Consider the relationship between

religion and spiritual life.

The former is seen as lesser than the latter,

even to those who profess to be religious.

Religion has dogma and credo

and the basis of its’ being

 are ethics and custom.

On the other hand,

the spiritual aspires to transcend even life.

Rather than the handmaidens of reason

and tradition, protected by stability,

its’ roots live even within

the darkness of war and hate.

All the people of the Book

ironically search backward

 in time for leadership when they

seek the “Good”, the “True”.

The youngest of these

consider “bid’ah”(innovation)

a blight upon the true Word.

Perhaps no one grasps the spiritual,

but if one did, let us call him/her

“enlightened”.

Enlightenment names time an illusion.

The religious are legion.