Come Out Of The Spiritual Closet! [Nothing To Worry About]

Why can’t spirituality be fully experienced in the west? Why do we always have to hold back and say that it is ‘certainly not spiritual’? This article is an invitation for the western people to come out of the spiritual closet. Read further…

How the Netherlands deals with spirituality: ‘certainly not spiritual’

I live in The Netherlands. Spirituality may seem widely accepted in the Netherlands – just look at the range in bookstores and the scale of the month of spirituality – but you will always see that the Dutch prefer a sober approach to spirituality.

Every spiritual chapter … every spiritual exercise … every spiritual reading … must be preceded by the statement that it is above all really not spiritual. Every opportunity is also taken to state that it is really scientifically substantiated. Apparently these announcements are really necessary in our sober Netherlands.

In the Netherlands all spiritual things are presented as non-spiritual. In every possible way is communicated in the Netherlands: “This is not spiritual!!” Even when we hold hands, sing Kumbaya, meditate and say prayers. Then that announcement still has to be made …

This common sense is deeply rooted in our culture

In America, things are way better! You only have to turn on the TV or you will hear the great TV personalities like Steve Harvey, Ellen Degeners and the president talk freely about God, pray and make your dream come true. Our president doesn’t have to try that – or he will immediately be called a religion-crazy-person.

Our society – so our parents, teachers, and TV messages – unfortunately teaches us to let our creative ability and imagination die. These are typical Dutch phrases:

• “You have to be realistic, go for certainty.”
• “Just do and stay normal.”
• “Don’t start living from your heart. Let your environment determine your life.”
• “Don’t you dare dream without limits.”
• “Children who ask are skipped.”
• “Act normal, then you are already crazy enough.”
• “Don’t stick your head above ground level.”
• “Anyone who is born for a dime will never become a quarter.”
• “Keep your feet on the ground.”
• “It must remain scientifically justified.”
• “I love Buddhism. Buddhism is an atheist philosophy of life. It’s not a religion.”
• “Is that workshop called ‘Unleash Your Power’? Terrible, I won’t go that far into that stuff. Just give me a workshop ‘Personal Development'”

Shouldn’t your head stick out above ground level? Sooooo Dutch!
– Paulien Cornelisse

Yes, those fuzzy spiritual people are annoying … but they are also very happy

There are certainly those floaty people in the Netherlands. Amsterdam is a wonderful exception to the sober province. Where the whole of the Netherlands holds the highest of ‘TV spirituality’, you will encounter almost American situations in Amsterdam . “I think the angels are busy” or “I also practice maaindfulness” is a common saying there when you are at a student party.

And those fuzzy acquaintances of yours who greet you with ‘you beautiful soul’ and who seem to go through life without any material focus? They are very happy.

Yes, they are financially unsuccessful. Yes, they have no business focus at all because they smell a different flower every time. Yes, they are annoying …

But they are only annoying to our ego and they are only unsuccessful in the eyes of the ego. If you look at their non-material qualities, they are really happy.

Come out of the spiritual closet: start to find spirituality and intuition normal

My own experience is: being floaty and spiritual makes you happier. Being floaty is good. I have put it to a test:

• For a while I felt very vague. I meditated with all my attention, I had a soft look at everyone and I always spoke with love … The result? I had never been happier.
• Then came a period in which I adapted myself to the sober Netherlands. During this period I felt very concrete, I spoke businesslike, I distanced myself, I condemned floaty people and after my meditation sessions I was just busy with the world again. The result? I had never been so unhappy.

Get out of the spiritual closet seriously: For example, don’t say that the messages from your sixth sense – your vibes – are strange. Welcome them and talk about it. Feel free to talk to everyone about the pleasure, the beneficial, the wonderful, and the genius of the guidance we can receive.

On your luck!