[txplumwine]

I could only choose one poll answer and went with "universal life force/energy," though I believe that in conjunction with a divine being. I might get into my spiritual history later, but these are some of my current beliefs:

- There is an overarching Divine presence in the universe.
- Every living being is connected - to the Divine and to other beings.
- All gods are one god / the ways are many, the Light is one / etc.

This is pretty simplified, but I think it will do for now. Thanks, Doodle.

[falljackets]

doodle, i will expound on my answer (i dunno) at a later time. i have way more to say than i feel like writing right now.

hm, who'da thunk it!?

[doodlebug]

Hmmm....maybe I need to ask a question to get the ball rolling. No scratch that, I'll start a poll....

EDITED: Just to add, I didn't know starting a poll would add "poll" to the title of the thread! Hopefully everyone knows this thread is MORE than just a poll!!!!!

[doodlebug]

So. Now that we are better able to manage the troll situation ourselves, it's once again safe to talk about spirituality. How ironic, no?

This thread is for anyone who wants to talk about god/dess, the universe, or whatever. There are no restrictions on which belief systems are acceptable or unacceptable in this thread, but since we are talking about the spirit, everyone is asked to be RESPECTFUL in our discussions. This is a pro-spirituality thread, and I ask that everyone who wants to participate understand and honour that. Please do not denigrate the beliefs of other. Stay mindful that your truth is not the absolute truth for everyone (nor does it have to be).

So. In between the time I started the first version of this thread (which has disappeared) and now, I have to confess honestly that I had a sort of existential crisis, where I lost my faith. Except that I'm not exactly sure what it is I have/had faith in. Sometimes I think it's my faith in god/dess, sometimes I think it's my faith in *me.* Sometimes I think they are the same thing, and I don't mean that in some kind of egotistical way. I'm not sure what I mean.

I find the older I get, the less I *know* what "it" is. I'm using "it" because I'm not even sure how to express what I mean. "It" could mean god/dess, could mean the universal lifeforce, or could mean something that I have no comprehension of whatsoever. I do know that when I don't "believe" in "it," I have a hard time facing my life and the world. Yet I still can't make a decision one way or the other. I know the point of "faith" is to let go and trust that "it" is out there (or in here), but without "proof" or even basic comprehension, how can I? Sometimes the ambiguity is overwhelming.

A friend, and my board chair, said something a couple of weeks ago that really hit home for me. She said to her, spirituality comes from giving to her (our) community, from putting her energy into making this a better place for everyone who wants to live here. I feel like I USED to believe that, but maybe I lost it along the way. I know I am exhausted from the community work I do, and have given up pretty much all of the stuff I used to do as a volunteer. I don't know how to get it back. I don't feel like I can right now. But at the same time, I wonder if that's why I had my "existential crisis"....because I lost the one thing that made me feel truly "at one" with the world, and which allowed me to express my love and compassion for those outside of myself. Or maybe I just lost my faith that I actually was making a difference anymore. (Or could.)

At the same time, following the "existential crisis," I found something in myself that I thought I had lost, which was my sense of self, and my passion for the more solitary pursuits of the spirit....specifically, making art, but also, other creative and nurturing passions, like gardening and crafting, which bring me joy and peace. At the same time, I feel more "humbled" about my place in the material world and the spiritual universe, where before the crisis, I think I was kind of arrogant.

None of this has provided me with the answers of what "it" is. I'm not even sure I'm as comfortable not knowing as I used to be. Or thought I was. But I guess I feel more resigned to not knowing.

Anyway, this is long and kind of all over the place, but there's probably no better way to start a spiritual dialogue than with confusion and ambiguity! So, busties, here is our space to discuss all things of the spirit. Off ya go! What's going on in your head, heart, mind, and/or soul?

(ETA: by the way, the title was snafooey's idea a couple of years ago, and it was so good I'm keeping it!)