Meditation and the Sacred Silence

Mick Turner

What if I told you there was a wonderful place on this planet that you could visit for little or no cost, but would ultimately change your life for the better? Suppose I also said that this magical place was a place of beauty, creativity, love, peace, joy, and personal nurturance, what would you say? I think most of us would, without undue hesitation, ask for a map and directions.

 

Well, my friend, there is such a place and people have been visiting it for eons. It is a place of where peaceful solitude and exciting energy coexist in a harmonious synergy that, when you bathe in it, gives you refreshment and rejuvenation greater than any fountain of youth. Over the centuries, those who have frequently visited this holy site have attested to it myriad benefits and blessings and have all said that to fully put its wonders into words is an exercise in futility.

 

Most remarkable, no one owns this place and you are free to come whenever you like. But please be forewarned, once you sample its blessings, you will want to come back time and time again.

 

Where is this blessed place? It is within you. It is, for lack of a better phrase:

 

The Sacred Silence.

 

Once you skillfully master the methods of getting to the Silence, you can go there from any place – a busy street, a business meeting, a church service, or even from a dentist’s chair. In the beginning, however, it is useful to establish a consistent time and place where you practice going into Sacred Silence. You will find, in the end, that is worth the time and effort.

 

 It is in the Silence that you make contact with the Divine Source and, it you are mindful, alert, and attentive, you will get to know this Source at a deeper level. In Sacred Silence, the most important lesson you will learn is how to listen to God. Spiritual teacher Wayne Dyer, in discussing what he calls “The Gap,” that space between our thoughts where the Silence lives, illustrates an important lesson about the connection between the Silence and learning to “listen.” Dyer points out that the words silent and listen are composed of the same letters. In essence, listen has the same content as silent, and silent has the same content as listen. Further, you can rearrange each word to spell the other – rearrange the letters of silent and you get listen; rearrange the letters of the word listen, and you get silent. There is an obvious lesson in this small “synchronicity.” The intimate connection between these two words tells us a profound truth: In the Silence our primary goal, once we get the monkey mind to quiet down, is to listen.

 

Our Sacred Sanctuary

 

We encounter the Sacred Silence in our personal “Sacred Sanctuary.” This inner chamber is like our own sacred space, the place that houses our Inner Light, as our Quaker friends call it. We enter this special place by, as mentioned earlier, by quieting our minds and clearing out our own brand of chronic, mental clutter.

 

The Sacred Sanctuary is that special place inside our being that serves as our own personal “Holy of Holies,” a divine chamber where our human spirit comes into more intimate contact with the One True Spirit. This inner temple is where we are first emptied of the limitations of the “little mind,” our lower self, and we are filled with both Light and Life.

 

More than just an empty mind, our sacred inner sanctuary is a place of preparation. It is a holy temple where the Spirit of God dwells and it is a place where, if we possess ears to hear, we can be taught those “great and mighty things we have never heard.” This sacred place is not only a place of teaching, but also a great temple of comfort and nurturance. It is in the spiritual light of this inner sanctuary where God’s unlimited grace, mercy, and comfort are imparted into the depths of our spirit. In this aspect, our inner sanctuary is a chamber of divine healing and spiritual balancing.

 

Moreover, it is our holy place where real miracles are conceived.

 

Noted Quaker writer Thomas Kelly speaks of this inner sanctuary and the benefits accrued from learning to abide there:

 

Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life. It is a dynamic center, a creative Life that presses to birth within us. It is a Light Within which illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon the face of men. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all.

 

 

Buddhist teachers often refer to the mind as a monkey, jumping from branch to branch, screeching loudly even if there is nothing to screech about. I can relate to this description and I suspect most of you can as well. It is difficult to hear the voice of God with all this clamoring going on. It is the mind’s nature to flit from place to place like a bee moving from one flower to another very rapidly.

 

Our job is not so much to still the mind, but at least quiet it down enough so that when that “still, small voice” speaks to us, we have a chance to hear it. That’s where contemplation and the various forms of Christian meditation come into play. The various methods used are designed to achieve a certain level of quietness in the mind. It is not so much to stop our thinking or as some say, “empty the mind.” Instead, it is to center the mind down to a point where it is receptive to the work of God through the Holy Spirit and our own Inner Light. The benefits of such practice are too numerous to list, but one of the first things we may notice is this form of deep prayer allows us to reach a point where we may develop a clear, spiritual perspective on life. Christian teacher Jan Johnson speaks to this:

 

Our mind flashes from one thing to another, always occupied. A weekly visit to church can’t begin to penetrate this busyness. Contemplation reconnects us with God in the midst of this scatteredness. Life pulls me in so many directions – between the demands of my work, my husband’s plans, the kid’s needs, commitments outside our home, dreams I want to pursue – I may say I’m “thirsty for God as the deer pants for water,” but at the moment I need to get my hair cut. However, when I pause to contemplate and be with God, I sense that this God who holds the universe together can also hold me together. In the quiet, I recall how God has helped me in the past. Without the clamor of demands around me, I remember that I am one God so loves.

