Saturday, November 27, 2010

Joanna Tzortzis


Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Peter Clothier for sharing his journey with us. It was great to learn more of the Buddhist faith. A fascinating piece. Thank you Peter!

Today we have a new post. Please welcome Joanna Tzortzis.
Joanna is Non-Denominational and I know you will enjoy her interview!


Here Is Joanna Tzortzis's Introduction:

I’m a 19-year-old freelance-writer, “new age hippie” and an artist currently living in Finland. I’m half Greek so I’ve kind of grown up in between two cultures here in Helsinki and back in Rhodes. Music is my salvation, and so is any other form of art.

http://joannaxoxo.blogspot.com

http://johndoeweb.com



1) What religion do you practice?
My own, I guess. Today I’m not part of any certain church. I haven't found a church that I would agree with 100% and I don't think that religion is like a buffet where you can pick out what works for you and leave the rest. I think it’s quite hypocritical to do so. I do believe in God or in some higher force but in my own corky way.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was born into Evangelical Lutheran church but converted into Greek Orthodox later. If I ever loved being part of any church it has to be the Orthodox one, I felt it was more ‘mine’ than EvLu church ever was.

I never questioned being part of the Orthodox Church and changing back to EvLu, but once I turned 18 I started questioning being part of any church at all. A lot of people seem to part from the church because of outer reasons like the taxes but my own reasons were never external. I just didn’t think that being part of a church was something I needed to do any longer. I felt that I needed to separate from the church to figure out which religious path would be right for me. I’m still searching and won’t join back to any church before I find my place.

3&4&5) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other? In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other? In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
I’m quite liberal, I believe in peace and love and good things, I believe that people are good and if they aren’t they can turn into good. I believe that we’re all one no matter what religion we’re part of and I believe in being free instead of making strict rules and definitions and sticking to them.

I believe a conservative person is someone who sticks to old habits and traditions no matter what. They want to be good people so badly that they stick to the old habits and traditions so hard it sometimes makes them do bad things. It seems unfortunate and idiotic to me, sometimes even hypocritical. Imagine someone who doesn’t belong to church and swears a lot and isn’t a virgin when getting married and stuff like that, that person would automatically go to hell in the eyes of the conservative people because they don’t stick to the traditions, it doesn’t matter if the person is actually good or not. On the other hand there might be a person who’s like one of the worst people ever but if that person lives by ‘the rules’ and strongly believes in God in theory that person would be forgiven. That to me seems hypocritical.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
Many people seem to try to drag heaven on earth by storing money and searching lust and all these other things that won’t last beyond the grave. I don’t know about afterlife but I think true happiness lies in things that you can’t set a prize on, that you can savour through your life and than die as a happy person.

To me true heaven is being a good person, I see that God is good and we need to get as close to being good as well. You don’t need to work miracles to do so, even the little things count.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Can anyone be a good person? Everyone has the tools to be one but not everyone uses them right. People also make mistakes whether you’re a good person or not and some people tend to take that too harshly. Doing a bad thing doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person, it’s more about why you did the bad thing, did you do it on purpose and do you regret what you did. Even a bad person can turn into a good one, change can happen but it’s hard and happens slowly. I believe that people are good to begin with.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Being free religion-wise doesn’t set me any boundaries and that is the great part of it. I’m staying true to myself and to everyone else by staying far away from the things that I don’t believe in. Why would I want to marry to God’s name if it doesn’t mean a shit to me? I take full responsibility from everything I act on and as long as I don’t label myself as a part of any religion I can be anything I want to be. Religion-wise.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Officially I don’t have any, but I do celebrate Christmas for instance. I don’t necessarily celebrate it in the name of the birth of Jesus Christ but it is a season I want to spend with my family and loved ones, find some sort of inner peace in myself and calm myself.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I think that if anything you believe in starts to affect being friends with other people, something’s definitely wrong. I would never ignore someone just because of what they believe in. Religion is a very private thing and it’s not my place to tell other people what they should or shouldn’t believe in, neither is it theirs to say what I should believe in.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Sure, why not. It may not be what suits me but at least the experience would teach me something new for sure. I definitely respect what other people believe in even if I didn’t share that same belief.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I’m not that familiar with the Shariah Law but the burka is a very two-sided matter. On the other hand some women who wear it do so to respect their religion and culture but then again it’s extremely subjugate and derogatory thing to hide most of your body just because you’re a woman and you have to do so if you don’t want to get pelted with stones.

