We could say that contemporary spirituality describes and constitutes the purest essence of all religion.

It is what lies at the heart of all religion and at the heart of any spiritual practice or philosophy, no matter how complex the doctrine, how fundamental its scriptures and texts, or how dysfunctional its rules, regulations, and codes of conduct.

Contemporary spirituality is an approach to religion and spirituality that speaks directly to the times we live in and to the consciously evolving human being of the twenty-first century. It offers a way in which to bring the role of religion and spirituality into our present global society.

All religion originated as an immaculate conception, with purity and peace as its basis. The world’s varying religions emerged at different points on humanity’s time line, when human consciousness reflected those eras. In that respect we understand that religion was written for a bygone age. The rise of religion to prominence occurred at a time when the consciousness of the mass of humanity was in its formative stages of evolution. What constituted the pure heart of religion was adapted and distorted beyond all original meaning by those who held power, who were also in the early stages of their own conscious evolution. Such immature minds used religion to increase power, amass wealth, and to manipulate and control the collective without any remote interest in studying, or aspiring to teach the truth, the heart, and the origins of specific religious practices.

As consciously evolving beings we have come a long way since then. No longer in the infancy of our development, we can recognize how alarmingly out of context it is to be following antiquated religious doctrines that have been distorted and rewritten by our less consciously evolved predecessors.

Contemporary spirituality, as a way for the twenty-first-century consciously evolving individual, is at its heart, an uncorrupted, uncomplicated, non-fundamental, and simple teaching. Contemporary Spirituality is:

• an expression of spirituality and religion in its purest form.
• a true expression of the heart of all religion.
• an open invitation to all, no matter what race, denomination, or creed.
• an opportunity to seek and embrace self-mastery: to master our senses, our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts, and the way in which we live our lives.
• an encouragement to cultivate selfdiscipline, self-love, self-awareness, self-understanding, self-knowing, selfrealization, and self-actualization.
• a way to lead us along a clear path, devoid of rules, regulations, judgments, punishments, expectations, dogma, fear or fundamental belief systems. It guides us toward unconditional love of Self and others, leading us toward enlightenment.
• a call upon gnosis, intuition, and a deep felt knowing that has no basis in the intellectual or academic.
• a gentle encouragement that guides us to let go of dualistic and separatist religious indoctrination and attitudes, to instead embrace the concepts of unity, equality, and enfolding ourselves and all sentient beings into the true heart of religion

The joy of contemporary spirituality is to be experienced in its simplicity. As consciously evolving humans we are ready to embrace a spirituality that is centered around the heart, that speaks and listens from the heart, and that cultivates the heart of each individual and of humanity.

Excerpted from the book, Contemporary Spirituality for an Evolving World ©2013, by Nicolya Christi. Reprinted with permission from Bear & Company, www.BearandCompanyBooks.com.

Nicolya Christi is an author, writer, visionary and evolutionary guide. She is the founder of the New Consciousness Academy, cofounder of WorldShift International, and author of 2012: A Clarion Call.