I created Spiritual Geography because I believe we each have our own way of comprehending and interacting with that something beyond our understanding and earthly experience. We may call this something that lays beyond names like God, Spirit, Source, or the Universe. Or the words I tend to favor: the Transcendent, the Divine, and the Infinite.
I believe anyone’s spirituality can be a useful subset of the Infinite, as long as it passes two questions: 1. Are their spiritual beliefs and practices life-giving to the person themselves? By life-giving I mean do they bring joy, peace, love, forgiveness, and help the person grow. 2. Do their spiritual beliefs and practices hurt them or anyone else? If their spirituality is life-giving and doesn’t hurt them or anyone else, who am I to judge?
Yet, the last three episodes of this podcast had me judging beliefs that I feel cause harm to others, failing the second question. There is one through-line in the spirituality that can harm others: certainty that one’s spiritual beliefs are correct and the only way to think. This kind of certainty occurs everywhere - in every faith tradition and in the spiritual-but-not-religious world.
Spiritual beliefs and practices can also harm the person themselves. That harm comes from the same source: rigidity and certainty. If you are unbending about what spiritual actions you need to take and what you are “supposed to” believe, you can potentially harm yourself psychologically and spiritually. If you’re not living up to your own unyielding expectations, you may have anxiety or depression, or find yourself in a dark night of the soul.
One way to counteract this is to expand your definition of spirituality. I believe spirituality includes our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with others, and our relationship with the Divine. If we only consider that last aspect, we may be missing out on wonder, beauty, and love, as well as our own healing and growth.
In addition, the way we connect with the Transcendent usually changes during our lifetime, sometimes in small ways, sometimes in radical ways.
Give yourself grace.
The process of connecting and building a relationship with Love is what’s important: love for yourself, love for others, and love for the Infinite Mystery that lays beyond our understanding. Just like with any relationship, sometimes we need a break and need to regroup. By holding our beliefs gently, there is room for change and growth and acceptance of the moments when we doubt.
When pondering the Infinite, there is always more to know, more to explore, and more ways to experience Divine Love.
Joni Miller is a writer, researcher, spiritual coach, and speaker who uses her knowledge, education, and love of all things spiritual to help others find their unique spiritual path. www. SpiritualGeography.net
Ep 21: A New Concept of Spirituality that Heals