The more you’re afraid the less you have freedom in your life and taking that away from someone is one of the biggest severities that can be done. So I think the controversy behind the burka is in the fact if you wear it to respect something or out of fear.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
I think it’s more a matter of tradition than justice. The Orthodox Church for example doesn’t ordain women as priests but it’s mainly just because there’s no record of woman priests in the past either and the Orthodox Church can’t measure theological matters separate from that tradition. To them it’s not even a matter of equality or human rights. So I understand the church’s view but then again I don’t think that anyone would make a less good priest just because of being a woman.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My thoughts on abortion, gay marriage and decisions on a daily basis affect on what I believe in rather than another way around. I couldn’t imagine living a life in where I’d go “Hey, I believe in this now and I’m a part of this religion now so I have to live according to their traditions and please other people that share my religion and then I have this book that defines my opinions on most of global issues.” Sure it works for some people and I’m not here to judge, those people seem to get a lot of strength and other things back from living their life like that and I’m happy for them but I couldn’t do that myself.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I only carry the responsibility of my own beliefs and religion, what other people believe in is their personal decision. That includes my possible offspring.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
It’s not my place to judge or even think about things like that. Like I said I see religion as a very private issue so it’s really not my place to define if someone else goes to hell or not. I can live my life according to what I believe in and if someone else wants to bow towards Mecca more than once a day that doesn’t make them any less of a better person, that just makes him different from me.

17) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
My new-found freedom from the church definitely does lay off a lot of pressure on me. Can you imagine going to a place dedicated to something you’re not sure you believe in when absolutely everyone in the room thinks you’re certain that you share their beliefs and show the same dedication they do?

Sure I kind of miss going to church but not here in Finland. I miss the little churches in Greece en route to the store where you could just pop by and light a candle. No pressure, no less, no necessity, just passion and pure belief. Let it be secondary if you believed in God ‘the same way as others do’, you still believed in some higher force as strongly as other people did.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Stephen Hawking Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Stephen Hawking:

I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.



New post coming Saturday, so be sure to check back!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Thank You!

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

I wish to send a huge thanks to YMR participants:

Jake Collyer, Chanan, Rand, Rachel, AnOceanofJoy, Ruby Sara and Peter Clothier.

All unique, all interesting and you made for a very thought-provoking and enjoyable Autumn! Thank you all for sharing your journey with us and for taking a chance on this blog!

Thank you all so much!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Peter Clothier

Hello and Happy Saturday Everyone!

I wish to thank Ruby Sara for sharing her journey with us last week. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Thank you Ruby!

This week we have a new interview, so please welcome Peter Clothier.
Peter is a Buddhist and I know you will enjoy his post as well!


Here Is Peter Clothier's Introduction:


PETER CLOTHIER is a meditation practitioner who writes chiefly about art and artists in Southern California. His daily writing practice includes two blogs, “The Buddha Diaries” (http://thebuddhadiaries.blogspot.com/) and “Persist: The Blog” (http://pcpersist.blogspot.com/ ); and his latest publication is “Persist: In Praise of the Creative Spirit in a World Gone Mad with Commerce” (Parami Press, 2010.). He has published widely in national magazines, and is the author of DAVID HOCKNEY in the Abbeville Modern Masters series. A former academic, now twenty years in recovery, he is currently a full-time free-lance writer. He has published two novels, two books of poetry and a memoir, “While I Am Not Afraid.”


1) What religion do you practice?
I have a daily meditation practice and I join with a sitting group each Sunday. I follow the teaching of The Buddha but I do not call myself a Buddhist.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I came to the meditation practice late in life. I was born and raised as an Anglican by my father who was an Anglican minister. I practiced no religion for the greater part of my adult life and found in Buddhism a sane and rational religious teaching which I could follow without resorting to magical thinking.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
I would consider myself a liberal. Perhaps even a Socialist!

