous and reflect our different perceptions of what God means and who God is, and that neither of those things take away from the presence of Divinity.  I believe that I connect with my spirit and soul through yoga, Svādhyāya (self-study), relationships with others, and my relationship with the earth and my world.

I believe that this is where I’m at after decades of an upbringing in church, a few years of a dedicated yoga practice, and an attempt to reconcile the two, think critically about the two, and discern what I can and can’t accept.  I believe that yoga isn’t sacrilegious and that pastors who have been saying that yoga is the devil’s work are total whack jobs.  I believe that there is plenty more to learn and that as someone who is a seeker, that I will continue to learn and that the more I learn the more I will realize how much more there is to discover.

I believe that I love this journey.

What do you believe and how did you get there?

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Comments (13)

13 Responses to “5 Things I Believe About Spirit, Soul, and Faith”

  • chrissarose Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 7:31 am

    It is so refreshing to hear someone who admits to not knowing everything especially when it comes to religion. I have a very similar outlook on religion/spirituality and cannot stand when someone tries to "convince me" or "convert me" by forcing their beliefs or what works for them onto my life and my actions. If we all could just accept each other's choices on this topic instead of being threatened by it for absolutely absurd reasons, this world would be a lot more peaceful.

  • Beckles Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 10:23 am

    I'm still finding my way through religion and spirituality. I took several religion courses in college with a fantastic professor. We studied everything from Catholicism to Christian Scientists to Scientology to Mormonism to varoius cults and sects–one of which is local.

    He brought in devotees of each religion and we could ask them whatever we wanted and it really opened my eyes to how others view the world. And I've got four cousins who are Muslim, so I've gone into defense mode a lot when people make harsh generalizations about different religious groups. A lot of the time people don't have the facts, and they just go on hearsay and misconceptions.

  • Doniree Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 10:52 am

    Thanks, it's tough to admit how much more I know I have to learn, but that's the truth. I feel like there's a lot more we could learn from each other if we weren't so adamant that OUR way was the right way.

  • Doniree Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 10:54 am

    It's scary and really sad. There are some pastors who say that any inward-looking is dangerous because a Christian's focus should be outward, on God and on Jesus. Which – ok, I don't agree with that, but they're not saying that yoga is demon-work. They're preaching from a space that honors their beliefs and fine, whatever. But it's the one who says that practicing yoga is demon work and that you'll go to hell, etc., is just sad.

  • Doniree Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 10:55 am

    I really wish I'd had some classes like that on world religions to grasp a better understanding of just what everyone believed instead of simply being told that it was wrong. Then again, I can totally self-seek on that one, so I think I just might continue to do that :)

  • Alisha Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 2:01 pm

    I love learning about religions. I appreciate that we have the freedom to practice as we choose, but it does bother me that most people are so absolute about their respective religion/denomination. Because the truth is, we don't know for certain. That's what faith is all about. (And if people did their research, they'd realize that everyone is just telling a different version of the same story!)

  • Doniree Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 2:13 pm

    "And if people did their research, they'd realize that everyone is just telling a different version of the same story!"

    RIGHT?

  • deebuzzing Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 6:02 pm

    The discussion going on in the media and in modern literature regarding the relationship between yoga and Christianity (or other Western religions) irks me. People taking sides to defend yoga as "theirs" or "up for grabs" seems so rooted in ego. I, like you, don't connect with the idea that inserting spiritual practices from one religion into another is always wrong- it opens people to new ideas which makes for a tolerant, aware and more culturally sensitive world. I believe that knowledge of yoga and its Hindu roots is the best method for practicing but I don't believe yoga is exclusive. I love the idea that "everyone is just telling a different version of the same story" and think this could certainly be applied to the yoga debates.

    Furthermore, this post is an awesome testament to the value of the religion of "seekers"- and I consider myself one, definitely- those who want to be respected for their desire to put out good vibes through kindness, introspection, practice, meditation, and attention. Loved this entry, Doniree!

  • Taylor Says:
    November 9th, 2010 at 6:27 pm

    I love that you posted this, because I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my spirituality and beliefs lately. Although I’m fascinated by religion and love learning about it, I’ve never been religious, despite going to church regularly as a child. My parents were never very religious either, I remember my mom teaching me that God would love me whether or not I went to church regularly. Later on, when I started college, a Psych class taught me that people create religions and notions of Divinity to cope with our inevitable deaths. Without these coping mechanisms, we’d be living in near-constant terror. At least that’s what I was taught. Anyways, I’m still exploring and redefining my spirituality, but what I’ve come up with so far is…

    -I don’t believe, as human beings, we are capable of understanding Divinity.

    -Despite this, I CHOOSE to believe in something greater than myself, something that I am unable to comprehend.

    -I believe that all life is sacred.

    -I believe in karma

    And I know I feel closest to Divinity after and during yoga/meditation, and when I’m in nature, surrounded by life.

    But that’s just me :)

  • pixie658 Says:
    November 10th, 2010 at 9:22 am

    Truth truth truth and more truth. :) As someone who relates most to Eastern spiritual practices/beliefs, I definitely relate to many of the things you said. I think the first time I questioned Christianity was when I was 13 and I've been reading about every world religion/spiritual practice since trying to understand myself a little better. Without my family's openness to freedom of expression and thought, I don't know if I'd be where I am today. Thanks for sharing this. :D As humans, we seek out ways to find meaning in life so we can assign meaning to our death, so I think issues of spirituality and faith should be explored over one's lifetime. I am happy you continue to explore these things in yourself and speak openly about it because I know it must make others feel confident in their own explorations. :)

  • Doniree Says:
    November 10th, 2010 at 10:45 am

    I like the idea of exploring over a lifetime – seems to make sense that we acknowledge we can't know and figure everything out in the first part :)

  • Doniree Says:
    November 10th, 2010 at 10:46 am

    Thanks for that awesome feedback! Here's to the seekers :)

  • Doniree Says:
    November 10th, 2010 at 4:11 pm

    Beautifully put – all of it. I love this, Taylor :)

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