Image by Cengiz.uskuplu(On-Off) via Flickr
I receive Brave New Traveler in my email. They had a link to 20 Questions for Every Spiritual Seeker – and I thought that would be a great read.
It is – it’s also a great exercise to set a benchmark on where you are in your spiritual journey.
I am going to answer the questions next. At the bottom of the page is the instructions on how you can do the same. Do me a favor – please comment and leave your post for all of us to read as well!
20 Questions For Every Spiritual Seeker
1. Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
Its always a choice we are given. Free will and all that. Contrast is necessary so that one can determine what it is they don’t want. That covers the poverty part of it. As far as suffering, I’m still searching for that answer. The answer feels close to me – like I’ve almost got it. There’s surely an answer that makes sense. I just haven’t grasped it yet. Talk to me in ten years about that.
2. What is the relationship between science and religion?
Depends on your definition of religion. If you are talking about religion as a group of people that do the whole group thing – they tend to chase science away. Religion defines science as something that changes – the definition is different as we age. Religion pretends to know everything and science is just a fluke.
Now, if you define religion as a form of spiritual belief in something greater than yourself – that religion and science go hand in hand. Science is a field in which the answers can change and it’s okay. So is religion in that description.
3. Why are so many people depressed?
Because they choose to be. It works for them on some level. It allows them the opportunity to get the attention they need. They choose to look at the world one way and one way only, never realizing how you look at something determines how that something is for you.
4. What are we all so afraid of?
Hmmmm … don’t put me in that category. Fear nothing.
5. When is war justifiable?
I’ve not been able to justify killing another human being.
6. How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
With love. With reason. With compassion.
7. How does one obtain true peace?
One imagines it. One ‘see’s it. One becomes it.
8. What does it mean to live in the present moment?
Think about what you are doing this very moment. If you are washing dishes, feel the hot water and the soap on your hands. Marvel at the beauty of the dish you are washing.
9. What is our greatest distraction?
For me, thinking ahead. I tend to be in my head somewhere in the future and miss what is going on right now.
10. Is current religion serving its purpose?
For me it is. I belong to a small rural church and it brings me into conversation and communion with my friends and neighbors. RELIGION in the world however is another story. Strong rules and regulations just isn’t the way I see God communing with his people.
11. What happens to you after you die?
Heaven, reunited with those who’ve gone on before you. I don’t think our physical bodies reunite. I think our souls all become one again.
12. Describe heaven and how to get there.
I think we all go there – it’s like a big stream of consciousness and all points of view are necessary to make sense.
13. What is the meaning of life?
To love and share love and be love.
14. Describe God.
We are all God. God is the great stream of love that runs through, around, in, over and under us all.
15. What is the greatest quality humans possess?
The ability to love one another.
16. What is it that prevents people from living to their full potential?
We choose not to. We refuse to step into our greatness out of fear.
17. Nonverbally, by motion or gesture only, act out what you believe to be the current condition of the world.
(I move my hand like a wave)
18. What is your one wish for the world?
That we learn to love one another.
19. What is wisdom and how do we gain it?
You live life and listen to what people are talking about. Then hear their hearts.
20. Are we all one?
Most assuredly.
Instructions for you:
Copy and paste the questions below into a blank document or blog post. Answer each question with as much detail as you like, then publish your answers on your personal blog.
Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
20 Questions For Every Spiritual Seeker
1. Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
2. What is the relationship between science and religion?
3. Why are so many people depressed?
4. What are we all so afraid of?
5. When is war justifiable?
6. How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
7. How does one obtain true peace?
8. What does it mean to live in the present moment?
9. What is our greatest distraction?
10. Is current religion serving its purpose?
11. What happens to you after you die?
12. Describe heaven and how to get there.
13. What is the meaning of life?
14. Describe God.
15. What is the greatest quality humans possess?
16. What is it that prevents people from living to their full potential?
17. Noverbally, by motion or gesture only, act out what you believe to be the current condition of the world.
18. What is your one wish for the world?
19. What is wisdom and how do we gain it?
20. Are we all one?
Reading all these posts is fascinating. I disagree with your answer that depression is a choice… in some cases it's caused by an external trauma that totally overwhelms a person body & mind. That's not a choice.
But I like your answer with regards to fear. I try to live in the 'no fear' category too!
thanks Rebel for stopping by. I think depression is quite the topic to have a conversation about! There are medicines, natural solutions, biofeedback – just to name a few. Then there's the conversation about choosing all of our traumas – it's a conversation for another day! I do think however, we can choose to treat depression, once we have it. Would you agree?
@debworks
Deb – loved your answers. Many very different perspecitves than my own, but many exactly the same. Interesting, my first answer to question 17 was "I move my arm like a wave", but then I figured my blog needed a picture.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your beliefs. I enjoyed reading them!