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
My concern for social justice and the well being of the human species.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
Conservatism as it is practiced and preached in our culture today, seems to attract those whose self-interest is the primary goal. To be a moderate in my view is to take others into consideration.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
I have no vision of heaven or paradise. Nor do I believe in either.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
In my opinion, there is no heaven or paradise to go to. It surprises and disappoints me that those who do believe in heaven or paradise take such a proprietary view and wish to exclude others.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It’s sane, it’s rational, it’s practical, with an emphasis on the practical. I am a pragmatist at heart.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I believe that The Buddha would see no day and every day to be a holy day. It’s always a matter of the here and now. Since my wife is Jewish we observe the Jewish festivals, but more as a matter of ritual and tradition than as religion.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Sure.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I do it all the time. See above.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
My gut response is that these are the relics of a medieval way of practicing religion. At this level I find them to be barbaric. My more compassionate self reminds me to be tolerant of the belief of others, but in this case I find that to be hard.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
Again, medieval and barbaric. Have we learned nothing?

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No. My little sangha or sitting group does not segregate. I would not go there if it did.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I find the teaching of The Buddha to be an indispensible guide to a healthy and compassionate life. I do everything I can to learn from this wisdom and apply it in my daily life and every aspect of my thought. In this light, it certainly affects my opinions on controversial subjects.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
It would not concern me in the least.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I certainly hope so. Just kidding. What a question.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
How about the Dalai Lama? I am not a Tibetan Buddhist but in many respects he represents my views especially those on compassion and the search for happiness. There are many populists spokespersons for Buddhism, some tend to water it down or Westernize it in ways I am not entirely comfortable with, but the core message is usually pretty clear; do no harm, have compassion for others, and don’t forget to breathe.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes.


22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
This is a very hard question and one that stands between me and an unreserved embrace of Buddhism. My rational, doubting self finds it impossible to conceive of returning to this life in another form. Perhaps, if it’s no more than a transmutation of energy…

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Nellie McClung Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Nellie McClung:

Never retract, never explain, never apologize - get the thing done and let them howl.



There's a new interview coming up on Saturday, so be sure to check back!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Featured Religion Update

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Below is the list of the religions/belief systems that YMR has featured or will feature in the near future:

Agnostics: 2
Apikoros: 1
Atheists/Objectivists: 10
Bahai: 1
Buddhists: 3
Christians: 8
Druid: 1
Feri Witchcraft: 1
Hindu: 1
Jews: 6
Messianic Jews: 2
Muslims: 7
Mystics: 2
Non-Denominationals: 2
Pagans/Wiccans: 7
Pantheist: 1
Polytheist: 1
Sufi Darvish: 1
Taoist: 1
Womanist: 1

Thank you to all who have participated!
We always need more participants, so if you're interested please email ymr@bell.net.

Have a great day everyone!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Ruby Sara

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Thank you so much to AnOceanofJoy for sharing his journey with us. I enjoyed learning more about the Buddhist faith. Thank you AnOceanofJoy!


Today we have a new post, so please welcome Ruby Sara.
Ruby is a Pagan and I know you will enjoy her journey as well!

Here Is Ruby Sara's Introduction:


Poet, essayist, theologian, and performance artist, Ruby Sara is currently a member of the Chicago performance collective Terra Mysterium, a regular columnist for Witches and Pagans magazine, and the author of the blog Pagan Godspell. Some of her most recent writing can be found in the anthologies Datura: An Anthology of Esoteric Poesis, and Devoted, both published by Scarlet Imprint. Ms. Sara holds a Masters degree in Theological Studies, and has academic interests in poetry, ecotheology, and comparative mysticism. She lives in the pretty-damn-wild urban midwest with her intrepid spouse and their demon-monkey-cat, Pinky.

Pagan Godspell - www.gospelpagan.wordpress.com
Terra Mysterium - www.terramysterium.com
Witches and Pagans - www.witchesandpagans.com
Scarlet Imprint - www.scarletimprint.com




1) What religion do you practice?
I practice an Earth-centered religion, one of a set of religions that are often called Pagan, or Neo-Pagan. My personal theology is animist and polytheist, and posits a living, sentient and divine planet that is so beautiful, complex, mysterious, awe-inspiring, engaging and full of wonder that it is only natural to put it at the center of one's praise and worship. I am also a syncretist, and therefore my personal spirituality is further influenced by protestant Christianity, Gnosticism, Hellenic Paganism, bioregional animism, Feraferia, and land-based witchcraft and folk magic.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was not born into my religion per se, though I have felt a deep connection with the natural world since I was very young. I discovered Pagan religions when I was an adolescent, experienced a profound and intimate sense of "coming home" at that time, and I have identified that way ever since. I was raised in an atheist / secular humanist home, and my parents fully supported my spiritual searching, even though they do not subscribe to my beliefs themselves.


