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Creating Spirituality

4/3/2018

16 Comments

 
"...[the answer might be] starting a regular spiritual practice routine that can both enrich your spiritual awareness and strengthen your faith. This practice becomes your religion and in turn, an integral part of your life." 
~ Tom Rapsas, Patheos.com


Exactly What I Want it to Be?
(31-second video)

"Remember that your spiritual practice is completely unique to you. It doesn’t need to look or sound or act like anyone else's. Make your spiritual practice exactly what you want and need for it to be." ~ Jenna Arak, The Girl Who Knows
About 7 or 8 years ago, I found out about a course offered at one of the local churches in my city. It was called “Create Your Own Theology.”

Though I didn’t take that class, years later, in our homeschooling, my son & I did a world religions unit & one of the suggestions was to create your own. I decided to do it, too, and came up with The Kindness Religion.

I loved the idea of making up the truth you want to believe!

And it reminded me of other things I have heard that suggest that we are dreaming life, and making it up as we go, so we can change the story if it’s not one we like. That feels empowering.


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But whether or not you intend to dream up a theology, you certainly get the adventure of designing or choosing your spiritual practice. And if you want it to be a hygge one, you can certainly make it so. In fact, this month, I’ll tell you how.

Because this month’s focus is to learn what a hygge spirituality is or what a hygge spiritual practice would be like. And I’ll also share how to try it yourself if you’re interested.

But before we get to that, there's more to think through about spirituality & spiritual practice.

Plus, there's an exercise I’d like you to try. Once you try it, you'll be able to keep it in mind as  we continue the conversation on hygge spiritual practices.

See you tomorrow!

Love, Jeanine


16 Comments
Roy A Ackerman, PhD, EA link
4/3/2018 09:52:48 am

I can see this as a personal philosophy- but given that theology is the study of god(s), I'm not quite certain that's what it is.
However, we all NEED a personal philosophy that guides our daily life- which may be in concert with our religious tenets, if one possesses same.

Reply
Cathy Chapman
4/3/2018 10:00:39 am

Yes, there is a big difference between theology and spirituality. Theology concerned primarily with doctrine, rules, philosophy. Spirituality is the inner experience of a person in their relationship with Source beyond themselves.

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
4/3/2018 03:41:53 pm

I like your distinction, Cathy! Thanks!! :)

Jeanine Byers link
4/3/2018 03:41:01 pm

Roy, I definitely see your point about theology! But in that course, I think the idea was that you get to decide exactly what you believe about the gods - who they are, what they want from us, whether they are close to us or distant, etc. I think theology has to start with whether or not there are gods and proceed from there, though you can always start with a hypothesis, I suppose. And then, yes, we get to have our own personal philosophies or spirituality or spiritual practices.

Reply
Cathy Chapman
4/3/2018 10:04:00 am

At one time I presented a workshop in developing your own concept of God. I had people make a big circle and, within the circle, writ the qualities of God as they were taught. They then drew another circle and put in the qualities of the God they wanted.

The first circle contained things such as harsh, judgmental.

The circle contained things such as loving, forgiving and accepting.

Delving into our relationship with God or Spirit can have us learning much about ourselves, how we treat ourselves the way we do, and how we treat others.

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
4/3/2018 03:43:28 pm

Cathy, I think I would love that workshop! And I bet it helped a lot of people free themselves from what they had been told, and create space to make their own discoveries.

Reply
Christina Weigand link
4/3/2018 12:32:16 pm

Interesting article. I would be interested in exploring it further.

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
4/3/2018 03:43:59 pm

Thanks, Christina! :)

Reply
April link
4/3/2018 06:53:58 pm

Learning to let go of what my spiritual journey SHOULD look like and learning that it doesn't have to look like anyone elses was one of the hardest but most rewarding things I've learned, I still struggle with going back to old sacred cows simply because it's what I feel it SHOULD be because that's what it's supposed to look like, but each day is getting a little better and a little easier.

Reply
Jeanine link
4/3/2018 07:20:02 pm

April, I think you have really hit the nail on the head. Apparently, grappling with doubt, letting go of beliefs you once had, and no longer being sure what you believe, is normal. But like you, I learned that that was not supposed to happen. That if things are right, you'll maintain your faith or your practice. And I think I applied all of that to my own process. So glad to have read this, and hopefully, that will help me completely let go of judgment & expectations where my spiritual journey is concerned. <3

Reply
Jen link
4/3/2018 10:16:09 pm

I look forward to seeing what the exercise is tomorrow!

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
4/3/2018 11:16:30 pm

Um, I just looked over what I have planned for tomorrow, and I don't remember an exercise. This might be a big oops, because I think I rearranged the order for this series and forgot to delete it in this post. Going to go look again, but I might owe you an apology.

Reply
Martha link
4/4/2018 09:17:24 pm

Yet another very interesting topic Jeanine. For some reason, just reading your blog and looking at the relaxing pictures, puts me in a different frame of mind.

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
4/4/2018 11:07:31 pm

Martha, you just made me so happy!! That is exactly what I want people to experience when they come here. Thanks so much! <3

Reply
Ruth Bowers link
4/4/2018 09:34:04 pm

I love the idea of creating your own spirituality. I've never been much for formal religion, so the thought of creating something that's unique to me and speaks to my soul feels really calming and peaceful.

Reply
Jeanine Byers link
4/4/2018 11:08:51 pm

I feel exactly the same way, Ruth! Hoping this process helps me settle on something I can do in a more planned way, instead of just a prayer here and there.

Reply



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    Hi, I'm Jeanine

    Author, hygge lifestyle blogger & connoisseur of delight writing about how to create a hygge lifestyle, with hearthcraft, comfy capsule wardrobe tips and cozy home decorating ideas. More here.
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