Spiritual But Not Religious? Think Again.
You had no idea about the 3rd option.
Most people treat spirituality as ‘mystical’ because it can’t be measured scientifically.
But look at the historical development of contemplative technology like mantras and yoga — these weren’t thought up out of the blue, by a bunch of hippies.
It took generations (if not progressive centuries) of experimentation, philosophical discourse, and cultural support to develop these tools.
The contemplative observers of the past had to be even more precise with the inner world than the outer one.
Because it’s easy to agree on what a flower is, while things like ‘concentration’ and ‘enlightenment’ require much more detail to precisely talk about.
This is where the difference between religion, spirituality, and Dharma comes in.
Religion is about someone else’s enlightenment.
The three religions of the world — Christianity, Islam, and Judaism — base themselves on the communion of prophets, whose words are one-size-fits-all commandments for all to follow.
If you happen to attain the same state of consciousness as these founders, the religious authorities typically become uneasy at best, and wrathful at worst.
Because religion was never about empirically replicable higher consciousness. It’s about temporal identity and political control — the root of the conflicts appearing in the world today.
Spirituality is about acknowledging your journey to enlightenment.
When people break free from the confines of organized Abrahamic religions, they discover a whole world of inner dignity in discovering their own path.
It’s special because it’s totally about you. Catered to your own reality and position on the path.
But how will you know that you’re going to attain lasting, eternal freedom, rather than deluding yourself with the machinations of ego?
Dharma is knowing exactly what steps you need to take.
If you wanted to reach the moon, would you simply “explore” a bunch of books on the topic, or study the process of those who actually succeeded in the past — and then replicate it?
If you’re serious about not wasting your precious human life, you cannot afford to be random with your spirituality.
There are too many obstacles, shrouds of ignorance, and pervasive distractions in this world for you to consciously evolve if you endlessly cherry-pick teachings.
If you want to reach somewhere, you need a path that leads to it.
To know which path is right for you, you’ve got to experiment with one after another.
Unlike religion, this isn’t about identity. It’s the opposite!
Choosing a path doesn’t mean clinging to an identity like yogi, Daoist, or Buddhist. Because the very purpose of these traditions is to transcend all identities to reach the ultimate.
Commitment does not make you ‘intolerant’ of other options, because Dharma is non-exclusive.
The word anekantavaad in Sanskrit means endless (anek) inner (anta) paths (vaad).
This is a concept every Dharma tradition shares, which is why Eastern cultures are so diverse in their spiritual systems.
No one has the authority to philosophically rule over everyone else and enforce an exclusive authority, which turns a mere path into an intolerant & supremacist epistemic imperialism.
In fact, many Dharma traditions were born out of debate, discussion, and studying of other paths.
The Hindu school of classical philosophy called Nyaya is literally a path of debate that transcends dialecticism itself, and propels one towards liberation from all conceptual constructs.
How could such an open architecture, free-thinking system ever suffer the ills of book-based dogmas taken on faith?
It hasn’t and will not. So find a lineage of conscious evolution. Leave your unconscious, hyper-secularized anxieties behind; plunge in!
What you need is simple.
Something that’s right for you in your current circumstances. Be it religion, spirituality, or Dharma.
To find your path, tread that which has already been walked. Learn the basics of travel.
Then take it further, in your own way, when you’re ready. This is how all the great contemplatives of the past gained their wisdom!
Fully honoring and committing to the tools available to them.
Then adding their own spin, when they learned the intricacies of both themselves and their path.
Start small — read books, meet various spiritual teachers, try out techniques one after another.
After your experimentation, something will certainly stick out as something you need more than all the others.
That’s when you’ll know what it is you need to work on, and how.
Your life is for a purpose you should never forget.
If you spend your whole life digging shallow wells, you’ll never reach the water.
But the end result of digging for consciousness is not ordinary water — it’s an ambrosial nectar.
Which means the effort is worth so much more than what you spend chasing ordinary happiness.
If you consider the end result — becoming so mindful, wise and compassionate that you’re a blessing to everyone you ever meet — there can be nothing more worth committing to.
