Spirituality and Religion

Photo from The Blogs of Jacob

I have felt some tension from some people when I share spiritual ideas because of the perceived conflict between those ideas and religious doctrine.  I truly believe the two can co-exist, but had not been able to articulate that marriage very well to those who I wished to express it to.  The majority of my friends and family are Christian, and that is the way I was raised and the path I chose for myself when I was in college.  In my adult life, I have become more open to spiritual ideas and universal truths that transcend any particular religion. 

The main nugget of truth that has resonated with me throughout my spiritual studies and practice is that there is a divine presence, Spirit, within each and every one of us.  We all have the Light in us – no one of us has any more access to the Light than another.  Jesus said, “the Kingdom of Heaven is within”, and “you have the power to do all this and more”.  Even though this is clearly stated in the Bible, this power that we have within us was not at all emphasized in any of the traditional churches I used to attend (I now know that there are indeed churches that emphasize this).  Through the intentional spiritual development work this year, I have now experienced what accessing the Kingdom within means and have been given glimpses of what perfect oneness with God (Heaven) actually feels like.  That feeling has led me toward the desire to fully express the qualities of God (or “fruits of the Spirit”) in my daily life.  I am overflowing with the love, peace, joy, and generosity of the Spirit and want nothing more than for everyone to experience this.   What I needed help with was explaining to friends and family what I was getting from spirituality and how it can be integrated with religion if they desired to braid the two.

I was led to watch Super Soul Sunday featuring Ed Bacon, and he did such a good job of articulating how religion and spirituality can work together.  I wanted to share for anyone who has experienced conflict between the two.  I pray that it speaks to someone’s heart as it did mine.  Click here for the link to the full episode. 

Also, a book that initially helped me with this idea is “Discover the Power Within You” by Eric Butterworth.  And the spiritual guide that is helping me to actually experience what the “Power within” feels like is A Course in Miracles.  While this is not the only path to experiencing oneness with God, it certainly is working for me.  I can’t share enough about how it has transformed my life!   Sending you all much love and light on the journey!

Keep shining!

~Kandace

About the Author: Kandace Jones

I used to live life shackled by fear, doubt, and worry. I put on a happy face while navigating my day-to-day duties, but I was emotionally drained, stressed, and unhappy. When I hit rock bottom, and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I was determined to live life differently. I knew there had to be another way. Out of that determination, and guidance from Spirit, the "Living in the Light" blog was born. It documents my spiritual journey out of the darkness and into the Light. After nine months of publicly sharing my journey, and consciously releasing my attachment to the ego, I experienced a powerful spiritual awakening. I went from living in fear, doubt, worry, and stress to complete inner peace. My greatest passion has become assisting others on their own journey to inner peace. My spiritual memoir, From Stress to Peace: An Intimate Journal on the Journey from Living in Darkness to Living in the Light, is available now on Amazon and BN.com. Click the tabs at the top of the page to learn more about the From Stress to Peace 21-Day Challenge, Living in the Light Retreats, 1:1 sessions, and the Living in the Light Community - all of which are designed to support your journey to inner peace. I appreciate you taking the time to visit the blog and look forward to supporting you in any way I can!