So we cant take credit for what we think or say, cause we heard it in our mind too.

However i do think that, the kind of thoughts we encourage in our minds affects the intellectual wealth of voices we here. So you want to hear more intellegent voices in your mind, encourage intelligent thoughts.

I am saying a human being is not a source of any information, not even how to get spoon from plate to mouth, both we are choosers of what information to execute or entertain.

In summary, intellegent people arent creators of new information, but people good at listening to ideas that reach thier mind. And sometimes those ideas are so far out that it takes a really good mind listener to decode the message and relate to the human vocabulary of undertsanding.

So that practicing meditation is practicing mind control, is practicing listening to the mind, is also a way of so called getting smarter.

So, maybe those who think they are smart, are really at the bottom of the pile.

This is my opinion as of today, and i be the first to accept this opinion will mature or even change till my last day.

Many blessings to you and all you hold dear,
CG

Thank you so much for sharing your journey.

I think you said it best when you wrote: “Most of my spiritual growth has happened because of the trials and challenges in my life.”

Wherever we find growth, I believe spirituality embodies the willingness to change and looking for ways – people, places, things, and situations – to help us to do just that.

Spirituality has many definitions, and they are as unique as those ascribing to them. I often find that spirituality involves a combination of the following:

Meaning – investigating and understanding the significance of life. That further involves making sense of situations we encounter and deriving purpose in our lives.

Values – the beliefs, ethics, values, and standards that we cherish.

Transcendence – our experiences, awareness, and appreciation for life beyond ourselves.

Connecting – an increased awareness of a living connection with self, others, nature, and a power greater than ourselves.

Becoming – an unfolding of life that requires reflection and experiencing life. This includes a sense of who one is, where one has been, where one is going, and what one knows in his/her mind and soul.

I was born knowing that God was much, much more than any of the churches that I have attended made him out to be. I also knew that God was always inside of me. I have always had conversations with God in my mind, sometimes angry conversations, but conversations none the less. I attend a Unity church today and have for most of the past 10 years. Unity beliefs come closer to what I have always personally known about God than any other church I have ever visited. And still, my outlook on God is bigger and broader. I have been to India 3 times in the past 10 years and studied the Hindu and Buddhist religions a little bit.

Each religion that I have come into contact with has been of benefit to me where I was at that time in my life and in my spiritual growth. I believe, for some, that spiritual growth can occur in a church setting. That is true for many people. I also believe that spiritual growth doesn’t have to have a religious setting to happen. Most of my spiritual growth has happened because of the trials and challenges in my life. Thanks for starting this conversation.

Interesting discussion here. Myself being hindu by birth was dragged around temples, but not told why.

When I left my country to study, I am having a chance now to explore myself as I am. I am using a lot of information from sites like yours to help me control my anger,pre-inhibitions , addictions etc. Being aware of myself is what spiritual means to me.

As my partner says, there is a God within everyone. I respect God, but would like not to believe that praying to him will make my life easier.

As you can see, I am getting my life untangled here

Thanks for your help

Neither had I. I had found myself ’spiritual’, but wasn’t keen on organized religion-it didn’t seem practical enough… The church I am going to now is different, though. We started going there after congregation members came to our house on three different occasions-giving carnations on Mother’s Day, delivering leaf collection bags in the fall, and a box of stuffing for Thanksgiving… We wondered, ‘what kind of church would do that’? so we went to a service, and haven’t looked back. We are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and every month that has 5 Sundays in it they have what is called a ‘Love K-W Sunday’ (KW stands for Kitchener/Waterloo, which is a story on its own). Love KW is simply the congregation, rather than doing ‘church’ goes out in the community and serves. It could be raking leaves for shut ins, giving food to the homeless, bagging groceries at a discount food store, giving donuts to cop shops or firehouses, etc, etc, etc… For the last three I’ve lead a group picking up trash along the road our church is located-we meet in a high school gym. I agree, many churches are heavy with politics and not much on spirituality. But they aren’t all like that, and should be given a chance… Please feel free to contact me at any time to discuss this.

I enjoy your blog, and getting your email newsletter. Take care, talk soon, and once again, Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!!

Sandy Wallace