by Victoria Lister, Brisbane, Australia
I’ve never thought of myself as a religious person, yet in a recent post on my experience of cyber-bullying, and in another on the media ambush of a Universal Medicine event at which I was present on 12 October, 2012, I found myself defending the five fundamental freedoms all Australians are entitled to, specifically the rights to freedom of association and religion.
This would imply Universal Medicine is a religion and I, as an attendee of Universal Medicine workshops, courses and other events, am a part of this religion and might even be a religious person.
When I first considered the notion, I baulked. ‘Religion’ is such a loaded word and like many, I’ve always been keen to distance myself from it, for all sorts of reasons. Yet a quick online search of religion reveals the word stems from the Latin re-ligare, to ‘re-connect’, ‘re-bind’ or ‘re-choose’. So if the word itself isn’t loaded or prescriptive, and infers nothing more than the making of some kind of choice or commitment – and to what, isn’t even specified – need I feel scared of it?
No, and especially not if I start with the word ‘commitment’. As I’ve listened to Universal Medicine presentations, I’ve learnt the most important thing I can commit to is me, and the more I develop love for myself, the more I can extend this love to others. This commitment is a choice I need to make over and over, day in, day out, in everything I do. It’s the difference between, say, brushing my teeth two or three times a day with love and care, or doing it on auto-pilot, thinking of everything else but that one activity and maybe even doing it harshly because of a lack of attention.
So in this sense I need to ‘re-choose’, again and again, to ‘re-connect’ to myself and how I’m living life in every single moment. It’s a re-choosing I happily make; in fact I’d go as far as to say I’ve committed or ‘bound’ myself to living life as consciously and lovingly as I possibly can, and that I ‘re-bind’ myself to that notion on a daily basis. This is akin to establishing a way of living – a way of living that Universal Medicine has presented, quite simply and sensibly, as the ‘The Way of the Livingness’.
Given this, I’m delighted to declare myself a member of an association that presents the possibility that making an on-going commitment to living life as harmoniously as possible might be a good thing, both personally and for the planet.
So yes, I am part of a religion, and I am religious. And I will continue to defend my basic right to be so, and attend what group I see fit – no matter who threatens me, or how.
The Truth about Universal Medicine 
Count me in to the newest but also ancient religion. The Ageless Wisdom has always been available in each era, and this time the words are being written by the teacher and not generations later, so there can be confusion and lies to diffuse the Truth!.
I can see more now how damaging many interpretations of a single word can be on our relationship with each other. What Universal Medicine has sought to do is bring back the original meanings of words such as you’ve highlighted here with Religion meaning to re-connect and re-bind.
When we get to understand the True meaning of words and that “the pen is mightier than the sword’ we will be empowered to write and bring Loving Integrity that shares a responsibility to the all as we all re-connect to our essences.
This word can make many people feel uncomfortable because usually it comes with dogmas and judgement. The Way of The Livingness presents that we can have a different relationship with religion and that is very much worth exploring.
That you share how brushing our teeth can be considered a religious experience brings not only a whole new dimension to daily life, but is a practical principle that can be applied to any task we do.
It was an unusual sensation reading through your blog Victoria of realising the feeling of being persecuted for being truly religious was within me and very old. I could feel how I have known true religion in another life and the persecution then has led me to feel cautious about living religiously now or in any way revealing this.
It’s no wonder that people recoil when they hear the word religion or being religious because the words have been hi jacked by forces that do not represent/contain the true meaning of these words. When I was little I knew what God was but not by the word that I had been familiar with from the outside world but from a feeling within myself. So we also know what being religious is and we know what religion is also and we need to claim these words and their true meaning back.
Thank you Matts, words are so loaded, they seem to come with beliefs and images at times and the word God is certainly one of the words that has been very polluted. “When I was little I knew what God was but not by the word”, I love this line because it shows how religion and connection to God is innate, it’s part of who we are because it’s what we are from.
