The Rise of Spirituality: Understanding the Shift in Collective Consciousness | #spiritualnotreligious

More individuals now identify as "spiritual but not religious" (SBNR), embracing spirituality beyond organized religion. This shift raises important questions: What drives this change? How do Arthur Schopenhauer and Khalil Gibran define life's nature? Why was religion created? What roles do religion and spirituality play in addressing life's suffering? How are people redefining spirituality? What are the societal implications? How does spirituality differ from consciousness? What is the solution to socio-religious problems?

For centuries, spirituality and religion have been closely linked, with religious institutions being the main avenues for those pursuing spiritual fulfillment. In recent times, however, spirituality has begun to extend beyond conventional religious boundaries, becoming a more personal, inclusive, and varied experience. Nowadays, an increasing number of individuals describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious" (SBNR), adopting spirituality in ways that go beyond organized religion. This change prompts significant questions: What drives this change? What led to the creation of Religion? What's the very nature of life, as per Arthur Schopenhauer & Khalil Gibran? What led to the creation of religion? What's the role of religion & spirituality in handling life's suffering? How are individuals redefining spirituality? What are the societal implications? How does spirituality differ from consciousness? What's the solution to all socio-religious problems?

I. What Led to the Creation of Religion?

Humans have 'high level intelligence,' a unique trait that distinguishes them from animals, which only have 'animal intelligence.' 'Animal intelligence' focuses on basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and reproduction. Because humans have 'high level intelligence' in addition to 'animal intelligence,' they also seek higher-level needs like comfort and luxury. This advanced intelligence evolved gradually over thousands of years throughout the human evolutionary process, which occurred in seven stages.

Dryopithecus: This group is considered an ancestor to both apes and humans.

Ramapithecus: Fossils of this group have been found in the Shivalik range and Africa.

Australopithecus: Often referred to as "Southern Apes," this group is an important link between early hominids and the genus Homo.

Homo habilis: Known as the "handy man," this species is recognized for its ability to create and use tools.

Homo erectus: The "upright man," this species migrated out of Africa and is known for using fire.

Homo sapiens neanderthalensis: Neanderthals, a distinct human subspecies, were skilled toolmakers and had complex social behaviors.

Homo sapiens: Modern humans, characterized by advanced cognitive abilities such as thinking, imagination, beliefs, reasoning, logic, rationale and complex social structures.

Advanced cognitive abilities are a sign of high-level intelligence, prompting humans to question various aspects of life. While we may find solutions to some queries and problems, others remain unanswered. Religion emerged as a tool to instill civic discipline and address questions for which society lacks answers. Interestingly, modern science developed to tackle these unresolved questions, relying on logic and reason.

Another significant reason for the development of religions is belief. Human nature is inherently inclined to trust and have faith. Belief is an essential part of life, forming the very basis of existence, primarily because, aside from the present moment, 99.99% of things are beyond our control. When most aspects are uncontrollable, humans tend to ponder them, experience fear, worry, and anxiety about these uncertainties. Consequently, they need something or someone to serve as an anchor to help them endure and overcome life's challenges. Religion acts as a mechanism to cope with life's difficulties. In fact, God was introduced as a reliable anchor, and trust in God provides the courage to effectively face life's adversities.

II. Religion and Spirituality in Coping with Life's Suffering:

"Today it is bad, and day by day it will get worse―until at last the worst of all arrives." - Arthur Schopenhauer

Let's accept! Life is full of suffering! You are done with one problem, the very next moment you are already in another one. If you look backwards, you realize that all you have done in life is 'problem solving' coupled with suffering. Yeah, there are moments of happiness, pride, love and respect; but they are momentary! Most of the time, you felt nothing, busy with daily chores. But you were bothered mostly by negative emotions like heart breaks, disappointments, embarrassments and other related feelings. When you are pushed to the brink of the pinnacle of hardships, you start to ask a very fundamental question - "Why should one continue to live?" or "Is life all about solving problems? Then what's the use of living?".

You soon realize this -

"The life of an individual is a constant struggle, and not merely a metaphorical one against want or boredom, but also an actual struggle against other people. He discovers adversaries everywhere, lives in continual conflict and dies with sword in hand." - Arthur Schopenhauer

Upon realizing this, you may experience cynicism combined with the freedom to question everything, leading to the breakdown of the belief system that once guided your life. Many individuals encounter this stage following the 'Dark Night of the Soul,' a period marked by intense suffering and overwhelming pain.

