Spirituality and Happiness

[Seawolf]

An interesting study showed that religious people were the happiest in Europe..

http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/...s_of_believing

This doesn't surprise me, some of the happiest people I've known were Christians. Following my religion makes my life brighter and more positive too. Does your spiritual path give you peace and happiness? Do you meet with friends at religious services, or do you practice your spiritual beliefs alone?

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

Following my religion makes my life brighter and more positive too.

Good to hear. Whether one follows a religion or a spiritual path, IMO the entire point of all of it is to learn to cultivate a joyful reverence for life.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Baile

Good to hear. Whether one follows a religion or a spiritual path, IMO the entire point of all of it is to learn to cultivate a joyful reverence for life.

I agree, and that joyfulness within through spirituality is something beyond description. I first experienced it when I met some Christians long ago who had a joy I couldn't explain. Seeing that lead me to believe there was something to spirituality, that it was real.

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

I met some Christians long ago who had a joy I couldn't explain.

You've mentioned Christians twice now. And yes, I've met religious people - Christians mostly and a few Bahais - who were very happy and very pleasant to be around. But in some ways that's all part of religion and the Christian message.

Whereas individuals on the spiritual path aren't necessarily directed towards that specific goal in their spiritual searching. They might study a book on Affirmations or Living Positively or something. But because the spiritual path is an individual journey, they don't gather together and sing hymns and praise God and so forth.

I would say it's that collective communion experience that generates much of the joy that religious people demonstrate. Whereas I've found it's more unusual to come across spiritual people who specifically and actively and consciously cultivate that same sort of joyful relationship with life. But that's just my experience.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Baile

You've mentioned Christians twice now.

Yes because they're so happy! Is that wrong? I think it's wonderful for people to be so happy and follow a different religion than mine. To me it shows that we're all spiritual creatures, it's a part of us and when we cultivate it within, it makes us happy!

Also, not all Christians gather together and sing hymns. There are many who are independent. And even if they do, they can't do it 24 hours a day lol. There must be 'something' more to it than just social interaction.

All of us who are into spirituality/religion have a goal -- we seek to cultivate our spiritual side.. that which brings peace in our lives and the world around us. It doesn't matter if we're Christian or whatever, all seek a goal of experiencing that nature within. Christians sometimes call it the Holy Spirit, the identity of the believer as One with Christ or God. New Agers might call it 'Source' or 'True Nature' or 'True Self'. Both identify it as something within. "The Kingdom of God is Within" - Jesus

[Baile]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

Is that wrong?

Is what wrong? Are you asking me something specific? If you are, I don't understand your question, sorry.

Originally Posted by Seawolf

I think it's wonderful for people to be so happy and follow a different religion than mine.

Religious tolerance is good, yes. Funny, that got me thinking: we have the term religious tolerance for groups of people who follow a religion. Society considers it important to protect religious people from religious discrimination.

But there's no comparable term that I can think of for individuals who aren't religious, and who follow a spiritual path instead. That could explain in part why people on the spiritual path aren't as outwardly expressive with their joy as religious people are. Look at the way society the last few decades looked down on the new-age movement, and ridiculed people who professed to being on the spiritual rather than religious path.

[Seawolf]

I see no real difference between a spiritual and religious path, it's all about cultivating man's spiritual nature. It's only recently that religion has become a word for something 'non spiritual', it wasn't like that in the past, just the opposite in fact. Yes unfortunately there is discrimation against all spirituality/religion, but understanding each other and seeing how we're not so different is a powerful tool against it.

Happiness makes us want to see our similarities.

[Touched]

Is happiness the goal? For me, the goal has been expansion of consciousness, with happiness just a by-product of that.

I could say more, but I don't want to look like this guy:
http://www.bikramyoga.com/press/press1a.htm

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Touched

Is happiness the goal? For me, the goal has been expansion of consciousness, with happiness just a by-product of that.

I could say more, but I don't want to look like this guy:
http://www.bikramyoga.com/press/press1a.htm

I absolutely agree, it's only the radiation of what's happening inside. 'Love' is one description of this inward expansion, it seems to play a key role in many spiritual faiths. There's so much good that happens in the world that we don't hear about because it doesn't get enough ratings in media.

[Touched]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

... 'Love' is one description of this inward expansion, it seems to play a key role in many spiritual faiths.

What is love to you? I am always interested in that question.