The origin of words has to do with activities encapsulated by them. The evolution of the activities described by a word is what it is though, and the same word may no longer encapsulate the original intent behind it. Suddenly a word means something different and we may not like it at all. Yet, this has nothing to do with the word itself but what the word represents in the world of ours. Reclaiming words is adhering back to the movements captured by the word in its origins. It is about restoring its truth, while we restore ours.
This is a great reminder of how simple being religious really is, and yes, I am committed to that constant re-choosing as well. Applying this choice to every area of my life is a constant learning and unfolding and I really appreciate your reminder here, Victoria.
It is a crime in itself that the true meaning of religion had been so grossly corrupted and is associated with the atrocities that have been wielded in the name of God and religion. As a result, many of us feel an instant resistance and repulsion when met with the word, and the many religions that represent this history, and with good reason for this is not what religion is truly about. What you have presented here Victoria restores the true meaning of what religion is, and how this is simply a way of living that embraces a commitment to live in connection to love, to our essence, so that we honour the responsibility we all hold to live truthfully, lovingly and respectfully with ourselves and others. In this way of living abuse has no place, and this is precisely what the religion The Way of The Livingness is all about.
Everyone is religious according to what the word truly means which is to re-connect, for example, some are religious about drinking alcohol, others are religious about sport. This changes the way we consider being religious to be, for those who have an issue with the word religion are not realising that they too are religious…
It is so true Thomas – we are all religious as is what the true meaning of the word refers, so the big question is what is it that we are choosing to be religious about?
It’s a great conversation expanding what the word religion and living religiously means, and I like your point too Carola of “what are we choosing to be religious about?” If we are naturally in reconnection or rebinding activities every day, we can then choose to continuously rebind to soul and return to our connection with God and the Universe.
The word religion is so loaded that it served to scare me away from religion and God for many years. When I first started attending Universal Medicine events and these words were used, I didn’t like it. But now, a few years on, it’s not God and religion I ever had a problem with, only the misrepresentation of these and bastardisation of the words. To keep people away from true religion and God, I can see the evil in the bastardisation.
I love how you have once again claimed being religious for yourself Victoria, a return to a natural way of living. Anything other than what true religion is cannot be called religion for it does not represent it…
Brilliant blog Victoria, Religion being a commitment to simply returning to who we are, without having to believe in anything or do anything, an absolute yes from me.
I think this is perfectly explained and many would be surprised by the simple meaning of religion in it’s origins. i was talking to someone about mainstream religions just yesterday and we were both discussing our disenchantment with how everything has been and is now. There is a commonality between people or a true connection around what religion truly is. This article clears the way for everyone and religion, after all this relationship is a very personal one. In this it would make sense for us to build or connect to what is within us first and then naturally this connection would be there in everything we touch thereafter.
I love how you share the true meaning of the word ‘religion’ in this blog Victoria, the word ‘religion’ has been misused for a very long time and I definitely avoided using the word because of the stigma attached to it. But like you now I can also say I am a deeply religious person as The Way of The Livingness is worth committing to, as it is a true religion in every way, shape and form.
The problem with re-ligare (religion) is not the action of re-ligare but what are we re-ligar(ing) with. The potenatial of re-ligare is just enormous but as the mainstream religions clearly show, we must buy into an image of what does it mean that is simply false as a result of which, people are not really re-ligar(ing). Are they truly religious?
The Way of The Livingness is religion that asks us to make a commitment to be all that we are in equalness to all.
I love the word Religion in its true sense – so simple so free so loving, a deepening connection to oneself and all those around, so different to the religion I was brought up in, a set of rules, do’s and don’t, dogma, separation, and alienation from my true self. Today I choose The Way of The Livingness as my true religion.
What a sensational blog, I have been avoiding the”R” word because of a stigma I think it carries but this blog just blows that all out of the park and reveals to me how much I have been hiding from a word that actually has a great meaning. In the past, I just hated the idea of being involved in a Religion, for some reason I thought it made me sound weird and inaccessible but when you break it down in this blog, it is so simple, so unimposing and there is nothing weird about it.
