When I started this journey I knew that I wanted to look at different ways to heal myself. I wanted to look at the world of science and psychology, philosophy and spirituality.
I used to be what ‘I considered’ to be a spiritual person; I read tarot, felt presences around me, had some healing stones and used essential oils…but I was never at peace. It was like maybe I wasn’t ready…like someone who frantically tries to make a cake out of some eggs and flour when they have no stove. Erm or some other better analogy!! 
I then (when I became agoraphobic) decided to study sociology, counselling and mainly psychology from home. Wee fact-Psychologists are the least likely of all professionals to believe in God or ‘spirituality’. I can see how that would happen. It is a Science that pretty much attributes what we experience to brains and society and not so much our spiritual worlds/experiences. (Though phenomenology touches on spiritual experience)
I have to admit that I was dreading the ‘spiritual’ side of things the most on this journey. I felt I had shut off that side of myself somehow. I felt more interested in the psychological side of things because that is the area I am most comfortable with and know more about. Philosophy too isn’t a far cry from Psychology as most branches of psychology come from philosophy anyway.
It has been strange though. The more I think about the idea of happiness and healing the more I find I am being led down spiritual paths or am being asked to think in a spiritual way.
Spirituality, to me is not about God (I am agnostic out of politeness I think..but If pushed I would say I was an atheist).. I mean I don’t believe in a monotheistic God that made the Universe or who looks over us. I can honestly say I wish I did because I know believing in God can offer a lot of comfort.
Spirituality to me is about feeling more connected to the Universe, to nature and accepting things that are not tangible. It is about using my mind and brain to explore transcendental experiences and not just to think about Stats and science. I wonder if the two can exist for me. Is it like a see-saw where when my spirituality levels rise my Science levels hit the ground (Hope not as I need to finish my honours degree in January!! )
I wonder how others manage to let Science and Spirituality co-exist?
I am opening myself up to spiritual ideas not just because I said I would try anything but because it feels I am being led there. I know science can explain a lot of things about happiness in relation to chemicals, neurology and loads of other ways. I was talking today to my partner actually about choice and how if we have too many choices we feel unhappy and like we have made the wrong one. If we have a choice of 3 chocolate bars and pick one we are much happier than if we have a choice of 100. The psychology of happiness could fill a thousand books. Happiness is a bit like the holy grail. It is somewhat illusive yet people have spent their entire lives trying to find it and study it.
Perhaps just knowing why we are happy or can be happy is not enough. It’s like there is no explanation behind the explanation somehow.
Hmm.. anyway.. I thought I would write to say I have been thinking a lot lately about Spirituality and what it means to me. I have a feeling I will be changed by this process.
Perhaps I am ready now?
Love and light xx
I wish I could help you down the right path, but I know the things I would have to offer wouldn’t be what you are looking for
Sometimes the things that are right for one person, are not right for everyone. I think that science and spirituality do coexist. In fact, I think that they really are connected, but we have broken them apart trying to understand them separately. (Just how children break apart more complicated things so that they can understand them.) We try to understand the physical part of the universe, but there are things we can’t explain. Then we try to understand the spiritual part of the universe but there are parts of that we don’t understand. I think that when we look at them together and keep an open mind, then we will understand.
Wow. That makes sense..very insightful. Thank you!!
..
I know. I have a lot of Christian friends and a lot of them have tried to lead me ..well show me that path before. I am open minded to religion and honestly I often wished I believed but I just don’t and while I’m not ruling it out totally I’m pretty sure I’m never going to ‘find God’. I think when it comes to spirituality you just have to find your own path.
It might amuse you to know I was very religious when I was younger though and would wander around the house praying ..eventually I said to my mum ‘I’m starting to get tired of having to pray everywhere’. I went to Sunday School and knew a lot of hymns. Our Minister was about my parents age and I would play with his kids. I used to always walk down his path (He lived in a big manse) with my bible under my arm and ask to come in and talk to him.. then I would ask him all sorts of mad questions about the bible. He met me when I was older and said he used to love our wee talks because I was always questioning things. He actually wanted to open a Christian bar and asked me to manage it!!
