{"id":136,"date":"2015-10-05T20:38:11","date_gmt":"2015-10-05T20:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/?p=136"},"modified":"2022-05-01T03:35:25","modified_gmt":"2022-05-01T03:35:25","slug":"spiritual-but-not-religious-what-does-that-really-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/05\/spiritual-but-not-religious-what-does-that-really-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"Spiritual but not religious: What does that really mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s becoming quite popular in the Western world to define oneself as spiritual rather than religious. \u00a0A Forum poll commissioned by the\u00a0National Post<\/a>\u00a0in December of 2012, showed that two-thirds of Canadians identify as spiritual while half say they are religious. \u00a0A quarter of those who profess \u2018no religion\u2019 still maintain a belief in God.\u00a0Further research<\/a>\u00a0has shown that \u2018nones\u2019 really behave like \u2018somes\u2019 since they are spiritual seekers in their own way.<\/p>\n

Surveys indicate that a fifth of \u2018nones\u2019 attend religious services annually. \u00a0Two out of five believe in God. \u00a0One in five say they have experienced God\u2019s presence and more than one in ten pray weekly. \u00a0A third believe in life after death and the same number consider their religious and spiritual beliefs, important to how they conduct their lives. In Canada, \u2018nones\u2019 are a diverse group including militant atheists, freelance spiritualists, onetime Catholics, non-observant Jews, secular Muslims and others. \u00a0You can add Tantrik to the \u2018nones\u2019.<\/p>\n

Tantra was never an organized religion, but an accumulation of ideas and practices. \u00a0It\u2019s unifying thread was and is uniting one\u2019s consciousness with that of a primordial \u2018source\u2019 consciousness. \u00a0Over time and in various communities, meditations and rituals were developed to access the supra-mundane through the mundane. \u00a0Most famously, or most concentrated upon in the Western world, was the sanctifying of the sex act. \u00a0However, Tantric practices have been used by Buddhists and Hindus alike, to unite with their respective deities and manifest their qualities. \u00a0The focus of Tantra is upon individual pursuits and experiences, as opposed to group conformity.<\/p>\n

I chose Tantra and not the other way around. I was born to a former Presbyterian mother and a Sanatanist Hindu father. \u00a0 My mother has since become a Seventh-Day Adventist. \u00a0My brother and I were baptized into Christianity at her insistence. My father did not resist this at all, for he saw no harm in it. We were exposed to the two religions growing up, but taught to identify ourselves as Christians. \u00a0I felt like I was lying every time I filled out a government form. \u00a0I saw checking the \u201cChristian\u201d box as a denial of my father\u2019s beliefs and my real self. \u00a0It was a half-truth.<\/p>\n

I also had the fortune of being exposed to Islam, since my maternal and paternal aunts married Muslims. \u00a0My childhood interpretation of their various faiths was\u00a0\u201cThey\u2019re all right.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0They all believed in God, so I didn\u2019t see anything terribly different underlying their faiths. \u00a0The differences in their belief systems just seemed normal to me: \u00a0As normal as the differences in our physical appearances. \u00a0At the age of 16, however, I became an atheist.<\/p>\n

We got the internet in 1999 and I read\u00a0\u201cKissing Hank\u2019s Ass\u201d<\/a>\u00a0by the \u2018Reverend\u2019 James Huber. \u00a0It made me chuckle out loud and nullify my belief in God. Further exposure to atheistic arguments had me convinced. \u00a0I was very non-spiritual until the age of 24. \u00a0Then extreme stress made me take up meditation. \u00a0I only started practicing it after I read an article discussing its benefits in stress reduction. \u00a0The research was carried out by Harvard University scientists, so I accepted it. \u00a0My conscious mind could not rationally accept a belief in God, so I set about creating a system of beliefs that I could consciously adhere to.<\/p>\n

The Ardhanarishwar<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"photo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lord who is half-woman\u201d is an androgynous composite of Shiva and Shakti. \u00a0It is a synthesis of the \u2018masculine\u2019 and \u2018feminine\u2019 energies of the universe. \u00a0It is regarded as both energies, whilst realizing that our conceptions of \u2018masculine\u2019 and \u2018feminine\u2019, are premised upon our biological constructions and inferences. \u00a0What we categorise as \u2018male\u2019 and \u2018female\u2019, are really intangible essences which are linked to and inseparable from each other. \u00a0In Tantra, the Ardhanarishwar reflects the union of energy and consciousness as the seeds of creation. \u00a0Their biological equivalents are what we call \u00a0\u2018masculine\u2019 and \u2018feminine\u2019, but gender research has shown that gender identification is created in the mind. \u00a0It is not at all contingent upon our external genitals.<\/p>\n

