What’s so radical?
Welcome! I’m Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister, Lauryn Axelrod, otherwise known as “The Radical Reverend.” I’m the author of TEN WORDS: AN INTERSPIRITUAL GUIDE TO BECOMING BETTER PEOPLE IN A BETTER WORLD (Three Mountains Press, October 1, 2024), and I’m glad you’re here.
You can learn more and see what else I’m up to at www.laurynaxelrod.com
But at this point, you’re probably wondering, “Why are you ‘radical’ and what’s Radical Spirituality?” Good questions (There are no dumb questions here, ever.).
First off, choosing to live a spiritual life is already a radical choice. To be spiritual means that you put your connection to whatever-you-call-sacred above what the world wants you to value. It puts you outside the norm because you value things like honesty, integrity, compassion and community above power, popularity, and the latest i-gadget. So, just by saying “No” to false idols and putting your focus on something higher/deeper/inner, you are radical. To some, that’s a little dangerous (a connotation for radical), but it’s the choice we make if we want to live spiritual lives in the world today. It’s the choice I’ve made.
Here are a few other reasons:
Being an Interfaith/Interspiritual minister is radical in the world of religious leadership. It’s a departure from tradition. I’m not a Pastor or Priest. I’m not a Rabbi, Roshi, Swami or Shaman. I don’t belong to any one faith or tradition and I don’t represent any one religion. But, I did go to seminary and I am ordained. I’ve spent a lifetime learning, studying, and practicing across traditions, and can teach you Vipassana meditation, Lectio Divina, or how to light the candles on Shabbat. I can (and will) quote scripture from the Dhammapada, the Vedas, the Talmud, The Bible, The Qu’ran, The Dao De Jing , Mary Oliver poems (yes, they’re scripture to me), cosmology, psychology, The Rolling Stones, and lots more. I take spirituality—and ALL the wisdom we’ve been given throughout the ages— seriously, but I just can’t limit myself to a single belief system. Can you?
Radical means “root.” I’m interested in the fundamental root or foundation of ALL religion and spirituality, or what is sometimes called, The Perennial Philosophy. What do they all have in common? What is really at the core of our spiritual life, and what do we need to live meaningful spiritual lives in the real world today? What matters? What works? That’s what I call Radical Spirituality, and it’s what I preach and teach. And maybe that’s what you want to hear.
Radical also means extreme. OK, I push it a little. I’m not just interested in what’s at the root of our spiritual lives, but what’s authentic and useful. I have little tolerance for religious fundamentalism, New Age woo-woo, or “Kumbaya” spiritual bypass, and will call out spiritual materialism in a sweet second. But it’s not to be argumentative. I like to get my hands dirty digging for truth, and I truly believe that if we want to live authentic spiritual lives, we need to cut through the BS out there (and in here, too). Maybe that’s a little extreme or radical. I just call it “real.” Maybe you do, too.
Much of what passes for spirituality is prescriptive: it tells you exactly what to do, think or believe. True spirituality is about discovering your own experience and beliefs, and the practices that work for YOU. It’s radical to think for yourself, not to take what someone else says as gospel truth. It’s radical to trust your own experience over that of a proclaimed authority. It’s such a radical idea that those who dared to question what the church/religious leaders wanted them to think were often branded as heretics, burned at the stake, excommunicated, or otherwise exiled. Some still are. I’m not proposing you get yourself in trouble, but I am suggesting that Radical Spirituality requires a willingness to discover what is true for you, not just what someone tells you is true. Don’t let anyone else (including me) tell you what to think. Discover it for yourself from your own experience.
And lastly, because I don’t hold to any one tradition, but recognize the value of what each contributes to the whole spiritual conversation, I also recognize, support, and affirm diversity in all its myriad forms. All. In the religious world, that can be radical, but for me it’s sacrosanct. If the Divine can create duck-billed platypuses, giraffes, jelly fish, and jelly donuts, then who am I to say one is more Divine than the other? All - in all ways - are welcomed and affirmed. That means you.
So, what’s Radical Spirituality?
It’s about getting to the root of spirituality, what matters, and how to live authentic spiritual lives in the real world today. No woo-woo. No Bible-beating. No promises of Nirvana. Just what’s real and relevant.
Ultimately, Radical Spirituality is about deepening the connection to whatever you call sacred and making that connection the center of your life. It’s about getting to the genuine root of spirituality, and discovering what really matters for you, what’s true, and and what will help you an live authentic, transformative spiritual life in the real world today.
What to expect from me
Honesty, first and foremost. Deep dives into spirituality. Accurate representations of spiritual teachings from a wide range of authentic sources. Some snark, some opinion, an occasional out-there idea, and genuinely heartfelt, accessible writing. I actually care about this stuff (and how to share it well keeps me up at night).
I don’t claim to have the answers to life, the universe, God, or anything else, and I don’t pretend to be anyone special. Yes, I have the credentials and the Rev. before my name, but I’m struggling through it and still learning, just like you. I am, however, deeply passionate about living a radically spiritual life, and I really want to help you do it, too. Let’s go on this journey together.
Radical Spirituality is a free publication. I want you to get what you need here.
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These might be short snippets, quotes, reflection questions, something someone else said that is radically spiritual, or anything else I think you might find useful. Probably once or twice a week.
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One last thing:
If what you get here has you curious for more, check out my website at www.laurynaxelrod.com where I post info on teachings, events, and more.
Thanks for joining me on the journey!
Lauryn
