Many Paths to God

A friend of mine recently became a devotee of Her Holiness Mata Amritanadamayi. She is more popularly known as Sri Amma, the Holy Mother, the hugging saint. Perceived by many as the feminine incarnation of the Divine, she expresses unconditional love through the act of hugging. People from all over the world travel to have darshan (holy sight of a sacred individual) with Amma. Many seek to be held by her the way a mother holds her children.

In describing his first experience of Sri Amma, my friend said that he was blown away by being in her presence. His life had been changed. He instantly requested a mantra (prayer), and became her student on the spot. Interestingly enough, my friend is a Buddhist priest. Buddhism, by definition, is an atheistic, philosophical and/or religious perspective.

My friend spent many years living as a monk in Fo Guang Shan, a Chinese ecumenical Buddhist order. He and I co-lead a local Thursday night meditation service in the Ch'an/Zen tradition. It may seem rather odd that he and I would be co-leading this meditation given my background in Christianity, and his move towards Hinduism as a Shakti (sacred feminine) practitioner. Ch'an/Zen is an experiential form of Mahayana Buddhist practice that emphasizes experience in meditation over dogma and doctrine.

Arguably, because of its anti-dogmatic stance, it is practiced by many that by definition are not Buddhists. However my friend defines himself, he does seem happy. His companion is overjoyed as well. She is a member of the Self Realised Fellowship of Yogananda.

Another friend of mine, a former Presbyterian who converted to Hinduism decades ago, operates a universal/interfaith center named the Living Insights Center. The center is designed to educate individuals around many of the primary world's religious and spiritual traditions. My friend is rather eclectic. He devoutly attends the temple on Monday to observe the Shiva puja (ritual worship). Yet, he participates as a singer and drummer for an annual Native American ritual, and he is a Reiki master. He walked away from a lucrative law career to practice his faith.

Perhaps, my friends are all confused, but I must emphasize that they are happy! What if they have found something that many are struggling to accept that God isn't a brand name copyrighted by one religious tradition? There is an emerging realization across consciousness that authentic spirituality is more fluid and open than previously thought. The message appears to be quite simply: There are many paths to God!

What if God is the inclusive One, and the separatist has been those of us that attempt to pigeon hold God into one category of religious practice? God isn't a Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, etc. God is God. Across all of our traditions, God really is Unconditional Light and Love? And, in the words of my spiritual grandfather Bishop Dr. Ajari, "Unconditional Love is Enlightenment."

Whatever names we use, whatever practices we undertake, the primary practice is the awareness of the Divine Presence. It is the awareness of the Divine Presence that heals, that manifests abundance, that answers prayers, that transforms lives. Our words about God are often inadequate ramblings around an attempt to categorize the Sacred. It is a sort of irony that the more we talk about God, the more it indicates our lack of understanding about God.

I can't help but think that a God of unconditional love is about building people up, not tearing them down. Real faith suggests that the Divine Presence is about encouraging, not discouraging. The Sacred promotes love and compassion, not anger. I am convinced that the barometer of authentic spirituality is the celebration of life. The absence of the celebration then is anything but God. Be in joy, be in love, be in God.