Hard Questions About Spirituality

For many of us, religion is something that we observe when someone is born, marries or dies. Suddenly, the religion you were raised with, the traditions your family may have followed, become vitally important.

Here are 8 hard questions to ask yourself and your partner, if you are in a committed relationship, that can help you to clarify your expectations, hopes, and needs around spirituality. Read the questions here:

1. Do we share a religion? Do we belong to a church, synagogue, mosque or temple? More than one? If not, would our relationship benefit from such an affiliation?

2. Do we share a spiritual practice such as meditation, yoga, or some other type of “non-traditional” observance? If not, would adding such a practice enrich our lives together?

3. Does one of us have an individual spiritual practice? Is the practice and the time devoted to it acceptable to the other? Does each partner understand and respect the other’s choices?

4. What does each desire of the other in terms of support and/or participation in the other’s practice?

5. How do we mark birthdays and deaths within our family?

6. What place do spiritual and/or religious beliefs play in our home and homelife?

7. Do we observe any spiritual rituals? Celebrate any religious holidays? Together? Separately?

8. Will we be buried? Where? If not, what do we want to happen to our bodies?

Read more: Spirit, Guidance, Self-Help

Adapted from The Hard Questions, by Susan Piver, who will be teaching the Creative Power of Meditation, www.eomega.org.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

peggy p.

1:08AM PST on Jan 4, 2012

helpful questions that are necessary

send a green star

Robert O.

5:28PM PDT on Oct 30, 2011

Thanks.

Jennifer C.

5:12PM PDT on Oct 13, 2011

Thank you.

Geetha S.

7:48PM PDT on Jul 13, 2011

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. These are hard questions, and no doubt will help unions of both people of mixed cultures/religion and those of the same faith.

Sai K.

10:13AM PDT on Jul 12, 2011

contemplation or browsing the "inner net" gives you the answers

Myraida D.

8:49AM PDT on Jul 12, 2011

I have never seeing GOD,or "the highest entity" or the Essence of all essences or whatever name you want to call "that", more present, real, almost touchable, shinning, loving, perfect, than when in the presence of and assisting a sick person. NEVER. LOVE ,the love we are so thirsty of is right there, in that person, and, so immense that overpowers you,that fills every space in you erasing space and time. It is absolutely the sweetest thing ever! the brightest warm vibration ever! Then you know perfect, unconditional love, was waiting for you to be one...A blessing ,a touch ,a look from those yes shakes you hard: you need no blessings for this! This, is your blessing - To love unconditionally. For this is GOD. And this God is real.

Note: All living beings produce the same encounter with divinity.

KS G.

5:55AM PDT on Jul 12, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Danny M.

6:13AM PDT on Mar 23, 2011

Thanks!

Deb M.

5:19PM PDT on Jul 30, 2010

Wow! a range of views on God in this forum. You can see Him anytime you want. Close your eyes and see Him hanging on a cross, keep your eyes closed still picture Him in Gethsemene praying for the strength to go on and choose His Fathers will over the temptation to run away on an easier path , or perhaps seated at the place of power surrounded by angels at his complete command. Maybe holding the keys to death and hell now in His hands. No "spiritual" experiance can compare with catching a glimpse of Him. Ive seen various kinds of angels, Ive heard them singing and sung along, Ive been in the heavenly realms and seen things diffucult to mention, Ive even found myself above my bed not on it (?huh) , Ive seen things in the spiritual realm that have taken my voice for days, but i count it all as rubbish but to see Christ and to know him.. to quote bro Paul. Peace to all

Ron A.

11:32PM PDT on Jul 29, 2010

very interesting and thought provoking. thanks