Freedom of religion is a basic human right. The Way of The Livingness is the only religion I know of that recognises this right to choose in full and acknowledges that every human being is equal in essence. There is no dogma, no preaching, no drive to ‘convert’ just support to feel and live the truth you already know.
Powerful Victoria! Yes, when you put it like that, I too don’t have any reservations about being religious, although like you in the past I was very intent on making it clear to the world that I wanted nothing to do with religion, due to my experiences of it always presenting blatant hypocrisy.
I find it incredible that one can think that they can have a say, attempt to control or have a judgement of another religion. I recently read about how in Russia some religions had recently been banned. Yet this is just crazy that one person or a group or government can come in and decide what people can think or feel. Its total arrogance and abuse of fundamental human rights.
“. . . I’ve learnt the most important thing I can commit to is me, and the more I develop love for myself, the more I can extend this love to others.” Victoria if more people would live like this I am sure most of us would know what true religion is.
The word religion brings up so much for so many people, it makes me wonder if the word itself needs to be redefined to correct the misinterpretation and many incorrect beliefs that has shadowed and tarnished the word itself courtesy the unloving actions and thoughts of some done in under the disguise of the word religion.
That is the most beautiful definition on what religion is. I am deeply religious also and follow my heart – The Way of The Livingness.
So very much has been done in the name of ‘religion’, that it is no wonder we baulk at the term, let alone may have misconstrued its fundamental place and meaning in our lives. To live a religious way can mean that we embrace a deeply personal relationship with God and what it means to live in connection with Him and oneself as you’ve shared here Victoria.
That said, to then willfully neglect and abuse the fundamental rights of another in regards to their religious expression in life, is another story.
Whatever our issues with the word ‘religion’ may be, to negate fundamental respect and decency with one’s fellow man over his or her expression of religion is an act of deep harm to us all that undermines the very bedrock of our societal relations. So long as a religious expression does no harm to others, it deserves to be allowed the space to be.
It’s interesting to consider the means of religious persecution at the disposal of our societies today. Cyber-harrassment is one, trial by media another, misrepresentation and complete bias and falsity via the media yet another (not withstanding that all at times may be intrinsically linked…).
All such means can have large-scale influence, and all reek of utter irresponsibility, disrespect for fundamental human rights and lack of care for the facts of the matter.
And what an eye-opening learning it is, to experience such means of persecution and realise that it is all of us who have allowed the state of things to be as horrendous as it actually is.
When we look around the world and examine the history of the world, it’s no surprise that a lot of people freak out by the word religion or religious. I know I certainly did. It’s been very freeing to reach an understanding on religion and being religious and what it truly means and has always meant.
Awesome unfolding Victoria. I too am delighted to claim for myself that I too am religious and am part of a religion – The Way of The Livingness.
I am totally with you, Victoria. I would have done anything to avoid being associated with ‘religion’ and what this word meant to me. But now, I wouldn’t choose anything else for my life other than to be a student of The Way of The Livingness, which has reintroduced the word religion in its original, true meaning. And it is now in our responsibility to uphold the purity of what that word means and represents by the way we live.
‘I’ve learnt the most important thing I can commit to is me, and the more I develop love for myself, the more I can extend this love to others.’ Beautifully said and very true Victoria, the more I deepen the relationship with myself all my relationships naturally deepen as well – that’s what I love about the The Way of The Livingness, it’s a win/win for everyone.
Living with self love and love is a beautiful and simple way of life, it makes perfect sense too, after all love does no harm to self or others, quite the opposite. We have to question strongly anyone who persecutes, fights or opposes The Way of the Livingness, the souls way of life on earth, because humanity has so far accepted much less in religion such as concepts of inequality, worthlessness, pedophilia and other abuses of human rights, and even genocide. So if people don’t wish to participate in the Way of the Livingness fair enough, that is their basic human right to choose, but to fight it or persecute others within it makes absolutely no sense at all.
