Thirteen years ago, I left my religion behind.
Catholicism was a comfort to me for four decades. It came to a point though where I could no longer reconcile the faith with what I believed in my heart.
This unease told me it was time to move on.
It doesn't matter to me if you choose to go to a church, mosque, or temple. We are all unique and on different paths of our spiritual journey.
Regardless of whether you're practicing religion, you are on a spiritual path. That is why we're here.
According to yoga philosophy, some indicators reveal you’re advancing on your spiritual journey.
You care about what and how you're eating.
Notice how animals in the wild eat voraciously. Maybe your pet eats the same way. Most animals focus on eating until the food is gone.
Some people eat this same way, too.
You on the spiritual path are more intentional. You carefully plan what you will be eating, where the food is purchased, and its quality.
You prepare your meal with great care.
Your table is set with beautiful dishes, utensils, and maybe a vase of fresh flowers.
You eat mindfully and with appreciation. Every bite is savored.
The entire experience of eating is more than eating. All the components of the meal are elevated.
Attention is placed on every detail: the ingredients, the presentation, and the taste.
Music gives you all the feels.
Music has a way of seeping into the soul.
When you have a musical appreciation, you experience more than sounds. You pay attention to the volume and the quality of the tones.
Too much treble, not enough bass.
You invest in subwoofers or quality earbuds to enhance your listening.
The music swallows you, transporting you onto the highest of vibrations. It takes you out of your earthly form to someplace celestial.
You are an art buff.
You love art in all its forms. Your connection to art is transcendent. When you see Van Gogh's painting of the chair, you absorb both the sadness and beauty. You connect to the divine through the artist’s brush.
You see a painted chair as more than an ordinary chair.
You also create art. You see beauty and creativity in everything you do.
You experience life as a divine art project.
Yesterday, I made a terrarium and I am overjoyed at the result.
You're a tree hugger.
I don't have to say anything about the beauty of nature to you. You most of all, dear reader, grasp that nature is the most beautiful manifestation of God-consciousness.
I love this quote from Jesus in the book of Matthew 6:28:
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Who can illustrate the divinity in a flower better than He?
Enough said.
Conclusion
Wherever we perceive beauty, we are on the higher path.
We see, feel, hear, smell and taste with tuned-in senses. Beauty is all around.
Every spiritual path is unique. Where do you find your beauty?
What I'm Reading
The book club is finished for the summer. I am enjoying what I’m reading so much, that I decided to share it with you. Fresh Water for Flowers by Valerie Perrin is a novel. Her writing style is lyrical and beautiful. Let me know if you read it!
Great article Ilona.