I grew up in a “Christian” household, Presbyterian to be exact. Mom and Grandma taught Sunday School, sang in the church choir, were elders, deacons, etc. You get the picture. My dad knew the bible inside and out. He read me bible stories as bedtime stories and I remember “Old Rugged Cross” and his favorite, “In the Garden” being played as part of the Sunday morning repertoire on the antique green stereo console in our living room. But Dad only attended church on Easter and Christmas or a special event in which we (me or my brother, Mark) might be participating. He said he didn’t need to sit with hypocrites to justify his faith.
I have been blessed to live and travel to many places around the globe that don’t practice Christianity. I’ve heard the calls to prayer in many countries, visited mosques, and listened to the prayers of those of the Islamic faith. I was in Qatar and Dubai during Ramadan. I have sat with monks in Buddhist temples. I have been in synagogues and attended a Jewish wedding ceremony. I attended a service of Caodaism (cultivating self and finding god in self) in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. I have sat in monasteries in Tibet and read the teachings of the Dalai Lama. I have been to a Hindu cremation ceremony in Kathmandu, Nepal which follows closely to the Hinduism of India.
In Bali, Indonesia I have attended many Balinese Hindu ceremonies which differ from those of India. I have witnessed the exhumation of a human body for cremation (Ngaben). I’ve been to a Nelubulanin/Nyambutin ceremony which is like our baptism and is performed for a baby when they reach three months (105 days) by the Balinese calendar. I’ve been to the temple ceremony of Odalan which is the anniversary of the Temple and I have had the opportunity to pray at Pura Besakih or the Mother Temple. I was overcome with energy and couldn’t hold back the tears. As I sat in a drizzle of a cleansing rain, my guide talked me through the prayer ceremony. He lit the incense (the smoke takes our prayers to heaven) and explained what to do with the flowers in the offering. After the prayer service, the Priest came and blessed me with holy water and gave me holy water to drink.
The guide then one by one took 9 strings of color and wound them into a bracelet. It is to be worn until it falls off or breaks. Peace, energy, harmony, balance, gratitude, and spirituality are just a few of the emotions I felt. I still wear the bracelet (it has been 5 years) and it reminds me daily to be thankful for the blessings I have received in life.
Watching the sunrise/sunset on Mount Everest was a very spiritual experience. Was it a Christian experience? I honestly have to say no. Did all those things like God and “How Great Thou Art” go through my head? Yes! But I was on the mountain with Tibetan Buddhists, so I got to experience spirituality from their point of view.
Growing up Christian, we heard stories of missionaries in far-off lands converting these “pagans”, “non-believers” and even those of other faiths to Christianity. Through my travels, I have come to question this practice and ask, “Why”? Why do we in the West think that our religion (Christianity) is the one true and right religion that everyone else should follow?
I must admit that living abroad and experiencing different religions firsthand has changed me. I haven’t denounced my Christianity, but I find myself being open to accepting the beliefs of other religions. Born and raised a Christian I have always believed in a greater being, namely God. As Christians, we are taught to be Godly in our everyday life, say our prayers before bed, etc. but, truth be told it is “seen” mostly on Sundays.
Traveling solo and living in different cultures has allowed me to look deeper into myself and my personal journey of spirituality. The first place I really felt a pull of spirituality was Tibet. I had such a peaceful feeling there that I struggle to find the words to describe it. There was something magical about Tibet. I am still drawn to that culture, but the connection I feel to Bali is overwhelming. I have never experienced a culture that is more welcoming or a people that always seem happy and peaceful.
The National Motto of Indonesia is “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” or Out of Many, One, or Unity in Diversity. The full motto states, “It is said that the well-known Buddha and Shiva are two different substances; they are indeed different, yet how is it possible to recognize their difference in a glance, since the truth of Buddha, and the truth of Shiva are one? They may be different, but they are of the same kind, as there is no duality in truth.”
Am I still a Christian? That’s a tough one. I am not trying to turn this into a religious debate but, my views on Christianity have been drastically altered. I think it is hard for Westerners to admit maybe Buddhism, Hinduism, and other religions aren’t so far off from Christianity. Am I a Christian? I am going to answer yes, but my Christianity has become more spiritual. The language all over the world is different, why not religion? Are we all worshipping the same “God”?
I will leave you with this, author unknown, ”Travel, because you have no idea who you are until you experience yourself through different people and realize we are all the same”
Down the Rabbit Hole 