Religions Use Reflection as a Tool

If you are religious, you will find a major tool of several religions is reflection. That makes sense. They teach you about how to live a wholesome life, at least that is the intent. In the Catholic religion, there is the concept of confession. The idea is that when people sin, they have a way of receiving forgiveness by reflecting on what they did wrong. The priest suggests acts to follow, such as prayers, then encourages congregates not to repeat the sins again.

People also use reflection to assess their belief in a god or deity. They ponder what life would be like if that God did not exist, and try to determine whether that would be better than having the god. Those who believe that it is better to believe in God will continue with the religion that conforms to that belief.

Reflection in religion can also be about others who do not believe the same as you. If you believe in God and you find someone who doesn’t, you may feel as though they are missing out. Of course, the other person may never share that feeling, and this can cause conflict between the two of you. Religious differences have started wars throughout history...this is against the tenets of most religions.

Prayer can be thought of as a form of reflection. Many prayers will map out actions people should follow to lead better lives. You have likely heard many derivatives of the term forgive and forget, and there are plenty of others.

The prayer does not need to be a formal script for it to use reflection. People often pray by simply talking to God and asking for help for themselves or loved ones. This is reflecting about how they would be adversely affected if the situation is not somehow corrected. Serious illnesses are an example of this type of plea to God.

People spend a lifetime reflecting on how they can improve their lives by trying to avoid what they’ve done in the past. Often, this is taught in a particular religion. However, it’s possible for people to use this reflection without any formal religious training or upbringing. It’s a personal decision, and we all should try and respect each others’ beliefs. This can be difficult when those differences are fundamental. People are not fond of having their beliefs challenged...that too is a form of reflection.

Reflection, prayer, and practice are foundational to my life, and I have designed my life around them. I have developed journaling practices for reflection; my meditation and prayer practices are forms of reflection; and the decisions and choices I make in my life have become intentional through my mindfulness reflection practice.

Having reflection practices is a tool for living...a way of living an Intentional Life.

How do you use reflection in your life?

Until next time...

Lisa

P.S. Join me in holding our global society in prayer...Together we lift our voices up and surrender our concerns; we give thanks for Divine Healing and offer our deepest gratitude for the combined efforts of every citizen, medical professional, and entity that serves. We take comfort in our powers of faith, strength, and love. Amen