religiosity and spirituality

In continuing this hedgehog-phoenix discussion, it is important to make a distinction between religiosity and spirituality.

Religiosity (re-lege) means to swear allegiance (al-lege) to the same viewpoint (lege-acy) over and over again. Religiosity can take place within any thought structure, whether that thought structure be deemed "religious" or "secular."

Religiosity is not confined to adherents of traditional religions. Anti- or non-religion folk also have their religiosity. Religiosity is equivalent to getting on a pogo stick and jumping up and down on that sucker for your entire life, no questions asked. One's head is frozen in a thought form and if it is felt to be attacked, one bristles.

Spirituality means to move with and as spirit, the lifeforce that courses through and brings into existence all of life. Spire-it (spire refers to breath) has to do with in-spire-ation, with as-spire-ation, and though we may shrink from its power and transformational capability, with ex-spire-ation.

In-spire-ation means we allow room for the lifeforce to enter, to move within. For this we need to practice great capaciousness.

As-spire-ation means we look to swim upstream to the source of this spire-ation. We aspire to be like the source of the lifeforce, the model for all creativity.

Ex-spire-ation means we continually let go of what we think we know and of who we think we are. We stand naked in the universe, humble and open. We breathe out (ex-spire) lovingkindness to all.

I will use these terms (religiosity and spirituality) in forthcoming posts concerning hedgehog and phoenix consciousness states.