From Faith, To Disbelief, and Back Again
I’ve been spending a lot of time wrapped up in spiritual literature as of late. On my recent trip to Hawaii, I visited a Buddhist temple, and picked up a book on the teachings of Buddha. I’ve also started reading the critically-acclaimed book by Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now. All this spiritual wisdom has me revisiting the ideas of heaven and hell that I learned as a child in the Catholic church.
My spiritual journey has been anything but straightforward. Raised in the Catholic church, I completed my first few sacraments including baptism, confession, and communion. Then, my father died when I was nine years old. Broken and grief stricken, we stopped going to church. I declared myself an atheist, and denounced all religion as false, stupid, and for the weak-minded. My arrogance and pain led me to what I’d now consider a 10-year dark night of the soul which finally came to an end in my college years when I experienced my first psychedelic trip. The very wind, earth, and trees came to life before me, and I realized there was more to life than the physical plane we exist upon in the forefront of our conscious minds.
This led me to new age spirituality, and eventually yoga, where I learned to channel my spiritual energies without the need for ingesting substances that were otherwise harmful to my psyche and overall mental health (thank goodness – don’t do drugs, kiddos).
Since then, I’ve spent many years pondering ideas such as the meaning of life, the purpose of humanity, the path to enlightenment, and the reason for suffering. I’ve deepened my yoga practice, explored psychology, began healing my own trauma, and searched for a spiritual tradition that felt right. Rather than finding a perfect fit for my soul’s questions, I’ve found something even more profound: an understanding that all spiritual traditions weave different aspects of the same divine truth. There is no one true religion because they all speak similar truths in the languages of different cultures. The ideas that are revered and passed through generations withstand because they speak to humanity’s core, and they whisper quiet truths beneath their mystical tales.
Revisiting Christian Wisdom from a Secular Perspective
When I was young, I was taught that Hell was the place you went to when you sinned, and Heaven is the place you would go if you lived a good and righteous Catholic life. In my still developing mind, this left little room for error. Each time I “sinned,” I would need to declare that sin to a priest within a dark wooden booth, and doing so would grant me forgiveness. But if I did not declare that I was deeply flawed within the house of God, I would one day be banished for all of eternity.
And banished, I was, so I denounced those ideas as bullsh*t. After all, there were billions of people on Earth, and most of them weren’t Catholic. Why would God create so many people just to damn them to Hell? Why would forgetting to say sorry lead to an eternity of torturous pain? The idea seemed primitive, because it was.
The stories of Heaven and Hell, of Creation and Revelation are not written as historically accurate representations of the past and future. They are metaphors, like most folklore, myths, and legends. They are fictional tales, that represent actual truths. I no longer believe there is a physical Heaven or Hell, where your physical body and its accompanying soul will be sent after you die. I, like all other humans who have ever lived, don’t know what happens when we die. I don’t have all the answers, or any, for that matter.
Here, I’m offering a perspective on Heaven and Hell for those who, like me, can’t wrap their minds around why parents would tell their children such a thing for literally thousands of years, or why we would continue archaic traditions like confessing our sins in a booth out of the fear that we might go to Hell if we don’t. It didn’t make sense then, but it’s extremely clear to me now.
Whether you’re a Christian, Atheist, of some other faith, or no faith at all, I hope what I share here can resonate with you, as it does with me, and it has for all of humanity for generations.
What is Hell?
The truth is, we all know what Hell is, and most of us have been there. Hell isn’t a place you go to when you die (hopefully), but it is a place you go to when you ‘sin”.
Wait, what the hell is sin?
Some extremely literal and devout people will give you a list when you ask them this question. Whether it’s being gay, eating shrimp, or wearing a certain type of fabric, they’ll declare that they have the answers and the Bible states them clear as day. What they don’t understand is that those rules were written for a completely different culture, and what sin was considered back then, in laymen’s terms.
None of those things are going to send you to Hell in today’s modern world. Biblical scholars can debate for hours, days, and millennia on what sin means, and they have. Put simply, sin is anything that brings you out of alignment with your truest, highest self. Believers in the Old Testament would say that sin is anything that brings you out of alignment with God, but we are being secular here, so I want to put this in terms that anyone can understand and resonate with.
These things are usually of detriment to yourself, your community, family, friends, and neighbors like lying, cheating, or stealing. They are acts of self-harm that you inflict upon your own soul and the world. They are acts that, if repeated and pervasive enough in your life, will eventually bring you to Hell.
And no, I don’t mean after you die. I mean Hell on earth.
Hell on Earth
Hell is torture. Hell is all-consuming. Hell is damning, and Hell is for eternity. Wait, scratch that last part. Hell isn’t for eternity. Hell is for as long as you decide to perpetuate your own negativity, self-hatred, and detrimental behaviors.
Hell is the depths of depression, when you can hardly get yourself out of bed in the morning. Hell is the bottom of the spiral into anxiety, where you are fully convinced the world and everyone in it is out to get you. Hell is when you’ve lost the one you loved and you cannot go on without them. Hell feels like the end; hell feels like forever.
In this desolate landscape within your own soul, torment is an ever-present companion. It feels like an endless night where the sun never rises, and the burden of existence becomes almost unbearable. The weight of ever-perpetuating anguish presses down upon you, making every step a struggle.
