by Rosie Bason, Mullumbimby, NSW
I don’t know about you, but for me, up until recently, whenever I heard the word religion I wasn’t really comfortable with it.
I grew up with no religion as such, although my mother was brought up in a catholic family, so that way of living was still brought to me on many levels.
Having grown up sailing around the world I had the opportunity to experience first hand a lot of different types of religions and having learnt to speak a few different languages, I can see that when you do not have the correct translation or definition of a word, then you can really get the wrong idea about something.
From my experience the word religion meant that you were part of a group, separate to the rest of the world or the others who had another group – which was also separate. And each of these groups had their own beliefs about how you should live.
To fit into each of these groups you would have to live and act in a certain way, tick the boxes, go to church on certain days and pray to god, or go to the mosque and pray to Allah and there didn’t seem to be any room to be yourself. In fact, if you didn’t obey the rules there were serious consequences. You could not be part of one group and also be part of another – you had to choose one and couldn’t be part of it all.
Recently at a Universal Medicine event with Serge Benhayon and another presenter, I was given a different translation to the word religion. I was so amazed that the word I had in mind was so different to its apparent true meaning – it appears to be from the Latin word ‘religare’ which means ‘to bind or bring together’.
For the first time in a long time, I was able to experience how it felt to be in true religion last week at the Universal Medicine retreat held at Lennox Head. There was brotherhood – and this feeling brought me to tears on a few occasions because deep down inside I know it and have been missing it for so long, yet couldn’t find it anywhere. What was so lovely was the fact that there was a large group of people (over 300) from varied walks of life, and everyone was open with each other, accepting, not judging, allowing each person to be who they are without needing to impress or fit into another’s ideals or beliefs of how they should be. To me the feeling of harmony in the room was palpable.
The Way of the Livingness (as Universal Medicine presents) is now my religion. It allows you to be you and accepts everyone else as they are; there are no rules or regulations – you will not go to hell if you make a mistake. You can come and go as you like, you do not have to DO anything to impress, you just have to BE YOU. There is no one to follow, no one to be like.
It is for me just a way of living that allows me to be responsible for me and to be part of the whole. I know for me, that being part of the whole means I take responsibility for everything I do because I accept the fact that it affects everyone and all beings in nature equally.
The Truth about Universal Medicine 
The harmful activity that goes on by some in religions is the same activity that goes on in the mafia – it’s simply criminal activity and it needs to be called that. We need to separate actions that are harmful and not call those part of religion if they don’t express what religion truly means.
I’ve never understood the way institutionalised religion presents God, for me it’s so simple as it’s something that lives within me and is reflected through nature and the universe. It’s something we connect to within ourselves and then live from.
I find it interesting how you point out that religions did not allow you to belong if you were already in another group, because The Way of The Livingness does not judge anybody for their beliefs, it is a religion for all, man, woman, young, old, black, white, there is no discrimination because deep inside WE ARE ALL THE SAME.
“You can come and go as you like, you do not have to DO anything to impress, you just have to BE YOU. There is no one to follow, no one to be like” – I guess that is the hardest part. We are so used to being told what to do and being either right or wrong; we spend life times trying to impress someone to feel our worth, and pretty much everything we do is so that we do not have to know or be who we are.
The Way of the Livingness has supported me to understand life, people, the Universe, relationships, brotherhood, true family… there is no stone unturned in this religion as it unify us all and offers amazing Universal love, wisdom and intelligence.
It is an amazing experience to feel the interconnectedness between people when we choose to live the love that we are, for it is then we live religion in every given way.
The concept of going to hell if we made a mistake could not be one based on love. True we have to face consequences and to learn to make wise choices, but a consequence where there is eternal damnation and no revoking is not aligned with the patience of love where there is always the opportunity to learn and deepen responsibility.
When I used to hear the word religion I used to think of having to conform, and it was only their way – it felt really constricting.
I loved your description of The Way of The Livingness being your religion it feels totally freeing, no rules, no impositions just you nothing but the real you. Great sharing.
