The path to self-discovery is fraught with many obstacles that must be overcome. Nobody can tell you who you are just as they cannot tell you what you are or will become. Only you can delve the deep recesses of your mind and scry out these answers. This is not to say that the path to divinity, true oneness with yourself and the awareness that we are all part of a greater whole is a road that must be walked alone. Throughout our lives we are constantly evolving, forever changing into something new. Often we find ourselves searching for the answers to our questions about life and the unseen in religion, however as we grow it is usually the case that only certain aspects of a faith become appealing to the individual. Some things in a religion will ring true and the rest is unneeded clutter. Due to this we come across people who are conflicted, while one part of Christianity may offer up compelling truths and invaluable guidelines for a morally and spiritually fulfilling life on the other side of the coin an aspect of who and what they are could be a grievous sin and therefore a contradiction to their faith. For example a homosexual Catholic may believe in and love Jehovah but because of their sexual preference they are doomed to an eternity of damnation.

Since it is only logical that we feel shame or dismay at our own shortcomings a religion that conflicts with individualism is self-destructive. It teaches us to loathe our being and instead of accepting whom we are to change and deny our unique gifts and traits. Nobody likes to believe they are a bad person because of this through the course of life many people find themselves shifting through belief systems like clothing, trying to find the one that “fits”… If we stop for a moment and really think clearly about the issue, since everyone is different one faith cannot be fulfilling to each and every person on the planet. This is why we have many different religions in the world and in that respect one belief system may not work for an individual throughout the course of their entire life. Searching for your glass slipper religion can be trying and take a heavy mental, physical, and spiritual toll. This takes away from the time that could be spent on self discovery and enlightenment while one is wading through sophisms and dogma that is often outdated and does not apply any longer to the world which find ourselves in today.

Instead of discarding all of the knowledge we gain in our quest why not save it? Just because you do not agree fully with the philosophies of Daoism doesn’t mean meditation is not a worthwhile practice. If Lillith is a God you feel great connection to then do not toss her aside as you delve into the intricacies of Cabbalism. Instead of seeking to be religious, become spiritual and incorporate meditation, rune-working and the God Naamah into your life. Accept that you do not need to be a Christian to go to heaven. After all what God in their divine and omnipotent existence would be so petty as to deny you a pleasurable afterlife if you have lived your life as a truly good person? In fact, let us scratch Gods altogether for they are simply spirits which through worship and devotion have gained powers that they can impart upon us. Miracles happen but the greatest miracle of all is the realization that instead of having to force yourself into the tiny description of one religions members you can flourish and grow in several becoming not religious but spiritually aware. Embrace the fact that in your quest to discover yourself you do not need to be something for someone else! You can instead focus on creating your own perfection and just like art, not everyone likes the same style. In the end the path of spiritual person is much the same as the path of a religious person all roads converge in the end on death but, if you have discovered in your life the answers to even some of the questions you started out with and this has helped you through the journey instead of hindering yourself with the fear of finding the perfect faith you are far better off. Don’t be afraid to mix and match because in the end you have all the answers to your questions not a book or a man who died thousands of years ago, there are plenty of ways to ask yourself who, what, when, where, and why and there are hundreds of different ways to answer these questions. You wouldn’t limit your research on a paper to one encyclopedia so why limit your quest for awareness with just one religion? Continue to learn and experiment, expand your knowledge and your being with the assurance that in the end so long as you are helping yourself it cannot be the wrong decision for you.

© 2002 Dennaveve