[ Note that 'Dark Night of the Soul' is a phenomenon that's unique to souls who are experiencing Kundalini Awakening and the resultant Enlightenment. ]

But you also realize this -

III. Religion - The Origin of Unquestioned Beliefs and Emotional Suppression:

Religion aids individuals by embracing faith as a powerful tool to overcome life's hardships. Prisoners of war (POW) in Nazi Germany drew crosses and prayed to Jesus Christ, which helped them endure the suffering inflicted by the prison guards. This faith kept them hopeful about the future, believing that Jesus was always looking after them. Their faith in Jesus gave them courage, motivating them to strive to escape that dreadful place.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. - Isaiah 41:10

One major disadvantage of religion is its demand for unquestioning faith. It requires followers to fully embrace this blind belief and discourages any form of reasoning or questioning of religious texts, as s-=]

6ch actions are considered blasphemous. Those who questioned religious doctrines faced harsh punishments. For instance, Galileo Galilei was punished for endorsing Copernicus's theory, which contradicted the church's geocentric view. Evidently, fostering unquestioned belief without inquiry results in both intellectual and spiritual stagnation.

Another issue with blind belief is SUBCONSCIOUS REASONING, where the subconscious mind relies on intuition and instincts, selecting obscure facts without logical or scientific proof. This leads to myths and illogical beliefs, making it purely unscientific. If someone attempts to blindly believe in something, such as God, whom they have not seen, their subconscious mind demands proof, which they struggle to provide. Regardless of how much they try to impose this belief, they fail because they cannot prove God's existence. Typically, people end up frightening themselves and resorting to manipulative tactics just to conform to religious norms and live a conventional life.

Deep within the unconscious mind, the issue persists, causing periodic disturbances. When doubts about God emerge into the conscious mind via the subconscious, staunch believers often suppress these doubts by instilling fear in themselves and using manipulative strategies. This is something I have personally done and experienced before. Repressed emotions are more perilous than traumas; they are the root of all psychiatric and neurological complexities. Studies conclude that repressed emotions cause hormonal imbalances leading to complexities.

What's the solution to this? Being open-minded and spiritual is the solution. In support of this Dr Wayne Dyer quoted -

"Having a mind that's open to everything and attached to nothing seems to me one of the most basic principles that you can adopt to contribute to individual and world peace." - Dr Wayne Dyer

IV. Spirituality vs Religion vs Consciousness:

Religion vs Spirituality vs Consciousness.

Spirituality involves being open to new thoughts, philosophies, and ideas, with a particular focus on discovering the truth. It emphasizes following the message, which may include following a messenger or messiah. In contrast, religion centers on following the messiah, often with less emphasis on the message itself. Religion involves political elements and enforces strict personal laws. Spirituality, however, is a personal journey, unconcerned with politics, and emphasizes understanding truth. There are no imposed personal laws, but individuals may choose to impose certain restrictions on themselves as part of their spiritual practice. In religion, followers are often taught to elevate their own beliefs by criticizing others. Spirituality, being a personal matter, does not require one to promote their beliefs or belittle other religions or philosophies. It focuses on the truth revealed by a philosophy or philosopher, disregarding biases and prejudices, and seeks to understand reality and the workings of the universe.

Spirituality motivates individuals to pursue the truth rather than accepting the incomplete truths often advanced by the hidden agendas of religious institutions. It promotes an eclectic approach, encouraging the study and analysis of various philosophies, documenting what is learned from this exploration, the extent of truth revealed, and any disagreements. It involves becoming a philosophical researcher and discovering the truth independently. As you delve into spirituality, you begin to encounter various religious philosophies, metaphysics, and personal philosophies, which may encompass theist, atheist, and agnostic viewpoints. Over the years, as you study and listen to speeches and podcasts, you will grasp the essence of all these philosophies and yourself.

You should also engage in specific meditations such as Vipassana, Kriya Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga, among others. These practices encourage introspection and enhance your intuition. As your intuition grows, the inner light begins to shine. This phenomenon is known as CONSCIOUSNESS, a state of complete awareness. You begin to perceive the truth, which is uniquely aligned with your level of awareness. It is not partial knowledge but requires deeper inner exploration through continued mindfulness and spiritual practices. This process activates your Kundalini by awakening the Mooladhara-Chakra, and eventually other Chakras, ultimately leading to Enlightenment. When a person advances spiritually, they observe the total breakdown of their previous belief systems. These individuals seek and discover only the truth, in every place. In this state, there are no questions, only answers, which is known as ENLIGHTENMENT.

The Ultimate Conclusion:

Religion allowed humans to discover the eternal spirit. Its contribution to humanity and the peace gained from practicing faith cannot be underestimated. Although religion has drawbacks, such as promoting blind faith, it has played a crucial role in establishing social and religious order and discipline, particularly in the Western world. Religion may not encourage open-mindedness and can limit intellectual growth, which led to the emergence of spirituality. Spirituality marks the starting point of consciousness, which encompasses the universe. Religion is like a still pond, spirituality resembles a flowing river, and consciousness is akin to the sunlight. Spirituality offers solutions to all socio-religious issues by promoting harmony among different faiths.

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May the Lord bless you all!

Thank you so much!

YaDu,

On behalf of Get Inspired Spiritually.

www.getinspriedspiritually.com 

https://youtu.be/02KyPVbu6Pw 

[DISCLAIMER: We deeply respect all religions and its contribution to spiritual transcendence. We regard all messiahs of all religion.]