The Purpose of Spirituality

There is one thing devout Christians, Muslims, Jews, Pagans and even Atheists have in common… They have contemplated the Nature of the Divine, a person’s place within their life, their family, the world and the universe. Furthermore, these people have taken time to contemplate the role and purpose of spirituality in their life. You, dear reader, are doing that very same thing right now.

When you begin to search for answers in your life, to talk to others about spirituality or read spiritual literature, even if only out of curiousity; that is contemplating some of the big questions in life.

In the United States there is a large taboo against discussing religion/spirituality. What’s the famous saying? “There are two things you should never discuss at the dinner table: politics and religion.” I believe, though, if I am honest, having never been outside the United States that this is a creation of our founding beliefs on religious freedom coupled with a collective shame and fear over the Salem witch trials. However, I also believe that this taboo has done a disservice to spiritual seekers and the role of spirituality within our society and has become a block that we need to overcome. Spirituality is something that should be discussed and explored; especially in a society as diverse as that found within the United States.

We as Americans, are blessed with the freedom to ask questions, to go to the services of other religions and to befriend adherents to different spiritual/religious belief systems, and thus to expand our ideal and find our own answers and methods of living, whether we choose to connect with the Divine or not, if we even believe in a Divine Consciousness or not.

I share this viewpoint with you in order to shed light on my personal viewpoint and explain the manner in which I teach, lecture or advise others.

Now, before I get into my personal view of the purpose of spirituality, let me give you a little background on myself. I was raised in the Seventh Day Adventist Church and in my younger years was quite invested in Bible study. There were days when my great grandmother, a very religiously devout woman, with whom I spent my weekends, was unable to get a ride to church (as she had not learned to drive). She would be a little upset, and so I would create “church services” for her in her home.

I would plan songs that we would sing (with the use of her record player and a keyboard; I knew how to play a couple of songs, even if they were stinted) I would study Bible verses and write a sermon, which I would give and I would even plan some Bible Study and discussion to round out the service. Spirituality was always a big part of my life.

However, even at a young age, I quesrtioned things the church taught, but I thought that this was simply because I was young and unlearned. But, as I grew, had my own experiences; it seemed as there were more questions and less answers that made sense or helped me to deal with my life circumstances. When my great grandmother passed away, I was nineteen years old and I couldn’t find comfort or answers, for things that I had experienced. The largest experience that perplexed me was a paranormal encounter, the night that my great grandmother passed away. This experience was a great comfort to me, that made my great grandmother’s passing tolerable. The church (had I told anyone about it) would have explained this experience as evil, or an experience created by Satan to lead me astray and who knows they might be right, but for me that experience made me feel loved, comforted, watched over a special. All the things my great grandmother had always made me feel and I knew in the depths of my heart, my great grandmother was far from evil; flawed, human, imperfect, yes, but not malevolent by any means.

Faced with that irreconcilable contradiction; I did what my grandmother had taught me to do- Ask questions and learn as much as I could. For myself, the best way to learn was books and so I read. I read books on Buddhism, Mormonism, Catholicism, Judiaism, Islam, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucinism, Hinduism, Psychology and finally the paranormal and Paganism, as well as Shamanism.

Paganism (I specifically read about Wicca first) was the last spiritual river I stuck my toe in, out of respect for my great grandmother. I remeber finding her at her kitchen table one day crying, I asked her what was wrong and she told me she had read this story about a woman who got involved with witchcraft and she seriously hoped that none of her kids (which for her referred to her children, grandchildren and great grandchild) never played with or got involved with witchcraft because she didn’t want them to be tortured in hell or to see them suffer.

Having found no satisfying answers anywhere else I embarked on a journey into the fearful dark unknown, half expecting to find deviant, shameful and evil behavior. However, beneath the full moon’s light, I found a path filled with comfort, empowerment and spiritual truth that resonnated with my very soul. Thus, I have been a witch for twenty years now.

It may seem as if I have digressed a great deal from the original topic, however, those experiences inform my responses to the questions of what the purpose and role of spirituality is in a person’s life.

Now, I cannot tell you what the purpose is in another individual’s life. I firmly believe, each person has their own truth. For me, spirituality is a modality that creates a foundation to hold a person up. It empowers them with focus, a base to return to. It helps them to get through the tough times and comforts them when they suffer a loss. Spirituality helps to morivate them and connect them to something bigger than themselves. Ultimately, Spirituality has a purpose in life, but Spirituality helps to give purpose to life as well.