| Religion can loosely be described as the | | | | that you are indeed connected to God. |
| formalized ideas held by a group of | | | | This is a personal relationship to God |
| people to define their understanding of | | | | and an insight that you don't need to go |
| God and their relationship to the | | | | to a special building to find God, but |
| creator and creation. In some shape or | | | | that you simply have to look deep within |
| form, religion has been present in human | | | | yourself. It means that you don't need |
| civilizations since the beginning of | | | | some special person with a college |
| time. Throughout history cultural | | | | education to lead you to God, but that |
| development has been inextricably linked | | | | you simply have to turn inwards to find |
| to people's view of the world and their | | | | divine guidance. |
| relationship to the mysterious and the | | | | It's been said that you can't get wet |
| unknown dimension of life that we've | | | | from the word water and however strange |
| come to call God. Religion has taken on | | | | the idea is, it is very true for many |
| many different forms and many different | | | | people's spiritual journeys. Until and |
| views in many different cultures. The | | | | unless you dive in and make personal |
| one common idea is that the religion | | | | contact with God by turning inwards and |
| will collectively value, uphold and even | | | | following your inner guidance your life |
| impose a set of beliefs which they | | | | will always be dictated by other |
| consider the path to God and 'the truth' | | | | people's ideas - ideas that are mostly |
| about this mysterious, yet ever present | | | | designed to keep you thinking and acting |
| force of life. | | | | like everybody else. |
| Along with religion, came a certain | | | | True freedom comes from this personal |
| level of power - especially for those | | | | relationship to God and knowing that you |
| who 'made the rules' and who were | | | | don't need to be saved, that you are in |
| believed to be appointed by God to rule | | | | fact born a good person and that God |
| the people. In the early Christian | | | | cares about you regardless of whether |
| church, the religious leaders were also | | | | you comply to some religion's rules. |
| the politicians and they ruled by fear, | | | | Spirituality will lead you to the |
| violently imposing their ideas upon the | | | | realization that you are whole, complete |
| people. You were told what to believe | | | | and magnificent in every possible way |
| and how to behave in virtually every | | | | and that you are unique and special with |
| aspect of life. There was absolutely no | | | | your own grand mission in life. Your |
| room for really getting to know God, | | | | purpose in life in not to live up to the |
| because those who claimed to know God | | | | expectations of other in order to be a |
| were the only one who can speak to God, | | | | good person, but rather to live up to |
| and be spoken to by God. | | | | the expectations of your Self, your |
| Some of the earliest meaning of the word | | | | spirit (or your soul) and to become, in |
| religion comes from a Latin | | | | form, the kind of person you were |
| interpretation that means 'to bind' - an | | | | destined to be. |
| bind it did, keeping people tied to | | | | You can get to know God for yourself. It |
| silly ideas for centuries. Religious | | | | will lead you to the realization that |
| ideas have been developed and refined | | | | you are in fact "God' - you are a part |
| for centuries and is almost exclusively | | | | of God and contain within you a portion |
| designed to keep people from stepping | | | | of this Divine force that makes up the |
| out of line and 'being different'. The | | | | very essence of life. Listen to other |
| fundamental difference between | | | | people, hear them out and discover their |
| spirituality and religion is that | | | | view of God, but then go within and find |
| religion is based on knowing ABOUT God, | | | | God for yourself. This is where all the |
| while spirituality is based on KNOWING | | | | power is. This is where the freedom lies |
| God on a personal level. | | | | and if you need a religion to help you |
| There's a big difference between knowing | | | | develop your understanding of God, then |
| about God and knowing God. Knowing about | | | | practice it! Remember to keep and open |
| God is about intellectual knowledge and | | | | mind and don't just focus only on what |
| relying on the testimonials and | | | | you are told about God but rather what |
| experiences of others, while knowing God | | | | you feel to be true deep down inside. |
| is a deeply personal and 'inner knowing' | | | | |