Each religion approaches the divine in a unique way. Here are ten universal paths practiced by devotees to find God and connect with the higher self.

Every path to God is a personal experience, a private journey. No one path is inherently superior, as all paths to God are valid and useful.
Jesus said, “I and the Father are One.” (John 10:30) Humans and God are one. As devotees draw nearer and nearer to God, the ultimate goal is to merge with the Divine in an intimately spiritual union. Sri Ramana Maharishi, the famous Indian guru who achieved enlightenment at the age of 16, asserts, “God, Guru, and the Self are the same.” (p. 10, Erase the Ego)
Meditation as a Means to Draw Near to God
When a devotee quiets the mind, the inner voice can be more easily heard and heeded. Meditation allows for the cultivation of the state of mind needed to achieve enlightenment.
Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and other religions use meditation as a means to quiet the inner chatter and hear the voice of God, or the wisdom of the Higher Self.
Prayer as a Communication and Primary Path to God
Prayer can take many forms, including recitation of a mantra or repetitions with a rosary. Prayer can be a silent plea to the universe or a specific, intimate dialog with a personal, living God.
Prayer can involve specific requests of God or the Universe; expressions of appreciation for blessings; and communications of thanks, or cries for help.
Temporary Vow of Silence to Find the Higher Self and God
Silence does not just involve resting the vocal cords. Many religions advocate silent retreats, such as Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists.
Ritual silence can be used as a religious tool to quiet the mind to a deeper level than a meditative session. Silence is a disciplined, unique way to connect with the Higher Self and with God.
Yoga as a Discipline to Reconnect the Mind, Body, and Spirit With God
This ancient discipline is a subtle yet powerful path to God. The root word “yuj” means “to join, to yoke, to concentrate one’s attention.”
According to the Sanskrit Glossary of Yogic Terms, yoga is “a method of practice leading to conscious union of the human being (atman) with the universal existence of Brahman.” Brahman is the Hindu Trinity Godhead, similar to Christianity’s concept of the Holy Trinity. (Yoga Publications Trust, 2007)
Tithing and Offerings to God
Flowers, money, and personal sacrifice (as Catholics practice during Lent) are all examples of devotees’ external expressions of offering a part of themselves. Devotion is expressed through offerings, gift giving, giving of oneself. Tithing and offerings are expressions of love.
Acts of Kindness and Compassion as an Expression of the Divine
Jesus preached the importance of loving others, including it as one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses. The Dalai Lama teaches that compassion can be learned, and calls all who wish to achieve enlightenment to practice compassion.
Forgiveness is a supreme act of compassion, and also shows emotional and spiritual maturity. To forgive is divine, and is one way to draw closer to God.
Study of the Holy Texts Illuminate the Path to God
The Jewish religion emphasizes study as a means to understand and draw nearer to God. Christians study the Bible, revering the sacred text as a manifestation of God Himself: “And the Word became flesh…” (John 1:14)
Healthy Love of Self and Emotional Maturity as a Path to God
If God and the Self are the same, then a healthy love of self is absolutely necessary in spiritual growth, devotion to and love of God. Healthy love of oneself is a step in reconnecting to the Higher Self and emotional maturity allows for synthesis of mind, body and spirit.
Ethical Decisions Draw the Righteousness Near to God
Ethics does not involve right vs. wrong or good vs. evil, but rather entails a consistency of moral code. While some religions may differ on ideas and philosophies of morality, ethics and righteousness prove a powerful path to God, as a disciplined approach to what one believes is right.
Rituals as an Outward Expression of Devotion and Commitment to God
Pagans, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and others all practice religious rituals. Culturally, humans crave ritual to give order and increase meaning to outward acts of devotion. Rituals can provide structure and discipline to devotion. Some use rituals as a tangible lifeline that leads directly to God.
Devotees can use one, several, or all of these paths to God and to the Higher Self. For example, japa mala combines ritual with prayer and meditation.
Just as seekers approach the study of the Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, from different angles, so the seeker can approach and ultimately unite with the Divine, the One God, the Higher Self, or the Universe using any of these valid and powerful paths.

The Christmas Tree and the Holy Family
As with many other traditions and customs, there are a number of stories associated with the Christmas tree, several of which date back as far as the time of Christ. Legend tells how the Holy family were travelling to Egypt when they hid in a clump of cedar trees in an attempt to avoid King Herod’s men.