 

Getting to a level of quietness so that we can actually begin to hear the whisperings of the Holy Spirit is easier said than done. The monkey mind keeps on clamoring, especially if we have many pressures and/or problems in our lives. It has been said that the average human being has 60,000 separate thoughts each day. That’s a lot of thinking and a lot of noise. Our internal chattering is often repetitive in nature and incessant. When initially faced with the admonition of scripture to “Be still, and know that I am God,” (Ps. 46:10) the notion of achieving  quietude of mind seems like a pipe dream. However, the task is not nearly as daunting as it may initially seem, although it will require commitment, patience, and persistence.

 

At times, it is not easy to see the progress that has been made until you take some time out and really look at what is happening with your mind. It is in these periods of self-reflection and evaluation that you begin to see actually progress you had failed to see before. Often this growth in cognitive mastery is quite subtle and sublime.

 

If you are a seasoned practitioner of meditation, I encourage you to keep at it. Make extra commitment and effort to go even deeper. Truly, beyond a certain point you can’t go back. Your only choice is to forge ahead toward a goal well worth striving to attain. This is part of Right Effort and it is indispensable on the spiritual journey.

 

If you are just beginning a mediation practice, I laud your decision to encounter the spiritual light that exists within you. Although your journey is just beginning, I assure you that with consecrated effort and proper encouragement, you can make consistent progress and every aspect of your life will improve.

 

© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved

Sacred Mind

Mick Turner

Within each of us there exists a center of pure awareness, complete wisdom, and perfect wholeness. We may hear this Sacred part of ourselves called by divergent names, such as inner light, higher self, Self, Atman, Buddha Nature, Christ Within, and so on. I know it primarily as Sacred Mind and it is, among many other things, a pristine reflection of Divine Intelligence.

 

When I consistently live from my Sacred Mind my life runs smoothly. People, places, and things that once gave me major headaches now are at most, minor annoyances and many times not even that. When I live from Sacred Mind I am more like the birds of the air and the lilies of the field that Christ spoke so elegantly about. I don’t have to toil or spin, but instead, am more content to go with the perfect nature of things, exhibiting no resistance and manifesting perfect peace. When I operate from this perspective, I am practicing “wu wei,” the Daoist principle often translated as “doing nothing” but in fact, is doing everything at the perfect time.

 

When I live from my Sacred Mind, I practice Wu Wei naturally and without effort. Wu Wei that requires effort is not Wu Wei, but something else. Like the Tiger lying quietly in the grass watching a group of Impala, my Sacred Mind will tell me when to remain still and when to act. This way I practice Wu Wei, taking no uncertain or wasted action. I practice a perfect economy of energy. Externally I am doing nothing, but internally I am vigilant and am doing everything. When I act, like the Tiger when she strikes, there is no unnecessary action and no wasted qi. Instead, there is harmony of will, decision, and movement, all occurring within the realm of pure stillness. It is a perfect paradox and it is perfect. Nothing more need be said about it.

(c) L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved

The Seven Mirrors of Sacred Living

Mick Turner

As many of you know, Sacred Mind Ministries is the training component of LifeBrook and recently Sacred Mind has been conducting several two-day workshops using the curriculum entitled, “The Seven Mirrors of Sacred Living.” Below is a brief description of each mirror and what is covered in the work associated with each one. It is important to understand that we used the term “mirror” for a reason. Put simply, each component reflects the other components, thus forming a kind of “reflective hologram.”

 

Participants in the program are educated first about the fact that each mirror is defined accurately only when it is seen in connection with the other six. In this sense, no mirror stands alone. Instead, each mirror is engaged in a interactive choreography with the others. Further, the training and subsequent application of the mirrors to one’s daily life is less like a sequential ladder and more like a spiraling dance in which the mirrors sort of circle back on each other.

