Rituals and ceremonies are promoted in various religions such as the Roman Catholic faith as ways to connect with the spiritual world and deepen our sense of meaning and purpose. Important observances such as the Eucharist, are practiced marking connections to the memorial of the Christ, important milestones, honor of ancestors, saints and prophets, and connection with the dimension of the divine. This ritualism is also present in many modern-day spiritual groups such as Masonry, Rosicrucianism, Angelology, Astrology, Witchcraft, Mysticism, Hermeticism, Alchemy, Santeria, Santa Muerte, and even some Christian denominations.
Science and spirituality may seem like opposing concepts. But some philosophers contend they can actually complement each other. Many scientists and spiritual leaders believe that science can help us understand the physical world and spirituality can help us understand the deeper meaning and purpose of life. They are regarded as complementary parts of the whole of a deeply metaphysical reality. More and more they are finding evidence of something they have excluded in their assumptions: the evidence of the hand of an unknown, invisible but Intelligent Being who constructed the Universe.
There are many different spiritual traditions in the world, each with its own unique beliefs, practices, and teachings. Some holistic practitioners believe that by exploring different traditions, people gain a broader perspective on spirituality and deepen spiritual practice. Spiritual perspectives from Rastafarianism, Zen, Feng Shui, Taoism, Ascension Theory, Urantia, Divination and Fortune telling and other such ideologies draw people in with a connection to culture and community in searching for the most significant part of life: the origin of Spirit. But how do we define and conclude what we understand as Spirit when everyone has their own definition?
Mindfulness is a practice that involves being present in the moment, without judgment or distraction. It is purported by many gurus and spiritual teachers to help us reduce stress, increase focus. This practice evolved from certain teachings in India that originally involved ascetic self denial, yoga and meditation. It has become a modern byword for escaping the banality and stress of every day life. There are many different variants of the practice and many definitions of mindfulness taught by practitioners in the West as a way to connect with the inner self.
Compassion and service are at the heart of many spiritual traditions. By helping others and practicing empathy, it is believed that people deepen their spiritual energy and power while making a positive impact in the world. Others believe it decreases the karmic debts of the soul. Essentially all of the major religions teach compassion and service in some form as an integral part of the spiritually devoted life as opposed to a secular, selfish and materialistic way of living.
Transcendental Meditation (TM) mixed with yoga is a spiritual practice that has been used for centuries in the Indonesian regions. But this connection had its origin to pagan Hindu devas and demons. It involves quieting the mind and focusing on the breath or particular thought or mantra devoted to certain deities or devas. Secular meditation on the breath has been studied for reduction of stress, improvement concentration, and enhance overall well-being. It is believed that this practice will ultimately leads to soulful evolution and ascendance to heaven.
Even though among all religions, there can be found general points of agreement, some important distinctions need to be made in order to fully understand the teachings of YESHUA: the Way of the Christ with those of other major spiritual paths mentioned here. There are three major points of DIS-agreement that absolutely set all these above mentioned religions and philosophical ideas (including the modern Christian) apart from the teachings of Yeshua, the Nazarean Christ. First and foremost in His travels, Yeshua disavowed and rejected the premises of authoritarian religions with spiritual intercessors and formal priesthoods like Hinduism, and Buddhism and Judaism because of idolatry, slavery and blood sacrifice and a host of other things not ordained by the Heavenly Father. He rejected and condemned their works, considering them as falsehoods due to the heavy burdens and yokes that came from slavery to the corrupt and wicked priesthoods. This included also the condemnation of the legalistic aspects of all forms of the various sects of Judaism: the culture He was born into.
Second, Yeshua's teachings are a refreshing perspective as opposed to belief systems or religions that do not encourage healthy questioning and the progression of the conscience by insight, action and example. Like the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, these are, fruitless and dangerous. There are religions that promote blind subservience and unquestioning adherence to an elect group of high priests as opposed to faith by discernment and development of the conscience and the inner ear and eye (pineal organ) of spiritual understanding. Yeshua taught somewhat like Socrates taught, asking questions like "Who do you say that I am?" He used parables to make distinctions and examples that His students could clearly grasp and ponder. The Way as defined by Yeshua' teachings seems to be the only spiritual path apart from other religions that builds and deepens the conscience and consciousness internally by questioning, descriptive example and faithful execution of self observation. He taught by answering questions to seeming contradictions and by using parables to portray examples. To strengthen the faith in His precepts, He also walked His talk.
Thirdly, the religious ideas which were examined in the descriptions of the other worldly religions described above ALL fail to bring one closer to knowledge of a Heavenly Father as a Creator of Our Souls with whom we are all related as family and deeply connected in the Set apart Spirit, the Ruach Ha qa dosh. The other religious systems portrayed here all express in some form or another the abstraction of an impersonal God or Gods that are alien or too high to reach for man, or some kind of supernatural entity that is exalted over mankind but not related or perhaps not even one at all. But only Yeshua repeatedly ever stated 'we are all Sons of the Most High.' Who else has ever said that?
In your heart of hearts, which religion or faith would you rather profess? An impersonal abstract one? One that obliges your alliance with an obscure and scandalous priesthood? Or one who connects you to the Mighty One as a spiritual heir and sets you free?