1. Why not just call your main character “Jesus?” Why “Yeshua?”

2. Why did you use “journeys” instead of “chapters?”

3. What is a spiritual journey?

4. I understand that a spiritual journey is important to my overall well-being.  In such a busy world, how do I make the time to journey?

5. Do I need to change religions in order to become more spiritual?

6. Can I be spiritual and not know it?
7. Does my spirituality have to be like yours?
8. I pray, attend worship, and give money to the poor. So how come I feel like something is still missing?
9. What does “demystify the spiritual journey” mean?

Why not just call your main character “Jesus?” Why “Yeshua?”

The name “Yeshua” takes us back in time. I wrote about an era from which much religious tradition derives. The name “Jesus” sometimes has emotional or intellectual overtones that I wished to avoid. You notice that “Joseph” becomes “Yosuf” and Mary becomes “Miriam.” We think we know about them from traditional stories. I wanted to look at these people through new eyes.

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Why did you use “journeys” instead of “chapters?”

I wanted to create the sense that we were looking into Yeshua’s life journeys. Whether as a youngster or an adult, He was journeying through life. I wanted to show the overlap of His spiritual journey with His life journey. The two journeys begin to merge into one as Yeshua matures. I suppose I could have accomplished the same thing using traditional chapters, I just liked this way better.

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What is a spiritual journey?

A spiritual journey is the awareness that you go through life in partnership with the Creator. As you mature in your awareness of your relationship with the Devine, you begin to behave in a more spiritual manner in love and compassion. Your actions take you away from negative energy and toward positive energy.

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I understand that a spiritual journey is important to my overall well-being. In such a busy world, how do I make the time to journey?

Many of us cram a whole year’s worth of rest and relaxation into a one or two week vacation. We enjoy the time away. And then when it’s over we get right back into the race as if we were never away. It sure felt good though. Why not take a little vacation every day? Plan for a vacation of twenty to thirty minutes each day devoted to life, love, compassion, and well-being.

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Do I need to change religions in order to become more spiritual?

No. While it is true that many of our assumptions about spirituality have come from Eastern religion and thought, in truth, each religious tradition has spiritual aspects to it. Seek the spiritual within your own religion before expanding your experiences.

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Can I be spiritual and not know it?

Yes, you are a spiritual being. Unfortunately organized religion does not devote much time to teaching the spiritual aspects of life. Give yourself permission to be spiritual. Then seek more love and compassion in your life. Spirituality is a part of everyone.

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Does my spirituality have to be like yours?

Definitely not! Each of us is a unique being. Therefore each of us will travel a unique path. Trying to copy the actions of another’s spirituality is a trap. Your spiritual journey will be unique to you.

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I pray, attend worship, and give money to the poor. So how come I feel like something is still missing?

If you pray, attend worship, and donate your money because that is what you “think” you are supposed to do, then your spirituality is in your head. Get into your heart. Approach prayer with a loving intimacy with God. In your worship praise the Creator. Be thankful that you get to participate in Creation. When you donate, donate unconditionally from the heart without expectation of reward. You will find fulfillment when you keep your actions positive and loving.

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What does “demystify the spiritual journey” mean?

The word “mystify” comes from the word “mystery.” The word Mystery (with a capital M) has been used in an attempt to describe the Creator and Creation (which in human terms are indefinable). Americans and Europeans are abandoning organized religion in the pursuit to find the Truth on their own. They no longer want someone else telling them what the Mystery is; they want to experience the Mystery for themselves. To “demystify” the spiritual journey means that we do not need someone else to tell us what our relationship to Creation is. We can simply claim our intimacy with the Creator and allow those experiences to govern our behavior.

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