Prior to my current spiritual journey, I simply spoke of “God”, a reflection on my understanding of the Divine as a singular, distant being. Over the past few years, however, I’ve come to understand the Divine as being part of all things in the Universe, multi-faceted and multi-dimensional, simultaneously expressing as me and through me. Because of this, the term “God” no longer seems to fit. God represents, to me, the distant being of ancient religion, an unattainable human goal. To relate as “Source”, “Spirit”, or the “Divine” connects me both to where I came from and what I am. I tend to use these terms interchangeably now; however, certain rituals still lend themselves to “God” for me. Out of habit, I still pray to God, but now it’s “Father-Mother God”. In this, I maintain comfort in an old ritual while still upgrading the image of God in my mind to a duality of both male and female. Including God as mother adds the inherent nurturing quality of a woman, once again making “God” less of a being on high and instead more approachable, attainable, and innately loving. (9-21-12)