Hearing that definition of religion, to reconnect and rebind changed the whole reaction I had to the word and allowed me to embrace anew what religion is and the fact that I am indeed religious. And each day I choose to check in and feel the quality I do things in, to as you beautifully put in Victoria, to rebind myself to a quality of love in how I am with me, others and everything around me. So yes I am religious and I live this daily with the support of the principles I’ve reconnected to with The Way of The Livingness, and daily that is my Way.
Well claimed Victoria. How naturally we find that we are religious – in the true sense of the word – for we are all actually seeking reconnection in some way. The word religion is not something to shy away from – perhaps we need to renounce the way we have abused it – but not religion in its true essence.
How different this Religion that we call The Way of The Livingness is compared to the religion I started my life out, belonging to. The meaning of Religion “to reconnect, to re bind and or re-choose!’ makes perfect sense to me. Thank you for your sharing Victoria.
Your knowing and your commitment is so tangible in this beautiful declaration of truth, Victoria. It has definitely inspired me to look even more closely as to what I consider religion to be, offering me an opportunity to release any of the old beliefs that I am still carrying about what it is to be religious. I have come to love everything that The Way of The Livingness presents; finally a true religion that encompasses all, does not judge, does not dictate, but simply welcomes each and every one of us to a true way of living, when, and if, we are ready.
By going back to the true meaning of words, you cut out all the negative associations from people who have misrepresented that word through the ages. It changes everything, and suddenly religion feels much more friendly and so important to each and every one of our lives. Of course we want to re-connect to something pure and divine, just without the whole package of 2000 years of torture and abuse that often comes with it.
So clear Victoria there is no grey area here… I’m also choosing to commit to a way of living that is loving, committed and responsible to myself, those I live with and meet everyday and those I don’t personally know yet but know how I live affects them also. On the topic of brushing our teeth I am loving brushing every tooth consciously and feeling the ripple affect this has on my next steps or activity after. I didn’t used to consider this wall, how I walked, how I stomped around or slammed a door, there was no awareness at all.
The fast pace of today’s modern world only seems to be getting more and more frantic and overwhelming with every passing year and as a consequence, we seem to be becoming more and more disconnected from ourselves and each other and this is being reflected in our increasingly loveless societies big time. Far too many of us are struggling and if you scratch the surface of most people’s lives you will see as human beings we are all feeling the burden of carrying far too many unresolved hurts, unloving patterns, ideals and beliefs that are not supporting us in our everyday lives. Universal Medicine’s philosophy is based on us healing ourselves and letting go of these hurts, patterns and behaviours and lovingly reconnecting back to ourselves first, and then from that foundation, with others. For me this process of healing represents true religion which as you shared Victoria is a word that ‘stems from the Latin re-ligare, to ‘re-connect’, ‘re-bind’ or ‘re-choose’ and in a world that is craving change we need to accept that change will only come when we realise our true strength is our unity and that us all realigning and reconnecting back to the absoluteness of love and truth is essential for this to occur.
It is such a shame that the word religion has been bastardised to the interpretations we have today that are so far from what you have shared… which is a truly gorgeous way to live. If only religions encapsulated the reconnection to God and to self that the Way of the Livingness presents, the world would be a far more beautiful and loving place to live.
Hear, hear, Victoria a beautifully stated and very powerful blog. I too am willing to claim my association with Universal Medicine and being committed to living with ‘The Way of the Livingness’ as my religion. Choosing to be “a member of an association that presents the possibility that making an on-going commitment to living life as harmoniously as possible” is definitely the best choice I have ever made and I “will continue to defend my basic right to be so, and attend what group I see fit – no matter who threatens me or how”.
” ‘Religion’ is such a loaded word ” So true and many people veer away from it because of the institutions that don’t walk their talk. Yet, as you found, “the word stems from the Latin re-ligare, to ‘re-connect’, ‘re-bind’ or ‘re-choose’” and Serge Benhayon’s presentation of true religion made so much sense to me that I can now claim I am a religious person and as you also say “a member of an association that presents the possibility that making an on-going commitment to living life as harmoniously as possible ..”
