I speak often of this subject: I’m used to make a distinction between spirituality and religion themselves.

In my opinion Spiritual life, which Kim summarize magnificently with the motto 'love and compassion', is the basis for all the different faiths of this world. To me it is the inner dialogue that each of us experiences in his own personal way during his journey: it may happen during a precious flash of awareness, while you’re praying or while you’re meditating, otherwise inspired by the sight of a breathtaking landscape, or when we experienced the purest joy of feeling close the one we love.

Everyone of us has experienced what I call spirituality, each one in his very personal version. To experience it, to cultivate this inner dialogue, is the real treasure, the number one opportunity of our human existence.

As long as a religion promotes these values, as long as it stimulates our inner dialogue and open our hearts to kindness, altruism, love and compassion, teaching you how to lead a positive life and how to keep your balance then religion is a precious gift. Only with this framework taking part in ceremonies, observing religious principles and reading the sacred texts make sense

But too many times, when men try to share something so personal and intimate, to give it a precise form, to draw boundary lines they inevitably end up corrupting the purity of the message of love that each of us clearly perceive in his heart.

Too many times, religions which were born with the noble aim to share and make understandable to everyone that wonderful message of love and compassion that animates the human being, became just an instrument to emphasize the superficial differences instead of the common roots. Unfortunately when this happen conflicts, misunderstandings, hypocrisy, and fighting arise.

On the other hand it’s also true that not everybody can lead his own life without a guide, following his own code regardless of religious principles and still live a honest yet rewarding life. That’s the main reason why we shouldn't condemn any religion nor its followers.

I believe the work we have to do is to become aware of the cultural influences of each faith and to search for the meaning of their original message in order to see their common roots and beliefs beyond dogmatism and distortions.

We should not forget that no religion holds the absolute truth, but all faiths were born with the intent to 'dress' with different words, ceremonies, rituals and sacred texts the feeling we perceive when we become aware of the divine love’s spark which lives in all of us, that feeling of shining perfection when we rejoin with God, with the universe, with the Love.

When we choose to put aside the message of love and compassion we end up feeling crushed by loneliness. Then ego, pride and negative feelings, such as envy and hatred, take control of our life poisoning it.

I also believe that our generation, despite the frenzy of the modern lifestyle, paradoxically feels more strongly the call to spirituality. Young people, however, search for a new form of spirituality much more genuine, more vital and essential, based upon the knowledge of ourselves, which refers directly to the inner dialogue and to the core of every religious message, without necessarily sticking strictly to a single faith, but drawing freely from their spirit and from the teachings they critically decide to absorb.