Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

My Views on Religion and Spirituality - Being Open

Welcome To My Reality – Week Eighty – Five

1. Share some of your views on religion and spirituality.

Oh, now I am sure I have done this before, but I love the topic.

To me, religion and spirituality are not tied together.

You can be religious and not be spiritual - those are the dogmatic autocrats that follow the rules but their faith goes no farther that what you see. They are the type that give religion a bad name as they are often hypocrites. And they are often the extremists who follow blindly without question.
You can be spiritual and not be religious - those are the people that find spiritual meaning in all things and tie their beliefs to a bigger force; whether it is God or not.

I think spirituality is the more important of the two. Your spiritually allows your to connect with so much more. It allows your faith to flow. Religion may give you the framework of your beliefs, but spirituality allows you to have a relationship within that framework. It is the life blood or living water of your faith.

Religion also gives you a social connection to others who hold the same beliefs. In both religion and spirituality relationship is important, but the spiritual relationship is the more important of the two.

I am a Christian. The religion I follow is Lutheran, but as a child I was Protestant. My aunt believes God is like a Burger and all the various religions are the various Burger Joints - there are many similarities, but some slight changes - regardless of the religion you choose. In her home they have rented a room to a young man who is Muslim. My aunt and uncle are Christian. She tells me they have had many wonderful conversations about their respective religions and there are many similarities. It is crazy to think we fight over the petty differences. It is the religious extremists that give the various groups a bad reputation. The sad truth of humanity.

One author that helped me define my own spirituality was Julia Cameron and her work in The Artist's Way. She believes that God is the Great Creator and that in practicing our own creativity - whether it be writing or homemaking or problem solving when fixing something - we are being "a conduit, a channel through which the Great Creator's creativity could enter the world." Practicing our creativity is like any other spiritual practice - one day at a time.

To not have unbelievers freak she calls God the Great Creator in her book, she speaks of God being Good Orderly Direction. You are guided to do your best... if you follow, you will reap the rewards, if you don't, you will struggle.

I wrote down her affirmations in this blog.... "Jibble Jabble Mick and Muck.... a little of Everything..."  - Blog City - Day 482
They are wonderful enough to write them again...

1. I am a channel for God's creativity, ad my work comes to good.
2. My dreams come from God and God has the power to accomplish them.
3. As I create and listen, I will be lead.
4. Creativity is the creator's will for me.
5. My creativity heals myself and others.
6. I am allowed to nurture my artist.
7. Through the use o fa few simple tools, my creativity will flourish.
8. Through the use of my creativity, I serve God.
9. My creativity always leads me t truth ad love.
10. My creativity leads me to forgiveness and self-forgiveness.
11. There is a divine plan of goodness for me.
12. There is a divine plan of goodness for my work.
13. As I listen to the creator within, I am led.
14. As listen to my creativity I am led to my creator.
15. I am willing to create.
16. I am willing to learn to let myself create.
17. I am wiling to let God create through me.
18. I a willing to be of service through my creativity.
19. I am willing to experience my creative energy.
20. I am willing to use my creative talents.