In an effort to hide the family from view the trees miraculously sprouted needles and their berries turned from white to blue to allow Mary’s robe to blend in. From that day forward, evergreens, as we know this type of tree, have kept their foliage and colour all year round, and it is said that if you cut a pine cone length ways you will see the tiny imprint of the Christ child’s hand in its flesh.

Martin Luther and the Christmas Tree
Two slight variations of another story tell how Martin Luther was returning home after a sixteenth century Christmas Eve service. One version tells how he was so overcome with the beauty of starlight glistening in the icicles like diamonds hanging from an evergreen tree that he cut down a small tree and took it home.
It’s believed that Luther decorated the tiny tree with candles because it reminded him that Jesus was the light of the world. The second version differs slightly, in as much as Martin Luther was overcome at the sight of thousands of stars twinkling through the foliage of the evergreens.

Modern Christmas Trees
Christmas trees have been a tradition in Germany as far back as the 16th century. Families would place an evergreen tree in their homes and decorate it with food, small toys and paper decorations.
By the middle of the century Christmas markets were a regular occurrence. Here it was possible to purchase anything that was needed for the Christmas festival, from the goose for the feast to decorations, including tinsel.

Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610 and until the mid-20th century real silver was used having been pulled into wafer thin strips. Today in Britain, the Norway spruce, which was the traditional choice for a Christmas tree, has competition from a number of evergreens grown for their colour, fragrance and ability to retain their needles.

Examples of these include Balsam Fir and Colorado Blue Spruce. But whatever the choice of tree, whether it be a traditional ‘live’ tree or an artificial variety it is traditionally the focus point of many households over the Christmas period.

Abraham’s contract with God eventually gives birth to Israel and indirectly to the creation of Christianity and Islam.

F.E.Peters states in his article titled, “Abraham’s Miraculous Journey,”published in U.S.News & World Report, Collector’s Edition, that “a deity making contact with a paltry sheepherder on the margins of the Fertile Crescent, that the entire history of monotheism flows.” This sheepherder is said to be Abraham, whose descendants became the 12 Tribes of Israel.
God Made a Covenant with Abraham
According to the Holy Bible, Genesis 12:1-3, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great: and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The preceding is the covenant that God made with Abraham. Additionally, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning a father of many nations.
Abraham’s side of the bargain or covenant was that he must give fidelity to his only God. He also was required to circumcise all males in his household and require all future male descendants to be circumcised.
Abraham Doubts God

When Abraham heard from God that he and Sarah were to have a son, he fell down laughing. According to Genesis 17: 17, Abraham asked God, “Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old?” and “Shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” The preceding passages demonstrates Abraham’s total shock and disbelief that he and Sarah were going to have a baby at their late age in life.
God immediately informed Abraham, that he and Sarah would have a son named Isaac. And most importantly, God would establish his covenant with Isaac and his children after him. The results being, Isaac’s son, Jacob. The subsequent 12 children of Jacob, turned out to be the 12 Tribes of Israel.
F.E.Peters states in his article titled, “Abraham’s Miraculous Journey,”published in U.S.News & World Report, Collector’s Edition, that “a deity making contact with a paltry sheepherder on the margins of the Fertile Crescent, that the entire history of monotheism flows.” This sheepherder is said to be Abraham, whose descendants became the 12 Tribes of Israel.
God Made a Covenant with Abraham
According to the Holy Bible, Genesis 12:1-3, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great: and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The preceding is the covenant that God made with Abraham. Additionally, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning a father of many nations.
Abraham’s side of the bargain or covenant was that he must give fidelity to his only God. He also was required to circumcise all males in his household and require all future male descendants to be circumcised.
Abraham Doubts God
When Abraham heard from God that he and Sarah were to have a son, he fell down laughing. According to Genesis 17: 17, Abraham asked God, “Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old?” and “Shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” The preceding passages demonstrates Abraham’s total shock and disbelief that he and Sarah were going to have a baby at their late age in life.
God immediately informed Abraham, that he and Sarah would have a son named Isaac. And most importantly, God would establish his covenant with Isaac and his children after him. The results being, Isaac’s son, Jacob. The subsequent 12 children of Jacob, turned out to be the 12 Tribes of Israel.