So I have been trying to figure out Religion since I can remember. My father is a born again, extremely judgmental Christian fundamentalist. My mom originally wanted to be nun, but got married young instead. She has spent her life researching Christianity and all the other religions that tie together…the Koran, Bible, the Torah, the Bhagavad Gita, Book of Mormon, you name it she has read AND studied it.

The thing that I saw through all of it, was that each religion absolutely believed that their perspective was correct. Handed to them by their prophet, chosen one, etc…

I recently met and had a nice cup of hot cocoa with a new friend of mine. She formally studied Buddhism for over 30 years and then decided that Hinduism was the real thing for her and has been working in a local Hindu temple with monks for the last 7 years.

She said a couple of things that I found very interesting… She told me a story of Ganesh, (the Hindu deity that is the remover of obstacles). How Ganesh and several other gods bet who could race around the universe first. They all took off as fast as they could and ran around the universe. Ganesh won the race by simply walking around his parents, the source of all things. As the prize, Ganesh became the Lord of all existing beings.

She also said that she had gone to a conference held by some revered Buddhist monk and that he had everyone close their eyes and told them when they opened them, a great mystery would be solved. She said when she opened her eyes, that she saw the monk flash and then appear as all of the Buddha incarnations that had ever been.

Also, that the Hindu monks mess with her head to make her see things differently. “Look, see that stand of plants over there…that is really Africa”.

Now I had to roll this around in my head for a bit, but then I had my own epiphany

Religions often have stories that encourage thinking “outside the box”. All of the people teaching these religions are….PEOPLE. And every person, has within themselves the same ability to find a path. You can look to other people to open doors, or explain new concepts, but you shouldn’t let them do your thinking for you.

It seems that all of the religions that I have been exposed to have some code of conduct and guidelines for finding God. But they have been transcribed by people, who are doing their best to show how THEY were able to find their answers. Like lesson plans or road maps.

My epiphany was that I am deeply content and joyful almost all the time.
I think, because I have been avoiding the middleman and addressing my questions directly to the universe at large (in part, because I wasn’t sure who to address them to). I believe that we are all equally, wonderfully and miraculously made, and that each one of us has been given the key to divinity.

Love to all,
–Deb