Dogma and the coracle.
I was once advised to consider spiritual writings as a raft or coracle. Let’s imagine the challenges faced by someone starting out on a contemplative path as a wide river, in order to cross it the learner uses their chosen spiritual system to build a coracle; once across the river, they can start exploring. But, the important part is not to drag the coracle around with you, it’ll only slow you down.
It’s a good point, the teachings of a spiritual system are useful as a starting place for our own meditations and thoughts, but they are not the be all and end all. I personally feel that our daily experiences provide many valuable lessons, but the mindset the you approach it in is more important than the dogma you approach it from.




