Christ and the Ego - St. Thomas More Catholic Parish - Salt Lake City, UT - August 31st, 2014

     Today was a day that captured a lot of the good that can happen in religion, and Christianity specifically. Both came from expected and unexpected sources. I started out the day with a visit to Saint More Catholic Church, it is one of the easiest for me to visit, since they have a lot of service times and are really close to my house. This was good since I'd be spending time with family later. 

     The church is beautiful, it is surrounded by trees and has an interesting design, it's like a pyramid almost and has a school right next to it. The building was packed and I was lucky to find a seat in the back. When I arrived the Hallelujahs began, confession and the readings...which were the same as Saturday based around carrying the cross for Jesus and giving ones own desires up. What I noticed this time though in the Matthew reading were the similarities to Eastern thought. 

   Depending on the interpretation, and I'll be taking that Eastern philosophy interpretation in this post. Jesus wanted the apostles to put their own desires aside and to be as he was. It was similar to the Buddha and the giving up of possessions. He also calls Peter Satan when Peter says he wants him to stay around. Whether Jesus saw the Crucifixion coming or not this line is good at establishing that his teachings were bigger than him as well as his actions. Which makes sense why his followers would see him as God later. How Satan was used here too was as the ego, don't remind me of the things that make me want to live for me...let me live for others, which you should do too. Here God is like Enlightenment, complete understanding and perfect action. 

     Of course this was taken literal, and though I don't agree with that interpretation if it brings you to good action in the world than do it. If you take inspiration from an undefined outside source, than I am happy for you...if it leads you to do good. Which it clearly has done for quite a few people throughout time and up to current day. 

    Late I would head to City Church in Sandy which would have a different theme that is universal while also emphasizing the second interpretation of Jesus as a deity. 

Evening Meditation - Salt Lake Buddhist Temple - Salt Lake City, Utah - May 14th, 2014

        It has been a while since I've visited a non-Christian denomination for the blog. This visit was well overdue. I'm glad I did it too, and plan on visiting again. The Salt Lake Buddhist Temple hosts meditation classes every Wednesday with different teachers. The style isn't from the sect of Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu) that hosts the meditation classes, but all the members of the class are members of the Temple or were new like me.

     First, I should mention I've always related to Buddhism as a philosophy. The whole attachment leads to suffering is spot on, as well as living right action being the best way to live. The philosophy is great at growing discipline which is something I hope to continue to develop.

     When I arrived we did introductions before beginning the silent meditation. Silent meditations are in my opinion one of the best and most difficult meditation types. Visualization can keep the mind active, but to clear the mind and have it remain clear more often than not, needs silence.

    It is difficult. I try to meditate a little everyday, but usually don't last more than 10 minutes, this meditation lasted for 20 and during it I felt my mind beginning to think and analyze before I quieted again by counting my breath like the man hosting the meditation had advised. I also felt occasional itches and anytime I moved my arms to get comfortable felt being taken out of the silence again. The whole process was letting go. If I felt a certain way (the itching, thinking mind and analyzing my own thoughts when mind should be clear), letting it go. It was a quite relaxing process and afterwords I felt energized and relaxed.

    After the meditation we discussed our experiences. From looking at self from the outside (visualizing is what one person said), falling asleep, or letting go. It was a great experience. Myself and a few others had opened our eyes once and from that we talked about how community or Songha in Buddhism helped set the intention to continue rather than leaving or doing something else (like what would be more likely to happen if doing it alone). The discussion also covered different ways people have tried to change or alter their state of mind. It was cool since a few of the folks their were psychiatrists. It was during this discussion to that I learned that this meditation has a different person host it every week and with it a different way meditation is tackled or practiced. We also discussed the similar mysticism bent that most faiths have a branch of before doing some whirling from Sufism.

   Mysticism at its best is ethics in practice. Since "Do no harm" and looking in at ourselves in relation to others seems to be the basis of most mystic traditions. Rarely do you find mystics condemning outsiders to Hell. Hell if it ever is brought up is the Hell we experience in this life not some metaphysical eternal place of punishment. 

     I haven't whirled since high school when I visited the Seattle Dervishes with the Interfaith Voices of Youth group I was a part of (and when they visited our Interfaith Festival at Eastshore Unitarian Church). The experience was great and also a wonderful way to clear the mind and simply be. After we all talked again and I made friends with the man who had hosted, after the whirling we discussed the experience of it and what had brought us to the event. It was wonderful and an experience I look forward to repeating again and bringing into my life more fully.