Don’t be critical of other peoples spirituality. You have no right to judge them for their hypocrisies. Look in the mirror before you cast any stones.
Listen to your instincts. You will never regret doing this, because your intuition will never lie to you.
Don’t compare your path with anyone else. This kind of goes with number one. If you practice, for example, chanting because this other person practices it, and she/he seems so spiritual, but in reality its boring and like a chore for you, it won’t make you more enlightened; It’ll block you. Try things out, definitely, otherwise you won’t know if you enjoy it or not. But if it doesn’t click in you, if nothing sparks, then you are under no obligation to keep doing it. Your spirituality is your spirituality, no one else’s. While you can be a part of a community, your spiritual health is your main concern.
Communities are gifts. Not all gifts are perfect, but be grateful for the good in them, and don’t be too critical on the bad. (Of course if you see something too extreme happening, notice it and reevaluate. My point is, nothing and no one is perfect, so don’t expect them to be.)
You don’t have all the answers. When you find something that feels like an answer to a question you’ve been searching for, know that it isn’t everyones answer. Even if their questions are similar to yours. Some people have already found the answers they are looking for, and aren’t interested in searching anymore. Sure you think you’re right and you’ve got the answer, but the truth is, you ARE right… for YOU. Just because you found your answer doesn’t mean you found everyone else’s.
There isn’t always an answer. Sometimes questions need to be tabled in your life for awhile. Sometimes you have to find peace despite uncertainty. This can be difficult.
You can find the peace you’re looking for in nature more quickly and easily than you can find it anywhere else. Solitude can be enlightening.
Everyone has their own lens. We all experience similar archetypes of love, pain, fear, shame, joy, etc. But we each have our own understanding of it. The same thing applies to spirituality. Which is why Jesus had similar messages as Buddha, who said a lot of similar things to Muhammad, who had a lot of similar messages as that guru down the street, etc. Our questions are all human, just coded differently. And sometimes our answers are too.
Don’t judge your chapter 4 with someone elses chapter 12. We all have our own path, we all learn our lessons in our own time. Don’t be jealous if you can help it.
Treat others the way you wish to be treated. What goes around, comes around. If you do your best to always respond in love, you will never have residual guilt or anxiety.
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