 

The Seven Mirrors of Sacred Living, briefly explained, are as follows:

 

Sacred Consecration

 

Consecration is a sacred act in which we formally proclaim our intention to do whatever it takes to tread the path of becoming all that we were designed to be. It involves a firm and consistent commitment to excellence.

 

Sacred Connection

 

Connecting with our Divine Source is foundational if we are to become the optimal version of ourselves. From the outset we must understand that:

 

We cannot do this alone

 

The Divine Source is there and wants to help

 

Our task is to establish and deepen our connection to the Divine Source

 

Fostering this vital and positive connection involves prayer, meditation, contemplation, and contact with others.

 

Sacred Comprehension

 

The universe operates according to basic laws that hold all things together and move them toward the Creator’s ultimate purpose for his creation. There are not only physical laws, but mental and spiritual laws that are equally inalterable. If we expect to move forward on the spiritual path, a practical, workable understanding of these laws and principles is indispensable. This also involves a basic comprehension of who and what we are, especially our psycho-energetic anatomy.

 

Sacred Character

 

We must ever keep before us the ideal of Sacred Character. Our world today needs more people of sound character and this entire program of endeavor is designed to cultivate what we at Sacred Mind Ministries call “Sacred Character.” It is the character exhibited by Christ and is marked by a foundation of integrity, love, and compassion.

 

Sacred Calling

 

The Creator planted a divine purpose within each of us prior to our birth on this planet and it is vital that we discover that purpose and bring it to fruition in our lives. Discovering and manifesting our Sacred Purpose is our “calling” in life and we cannot hope to become the optimal version of who we are without walking in our divine purpose. We also must understand that our individual purpose (our personal mission) is a component in the Creator’s universal mission.

 

Sacred Companions

 

We do not walk this journey alone. Instead, we need to form spiritual bonds with those who share a similar sense of mission and purpose. The development and establishment of healthy, vital, and committed spiritual communities is a fundamental component of the universal purpose for this age in which we live. These communities share common values, goals, and ideals and have a unified vision that fosters group cohesiveness and enhances community effectiveness. These groups may consist of as few as two members or can number in the thousands. It should also be mentioned that each member’s individual calling is enhanced and achieved within the milieu of the community’s overall vision.

 

Sacred Contribution

 

Through walking in our manifest Sacred Character we are better able to realize our Sacred Calling. In doing so we also are able to give flesh to grace. Just as Jesus did his Father’s work while on earth, we, too, are to embody God’s grace by making a positive contribution to the world in which we live. We do this in many ways, all of which flow out of our compassion and a sacred heart of service to others. By realizing our personal mission, we become the optimal version of ourselves and by doing so, we work toward being optimal benefit to others. Put simply, we incarnate God’s love and God’s light in this world.

 

© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved

Thoughts About My Four-Year-Old Roshi

Mick Turner

As this final month of the year is winding down and the New Year is already taken up residence in the birth canal, I have been reflecting a bit on the past year and some of its blessings. I suspect this is a healthy thing to do, given the general negative state of the economy and just about everything else we hear about on the daily news.

 

As some of my readers are already aware of, I have a daughter, Salina, who just turned four this past May. She is my jewel and my angel, all rolled into one, but then, I need to refrain from gushing like a proud Daddy. Otherwise, I won’t make the point I want to make. Some of you are also aware that I was 55 years old when Salina was born.  She came along late in my life and I am certain that she was a gift to Li and I for some special reason I can’t even begin to fathom. Let it suffice to say that Sacred Spirit surprised us back in 2003, when my wife and I discovered that Li was pregnant. Also let it be said that Salina has been my Roshi, Guru, Rinpoche, and Great Teacher for four years now. I have learned so much from her; far more than I have taught her.

 

More pertinent, perhaps, is the fact that she has done this by just being who she is – a four-year-old girl in whose eyes I can still clearly see the smile of God.

Salina has always amazed me with her curiosity, her sense of discovery, and especially her spontaneous wonder and awe as she encounters things new and exciting. Further, she never tires of things that strike her fancy, especially if I do something that she likes but has never really seen before. I am reminded, for example, when I first showed her how to blow bubbles with bubble gum. For me, it was old hat – but for her, this simple act was like seeing a rainbow for the first time or discovering the wonders of ice cream. Whenever I produced a large, pink bubble as if by magic, she would pop it with her hand, laugh in that way that only children can laugh, and say, “Do it again, Daddy; do it again.”

