It is always our understanding alone that determines whether information, or 'wisdom' or 'spiritual teachings' are 'valuable' and 'true'.
No authority can substitute our own understanding.
When we allow ourselves to be led by an authority figure or an authoritarian belief system (or 'dogma'), we may believe that we are on a Spiritual path, but really we are simply denying our 'God-given' capacity for deep, individual, alignment with Life.
A Spiritual practice - a 'spiritual life' - is supposed to bring out the best in us, to help reveal the infinite richness of our Divine heritage as Spiritual Beings. (The words 'Divine' and 'Spiritual' can be substituted with 'Original', 'Real', or 'unconditioned' if we do not identify with spiritual/religious terminology.)
If we follow an 'authority' instead of being guided by our own understanding, we are denying our heritage - our roots.
To be deeply rooted/grounded, is to be guided by our understanding - not 'intellectual understanding', but the 'energy of understanding' - the Living Intelligence, the Creative Source.
The essence of Spiritual teachings has usually been Love - God's Love (or 'Life's Love') of humanity, and Love of each other... the 'Brotherhood of humanity'.
If a teaching, even one that is given by 'God', is not understood it is, at best, useless. In many cases, it is actually dangerous because of the fervour with which it will be (mis)applied.
A tradition that emphasises faith in a teaching or doctrine and affiliation with a group, if it leads to alienation of other groups or individuals, will tend towards disrespect of those who are outside of the group (which tends to lead sooner or later to violent abuse).
This is why religion has developed such a bad reputation, especially the religions 'of the Book' (which refers to Christianity, Judaism and Islam).
Understanding is what distinguishes wisdom from dogma.
It is only in our understanding that Spirituality can be truly alive and real.
But ultimately even 'understanding' becomes irrelevant as the sense of 'I' dissolves in the Graceful flow of Life.
*'The Energy of Understanding' is an expression frequently used by Shibendu Lahiri in his spiritual discourses.
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