How does someone be spiritual without religion?

[Kriya Yogi]

The state of being tired of the world is a sign of being an old soul. Disliking the evil and insincerity of people and the world is a sign of wanting something more substantial. The state you are in can make you free if you have a reciprocating love for God. This is why people become monks and renunciates. The key now for you is looking for the best way to connect to God, and I can assure you that path is Yoga meditation. I emplore you and anyone that feels like this to find a way to become initiated into Kriya Yoga. Everyone should know this liberating technique. If you can learn this technique and practice it daily it will connect you to God. It's a scientific technique that works for everyone. There is also mantra meditation, and Aum meditation where you focus on listening to the blissful vibration of Aum in your right ear while meditating. Looking into the third eye or the point between the eye brows in the deep space of your internal vision while practicing the Aum technique will withdraw your consciousness into spiritual realms. By daily practice of Kriya yoga and these other meditation techniques you are then changing from one that talks and reads about spirituality to one that actually experiences spirituality. It sounds to me that is what you need my friend. An actual contact with God's spirit is possible if you call to him with deep love in deep meditation. His response will be love and bliss over your being. I only say these things because I know they are true and work for me. It will change your outlook on life and inevitably bring God and his grace into your life. I can attest to this personally.

 

[gnomon]

There is no reason to be worthless..........
I am not an ******* and I am not super egotistical so maybe you should get over yourself....

What worth!

Why would you even join this site?
You must not know anything about spirituality at all because that was just silly!
You sir are a Troll.
You sir are in my way.
GTFO, go play barbie dolls with your cats now.

So I see that I was correct in my recommendation.

Good luck with that whole solving the whole world bit.

 

[Vasilisa Jade]

Don't just say meditate because that isn't really too spiritual to me.
Why is that the only thing we can think of?
I need spirituality to live but religions are stupid and science has no spirituality in it.
I am mostly Pantheist and I like Buddhism alot.
Buddhism doesn't really hold many grounds for proof in it though.
I'm not going to sit around all day chanting "Om Mane Padme Hum" because I don't speak that language and I don't know what it means.
Why chant spells to remove bad Karma?
It is very silly and definately doesn't work.
I know about Naturalistic Pantheism but that isn't very spiritual either.
I just wish I could be Christian again.
That was the only time I've ever been happy.
I can't force myself to believe something I know is false though.
I really wish I could.
This is getting much too old.
I really think there are no answers on this stupid planet and that makes me think I don't have too much more time here.
I have studied nearly every religion to no end in the past few years as well as many sciences.
I have always lost more than I have gained. Knowledge is poison. Ignorance, bliss.
I don't know why but I really can't be here without any answers.
I need to know who god is and what is right.
I don't care what music bee'd hot all up in here or anything like that, I am very strange for a 19 year old.
I only care about answers!
My friends are always about being silly and focusing on things that don't matter whatsoever and they get angry when I talk about things that do matter.
I grow weaker every day as I search for answers.
We should all just quit joking around pretending we think we are right and just leave.
I really can't do this much longer.
I am a kind and selfless Martyr that needs answers.
I hate everything.
How do any of you waste time not thinking about things tha matter?
Anyone else ready to go?

I consider myself spiritual and I do not follow anyone or anything. If I must label myself I label myself as an auto-theist with left hand path leanings, but I didn't always. So, I will give you the best advice that I can. I also pushed myself away from religions I did not completely agree with, but I too felt that intangible pull towards spiritual study and progression. I found the subject fascinating. I began my personal study completely solo, and I began it completely as an academic one. With no goal or direction simply study. Study unbiasedly, academically, objectively and with an open mind. Get to the bottom of the beliefs, don't simply accept opinions. Get to the root and form your own. Find what is true to YOU. Not others truths they have found, find your own truths. If you stay open you will find many, and some may conflict, but that is the chaos of our universe.... and if you are patient the conflicts will sort themselves out in your mind of your own will. As you study academically you will be pulled of your own will in a direction. The study of spirituality is so vast and deep you could devote your life and still feel like you have only scratched the surface. The are so many tools and techniques for cultivating your own spirituality.... you just have to find what you like.

To answer your main question... the way I know of being spiritual without religion is working to know yourself more and more, working to mold yourself to your liking more and more, working to overcome your ego, build your personal sovereignty, and working to grow or realize ones own divinity... expanding ones mind and consciousness... more and more. It is diving into yourself and you take whatever truths and techniques, or make up your own, as you please... because it is all about you.... looking inward for knowledge and solace instead of outward.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Riverwolf]

To answer your main question... the way I know of being spiritual without religion is working to know yourself more and more, working to mold yourself to your liking more and more, working to overcome your ego, build your personal sovereignty, and working to grow or realize ones own divinity... expanding ones mind and consciousness... more and more. It is diving into yourself and you take whatever truths and techniques, or make up your own, as you please... because it is all about you.... looking inward for knowledge and solace instead of outward.

