Go to church!

Two bags in the fore of Four Mile Run Creek are evidence of a new fervor that is shaking, quaking, and remaking religious conventions. Is it time to redefine church?

Monday, 8:16 pm, is not the typical time to go to church. But then again, I’ve never been a typical churchgoer.

That’s why when I headed to Four Mile Run Creek just past quarter after eight, I knew I would be attending the best hour of “church” in my life.

Instead of sitting in a pew, playing add the gospel numbers on the wall, count the light fixtures on the ceiling, or repeat the Mortal Combat blood code to keep from being swallowed up by boredom, today, I spent my hour of church outside picking up trash.

Today’s post is a shout-out to my friend Jeff, who, in high school, dreamt of a society that would come together once a week and split the responsibilities necessary for day-to-day living. As Jeff saw it this could be the equivalent of going to church. One task the group could do, for example, would be to lift up a huge heavy object. This heavy object would then spend the rest of the week acquiescing to gravity while generating electricity for the community on its slow downward descent. Thus the whole group would have partnered in maintaining a clean, self-sustaining, source of energy.

Though, I am definitely not part of a utopian society, nor doing anything revolutionary, my hour of “church” was more productive and more conducive to the way I value spirituality. Today, I got to listen to a Spanish podcast, instead of a priest droning on. And after the hour, I walked away with one full-trash bag of recyclables and one full bag of trash, instead of sitting idly in mass.

The idea of church is glorious. Coming together as a community to rally around good morals, ethics, and peace is always a beautiful thing. Though my hour of church did not take place in a traditional setting, I would argue that my service was just as relevant as any other.

Since religion is entirely dogmatic, based on unproven or unprovable principles, it is entirely up to the individual to be a believer of any given faith. Armed with the power of choice and reason, it makes the most sense to believe in what corresponds to your personal quest for life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. Alas, loyal readers…GO TO CHURCH!

His Holiness graces DC

"Look at the Capitol...This exceptional building indicates democracy...This is right from the beginning..." ~ His Holiness

At 9:30 am Saturday, July 9, the Dalai Lama spoke to a crowd of peace-loving schmendricks on the West Lawn of the Capitol.

I awoke without aid of the alarm clock at six-fifty, rested and eager for the Tibetan peacelord himself. Thanking the universe for gifting me with an injection of ebullience, I set off on a solo-mission for insight and inspiration.

After a bus and metro ride I arrived at my destination at 8 am. The West Lawn of the Capitol Building was about half-full. I grabbed a seat in the grass and then busied myself with my vocab note cards. Thirty minutes later, the magic happened. Two middle-aged women ambled up and stood in a spot next to me, a space that was only big enough for a lamb and a hobbit.

I offered to scoot over a touch and in return they offered me a spot on their blanket. It was like instant friendship and completely in line with the essence of the day. We started talking, and before you know it the guy next to me was brought into the conversation too. I learned about their travels to Boston, India, and Japan. One of the women was raised a Catholic, but had recently started meditating and meshing eastern religion with the traditional western canon.

It made for great conversation, the woman and the rest of us opened up to one another. The emotional surge of being in a place where I was surrounded by people seeking out answers for faith, peace, and direction was akin to the one I felt immersed in the crowd at Grant Park, Chicago, during Obama’s election night.

"Once you understand yourself, communication with others becomes easy." ~ His Holiness

Taking in the spirit of the day, I befriended fellow peace seekers in a quest for merriment, insight, and anecdotes of wonder.

When the Dalai Lama spoke, he made a lot of good points. He illustrated how formality can become a barrier to communication, how by truly knowing our realities we have the ability to shape them in the direction we’d like, and how being comfortable with ourselves allows us to reach out to others.

What struck me more than anything else about the day was the way His Holiness and the people around me gave me this ability to lucidly look inside myself. I see this chain of events that has led me to Arlington, Virginia, a place where I believe I have found the right woman to love. I’m building skills for that right job, and I’m spending every free moment I have to explore the world the best I know how.

As I’m trying to lead a life that is full, true, and where my happiness buds in concert with the happiness of others, I found the morning with His Holiness to be a great lift. I wish you, good reader, the best of luck on your own journey.

Here were some of my favorite quotes from the Dalai Llama:

“Once you understand yourself communication with others becomes easy.”

“Everybody has an equal right to happiness. The mistake people make is trying to find happiness from outside themselves.”

“Look at the Capitol…This exceptional building indicates democracy…This is right from the beginning.