“Given this, I’m delighted to declare myself a member of an association that presents the possibility that making an on-going commitment to living life as harmoniously as possible might be a good thing, both personally and for the planet.” I love this Victoria because in making a commitment to and taking responsibility for ourselves to live as harmoniously as possible it naturally flows to everything and everyone around us.
True religion is a commitment to re-connecting to the love within our inner-heart so that love is in every move we make and as God is love we reconnect to the divinity of God by just being all the love that we are. No rule book, no dogma, no ‘musts’ no ‘must nots’ purely a yes to true love. This is the true religion presented as a Universal Medicine to the world.
Beautifully expressed Mary – Universal Medicine gives everyone an opportunity to re-connect to the truth of God and to feel the joy and love when this true religion is embraced and lived.
Truly great thought leadership here on the real meaning of religion. It begs the question though, why the word ‘religion’ brings up reaction and emotion in many. For isn’t it in fact that we balk at what we interpret the word to signify, or more specifically at the bastardised meaning of the word? The next question therefore has to be, ‘Why did the meaning of the word get bastardised in the first place? For what purpose, intent and outcome?’. If we could get behind that, then our world might quickly become a different experience.
Thank you Victoria, I can now say I am a religious person thanks to the presentation of Serge Benhayon. As a student of the Way of the Livingness as presented by Universal Medicine I now understand my religious responsibility to be love in all I do, and to always understand that to fully religious I must continue to allow myself and others through our own free choices to evolve or un-evolve.
I love this Victoria you say it all so simply and powerfully. I am still just coming to accept that I am a “religious” person because of the past associations that word has held for me. This is awesome, thank you.
This is a beautiful and strong statement, Victoria. A religion where its people commit to being who they are before anything else – how genius! I don’t even have to work towards something, because I already am who I am.
Such a beautiful blog Victoria and I can relate to much you share here. The word religion used to make me feel uncomfortable until I got to experience the true meaning of the word religion with ‘The Way of the Livingness’, and now I also can say – yes I am a religious person.
I completely agree with what you’ve shared here Victoria. In the past I avoided religion with a barge pole as all my experiences before Universal Medicine had the same flavour – a dedication to something outside of myself. The way in which The Way of The Livingness presents religion is the most sense making, tangible form of religion I have come across. One where I am not asked to be anything or do something to be deemed worthy enough for I am already enough just like everyone else equally so.
While growing up I also distanced myself from being seen as a religious person. I watched and saw what being religious was and there are some people in the world who misrepresent being religious so badly that as a young man I didn’t want to be religious at all.
Universal Medicine brings a new flavour to the word religion. Something as the blog describes as to reconnect or re-bond. The original Latin roots of the word religious is beautiful and even more amazing to what it represents.
From the understanding I’ve gained attending universal medicine events, I can say that I am and always was a deeply religious person.
I love the simple and clear meaning of the word religion that you have put forward.
Like you Victoria I was very uneasy about the word religion – it felt as though it conjured up all of the beliefs and ideals I was beginning to realise were so false, and only took me further away from true connection. It wasn’t until I was introduced to Universal Medicine that I began to understand the full beauty and true meaning of the word and I am now willing to openly say that I do have a religion and that is the ‘Way of the Livingness’.
This simple explanation of religion is a delight to read. It offers a straight forward way to understand how I am choosing to live my life which is to make the livingness of every day a commitment to connecting as fully as I am able to myself and everything and everyone around me.
What a beautiful reclaiming of religion, to re-connect to oneself and to live from a daily loving commitment to self, now that is truly what the way of the livingness is to me.
Committing to living as lovingly as possible is a gorgeous choice and the foundation of a religion that is an absolute honour to be a part of.
I too always had an issue with the word religion, but as you say religion as we know it today is not what it truly means, and I love how you connect it to yourself by simply re-choosing and re-connecting with yourself in every moment. I too am a religious person and The way of the Livingness holds all that religion is to me.