Our wee neighbour died recently and she was in the Salvation army..she knew she way dying but always had a smile on her face and could see the positives. It was almost like she wasn’t afraid. I hope she was met by the Sally army band playing ‘Onward Christian soldiers’ for her as she went to heaven.. When she died.. I believed for a wee while so I could have that happy thought about her.
xx
I can just see you there as a child asking such wonderful questions. I think that is another one of your gifts. Asking thoughtful questions. Don’t you just love positive elderly people? They can be such great influences on us. I hope I grow up to be one. (A positive elderly influence)
P.S. Thanks for worrying about me… even though I really don’t want you to worry, it’s nice knowing someone actually cared and was wondering where I was.
Love ya!!
Rebecca
P.S. I am so very thankful you started this blog. I feel so grateful to have “met” you. Even if it is only over the internet.
I feel the same! ..and I know you will grow up to be a positive old person. .You are positive now.. I don’t see why that should change.
xxLisa
lately i’ve done alot of rethinking things,the only sure thought i have is that i was going along contributing every positive thing to god,and any bad to not doing something right to please him n an attempt to convince MYSELF that i believed.in actuality i was not brought up in any church. my female family on my moms side were into witchcraft. i grew up from age 15 on (married into a catholic family…yep his family were not real happy,since he and i ran away with my moms signature to marry) so i gradually got away from the pagan lifestyle and grew to fear it. i to can feel ghosts NOT like a sensitive or anything i just can feel if a house is haunted, and i felt the presence of my patron Goddess Morrighan once when communicating to her. finally i have decided to re claim my pagan ancestry…and i feel calm and on the right path.i hope you can find your own true path and that things get better for you.
Wow.. you have such an interesting spiritual life. It’s great you followed different paths until you found the one that felt right for you.
Yes, I get that feeling when I walk into a house too. I think we can all feel that .. I wonder if that can be explained away..?
I believe in energy.. Like when you walk into a room where people have been arguing you can feel it.. I think it’s the same with the energy people left behind.. I dunno though.
Thank you for sharing your amazing story. ~
I am sure I will find some sort of spirituality ..even if it is of my own making..
Blessed be Sister xx
2 is absolutely right, there is no one ‘true’ Path. I was raised Pagan, trained as a shaman from the time I could walk. This is not a Path someone takes lightly, it is lifelong study and sacrifice.
When you find ‘IT’, you’ll know it! Happy hunting!
I sort of feel like I have me own sort of spirituality which is about nature and feeling a part of things. I have always had that with me but there have been times when it has felt less pronounced..
You are right though..I will get there. Also, don’t think I cold have the commitment to become a Shaman.
Thanks Sun xx
I truly do believe that everything is about the journey, rather than the destination. If we’re open to it, we can learn so much about ourselves and the nature of reality by exploring…everything. Never stop questioning. I think you are awesome. And I second what “Sun” says, happy hunting!
Very insightful. I have always questioned everything even when it has got be into trouble..Maybe I can be a questioner..!
Is that a thing?!
Thank you! xxLisa
Hi there, thanks for visiting my blog today! I was very struck by this post, as it seems to me to be where I was at about a year ago in terms of trying to grapple with balancing spirituality and my scientific and logical mind in my life. As you may have gathered from my blog, I feel as though I am finally getting there – so it is absolutely, 100% possible. I’m not sure if my worldview/spiritual view is at all compatible with what you’re looking for, but I could certainly offer you potential reading material that has inspired me if you think it would be useful – places like the Naturalistic Paganism yahoo group, the Pantheism sub-forum on the Mystic Wicks pagan forum, and the book PaGaian Cosmology by Glenys Livingstone. Anyway, I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Thanks for the suggestions! I would say my beliefs veer toward the Pagan. I used to celebrate Imbolg and Beltaine (sp) for years .. I don’t know why I stopped. Nature and worshipping it makes sense to me, though I think I would have to put my own spin on things. No religion/ way of being has ever really suited me 100%..
