Religions Merge Into One: And a Meditation Runs Through It

As a rule, religions get along with each other about as well as anointing oil and holy water. In other words, not very well. Too many crusades, jihads, and pogroms to overlook in their two millennium-long battle to poach worshippers from each other. Yes, this battle for souls has been deadly, but in certain respects the acrimony is lessening. Religious leaders of different faiths are finding common ground with each other in recent years, and, most importantly, spiritual seekers are feeling free to more closely examine and even admit to reservations about their beliefs.

When theologians engage in the introspection exercise, the results can be fascinating. In his new book, Without Buddha I Could Not be a Christian (Oneworld Publications, 978-1-85168-673-5), Paul F. Knitter, professor of Theology, World Religions and Culture at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, documents his religious journey and the long process by which he discovered some unlikely common ground between Christianity and Buddhism.

“Like many of my theological colleagues,” Knitter writes. “I have come to realize that I have to look beyond the traditional borderlines of Christianity to find something that is vitally, maybe even essentially, important for the job of understanding and living the Christian faith: other religions. That is, the Scriptures and the traditions, the sacred texts, the past teachings, the living communities of other religious believers. It was only after I began to take seriously and to explore other religious Scriptures and traditions that I was able to more adequately understand my own…Buddhism has enabled me to make sense of my Christian faith so that I can maintain my intellectual integrity and affirm what I see as true and good in my culture; but at the same time it has aided me to carry out my prophetic-religious responsibility and challenge what I see as false and harmful in my culture.”

Knitter’s not completely comfortable living in the orbit of two heavenly bodies of faith. He writes in his conclusion: “Is what I’ve been trying to do in this book really a kind of religious promiscuity?” And, is he still a Christian? At the end of the day, Knitter does not feel his involvement with Buddha has “lessened my relationship and commitment to Jesus.” He believes we’re all “hybrids”—that the Buddhists have it right when they say there is “no isolated, permanent self.” Superbly conceived and written, this book will lighten the guilt load of a great many unsettled Christian soldiers.

If one wishes to make sense of the world, French Orthodox priest Jean Yves Leloup believes the tools are to be found in the Christian and Buddhist camps equally. In his introduction to Compassion and Meditation: The Spiritual Dynamic Between Buddhism and Christianity (Inner Traditions, 978-1-59477-277-1) he writes, “Without compassion, meditation tends to become a form of self-hypnosis, a subtle form of narcissism and escapism. And without meditation, compassion tends to degenerate into an activism with good intentions but lacking in depth and discrimination.” He brushes off the assertion that meditation is exclusively a Buddhist practice by pointing out that devotees of many Christian sects would sit together, breathe deeply, and attempt to be still both outwardly and inwardly. Just as he would dismiss anyone for inferring that compassion is more a Christian idea than it is Buddhist: “I am not here with you today in the hope that you will become a Christian, nor that I will become a Buddhist. We are here in order to become more human, more awake, more loving…let us speak of the realization to which every human being is called: the actualization of their true being. In this meditation and practice it is important for us to become, not just better Buddhists or better Christians, but more authentic human beings. There are many greedy and clever human animals in this world, but few human beings.”

The Compassionate Life: Walking the Path of Kindness (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 978-1-57675-756-7) was conceived by its author, Marc Ian Barasch, as way to decipher what it takes to overcome the “I-me-mine” impulses that afflict all but the most angelic among us. “Spiritual teachers throughout history have insisted we each possess the requisite piece of equipment: one standard-issue heart. It is not a case of being born with the right disposition but of cultivating, like diligent, sweat-stained gardeners, the kernel of benevolence that is our birthright.” Barasch chronicles a years-long quest to learn what he can from exceptionally empathetic people, theology, neurobiology, and scores of examples drawn “from his own forays into the deep backcountry of human kindness,” resulting in a convincing, buoyant project offering the power to change who we are and the society we have become.

We move from “walking the path of kindness” to driving like a bat out of hell as an effective way to investigate the Buddhist mindset. Buddha on the Backstretch: The Spiritual Wisdom of Driving 200 MPH (Mercer University Press, 978-0-88146-174-9) deserves the pole position for portraying Buddhism as no more or no less exotic than a super-hyped stock car plastered with beer decals. Arlynda Lee Boyer is superlative with colorful commentary and insightful explanations of how a firm grasp of flow, mindfulness, patience, endurance, discipline, concentration, equanimity, and finally acceptance (as in death), benefit both racers and meditators. Her book will broaden appreciation of Buddhism’s unparalleled coping skills. It might even create a few unlikely gear heads.

