From Religion to Spirituality

I was raised in a VERY religious family. My Grandmother should have been made a Saint in my opinion. I never knew a person who did more selfless and giving things. I adored her as a child. I spent the first 6 or 7 years of my life living with her and she was my hero. I didn't understand the "why" of a lot of things she did and when I would seek explanation, she usually just said it was God's will or quoted the Bible. I learned a lot of great things from her. Much of it was directly related to religion, but the religious base knowledge has helped me find peace in my own spirituality.

Eckhart Tolle says in his book, "A New Earth", that all religions are basically the same and he's absolutely right! All religions teach the same basic rules for life. Had I not gotten the religious experience as a child, I'm not sure I'd have grasped onto Spirituality so readily. It's always seemed to me that religions left too much to "faith" or "belief". Don't do this because God doesn't want you to. How do we know? Because God told us. How do we know? Because a few thousand years ago, a bunch of people made a compilation of their own personal stories and notes and told us what God wants. How do we know it's true? We have faith. Why don't we question our existence? Because God doesn't want us to. To question is to lack faith. Now you'll go to hell. But God loves you? Huh? Sounds like the invisible man in the sky is just as indecisive as us humans. Love us or punish us... hmm... That just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

I've come to believe that God, Source, Spirit, The Universe (which I lovingly refer to as the Big U) is me. And you. We can literally manifest our desires by simply THINKING. How could we NOT be a piece of God manifest in human form? As humans, we have an amazing capacity for love and kindness. I have loved so intensely that my chest (heart center/chakra) actually ached. I've also hurt so intensely there was actual physical pain. The love is wonderful, but even the sorrow is sweet.

When my Gram died back in 1997, it broke my heart. I longed so deeply to be near her. She taught me so much and loved me so completely, I physically felt the void she'd left in my life. Even during the time of my grieving, there was a certain sweetness there. Even when my tears fell, I knew in my heart that I'd been so profoundly blessed to have had the time with her that I'd had. In life, she taught me priceless lessons about how to live my life and how to love my fellow man. Then in death, she taught me that all.... ALL things pass away and there's Joy in everything, including death, if you'll simply look.

She'd have said, "Look to God and He will give you peace and Joy in all things." and she'd have been absolutely right. She'd have looked to her invisible man in the sky while on her knees in prayer. I look inside myself and find peace in the perfection of my Spirit and instead of "prayer" I endlessly give thanks to the Big U for all the abounding blessings that rain down on me always. We may have found our peace in very different ways, but we found our peace... and isn't that the point?

Every rain drop, sun ray, car accident, death, new born baby, kiss, minute alone or with someone I love is a wonderful blessing that I wouldn't get the opportunity to experience without this wonderful life. They may all pass away, but the lessons you learn along the way are the real blessings.

May you love everything around you in the way you want to be loved. May you live your life to it's fullest potential. And may you look less to the finish and instead learn to love the ride. Even the bumpy roads. Appreciation for a smooth road can be found in traveling a bumpy one.

Peace & Love,
El Baugher