This amazing ability to turn something new into an almost sacred event is, I think, part of that unsullied and untainted aspect of the image of God that we are blessed with in our creation. Moreover, children never seem to tire of monotony, at least until they get a bit older. At those miracle ages of two through five or so, kids just seem to revel in both newness and repetition. I am reminded of the famous words of G.K. Chesterton:

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity to make all daisies appear alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never grown tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite for infancy: for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

Sometimes when I sit quietly and open myself to what Chesterton says in these few words and what Sacred Spirit speaks to me when I reflect on them, I am literally stunned into silence; and then I shiver.

Children have not forgotten how to experience our world with a sense of wonder and awe. Noted Jewish philosopher Abraham Heschel, one of my very favorite authors, calls this capacity for reverence in life “radical amazement” and affirms that the spiritual journey cannot be completed until we regain this inborn spiritual quality. Heschel makes this statement, “The beginning of awe is wonder and the beginning of wisdom is awe.” When I first discovered these words, I pondered on the meaning for weeks and eventually discovered by doing so I totally lost their true import. I have come to see that Heschel is alluding to the fact that true wisdom begins with the experience of awe, and this basic sense of “radical amazement” has its birth in a childlike wonder at the incredible thing we flippantly call “life” ; the unfathomable creation that surrounds us every moment. I will let Heschel say the rest:

The secret of every being is the divine care and concern that are invested in it. Something sacred is at stake in every event…..The meaning of awe is to realize that life takes place under wide horizons, horizons that range beyond the span of an individual life or even the life of a nation, a generation, or an era. Awe enables us to perceive in the world intimations of the divine, to sense in small things the beginning of infinite significance, to sense the ultimate in the common and simple; to feel in the rush of the passing the stillness of the eternal.

Deep in my personal spirit, when it is connected with and animated by the Holy Spirit, I know with certainty that my daughter Salina innately understands this. She cannot articulate it with the eloquence of Heschel but she expresses this sense of radical amazement nonetheless. Every time she giggles when Daddy blows a bubble; every time she sits on the deck and watches birds feeding in the back yard and cows feeding in the field beyond; every time her eyes dance with wonder when she sees a sunset and screams, “Look Daddy, God is smiling,” – I know she gets it just as much as Heschel ever did and just as much as I long to once again.

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Spirituality in the New Millennium

Mick Turner

Over the past few days my meditation time has been personally fruitful in that I have received clarification and insight in regards to several issues that have been roiling around within in me for some time now. I am always blessed when these things begin to take shape. It is as if I can see a bit more clearly than before and for this I am eternally grateful.

 

I have been reflecting on the nature of spirituality in the new millennium and have written several articles on the subject on this and other web sites. I strongly feel that we are in a unique and special time in terms of the future of our planet and also convinced that a living, vital, and global spirituality is an integral part of the solution to issues we will face as individuals, communities, nations, and globally in the coming years.

 

In the context of this brief article, I cannot go into great detail about all this. To do so would make the entry too lengthy and overly soporific. With that thought in mind, let just mention a few points that I believe are worthy of attention and reflection. It seems to me that whatever form or forms the spirituality of the 21^st Century takes, there should be at least three basic foci:

 

A theoretical and experiential recognition of the interconnectivity of all life

 

An increased capacity for individuals to live from the “Sacred Mind”

 

A heart of compassion manifesting in proactive service to others

 

Granted, we could list quite a number of other characteristics of the new spirituality. In fact, I have done so elsewhere on this blog. However, let’s look at just these three key elements of a vital spirituality as many other characteristics flow from this sublime trinity.

 

Just as the ancient scriptures, especially the early Buddhist and Daoist writings, explained, we live in a universe that is interconnected in all its parts. Not one thing exists in isolation but instead, is an indispensable part of a web of life that shares a commonality of essence and purpose. If you need further clarification of this fact, I encourage you to take the time and make the effort to study some of the scriptures from the Hua Yen school of Buddhism.

 

Hua Yen flourished in China in the early centuries of the Common Era and produced some of the most profound spiritual teachings ever recorded. The Flower Adornment Sutra was the primary scripture for the Hua Yen followers and its pages contain a very deep and descriptive picture of the interconnectivity of all that is. Admittedly, this may be somewhat deep reading, but it will be well worth your while. The text I began with is Entry into the Inconceivable: An Introduction to Hua Yen Buddhism, edited by Thomas Cleary. I am not sure the book is still in print but it should not be overly difficult to locate. Also, a Google search will turn up many useful web sources.

