Religion or spirituality?

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Several years ago, I came across an image that struck me deeply. At first glance, it seemed to be criticizing organized religion, suggesting that such systems are limited in their understanding. I understood what the ‘poster’ of this image was relaying and resonating with, especially since its perceived that fewer people are attending religious services these days for a variety of reasons, and sometimes just in search of new spiritual paths, personal development and spiritual sovereignty.

From my perspective, the image holds a different significance. It depicts a bowl with a fish inside, floating in a vast ocean, which I see as a metaphor for belief systems and religion. To me, the bowl represents any given religion, containing and gathering like-minded individuals while being part of the expansive ocean of Spiritual knowledge; We can also call this Universal knowledge or pure Consciousness. Imagine now, if the bowl, which carries the collective consciousness, in this case a religion, were to be removed from the water depicted here as Spirituality, in this picture. What do we have now? Look at the picture, remove the bowl and look at the picture.

I also took note that the bowl is not covered. The waters inside the bowl are connected to the vast sea of Spirituality around it. The fish are also free to swim in and out of the bowl. This suggests a solid truth, if there ever was one … religious systems are not separate from Spirituality; but rather, religions are immersed in Spirituality.

We can also contemplate it this way, as I do – the fish represent the Spirit, immersed in its own primordial water as it’s called here, Spirituality. For those aspects to know itself, it needed a container so it could observe and absorb knowledge, the self-knowledge that it desired. The physical bowl allows that to happen. NOW … add 100 more bowls to the primordial waters of spirituality …. then 1,000 … a million. Add countless bowls to the waters, for Spirituality can’t be confined to just one bowl (*note: it can, but its my generous assumption that it doesn’t want to be confined to just one bowl). With that stated, all these bowls, or pieces of perspective, undoubtedly, unarguably, drawing from the one source of primordial spirit … pure Consciousness, Universal knowledge. This inclusivity highlights how various religions can coexist and contribute to a broader spiritual experience.

I find this view, and the realizations, quite beautiful …

The image made me reflect on how Spirituality needs some form of structure or container to truly understand and experience itself. Without the bowl, the vast ocean remains undefined, and there’s nothing to help the Spirit recognize itself, and I believe this is where ‘WE’ come in. The bowl provides a necessary framework for contemplation and understanding. This makes me think that Spirituality requires religions and various belief systems to explore and express itself fully.

On a personal level, I find this image allows me to reflect on my own spiritual journey. It reminds me to consider the "bowls" I have placed in my own inner ocean, and how they shape my beliefs, emotions and actions. When I come across distorted aspects of myself  that don't serve me, I envision tipping the bowl over and removing it from my waters. To me, this process of letting go and adjusting containers, feels like a form of healing.

In Conclusion:
This interpretation aligns with the recurring theme in sacred texts that describes the profundity and transformative power of the "waters" of Spirituality. The image serves as a powerful reminder of the inner spiritual landscape, encouraging an exploration of how different religious frameworks contribute to personal understanding and healing.

Until next time - Be well, Stay well ...