3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
If you mean theologically, I would say that I am more liberal than not - I believe that syncretism happens and is a natural part of engaged relationship with spirituality and with the world. I believe that religious and spiritual beliefs are not static items, and they should be challenged and struggled with, naturally evolving in response to changing ideals and new information. However, I also believe in the incredible importance of tradition and the continuity of cultural integrity, especially in its role as a "binding agent" for authentic community. So...maybe that makes me a theological moderate.

If you mean politically, I am an anarchist and an eco-feminist.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
Theologically, I think the prime marker of conservatism is the desire to conserve the tradition as it either is now or was once in a "golden" past (whether this longed-for past is real, exaggerated, or entirely fictional). Towards this end, one might employ methods such as literal or static interpretations of a scripture, strict behavioral codes and social norms, clearly delineated boundaries between what is correct and what is incorrect, etc.

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral posits the idea that the four pillars of theological authority in a religious life are scripture, experience, tradition, and reason. This is a useful theory when talking about what makes a conservative and/or a moderate. In my opinion, theological conservatism places the locus of authority in tradition and unchanging sources such as set scriptures. A theological moderate then might acknowledge the authority of individual experience more and tradition less than the conservative, and may take a more flexible approach to the interpretation of scripture and/or have differing approaches to the use of reason in theological discernment.

Pagans in my experience tend to give the most weight to the authority of individual experience. I probably fall somewhere in between moderate and liberal according to these definitions, as I think the empowering of individual experience is important, but I also believe that it should be balanced by tradition and authentic community - i.e. I think an individualism that is not rooted in engaged relationship with the Other leads to the unhinging of community.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
I don't have a ready answer for that, as the question assumes that I believe in a heaven/paradise, and I don't know that I do. I don't presume to know what the afterlife is like. I do believe in some kind of afterlife, only because I really cannot personally imagine the no-afterlife Full Stop, and I'd like to imagine that good people experience good things after they die - to be reunited with loved ones, etc. But, I'm not against the idea of the Full Stop either, and I will readily admit that it certainly could be exactly that. Truthfully, I'm fine not knowing what it's like after we die. I don't want to die anytime soon, but I try to consider it an inevitable adventure, and concentrate on where and who I am right now, here on this planet in this body and in this time and space.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
As I said, I don't know. There's a lot to unpack in a question like that. I suppose, like I said above, I'd like to believe that those who have lived lives in service to love, giving, joy, art, and authentic relationship will experience an afterlife that is peaceful and joyous, and that those who have committed wrongs go somewhere where they are made to realize what they've done, are made whole, and that restorative justice, if not served here, is served in the afterlife. But again, I don't know. And I am much more interested in how people interact here and now, in this life on this ground.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It gives me a form of expression for the Beauty I see in the natural world all around me, and the sense of awe, fear and trembling I feel in the face of the enormous, amazing complexity of the planet and the universe. It celebrates the body as the miraculous communicator, mediator and information receiver that it is (i.e. body as priest), and it affirms my belief in the existence of real magic, the divinity inherent in mystery and unknowing, in the miraculous and the fantastic. It holds art, relationship and ritual as some of the highest functions of the human animal, and it sees storytelling as the bedrock of being. It's also messy, colorful, anarchic, ecstatic, and emotional...like me.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I generally recognize the "Pagan Wheel of the Year," which is a combination of a set of days celebrating the agricultural cycle, as well as the solstices and equinoxes, for a total of 8 holy days a year. I spend them usually with my community, either in a large open ritual setting or in a private observance with a small group I practice with. I also have a growing number of feast days for what I and my co-ritualist Johnny Rapture call the "People's Saints," and I personally observe some other holidays from the folk calendar, like Michaelmas.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have many friends who are of other faiths and I believe strongly in the importance of interfaith dialogue.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, and I have done so on many occasions. I find all religions to be deeply interesting, so I enjoy seeing how others celebrate their faith. Also, if a friend of mine invites me to their religious gathering, I am happy to attend, because I want to honor their hospitality in inviting me.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
These are both intensely complicated questions having to do with religions that are not my own, so I do not feel that I have the authority, experience or knowledge-base to comment on them, though I can say that I respect the opinions and work of women in these religions in regards to these issues, and as a feminist I unequivocally support the movements of women toward the realization of their rights to make empowered choices and live full and authentic lives.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No, the groups that I practice with do not segregate on the basis of race, class, gender, or sexual orientation. There are some Pagan groups and organizations that are gender-specific, or that serve communities that are of specific genders and sexual orientations, and I support their right to create those safe and supportive communities, especially in a world that continues to restrict their rights to, as I said above, live full and authentic lives.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision?
My religion deeply affects the choices that I make, and the choices I make deeply affect my religion - the two are inextricably tied. My political opinions inform my religious opinions and vice versa. For example, my belief in a sentient divine planet informs my views regarding the environment, and the more I engage with my landbase through environmental practices such as composting and other activities, the closer I feel to Her.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If I had a child, and that child found a good partner and was happy with them, the religion of that partner would be of no consequence to me. Interfaith relationships can be complicated, I am well aware, but in my own personal experience (I married outside my religion), if both partners are committed to the relationship, those complications can be incredibly educational, interesting, and dynamic.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Even presupposing that I believe in "hell," which I am not sure I do depending on the definition of such a place, the answer would be no, absolutely not. If I believed in a hell, I'd probably have ideas about who would be going there that would have little to do with their religion of choice/upbringing, and a lot more to do with their actions.