 

Our understanding of interconnectivity has to go beyond the theoretical if it is to have any transformative effect on daily living. It is difficult to discuss these types of experiential matters as they, by their very nature, are personal and subjective. For our purposes here, suffice to say that establishing and maintaining a regular meditation practice will go a long way toward opening you up to an experience of your connection with others. Along the way, the meditative practice of “Metta” can also be highly useful in this regard. An extended visualization practice from the tradition of Therevada, Metta (trans. Loving Kindness), helps foster a sense of the interdependence of all life.

 

Meditation practice is also central to the realization of the second element of a vital spirituality: increased capacity to live from the Sacred Mind. Put briefly, each of us comes equipped with what we here at LifeBrook call a little mind and a Sacred Mind. The little mind is our ego, our lower self, which is an illusory entity we create in order to survive in the world. In and of itself, it is not a bad thing, but it does create numerous problems. Where we run into trouble is when we identify so completely with the little mind that we think that’s who we are. When that happens, we increasingly lose contact with our Sacred Mind, which is our true identity. It is through the Sacred Mind that we realize our oneness with everything else. The little mind, by contrast, thrives on separateness, competition, and conflict. It is highly difficult to feel “at one” with your enemy or someone you are competing with.

 

As we progress on the spiritual journey, we increasingly become aware of an expansive aspect of ourselves that we rarely experienced. As our spiritual practice deepens, we begin to connect with this Inner Light, our “Buddha Nature,” our Sacred Self. This is our true spirit and true identity. It is a fountain of wisdom, love, and light which allows us to see things as they are, not as we have mistaken them to be. It is the source of our spiritual intelligence. As we increasingly live from our Sacred Self, our spiritual intelligence, life begins to have more direction, meaning, and mission. Whereas before we viewed much of life as poorly organized chaos, we now see patterns, story lines, and wisdom that was invisible when we operated out of the little mind. This is especially true of our ability to see the unity that permeates and underlies all that exists.

 

This sense of the “bigger picture,” of the oneness of life, when connected with our Sacred Self, leads to a true sense of compassion. And from this sense of compassion we develop a desire to be of service. This desire to step beyond our limited self and help those in need now comes from our Spiritual Heart, which is a component of our Sacred Mind. Instead of trying to be of service to others from the vantage point of our little mind, we now have a more expansive and realistic view. Instead of having our service tainted by our own selfish concerns, our recognition of the unity of life gives rise to the Bodhisattva Heart, a desire to serve out of the living awareness that when one suffers, we all suffer.

 

Again, space does not allow for a full treatment of this subject. However, one other point needs to be made. In the new millennium, our service needs to become proactive rather than reactive. We need to look for ways in which we can help. Ideally, by studying patterns and trends, sometimes we might be able to see problems before they arise and take preventative measures. Even when we can’t do this, by being proactive we might be able to intervene in areas of need while they are still small, rather than waiting and reacting when they have grown to epic proportions. It is far easier to put out a fire when it is on a match head than when it has invaded a forest. This is what I mean when I speak of proactive service.

 

I would like to encourage you to take some time out from your busy schedules over the next few weeks and at least reflect and pray a bit about this exciting and challenging new century. See what insights and ideas come to you about your place in the evolution of the spirituality that will be a part of this era. It will be well worth the time and effort.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Interspirituality: Promise of a Positive Future

Mick Turner

In 1893, the city of Chicago played host to an event which, at the time, did not seem overwhelmingly significant. Slated as a relatively minor event associated with the World’s Fair, the “World’s Parliament of Religions” was of far greater importance than recognized at the time. The Parliament was the first time representatives of various religious traditions from around the globe convened in a common setting with a common purpose. Moreover, the interfaith gathering foreshadowed the increasing contact between various religious traditions that so characterized the 20^th Century.

 

Originally organized to foster dialog and understanding between the world’s various faith traditions, the Parliament spawned a groundswell of interest among those in attendance as well as those who read about the informative proceedings. Especially in America the Parliament’s impact was both immediate and wide-spread. For example, prior to the gathering in Chicago, both Judaism and Catholicism were largely marginalized in American culture. Despite the fact that both of these groups were numerically strong in the United States since colonial times, a general lack of information on the part of the Protestant Christian majority created an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust. One of the most significant and enduring legacies of the Parliament has been the mainstreaming of both Catholics and Jews.

 

A second but no less momentous contribution of the Chicago meetings was the West’s exposure to vital Asian spiritual traditions, most notably Zen, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. As the 20^th Century progressed, contact and positive exchange between American seekers and Asian religions grew rapidly. During the final quarter of the century this inter-spiritual contact and exploration was commonplace.

