Book Introduction
On December 27th, 1999, Katie Couric, host of the NBC morning Today Show interviewed the popular futurist and predictor of trends for the advertising industry, Faith Popcorn. She asked Ms. Popcorn, "What do you see as the up-and-coming trend for the 2000s?" Without hesitation, Ms. Popcorn replied, "Spirituality."
The word, which the show’s producers probably thought held religious overtones, was left hanging in mid-air, and it left Ms. Couric speechless. The station immediately broke to the commercial.
Pan westward now to my kitchen in California, the state that takes good-natured ribbing for giving birth to some of the more bizarre trends. That word spirituality, too provocative for the general public audience, had the hairs on my forearms raised to attention as a smile came to my lips. I had felt the same prediction as Ms. Popcorn, and was writing this book on the topic. After experiencing a paranormal event in 1992, I had an urgent need to understand what it meant to live life spiritually and had put my career as an interior designer on hold. I subsequently realized that I was actually in the process of redesigning my own "interior" - revealing my soul’s desire.
The idea that spirituality and religion are synonymous is a common misconception. Spirituality is not the same as religiosity. I devote myself to the concept of freedom that requires, just as written into the Constitution, that church and state matters should remain separate. The personal freedom that I enjoy, not belonging to any particular organized religion, is my decision. That doesn’t mean that I decry religion; it just isn’t my choice to have one.
I’m not sure what it is about organized religion that turns me off. Like a lot of things in my life that I’ve not given enough time to investigate thoroughly, I’m not particularly informed, and therefore I’m not interested. A lot of my rejection is the shame that I feel for any religion whose faithful servants perpetuate hatred and war because of their chauvinistic attitudes. Even in this 21st Century, there are still over 85 religious wars going on somewhere in the world.
It’s my guess that many other people feel a lot like I do, but also like me, may have felt some urge to investigate their spiritual nature. If something has been calling to you, it’s for that reason that you’ve picked up this book. In it I think you’ll find everything you need to know about spirituality for now. It is designed to get you started on a course of life lived with a deeper meaning. Once informed, I can assure you, you will be interested in designing a spiritual life for yourself.
*L.I.F.E. is a acronym for Loving Infinite Force of Energy (God)