THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY

Which place can give you better answer to this question if not India – the land of spirituality and mysticism.

Few recent life experiences has finally enabled me to discover the answer to this question that has resided inside me not for months but for years. Here in India, it is not difficult to get an answer to every question or dilemma in your life; the problem is that most often India does not give you a choice to choose how would you discover the answers you seek – the easier or the harder way.

What is the difference between religion and spirituality?

I will attempt to give the full response to this question no matter the reaction it might cause inside the reader.

Religion is nothing more but a system of rules, a structure of control that bounds people from ancient times through their biggest fear  - the fear of the unknown. Bring me a person that is not afraid of the unknown and I will be the first one to touch his feet.

Religion keeps us prisoners and tortures us.

Religion teaches us that we should keep ourselves away from  those who do not practice religion. It preach how to protect ourselves from the demons thereby being filled with criteria how to recognize or categorize something or someone as demon. It puts the demons as company inside our mind every day.

On the other hand....

Spirituality is above religion

Spirituality means liberation from the bonds, rules, reality; it means total freedom of life that is only shaped by the choices we make.

Spirituality enables us to breath freely and to touch our true potentials and our ability of immense love, it relieves us from the feeling of guilt which is the main control mechanism of religion.

Is there a greater factor that prevents us from reaching our true potential than feeling guilty?

Can a person that feels guilty resist any kind of influence?

Spirituality does not clasify people based on the religion the belong, but instead sees them as equal part of an Universal equation.  Spiritual people are aware about the Universal Laws that come from one single origin, Maker and about the energy that is not only up in heaven as religion  says but also down here between us. 

They are with peace towards the world and themselves.

Religion teaches us to be quite and pale during the liturgy!

Spirituality makes us dance on the music that we hear from outside, through a strive that unexplained comes from inside.

Religion says – Keep away from him, He worships idols.

Spirituality says – Come, be my Light

What do you think God prefers for you? To be religious or to be spiritual?

That is why world’s biggest spiritual movement ISKCON says:

Abandon all varieties of religion and come to us!

Have a nice day

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The difference between "FORGIVE ME" and "TRY TO UNDERSTAND ME"

Do you think that there is a difference between these two statements?

If you had a fight with a friend, or any other dear person in your life, what would you like to hear?

• FORGIVE ME or

• PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME

I wouldn't be wrong if I say that you would like to hear the first statement rather than the second. Right?

What if I tell you that those two statements are exactly the same?

What if I tell you that both statements contain the same request, directed towards you?

Would you agree with me?

My experience has taught me that, Yes – The two statements have the very same meaning. Other person directly asks for forgiveness, in attempt to restore the relationship with you, or may ask for understanding which is another form of forgiveness when he still doesn’t know how to express a request for forgiveness, or is difficult to put himself in more difficult situation. That doesn’t mean that he or she doesn’t really want forgiveness, it is just a natural instinct to prevent our self of discomfort and mild humiliation. Directly asking for forgiveness requires enormous emotional stretching.  We all have this self defending mechanism and we don’t have the right to accuse anyone on this. 

They both mean the same. It is our pride and ego that makes the difference in the two and gives us greater satisfaction when we hear request for forgiveness rather than request for understanding. They are both ways for a person that cherishes you to approach and love you again. It is mostly us who make that difference and fail to understand the other person.

If we agree to understand that, it would means that we also have to accept some personal responsibility for the situation which makes us uncomfortable because it is easier to assume that the other party is fully accountable and we are the ones who suffer, the martyrs. 

If we are asked forgiveness, then we subconsciously we glorify ourselves as winners, the other person admits the mistake and admits that he needs us more than we need them.

That gives us short term satisfaction. But is this really the right thing?

What is best to do?

Start accepting requests for understanding and contemplate on them genuinely. 

They also mean requests for forgiveness

Strive to be able to understand more than to be able to forgive!

Once you learn to understand, the balance will be easier restored and there might be even no need for seeking forgiveness.

On the other side, once the other person feels completely understood, will ask you for forgiveness without you having the need of it.

Sometimes it really can be that simple.

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