The term RITUAL is being used here to describe anything one does on a regular basis or surrounds themselves with on a regular basis, that has absolutely nothing to do with achieving pure clarity. Ritual talisman, ritual mantra, ritual clothing, ritual location, ritual language, ritual person, what-have-you. Anything one does, has, surrounds oneself with, clothes oneself in, visits regularly etc. on a regular basis is nothing but an obstacle on the path to enlightenment.
Your only goal, my friend, is to rid yourself of all of it. Period.
There is no connection to your divine through the building called a church. Neither the human beings called Priests nor the man elected Pope can provide you with either the key to your salvation or the connection to the true source of all inspiration. Their hats, robes, incense, trinkets, candles, beads, gold and silver likenesses, etc. are for show and do not open the door to the place where God dwells.
Yes, a church is built by believers of a particular faith. Yes, religious paintings are painted by the faithful and the deeper the faith, the more powerful the representation of the object of that faith. Faith in a particular deity has led to the creation of the most beautiful works of art and architecture in human history. Writings by deeply faithful people such as Hafiz or Gibran or Kabir (must reads for any truth seeker) can easily bring tears to the eyes.
The most amazing results of this connection to the creative source are everywhere... There is no doubt of that. My question to you, my friend, is this. What have you created FOR your divine? How do you express your love TO your god? I didn't say how will you show others that you have love for a divine, nor did I ask how you express to others your love for a divine? It's a very different and distinct use of the words to express something much more private, personal, and profound. This something has nothing to do with SHOWING anything to anyone. It doesn't involve going anywhere, wearing anything special, saying anything over and over, or aligning yourself with any human mortals you believe will bring you closer to a special power by being in their presence.
The remedy? STOP. Right now. Wherever you are reading this. STOP, BE STILL, BREATHE, FEEL, AND LISTEN. Don't wait to go to church, don't reach for your prayer beads, don't get up only to fall to your knees. JUST BE, NOW. It's one of the many books of truth, but put the Bible down. I can read and re-read the same diet book over and over, but unless I put the book down and act on the information contained in it, the diet will never work. (Of course, that was just an example. 'Diet' is a 4-letter word and is not real. I would say don't ever do it, but once you achieve clarity, it will lose it's meaning.)
Anyhow, back to stopping... Right now... I need you to introduce yourself to your god... God, Allah, Buddha, Krishna, Ganesh, whatever... say hello, how are you, my name is... Now, just sit and feel... Do you feel silly? Are you emotional? Are you joyful? Guess what? It doesn't matter. No one is going to judge you. In fact, no one needs to know. The only one who needs to know you're building a one on one relationship with the creator is you. The fact of the matter (the truth, in other words) is that nowhere you go, nothing you wear and no one you're hanging around with can help you to cultivate this relationship. It's all you and only you...no church, no cross, no book, no priest, no beads, no prostrations, no robes, nothing.
Your homework: Continue to vocalize your conversation with your divine until it becomes natural. Don't ask for anything, don't repent for past deeds, don't praise or thank yet, just say hey...
Thanks for being here. See you on the other side. ;-)
