Click on thumb for full size versionNow that I've been going through my notebooks looking for interesting tidbits, I see how often my thoughts turn towards religion. (It'd probably be politically expedient for me to say right here that religion is a good thing, that it makes us better people. Fortunately, you're only going to hear that kind of tripe from the OTHER Zen Bandit. Wait a minute. There is no other Zen Bandit. My bad... :-)

I cannot honestly say I believe that religion is a good thing.  If you follow history with any objectivity, one thing is clear almost immediately: religion is one of the biggest excuses for bad behavior we've ever invented. 

But, religion is also one of the most intriguing things we do. Completely insane, but still intriguing. On only the barest shreds of evidence (& often on no evidence whatsoever) we build entire universes of belief. Then we have long arguments (& frequently bloodshed) with each other about whose made-up universe is right.

Don't get me wrong here. I know I've already said I think that religion, especially organized religion, is insane. But religion is not spirituality. Spirituality is the thing we hold within ourselves that is perfectly sane. Religion is the thing that stuffs spirituality into a squeaky clean new suit & too tight shoes & makes it sit through hours & hours of boring sermons when outside the mud is bubbling & there are happy people wearing only shorts & there are turtles & goldfish with tails the size of banana leaves stretching their noses out into the warm spring air. Spirituality is wild & individual & curious. Spirituality throws us into the center of life with only this bit of advice whispered in our ear: go out & love it all.

We're getting deeper into what I see as the current global project of re-inventing the world so it works for everyone. One day soon, I think we're going to have an epiphany about religions. We're going to look at each other with a smile of wonderment on our faces & we're going to understand: everyone should have their own. Whatever it is that feeds you & sustains the life & the love around you will be your religion. 

Anyway, here are a couple of notes about one of my religions. I say 'one' because I have pages & pages of notes like this & not all of them go together.  The more I track these notes down, the more I think I may actually have a bouquet of religions that I can pull from depending on my mood. Depending on what I want to celebrate & uplift & hold sacred. Depending on what Life is asking me to love in that moment.

I like that. I'm going to go now & make more notes before I forget...

with love, Brian