This morning's Sunday Times of India had this amusing quote by Bonnie Raitt: Religions is for those who are scared to go to hell. Spirituality is for those who have already been there.
I'd like to differ very much. Left to me, I'd rephrase it this way: Naive Religion is for those who are scared to go to hell. Spirituality is for those who've tasted heaven. That reminds me of the Spirituality course that I attended as part of the Diploma Course in Theology, two years ago in Shillong. That was one substantial course, I'd love to take again.I still have the class notes - one of the handful notes that I preserved of my two year study!
Something interesting that I realised during the study of 'Spirituality' was that most often we associate spirituality with divinity while it has more to do with humanity. A holistic understanding of spirituality can be had only on the horizons of humanity and divinity - not in the clouds or heavens alone. Perhaps in secular terms, the word 'integrity' would come closest to describing it.
I have seen that quote in Times Of India too. I felt it is completely right. Before I saw hell in my life i was into religion. Once I saw it, I became spiritual. That it right in most of the cases.
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