Exactly.

There's a Vaishnava story that illustrates this well:

(this is from memory, and primarily is the gist of it; the actual details may be off)

Brahma, the First Being, was born at the center of a giant lotus, thousands of light-years wide, with a stem that stretched down seemingly infinitely. From birth, Brahma wanted to know the Truth, and he searched all around his lotus for thousands of years. But even after so long, the flower would not yield the secret Truth. So he decided to descend the stem, thinking that if he found the bottom, he'd find the Truth. But even after thousands of years, he did not.

He made his way back up to the center of the lotus, and sat down. From everywhere, he heard a voice saying: "Do tapas." (Tapas basically translates to "austerities"; i.e., perform spiritual disciplines). So, for a thousand years, he did so, searching not outside for Truth any longer, but searching within. And there is where he found Sri Hari, the Lord of All, and the Self of All. Only after finding Sri Hari, did the Lord give Brahma the job of Creation.

Now, does that mean that only after a thousand years of rigorous discipline will enlightenment be reached? Not necessarily; Hindu Scriptures are full of long, long spans of time where rituals and whatnot are performed. The point of the story is that the Truth cannot be found outside, but is found within.

And by the way, this is also a teaching of Jesus:

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
-Luke 17:21

 

[Sunburned]

Don't just say meditate because that isn't really too spiritual to me.

I wouldn't pull the trigger yet. There are many of us seekers that are alive and still can't find a religion to call our own. If I were you I would take what I learned and go on a hike to the mountains or somewhere peaceful and try to collect your thoughts. Don't place importance the result, it's the journey that's important.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Riverwolf,

Humanity does seem terrible...

Terrible from which point???
MIND's point of view and all that you have mentioned are mind related.
Turn and get the mind to look/see inwards and then you will understand that its all illusion /maya and in fact IT IS THE WAY IT IS. One is simply a part of the *whole* to which it goes back and this way evolution continues eternally where there is no you, me, spidey or x,y,z its all ONE!

Love & rgds

 

[blackout]

I consider myself spiritual and I do not follow anyone or anything. If I must label myself I label myself as an auto-theist with left hand path leanings, but I didn't always. So, I will give you the best advice that I can. I also pushed myself away from religions I did not completely agree with, but I too felt that intangible pull towards spiritual study and progression. I found the subject fascinating. I began my personal study completely solo, and I began it completely as an academic one. With no goal or direction simply study. Study unbiasedly, academically, objectively and with an open mind. Get to the bottom of the beliefs, don't simply accept opinions. Get to the root and form your own. Find what is true to YOU. Not others truths they have found, find your own truths. If you stay open you will find many, and some may conflict, but that is the chaos of our universe.... and if you are patient the conflicts will sort themselves out in your mind of your own will. As you study academically you will be pulled of your own will in a direction. The study of spirituality is so vast and deep you could devote your life and still feel like you have only scratched the surface. The are so many tools and techniques for cultivating your own spirituality.... you just have to find what you like.

To answer your main question... the way I know of being spiritual without religion is working to know yourself more and more, working to mold yourself to your liking more and more, working to overcome your ego, build your personal sovereignty, and working to grow or realize ones own divinity... expanding ones mind and consciousness... more and more. It is diving into yourself and you take whatever truths and techniques, or make up your own, as you please... because it is all about you.... looking inward for knowledge and solace instead of outward.

Best of luck to you.

What she said ^ . :yes:

 

[waitasec]

I'm not really sure what made it the best religion for me.
Everything I suppose.
Also, because the words came from god or Jesus it was easier, I was more able to force myself to believe and purify my entire existence.
I couldn't explain how I felt if I wanted too it was waaay more than just feeling god in me and being happy because of that.
I guess I could say that time froze and I/compassion/Love was able to work in frozen time in a state of bliss doing good or increasing my godliness and eventually without thinking anything at all.
Everything I knew was sooo much fact that I no longer thought.
Everything just happened.
I was waaay more aware than I had ever been, ever.
I thought lots and lots of things in the blink of an eye without ever thinking, so I was always able to react to any given situation in a way that would increase my love and make everyone happier and more compassionate.
I saw the world in very different perspectives.

i think i understand, i went through something similar while i was
facing the fact that my whole belief system was based on counterfeit reality.
seems to me you are realizing life begins and ends with you. and that you and you alone are responsible for yourself where as before there was a scapegoat to rely on. now that you know, what are you gonna do about it? live to the fullest in this wondrous journey or wish for something that's unattainable, ignorance.

