Though I do not believe in, nor "practice," any
one religion,
I am a deeply spiritual person. I respect the origins and ideals
of all religions and I see the various religions as different
versions of the same truth...all of which fall under the open umbrella of "spirituality."
I have had several great religion teachers in my life. One of the
most powerful - and dear to me - was Huston Smith. Smith, now
in his nineties, is a world renowned theologian and scholar of
world religions; I had the great privilege of studying with him
when he was a visiting Professor at Syracuse University. His brilliance and grace was exceeded only by his humor and humility.
The Buddhists recognize a phenomenon called "transmission."
It means someone or something - music, the sound of a voice,
a book, a bird song - speaks deeply and directly to you. It "transmits" its essence to you on every level: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. A "transmission" provides you with what I call, "complete experience."
Without getting too "woo-woo" about it, Smith's work "transmits"
to me. To this day when I pick up one of his books and begin to read it, it is as though I am in the room with him, I can feel his presence, and he is speaking directly to me. Wild, huh?
Religion," Smith once wrote, is "the call to confront reality; to master the self."
If I could change the word "religion," to "spirituality" and instead
say...
"Spirituality is the call to confront reality; to master
the self"...that would aptly characterize not only my work, but
who I am.
Smith himself "practiced" several religions; he attended the Methodist church on Sundays, but also incorporated Buddhist practices into his daily life. Raised by missionaries in China in
the early 1900's, he didn't view religion as an "either/or,"
but as one great big "and."Another great teacher, whom I never met, but from whom I
have learned much, was the late Chogyum Trungpa. Trungpa
is credited with bringing Buddhism to the west - to the United States - in the 1970's. He lectured and taught all around the
world, and he also founded Naropa University in Colorado. He
was a powerful, colorful, and masterful teacher who was able
to make Buddhism come alive for Westerners in a way no one
ever had...and likely ever will.
Several years ago I read his collected works and these works
too, "transmitted" to me. I learned more than I can list here,
but most significantly, I learned about energy; how energy works, how it relates to our physical, emotional and mental bodies, and how it impacts our conscious and unconscious. I was awakened
to a new paradigm of cause and effect. To put it another way, I experienced that
how we live our life...
each day...directly impacts the quality of our life the next day...and the next.
So, what's the point of all this?
That there are teachers and answers and wisdom all around you; you just need
to want to see and receive them.
That how you actually
live your life each day, impacts the
next day and the next; it's not more complicated than that.
That you don't need mysticism or magic, gurus or gadgets,
nirvana or new age; you just need to face your reality full-on,
enjoy your life, and have an unrelenting desire to learn and grow...
and know...your Self.
Who are your teachers?
(For more about the concepts in this message, go to "Words: words have
power," "Mastery: the quantum path to your heart " & "Energy: the science
& spirit of you," at www.kellygracesmith.com.)
Copyright © 2011 kelly grace smith All rights reserved.