As you so accurately say Rosie, religion is something that is felt and not dictated, it is a relationship with ourselves and all others, not the way the current organised religions dictate what it means.
The Way of The Livingness is a way of living that offers the freedom to be who you naturally are and not to conform to anyone else’s ideals and beliefs. A loving obedience to your inner-heart and to the love of God.
One of the beautiful truths from The Way of The Livingness is that not only are all people equal, but so too are we all equal with the great teachers and sages of history. We all have that same greatness within.
Well presented Rosie. It is so true that the standard accepted practice of religion is separative yet each professes to be love, yet how that could be when unless one abides by the rules of the religion one is excluded. That to me is a cult.
We do many things in or under the name of religion but have you ever seen it lived to this,”It is for me just a way of living that allows me to be responsible for me and to be part of the whole. I know for me, that being part of the whole means I take responsibility for everything I do because I accept the fact that it affects everyone and all beings in nature equally.” We currently can have many forms or different meanings for things and at times when you see something or the meaning of something it just makes sense. I never saw a form under the name of religion that actually practically made sense to what I saw but now that has changed with The Way of The Livingness.
The word religion has had a bad rap for a long time mainly because religion has focused on reducing people and misrepresenting God, instead of confirming that we are all the Sons of God and can have a deeply loving relationship with God – that’s why The Way of The Livingness is a true religion in every way, shape and form.
Wow – for someone like me who has been so allergic to religion and god my whole life, I read this and think ‘yes!!! if there is a religion, this is it, this makes sense.’ I then can appreciate the fact that what I’ve been reacting to is not religion itself, but the way I have witnessed it being practiced before me which hasn’t felt true in any way. The concept of punishment for not following orders for example baffles me and is contradictory to what I hear being preached. That along with the hypocrisy of many who follow religious orders in public and then in the privacy of their own home will do the exact opposite.
Accepting and acknowledging that every choice we make has an effect on everyone is responsibility of the highest order. This makes sense to me!
There is freedom and a responsibility with the absoluteness of the power of your choices and how they do effect the all. Everything matters.
True religion is a relationship with the whole. A huge difference to the limiting institutionalised grouped religions. I like the way you have put it Rosie – to be the real you.
It is our natural way of being to be religious, to live in union with our body, being the universe and all that it encompasses, in equal-ness with all, who we are in essence, through which we realise that our relationship with God is eternal, ever-present and forever waiting to be explored. When we commit to bringing this loving connection to the life we live, we live a religious life, representing a way of living that is simply an externalisation and expression of this inner-quality through all that we do.
What a beautiful description of religion. This is true religion and not the warped, bastardised form we see in the world today.
The way you describe your experience with Universal Medicine, who wouldn’t want that? Who wouldn’t want a loving environment to come together and learn more about yourself and the universe.
Very interesting and clear contract you present here, Rosie – being part of the whole, and being part of a group that sets itself up separate from others – and both are known as ‘religion’ and it highlights so well how separation and not taking responsibility go hand in hand.
Love what you’ve shared here Rosie about knowing that we are an integral part of a greater ‘whole’… This speaks deeply of religion to me – that all of us are intrinsically interconnected, and we cannot but have a religious relationship with each other.
My every action has ripple effects that impact upon the whole – whether it be my neighbour, someone on the other side of the planet, or the greater Universe(s)… we are all one, and it is in this knowing that God resides.
Religion can be very separative, and as history tells us it can also be very divisive and has been responsible for many wars too, yet if religion were to truly be accepted as a reunion within ourselves as we are all the sons of God, we would have the opportunity to bring harmony back to religion and The Way of The Livingness is a foundation for truth, and reconnection.
‘To bind or bring together’ I love this, when I read this in your blog it made me reflect on how we can live life in segments and compartmentalise things without realising that every part impacts on another and is never really separate from another part.
It seems to me that we have an innate understanding of words but through our mental reinterpretation of them, we create tension and conflict that becomes our experience. Like you Rosie, I have felt the ‘aha’ of reconnecting to the truth of the word religion and it is an ‘aha’ that is not just a mental nod by a whole body realisation.