 

[LuisDantas]

Sorry if I am making too fine a point of this, but this caught my eye.

(...) seems to me you are realizing life begins and ends with you

I can see how this model is preferable to blind belief and reliance in God (for many people, anyway), but even for Atheists such as me it is not really true. There is much worth exploring in the relationships with other people. Sure, the pitfalls are terrible, but the rewards are equally impressive.

and that you and you alone are responsible for yourself where as before there was a scapegoat to rely on

That I can accept a bit better, although strictly speaking I don't quite agree either. Scapegoats are to be avoided, of course, but there is such a thing as receiving constructive help from other people.

 

[waitasec]

Sorry if I am making too fine a point of this, but this caught my eye.



I can see how this model is preferable to blind belief and reliance in God (for many people, anyway), but even for Atheists such as me it is not really true. There is much worth exploring in the relationships with other people. Sure, the pitfalls are terrible, but the rewards are equally impressive.



That I can accept a bit better, although strictly speaking I don't quite agree either. Scapegoats are to be avoided, of course, but there is such a thing as receiving constructive help from other people.

i guess what i was trying to convey is that we are ultimately responsible for our actions and no one can take away our sense of remorse, guilt or regret. which are the things in life that are the hardest to deal with. we all have a sense of integrity and dignity that we cannot deny ourselves.
the reason i brought up scapegoats was because she had mentioned that when she was a christian believer she felt the happiest. so the scapegoat would be to "believe" through faith you are forgiven for whatever sin but in reality you still have to live with yourself and forgive yourself and hopefully learn from the mistake.

i don't see how constructive help from anyone can be construed as a scapegoat?

 

[Alceste]

I'm not really sure what made it the best religion for me.
Everything I suppose.
Also, because the words came from god or Jesus it was easier, I was more able to force myself to believe and purify my entire existence.
I couldn't explain how I felt if I wanted too it was waaay more than just feeling god in me and being happy because of that.
I guess I could say that time froze and I/compassion/Love was able to work in frozen time in a state of bliss doing good or increasing my godliness and eventually without thinking anything at all.
Everything I knew was sooo much fact that I no longer thought.
Everything just happened.
I was waaay more aware than I had ever been, ever.
I thought lots and lots of things in the blink of an eye without ever thinking, so I was always able to react to any given situation in a way that would increase my love and make everyone happier and more compassionate.
I saw the world in very different perspectives.

Why don't you try a different sect of Christianity? UU or Bahai or something. There are Christian sects that don't require an unsustainable level of belief in implausible things. It sounds like you really clicked with it, so I don't understand why you gave up. (Although "forcing yourself to believe" sends up some warning bells.)

I have no trouble being spiritual without religion or meditation. I simply listen to my heart and follow its instructions (particularly when it insists). Sometimes I feel incredible, inexplicable bliss and wonder at the beauty of the world and the unfathomable mystery of my existence. I can't imagine religion has anything comparable on offer, although meditation, tai chi and / or yoga do tend to make those moments of bliss and wonder more frequent.

 

[EverChanging]

I have no trouble being spiritual without religion or meditation. I simply listen to my heart and follow its instructions (particularly when it insists). Sometimes I feel incredible, inexplicable bliss and wonder at the beauty of the world and the unfathomable mystery of my existence. I can't imagine religion has anything comparable on offer, although meditation, tai chi and / or yoga do tend to make those moments of bliss and wonder more frequent.

Religion in and of itself will not provide spirituality. It is a tool, a gateway. If a person cannot understand how to use religion practically for the purpose of spiritual development, it is better to have no religion at all. I do think it is possible to be spiritual without religion, but many people, myself included, find it helpful to provide ancient and tried methods of prayer and meditation as well as a mythopoeic worldview.

For clarification, UU is post-Christian, but it has Christian origins. Bahai is a religion in and of itself, but it is not Christian per se. Jesus is considered a prophet, however.

 

[Alceste]

Religion in and of itself will not provide spirituality. It is a tool, a gateway. If a person cannot understand how to use religion practically for the purpose of spiritual development, it is better to have no religion at all. I do think it is possible to be spiritual without religion, but many people, myself included, find it helpful to provide ancient and tried methods of prayer and meditation as well as a mythopoeic worldview.