But, here’s the crucial distinction: Hell on Earth is not eternal. It doesn’t have to stretch into infinity. It persists only as long as you allow it to. It’s a self-perpetuated state, rooted in negative thoughts and self-destructive behaviors. The power to escape this mental landscape lies within, waiting to be harnessed.
In the depths of Hell on Earth, it may indeed feel like the end, like forever. But through understanding, self-compassion, and the will to make positive changes, it is possible to transcend this mental landscape. The journey out of this psychological hell is challenging, but it is a journey the soul must eventually take for the promise of healing, growth, and transformation on the other side.
What is Heaven?
Heaven is a paradise, where you are free from your sin, your earthly needs and desires, and you are free to live for eternity with all your loved ones and with God.
That’s the metaphorical description, and the real one, too. Except it’s more complicated than that, and Heaven can be on earth, too.
The concepts of heaven and enlightenment are one and the same.
Enlightenment means choosing to dwell in a state of presence rather than in time. It means saying yes to what is.
Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now
Did I lose you? Let me break it down to the best of my ability:
- Heaven is a paradise, where you are free from your sin, your earthly needs and desires: when you reach a state of enlightenment, that is, an ever-pervasive sense of acceptance of yourself, the world, and others around you, you become familiar with the joy of simply being. In this sense, it is a paradise, and the temptations of your selfish desires (or sins) no longer bother you, because you accept what you have and feel gratitude for all that is.
- You are free to live for eternity with all your loved ones and with God: In the Christian heaven, all your loved ones who you’ve lost will greet you at the gates of Heaven along with God himself. Rather than this very literal interpretation, I think it is something more like: your soul, as with all souls, is One with the universe and with divinity. When you understand this unity, and no longer view your loved ones as individual egos but as reflections of the same divine spirit that lives in all things, you know that they are always with you, in life and in death.
Enlightenment, in this secular interpretation, is a state of consciousness that transcends the confines of time and ushers one into a profound connection with the here and now. It involves choosing to dwell in the present moment, rather than being ensnared by the past or the future.
In this understanding, enlightenment is synonymous with heaven, not in the sense of an afterlife destination, but as a state of being that can be experienced right here on Earth. It is a way of existing where one says “yes” to what is, embracing the current reality with an open heart and a clear mind.
Enlightenment is the art of fully engaging with the present, allowing the mind to let go of the relentless churning of thoughts about what was or what might be. It means releasing the burdens of regret, worry, and anxiety, and immersing oneself in the beauty of the present moment.
This state of enlightenment is characterized by a deep sense of peace, contentment, and harmony. It is not a perpetual state of euphoria but rather a profound acceptance of the now, a surrender to the flow of life as it unfolds. In this sense, heaven and enlightenment converge as states of existence where one finds serenity and fulfillment through embracing the present and saying “yes” to the reality of the moment.
Living More In Heaven & avoiding hell on earth
After this exploration of heaven, hell, and enlightenment in a secular context, it’s time to distill some key takeaways on how to live more in heaven and avoid the pitfalls of hell on Earth:
- Live In the Present Moment: The heart of both heaven and enlightenment is the practice of living in the present moment. Cultivate mindfulness, allowing yourself to fully engage with what is happening now, rather than being consumed by the past or the future.
- Acceptance and Gratitude: Say “yes” to what is. Acknowledge and accept your current reality, with all its imperfections and challenges. Find gratitude for the simple joys and blessings that surround you.
- Release Negativity and Self-Hatred: Hell on Earth is characterized by self-destructive behaviors and negativity. To live more in heaven, make a conscious effort to release these detrimental patterns. Recognize that you have the power to change your thought processes and actions.
- Seek Understanding and Self-Compassion: Understand that people’s definitions of sin vary, and it’s important to let go of judgment, both of others and yourself. Replace judgment with self-compassion and a desire to understand the experiences of others.
- Connect with Others: Recognize the unity that connects all souls. The people you’ve loved and lost are always with you in the sense that we are all interconnected by the same divine essence. Foster meaningful connections with the people around you, nurturing a sense of oneness.
- Practice Self-Care: Seek to overcome the depths of anxiety, depression, and self-doubt. Prioritize self-care, whether through mindfulness practices, therapy, or other means of healing. Remember that healing is a journey that can lead to transformation.
- Let Go of Ego and Desires: As you work toward enlightenment, let go of ego and the endless desires that can consume your thoughts. Embrace the joy of simply being, recognizing that many earthly temptations lose their grip when you find contentment in the present.
- Notice the Beauty of Being: It’s easy to take everyday miracles for granted. The sun rising, a child’s smile, the galaxies above, or the feeling of sharing love. Make an effort to notice and savor the beautiful things that are all around you.
- The Journey Is Worth It: Remember that escaping Hell on Earth is possible. The journey may be challenging, but the promise of healing, growth, and transformation on the other side is worth the effort. With understanding, self-compassion, and the will to make positive changes, you can transcend the mental landscape of torment.
Incorporate these takeaways into your daily life, and you may find that you’re better equipped to live in a state of heaven, where acceptance and contentment are your companions, and Hell on Earth becomes a distant memory in the rearview mirror of your spiritual journey. Whether you follow a specific faith or none at all, the pursuit of inner peace and connection with the present moment is a universal and transformative path.
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