Getting Down to Business

I suppose I should begin this by identifying myself as a person of faith.

It makes me cringe a bit to think of the immediate reaction that phrase will evoke in many people reading this (if anyone even is). Despite the common conclusion to which most people would jump when hearing a person define themselves as such, this does not mean that I am devoutly religious by any means. In fact, I find religion to be a rudimentary, human manifestation of a bigger spiritual picture. One aspect of humanity that I find to be quite frustrating is our tendency to want to place everything and everyone neatly in respective categories based on shared qualities or interests. Don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of it myself, but it is a habit I'm trying to shed as I find it quite limiting. We do it to one another, and we do it to ourselves. I find it to be particularly relevent living in a sprawling metropolis such as Los Angeles, where people seem to come, claiming to be seeking recognition as unique and distictive, but usually end up falling into a particular mold of one of the many "scenes" as a result of relentlessly trying to uphold a desired image. I'm still not sure who it is everyone is trying to impress or prove themselves to....

I suppose I see religion in the same light. I'm not one to judge or undermine the validity of any one religion (just as I'm in no position to judge any one social "scene"). Each one, in the purest form, is equally valid in principle and purpose...a means to reach a desired "end," and to understand more deeply the essence of something bigger than ourselves. But just as - in the context of social scenes - the underlying common thread is that of shared human existence, so - in the context of religions - is there an underlying common thread of spiritual existence.
As someone...undoubtedly wise in their own right...once said to define this idea in a nutshell: "Many paths, one way." Each of us is on our own journey. It is MY belief that this journey is spiritual in essence, but experienced through our unique and collective human existence. To quote yet another anonymous sage: "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience." I believe our permanent, essential existence is spiritual...that we are all essentially spiritual beings, and that our human existence is temporary, impermanent, and ever-changing based on our experiences. I believe we are all entitled - furthermore, obligated - to make our own choices to define how we choose to venture on our journey as human beings. We define ourselves by the choices we make, every minute of every day. But, ultimately, it is my belief that we're all heading in the same direction...to the same ultimate goal...and it is this goal that I like to undeservingly drag down into the human vernacular by giving it the limiting name of "Truth."

It is this "Truth" that I hope to discuss, fumble around with, disect, shred, question and challenge. Ideally, I'd like for this to be a dialogue with anyone interested in chasing tails with me. I welcome criticism, questions, rebuttles, anger, agreement, disagreement....the only thing I wish to be free of in this forum is judgement. There is no room for it here. I believe it is possible, and VITAL, to discuss among ourselves, as human beings - all entitled to our own opinions, our own wisdom based on our own experiences, our own beliefs, and our own truths - within a space that holds ALL of this and is free from judgement. So this is what I am attempting to create.