Many people ‘choose’ a spiritual path?

Question

I have come to understand that all spiritual paths are but created by groups or individuals that claim(ed) to be divinely inspired. If they are divinely inspired or if they were is uncertain, and to believe in it you have to have faith in a human, or group of humans. There is an alternative to choosing to follow others. It is to follow yourself or to lead. I believe that every human being has the power to create their own spiritual path.

Would you rather have faith in other people’s interpretation of the universe or your own?

If you don't believe in 'spiritual' path then any path. If you 'follow' scientific Gods thats up to you too, but you will still just be a follower.

Paddy B: Yes of course you can learn from others. You will have to lock yourself in a room or have to live in a cave not to be influenced in some ways by other humans, but you still have to be independent and choose not just to be a ‘sheep’ or ‘slave’ to a system. You know when a group are trying to steel your independent mind and replace it with their group mentality.

And for the god believers, personally I am a Pantheist. It is my interpretation that God is the physical and spiritual universe as a whole. I’m not going to go into the different mythologies about Gods and Goddesses and I’m not going to say they don’t exist since they might. They may exist just because we created them, by believing in them.

Answer 1

To help us reach in to our innermost spirituality it is often helpful to have a stimulus which may be words, pictures, music or other man created art or it may be the natural world. Wordsworth was moved by his surroundings and this stimulated him to write great poetry which can touch us deeply. But we can also be touched by just visiting the countryside which was Wordsworth's source. A great teacher or philosopher can help you to think for yourself - even if you don't accept all that he/she says.

Working with others not only helps us to learn but also to challenge our own precepts. Again we may not "buy in" to all that others tell us and indeed we may reject most of it. But we learn from such exposure to help us make up our own minds.

Personally I can learn from all religions, but I adhere to none of them. I can read the "Sermon on the mount" (for example) and find much to help me in it. But I am not a Christian. I can read Karl Marx and also learn much from his writings - but I am not a Marxist..

"No man is an island entire of itself" wrote John Donne. And so it is good for us to explore and listen and challenge. Maybe in doing so we will find a conforming path with which we are happy - many adherents to a religion do this. But maybe we will just work out an accommodation that is fine for us - and surely that is OK as well?

Answer 2

I might be wrong but my own spiritual path of Spiritualism was not divinely inspired. It was 'discovered' by two sisters inadvertently making contact with spirit in the afterlife. I do not follow a group of humans. It could be argued that Spiritualism is not a religion but a way of life. My faith comes from a lifetime of believing in God and my own contact with the spirit world (or Heaven as some call it). I have learnt much from Spirit Guides about what happens, where we go and why we are on the earth plane. So, I have created my own spiritual path and a lovely loving one it is too. To answer your final question,no I would not rather have faith in other people's interpretation of the universe, I am very happy with my own, thanks!!!

Answer 3

It mainly started out just looking into the history of my family. I was Wiccan at the time (early twenties). My bloodlines are Cherokee/Scottish/German and a bit of English (or so I'm told by a cousin) But I didn't really chose the path as my own, it was more like coming to a realization that I was already on that path, I just needed to learn more about it. I was Celtic Recon for many years and in the past 4 yrs I have eased over into Asatru. As for whether or not my ancestors followed anything that I have come to, I'm not so sure. I'm sure that there were plenty of Christians and even agnostic/atheists in my family lines (stories abound concerning this) but I also know that there were many Pagans in my family. My grandmother was one, probably what would be labeled as an "herbal witch" or a "kitchen witch" (no, she didn't have spellbooks or "Book of Shadows"). It seems to be tradition that at least one in every generation takes up being the family story-teller/"kitchen witch"/etc... According to my mother, it's usually that person who keeps the family in a strong bond.

Answer 4

I have a mixture of both as I am a Pagan and there is no definative way of following a spiritual path, you can take what you need from different paths and combine then. For example I have a friend who is a Heathen Hedgewitch. That is a mixture of a path of Withcraft and Heathenry. This way you follow your own interpretation of the universe and not someone elses.

Answer 5

I believe spirituality is a personal thing not to follow other peoples opinions but to find your own way in what you find gives you inner peace and enlightenment to what you want to achieve in your own life. As long as others respect your views and opinions who's to say they are right and you're wrong. So long as it is good and doesn't harm anyone if you have faith in what you believe then good for you. I am spiritual and have beliefs most would shun but it doesn't' make me a bad person just because I'm not Christian or anything.

Answer 6

yes indeed every humanbeing has that power. but the question is do u hv that much curiousity to know &to sustain that faith. u can certainly become Buddha & make ur own way to enlightenment. it will jst cost u the utmost discipline,fear for nothing & urge to do Or die. but irony is this most of do not follow such path. thus seek shelter under somebody's faith.
its is not easy to untie others hands when u urself are tied so u hv 2 way. first make struggle & untie urself or second take help from those who have been freed by strugging.

Answer 7

I don't know who is this human you are referring to, is it a spiritual teacher,a priest, or what? But if you are referring to them actually they are just an instrument, of course you have to believe in what they are saying as long as it does not contradict the Bible.But of course you also have a freedom of choice, it is up to you to believe them or not it depends on your faith. But may I remind you that it is written in the Bible "I am the way, the truth and the life no one come unto the Father but by me." Follow Jesus and you will find the right path. God bless you friend.

Answer 8

If you follow yourself, then you follow failure. Jesus said, ".....without me ye can do nothing." People who make up there own spiritual path are known as cultist and are the most dangerous people to follow, for their path leads to hell. Jesus is God; therefore, to follow him is to follow God. There is no one else worthy of following but Jesus. Look at the failures in your life and see if you are worth following. If your answer is yes, then you are condemned. I am the last person that I would ask anyone to follow. I say follow Christ.

Answer 9

I'd like to have faith in the reality as taught/ expressed (not interpretted) by people who know God genuinely. I know that my own mind is limited and i lived for many years just following my minds whims and speculations (and sometimes sitll do live like that) and it always got me into trouble. Wisdom and truth and love are qualities of the soul, not the mind and religion or spiritulaity is about living from the heart, not the mind.

It is incorrect to think that teacher's like Mohammed and Jesus are mere mortals. they are human in one sense but they are wokring for God. They know Gods will. Its possible for us to know it too. We don't need to 'intepret' God or the universe; we can know/understand them in truth,a s they are. Bona fide uncontmainated scripture helps, as does the teachings of a bona fide spiritula master.

Seek and ye shall find. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. (these are from the bible, I don't know where)

Everyday I pray 'Dear Lord, let me serve you with love'
(Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare' I don't 'interpret. I am happy. : )

Islam means 'Surrender to God'
Bhakti Yoga is the process of doing it.

Answer 10

I agree to an extent,I feel much better using my own moral self determination as opposed to someone elses guidelines which more often than not were not created for altruistic reasons but are divisive and secular in nature.