Some incomplete thoughts on the nature of spirituality and religion as I understand them:
The God of my understanding is the tissue of the universe: The connections among all things and the unfolding of existence.
Spiritual practice—ritual, meditation, worship, etc.—is for the development of presence and wisdom. It is for the benefit of humanity and all Earth, not to satisfy some need of a deity for glorification.
Everything we have comes from somewhere else. Out of this radical poverty, and in gratitude for the gifts of life, we can give generously to others.
Religions are cultural matrices that evolve to meet human needs and to respond to human creativity.
Fulfillment comes from attending to our vocation and living out of that call to be our fullest selves. Everyone, everyone, everyone, yes, everyone has gifts to give. There is no one who cannot make another’s life richer. We may turn away from our gifts, or pervert their effects, but we have them to give.
Generosity and gratitude emerge from and point toward love, the crown of virtue.
The spirit and the body are in no way separate. Each needs the other. While individual consciousness and personality may be snuffed out, I believe the spirit of a person, like their body, is transformed in some way that contributes to the ongoing cycles of Earth.
We are utterly, completely, and in every detail connected to everything else. This maxim is both a verifiable observation and an ethical exhortation. We both recognize it and try to live in accordance with that recognition and its implications.
