So many people are so lost in this world. They search for enlightenment and peace but look in the wrong places.
I had an interesting experience this week. I decided to take this meditation course because my brown friend was the instructor for it. He introduced me to it when we started talking about the power of breathing and its similarities with Kung fu. I've trained in martial arts for quite a while now, so I've heard quite a bit about this "mystical" breathing art form called Qi-gong. It's always been a little on the "sketch" side of things, so I never dared to venture close to it. The program was a week long and pretty intensive; lots of discussions and breathing exercises with meditation. However, little did I realize what I was getting myself into.
As time progressed, there were more discussions about "spirituality" and I grew uneasy about the entire scenario. My friend was teaching profound truths that struck deep to my heart, yet it was still disturbing because it wasn't the full truth. Yes, the teachings were right (partially), but this wasn't getting people any closer to God. I couldn't feel any so to speak "spirituality" from it at all, except for numbness in my peripheries. I wonder whether "numbness" was the only thing that fitted the criteria of spirituality for others. Then I recalled a scripture passage that essentially came with the message: what takes people away from God is not from Him. The perception of who God is is the differential factor. I used to rationalize the different types of religions and forms of spirituality in the world, thinking to myself that these were individuals who perhaps worshipped God in a different form, calling Him by a different name. But over this experience, I've learnt that so long as a religion prevents people from coming back to Him, the search for "god", the search for "spirituality" is simply done in vain.
Who am I? Am I simply a vessel that has been molded by people around me? My parents, my friends, my community? Had I continued on with this meditation class, I would have lost all that I have gained. To me, "I" is not merely a compilation of behaviours that are congruent with the norms of society and the people around us. "I" is integrity, the uniqueness and the make up of values and beliefs which extends down towards the deepest depths of a person's soul.
I've learnt a lot from this experience. I'm so grateful for all that I have in my life and all that I know. Now, the only thing that bothers me is just how much money I had to spend to learn this lesson. :)
