I was having a conversation with a dear old friend, recently, and we hit upon some things I wanted to add to this journal.
Although I was raised in a Christian
family, I have been an atheist for many years now. Probably decades. However, I
often tell people that nature is my church. I never feel more at peace
than I do when I'm out in nature. The weight of the world just lifts
away every time, effortlessly. This is why so many of my journal entries have made it seem like all I'd really like to do is spend more time outside.
Music can do the same thing, if I fully give in to it. What I mean by that is distracting myself from either of those pleasures by doing things on my phone or computer (for example) means that I'm not being fully present in the moment. For any of this to "work" you have to be willing to cast off the distractions and just be.
If I adhere to any set of "conventional" beliefs, it's that of Taoism and Zen Buddhism, which I discovered in college back in the 80s. A cornerstone tenet of these is the desire to live in the present moment; that worry (future) and regret (past) are counterproductive to happiness and can even be destructive. Nature and music both put me firmly in the present moment without much mental effort on my part. They make it easy. I love that about them.
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All that said, many people who do adhere to a religion have wished me well and have told me they will pray for me. My atheism does not render any of those kind thoughts null and void. As far as I'm concerned, there is no wrong way to wish someone well. Anyone who offers to pray for me is being as kind to me, within their own beliefs, as anyone wishing me well in more non-religious ways. Love is love. Kindness is kindness.
Many people who profess faith in God (by whatever name) feel the same way about nature. I love being out away from modern distractions for the very reason of being fully present.
ReplyDeleteOur pastor at church often has us practice focused breathing (concentrate on the action, not thought) and breath prayers (breathe out negative feelings and worries; breathe in love and peace) at the start of a worship service. I've realized that I do this when sitting quietly in nature, becoming fully present.
And I agree, putting out kindness and love into the world, in whatever manner that feels most authentic to an individual, is done with the best of intentions.
It's true that being a theist and fully appreciating nature are not mutually exclusive. I never felt I had to make a choice between the two, it's just that nature has always provided me my "church", even after Christianity let me down in that regard. I am truly happy to hear of the mindfulness practices of your church and pastor.
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