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Those who claim identities in Pagan religions are an incredibly diverse and complicated lot. No one can say that they speak for all of us. In some of my recent writing, I have questioned whether or not one can even say there is an "us," at least in terms of talking about "Paganism" as any one thing. So there are those I agree with in the public sphere and those I do not, and the question of "who is Pagan" is actually much less relevant to me than the question of "what is Paganism" and whether or not it is useful to use the term as a religious identity since there is no single unitive story or even shared set of values to which one could say even most of us adhere. I'm still working out my thoughts on it.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Nope.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Sometimes. I think one function of religion is to give solace and comfort in times of need, but I also think that another function of religion is to challenge us to continuously evaluate ourselves in relationship to each other, our world, and all the Others in it. This latter function doesn't always lead to "peace of mind," but is in my opinion an incredibly important, if uncomfortable, aspect to living an engaged spirituality.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I neither believe or disbelieve in reincarnation. I find it to be a pretty reasonable idea, and a fascinating one, but like my previous thoughts regarding the afterlife, I simply don't know, and my beliefs regarding embodiment and theology necessitate that I concentrate much more on this life and my relationships with Others on this planet at this time in this body than on what may or may not happen after I die.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Winston Churchill Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Winston Churchill:

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.



Be sure to check back this Saturday, YMR will have a new post!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

AnOceanofJoy

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Rachel for her very interesting interview last week- thank you for sharing your journey with us Rachel!

This week we have a new interview, so please welcome AnOceanofJoy.
AnOceanofJoy is Buddhist and I know you will enjoy his post as well!

Here Is AnOceanofJoy's Introduction:


I am a 28 year old guy living in London. In 2007 I underwent a Near Death Experience and spiritual transformation which has since led to me becoming a Buddhist. I have a Bachelor Degree in International Studies and currently work as a Policy Officer for a Cancer Charity. I am very interested in world religions, in particular Buddhist traditions, and would like to hear from other people who have gone through similar spiritual emergences. email: anoceanofjoy@gmail.com

http://oceanofjoy.blogspot.com/


1) What religion do you practice?
Buddhism

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
For most of my life I was an atheist and shared most, if not all of the views shared by the fellow atheists who have contributed to this blog. I was incredibly anti most religions, I thought the concepts of heaven and hell were utterly ridiculous and subscribed fervently to Shakespeare’s old adage that “Life is a tale told by an idiot full of sounds and fury signifying absolutely nothing.”

Boy was I given a big wake up call.