 

 In 1993, honoring the 100^th Anniversary of the parliament, Chicago again played host to a gathering of representatives from a wide range of spiritual traditions. Over 9,000 participants attended the conference and registration had to be stopped three weeks prior to the event, simply due to lack of space. Attendance could have been much higher. Incredibly, over 75,000 people showed up for the closing ceremony, held in Grant Park. From beginning to end, the hallmark of the conference was mutual respect and a sincere desire for cooperation and unity among the participants. The only incident of discord occurred when a group of fundamentalist Christians, who were non-participants, staged a protest in opposition to the event.

 

As the 21^st Century advances, we can only expect this stream of inter-spiritual contact to widen and grow deeper as the contact between faith traditions grows increasingly consistent. As this process unfolds, it is hoped that among the positive results of inter-spiritual dialog and cooperation are such things as: deeper insight into points of commonality among the various religious traditions; joint proactive efforts by the various traditions to address and rectify existing global and social concerns; and a more peaceful, harmonious world, from nations to neighborhoods. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, an example of a person with a heart for Interspirituality, speaks of the possible benefits of interspiritual cooperation:

 

“Because all the world’s religious traditions share the same essential purpose, we must maintain harmony and respect among them. This not only benefits the followers of each religion but makes our neighborhoods and countries more peaceful. To do this we need to understand something about the world’s different religions. There are many ways to go about this, but I believe the most effective is face-to-face dialog. Let religious and spiritual leaders meet together to discuss and share their experience and practice; let ordinary members of religious communities spend time with each other.”

 

The final point made by the Dalai Lama is of particular note. While the meetings and dialogs between leaders from the world’s spiritual traditions is of great benefit, it is when the average, rank-and-file members of these traditions become more familiar with one another that real transformation can take place. Positive sharing between the laity of all religions holds perhaps the most promise of all. Any future plans for interspiritual programs and gatherings should take this reality into account. To have only religious leaders meet together is a positive step, but falls short of what is needed.

 

To be sure, there will always be those who are opposed to interspiritual dialog and cooperation. Typically this flavor of opposition comes from the fundamentalist camps, especially within Islam and Christianity. I do not mean to equate these two forces as the former is typically more radical and violent that the latter. Still, both of these religious elements are consistently abhorrent of any attempt toward religious unity. In spite of their opposition, however, the participation of both Islamic and Christian fundamentalists would be welcome. Anything else would be antithetical to the principles of interspiritual unity.

 

Still, there are some Christians who feel that any other spiritual tradition other than Christianity is at best worthless or at worst an evil entity, spawned from the loins of hell. I will state categorically and without reservation that I do not share this mindset and, in fact, consider such a worldview closer to pure evil than a more open-minded approach. I am a Christian but that does not mean I cannot learn from other traditions. In fact, I feel compelled to remind readers that Christianity, along with every other religion, is a product of human effort, not of God. It is an unfortunate truth, but a reality nonetheless, that oftentimes religion is one of the chief impediments to true spirituality, especially as exemplified by Christ.

 

I am reminded of the encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well in Samaria. Most often sermons or Bible lessons on this fascinating encounter focus on the sins of the woman’s past and present life and on Jesus’ teachings about the “living water.” Yet this passage also is highly illuminating in terms of Jesus’ view of religion. He does not condemn this Samaritan woman’s religion. Instead, he goes on to share that “a time is coming and already has come” where both the Samaritan religion and the Jewish religion have become obsolete. The Lord clearly tells the woman that God is spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and truth. God must be worshiped beyond the confines of a limited religious point of view.

 

Does exploring the teachings of other faith traditions in any lessen Christianity? No. In reality, such exploration enriches our faith and helps us to see the teachings of Christ and the early church in fresh and often more accurate ways. Personally, I have such endeavors highly beneficial and, equally significant, these studies have given me insight into how adherents of other faith systems view life. This has been of great benefit in discussing my Christian perspective with followers of other religious traditions.

