Our primary need is to find meaning and purpose in our lives. We are
all already doing that, though not always consciously. The search for
meaning and purpose is fundamental to humanity, more so than even the
biological drive.
This drive is implanted so deeply within us because life is
genuinely meaningful. There are real answers to our most challenging
questions, as well as ways of fulfilling our deepest needs, and they can
be found primarily through spiritual pursuits and practices. In this
sense, everyone is on a spiritual path.
The world’s major religions all share a deep core of truth. There
is a transcendent unity to all religious belief. While religions may
appear to disagree with one another on the surface, at their deepest
level, they are in complete harmony.
There is a difference between religion and spirituality; one can be spiritual without being religious.
Every religion or philosophy is a vehicle that can help take us
towards (or sometimes away from) truth, but is not that truth itself. No
religion, philosophy, or creed is complete. Each is only a partial
expression of a reality far beyond the ability of our language to
describe and our symbols to represent.
Religious, philosophical, political, and social tolerance is
essential because of this and because tolerance is the only solution to
humanity’s problems. The true guardians of any path are its mystics,
saints, and sages—not its priests, ministers, or organizational leaders.
Truth can only be discovered through practice. We cannot reason our
way to truth or comprehend it merely through the intellect. The only way
to discover spiritual truth is to practice it yourself. Others cannot
do your spiritual work for you.
There is no disharmony between science and religion. Religion at its
best is scientific in the sense that we can test any spiritual claims
in the laboratory of our own hearts.
“Belief” is unnecessary. Truth can be experienced and known directly.
Spiritual teachers are important in that they can help you learn,
understand, and experience spiritual truth more quickly. None of us go
far without at least some help. True teachers, however, never claim that
they can take your journey for you or try to make you dependent on
them. A true teacher helps you to experience truth yourself.