Thanks again.. I will check these places out!
Blessed be. xx
Hi Lisa,
I’m not sure about deciding spirituality is the same as supernatural. It’s not to do with Tarot or believing the ‘unexplained’ for me. Spirituality is about valuing people, love and compassion more than things – about trying to lead a life of love and emphasising helping others over helping yourself. I don’t think you need a deity or religion in order to be spiritual – just eyes enough to see that our western way of life is not enough.
I agree! xx
If you are talking about holistic therapy these things might come under ‘emotions’ or ‘community’ though..I don’t think our western way is enough though. No where near.
xx
The truth is, you cannot accept the wonders and brilliance of science if there was no spirituality. Even the most fundamental form of Quantum mechanics and other modern scientific theories have an element of spiritualism.
Super symmetry is another form of dualism in nature. Loved your post
Thank you.
When you see close ups on snowflakes they seem almost mathmatical.. It’s very strange. I hear what you are saying. It’s beyond my scope of thought though.. I think If I thoguht about it more my head would blow off! I think Spirituality could in some ways be the things we can’t understand but that make up the world and our lives.. Or maybe that is crap.. just having a wee brainstorm there! 
xxLisa
It’s funny how I remember things and try to make sense of my actions from when I was younger. When I was just thinking about my spiritual history, I thought I realized that I stopped believing in God when his existence didn’t provide any answers any more; that I stopped believing in God when it was of no more use to me. I instantly reviled from that, thinking it was a cruel thing to do, fearing it might also be true. I know that many questions remain unanswered, especially after casting aside what I believe is an illusion, and I know I am not entirely content with not knowing; so what has taken the place of spirituality in my life? Is it really gone, or only transformed? Has it always been my love for thinking, Philosophy, Phantasy? Sounds good to me, I’ll leave it at that until I can think of something better…
All great questions. ..I think we should never stop questioning. I think what turned me off from religion was the Dogma. How can so many people believe the same thing.. I mean exactly.. There must be room within lines of thought for your own ideas but a lot of people just put complete faith in their Gods or pastors/priests etc.
I would have to take thinking over blind faith any day. I still respect people who believe and have a religion to follow. I just have to be honest though and say I know it’s just not for me.
I wonder if we were a blank slate as a child never being introduced to religion what spiritual path we would take? Maybe there would be none? Do we look for spirituality because it’s something we are meant to feel?
xx
To my mind, every human has the attribute that inspires spirituality in so many, that is, the longing for sense, and the ability to make sense where there is or seems to be none. Whether we are meant to do something really depends on what you mean by “meant to”, which, as an atheist, I don’t believe applies in any literal sense, since it would require a conscious creative force. In a metaphorical sense, however, it might apply as to provide humanity with an evolutionary benefit, or simply the ability to cope with all the processing power that inhabits the space between our ears
Good thinking!!!
<3
Thankfully, spirituality doesn’t mean you have to “find God”–it’s more about the process than any kind of perfect definition of yourself. If God does exist, we know too little about His/Her true nature to even be able to say if God and science can or cannot co-exist
I too find myself on that very tenuous path of trying to find out what it is I believe. (And I consider myself to be some kind of vague Christian, actually, haha).
BTW, I love your username! forcingmyselfhappy…ain’t that the truth sometimes.
Thank you for your thoughts.. I would find it strange if I ended up on the Christianity path though. In saying that I know people who have been brought up with no religion and decided they wanted to be catholic! I find that strange!! ….I think it’s more likely (and I know more people) who were brought up catholic and now belong to spiritualist churches.. I don’t think that is so much of a stretch though seeing that Catholics believe in Ghosts and the afterlife too.
Thanks again. I wasn’t sure of my name actually because a lot of people said things like ‘oh you shouldn’t have to force happiness’ I feel at the moment I do.. so I’ll keep the name for now!