For clarification, UU is post-Christian, but it has Christian origins. Bahai is a religion in and of itself, but it is not Christian per se. Jesus is considered a prophet, however.

Yes, I thought of UU because - although they are basically Christian - they're not all that hung up on believing unbelievable things, and Bahai in case it's the "one true church" aspect of Christianity that appealed the most.

 

[horiturk]

God is not a person,so don't bother trying to be like God....because no one knows what God is like. be at peace,meditate and find the stillness in your innermost being....that is as close to godliness as you can get. be loving,compassionate and forgiving,but also further yourself in your own life. eat,drink and be merry

 

[EverChanging]

Yes, I thought of UU because - although they are basically Christian - they're not all that hung up on believing unbelievable things, and Bahai in case it's the "one true church" aspect of Christianity that appealed the most.

Unitarian Universalism came from the merger of two Christian churches, the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. The Unitarians had in large part moved beyond Christianity, whereas Universalists were more Christian. When the two churches merged to become the Unitarian Universalist Association, there was some debate as to whether continue to identify as Christian or not. They ended up acknowledging their Christian roots while not identifying Unitarian Universalism as Christian and thus became post-Christian.

The congregational polity of UU comes from Protestant, non-Nicene Christianity as well as the basic structure of most UU religious services today -- hymns, sermons, and so forth. Most members are not Christian -- they may be atheists, neo-pagans, Buddhists, etc. There are still some UU Christians, however, and a handful of UU congregations are specifically Christian, although open to people from all faiths or none, Christian or not.

A person may also be a member of a traditional Christian denomination while also being a UU. One can even be a trinitarian. It is very free and open, though at times necessarily vague. It can be a good place for people turned off by traditional religion. Some people will start there, at times for healing, and move on. Other people build a viable faith there and remain UU for life. Either path is valid.

 

[Kriya Yogi]

For someone that wants our help so bad isn't responding to us very much. We're taking our time to give some caring and insightful info it would be nice to get some feedback.

 

[EverChanging]

Apparently, I'm just a smarty pants.

 

[IAMDONE]

I wouldn't pull the trigger yet. There are many of us seekers that are alive and still can't find a religion to call our own. If I were you I would take what I learned and go on a hike to the mountains or somewhere peaceful and try to collect your thoughts. Don't place importance the result, it's the journey that's important.

There are no mountains around here.

 

[IAMDONE]

The state of being tired of the world is a sign of being an old soul. Disliking the evil and insincerity of people and the world is a sign of wanting something more substantial. The state you are in can make you free if you have a reciprocating love for God. This is why people become monks and renunciates. The key now for you is looking for the best way to connect to God, and I can assure you that path is Yoga meditation. I emplore you and anyone that feels like this to find a way to become initiated into Kriya Yoga. Everyone should know this liberating technique. If you can learn this technique and practice it daily it will connect you to God. It's a scientific technique that works for everyone. There is also mantra meditation, and Aum meditation where you focus on listening to the blissful vibration of Aum in your right ear while meditating. Looking into the third eye or the point between the eye brows in the deep space of your internal vision while practicing the Aum technique will withdraw your consciousness into spiritual realms. By daily practice of Kriya yoga and these other meditation techniques you are then changing from one that talks and reads about spirituality to one that actually experiences spirituality. It sounds to me that is what you need my friend. An actual contact with God's spirit is possible if you call to him with deep love in deep meditation. His response will be love and bliss over your being. I only say these things because I know they are true and work for me. It will change your outlook on life and inevitably bring God and his grace into your life. I can attest to this personally.

I am honest. I didn't read all of that, only about 3/4 of it.
I think I am supposed to become a monk.
I really want to but my main question is what kind of a monk?
Everything I research about me tells me I should be a monk.
I won't list those fields of study because I feel people will judge me even though I won't believe anything unless I have seen it hundreds of times.

 

[IAMDONE]

Why don't you try a different sect of Christianity? UU or Bahai or something. There are Christian sects that don't require an unsustainable level of belief in implausible things. It sounds like you really clicked with it, so I don't understand why you gave up. (Although "forcing yourself to believe" sends up some warning bells.)

I have no trouble being spiritual without religion or meditation. I simply listen to my heart and follow its instructions (particularly when it insists). Sometimes I feel incredible, inexplicable bliss and wonder at the beauty of the world and the unfathomable mystery of my existence. I can't imagine religion has anything comparable on offer, although meditation, tai chi and / or yoga do tend to make those moments of bliss and wonder more frequent.

I listen to my heart, meditate, do tai chi and yoga...