I Don’t Subscribe to a Religion - Here’s What I Believe Instead

I was once asked while presenting at a show and tell event if I had frequent encounters with people who challenged my beliefs…

While out with a friend and the topic of Christianity came up, I was told “I’d figure it out” in response to me trying to explain my perception of Jesus embodying and preaching Christ Consciousness as an extension of God, while still being mindful of their personal beliefs…

While at an event, a beautiful woman sat and watched me for hours, only to come to my table after I was done for the day to ask me a series of probing questions - and then tell me “Jesus is waiting for me to accept him into my life” then she proceeded to walk to her car and leave the event entirely….

I've had people refer to me as an angel, and others refer to me as a witch...

These experiences are typical for someone in my line of work.

As someone who shows up as a spiritual mentor, openly practices psychic mediumship, and still prays to God before every session - people are often both confused, and curious, about my beliefs - totally understandable.

But I’ve noticed something else in these encounters - layered confusion. Not just about me, but about my responses… after I share my thoughts and experiences, I notice people questioning of themselves. Of their choice to question me, and the sometimes earth shattering reality check that is my answer, because it goes against the preconception of who people think I am.

Like when that beautiful, prying, woman asked me who I communicate with in my readings and I said “God”. She was visibly shocked and had to then adjust her line of questioning. Or when I was asked how I respond to people challenging my beliefs and I said “I don’t - that’s their path” and the room fell silent. Or when my friend innocently said “I’d figure it out” when really - I know exactly what I believe and why, I just needed to figure out how to communicate that better to someone I cared about.

It’s an interesting process and experience being openly spiritual. Many people don’t get it, or they think they do based off of what they’ve seen or heard socially. That if someone believes something different, it must be wrong. Evil. Challenged. Stopped.

I’ve been fortunate to have been primarily met with curiosity when it comes to my beliefs, but most people aren’t curious. They pick a lane, or are assigned one, and they inexorably stay put, unyielding to any change - even fighting against it.

But the truth is I don’t subscribe to any one faith, and I can’t.

I'm curious, and in spite of how I may appear I also have a lot of experience exploring faith specifically. I was raised in a Christian household where my dad quoted scripture. I went to a private Christian elementary school and studied religions of the world in college.

I lost my connection to God and Jesus after years of abuse, then invited them back in of my own volition and informed consent - not as a Christian, but as a spiritual being seeking balance in my human experience. And I didn’t stay there, because I don’t believe that’s the only valid spiritual context in this world. Nor do I believe that I’ll ever have all the information or answers. I simply study, and the more I do that, the more I find to believe in and explore - not discount or disregard.

What I’ve also found is an insatiable appetite for learning more about myself and the world around me - even the one that's not visible to the naked eye.

An appetite to understand the actual world, in it's entirety, not just one “safe” facet of it that was handed to me. A desire to continue being curious and open minded to the experiences of my fellow humans so that I can be a better human myself.

Im not a Christian, Buddhist, Taoist, Spiritualist, witch - or any of the other labels that people have tried to assign me for their own understanding and comfort - I’m just me. And that changes as I experience more life.

Breaking Point: a sculpture symbolizing evolving through struggle, and facing fear head on, as a quest to find the light in our darkness. 📍Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

So what do I actually believe?

I believe in Divine Consciousness - and I believe we are all an extension of it experiencing itself.

I believe in an energy beyond our full comprehension that makes up everything seen and unseen. A source through which all is created, expressed, expanded, and destroyed - hence the similarities throughout ancient religious and cultural references. A mechanism for discovery, truth, and balance that can be tapped into and utilized as support along our journey toward living out our purpose and expressing our truth - and yes - I still call that God.

To me, spirituality isn’t something you subscribe to or place in a box with a label - it’s something you practice and become through learning and remembering.

It’s awareness. Consciousness. Presence. & Intention.

It’s the willingness to sit with both the light and darkness within yourself, without labeling one as good and the other as bad, but understanding both as necessary for our understanding and evolution.

It’s choosing to respond with honesty, to meet yourself with grace, and to continue evolving through every season of your life knowing you are supported by the source of life itself.

My spirituality isn’t defined by a label. It’s defined by how I show up, how I listen, and how I choose to grow.

I don’t have anything to figure out, just more to become as I evolve through my being, my presence, my curiosity, and my exploration.

That’s it.