this i believe

A friend with whom I share a particular sort of religious upbringing recently suggested that, while he had thoroughly rejected his own background, I still held onto parts of mine. Now because this friend is pretty perceptive, I paused for a moment to consider his comment. Then I replied, "I suppose you're right." I do feel a strong emotional connection to my family's faith. "But," I concluded. "I have beliefs that don't necessarily have anything to do with my religious upbringing."

I've been mulling this over for a few days and thought I'd try to articulate some of these thoughts. In truth, some of my "beliefs" have probably been more superstitious than I would care to admit. I recall being in church as a kid one time when I had a bad cold and thinking that, if I sang along with the hymns, God would heal my sore throat. It was sort of like avoiding cracks in the sidewalk, or counting the letters of your crush's name on your fingers and thinking that if the count ends on your ring finger, you'll get married.

A brief inventory:

I believe in signs and oracles.
I believe in change and miracles.
I believe in prayer and supplication.
I believe in spells and incantations.
I believe in rites and rituals.
I believe in faith and works.
I believe in meditation and in action.
I believe in good and evil. Sometimes they are hard to tell apart.
I believe in karma.
I believe in chance and opportunity.
I believe in hope despite the fears.
I believe in Jesus. And Mohammad. And the Buddha. And more.
I believe in divinity and holiness.
I believe in the human spirit.
I believe in imagination.
I believe in the power of language and music and art.
I believe in love...I believe in children...I believe in Mom and Dad... (thank you, Don Williams)
I believe in the chakras. I believe in my third eye and when I close my eyes and see dark blue I know an insight is coming.

I am not a pagan, a wiccan, an atheist, any sort of "-ist" in particular--although if you are it's OK with me. I'm not about to try and change your mind. I'm too busy singing. Perhaps, come to think of it, music is my religion. Or maybe I'm really a Quaker.

I believe that tarot is one of many ways to find out what's going on inside yourself. My tarot card for today is The Sun. I'm a Leo, and it's spring, so I'm definitely feeling it right this minute! Time to go outside and worship on this gorgeous day.