What exactly do we mean when we talk about gay spirituality? Since many of us grew up in religious organizations that told us we were abominations and unworthy sinners there are plenty of people within the GLBT community that aren’t interested in religion. Others want some validation from the church and thus look for meaning in religion. If you take your spiritual journey, you’ll find that the process can definitely be satisfying.

In many cases, whether we were ready or not, our spiritual quests started in our youth. Not all of us completely grasped why condemnation of the gay population bothered us so much. Some of us understood all too well.

This led to a natural progression of questions that were taken away from the church and into other possibilities. Some people created groups and offered emotional and spiritual support along with the fight for social justice.

Fortunately, spiritual answers do not necessarily have to come from a church or a person of religious affiliation. Not all of us culminate our gay spirituality quest on the steps of a religious building. We’ve gone from the efforts of a few brave religious figures reaching out toward the community to what are now known as open and affirming churches.

It can be a painful road if you come from a religious background. You may have been subjected to prayer sessions that were supposed to “cure” you or religious studies that openly humiliated you. Thus, in today’s GLBT community there are many who find spirituality solely within themselves.

This means that you never have to set foot into an organized church if you prefer not to, as the answers aren’t likely to come from a single man or woman of the cloth. Rather, spiritual answers tend to come from within. They come in the form of a loved one or a partner. They come in the form of a sense of self and a strong sense of owning your sexuality. They come in little tid bits all throughout life. They come in moments that you recognize but often aren’t sure what to call them.

When you find that spiritual beliefs and religious beliefs don’t actually stem from the same place, your spiritual journeys become lighter and more involved. We have sat in classrooms or listened to our parents as they taught us religion. We feel spirituality. We bring it forth from a place inside that is often fleeting for those of us who resist the idea. Embracing those moments brings your spirituality straight to the surface.

Of course, if joining an open and affirming church feels good to you, by all means they offer a great spiritual sanctuary. The biggest point of all is that along your journey of today, there are actually choices. You get to find your own gay spirit, church or no church, which is a step forward in and of itself. Since your journey never needs to actually end, you get to choose your direction all the time.

Thoughts written by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys list of gay retreats is amazing. Their gay travel in 2010 is well rounded.

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