We all have our own religious or spiritual beliefs. Who is right and who is wrong?
Good news! Everyone is right if it is true for them.

We are all here to have our own journey in this lifetime. We are here to learn and grow in ways we chose at our soul level before we incarnated. We need to be conscious of our beliefs and where they came from. Are they ours created from the life we’ve lived so far or did they come from outside influences?

I believe every spiritual belief is right if it meets the following criteria:

• The beliefs resonate within you as truth
• You KNOW this to be true
• You don’t feel pressured or controlled
  
• Your spirituality makes you smile and feel love
• It teaches love
• You feel these truths in every cell of your body
• You do not surrender your own will
• It is not ego based

If there is any fear involved with your beliefs then you believe what someone is programming into you. If something doesn’t feel right then you must explore deeper into it or other options to make it TOTALLY resonate and be true for you.

You aren’t here to “follow” like sheep. You are here to find your truth, your place of love and be around like minded people that will lift you up, not condemn you.

If someone makes you feel bad because you are going against your “religion” or “sinning” then you are not in the right place. You should always know that you are loved NO MATTER WHAT. You are not judged or cast away because you are bad or you did a bad thing. That is impossible. We are here as representatives of God/Source, as a part of God/Source, to understand the concept of unconditional love. Unconditional love for ourselves and others. Why would there be any fear or control or judgment around that? That makes absolutely no sense to me.

There is no separate heaven and hell. These are just time space realities that we live while here on earth. They are how we either imprison ourselves or allow ourselves to be free. We live there now. After death I believe that our souls go back and join Source/God – not play on clouds (although that could be entirely possible if you want to!) or burn in some horrible cave for all eternity.

Whatever you believe is the truth for you. If you belong to an organized religion AND you are 100% completely satisfied and happy with that, never feeling fear or doubt or being controlled by anyone other than yourself, than that is exactly where you should be. That is what you chose for this lifetime and that is your truth. However if you feel you need to fear God, not make mistakes, or fear death than you should probably seek out other forms of spirituality until one resonates with you 100%. You need to KNOW 100% in your heart that what you are practicing is the truth.

Your beliefs may just be the beliefs of other people – other influences, teachers, parents, etc. You need to know and make sure that they are 100% yours. That you believe it for you as truth not just because someone stands up before you and preaches it. They are no closer to God than you are. We are all God. No one is better than anyone else in that sense. I am as close and as much a part of God as a mass murderer. We just have different life paths this time around. But I truly believe that person is exactly as much a part of God as I am. Most organized religions teach that God is separate from us – that “he” is high in the heavens and far from our reach. I believe that God is omniscient and omnipresent and that there is no separation between us, God can be felt as a living presence in our own heart. We don’t need to look outside of ourselves or to someone else to connect to God.

Although I fully live my spiritual beliefs, and sometimes reference them when I conduct sessions and in teaching, I would never push my personal principles on anyone. I don’t try to change anyone’s beliefs as I believe they are all valid. If something I say resonates, than that is what needed to be said and heard. I will never influence anyone’s beliefs by condemning another faith. You are exactly who you are intended to be. We are all growing and changing and making choices every moment of every day. And those choices are only our own. They belong to only us and we have every right to all of them.

So here is my opinion on the differences between spirituality and religion:

Spirituality comes from within you. It is your truth, your beliefs.
Spirituality is free.
Spirituality embraces all beliefs as being valid and that underneath it all we all have the same goal.

Religion is generally controlled by an organization that pushes their beliefs on you and you must comply or be expelled.
Religion is controlling and restricted.
Religion involves dogma (opinions settled or fixed by an authority such as a Church.)   

If your religion provides you with the freedom, joy and happiness that fills you up then that is your spirituality. That is your essence of self. That is your soul expressing your truth.
Just make sure your soul is talking and not someone else. YOU are the authority. If it comes from within you and feels like love, you are right!

 “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” -Steve Jobs.

Did this article stir you in some way? Please leave comments and questions below, I would LOVE to hear from you!