I have been trying to reconcile an inward development of spirituality with my outward-oriented Catholic upbringing for quite a few years now. I love the historical and spiritual significance of Jesus and still bring my children to church in order to experience a sense of spirit and love and to help instill the habit of taking time for gratitude. I believe however that there are many paths to God. Being raised in this faith tradition, I will continue along this path but without the religious dogma. It is an uncomfortable balancing act at times.

I recently attended a talk on the early Christian church which described how the bible came to be. I asked the question of whether there might have been some misinterpretation of Jesus’ teachings by the apostles. I had hoped that the professor would tell me that indeed, Jesus’ teachings could also be understood to be about developing an inward God consciousness. I have clung to the scripture “Be still and know that I am here” as evidence. But instead the Professor told me that at the time the Greeks were furthering an image of God which was “nearby”, and so in response, the Jews wanted to paint a picture of an all- knowing God which was very “far away.” Therefore, he felt that the apostles did not understand Jesus’ teachings to mean anything internal. It seems to me that perhaps there was some evidence of this however. I have often wondered why, for example, the story of Easter does not properly end with the story about Pentecost? Why, in other words, was the spiritual-mystical component not highlighted? It seems to be that perhaps this might be the whole point of the story of Jesus crucifixion.

Any help you can offer to help reconcile these thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I am having a lot of trouble moving on from the last man I’ve dated.  I find myself with a heavy heart and grief filled, often becoming overly emotional and weeping over this loss even though a significant amount of time has passed since our last meeting (over 6 months). We didn’t spend too much physical time together, but were often in communication over the course of a year.  I believe I am an HSP and become very emotionally attached to “significant others” even if we only date a few times.  I dwell on “what could have been”  and try to stay positive but find it increasingly difficult to learn a positive lesson from this relationship instead of dwelling on the loss.  Staying open to meeting other men and delving into new relationships becomes increasingly daunting as I am afraid of getting hurt or being rejected. What is your advice for moving on, remaining open to love, and clearing myself of this negative energy?  Many thanks.

If at the end of the journey, meeting God means experiencing the pure love for every living creature, how is it possible to have a loving relationship with your wife or husband and children where, whatever you do, a form of attachment will always be present? If the slightest form of attachment remains, full realization or awakening is not accomplish. Can we reach the final step as long as we are still feeling something “different” for a particular person?

How does one show gratitude when an intent has been manifested? I was wondering how it fits in with the different God response levels you describe in How to Know God. Is gratitude normally a reactive God response?

How do I assist a friend in overcoming a low self-esteem issue? It manifests as a need to prove himself with younger women. He’s sensitive and reasonable, but in this area he cannot see that he exploits and manipulates to get what he wants. I’ve suggested counseling. I’ve tried to talk to him of the truths I’ve learned, but he’s told me I’m too preachy, and he’s unable to hear them yet.