While it is true that fewer people are choosing to attend religious services of any kind, the majority of people still believe in a God. They are on a spiritual journey, whether they realize it or not. In fact, those who question whether or not there is a God and those who simply do not believe there is a God are also on a spiritual journey. This is a journey of both the heart and the intellect. It is a movement.
We use the term journey, because it expresses what we feel. Lke a journey, it has a beginning and an ending; we are at one place and have in mind traveling to another place. However, some people can wander aimlessly. They are “on the go,” but they have only a vague idea as to where they are going. This can describe a spiritual journey as well.
A successful journey is one where we know the destination, and we know the path that will take us to it. The same can be said for our spiritual journey. Like most destinations, there can be multiple routes to getting there. We ask ourselves, do we want to take the scenic route or the most direct route? Are we going to take a difficult route or an easy route? Or have we just been traveling aimlessly, lurching from one direction to another?
The world’s great religions give us a destination. They may call it by different names, “heaven,” “nirvana,” or something else. But it is still the same destination: peace with ourselves, our neighbors, and our God. Some describe it as a unity with God. Those without a belief in God simply seek to be at peace with themselves–to not be tormented, to not be anxious, to not suffer.
Everyone seeks to find meaning in their lives. This goal motivates our spiritual journey. How do we get there?
The world’s great religions offer us a map, so to speak. They offer teachings to guide us. They suggest practices that may help us on our journey. They provide seasons of penance, prayer, and meditation. They offer rituals, celebrations, and what they call sacraments. Although they may differ widely depending on the religion, the language, and the culture, the great religions all have the same purpose: to guide us to “the promised land.” They help make living worthwhile and help give meaning to our lives.
One might ask, what does Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam have in common? Each of them counsel compassion. Compassion takes us outside ourselves and focuses us on the needs and suffering of others. They are all concerned about living in a just and merciful society. They all abjure us to live in peace with our neighbor. They all provide practical steps for accomplishing this.
Fine, you say, but where shall I start? Most of us inherit our religious beliefs. Perhaps a good place to start is to look more deeply into the faith in which we were born. We shouldn’t just blindly accept anything, and we should question everything.
We need to ask ourselves tough questions. Am I becoming a more loving and compassionate person? Hopefully the answer will be a resounding, “YES!” If it is not, then we are on the wrong path.