Conversations at the Temple...

The context of this one is possibly longer than the actual story.  That is sometimes the case is it not? To fully understand and appreciate something, one must spend twice as long to explain the background and sub text and such and such.

However, this time lets take the following brief notes as context:

I ended up at the George Harrison Hare Krishna Mandir outside London at 6am on a Sunday morning

With a good friend who would later get us both into a situation that resulted with us on our knees, guns pointed at our heads in Africa (possibly another story)

Having had 3 hours of sleep I experienced a life changing/affirming morning Artee, where music and dance revolved around a kid (no more than 4years old) beating a drum.  Years later, I am still amazed at how that little boy (with help from his dad) was able to get a room full of people dancing to his beat.

It turned out it was a special day for Hare Krishna followers and there was a general buzz about the place more special than the usual, with dignitaries and specials flying in from across the world to celebrate the occasion.

I am not writing this article to convince or persuade you of the virtues of the Hare Krishna movement/religion – not to say that it is not amazing and special.

Having participated in the amazing morning Artee I was curious to find out more of the philosophy behind the event and the theory.

Being of the Sikh faith I had had little exposure to the Gita (sacred text for the Krishnas’).   Since childhood I have heard it referenced and revered but had not had opportunity to discuss with a person more familiar with the text.

On this occasion however, I was fortunate enough (with my friend) to “corner” a priest who was more than happy to listen and discuss questions and thoughts.  With my friend apologising for my child like questioning, however the priest showed patience and encouragement.  To this day I still hold that the dude fundamentally changed the way I think about the topics below, more so than any other experience I can recollect.

Initially the conversation centred on the Oppenheimer quote citing a passage from the Gita.  I first came across it in a Linkin Park song - funny how inspiration from seemingly unlinked sources can lead to such profound experiences.  Anyhow; the quote was talking about death and the destroyer of worlds and stuff like that – real Hollywood Blockbuster sexy stuff.

The priest instead manoeuvred the conversation to Love and God and more enlightened topics.  Whilst we were talking, we managed to get an audience of 10 to 15 others sitting around our seats listening intently to the priest and what he had to say.

It was at this point that a revelation (for me anyway) was made; the connection between the concepts of:

Truth/God

Knowledge/Religion/The Path and

Love

After a few iterations, we both agreed that God had many names and that people sometimes find themselves more attached to the language of religion than the point of the religion in the first place.  We agreed that the destination is the same for all, however the perspective and the language is what differs.  It is this language and perception that people then latch on to and defend as if they are defending God etc.  The priest then said something like “God will set you free”.

Something resonated and I recalled the famous “Truth shall set you free” line.  He immediately bounced back with “well, Truth is God and God is Truth, it is simply another label”.

We then discussed how and why there are so many different paths and versions and views.  He proposed that each has their own journey to take and each must walk/experience a different path according to his/her circumstances and environment.  As such, sometimes there is a more popular movement and it takes form into religion and a collective path.  However, we all still have our individual relationships with religion too; he offered it is like going to a supermarket and picking the bits and pieces that most resonate with the self.

I then questioned where Love fits in all this – is Love not God?  “Everything is God” he bounced back, my gosh what a get out clause!  This did not fit neatly into a model I could go away with and so we verbally danced for a while longer.  All the time the crowd increasing by one or two people every so often to the point that the main stairway was getting taken up.

So Love; ”….without true Love one cannot arrive at the destination…..it is what binds….” he offered.  It still failed to resonate in the same way as the discussions on Truth/God and Religion/Knowledge.   Until that is, we happened upon the following revelation, one that you will have to visualise with the use of your hands:

·         Imagine Truth/God being represented by holding your left hand in the air

·         Imagine your Self being represented by holding your right hand in the air, a foot away from the left

Now, the challenge is that the Self that is you is separate from the Truth/God.  How does one connect the two?  This is the point of religion, of showing the path and knowledge to be able to traverse between and become one with the One.

However, the path is not an easy one to walk and you will go through many (many, many, many) challenges along the way.  This is where Love comes in, it helps to bond and bind one to the path and help to hold on to the path until the destination is achieved.

Well, I was blown away and exhausted, but the priest was not finished.  He then added that the “journey” between the two is not necessarily external and can also apply to the inward journey too.

I was done!

Now, I may not have achieved the effect of moving the reader, and that is down to my skill (or rather lack of) – but please know a hushed silence fell upon the group and there was more than one set of eyes wet with tears of joy.