I chose a representation of \u2018God\u2019 which was \u2018male\u2019 and \u2018female\u2019, but neither. \u00a0It just seemed wholistic to me. \u00a0I couldn\u2019t believe in \u2018God\u2019 as an all-powerful force which governed everything. That would force me to accept a God that allowed suffering and injustice. \u00a0That thought gave me no peace and still gives me no peace. \u00a0I could not and cannot love a God like that. \u00a0Hence, it was easier to conceptualize \u2018God\u2019 as a theoretical force for good and nothing else. \u00a0A counterbalance to negativity. \u00a0That I could believe in.<\/p>\n

Meditation<\/h2>\n

I found mantras online which were related to Shiva and Shakti. \u00a0They covered everything from attracting good fortune and good health, to acquiring knowledge. \u00a0I chanted them because I wanted more positive thoughts filling my head. \u00a0The end result was a calmer and more focused mind.<\/p>\n

I found that whatever it was I deeply desired, I concentrated upon and worked towards. \u00a0My mind blocked out all the background noises in my head. \u00a0I was aware of having fears and anxieties, but I realised they had no power over me. \u00a0I consciously focused upon whatever it was that needed doing at the time, and the unpleasant feelings receded.<\/p>\n

I gained more control over my thoughts and actions with meditation. \u00a0I consciously used Hindu and Buddhist meditations whilst tele-supporting survivors of sexual assault. \u00a0Sometimes, I would hold on to a tiny marble statue of the Buddha of Compassion, to remind myself that I was there for the other person. \u00a0Other times, I thought of Shiva as a manifestation of mental control and calm. \u00a0It helped me remain mindful during difficult conversations.<\/p>\n

I am now capable of concentrating for very long periods of time. \u00a0I become still and almost corpse-like. \u00a0I recently participated in a Neuroscience research project, and was told by the researcher that she\u2019d never seen anyone so still. \u00a0I am now more attuned to myself and others around me. \u00a0 I have a deep connection with nature and a profound appreciation for all life-forms. \u00a0I possess a feeling of internal tranquility which money cannot buy. I am supremely grateful that I developed this capacity through meditation.<\/p>\n

Spirit<\/h2>\n

The term\u00a0\u2018spirit\u2019<\/a>\u00a0means \u201cthe animating or vital principle in man and animals.\u201d \u00a0Spirituality<\/a>\u00a0used to be defined as\u00a0\u201ca process of personal transformation in accordance with religious ideals.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0Since the 19th century, it has become more separated from religion. \u00a0Now it\u2019s more individualized and encompasses a person\u2019s subjective experience and psychological growth.<\/p>\n

This reality angers some like the Reverend\u00a0Lillian Daniel<\/a>. \u00a0She believes that Christians need the church. \u00a0She stated:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cCommunity is where the religious rubber meets the road. People challenge us, ask hard questions, disagree, need things from us, require our forgiveness.\u00a0<\/em>It\u2019s where we get to practice all the things we preach.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Hmmm. \u00a0Maybe if Reverend Daniel realised that not everyone agrees with the church\u2019s definition of \u201csins\u201d, she\u2019d realise why more people choose to follow Christ on their own, as opposed to worshiping amongst those from whom they \u2018need forgiveness\u2019. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

She also stated that the spiritual but not religious path is\u00a0\u201ctoo easy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s self-indulgent. \u00a0There\u2019s nothing unique in it, it merely reflects our culture of narcissism and individualism\u2026Thank you for sharing, spiritual-but-not-religious person. You are now comfortably in the norm for self-centered American culture, right smack in the bland majority of people who find ancient religions dull but find themselves uniquely fascinating.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

If Reverend Daniel bothered to enlighten herself about the realities of people, she would realise that ancient religions tend to construct realities for people which are outdated, unscientific, unbelievable and oppressive. \u00a0Spirituality is a conscious reaction to the \u00a0dogma of religion. \u00a0What she sees as an act of cowardice (the \u2018easy\u2019 way out), is a necessary survival mechanism. \u00a0People need to have the freedom to contemplate and construct their own beliefs, contingent upon their knowledge, lived and living realities. \u00a0Take for example, Kanwar Saini. \u00a0Facebook locked his account for 12 hours, because a photo he posted was deemed \u2018offensive\u2019. \u00a0It looked like this:<\/p>\n

\"1456785_668960463155993_2110585439_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Kanwar is openly gay and does not believe in God. \u00a0Yet, he strongly identifies as a Sikh. \u00a0I asked him some questions and he was kind enough to reply.<\/p>\n

What does being a Sikh mean to you, given that you don\u2019t believe in God?<\/strong><\/p>\n