When I was 27 I went out with a group of friends one night and I ingested a large

amount of the drug ketamine, an anaesthetic known to produce strong disassociation and the collapse of the ego in higher doses. What happened to me was quite simply beyond words, beyond anything I could have even begin to have conceived of in my wildest dreams. Basically I experienced the death of my ego and an enormous spiritual awakening. I have since had the opportunity to do a lot of reading on the power of different entheogens, many of which have been used by tribes, shamans and as part of religious ceremonies throughout history. I was the most ardent disbeliever in anything spiritual before I had this experience. To this day I cannot believe just how powerful what happened to me was. Overnight, my entire perspective on my innner most nature, and the nature of existence was completely and irrevocably changed.

Since that time I have been seeking some kind of explanation - both scientific and spiritual - about what happened to me. I have been in contact with shamans in south America, ketamine researchers in Russia, monks, theologists, quantam physicists and anyone who may be able to help me understand the experience. What really blew me away was my discovery that once you dig below the surfence you start to realise that there are thousands if not millions of people who have been able to break through the human ego and into the spiritual realm through the use of different types of entheogens. I should make a point here that I am not talking about simply getting high on drugs – which I am by no means condoning. Entheogens are not recreational drugs, they are substances often found in nature such as in flowers, cacti and plants, and in my opinion they exist for a reason. Put quite simply, until you have experienced the spirutual state these plants are capable of producing, it is unfortunately impossible to have an opinion on this type of experience. It's completely ineffable. If somebody had of tried to explain it to me before I had this experience I would have told them that they were nuts. In any case a more detailed account of my near death experience is available here.

http://oceanofjoy.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-does-it-feel-like-to-die.html

Since my near death experience I have been using Buddhism as a way of exploring two things I have taken for granted for most of my life – my mind and human consciousness. You don’t necessarily have to formally convert to become a Buddhist, you merely need to start adopting Buddhist practices in your life. Should you feel the need to take part in a ceremony, the ceremony involved is called ‘Taking Refuge’. The refuge ceremony centres on what are referred to the three jewels (or refuges) of Buddhism:

-the Buddha

-the Dharma, his teachings;

-the Sangha, the Buddhist community

In going to refuge you surrender yourself to these three jewels.


3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
Having only just adopted Buddhism in my life in the past few years I would say that I am still quite new to the practice, and not entirely devoted to it. I have adopted what I find useful from Buddhist philosophy, but happily read the philosophy of other religions such as Hinduism and the Vedas (ancient Indian texts written in Vedic Sanskrit) which form the basis for much eastern thought.)

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
I consider myself to be quite moderate and open because I am not dogmatic about the way in which I use Buddhism in my life, and I certainly don't try to impose the pathway I have chosen on others. I also do not adhere to Buddhism to the exclusion of all other religions and I believe that all religions are ways in which mankind tries to put into words and narratives something that is ultimately ineffable. To use a metaphor, I imagine the religions of the world as camps of men and women standing around an enormous bonfire which we might term ‘god’ or ‘existence’ or the ‘universe’ etc. One group might claim that the fire they see is orange, others from their perspective may say it as red, others yellow. No doubt each group will have its own take on the fire and its characteristics – i.e. its size, its purpose, its meaning etc. But the most important thing we must always keep in mind when we engage in pan-religious dialogues; is that we are all still talking about the same fire… and each of us who has chosen to pursue a spiritual path in life feels it burning deeply inside and knows its existence to be real. Thus we can appreciate how for each of those groups of men and women standing around the fire of creation, that their perspective, their narrative, their way of coming to terms with this enormous phenomenon is true for them, regardless of whether or not it is true from an ontological perspective. The ultimate truth of the universe and of our inner most nature is, in my opinion, not static. It is multifaceted, intertwined, multidimensional, and no doubt quite beyond our ability as humans to comprehend. Even if we were told what the true nature of god was, odds are we would probably we incapable of understanding it . There are many truths regarding god and I believe that the ineffability of the divine is one of the main reasons why we should remain humble and respectful of the diversity of all of the narratives (religions) that have been passed down throughout the eons of human existence.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
I think these terms are for the most part quite unhelpful since they are used in so many different contexts. 'Conservative' seems to point towards a strict adherence and literal interpretations of the doctrines of the religion, whereas 'moderate' would seem to indicate a more liberal approach. I think before I could judge somebody on their claim to one of these classfications I would have to hear their position in greater detail.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
The Buddhist perspective of paradise is known as ‘nirvana’ or 'enlightenment', although it would be quite reasonable to assert that the narratives expounded by all religions of what this place/state may be like are essentially describing the same thing. Enlightenment, nirvana, heaven, whatever you want to call it, is not a place, it is a spiritual realisation, a level a consciousness reached once we have learnt what we are meant to learn as human beings. In Buddhism this would be qualities such as selflessness, abundant compassion for sentient beings, the separation of ego and self, detachment from emotions etc. We cannot move beyond our earthly existence until we are a truly weary with what Buddhist’s refer to as Samsara (the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth). Release from this cycle is said to occur through deep introspection, meditation and then the ultimate realisation that reality as we know it is created by the ego, which incessantly affirms the notion that we are individuals; fractured shards of a mirror which cannot be placed back together. The mind itself is like a dusty shard of this fractured mirror clouded by thoughts and emotions. But in silence and meditation the mind is capable of becoming like a brightly polished mirror capable of reflecting back on itself and ultimately realising the true nature of human existence.

