Religion seems to divide us more than ever these days, but spirituality doesn’t have to be a battleground. Regardless of your faith, there is universality in the concepts of kindness and love. Trying to find our own path to these final destinations can be like searching for a treasure with no X on the map so, in turn, we search for guidance.
Here are 10 modern-day spiritual leaders who share their wisdom with whomever will listen.
Author of New York Times Bestseller “The Power of Now,” Eckhart Tolle was born in Germany. At 29, Tolle was on the verge of committing suicide when he realized that the negative voice in his head was separate from who he was. He described this in an interview with Oprah: “One night, at the moment you were referring to, a separation occurred between the voice that was the incessant stream of thinking and the sense of self that identified with that voice, and a deeper sense of self that I later recognized as consciousness itself, rather than something that consciousness had become through thinking.” His book talks about finding happiness in the present and ignoring the negative thoughts in our heads.
Don Miguel was a neurosurgeon when he was in a severe car accident that inspired him to change his outlook on life. In Mexico, his parents had studied ancient Toltec healing traditions. Don Miguel combined his knowledge with the knowledge of his parents to form an understanding of life. He has since shared his philosophy and became a bestselling author. In an interview with Spirituality & Health, Don Miguel explained, “The Five Agreements are tools to change your world. If you are impeccable with your words, if you don’t take anything personally, if you don’t make assumptions, if you always do your best, and if you are skeptical while listening, we won’t have any more war in our head. There will be peace.”
Rhonda Byrne had a career as a producer when she had a breakdown in 2004. She then discovered a secret she believed would shake the world and which surely changed her own. After intensive research and hours of work, she came out with a film and later a book entitled, “The Secret.” In it she detailed her belief that the law of attraction could get you anything you desired if you continue to think positively.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis is different from previous popes. He chooses to live in simplicity rather than live with the luxuries of his predecessors. He is also the first pope from the Americas and is not afraid to share his views. Despite his religious and conservative beliefs, he is noted for his open-minded views towards the gay community. In a New York Times video, he asks the church to apologize for wronging the gay community.
Born Steven Gray, Adyashanti studied Zen Buddhism in his twenties when he began to experience awakenings. He was asked by his Zen teacher to teach others, thus propelling his journey. He practiced meditation and changed his name to Adyashanti, which is Sanskrit for “primordial peace.” His followers increased and he has since published several books.
Chopra began his career in India where he studied medicine. He then came to the United States for his residency. Similar to Don Miguel Ruiz, Chopra combined modern medical knowledge with, in this case, Hindu traditional medicine. In 1996 he co-founded the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. He believes in the power of our consciousness and the strength we have in its belief.
Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Besides his Buddhist teachings, he speaks about religious harmony, human rights and non-violence. He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize. According to the Nobel Prize website, “Dalai Lamas are the manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who chose to reincarnate to serve the people.”
Coelho is widely known for his book, “The Alchemist.” The book is about a shepherd who searches for a treasure and eventually learns from an alchemist that it’s not gold or jewels he’s been looking for, but an internal treasure. Similar to the shepherd, Coelho was on the wrong path in his life. His parents did not approve of his dreams to become a writer. Although Coelho disagreed, he listened to them and found himself very unhappy. After seeing his own unhappiness clearly, Coelho eventually pursued writing full time and found his own treasure.
James Redfield worked as a therapist for abused children for more than 15 years. He quit to pursue writing, where he combined the studies from his schooling with his interest in Eastern philosophies. His bestseller, “The Celestine Prophecy,” talks about a spiritual awakening and was even made into a film.
Even if you haven’t heard of Marianne Williamson, you probably have heard of her popular saying, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” These words make up the beginning lines of her book, “A Return to Love.” In addition to being a successful author, she is also the founder of Project Angel Food, which serves meals to people with AIDS.
Spirituality is an entirely personal experience and it comes in diverse forms. As these 10 leaders have shown, you can believe in anything that brings your life meaning and purpose – whether it’s peace, God or love.