Beauty holds a singular grip on the human imagination. Plato, Dostoyevsky, Yeats, and other prominent thinkers suggested beauty alone could deliver man from temptation and evil. The Way of Beauty: Five Meditations for Spiritual Trans-formation (Inner Traditions, 978-1-59477-287-0) is more than thoughtful commentary from the shoulders of giants. The carefully worded essays/meditations average twenty pages and showcase Francois Cheng’s resplendent language skills. Recently elected to the Academie Francaise, his long literary career includes poetry, essays, translation, and novels.

In Surfing Your Inner Sea: Essential Lessons for Lasting Serenity (Chronicle Books, 978-0-8118-6728-3), Raphael Cushnir teaches readers the ancient art of what he calls “sensation surfing…the fastest way to serenity ever found.” The trick is acceptance: unrelenting acceptance of the mind’s infuriating penchant for joy riding into troubling, stress-causing thoughts. “When sensation surfing…there is absolutely no attempt to control the wave [thoughts] or otherwise alter the experience.” The patient surfer realizes your mind will eventually wander back around to the light. Cushnir is a contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine; his writing is bright, engaging, and just right for wave-riding lessons.

The medical/science community may never publicly endorse the notion that emotions (stress, for example) bear a toll on physical health. Their public stance is that whatever ails you is caused by a virus or blockage or some other documentable physical cause, and only an M.D. is qualified to make the call. In the real world, things are not so absolute. Free to Love Free to Heal: Heal Your Body by Healing Your Emotions (978-0-9819640-0-3), published by Deepak Chopra’s Chopra Center Press, offers a different message from the Center’s co-founder, David Simon, M.D. Interestingly, he’s not comfortable with any type of treatment—medical, chiropractic, herbalist, or acupuncture—that doesn’t address the underlying mind-body turbulence. “When a doctor ‘fixes’ something without exploring the context of the illness, the symptoms may abate but the unmet needs will persist, and the per-son’s mental, emotional, and physical health will remain vulnerable,” he writes. Simon’s book offers techniques to release the “core beliefs and painful memories that contribute to emotional distress and physical illness—freeing you to heal…”

If your definition of spiritual security means sleeping in a cardinal’s bedroom, Good Night & God Bless: A Guide to Convent & Monastery Accommodation in Europe (Hidden Spring, 978-1-58768-053-3) is the travel tome for you. In this first volume of what looks to be a superb series, Trish Clark covers Austria, the Czech Republic, and Italy, of-fering copious notes, directions, and historical fodder. In fact, this project will delight readers whether they personally visit the convents, monasteries, abbeys, and Christian hotels, or choose to stay home. In her introduction, Clark notes that, “As a result of a shortage of religious personnel, coupled with the increasingly high financial overheads in maintain their ancient buildings, some religious orders have been forced to meet costs by offering tourist accommodation.” Travelers can assume the rooms will be meticulously clean and inexpensive.

In The Code of Authentic Living: Cellular Wisdom (Bibliocast, an imprint of Work Keepers, 978-0-9795315-9-0), Dr. Joan C. King applies her neuroscientist background to investigate the chemical and energetic interactions within and between cells. Why? Because her research shows our cells are coded with “the basic principles on which the human spirit operates and moves and breathes.” A former nun at St. Mary’s Dominican College in New Orleans for eleven years, King offers theories that extend from humans to organizations and any system that has a central control structure. Problems develop when life decisions and business decisions don’t stem from an inner, core vision. She writes, “The concept of cellular wisdom takes the mind–body connection a step further. It invites you to consider that the principles of physiology—the basic biology of the body—contain key truths that you can use to create an authentic, fulfilling life. Cellular wisdom uses these biological principles as a basis for addressing the following question: How can you make all the components of your life—your body, emotions, psyche, and spirit—function as a harmonious and synchronous whole?” King offers thirty-plus meditative exercises to help readers interpret the core truths that our bodies are attempting to teach. This highly recommended book offers convincing science, quality writing, and sure-handed spiritual truths.