 

The reality that we now exist in a global society is undeniable. Further, there is a growing recognition that the entire world is interdependent. When one part of the globe is affected, all areas are impacted in some way. Interdependence is increasingly seen in trade, science, medicine, cultural exchange, and even education. It is only natural that humanity’s spiritual traditions are involved as well. Perhaps our greatest hope lies in the fact that as a growing knowledge of the essential unity within the diversity of religious expression takes place, we, as a species, will be less inclined to hostile behavior.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

The Paradox of Post-Religious Culture

Mick Turner

These days it is common parlance to state that American culture is now both Post-Modern and Post-Christian. In most ways I suspect this is an accurate statement. Our culture increasingly holds post-modern beliefs as sacred and Christianity, long the bedrock of America’s spiritual life, has receded in terms of status and influence. I would add to these realities a third idea: American culture is increasingly “Post-Religious.”

 

By using the term post-religious I do not imply that religions no longer exist. Obviously they do. What I imply when using this term to describe American culture centers on the fact that Americans increasingly are pursuing spirituality outside the parameters of institutional religion. The New Age Movement is an example of this phenomenon, but it appears to go much farther than that. It seems the idea that the best way for individuals to advance spiritually is in the context of small groups of like-minded seekers has come of age.

 

Even adherents of established religious traditions have realized that small group settings are more conducive of authentic spirituality. Many churches break down their membership into such enclaves; small groups of Buddhist pilgrims, loosely affiliate with a major teaching center in another locale, are springing up all across the country; and an increasing number of Yoga groups are forming to deepen members’ awareness of the philosophy behind the postures and practices they regularly perform.

 

If we indeed are moving toward a post-religious culture, and I believe that we are, there is an interesting paradox in all of this. The fact is that Americans are becoming far more spiritual while at the same time becoming far less religious. I am aware that the phrase “I’m spiritual but not religious” has been uttered so often it has become trite. Still, hidden behind these frequently repeated words there is a distinct reality: While we are becoming less dependent upon organized religion as a culture, we are becoming an increasingly spiritual nation.

 

Recently, CNN reported that a recent survey of the religious beliefs of Americans revealed a few surprises. Well over 80 percent said that believed in God or a Divine Force; more surprising, a distinct majority stated that they believed that religions other than their own were also paths to salvation.

 

One can argue that this is a part of the standard post-modern mind set and it is certainly that. However, it also reflects that the formal beliefs of Christian tradition are no longer a strong influence even among its adherents. I am sure fundamentalists, conservatives, and others of an Evangelical ilk will rail against this trend, but I, for one, find it positive.

 

As we move forward in the 21^st Century, I think we will see an increased interspiritual dialogue and the results of such an endeavor will be positive. Granted, fundamentalists of every religion will recoil and shout apostasy from the rafters, but then, that is exactly what the Pharisees did when Christ showed up picking corn and healing dirty street people on the Sabbath.

 

As I have mentioned several times on this site, I have studied and practiced Zen Buddhism for over 30 years and firmly hold that without this endeavor, I never would have fully understood Jesus and his mission. My involvement with Zen has made me a much better Christian and has fed me in ways the institutional church never did.

 

I welcome this movement to a post-religious culture and I further welcome interspiritual dialogue. It is, indeed, about time.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Interspirituality: Christian/Buddhist Dialogue

MIck Turner

As I have mentioned in other articles on this blog, the 21st Century will be, and already is to some extent, characterized by increasing interspiritual dialogue. Catholic writer Wayne Teasdale has coined the term “Interspirituality” to describe this meeting of the world’s major religious traditions. One of the most significant encounters between faith traditions is the one beginning to occur between Buddhism and Christianity.

 

 

British historian Arnold Toynbee, one of the greatest minds in his field of study, has said that when history looks back on the 20th Century, it will not be atomic power or the personal computer that will be seen as the most significant event. According to Toynbee, the most vital occurrence of the century just ended will be the meeting of Christianity and Buddhism. If you reflect on Toynbee’s remark for a moment, you will see that he must have had something incredible in mind when he uttered those words. Certainly, the computer and atomic power have had major impact. At least as of now, we must still ponder what the significance of the exposure of Christianity to Buddhism and vice versa might be.

 

 

Buddhism is a remarkable tradition and one that most Christians are fairly ignorant about. Many sincere believers think that Buddhists are godless atheists who sit around mumbling and bowing before idols. Not only is this a highly false view of Buddhism, it is also highly insulting. Buddhism has produced some of the greatest minds in the history of humankind and continues to do so. I have studied Buddhism deeply for over 30 years and can say without reservation that I consider this vital tradition one in which all Christians could learn a great deal about love, compassion, and overcoming self-centeredness – all consistent, by the way, with the central teachings of Jesus.