It’s so true Rosie when we ‘do not have the correct translation or definition of a word’ our understanding of anything is compromised and completely open to confusion and misinterpretation.
The way you share this is so fitting Rosie. For we can travel the world and visit a hundred countries, but as long as we see Religion as something that works for you and not for me, as something exclusive and separate in life, we are totally lost at sea. For the natural unity, brotherhood and Love we all look for, like homing beacons in the night, is actually constantly on offer in every moment of life. The only voyage we need to take, is to connect to ourselves and remember our true state.
Well said Rosie. I grew up in one of the churches and never really understood what religion was. I knew it was about God and there was some worships involved but never understood that there is a significant purpose to what religion is and what it brings in truth. Through The Way of the Livingness I now understand much more about me developing my relationship with God and that we have a deep inner connection that is there constantly, but that connection is up to me in how I live and the choices I make, in everything. It’s not always easy and sometimes it feel like it’s too hard but that is just me getting in the way of something that I already know is the most precious thing.
At first I did have a reaction to the word religion as what I had associated the word religion to mean was something of a ranking, control, giving penance, women being subservient or lesser, feeling bad for your sins, heavy feeling music and martyrdom. This is now so contra to my experience of religion today as I know it, which is about a Livingness and relationship with life that can be accessed by anyone, in any place at any time.
In my experience of Universal Medicine Retreats and workshops, this is true Rosie – the feeling of brotherhood is real and we can begin to feel the sadness of just how far away we have separated away from this truth.
“….at the Universal Medicine retreat held at Lennox Head. There was brotherhood – and this feeling brought me to tears on a few occasions because deep down inside I know it and have been missing it for so long, yet couldn’t find it anywhere”.
When I first heard Serge Benhayon express the truth of the meaning of the word religion -my whole body felt as if it had expanded and was resonating with that which made total sense and order in my body as it was spoken.
“I was so amazed that the word I had in mind was so different to its apparent true meaning – it appears to be from the Latin word ‘religare’ which means ‘to bind or bring together’.”
The Way of The Livingness just asks us to be ourselves in our every day lives. If there are any rules felt they are man-made and not a part of Livingness to begin with.
I have found an incredible simplicity in The Way of The Livingness as a religion, as it’s something that comes from a true connection to the soul within. It’s more something felt and known within my own body and then lived, rather than something taught from the outside. There are no outer authorities as we are all equal Sons of God. And with that comes a very personal relationship to God, one that is felt from within the inner heart, yet also a feeling of being held by God all around me. What’s beautiful is that it also unfolds at our own pace.
It is very refreshing with The Way of The Livingness, that it accepts you to make mistakes, in fact it almost encourages to risk making mistakes as this means you are venturing into new areas and exploring new dimensions and mistakes are inevitable on a path of learning and evolving.
I completely get what you say that growing up your opinion of religion meant you were a part of a group that was separate from the rest of the world and I can see why you thought this …… because this is currently how it is!! Religions have not been about brotherhood and unity but there has been an ill underlying energy creating separatism, hate, war, greed, supremacy … a whole heap of ugliness. I feel what you share here is key: “I can see that when you do not have the correct translation or definition of a word, then you can really get the wrong idea about something.” And we have …. really got it wrong. Thank goodness for Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine who are bringing back integrity, true love and truth with regards to the word religion and many other words that we have bastardised.
I was not consciously aware of how negative I felt about the word ‘religion’ until Serge Benhayon presented that Universal Medicine was a religion in the true sense of the word. It did take a little while for me to accept and embrace that I was, in truth, ‘religious’.
I feel that The Way of The Livingness is how all religions started – people getting together with a common purpose to be in brotherhood and by living that brotherhood others would see there was a true way. To the best of my ability, I live this harmonious state of being or brotherhood that is The Livingness, which has become my choice and through inspiration from Serge Benhayon and never by Serge preaching or telling me what to do!
Learning and understanding the true original meaning of the word religion made a huge difference to me, as I had always accepted the bastardised version and equated it with institutional religion with its ‘should dos’ and ‘oughts’- a different thing altogether,
“It is for me just a way of living that allows me to be responsible for me and to be part of the whole.” Uniting not separating. Returning to the whole. That too is my religion – The Way of The Livingness.
The original meaning of religion makes sense – to bring together, to return, because as humans we feel this natural connection to each other and other living creatures – it is beyond colour, culture, language, ideals & beliefs. I too experienced the feeling of connection with everyone at the retreat you mention and loved that we were just ourselves connecting to each other from the heart.
I feel my heart connection or re-connecting to my inner-most is the most natural feeling. What I am still working on after 13 years of attending presentations by Serge Benhayon, is being fully responsible for my choices and how they play out in my life. To the best of my ability, everything that I have lived in the past that was not from a true religion, has to be felt what it is – my loveless existence I identified as being life. That loveless existence still exists until I have felt it as my disconnecting factor from my inner-most so that I can nominate it and move through it, so that the healing which my body requires, can take place. The healing from that revelation is my choice, which allows me to evolve. Whether I continue to stay in that new point of evolution becomes my choice and it is my responsibility to live at that new level of love. What I have found with The Way of The Livingness is that no one waits for me to get there – it is my responsibility. As I am writing this, I can feel how wanting another, even in the slightest way, to get the truth about true religion is an imposition by me and holding me from going to my next point of evolution. So on reaching a new level of love, which is staying connected to my inner-most, it becomes my choice to live it. How beautiful it is to understand life is not about perfection or being the best, but relearning to stay connected to the love we all come from.
I can relate to so much of what you have shared Rosie, I too didn’t grow up under any real religious doctrines, having been left to my own devices to choose what religion I felt drawn to. As I grew up and learned about all the different types of religions, nothing stood out for me…..at all. I felt the constriction, the judgement, the conforming necessary to be a part of these so called religions, that was until I understood ‘The Way of the Livingness’, which is so clear, so loving and all about relationships with yourself and others.
I too have struggled with the word religion based on the interpretations we currently have in the world and the global separation and discourse that has come from them… however in it’s true meaning as presented by The Way of The Livingness, it is deeply beautiful, asking nothing of you or another other than to just connect to and be yourself.
Thank you Rosie for sharing your experience, it is interesting that the true meaning of the word” religion” is a re bonding a bringing together. While the false meaning of the word is totally opposite, which makes individual separate groups of people think that their way of religion is right and the others are wrong. The truth brings in harmony and equalness, while the false brings separation and judgment.
I used to shudder when I heard the word ‘religion’, mainly due to the fact that so many people falsely represented this word. Learning the true meaning of the word religion ‘to bind or bring together’ makes more sense to me in every way as does ‘The Way of the Livingness’ – a true religion that is simply about truth, love and brotherhood.
“It is for me just a way of living that allows me to be responsible for me and to be part of the whole. I know for me, that being part of the whole means I take responsibility for everything I do because I accept the fact that it affects everyone and all beings in nature equally. ” absolutely this is what religion is for me, being part of the whole and taking responsibility for everything I do. i ,over the freedom of just being me, with out judgement.
I was super uncomfortable with the word religion until I heard Serge Benhayon present on what the word religion really meant too. When it stops being about something you join, and starts to be about your relationship inwards it starts to become very beautiful.
“when you do not have the correct translation or definition of a word, then you can really get the wrong idea about something.” And when everyone has their own re-interpretation of the meaning of anything it inevitably leads to the creation of separate factions and rigidly held beliefs. The Way of The Livingness returns to the truth of the meaning of religion with no rules, dogma or beliefs. The way you choose to live and move in every moment brings you back to re-connect to the true love of the inner-heart and feel the presence of God’s love that you are an equal part of the all.
Could it be that the purpose of mainstream religion is to rely on scaremongering to keep control of the people in order to keep them from the truth for if we were to all awaken religion as we know it could no longer exist.
I was never comfortable being bought up with the Catholic Religion – it never felt true to me as the version of God that was portrayed was a stark contrast to the God I felt deep within. The Way of the Livingness has been a blessing as it is a true Religion in every way, it is not based on fear and there are no rules to follow – a true Religion that is absolute love.
Thank you for sharing Rosie, I have a feeling a lot of people around the world hold the same view you expressed first about belonging to a specific group. Thereby the current movement away from religious organisations.
Being religious is much simpler, its being in relationship with God, nature, people and more.
When we think of religion as binding all of humanity and then by definition of that word the fact that it is inclusive of everyone, it’s easy to see where brotherhood comes in. How true is any body/organisation that sees itself as a genuine religion if there are exclusions zones established around those that follow it, subtle though they may be at times? This is what makes the Way of the Livingness religion so different to other religions as it is simply living life with a deep responsibility to self and all others with a foundation of openness and equality.
I suppose we join a religion and put up with the things that are not true because of our sense of brotherhood and our knowing that we are all connected. The problem with this is that we are once again trying to be who we are not when we try to be good and try to do the right things and these religions work to keep us separate from each other in many ways.
How special it is to find out that religion is about connection, truth and love, not rules and dogma. Universal Medicine presented true religion, true loyalty to myself, true love and all l have to do is be me.
Beautifully expressed Stephen and all so true.
Religion is not a dirty word for me anymore – living as a Student of The Way of The Livingness has reconnected me to the truth of the word Religion and the joy that is being an equal part of the whole.
Religion is that what supports me in being all that I am, as the support and responsibility for all is deep within me. Religion is a way of living, that is in connection with god, the all.
This is beautiful to read and feel, religion in its true way is so powerful, and brings a great responsibility, as everything we do affects everyone.
I agree Rosie, beautifully said aminatumi!
‘Reading your blog I could feel how I rejected this separation and not religion’. Yes Rachel it was the bastardisation of religion that turned me off but I had never questioned this until I listened to Serge Benhayon present about the bastardisation of words, including religion, and was shown what true religion looks like. Now it is beautiful to be living The Way of the Livingness and ever deepening my understanding of living as part of humanity without the separation of ideals and beliefs that have kept us bound for lifetimes.
Yes it is the all encompassing nature of the Way of the Livingness that supports us all to connect to who we really are and learn to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions. This sets it apart from all other religions which seem to go out of their way to foster separation and lack of equality. Serge Benhayon has transformed my understanding of religion and allowed me to open up to other people which supports me to build truer connections with others and be of more service and for this I am truly appreciative
The group consciousness of the various world religions is quite strong and can be captivating. It is a challenge to observe these religions and have a 3rd person perspective once you ‘belong’ to one, making it difficult to connect to the truth of what is already inside our hearts.
I agree Rosie. The very word ‘religion’ made me feel uncomfortable as it was associated with nearly all the problems and conflicts in the world. I shared your experience that “the word religion meant that you were part of a group, separate to the rest of the world or the others who had another group – which was also separate. And each of these groups had their own beliefs about how you should live.” Serge Benhayon presented the true meaning of religion and I knew and felt this to be a revelation. God is love; I am deeply religious with The Way of the Livingness as I reconnect to love within me and within every other person on Earth.
It is very beautiful when you realise that the true meaning of religion means to be connected because I also felt that being in one religion separated me from others and I missed the people who were not a part of the religion I belonged to. Also I agree that there was little space to truly be myself. Also if you were divorced and wanted to remarry you were no longer welcome, or if you were gay and wanted a relationship you were not welcome. (There were many within this religion that did welcome all, however it was not the official position) I did not accept these rules and felt that too many were excluded and if they truly knew me that I probably would be too. I was living a lie. Now I am not. Now I am part of The Way of The Livingness and all are welcome. There is no perfection and no threats, just many finding their best loving connection with themselves and everyone else.
My personal relationship with the word religion has altered hugely, as you say the latin origin of the word is ‘to bind’, I can feel that this inner connection is what I know live from, it is deeply supportive and divine.
” … religion meant that you were part of a group, separate to the rest of the world or the others who had another group – which was also separate.”
That way of believing and behaving has always mystified me too, how can a group’s god exclude other people who are not in that congregation when God is love, does not judge and we are all God’s children? Maybe they’re looking at a different god, but how can that be when there is only one God?
I can relate to being in a room with many different people, from all walks of life and feeling totally accepted, not expected to be anything other than me in that moment – I have only ever felt this at a Universal Medicine event. This to me is how religion should be without any fear of judgement, no pressure or expectation and everyone is held in equalness.
Yes I have only felt this at a Universal Medicine event as well. What struck me from the blog today is Rosie’s description of religion and how separate it is as we all have our own belief but the original word is to re-bind. It just shows me how far we’ve come from the word because the current religions do not bind us together at all.
So true Stephen…I love how you have connected to the fact that religion is something so innate in us all that we don’t even have to call it that…to live in brotherhood, equality and love…I think many , including myself, would say a big yes to that.
‘The Way of the Livingness’ is the first religion that I have felt open to because there is no dogma, no rules, no beliefs, ideals. It confirms for me the deep knowing that God is with me always and that no matter what colour our skin is, or nationality…we are all the same, we are all equal and we all want the same thing – to love and to be loved.
Yes Rosie, I was very sad when I reflected that I couldn’t talk freely about religion and God which meant brotherhood and love to me, because religions institutions have made it a dirty word. But now I am fully aware how I have loved religion and been religious all my life and have been supported to fully claim this in my life, thanks to Universal Medicine.
Rosie I used to call myself a recovering catholic and had become a little anti-religion before became part of Universal Medicine. I now have claimed what you have beautifully shared as a true religion: The Way of the Livingness which simply living from the love I feel within me.
This blog sums up my relationship with religion both before and after being Introduced to The Way of The Livingness. On one side you have many different groups all separate from each other and on the other you have many different people all together in the most tangible of all groups – human beings. Thank you Rosie.
It is very beautiful to be part of a religion that asks and expects nothing of you. The depth of the relationship you have with God and all others is dependent on the depth you choose to have with yourself based on how you choose to live. Simple and exquisite.
Rosie, reading this blog I am reminded of my catholic upbringing.
At church there was a heavy solemn feeling where everyone was made to feel guilty. We heard gospels and parables of how Jesus lived, but nobody lived that way. It was like the congregation was trying to live in harmony but it was not really working, like it was missing something. “The way of the livingness” feels like true brotherhood to me.
Everyone is welcome, despite his or her background.
People of all ages are involved.
Everyone is committed to bringing more love in his or her lives.
Nobody is held lesser than another, or lesser than a glorious son of god; we are no different to anyone in the world.
If issues come up they are not swept under the carpet, they are resolved immediately with the upmost respect for all.
There is no guilt or coercion; everyone’s choices are respected without judgment.
I can take this religion with me and live it every day. It is real and tangible.
The above points are real and genuine and alive with vitality.
You can’t fake that feeling. The feeling of true brotherhood Rosie described.
I feel like this is what my old religion was trying to be like but fell far short.
‘There is no one to follow, no one to be like.’ best part about it ! For so long I thought a religion was a group or something you belonged to, a reason why you did things. Today I realised a religion is a connection to yourself and God and so everything YOU do is part of that religion, the group you’re with is everyone doing that together with their own relationship with God and themselves. The penny dropped for me… I now know I am part of a religion- my religion. The Way of the Livingness!
The beauty of the word “religion” as presented by Serge Benhayon had the power to allow myself to feel everything again that I used to feel as a child, when I had innocent conversations with God on a daily basis. That innocence and joy is now back in my life, a life, that is deeply connected to Universal Medicine where I am allowed to be who I am.
As a child I felt to be very religious. Later in my late teens it all did not make any sense anymore. Religious wars, killing for – what? No love, no God. Untill I came across the real meaning of religion presented by Serge Benhayon.. Because what I knew as religion did not feel like religion at all. But coming together, brotherhood, connecting or re-connecting made sense and I could feel the love.
I am studying and practicing The Way of the Livingness religion now for about 10 years and discover all the time new or deeper aspects of myself and my fellow human beings. The learning never stops. There is always more to feel and deepen, to become aware of, always getting a step further back to God, to where I came from. And that is reflected in the beauty that is me.
So true, the institutionalised religions divide us, and many people ended up dissociating from them, but the Way of the Livingness unites us and has reinstated the true meaning of the word religion for many people, including myself.
Thank you Rosie, this is such a breath of fresh air. I had turned my back on religion but not on love and I had half an eye on God/Allah/Buddah as something felt true in all of them. It was the doctrine, the rules, the judgement and the hypocrisy that grated on me. I couldn’t stomach in and so nearly threw the baby out with the bathwater. Thankfully the Way of the Livingness has encapsulated the love that I know is from God, it is in me and in the way I live as it is in all others equally. It is about love in expression, thought, words and deeds. For that I am all in.
Ah Lucy…love what you have expressed here as it is spot on with what I have also experienced with religion. As you say: ‘the doctrine, the rules, the judgement and the hypocrisy’ was what led me to keep it all at arms length.
For me ‘The Way of the Livingness’ is THE way forward to re-connect with the true meaning of God – Union – Love.
Love this Rosie, as I too now feel the truth of the word religion and that by claiming all the we are and being no less, living with responsibility and love for self and others we can bring religion to all aspects of my life. It feels a most loving way to be!
Thanks Rosie for highlighting how beautiful religion is as it unites people in brotherhood- “I know for me, that being part of the whole means I take responsibility for everything I do because I accept the fact that it affects everyone and all beings in nature equally.”
Beautiful to come back to the root of this word religion and to realise it is simply to re-connect.
Lovely mccannelizabeth I agree it was the same for me . . .
The beauty of meeting people who live religion in it’s true meaning is the absolut truth our hearts remember when we meet. Every cell is saying yes to it. The sad thing is, that we have to return. That shows how lost we got on the way as society.
To learn the true meaning of the word religion ‘to bind or bring together’ to me is a wonderful confirmation of the equality of everyone – we are all part of the all. Accepting that is everyones individual choice, but it doesn’t change the fact.
Beautiful expression Rosie, I too had the same sense of religion being something separate, exclusive, ruled, or with group membership and that following the rules often opened the door to fanaticism or fundamentalist attitudes. This is not the natural way or order of true religion as you share. Religion is an order that embodies a connected-relationship that considers oneself in equalness with the total all. The Way of The Livingness is what has allowed me to develop and deepen this inclusive relationship or religion. It is beauty.
You have touched on something important here Zofia. The adherence to rules that do not make sense but are not to be questioned because they are religious doctrine. We see many examples where this has been exploited.
Like you say religion is a natural connection with self, and with all.
Yes the adherence to rules and doctrine that just didn’t make sense was always the deal breaker for me with religion…I can understand now why I felt that way because I have now connected with what I feel is true religion…a deep connection with self that allows me to connect to the living love and equalness of all.
I completely connect with this and have experienced this “There was brotherhood – and this feeling brought me to tears on a few occasions because deep down inside I know it and have been missing it for so long, yet couldn’t find it anywhere.” This description does feel like lived ‘religion’. In the past I wasn’t comfortable with the word religion but now I am starting to appreciate it and have a more truthful relationship with it, it is something to enjoy and celebrate.
Very beautiful Rosie, very true. A religion that excludes anyone is no religion in its true meaning. Because religion is for the all – including everyone. No judgment, no expectations, no rules. Only the commitment to be true and loving. Respecting each and everyone equally – including the self. None of the so called “world religions” covers that to me.
The Way of the Livingness is one religion that acts in the true meaning of the word, we are all one and from the same source. I now, as I write this, truly feel what an effect this has on my life and what an enormous support there is, each of us living our own lives with the knowing that there are many many more of us, and we are all connected.
Rosie, I felt so lovely and peaceful when I read how Universal Medicine explained Religion. To religare – ‘to bind or bring together’. We come from God and we are re binding or coming together again. All of us. Equally. I feel like we all belong.
Religion meaning to bring together is quite a different understanding to that which I have previously had. My experience of religion is that it separates the chosen from those who are not; the Jews from the Gentiles; the heathens; the infidels. Many a war has been fought based on religious ideology. How lovely to feel religion as something that can unite humanity in the equality that we are.
Thank you Rosie, I loved how you have explained the Way of the Livingness and the responsibility we have because how we live affects the rest of humanity. So beautiful.
Beautiful Joan. Although I chose not to stand out as an individual but to retreat as an individual. To make steps towards coming together with others and moving towards brotherhood, I had to take the initial steps of coming together within myself which involved connecting what seemed like many scattered pieces.
Well said Stephen. It is also what we are all craving – to come together in brotherhood.
So simply explained Rosie. The word religion for me too has come to mean something that separates people. I still struggle with the word but I no longer cringe at the sound of it. And Universal Medicine definitely presents a different form of religion – one that brings people together and that is inclusive of all.
I can feel the amount of freedom there actually is in the word religion. It isn’t a fixed word to describe a certain belief, but the opportunity to return to what we actually are.
Also Joan I love how you have taken this a step deeper by expressing that building connection and relationship with ourselves enables a true coming together with others. I’m reminded of the breath in and then out, the stillness and then the motion of connection with others.
Thank you for sharing this Joan, this really struck a cord with me as I still choose to get pulled into the identification of the individual, your comment has really supported me in feeling the separation that this creates.
I can remember that coldness and how uncomfortable I used to feel as a child when I entered a church. It makes me shudder now thinking about it.
What you write about the true meaning of the word religion makes so much sense. This definition of binding and reconnecting back The Way of the Livingness stands for leaves space for all of us and includes us all. No more separation. We can have 1 world religion.
Truly beautifully expressed Rosie.
So true Stephen connecting in equalness is our natural way of being, irrelevant of any religious affiliations.
I love the truth and simplicity of what true religion in Rosie , simply a coming together of people in equalness, no rules or regulations just a commitment to truth and taking responsibility for your life.
Yes, and after years of making life about me and being individual, it feels great to be together with others and be part of the whole.
Lovely quote!
Very true sjmatsonuk, and your comment gave me a moment to really appreciate that with the Way of The Livingness, there is nothing that you are told to do, become or believe.
Thanks for sharing that Bernard. As children we feel so much, so it must have been confusing for you. We do as adults too, but as adults we have learnt to shut off a lot of what we actually feel just to get on with life.
On another note, like you said… the Way of The Livingness is simple, and easy to live each day and to understand.
Yes, it is so lovely at a Universal Medicine events to be with friends who come from all around the world, and who may have been brought up with so many different religions, who can now just be with each other without holding any of their past against them.
True Amina, the weight behind the word religion and the dividing everyone and the power over others… but like you said, when you let go of all the ideals and beliefs there is no weight at all. I noticed just the other day, that over the last 2 years, my whole understanding and the way I feel about the word religion has completely changed. But I had to be open to that change, to look behind the word and what I may have held as a belief for a very long time.
If the true meaning of religion is to bring together then most of the worlds religions are the exact opposite. Most religions seem divisive and ask you to look outside for redemption or forgiveness. Thank you for sharing this Rosie.
Yes which is why I had always had such an aversion to the word religion, as everywhere I looked with all the different religions, all I could see and feel was separation and things that didn’t make sense and wars in the name of religion just because they had different beliefs…crazy!
“There is no one to follow.” This really highlights for me that though there are those that reflect the truth and a way of being with Truth, my way of being with Truth will, in fact, be slightly different therefore if I am to follow another I hold back my own potential to be exactly who I am, in full.
Thanks Rosie, Reading your blog I stop when you mentioned the origins of the word religion. The word religion comes from the Latin word ‘religare’ which means ‘to bind or bring together’. Could it be that this is part of a plan back to God that requires to bring together Spirit and Soul and which also requires brotherhood?