Spirituality Outside Of Organized Religion

I don't believe God is male or female. It is my belief that God is simply love energy, which is everywhere, always. We have the choice of tapping into that energy, or not. But we will all eventually be drawn to it if we want to achieve true happiness and fulfillment (and we all do want that, no matter how far we stray from it). I could say much more about my spiritual beliefs, but I'll leave it there for now. Thanks for the thread Divine!

Divine, I think humans simply cannot comprehend the complexity of what exists beyond our physical realm. So, of course, we use the symbolism we are used to as a tool for understanding the unknown.

I was raised Methodist, but was rarely taken to church. I know my mom felt guilty about that, but my dad wouldn't go, and she didn't like attending alone. I never heard any of the hell and brimstone stuff, but never could reconcile how a loving God, which I was taught s/he is, could allow horrible things to happen to completely innocent people and animals. So I struggled for many years trying to find my spiritual path.

After a traumatic divorce in my 30's, I became introduced to A Course in Miracles (ACIM), and have been a student of that system ever since. The philosophy is very similar to Buddhism.

I haven't heard of that sitcom, but think I should check it out!

Thanks Divine! We do have Netflix. I'll check Good Place out.

If one wants a higher power then it is gravity.  It is everywhere, not well understood and is the cause of the formation of matter.  

It's true that light is universally positive (except when you're trying to sleep!) and it is a kind of superpower.

To me, higher intelligence is more than a supreme being. It is a force of nature we don't fully understand. I am thinking of what philosophers call “the deep problem of consciousness." What is the difference between a robot and a human? Mainly our inner life, our consciousness, which science cannot fully explain. Why did we evolve to have a unique inner awareness, and what happens to that power when our body closes down?

I think it is possible that we will gradually discover that consciousness works on another plane. Like gravity or light. Or maybe it is beyond our human brainpower to comprehend it.

Meanwhile, I will try lighting up my problems! ⚡️⚡️

Thanks to all for the thought provoking comments.

Thanks Divine. I don't mind a debate if it's respectful. And I think Ananda may be agreeing with me.

There is a school of thought that postulates that consciousness exists in everything, yes, even in bacteria but at a lower level. The logic is that how else could it evolve in humans? It is called panpsychism. Perhaps that is what you are referring to Ananda. More info here:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/21/-sp-why-cant-worlds-greatest-minds-solve-mystery-consciousness

And a podcast about this which I listened to last week:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/panpsychism-and-the-nature-of-consciousness-1.4822151

Excerpt:

“Consciousness has been a preoccupation with philosophers for centuries: is it simply a byproduct of our complex brains? Or is it, as a growing number of neuroscientists and other researchers believe, a fundamental part of the physical universe, like space and time? (Pixabay)“

I am adding my own perspective when I am suggesting that consciousness may persist. So that is the spiritual component, or maybe that will prove to be hard science too.

I appreciate Divine MrsM starting this thread and everyone's contributions. It is inevitable that there will be misunderstandings when discussing such sensitive topics in brief posts. Sometimes our spiritual beliefs are all we have to keep us going.

I don't know if the soul is discrete or not but I didn't assume it was a required belief for this thread.

The reason many of us are exploring these questions is because we have had to face our own mortality. We are sisters in our search and I hope we can continue the discussion with tolerance and kindness.

Micmel, it's good to see you here! Like you, my beliefs shift and change.

❤️

I have had many unexplained spiritual experiences, but one really stands out.

About 30 years ago, my maternal aunt suffered a recurrence of colon cancer. This time it was metastatic. Anyway, I hadn't heard much for a few months about how she was doing (she lived in a different state, and mainly talked with my mother).

But one morning I was in my kitchen and felt a presence near my front door. I looked in that direction and knew it was her, although I couldn't see her. She communicated through telepathy that she had come to say goodbye. Later that day my mom told me she had passed that morning, about the time I felt her near me.

You're welcome Joe. I'm sure many here have had similar experiences.

I have since I've been on this forum. Back in the fall I suggested to one of the women on a thread that one of her purposes(and we all have more purpose than we understand) may simply be to hold a door open for someone who is struggling with that simple task for the rest of the world.

My husband took me to a fall craft show not far from our home. I had been so sick that I hadn't gone many places but doctors and hospitals. A friend called me that morning and told me about the show so I grabbed my cane and we took off before I changed my mind.

When we got there I passed the main building that had quilt exhibits and I decided I'd skip that and save my steps even though my aunts were world class hand quilters. After roving through outside booths and two buildings of beautiful crafts I told my husband I needed to go. We left out of the building through the back entrance after visiting with a neighbor on my street with breast cancer that I hadn't spoken to in two years. We got to the side entrance of the quilt exhibit that had a ramp so I told my husband we'd walk through the building here to the other side and I'd peak through the doors at the quilts then head for the car just outside that door.

When I opened the door an elderly woman older than my 69 years, stooped over and struggling with her walker was standing right in front of me.I stepped aside for her. She looked up into my face with a glowing smile and said thank you. The oxygen was sucked out of the room and I heard my own words, I cry every time I see her face. I could write another page of the people and events that day that brought us together,but it is far more than coincidence or synchronicity.

I'm enjoying all of the posts and truthfully forget the original intent of threads most times. I think many threads or conversations in real life veer off track into other areas of thought and this expands my views. I am grateful for that.