<blockquote>
And thank you as well, chocolatelover and everyone else who has contributed to this thread. I think discussions like this are important and appreciate that this one is unfolding in a spirit of tolerance. And I'm really enjoying the diversity!

I have never been a "religious" person, which is to say that I have never felt the need to gather in a group with other people according to the doctrine of a specific set of beliefs. I have found teachings that resonated at a personal level for me within Christianity, Hinduism, Sufism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, Quakerism, etc. Like many others here I can appreciate that all forms of religion and spiritual practice share a number of common components such as extending love and understanding to that which is around us and appreciating that we come from a source much larger than ourselves. I don't know what to "name" that source, although I appreciate that some call it God, some Allah, some The Great Spirit, some The Mother, some The Father, some The All, some The Absolute. The name I use at this time that sits rather comfortably (for me) is Silence.

I can also appreciate that we have to be aware of dangers on a spiritual path, so I've appreciated the warnings to pay heed to what we're doing and where we're going. I've been known to issue some similar ones, particularly when I'm in the vicinity of young people who are experimenting with drugs as a means of exploring spirituality. I would agree that they may get more than they bargained for, although I wouldn't agree that kundalini is something that's intrinsically evil. It is a powerful force to be reckoned with, however.

Music of the Hour: Strange Days ~ Beautiful Midnight