The philosopher Alan Watts, speaking on the true nature of the divine said:

“God likes to play hide-and-seek, but because there is nothing outside God, he has no one but himself to play with. But he gets over this difficulty by pretending that he is not himself. This is his way of hiding from himself. He pretends that he is you and I and all the people in the world, all the animals, all the plants, all the rocks, and all the stars. In this way he has strange and wonderful adventures, some of which are terrible and frightening. But these are just like bad dreams, for when he wakes up they will disappear.

Now when God plays hide and pretends that he is you and I, he does it so well that it takes him a long time to remember where and how he hid himself. But that's the whole fun of it—just what he wanted to do. He doesn't want to find himself too quickly, for that would spoil the game. That is why it is so difficult for you and me to find out that we are God in disguise, pretending not to be himself. But when the game has gone on long enough, all of us will wake up, stop pretending, and remember that we are all one single Self—the God who is all that there is and who lives for ever and ever.

-- Alan Watts, 'On the taboo of knowing who you are'


7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Buddhists would say that the place where your consciousness evolves to depends on your past actions (karma). Since every action, no matter how small, has a resulting reaction, where we end up after this life greatly depends on what the sum of all our actions are. Since Buddhists believe that heaven and hell and spiritual states rather than physical places, it stands to order that we ourselves are the ones who condemn ourselves to lower forms of rebirth through our own ignorance – not understanding our true nature, and clinging to our ego. The notion that heaven is like some sort of club which we either “make it into” or not seems to me an oversimplification of a far more complex process. For example, how could I as a Buddhist, whose primary concern is developing compassion for all sentient beings, be content with achieving a state of nirvana and then leaving all my fellow human beings left to wander through Samsaric existence (the illusion of reality.) All human beings, regardless of whether or not they have lived a good life or a very evil have a right to break free from suffering. I can think of no crime, no action, no deed so evil that it could warrant an eternity of suffering in a place such as hell. I can however conceive of a state of mind where the human being would be forced to come to terms with the affects that his or her actions had. If many evil acts were committed in a lifetime this realisation after death may be a very painful and protracted one which we might describe as a form of hell. It would not be a permanent state of being though since even a large amount of negative karma can eventually be exhausted through wisdom and the realisation of our errors.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I personally do not celebrate any holy days, although many exist in Buddism.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Because not everyone has the same inclinations and interests, Buddha taught various methods to different people. Citing this example, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said that it is wonderful that so many different religions exist in the world. Just as one food will not appeal to everybody, one religion or one set of beliefs will not satisfy everyone's needs. Therefore, it is extremely beneficial that a variety of different religions are available from which to choose.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I would as I think that all religions are precious and that we can learn something from each and every one of them. Joining in on their holy days would be a very special experience indeed.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
This is definitely quite a topical area for discussion. Personally I am against any form of oppression, such as the idea that women need to cover up to help men avoid physical lust. I understand however that many Muslim women choose to cover up to show their devotion to their religion. I think any form of religious fundamentalism is dangerous. It’s almost as though people get so caught up in the finer details of the religion that they forget the most important tenets, love, respect, compassion, and loving thy neighbour regardless of his or her differences. A person’s spiritual journey should not be imposed on them by another. Spiritual development is a process and we must all be free to develop at our own pace. In the same way that one would not rip apart the petals of a flower had it not yet begun to bloom, one should not force the hand of a person who is not ready to contemplate spiritual matters. This included by imposing cultures, customs, and ways of dressing.

