I view being born again as becoming “woke”, to grow spiritually, increasing my personal awareness; to see the world through my own eyes, not through the filters that society and religion have reprogrammed me to see things. It’s to see things again as a child.

Do you need to be “born again”? No. Being “born again” is not necessary because we were born just fine the first time. We were born human beings, with all it’s upside and downside, and that’s what we are supposed to be. Being human means operating within an infinite field of potential and possibility for actualizing the fullness of what we are and can be.

We were not born with a condition that deserves separation from God, and eternal punishment. As human persons, we were born with the capacity to be an instrument of goodness, love, virtue, compassion, courage, generosity, and kindness in the world, or a person of malice, hate, judgment, indifference, greed, and wrongdoing.

No, I am not a “sinner saved by grace”. I was not born bad. I was born human, which means I am capable of great goodness or harm in the world. I am responsible for my actions and their consequences. My life experiences have wounded me in ways that contribute to the harmful things I do in the world. I can take responsibility for my personal growth and wholeness by addressing where I have been wounded and facing the root causes of my chronic unhappiness and disharmony. An aspect of taking responsibility for myself may include seeking professional help and support without shame.

Divine intervention is not the solution. I have the power and ability to take purposeful and deliberate action to live a meaningful and whole life. This involves taking into account both my light and my darkness. I am capable of cultivating a vital relationship with myself as the foundation of my life, including self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-compassion, self-care, and self-respect.

I will not pull-off being human flawlessly, but I will make a good-faith effort each day to live my life well. Even on the best days I will stumble and see ways I have fallen short, but I will offer acceptance, patience, and compassion to myself, knowing that self-love and not self-condemnation will aid my growth and wholeness.

I accept that all human beings are in the same boat and I will be ready to offer compassion to others in their challenges and struggles to be the best human being they can be.

My lived human experience is a temporary adventure and will one day come to an end. This is not a cause for despair because I know that what I fundamentally am is not a body and mind, and has no beginning or end. I will embrace my lived human experience fully, but not become attached to the underlying premises that falsely identify what I am and the true nature of reality.

As a guiding principle for my human life, I will hold love as the highest expression of what I can be in every moment, encounter, endeavor, situation, and circumstance. I can cultivate a spirituality that isn’t based on the premise of being bad, separated from God, and in need of being saved from myself. I understand that the ultimate reality that the word “God” indicates, is woven into the fabric of all existence and is the ground of my being.