Because LIFE is a journey.
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| "Path to Enlightenment" |
On these journeys we are each on, all different from the next person's, there are a couple things I have come to know for certain. One thing is....
everyone has their own hard trials.
We cannot compare our own to the trials of another because we are each given such individual hardships.
I learned recently that many Buddhists consider huge difficulties to be a sign that you are an old soul — the bigger your misfortunes, the closer you are to enlightenment.
I felt that gave a nice perspective to the things we must endure in this life.
And whether you're Buddhist, Muslim, Mormon, Catholic, Jewish, Agnostic, atheist, or just have no religion at all --- it doesn't matter!
Spirituality is what matters on this journey through life.
Spirituality is a very individual thing -- it is about your belief in some power greater than yourself. Some call it a Higher Power or Higher Being. Throughout your journey - the trials and the sorrow - this Higher Power is particularly important as a strength that can guide you on your path. The difference between religion and spirituality can best be expressed in the following visual:
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| Venn Diagram for Religion and Spirituality's Relationship |
Being a Christian myself, I believe I have three Higher beings who work together in purpose but are separate. As I have worked through my eating disorder and the tremendously large amounts of personal issues that contributed to it, I gained great strength and comfort as I grew closer to these Higher beings.
If you are agnostic or atheist, surely you can believe there is spirituality in and of yourself. Or maybe you choose the universe as your Higher being. Or nature. Something bigger than your thoughts and feelings that can sometimes keep you stuck in one place.
I am excited to say that I have transitioned from "eating disordered" to "disordered eating!"
haha that may not be a big accomplishment to people who have lived a "normal" life, but to me it's a big deal. I've struggled up and down with my eating disorder most of my life. Even when I was "in recovery" I was using other tactics that were technically part of an eating disorder.
But I am free of all of those tactics. I eat every single day - the question is not IF, anymore.
Rather, the questions are when and is that how much a "normal, non-disordered eating" person would eat?
I'm happier.
I'm more stable.
I see more of a future for myself over the horizon.
Life can be so good, even when it's not perfect. And it took me a LONG time to comprehend that. I'm just so very glad I did.