Love and light xx
I am one of those people as well, was brought up in a hippie home without a religion and am now a Christian…albeit a hippie kind of Christian
It can make sense, depending on who you are and how your life runs its course!
Yeah! I know some pretty cool Hippy Christians
..and we get on well and share a lot of the same philosophies.. I guess I just don’t get on with the Gay hating ones.. I find that ridiculous! :/
xx
Yeah, because Jesus was all about hatred :/
Exactly.. I do see Jesus as a sort of hippy type when I think of him with his sandals and long hair preaching about love and peace. (Probably the fashion in those days.. but still!)
My mum is very spiritual!!!
I believe that when we are on our knee’s crying and asking god to help us…We are actually calling upon our higher selves to come to our aid…We have this great inner strength inside us all…we just have to learn to trust in it…Others believe in god! I believe in oneself.
Thats not to say that I understand why everything in life happens they way it does…Because I don’t!..
Its love and finding the light during my dark days…that pulls me out of my own misery…Not god!
Mariah Careys song…*Hero*.. is a great example to this.
Till this day so many wars have been won and lost in the name of *God* xxxxxxxxx
I think My beliefs are very close to yours actually. I think we all have higher brain function or something. I think that there is so much contained in our brain that we can’t understand it almost becomes profound and spiritual to us.
I watched a documentary about a guy whose frontal lobe was almost destroyed in a car crash and he totally lost the ability to love his wife and child. It was really sad. I find it weird that love is chemicals produced by an area of the brain.. I’m not sure that’s the full story either.. I’m not sure I like the idea of THAT amount of reductionism! :/
xxxxxMwah!
Spirituality is a very personal journey. For myself, I grew up in a very christian home. The Fear of God was pounded in. It took me a while to leave it and am now satisfied that God is not going to strike me down from heaven above for following a different route. I’m trying to, not very successfully at present, follow the Buddhist way of doing things and find it helpful. That it doesn’t preclude believing in God (and that my God has an equal Female aspect) is easily balanced. It sounds as if I’m down the road a bit already but in fact I’m not. It’s a daily struggle to keep myself together.
Sorry It’s a struggle for you. You do sound like you have a real inner strength though. You feel it’s a struggle to keep yourself together but you are doing it. That strength comes from you.
I hope it stands you in good stead and you follow the path that makes you the happiest.
xxLisa
Needed to hear that! Thx.
I read the post by petrujviljoen and I must say I was raised the same way (Pentecostal church), God is going to “get me” and always waiting for me to make a mistake so He can punish me. Man oh man, was I wrong! How sad to grow up in fear of a God who loves us and wants what is good for us. God does love us and because He loves us, He gives us free will to choose Him or not. Unlike Oprah and her religion, I believe there is only one God, only one way to Heaven. Even Satan and his minions believe in God!
As for spirituality and science, they DO coexist! Our pastor has started a series on Creation, it is a great series which ties together the Bible and science. (1st sermon here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-pntAu9Iac). As you mentioned in your post about Psychologists being the least likely to believe, well, I do believe some people educate themselves right out of salvation and a peace that surpasses all understanding because they can’t explain God therefore they can’t believe He is real. Granted, I am not always happy, but I do have an inner joy that can’t be squashed even when my circumstances are trying. This past weekend a guest pastor said this about our free will:
God votes for my salvation.
Satan votes for my damnation.
Only I am the tie-breaker.
I would encourage you to make an honest and earnest attempt to disprove the Bible if you are really interested in spirituality and science, so many people have come to believe in God when they tried to disprove His existence. I know you love reading, I remember your bookshelves in a previous post, you might want to think about reading some books by Lee Strobel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYLHxcqJmoM and following chapters).
I mean after all, what’s the worst that could happen if you take a chance and believe in God? Well, maybe you might just find true joy even when circumstances aren’t perfect. I would challenge you to say one prayer a day asking God to guide you in what you should read or investigate to know if He is real. He hears your prayers and you might be surprised at how He answers them.