Thank you Victoria. I can feel the strength of your commitment to you and the very down to Earth way that you speak about religion feels so normal. I too have been attending Universal Medicine workshops for a number of years now. What I realise now is that commitment starts with Love. It starts with being committed to loving and caring for oneself so deeply that you never want to do anything that would harm or compromise yourself. This commitment can transform relationships as with that Love for oneself we naturally then take this to all others that we meet, then realising that we are One and that it is real lived love that brings us together. This way of living is such a unifying religion and one I am falling head over heels in love with which means falling in Love with Me, God and everyone else.
Thanks for a wonderful blog Victoria. For me religion is a word that has always been associated with people following the man made doctrines of a particular church, and seeking to connect to an external God. According to your simple and beautiful description of religion, then reconnecting to, and building a deeper relationship with my inner most divine self, must be a religious act. If that is the case then I am proud to acknowledge my association with the religion of The Way of the Livingness.
I used to go to church but never felt I was religious and I realize now that I never felt connected or part of the establishment but was searching for God who I knew was there but I didn’t know how to connect. Since listening to the presentations from Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine I am building a deeper connection to my inner self and through this I feel a true connection to God. The Way of the Livingness is a way of living that brings a loving understanding of myself, the world around me and the love of God. Yes, I am religious.
Victoria you explore the word ‘religion’ in the true sense and I can say yes, I am also religious. Thank you for sharing – such an awesome reminder!
Religion. A word that I have felt very apprehensive about, as each time that I have turned to religion I had been looking for something to fix my problems, searching outside of myself desperately looking for a way that I always new about, somehow inside. But each time I did this, each religion that I searched in fell short in some way. I never felt that it was meeting what I felt deep inside myself. Then I began to attend Universal Medicine workshops and presentations. Where the whole gist of the presentations was to love ourselves, as it is only when we do this that we can love others with the honor and respect that we all deserve. This is what I knew to be true. I have committed to living this way. I am not perfect and sometimes I slip up, but my commitment to love for myself and all of humanity is strong. I belong to the Religion of Universal Medicine.
Thanks Victoria for your blog. I too, struggled initially with the word religion, but now understanding the true meaning of this word, there is not another word that describes the way I live and the choices I am currently making. My life is about reconnecting to me and I am fully committed to that.
Thank you, Victoria. Reading your blog, I could feel as though there was a part of me wanting to justify and explain if I was to use the word ‘religious’ when I talked about my relationship with Universal Medicine, as in ‘Yes, I am religious, but it’s not what you think…’. Interesting to observe how knowing the true meaning of the word ‘religion’ is not quite enough for me to claim my choice of association as being religious when I know the same word is also used to mean something along the line of following blindly.
Thankyou Victoria. Religion as a word has always made me feel uncomfortable and disillusioned. I have observed many who claim to be religious but twist or even ignore the fundamental ‘rules’ of their own religion to suit themselves or to justify their behaviour.
Universal Medicine has allowed me to understand that true religion is about me reconnecting back to myself and all others and living my everyday with a deep sense of responsibility, community and purpose that is equal for all. If living this way makes me religious so be it.
Yes finally religion makes sense, it is how we live. No dogmas or rules. By the sounds of it everyone is religious when the true definition of religion is referred to, as we are all living life and making choices on a daily basis, this is religion.
Thanks Victoria, I too have distanced myself and gone to lengths to avoid any type of religion but now know that the word religion has been attached to something that does not represent the truth of the word. I am now re-learning to re-connect and can start to feel that I am actually deeply religious.
Thank you Victoria for so simply defining religion for you and how you live with it on a daily moment. I feel that this is a beautiful way to live and there is nothing wrong in that.
I feel it’s natural to seek this re-connection with ourselves, we do know innately on some level that what we want is within us. I feel it’s natural too to seek a connection that confirms a feeling that we are part of something greater than ourselves alone. From me, this cannot be found in institutionalised religion, nor by following another, yet it’s equally there in each of us. I have Universal Medicine to thank for inspiring this in me, and in providing a true and deeper understanding of the word “religion”. The true meaning of “religious” is actually quite beautiful.
