East Meets West

November 4, 2012

Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul. Dorothy Day

Like most of you, I enjoyed an especially luxurious night of sleep thanks to Daylight Savings Time. It’s just one hour, but waking up to daylight at 6:30 makes a world of difference. Waking up to the desert sun peaking over the mountains makes quite a difference too!

I read somewhere that the San Luis Valley (where Crestone is situated) is sunny 320 days a year. I think of my friend Emily in Seattle when I consider the alternative and wonder how she manages. Emily, I wish I could send some of these rays your way! Not that I’m complaining, but because of the passive solar heating in our tiny buildings, it’s quite necessary to close the blinds during the afternoon to avoid heat exhaustion! I’d compare it to a sauna, but my arid nasal passages and cracked skin would object.

Anyway, onto today’s highlight. After mass and a community breakfast (baked goods, finally!) we were given tours of three local spiritual centers, which have put Crestone on the map, so to speak. I’m going to butcher this history, but the short version is that in the late 80s land in the San Luis Valley was purchased and given to several spiritual communities, all attempting, in their own ways, to contribute to a more peaceful and ecological world. Nada Hermitage, this Carmelite monastery, is one of those beneficiaries. The others include several Tibetan and Zen Buddhist centers and stupas, a Hindu Ashram, the Japanese spiritual organization, Shumei, etc.

In my opinion, interfaith awareness and dialogue isn’t about changing anyone’s mind about their own faith. Certainly there is the possibility of conversion, especially for seekers. But for those of us who profess a creed, the benefit is a greater appreciation of our unique convictions and a respectful reminder of those beliefs we share with many other religions. Though to be clear, Shumei -which I’d first heard of today- and Buddhism are not technically religions. As Buddhists would likely agree, “there is no conflict between Shumei and any religion or spiritual path that seeks universal well-being. Many maintain and deepen their own beliefs while participating with us.” After all, some of the more enlightened Catholics are committed Buddhists, right Charles? Most of our group returned to Nada feeling grateful for our Christianity while also gleaning insights from these other spiritual paths that might enhance our Christian practice, and indeed, help us be more Christian.

We must love them both, those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in finding it. Thomas Aquinas