With regards to Shariah Law, I feel it important to note that many people speak of Shariah law without realising that the term describes many different ways of ruling Islamic society. There are in fact many different schools of Shariah Law which include:

Hanbali: This is the most conservative school of Shari'a. It is used in Saudi Arabia and some states in Northern Nigeria.

Hanifi: This is the most liberal school, and is relatively open to modern ideas.

Maliki: This is based on the practices of the people of Medina during Muhammad's lifetime.

Shafi'i: This is a conservative school that emphasizes on the opinions of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.

From http://www.religioustolerance.org/islsharia.htm

Muslims say the Western world misrepresents Shariah by focusing on beheadings in Saudi Arabia and other gruesome punishments. The equivalent, they say, would be a debate about the history of Western law focused on America's electric chair.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
I believe that men and women are equal and therefore would have no problem with a woman becoming a priest.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No, Buddhism is open to any person regardless of their gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation etc.

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
I think the entire point of religion is to give us guidelines, morals, ethics, principles etc by which to live our life. It has been said that Buddhism is more than a religion - it is a philosophy of life, a way of choosing to view human existence. Since the meaning of the word Buddha is “awakened one”, a Buddhist spends most of his or her life trying to achieve this state of spiritual awakening. This means cultivating a very high level of self awareness and learning not to let negative human emotions such as anger and hatred consume oneself.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I do not believe that love and religions are coterminous. All human beings should be free to love the person most dear to them regardless of their religion, gender, race etc.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I do not believe hell is a place, I believe it is a state we condemn ourselves to through clinging, ignorance and hatred. As I previously mentioned I believe that all religions are narratives – ways of explaining and developing an awareness of something that is, in essence, completely beyond the ability of language to articulate. There is a very good documentary which elaborates on this which can be found here.
http://oceanofjoy.blogspot.com/2010/07/consciousness-drives-universe.html

18) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Most Buddhists would agree that the Dalai Lama is the highest authority on Buddhism in the world today. His message of peace, love and tolerance has won him the respect not just of Buddhists but of people from all religions and walks of life across the globe. He is also a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
I don’t think it gives me peace of mind but it gives me the drive to be a better person and to develop the wisdom I believe we all need as humans to evolve to a higher spiritual state of being.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Reincarnation is one the principal tenets of Buddhism. It centres on the idea of impermanency, and that everything in the universe is cyclical. In recent times scientific enquiry, through quantum physics, had also proven many of the ideas underpinning the Buddhist concept of reincarnation – i.e. that energy can never cease to exist, the uncertainty principle etc.

Here is a quote from a very good article discussing the quantam physics perspective on reincarnation

We, ourselves, consist entirely of quantum stings. Our identities, our names, our personalities, our beliefs, opinions, senses of humor-indeed, what we think of as our minds. We consist of one-dimensional bits of the cosmic total. And we might just as well be different bits--elsewhere--because the "self" is essentially an organizing principle which we have imposed upon this chaos. If you were to stand back far away from us, we would appear to be a no-dimensional point, but as you draw closer, we are revealed to be a great deal more than that.

Therefore, our identities were assembled from this quantum material, or Ether, by the organizing principle of our conception of ourselves. We bring ourselves into being. Our consciousness is the gravitation. We came from whirling nothing, we return to whirling nothing. The dust we came from and the dust to which we return are not really there, but thinking makes it so.

These bits might as comfortably be at the other end of the universe as where they are. Only by the act of regarding them do we hold them together. You assemble your bits, I assemble mine, and when we cease thinking they all fly back into the general pool of Everything, Everywhere. So you and I temporarily consist of ourselves, and someday may well consist of other selves. We will be back, but a precious lot of good it will do us, because we won't know it. So, yes, reincarnation is possible from a rationalist, scientific point of view. We have been and will be reincarnated as part of the vast store of everything there is. We will be suns, moon, stars, rain. Look for us in the weather reports.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Rosa Parks Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Rosa Parks:

I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.



Be sure to check back on Saturday, YMR will have a new post!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

December

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Here's a sneak peek into the December interviews:

we'll hear from Mystic Tourist who is a Secular Mystic, Ven Jo Jo who is Buddhist, Chaviva who is a Jewish Convert and Sally Coleman who is Christian.

Some awesome interviews you will not want to miss!