| Introduction | | | | listening to the aspect and intent of the name. |
| " What path is right for me?", is a question that each | | | | In our early 21st century world we have many |
| seeker asks at least once in their lives. As children, | | | | examples of what I call "filter-itis". Christians fight |
| most individuals follow the pathways of their parents. | | | | Muslims, Jews fight Christians, Wiccan's fight |
| Even if a parent has no particular spiritual path, the | | | | Heathens, on and on and on. |
| child is influenced by their parent. This is almost | | | | Therefore, the first step in choosing a path is to put |
| genetic as, regardless of a path, the mother, to the | | | | away the expectations of the society you are in and |
| child, is the goddess. As one grows older and begins | | | | focus on the intent of the pathway without these |
| to think for themselves, they begin to feel a desire | | | | filters. |
| to either embrace or reject their parental | | | | Society and Acceptance |
| suggestions. This includes the chosen spiritual path of | | | | There is a quote from John Donne (1572-1631), which |
| the individual. | | | | is in his "Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions", |
| In my own life, I have spent time in many "spiritual" | | | | Meditation XVII: that goes like this: |
| and "religious" pathways. Some of these were even | | | | "All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; |
| of my own choosing at the time, so I thought. | | | | when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of |
| However, as we are social creatures, even the most | | | | the book, but translated into a better language; and |
| reclusive of us, we still seem to blunder about until | | | | every chapter must be so translated...As therefore |
| we finally settle on what works well for us. | | | | the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the |
| Over the years as I facilitate myself and others on | | | | preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: |
| reaching some kind of accommodation with their | | | | so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who |
| desires for spiritual connection, certain indications | | | | am brought so near the door by this sickness....No |
| seem to be prevelant with the majority of individuals. | | | | man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death |
| What is a Spiritual Path? | | | | diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and |
| defines the word spiritual, (among other things) as:of | | | | therefore never send to know for whom the bell |
| or pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished | | | | tolls; it tolls for thee." |
| from the physical nature: a spiritual approach to life. | | | | While Mr Donne was a Christian, the sentiment |
| We will not concern ourselves in this article with the | | | | expressed above is still true, (See, I practice what I |
| definition of the soul, despite differing presuppositional | | | | preach). We are social creatures that desire the |
| ethics, but accept this as a good working definition to | | | | acceptance of those around us. The problem occurs |
| add to our word "path". | | | | when we desire our existing friends, colleagues,family, |
| Again, defines a path as:a route, course, or track | | | | etc, to accept our new choice, just because we do! |
| along which something moves, or a course of action, | | | | Our brother or sister, who follows another path, can |
| conduct, or procedure. | | | | not always see that our path is equally valid. |
| So, combining both of these we have a spiritual path | | | | Sometimes this is because they are not following |
| is one where an individual is taking a route whether | | | | their true path either, however, it can also be that |
| physically or metaphysically that pertains to the | | | | they truly feel that there path is RIGHT and yours is |
| non-physical being of a person. | | | | WRONG. While, based on the concept that all paths |
| This definition allows for many diverse methodologies | | | | are one path, ( my own pre-suppositional ethic), this |
| including those that are primarily of the phsyical | | | | is not necessarily the filters that others see through. |
| realms, and those that are primarily of the | | | | Therefore, seeking acceptance by others, while part |
| non-physical realms. | | | | of our social conditioning, does not "play well" with |
| Pressures that act as filters | | | | some of those around us that follow a different path. |
| As we stated in the introduction, many factors | | | | I have many Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, ( not what |
| influence our examination and determination of our | | | | they call themselves-a topic for another article) , |
| path. Some of these factors include, environment, | | | | Jewish, pagan, Wiccan, eclectic, heathen friends, and |
| social network, (including parents, friends, and | | | | family, the only thing that is important to me is that |
| co-workers), ethnicity or blood line, and | | | | they respect my path as I respect theirs. |
| connectedness, or lack of it, to the world around us. | | | | What to look for in a path |
| Each of these act as filters through which we see | | | | Since, each of us must live within our own filters, |
| the world around us. Ask any couple in a relationship | | | | examine the path that calls you in as objective way |
| how many times they "read between the lines" of a | | | | as possible. If you are called to Quanyin, (the |
| statement just to see how effective filters are in our | | | | bodhavista form of the deity of Compassion and |
| daily lives. | | | | Love - androgynous) then accept that particular deity |
| One example of filters in relationships is as follows: | | | | as one that speaks to you. |
| One partner is cooking dinner and asks the other | | | | If you feel that the trees speak with you, and you |
| partner: "Would you please take out the overflowing | | | | can hear/feel this then follow this where it leads you |
| trash please?" The partner who was asks responds: | | | | and don't automatically say, I am not ____ (insert |
| "What, why do you do that, I work all day and of | | | | appropriate group here) and can not really be |
| course I will take it out. I simply forgot. What do you | | | | associated with trees. |
| think I sit and read all day? I work too! If it is too | | | | If you feel that a particular set of rules (i.e. The |
| much trouble for you to cook dinner tonight then we | | | | Wiccan Rede) speaks to you and reverberates |
| could have gone out!" | | | | within, then follow it and find others that can support |
| The first partner is taken aback by the intensity of | | | | you. |
| the response as all they really asked was for their | | | | What is important is that it fills some needs within |
| partner to take out the trash! Not everything else! | | | | yourself. |
| The second partner read between the lines, of the | | | | The next step is to investigate the teachings of the |
| other through there own filters. | | | | path and take on that which speaks to you. |
| While this is an extreme example, you can see what | | | | Be true to yourself and don't belittle, or agonize over |
| filters do in this mundane world, imagine what it does | | | | the choices you have made. |
| for our persuit of a spiritual path. Each individuals path | | | | Be confident in yourself. You are the one who must |
| is unique. One may utilize the same aspects of the | | | | follow the path, so you are the only one that needs |
| divine, yet call them by another name. Take the | | | | to "understand" the path. |
| deific aspect of healing. In some pathways, the deity | | | | Lastly, do not label yourself if it would put you in a |
| of healing is Bridghid, (and lets not forget that | | | | box that you do not wish to be part. Boxes are |
| spellings and language for even the same deity show | | | | created by large groups and if you are a "round peg" |
| regional differences), others it is Kwan Yin, and | | | | why fit into a "square hole"? |
| others Quanyin. Whole nations have gone to war | | | | Enjoy the Journey! After all - ALL life is a Journey.. |
| over the NAME of a particular deity rather than | | | | |