When you sit and meditate, given long enough, you get a lot of time for self evaluation and reflection. Some would even argue that is the whole point; where, as one of the many fringe benefits. Regardless, I had one of those moments the other day and now it’s stuck in my mind like a sliver I just can’t seem to pick or an itch that I just can’t seem to scratch.
The realization was a simple question and answer session. Why am I looking, trying so hard to find a brand of religion that I can call my own and agree with 100%? Why am I going to church again, when clearly my theology, if known to these people would set me apart from them as a heretic? Why am I looking for that perfect teacher, temple, religion, practice… so I can find a home and finally call myself a Zen Buddhist in the _____ tradition, or brand myself as a Vedantic, a Mahayana or Gnostic?
Is my motive to find “truth”, god, and enlightenment; or is it that other word previously mentioned in my jumble of thoughts: home? Home. What is my greater desire? Could it be that somewhere along the way my quest changed, or was this it from the very beginning; some primordial need that I was seeking to meet without even knowing it?
Maybe I want to “be” something because I want a religious home, a community of fellow believers to practice with and be a part of — friends, family, teachers, community support and a sense of belonging. Could it be that this natural instinct, something that goes so far back in our genes as pack animals, is so strong that I would even trade finding the truth to fulfill it?
If I found a community that accepted me in, would I not look over all kinds of flaws, short-comings, and differences to hold onto my new found family? Would I play the part of a good Christian, Buddhist or really anything to keep my friends and my newly found social structure of comfort? How long would it take before I even forgot that I didn’t fully agree with what I was being told, and fall into some self delusion?
I can even seen now how cults do so well in bringing people into the fold and how they get such a strong hold on their lives. Soon they are enveloped in it as a community; they find a new family, friends, social activities, a girlfriend, a teacher… everything they always wanted. Everything I want. Now that’s a scary thought.
It’s not easy, that feeling of never fitting in. It’s deep-seeded, and brings back painful memories from childhood that best be forgotten. And what would I give up in order to make that go away?
Now here is the painful truth. If someone were to come to me and offer me belonging; a mate, friends, a community, but their asking price was for me to give up truth… I would be tempted to take the offer.
Look deep inside yourself. Would you? Have you already? It is probably more common than we think.
Knowing this, having this realization, has actually helped me out a lot. I have to be careful in my actions and double check my actions. I had to stop and really decide, am I looking for truth or am I looking for a place to fit in?
I decide I wanted truth. I hope I find community, but I must remind myself what my decision, what the true cry, or at least the loudest cry of my heart is.
This is also a liberating realization, for without the pressure of needing to find that perfect religion I am now freer to take from and enjoy many of them as they come to me. Without having to define myself so specifically I no longer have to so limit and define god, spirit and enlightenment… who I supposed to be limitless anyway.
So what am I then? Nothing really. A seeker, a finder, a good man, and just another crazy mixed-up human being trying to figure this thing out, and trying to enjoy as much of the process as possible along the way.
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For more heresy please join me on my new blog at www.evolitionist.com
Could it be that a seeker will always be just that, a seeker?
I mean, if we are to live in the moment, then we ought to accept the fact that we may not find perfection here, but only within, through meditation, through the relationship we create with the reality that is present.
And for you . . . and me . . . it is to be seekers now.
On Sunday when I go to a Tibeten Buddhist service again, maybe I find some thing, a single thing that will conform to what I think should be my end result, a part of the pot of gold . . . or knowledge, a sense of finally “belonging.”
Hell, I’ll become a Sufi if I didn’t have to wear some of those clothes I see on those guys. Who knows what awaits us.
Good luck on the search. Hope you find it. Best luck next year if you don’t
michael j
Conshohocken, PA USA
I do agree with you, and I am starting to now come to the realization that I need to enjoy being the seeker and stop being consumed on finding the end of the path. The path itself may be the beginning and the end.
I began to leave a comment, but it became rather long. I realized that the comment was more a personal train of thought than a suitable comment…it became a post on my blog, entitled “a little ditty on something i know very little about”. Thank you for inspiring thought in my brain on a rather blurry day.
no problem, whats the link to it? ill give it a read!
Ah, sorry I forgot to include it. ny112209.wordpress.com
Glad you picked the truth over belonging.
It’s a decision that’ll benefit everyone.
This is a really touching post. I think I “felt” your growing lack of comfort with Buddhism (not that you found it “bad” or “wrong”–just that it wasn’t quite fulfilling your needs as you’d hoped it would) when I first found your blog a while back.
As Michael J. knows (as I constantly harp on it!), I’m baffled by the human desire to define oneself as being a member of one religion or another (it also strikes me that it’s not very Buddist to call oneself a Buddhist, but I’m certainly not an expert on Buddhism, so perhaps I misunderstand!). That drive to find the “right” formula for a relationship with the Divine has caused so much misery throughout history, and obscured the simplest messages that are at the heart of so many spiritual systems (love of God, love of one another and all creatures, respect for the gift of the earth), and interfered with people’s abilities to be, as you put it, “friends of God.”
I do understand the desire to feel that one has a “home” and a community (especially when one’s experiences with “religion” were very painful growing up, as yours seem to have been). But maybe the “community” can be one of people who simply have the common desire to learn to live lives based on love and compassion, and who support each other’s efforts in doing that–even though those efforts may “look” different in practice.
I’ll look at your new blog; it sounds really interesting. I wish you the best.
Nancy
http://saradode.wordpress.com
And now I can follow yours as well! Thanks so very much my new friend
Im reading “Fish” right now.
What was Groucho’s famous line? “I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.”
Kinda says a lot in just a few words. Heck, what’s new with Whickens? Haven’t tried that brand before. Don’t want to be a member. Just want to watch . . .
michael j
Hello Nancy!
You too, New Heretic (Neil)!