This is something very few people discuss, so I commend you for your openness.

I think your beliefs affect your whole experience here & hence are important. The closer your beliefs reflect Truth, the more expansive your  experience here will be.

I personally don't seperate my mind from my body. I feel a soul consciousness & a mind consciousness exists. My soul holds my higher consciousness, my higher self. My soul has an awareness & intelligence that my mind is incapable of fully understanding.

In reference to the love you discussed, the Greeks had 8 distinct words to describe love. Agape is the love I feel for all things. It's the love I feel for the animal or plant I'm eating. It's the love I feel for my enemy even as we as we dance to determine our mortal fate. It's a feeling that we are not seperate, that there is no other. 

I've been trying to feel what the spirit is. Apparently it's significant but I still don't think it is. To me it feels like a shimmer of another person's mind consciousness. A frequency that is left after their breath has left their body. It's a concept I'm still playing with. 

I believe that there are soul groups or an over soul. I believe that souls of these wider souls groups are playing out similar themes in physical reality. Themes of control/dominance, of slavery/servitude & freedom/sovereignty.

My approach is to only surrender to my soul, my higher self. To seek guidance only from this part of Source. My physical body & mind consciousness is but a fragment of this larger intelligence. My job here in this realm is to experience all things & follow the direction of my higher self without judgement. That doesn't mean that I don't hold preferences, just that I shouldn't invalidate any experience.

I believe there is probably an entity masquerading as the creator of all things. I believe that this realm is the result of a co creation rather than the creation of any one distinct entity. For this reason I do not surrender my power to it. The source of the all that is does not require my worship or attention for it's power. I believe that the worship of these entities was part of the control-slavery theme that we've been exploring for several thousand years as earth beings.

I'm noticing that many in the 'new age' movement are still playing with this leader-follower (master-slave) theme. I don't know how aware people are of this dynamic but I see some teachers are moving away from it. We each have the capacity to become co creators of this realm if we don't surrender our power to another entity. I see more sovereign souls retaking their power & breaking old agreements. It's small but I see it spreading & I think the existence of Bitcoin helps. 

 Yeah I agree with much what you say Brisket. It might sound like a cop out but I believe many spiritual leaders with large followings isn't necessarily a good thing.  Thry end up become imprisoned by their followers. I don't think its possible to escape this. (You could say any famous person would succumb to this too)
True "enlightnmemt" whatever that may be seems to involve becoming a true individual. That doesn't mean we can't interact with groups and even be part of a group or even lead. But when you become dictated by it and you become locked in by it, and especially locked in by its limitations then its not possible to see the wider picture. I think then individuals potential power becomes suppressed and not nurtured and we just end up relying on external comfort to make us feel good. So we should all be careful. We all want more followers influence more people. But are we setting ourselves up for a trap?
Its something I'm weary about.