Golden Chains of Spirituality..or is it still Religiosity?

It seems to me that for centuries, millennia for that matter, there has been an immense amount of rhetoric suggested, as to what it implies to be on a Spiritual path, journey, and or passage. Systems of atonement were created to denote these journeys, paths, or passages, referred to as religion. Most of these religions have adapted each others' ideologies to perhaps win over potential followers.

The term religion, taken from its latin derivative is: 're - leggier', which means to reunite or to join again. You have three mainstream religions originating from a certain region of the globe, that have influenced Spiritual thought for centuries in the Western world. In conjunction, we have two other mainstream religions, which have influenced Spiritual thought in the Eastern world, for centuries.
Most religions have icons which symbolize a particular person, place, event, circumstance, or lesson to be taught. The icons were meant to uplift, encourage, heal, and give strength to the upholders of the particular organization (religion) putting forth these icons. These religious icons were almost always expressed through the various art forms. So we'll have paintings, drawings, statues, music, dance, poetry, architecture, and so on.
All of these monumental expressions of art, also reflected the understanding of 're-uniting', atonement, of the time and people they were expressed. Many of these artistic expressions also depicted individuals practicing certain rituals, which demonstrated the reverence of the particular God(s) the organization was worshipping.

In the New Dawn of Spirituality, which is meant to relinquish the patterns of the old ways, embracing a radical approach, a diverse understanding, an evolved understanding, of the omnipotent essence labeled God, how much has actually changed??
I continue to witness wonderful drawings of 'Angels' (borrowed iconic concept from the ancient religions), wonderful paintings of rituals, historic religious figures, music, statues, all within this New Dawn of Spirituality.

I have been a full-time Lecturer within the Spiritualist community in Ontario, Canada, now for several years, and I assure you much has changed, and YET.... much has NOT!

These ideologies of Spirituality, which borrow from previous understandings of how to connect with Spirit ( re-leggier= religion) are GOLDEN CHAINS of enlightenment, or more precisely, a hinderance to ones' atonement with Spirit. One feels a sense of arrival when communication with an Angel guide, teacher, or Master is attained.
Yet, as is always suggested to me from those who work with, through, and for me as Teachers, "Vincent, ... you must destroy your understanding of Us, God, Spirit, mother, father, and so on .... Then...You are FREE to experience your SPIRT, as is meant for you to experience". Lastly, I encourage all practioners of the work of Spirit, to challenge themselves to break away from the 'Golden Chains'!
I trust that, what is referred to as your indwelling Spirit, has understood fully what I have attempted to communicate here, in a few short sentences.

Thoughts by:
Vincent Pace

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