I believe Happiness is based on circumstances, i.e. I wasn’t happy when my dad committed suicide earlier this year. I believe Joy is in us when we come to know God and believe in Him, even when I was terribly sad about my dad, I knew I could turn to God and ask for comfort. The joy in my heart is not based on circumstances, but based on knowing that God is always there for me and listens when I pray. He always takes care of us, even when we don’t realize it (http://wehave2boys.wordpress.com/a-blessing-in-an-unexpected-place/ ) .
Love and Hugs to you from me because I care about your place in eternity.
I really don’t want to disprove the bible or try to because I am more respectful of other people’s religions that that (Or am trying hard to be).
I think there are beautiful things written in the bible. I particularly like the New testament and I believe Jesus was a wise man. Muslims believe he was a prophet. Actually there isn’t much difference between Christianity and Islam. Most of the rules are the same and both religions believe in one God and a Prophet or son coming to earth to tell us about God.
I don’t believe most of the bible literally because I believe in evolution and that the world is more than 4000 years old because fossils have been found dating back millions of years. Also, the bible has been changed over the years by Popes.. I am interested in the testaments according to both Mary Magdalene and of Judas because they totally change the story of Jesus. *I find theology really interesting*
I recently bought a copy of the Qu’ran. Perhaps I could try praying to Allah. There are a lot of God’s to chose from. How do we know we have the right one?
I can try to pray to God.. I did say I would try anything that might make me happier but I would feel like I was being disrespectful to the people who do find comfort in God because I really don’t believe in him, I am glad you have found comfort in Chrisianity though.
With respect
xxLisa
It is so nice when people can have discussions about religion without throwing mud… Thank you for your civility through your discussions. I love talking religion and politics but many people can’t handle a discussion about those subjects because they want so badly for the other person to think like them and they don’t understand when they don’t. Please don’t be fooled though, on the surface there are similarities between the Bible and the Quran, however, I believe the New Testament is a picture of God’s love for us regardless of who we are, whereas the Quran seems to teach death to the infidel if they don’t believe what they believe. For me personally, there is so much violence and hatred in the world, I’d rather stick to my belief in the the fact that God loves everyone and wants death for no one. But that’s just me… It would be hard for me not to believe in God after all my answered, and sometimes unanswered, prayers. Have a great day!
I think both the bible and the Quran have their violent bits and their good bits. The God of the New testament does seem to be more chilled than the smiting God of the old testament.
I looked up this quote from the Quran that I quite likes because it seems to include all religions:
““Believers, Jews, Sabaeans or Christians – whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does what is right – shall have nothing to fear or regret””
The whole ‘Death to the infidel’ would only be carried out by extremists not regular every day religious people.
If you think about the amount of people who have apparently been killed in the Christian God’s name you might find that actually there has been more blood shed. Think ‘The Spanish inquisition’ or even the number of Crusades where non Christians would be killed.
I am glad you have had some of your prayers answered and that you have your belief. Like I said before I would love to believe because it would probably make me happier ..but I just don’t and I am almost 100% sure that I wont change my mind.
Love and light xx
You are wise beyond your years! Your posts inspires a smile on my face. Have you ever read the book, The Four Agreements? I found it fascinating and helpful while trying to understand why I allowed myself to stay in an abusive marriage for a couple of decades. I was raised in a religious household. I have recently enjoyed exploring
Best wishes to you !
You won’t believe this but I swear it on my life. I am in the middle of sorting through my books and The four agreements actually fell off my shelf and I caught it. I thought to myself.. “Oh I only read a wee bit of that..I should make an effort to read it” It had been hidden behind other books and so I placed it right at the front in the middle shelve to remind me!
Thank you for confirming this was the right thing to do!!