This is a very beautiful blog, so full of clarity and has a lovely flow. Religion is re-connection, when I found out the origin of the word, it felt like this heaviness was lifted and I could relate to it…”Given this, I’m delighted to declare myself a member of an association that presents the possibility that making an on-going commitment to living life as harmoniously as possible might be a good thing, both personally and for the planet.” A lovely declaration and one that I also feel happy to put my name to, Thank you.
I too reacted at the thought of considering myself to be a ‘religious’ person, well, in the way society has presented the meaning. Even though always I felt that there was a God, the way that God was generally presented in the world did not feel completely true. However when I understood and realised where the word ‘religion’ originated from (i.e. the original denotation of the word) and essentially refers to, what emerged for me was a meaning that truly described the way that I was choosing to live. Through the presentations of Universal Medicine I have been able to ‘re-connect’ to my love, to God and to humanity and realise that I can ‘re-choose’ to commit to this love every moment of every day. I have found that my true strength has come from ‘re-binding’ to this love and to live this way is a joy with all that it brings. And so yes, I now, with no hesitations claim to be a religious person who enjoys being part of this religious organisation.
I love the way you’ve deconstructed the word ‘religion’ and shown how it can be applied very simply and yet profoundly to daily life. Thanks Victoria.
Through Universal Medicine, I also discovered that I am part of a religion, and that I am religious. Both are totally cool to me.
It feels like the most purist of religious acts to commit to continue to re-choose to re-connect to me and how I feel inside my body and deep inside my heart. To dedicate myself to the Way of the Livingness is an association that supports this most fundamental religious act and I welcome it in a world that is forever enticing you out of this most divine and loving connection which is deeply personal to each person in practise.
I love how you play with the actual meaning of what religion is, it makes it very fun and so natural, quite opposite to what we have made and bastardised religion to be over the centuries. Thank you Victoria.
Victoria what a great blog – I also avoided the word “Religion” with everything I had until I started to understand what a true religion was and now as you say am most definitely religious.
I agree Victoria, that religion can, and is perhaps meant to be as the word suggests, a very personal and intimate relationship. And there is, like you have so beautifully pointed out, no specific rules or codes within the origins of the word about what or who that relationship is supposed to be with.
This to me, opens up a whole discussion about true freedom of choice.
Yes I agree Natalie. How horrible it was to be put off by the misuse of this truly divine word.
Great article Victoria. I can see how I had a fear of the word religion. It is great to know the true meaning of the word and that there is no need to be scared of a word. It is great to be able to embrace it in it’s true meaning. Thank you.
Yes to redefine and reconnect to the true meaning of the word religion feels so refreshing, so much lighter and true.
Great blog Victoria, I love how you simply and clearly break down what religion means. And how truly it’s about committing to us in each and every moment daily – so simple and it really knocks out all that old stuff around religion, fantastic.
To be able to use the word “religion” in all it’s simplicity and true meaning without all the ‘baggage’ is very refreshing.
Written so clear and made so simple.
I too have never followed a religion (even though I attended a catholic high school etc). I have however always been deeply religious – I just would not have used that word until now. I have always had a sense of God and a sense of a greater purpose within life. I have always felt a deep commitment to myself and how life flows and is fluid when I follow this commitment. For this reason the rigidity and prescriptive nature of all the main religions never appealed to me, as it felt like they took the ME out of my relationship with GOD and my relationship with life. That is why Universal Medicine feels so right for me as it supports a personal relationship with GOD that is re-developed through committing to live by the “rules” of your own heart. To me this is the modern day version of “the kingdom of GOD is inside you”.
A great example Rebecca, that true religion comes from you, and a gorgeous understanding of “the kingdom of GOD is inside you”.
Yes I didn’t mention the ‘God’ word Rebecca but it is part of the equation too – an acknowledgement of something bigger than ourselves, yet also within. It felt natural as a child to think about God and I’m pleased to say it now feels natural once again.
