Coming Out of the Spiritual Closet

Coming Out of the Spiritual Closet

Coming out of the closet immediately makes one think of a man or woman finally admitting that he or she is gay. Lately, I’ve noticed that spirituality has become a somewhat closeted matter among gay people and socialites. Very few people want to discuss their beliefs or proclaim what they believe in public for fear of being classified as a lunatic.

I have played the part of many different sides of spirituality from a devout Christian minister passing out Tracts on the NYC streets to a fairly New Thought Christian/Buddhist Yogi. When my friends try to define who I am to an acquaintance, they don a perplexed look. “What exactly do you believe?” I’m often asked.

Our spiritual walk, no doubt, needs to be something we practice in private. We don’t ever need to parade our beliefs with flags and cymbals overtly pushing it in other’s faces, but we also need not fear to express it when appropriate.

Today at the YMCA in East Nashville, I substituted for a yogi friend. After class, I lost my IPhone. A few people in the class and associates tried to help. I was a bit frantic, until I found it in the locker room. On the way out, I said, “It was by the grace of God it was still there.”

An African American woman followed me to my car and said, “Isn’t it nice to be at a place where you can proclaim the grace of God and not fear being ridiculed?”

I agreed. This, of course, made me wonder just how much people fear sharing their beliefs.

I’m always shocked how many times I’m at a bar or party, and someone will begin chatting with me about a spiritual experience. After gushing through the story, the person will often exclaim, “I’ve never shared that with anyone before.”

I smile, cautiously. All it took was the knowledge that I am a spiritually open individual for them to seek me. I didn’t have to go preach on the end of the bar. Often people come up to me and share how their meditation is getting along, how they are enjoying yoga, or how singing spiritual music is so uplifting.

The church I go to, Center of Spiritual Living Nashville, is a very open community. The only prerequisite of being a member or attending is that your intent is to search for the good in yourself and others. That’s all! No one judges you from the moment you enter the doors, until you leave with a smile on your face. When I found this church after so much judgment, I breathed a vast sigh of relief.

Centers of Spiritual Living and Unity Churches have often been classified by bible-based Christianity as nonChristian churches. But this is furthest from the truth. The founders of both churches were very Christian. They simply took the words of Jesus to heart and began healing themselves and teaching others to make effective change in their minds and lives. “The Daily Word” is a perfect example of something that many people read but never knew was started by the Unity Church. I know many denominations have their own versions of Daily Word now, but I remember a time when Unity was the only publication out there. Many Christians read this publication never knowing that Unity was the publisher.

Yet, Unity and Centers of Spiritual Living ministers have long been considered the bottom of the barrel in Christian circles. I remember the first time a Baptist preacher showed up where I was the music minister of a Unity church and brought his choir to sing. We were all amazed that this forward-moving minister was proudly showing his face in a denomination that was long considered a church that lacked the salvation scriptures, deeming it not bible-based.

It really doesn’t matter what you believe to me. Just looking inside and discovering that something exists that is larger and greater than your self is a clear step toward compassion and greater love. You don’t have to be anything or believe anything the way it is prescribed by a certain religion. You can create from your heart what you believe. Even the Christian bible says that in the final days of the earth, the word of God will be written on the hearts of men and women. I believe that day is now.

Trusting the growth of our spirituality to anyone is difficult. I believe you should be careful and prayerful when you search for a spiritual mentor. This person should certainly be led to you by God and Spirit alone. Make sure you feel safe and are able to be completely authentic with this person, before you ever begin this tenuous and awesome process.

When you discover who you are and what you believe, take the next step to be honest with the people you know and love. Share with your heart what you feel. Don’t be afraid to say a prayer before you eat, or offer a word of prayerful encouragement to someone in need. Just don’t force spirituality on anyone. If you honor all beliefs, then you will, most likely, be honored back for your personal belief.

For many years I have been blessed to be out of the closet in two large ways in life, as a gay man and as a spiritual man of God. I’m not afraid to be either. And neither should you.

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Bo Sebastian is a Hypnotherapist and Life & Health Coach, available for private sessions to QUIT SMOKING, Lose Weight, New Lap-Band Hypnosis for Weight Loss, CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR LIFE! at 615-400-2334 or www.bosebastian.com.

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