Love and light xxLisa
That is so funny. The book is hard to get into at first. After about the third or fourth chapter is where I started to relate to it. My family is very religious. I made most my choices out of fear and guilt. This book helped me freed me from that frame of thought process..even this old dog is learning new tricks
Good on you! I shall have a wee read of it for sure. Glad it helped to free you. Never underestimate the work you did in freeing yourself though!
xxLisa
I walked on the path you seem to be on for many years. I thought I had many of the answers I needed – then Jesus Christ changed my life. You see – there was a hole in my heart and life that only God could fill. I believe this is true for all of us. We were made by and for God – therefore, our lives lose significance when we try to live without Him. The Bible has the answers for living. Pray to God to help you read and understand His Word.
Grace and Peace to you.
Thank you for your words.
I have read the bible and I enjoyed it. I think there are some answers for living, especially in the new testament.. but I can’t be doing with all the outrageous laws and fire and brimstone of the old testament though.
Like I say, I have read the bible a couple of times all the way through and have read passages from it too. It’s just not for me. Thank you though. xx
You have a misperception of both the Old and New Testaments. The Old testament gives us the covenants by which more and more of His Covenant of Redemption is revealed until we come to the New Testament and that Covenant is plainly revealed to all. The Old Testament civil laws and religious rituals have been done away with by a completed covenant through Jesus Christ. We have been given grace and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins have been forgiven and we become the adopted children of God. We are blessed as co-heirs with Jesus Christ. We are daily being conformed into the likeness of Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit of God.
What will you do with the guilt of your sins? You cannot hide your sins and suppress your guilt forever. Such actions will only make your life more miserable. Why suffer in this way when you have a Savior who welcomes you with forgiveness and takes upon Himself all your sins. He will give purpose and meaning to your life. Be transformed by the grace of God and the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. Find a good Bible teacher who will help you understand the Scriptures. Christ beckons you only to come to Him and be transformed.
Grace & Peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
What will I do with the guilt of my sins? I don’t feel I have been sinful so nothing.
I don’t mean any disrespect to your obvious faith is Christianity but I absolutely do not believe in what you believe in. I know I never will..
Please respect my beliefs and thoughts about the Universe as I am respecting yours ..I would never ask you to reject Jesus and become an atheist. Richard Dawkins might.. I actually did read ‘The God delusion’ it was sort of repetitive.. he really forces his atheism onto people.. which I think is just as bad really.
Anyway, thank you for enlightening me as to your beliefs but they will never be mine.
Blessed be. xxLisa
I am curious to see how this turns out! I will be watching this blog with interest.
Fantastic!
xx
Excellent post! I really enjoyed reading that and found myself nodding in agreement with your perceptions of spirituality and science.
It is a delicate balance.
Science is readily available with solid fact and countless reference but there are some things that science just can’t explain, finding the right counterweight of the see saw (as you put it) is difficult when one end carries so much mass.
I wish you the best of luck in finding the spot that levels it out.
Thank you. xx
Being a student of philosophy myself, I find the dinstinction between “Science” and “Spirituality” interesting. This seperation is a very modern idea, and usually entails a distinction between the physical sciences and that which cannot be explained by those same sciences. Hence, the natural world and the super-natural. But the supernatural, for most of western history, was not considered outside the sciences, but a science alongside them. This was often termed the meta-physical, as opposed to the physical, a distinction first made by Aristole (I believe), since he first addressed the physical world, and then after those things which came after the physical. Perhaps I am old fashioned, in holding to a less modern mindset, but I think meta-physics should remain alongside the other sciences, especially since the physical sciences cannot explain everything. The schism, which has led to the modern mindset of casting out the meta-physical as a credible science, has resulted from a view that the physical world is all there is. I find this view incredible, considering everything that must be explained away to achieve such a view. It makes more sense to me to understand the world in terms of the physical and the spiritual interacting together, and forming the whole picture of the world in which we live. As for how we understand and view the spiritual side of the world, and how it effects the physical, well, that is a whole other discussion. Hope I haven’t bored you to much. I find this stuff very interesting, but not everyone does.
No, not boring at all. Thank you for sharing such an interesting view point!!!
xxLisa