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Gay spirituality has been long sought and hard fought. Let's face it, a large percentage of us grew up in churches that condemned us. It is completely common to go through a strong questioning period where spiritual answers seem out of reach and you end up looking for some sort of confirmation. The problem is that there is no actual confirmation, but the journey is still well worth it.
In many cases, whether we were ready or not, our spiritual quests started in our youth. Not all of us completely grasped why condemnation of the gay population bothered us so much. Some of us understood all too well.
As time went on many of us started searching outside the church for answers. Social justice and a strong desire to move our community into the light became more of our church than the buildings with pastors and priests.
If you want to look elsewhere, you don't have to go digging around in a church to find your gay spirituality. Sometimes finding a church is the best thing. Other times finding the answer all on your own makes more sense. While there have been many figures reaching out to us in the past, there are now safe places for us to congregate and be accepted for our character.
It can be a painful road if you come from a religious background. You may have been subjected to prayer sessions that were supposed to "cure" you or religious studies that openly humiliated you. Thus, in today's GLBT community there are many who find spirituality solely within themselves.
You do not have to go to an organized church or even claim a religion in order to mark your spiritual journey. You are able to move through your questions and find your own answers whether it be through actual religious study or it becomes more of a silent quest along the beach. However you go about looking for your spiritual self you are simply not alone. The truth is that the GLBT community has been hit rather hard when it comes to spiritual acceptance, which is why it is important to understand what you want from your journey. Gay travel or gay vacations with Spirit Journeys is one way to start your journey.
When you find that spiritual beliefs and religious beliefs don't actually stem from the same place, your journey becomes lighter and more involved. We have sat in classrooms or listened to our parents as they taught us religion. We feel spirituality. We bring it forth from a place inside that is often fleeting for those of us who resist the idea. Embracing those moments brings your spirituality straight to the surface.
Of course, if joining an open and affirming church feels good to you, by all means they offer a great spiritual sanctuary. The biggest point of all is that along your journey of today, there are actually choices. You get to choose your own journey, church or no church, which is a step forward in and of itself. Since your journey never needs to actually end, you get to choose your direction all the time.
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