 

 

Whenever I post something of an interspiritual nature two things happen. First, I get nasty comments from Christians who feel that I am at best an apostate or, worse still, a brother of Beelzebub himself. I would ask that if you are considering leaving such a comment, please refrain. I say without reservation that I do not hold to the notion of Christian exclusiveness and I am well aware of all of the scriptures used to support such a view. “No one comes to the Father except through me,” and on and on, and etc. I don’t think Christ was referring here to himself as a person, but as a process. I don’t want to get sidetracked into that discussion here. The second thing that happens is the number of views on my blog dips for a few days as readers who don’t agree with my take on other religions feel that somehow I might pollute their minds. If this is how it has to be, well, so be it. I think the issue of religious tolerance is highly important in our age and if some believers do not think their faith is strong enough to handle exposure to another tradition, I can do little to change that.

 

 

With that said, let’s move on.

 

 

Fanaticism is rightly identified as one of the curses of our world. Fanatic followers of any sort of doctrine, political, religious, economic, or sociological, can create chaos and turmoil in our world and often do exactly that. Even the most superficial survey of history will bear this out.

 Whenever a group feels that they possess the one and only truth, the result is they want it to be your truth as well. This has especially been the case in the Islamic and Christian traditions, although religious zealots can be found in just about all traditions.

 

 

 One of the most attractive characteristics of Buddhism is its lack of dogmatic insistence on its validity. From the beginning Buddha stressed the importance of tolerance of other traditions and also the necessity of verifying principles for oneself. His primary advice could be summed up like this: Try it and see.

 Another reason Buddhism has been less prone to religious intolerance and violence centers on the reality that Buddha never claimed to be a God or god, however you might want to define that term. Buddha only claimed to be a man, albeit an “awakened” man. Through the enlightening revelations that came to him while meditating under the famed Bodhi tree, Siddhartha realized that we are all part of an interconnected web of existence and to do violence to or exert undue pressure on any one aspect of this web would have deleterious effects on every other part. All of these principles cited above are reasons why Buddhism is such a tolerant faith as a whole.

 

 

 One final aspect to consider is the place scripture holds in the Buddhist tradition. Although the various sutras (suttas) are considered sacred writings, they are not to be considered infallible or above questioning. Once again, Buddha stressed the need for seekers to verify the veracity of his teachings, which later became scripture, for themselves. How refreshing when you think about it.

 

 

 In contrast, “People of the Book,” a term often used to describe Jews, Christians, Muslims, and to some extent, members of the Baha’i’ faith, have a view opposite of Buddhists. The Torah, the Bible, the Koran, and the sacred writing of Bahaullah are seen as “the Word of God.” In the Christian tradition, a significant number of denominations require its members to adhere to the view that the Bible is not only the literal Word of God, but that it is also infallible and without error.

 

 

Viet Namese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, has developed 14 Mindfulness Trainings for his world wide community known as the Order of Interbeing. If one studies these 14 points, he or she comes away with a positive impression of what it means to be a truly spiritual person. The first of the 14 Mindfulness Trainings is pertinent to the subject at hand:

 

 

Aware of the suffering created by fanaticism and intolerance, we are determined not to be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist teachings are guiding means to help us learn to look deeply and to develop our understanding and compassion. They are not doctrines to fight, kill, or die for.

 

The “First Foundation of Mindfulness” reminds us that no teaching, even those of the Buddha, is perfect. With this in mind, along with Thich Nhat Hahn’s belief in pacifism, it is easy to see why the Order of Interbeing does not condone fighting, killing, or the willingness to die for a philosophy.

 

 

 Given the age in which we live, not only is such a view as espoused by the First Foundation refreshing, it may, indeed, be a necessity. I know that I have learned much from my study of Buddhism and, if the truth be known, it was through the study and practice of Buddhism that I finally came to appreciate the Christian tradition I had grown up in.

 

 

 As we move forward during this exciting and challenging century it is imperative that we fully understand that we are part of a global community. Economics, politics, religion, culture, and all other aspects of humanity’s collective existence are part and parcel of a larger reality – a reality in which all the parts are interconnected and interdependent. Now more than ever, one part cannot be affected in isolation from the other parts. This is not some arcane, cosmic theory; it is a fundamental fact. The crude but accurate analogy I often use is raisin Jell-O – yes, you read that right – raisin Jell-O. If you take your index finger and thump one of the raisins, all of them move.

 

 

 If we indeed live in such a global collective it stands to reason that we should do all that we can to understand each other, including our various religious worldviews. Any other approach is both myopic and theologically incestuous.

 

 

(c) L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved