Three fourths of Americans now believe there is no “one true faith” and that a variety of spiritual paths can be equally authentic. ~ Gerald May, M.D. (Contemplative Spiritual Formation: an Introduction)
Now that's an interesting statistic.
It's also an interesting article, though a little heavy on the Christianity perspective after starting so invitingly with a multicultural, transreligious approach.
I especially like the "Three Paths" section, which includes the Hindu system:
- jnana (knowledge or wisdom)
- karma (action or service), and
- bhakti (devotion or worship)
Many Pagans reject the concept of worship, reasoning that if Spirit/Goddess/God dwells within, how can we worship that which is a part of us? This is short-sighted thinking: First, it fails to recognize that She is within AND without, above AND below, which we usually acknowledge in our cosmologies; Second, it fails to follow through on our understanding that we do participate in and/or embody the Divine. If we believe we are divine, why shouldn't we worship that divinity? (Not talking about worshipping our egos here, folks!) Think what a world this would be if we acted as if the divine in all things, including ourselves, mattered. "Our bodies are our temples" is a truism. Don't we worship in Temples?
In any case, reading May's article is a good intro/reminder about the contemplative aspects of spiritual life.
Happy Reading!
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