Choosing your own path is what all the ancient sages recommend. Your spiritual freedom depends on the ability to choose the right tools.
Most people agree that freedom of thought is the most fundamental kind of freedom. Yet, almost half of the world’s population are followers, subject to the dictates of organized religions that contain bias and prejudice. They accept and follow these harmful values to protect and belong to the sect. (1)
“Dare to think for yourself.” ―
““Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth.” ― Albert Einstein
Why Create Your Own Path?
One of the most asked questions is, “why should I create my own path?” After all, there are hundreds of religions; why not just pick one? It’s a common observation. Here’s why choosing your own path is better than becoming a follower.
All the sages, even those whom people have created religions around, tell us to go our own way. For instance, Jesus of the New Testament was not a Christan. He was Jewish and renounced their organized religion, nothing but unbearable religious demands.
Matthew 23 1-4 NLT 1″Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,2 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
Buddha also opposed organized religion. He taught we must walk a path of our choosing. The act of choice and intention is essential to its functioning. If you follow a religion out of conformity or social convention, you do not align with Dhamma, the natural law of nature. His teachings centered around four noble truths, none of which relate to religion.
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” ― Gautama Buddha, Sayings Of Buddha
No matter what stage of the journey you are on, taking charge of your direction is essential. You won’t find your truth following the path that others created. You must create your own path.
“Truth is not to be found outside. No teacher, no scripture can give it to you. It is inside you and if you wish to attain it, seek your own company. Be with yourself.” — Osho
Creating Your Own Path
The first step is easy. Get an inexpensive notebook. You will create many of these journals. Keeping a journal is one of the best ways to track your progress and spot obstacles. It’s your spiritual life coach. See how easy it is to get started.
The second step is to assess your resources by answering the following questions. Write the answers in your journal.
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- What resources are available?
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- Where can I find tools for expanding awareness and exploring higher states of consciousness?
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- What do I want to learn first?
The third step is, choosing a spiritual technology and getting started. Don’t waste another day. If you stop, start again. When you make mistakes, try something else. The most important thing is to realize that you should develop your spiritual path. If you have the freedom, use it!
The stories of other Sages, Avatars, and Gods are only helpful because they provide valuable references. With your first step, you open the doorway to your spiritual freedom. You need not join any organization or religion. Yes, you’ll probably make some mistakes. Learn from these and move on. (2)
Organized religions don’t want you creating your own path. If you do it, then others will too. They want to keep you a customer for life. Western organized religion does all it can to ensure you integrate your life into their belief system. They want your personal and business relationships tied to their chain of control.
There will be constant temptations to take the easy way. Resist the counterfeit spirituality of organized religion. Keep your focus on tools, not teachers. Some people will have the tools to help you. Others will make promises and ask you to accept the truths they think you should believe. Learning to research is about trusting the process and your instincts.
No matter how long you study, always test your path. If you find you are not progressing, then move on. Don’t be afraid to change your spiritual direction. Above all, don’t join a religion. Stay religion-free.
You decide the direction, pace, tools, and teachers by choosing your own path. You can create rituals and rites of passage. Take the time you need to normalize what you learn. Ask the Universe for help. You will find the right people to walk with you and help guide your way. That’s how easy it is.
So, more and more people are finding their way back. That’s because religion and authentic faith don’t always go hand-in-hand. Not all religions provide a pathway to genuine faith. Many forms of Paganism have the fewest constraints over freethinking. With these systems, you are free to explore and develop your path. With these, you create your authentic faith.
The Doorway to Your Spiritual Freedom
Everyone and everything wants to be free. You will automatically find the best path to take when you have the freedom to think. Your intuition and analytical mind can work together once you are free from the constraints of propaganda. So, we’ve put together the following tips to help you open the door that enables you to develop your spiritual potential.
Organized religion still controls much of the cultural narrative. The three most popular religions in the world have 4 billion members controlling half the world’s population. These are the Semitic religions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism (3).
These organized religions are nothing more than superstitions set up to make money. They aren’t even unique. These religions are the rebranding effort of the ancient mystery religions from Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and Persia.
Breaking free of these ancient superstitions isn’t always easy. Some people are born into their religions. Children are easy converts; they can be subjected to continual indoctrination because of their culture or caregivers. Others become followers when they are in crisis and seeking help, and they must accept indoctrination for a place to sleep or a piece of bread.
Recognizing the source of these mythologies will help you decide about your path and spiritual freedom.
Choosing Your Own Path is a Privilege
Being able to decide on a spiritual path is a choice that isn’t available to everyone. Many people live in cultures where religious indoctrination is standard practice. Children don’t get the option to choose. So, if you can make a choice, choose wisely.
To be free starts with freedom of thought. Genuine autonomy is not anarchy. It exercises the right to make decisions that positively impact yourself and the world.
Seek Tools, Not Teachers
Find and learn all the spiritual tools you can. Your heart will tell you when you are ready. Refine your path. Always strive to be a beginner, never an expert. If you find you are going the wrong way, change direction. Always ask yourself, “what is the lesson?” Seek teachers who are only interested in teaching methods, not making disciples. We call these types of processes spiritual technologies.
Here are the four major categories of these methods:
Stay on Track
Don’t get sidetracked by religion. Your spiritual freedom lies in the degree to which you can make decisions about the path of intellectual and spiritual development. Some traditions from the East contain spiritual technologies, which are essential processes. For example, the paths with the fewest constraints on freethinking are labeled by Western religion as Pagan.
Let intuition lead you to the right teachers, but don’t become a follower. Remember, a guru is a boat to get you across the river. Leave when you reach the other side. Swim on by yourself if you need to. Don’t just float down the river just because you need to belong.
Otherwise, keep moving but don’t forget to stop and rest. A point often overlooked is that you’ll need time to relax and normalize your learning. You’ll need time to understand the lessons. Always ask yourself the question, “what is the lesson.” Life is all about lessons. Listen to your heart.
Spiritual Journal
Above all, keep a Spiritual Journal. Consider it your bible. You’ll have several over time, and they will be helpful resources. It’s the best way of documenting your journey. A journal will help you spot roadblocks on the path. I will also help you see your incremental growth. Practice automatic writing often. Look for messages of wisdom in your handwriting.
Help Others on the Path
It is equally important to help others find their spiritual path. Helping others is part of the lesson. You’ll never understand something better than when you teach others. Don’t discount this part of your journey. You may walk your path, but that doesn’t mean you must walk it alone.
In Conclusion
We all want to be free. Creating “your own path” is the way to your spiritual freedom. The first steps on this journey aren’t as hard as you think. You don’t need religion. All you need are the proper tools.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got information about new tools for exploring awareness, comments, or questions.
References
(1) The Importance of the Freedom of Thought.
(2) The Science of Spirituality and Importance of Choice.
(3) Abrahamic Religions.