Thank you Victoria for really clarifying the meaning of “religion”, and yes I’m in too. As you say – because religion is such a loaded word that has so many negative connotations, it’s easy to attempt to disassociate oneself from it, when in truth it is a word representing a commitment to living lovingly on a daily basis.
Yes I love that sense of daily commitment, a kind of dedication, that the word religion truly implies.
So well described thank-you Victoria for outlining the meaning of what religion actually means from the actual word itself. Makes complete sense. Your sentence – “I’ve learnt the most important thing I can commit to is me, and the more I develop love for myself, the more I can extend this love to others”, for me is the basic key/foundation to religion itself, and in this way say simply that I am religious unto myself first to be in religion with all others equally. Any organisation which allows for this natural way to be the (my) way, such as Universal Medicine, has my complete support.
Before Universal Medicine I never saw the point in religion. Now I know it’s true meaning, I can connect to the word and what it truly means. To re-connect, that is all we have to do, no rushing off to a church or asking for forgiveness… how simple is that?
Me too. I feel graced to now feel that I am truly religious.
I’m in!
Me too!!!!!!
Perfectly said Victoria. Before I attended Universal Medicine events, I too used to react negatively to the word “religion” as I associated it with so much harm, hypocrisy and past abuse. But when I connect to my heart instead of my head, I can feel that I am a deeply religious person and my religion is The Way of The Livingness as you have described.
Big call Victoria and one that needs to be made. I grew up in a religious family but I never felt true religion ‘reconnection’ and I do feel that now, not from a sense of belonging to Uni Med for they don’t seek to own me but a sense of belonging and being with myself. If that’s religion and that’s the joy it can bring I am in.
Joel, belonging and being with myself. You have said so much with such few words. Before Universal Medicine, I never felt confident and content to “be in my own skin”, I do now. To simply be able to sit still and feel the absolute joy of me with me is such a beautiful feeling. One that expands my understanding of the world and one that I feel holds others, offering to them the very same for themselves.
Thanks Victoria for shedding light on the subject of religion. For many decades I shied away from ‘religion’. However by making a personal choice to ‘re-connect’ to myself and choosing to live in ‘The Way of My Livingness’, I now embrace the word religion as a commitment to myself and thus by default, to humanity. As a consequence I’ve found that I’m now more open and understanding towards other people along with their beliefs and religions.
I love that Rod, a commitment to myself and to humanity – spot on.
Absolutely Victorialister and Rod, I agree, and may I add true responsibility that come with the Livingness, which brings to my living the absolute truth in all things.
I love the way you have explained religion so simply here Victoria. Your last line is also inspiring for me, to stand by my rights no matter who threatens me or how. Thank you for this sharing.
I feel that if many of those who claim are not religious, had an understanding of what religion truly means, in a way that you’ve explained it here Victoria, they would also change their stance on religion. It’s just that the word has such negative connotation and given the fact that soooooo many have been killed throughout centuries in the ‘name of religion’ most people would rather claim that they will not have any affiliation with religion. I totally understand that as I too stood on an atheist pedestal for most of my life for the same reason even though I could feel we were all part of something much greater. Looking at any religion available and spotting all the flaws did not make it inviting for me to visit that avenue. Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon came along and the re-connecting, the re-choosing with that bigger part of the picture began.
This is here to stay now.
Beautiful Victoria! This brought tears to my eyes. You have expressed exactly how I feel. There is a deep sense of being able to embrace the true divinity of life and oneself without having to subscribe to the man-made doctrines calling itself religion.
I love how you explore the notion of religion and what this word actually means, I can also say I am a religious person, thanks Victoria.
On the money again Victoria. Commitment and re-connection are the simple truth of living a life as lovingly and harmoniously as possible. If this is a religion then yes I too am religious!
Hi Victoria, Yes indeed!! I will PROUDLY stand next to you and declare I am in a religion (THE WAY OF THE LIVINGNESS) and I am religious! Rock on!!