K: \u00a0It is still a significant part of who I am. \u00a0IMO, Sikhism was the original anarchy, so there is room for alternative lifestyles and beliefs. The faith itself went from existential to martial over the course of its development. \u00a0Although God was a focus, many many other things were too. \u00a0Sikhism is accommodating to non-believers in this way as well. \u00a0There were social\/political motivations that kept it cohesive. I consider it my heritage, but I try not to define myself only by it. \u00a0I just deleted God from my life, and freed myself of a lot of complications it\u2019s followers impose.<\/p>\n

Why do you not believe in God?<\/strong><\/p>\n

K: \u00a0The only risk in not believing in God, is social. \u00a0Social risk defines learning in my opinion. You are actively pursuing new territory and putting it into practice in life. Learning is a big part of my heritage as the word \u201cSikh\u201d means student. So, I took a social risk giving up on the concept of God. \u00a0Believing in God was too risky socially, emotionally, financially as my life has shown me over and over since childhood.<\/p>\n

How are you perceived as a Sikh? \u00a0By your own community and by outsiders?<\/strong><\/p>\n

K: \u00a0I have a unique vantage point as I am popular within the diaspora for being out, queer, and unmuted. \u00a0Some think I epitomize Sikh values in content, despite my appearance. \u00a0 I do not look like what idealists would like a Sikh to look like. Others want to see me dead for what they think I\u2019m doing to the stat(us) of the faith. Then there\u2019s everything in between.<\/p>\n

People who are interested in Sikhism as outsiders, are seemingly disappointed as I may behave as though I represent the attrition of \u2018Sikh values\u2019 (I have a different style beard, tattoos etc). \u00a0But this is an interaction with race. \u00a0I\u2019m the son of immigrants, and live a different set of ethics\u2026a whole new style of living than my parents. \u00a0Non- Punjabis and non-Sikhs seem to think \u201cI\u2019m supposed to do this\u201d or \u201cSupposed to do that\u201d because I\u2019m Sikh. \u00a0They don\u2019t afford me the freedom to live mentally free. \u00a0At the same time, the Punjabi Sikh community does the same exact thing according to their own thoughts on Sikhism and culture. \u00a0 (Very gendered and conservative) \u00a0They too also do not afford me the ability to live as a North American Sikh boy with a Punjabi heritage. So, outsiders think they know what and how I should be according to their view, and insiders do the same. \u00a0 The result (is) I\u2019m probably perceived in a number of ways, none of which are important in a Sikh ethos.<\/p>\n

How do you find peace in the world?<\/strong><\/p>\n

K: \u00a0Existentially, peace is fleeting and needs to be pursued but balanced. In reality, politically the world is an unstable place. \u00a0Peace of mind is reserved for people of privilege who come in a variety of colours and circumstances.<\/p>\n

I asked Mike Standup, a Mohawk Traditional healer about his views on spirituality and religion. \u00a0He said:<\/p>\n

\u201cReligions are man-made cults. \u00a0Spirit is nothing physical. \u00a0Spirituality is nothing that you can grasp, with anything but your mind. \u00a0You\u2019re supposed to feel whatever it is you\u2019re feeling at the moment. \u00a0It could be anger, joy, sadness, happiness. \u00a0Spirituality is all. \u00a0It is living your truth, or it living through you. \u00a0 Spirituality is a form of belief. \u00a0Religion is a form of control.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I asked him then what were the differences between Aboriginal and Christian spirituality. \u00a0He said simply\u00a0\u201cThere is no difference. \u00a0Spirit is Spirit.\u201d \u00a0<\/em>I thought that was the best reply ever.<\/p>\n

Photo credit: \u00a0Meditation by Hartwick HKD, Flickr. \u00a0Kanwar Saini\u2019s photo used with permission. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s becoming quite popular in the Western world to define oneself as spiritual rather than<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nSpiritual but not religious: What does that really mean? - Tantra Diva<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/05\/spiritual-but-not-religious-what-does-that-really-mean\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spiritual but not religious: What does that really mean? - Tantra Diva\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It\u2019s becoming quite popular in the Western world to define oneself as spiritual rather than\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/05\/spiritual-but-not-religious-what-does-that-really-mean\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tantra Diva\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-10-05T20:38:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-05-01T03:35:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/2982647864_4a1c59dda1_o.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1141\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"723\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lorraine\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/\",\"name\":\"Tantra Diva\",\"description\":\"Out of the darkest corners there is light\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/05\/spiritual-but-not-religious-what-does-that-really-mean\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/2982647864_4a1c59dda1_o.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/2982647864_4a1c59dda1_o.jpg\",\"width\":1141,\"height\":723},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/05\/spiritual-but-not-religious-what-does-that-really-mean\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/tantradiva.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/05\/spiritual-but-not-religious-what-does-that-really-mean\/\",\"name\":\"Spiritual but not religious: What does that really mean? 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