Greetings !
We generally tend to have misconception between Religious & Sprituality. When the world was formed there are no religions, Religions are formed to mould people of their animals instincts and draw towrds love for nature and humanity. The set of religious practices are only to make sure we give time to God and thereby find spirituality.
The set of organized form of worships in each religion is only to ensure we bring our mind and body together at peace and find the inner God within us. Every religion has functional calendar year which promotes penance, fasting, Alms giving and self denial so that we move from our routine and seek God. but we dont progress on that we may never find Spirituality and True purpose of life, it means as we progress in our education from class to class, school to college , college to work and promoted, we should keep progressing in our Religious beliefs and search Spirituality. we cannot say im very happy with my Religion and so i will not move forward, it will be like im happy in class 9th but will not under pain of writing a public exam to move forward. Unfortunately the life and our Schools even our parents or elders dont teach Value science and lead us to Spirituality.
In Ancient times there are Gurus who forgo every aspect of the world in search of Spirituality and attain the wisdom of Enlightenment, they find suitable students and teach them. Ever since we stepped in Industrialization and technology advancement we forgot our roots and forgo the basic purpose of life.
Only if we understand the real sense of Religion can we progress towards Spirituality, and not getting confused with Religious beliefs. Which is why there are so many hatred in the name of religion and discrimination as to which religion is better, Once we understand Spirituality we never bother about Practices which prevailed in us.
But to progress in Spirituality, Religion plays a prominent and significant role, It becomes the base of our Spirituality, without which we may not be strong in our roots. Even for God's Chosen people Religion has given the base for their inner growth.
Lord Jesus Christ for instance was born a Jew, his parents or himself never deviated from the Religion in which they were born. All the dutiful rights of a parent which Obligatorily needs to be fulfilled was completed. Even though Father of Jesus were simple carpenter yet he offered to the temple as obligated. Jesus Parents were so perfect examples of how to bring a child, that the child was given knowledge of the Religious practices of a Jew at a very early age. It was evident when he was discussing this with the Learned people at the Temple, it is said they were ashtonished at the knowledge he has over the scripts. His parents helped him giving all the Religious knowledge that over a period of time Jesus concise all the Rules to Just 2. Love God and Love your Neighbor.
It is just one example of how we need to be knowledgeable of our Religion that we could take the inner sense of its meanings, yet we tend to tip of the grass and not knowing the taste of its stem. Its hard to find a Real Guru who can guide us in many parts of the world, its tough to come out of our Religious practices which we have been following for all these years. People misguided to switch religion for various materialistic benefits or healings, but the True Guru and guide to spirituality is our inner soul.
We need to sit in silence , make an understanding and communicate with our soul. Read read and read alot of Religious and spiritual books which inspires us, we should gather more thoughts so that our soul identifies the right Guru who may be alive or not, but progressing towards the next step will be possible.
Seek you shall find , Knock and it shall be open to you.
