Religious Vs Spiritual-What Does it Really Mean?
Many of us shy away from the word spiritual, thinking it akin to religious righteousness—in reality, nothing could be further than the real truth. Being spiritual or having the ability to see the spirit is more about seeing the true soul and embracing both the commonality and differences within each of us.
In this day and age, where one runs to and fro, seeing nothing but what one must do in the next 30 minutes, hour or day to keep afloat, survive or to fit in with the rest of society, it is rare that someone stop, turn-full-circle and ask: What am I doing? Is this right? Where is my contemplative self and how is my spirit doing today? Artists like Mary Jane Miller, do just this—they stop, contemplate and bare their soul through art pieces like the Dialogue. It is works of art like this that make each of us ask ourselves: Where is my spirit, my contemplative soul, and what am I nurturing it with?
It is bright spirits like Mary Jane who teach us to view the soul, the spirit and all religions for what they are—true beauty, healing and mysticism. These qualities shine through her icons and especially through the Dialogue, an iconostasis made up of all the great religious leaders of the world. Here they sit side by side in unity, these religious leaders, who speak out to all us and their one most important teaching is “Peace and Love,” showing us that it is not our differences we should focus on, but it is our similarities, love and power within that we should embrace.
Up until now all religions practice righteousnous, focusing on their one true belief, their one true god and their one true way, but what makes one way or god right while the other not? Instead of focusing on the differences, Mary Jane as other great spirits suggest that we should focus on the similarity of all religion—the teaching of benevolence, trust, love and above all peace. Is there something wrong with art that wants to demonstrate the need for love or peace? Some people would say this idea is fanatical, but maybe we need fanatics of this type—the kind that doesn’t preach to persuade us to believe in the one true God, discarding all other beliefs and concepts, but instead persuades us to sit, look, see, be silent and perceive the good, the peaceful and the miracle in all that surrounds us. Come see The Dialogue
Categories: global peace, interfaith prayer, Religion, religion vs spirituality
