Doors Of Faith Newsletter

 It’s perfect that this title refers to faith as having more than one doorway. Religions are often so vastly different in their rules of engagement, yet they all have avenues of similarity in so many ways. I remember an archway of welcome at the Ashram I had the great privilege of spending time in, it stated that there were many pathways converging on one doorway, suggesting that all the varied pathways led to the same place. 

This resonated well for me, as I had respect for individual choice, and could see the value in all the personal ways of expressing faith. It felt to me that having a foundation to create peace and some form of connection and a sense of belonging was an important factor in having a healthy relationship with a higher power and the thread of that higher power pouring through the self of each person.

My mum was one of my favorite people in the whole world and she loved her foundation of faith. It gave her community to lean on, a sense of belonging, rich with history and rituals. She was a good example for me to observe and learn from.

My faith has been evolving over the years of life. I am definitely more spiritual than religious, even though I’ve loved attending many different types of religious services, especially those that led from the heart.

I remember a minister once spoke in a Christmas celebration service, letting the congregants know that before the service, a group of people had come through the sanctuary, praying and blessing each chair that individuals were going to occupy. This really rang true and touched me deeply. I could visualize the mindful prayers and love pouring into the empty seats, granting sacredness to whoever would sit there. The chair felt like a hug all of a sudden and it made me well up with gratitude for the faith they had poured into my seat.

It’s worth taking the time to discover what the doorways of faith are for each of us, without simply taking on what we learned or were granted from family or those around us. It’s empowering to walk through a door of faith by deliberate choice rather than simply following others blindly.

Spiritual intelligence comes with mindful awareness and deliberate action.