Spiritual Homes
Feb. 21st, 2014 06:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dalthauserI've always believed that the Universe sometimes (but not always) gives you things at the very right time. Or is is that that I focused in and paid attention because I was ready..... Either way, when it happens It's awesome.
I've struggled with my spiritual identify my whole life. Every spiritual discipline has value in my opinion. I find myself rejecting and embracing aspects of each.
I've never been able to believe in the fundamentals of Christianity though I do believe that Jesus was a great teacher, and the Ten Commandments..... can't beat those. I love the Psalms, and the bible stories are inspiring and teach important lessons.
My husband and mother were both raised Catholic. I love this Christian Denomination for it's tradition, and I find their rituals beautiful and interesting. I find it very seductive in a way. I suppose I am jaded when I say I consider all the ritual and materialism in the Catholic church a crutch for the members. That would be a whole other journal entry though. We'll leave it at - they have it going on; just not for me.
I think the principles of Buddhism make sense, and I have adopted many of them in my daily life. I don't think I could ever consider myself a Buddhist though. It would be like moving to a foreign country where I could speak the language only conversationally. I am also turned off by a lot of the idolatry in some Buddhist sects.
The Hindu faith has a lot going for it. Their large ideas I love (we are all one), but there are too many various Gods, prayers, etc. It's too complicated to fully embrace and - like Buddhism - a little too foreign.
I found bliss when I discovered Alan Watts. This is it!!!!! He's just a philosopher though. He, like me, found real truth (and BS) in a variety of religions. His take was my take though, and I felt supremely connected to him (I think I've read and listened to everything the man has ever published).
I've always felt a little lost - like there wasn't a spiritual home for me. I've honestly felt like a spiritual outcast unable to share my thoughts with people because they are so different than the norm.
I'm a 51 year old reasonably educated liberal female who has open ears, eyes, and an open mind......
So why
I am honestly wondering
has it taken me so long
to find Unitarian Universalism on my spiritual radar??
(and I wonder what Mr. Watts would think of them - if he ever even mentioned them in any of his talks or books, I don't remember it)
Nevertheless
I have been giddy with excitement to have discovered this group of religious rebels.
Marcel and I checked out the UU church here, and we very much enjoyed the services we've gone to. It's a friendly service with some of the traditional trappings (greeting your fellow attendees, singing hymns, listening to the sermon, etc.). We've had to jet out just after though, so we really haven't met any of the members.
The restaurant is open on Sundays, so it's not always possible (well it's usually not possible) to make a service that begins at 11am. Instead I listen to UU sermons via Podcasts. My favorite is the First UU of Austin Podcast.
I'm hoping to make time to participate in the UU community and become a member of the church. I just have to carve out free time which is non-existent right now.
Do you all know about Unitarian Universalists? If so, what do you know about them - and what are your impressions. If it's negative, I certainly want to hear that too, so feel free to be honest :-)
I've struggled with my spiritual identify my whole life. Every spiritual discipline has value in my opinion. I find myself rejecting and embracing aspects of each.
I've never been able to believe in the fundamentals of Christianity though I do believe that Jesus was a great teacher, and the Ten Commandments..... can't beat those. I love the Psalms, and the bible stories are inspiring and teach important lessons.
My husband and mother were both raised Catholic. I love this Christian Denomination for it's tradition, and I find their rituals beautiful and interesting. I find it very seductive in a way. I suppose I am jaded when I say I consider all the ritual and materialism in the Catholic church a crutch for the members. That would be a whole other journal entry though. We'll leave it at - they have it going on; just not for me.
I think the principles of Buddhism make sense, and I have adopted many of them in my daily life. I don't think I could ever consider myself a Buddhist though. It would be like moving to a foreign country where I could speak the language only conversationally. I am also turned off by a lot of the idolatry in some Buddhist sects.
The Hindu faith has a lot going for it. Their large ideas I love (we are all one), but there are too many various Gods, prayers, etc. It's too complicated to fully embrace and - like Buddhism - a little too foreign.
I found bliss when I discovered Alan Watts. This is it!!!!! He's just a philosopher though. He, like me, found real truth (and BS) in a variety of religions. His take was my take though, and I felt supremely connected to him (I think I've read and listened to everything the man has ever published).
I've always felt a little lost - like there wasn't a spiritual home for me. I've honestly felt like a spiritual outcast unable to share my thoughts with people because they are so different than the norm.
I'm a 51 year old reasonably educated liberal female who has open ears, eyes, and an open mind......
So why
I am honestly wondering
has it taken me so long
to find Unitarian Universalism on my spiritual radar??
(and I wonder what Mr. Watts would think of them - if he ever even mentioned them in any of his talks or books, I don't remember it)
Nevertheless
I have been giddy with excitement to have discovered this group of religious rebels.
Marcel and I checked out the UU church here, and we very much enjoyed the services we've gone to. It's a friendly service with some of the traditional trappings (greeting your fellow attendees, singing hymns, listening to the sermon, etc.). We've had to jet out just after though, so we really haven't met any of the members.
The restaurant is open on Sundays, so it's not always possible (well it's usually not possible) to make a service that begins at 11am. Instead I listen to UU sermons via Podcasts. My favorite is the First UU of Austin Podcast.
I'm hoping to make time to participate in the UU community and become a member of the church. I just have to carve out free time which is non-existent right now.
Do you all know about Unitarian Universalists? If so, what do you know about them - and what are your impressions. If it's negative, I certainly want to hear that too, so feel free to be honest :-)
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no subject
Date: 2014-02-22 01:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-22 06:54 am (UTC)I think the Catholic Church has something going for it with the ceremonies, we need ceremonies, it must be part of our DNA. But yeah, other problems. I have not found anything I can relate to yet.