~ Abraham Lincoln when quizzed on his personal beliefs and his own religion.
The difference between religion and spirituality can be defined as follows:
Spirituality can be most characteristically described as the inner experience of the individual when he or she senses a Beyond, especially as evidenced by the effect of this experience on his or her behaviour when he or she actively attempts to harmonize his or her life with the Beyond.
Whereas religion may include the above but it also has an institutional connotation, meaning practicing rituals and attending services.
Spirituality has more to do with life's deeper motivations incorporating strong emotional connections.
Another description of spirituality refers to matters of ultimate concern that call for releasing the passions of the soul to search for goals with personal meaning - this is definitely appropriate when thinking along the lines of my spiritual journey to find a home.
Organised religion has never sat comfortably with me. I have no issue whatsoever with people who believe in any form of religion, and I have many friends who do. During the past year an old school friend picked me up when I was down without preaching to me, but her strength and faith shone through (thanks Julie).
Being present in a church has also felt pretty alien to me. I have attended many weddings, christenings, and funerals in various places of worship, but as much as I marvel at the architecture and structure of these buildings I still don't feel at ease in them. I have experienced wonderous cathedrals in fabulous cities such as York, Chester, Canterbury, Winchester, Cork in Ireland, and Christchurch in New Zealand, and lived in cathedral cities such as Bath and Chichester, and I admire these wonderfully (sometimes) gothic buildings - in fact I walk past the cathedral in Chichester at least twice a day and can even see the spire from my bedroom window!
I used to go to Sunday School with my older sisters which also included attending the main church, and then in the afternoons I played football for the local boys team. Once the matches got switched to Sunday mornings, my parents knew where my priorities were, so my place of worship was exclusively restricted to the football pitches of West Sussex from there on in - and that was the extent of my church going!
I think my spirituality is never more evident than when I'm in open spaces or nearby to water.
This sense and feeling was awakened when travelling throughout New Zealand, where I loved the open roads, wide open spaces, and living amongst the lakes and the mountains. I deliberately stayed on the coast throughout my travels to take in the sea air and walk along the beautiful sandy beaches.
Even back in the UK I appreciate the scenery on offer. I remember working in Bristol and regularly taking a detour home to Bath via the Chew Magna Valley to take in the magnificant views of the lake, and I can recall walking along all the neighbouring single-track roads around the countryside when I also lived in Bath.
Then there was the conservation area in Bradley Stoke, the rolling hills surrounding Cheltenham, Bracknell Forest in Berkshire, and the beaches in Bognor Regis and Bournemouth.
If ever I was forced to follow a particular religion then it would undoubtably be Buddhism, purely because it is more a way of life and a philosophy - live your life right, be respectful to others, what goes around come around, karma and all that.
I personally believe that the essence of my spirituality concerns my belief, an inner motivating strength that I seem to possess, and an ability to deal with life's trials and tribulations as they occur.
Also, an understanding of the combination of what goes on in my heart and in my head, and differentiating the two where neccesary.
I like to think I remain a humble man with a kind heart and a good soul, and I firmly believe that eventually you get what you deserve in this life...be it good, bad or indifferent.
And finally, I also believe that good things happen to good people so if like me you're going through a tough old time, I urge you to hang on in there, keep your spirits up, and stay strong.
Nomadic Steve
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