These questions are in response to a post on Brave New Traveler, asking readers to chronicle their current spiritual beliefs.

The great thing about drawing a line in the sand is that it will inevitably be eroded away. This excercise allowed me to take a snapshot of where my view on the world, universe, spirit and humanity currently sit. I’m thinking I’ll wait 5 years and answer them again. For the time being, this is my soft stance!

1. Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?

   This will sound apathetic: but I believe that it is the nature of life. We each have a finite existence, with finite resources, yet we also have infinite desires and an instinct to create a legacy for our decendants. These accumulated legacy means that our societies don’t reach equilibrium – there are those that have more than others. What makes humanity so incredible is that we question this cycle and attempt to transcend it. Even if it is just a move of self-preservation on a higher level, it’s interesting that we are conscious of it, and sometimes choose to be altruistic.

2. What is the relationship between science and religion?

   I believe that they are distinct means towards a common goal: “the truth”. Science seeks objective proof to converts theories into “fact”. But every fact is only a piece of an undefinable whole – it’s like being gifted shares in a corporation where limitless shares can be issued in the future. The theories that science hardens into fact today may be irrelevant in future.

   Religion, at least those that I have an affinity for, seeks truth through introspection. I think there’s a beautiful simplicity in that. At a certain point the subjectivity falls away, and all that we can be left with is the whole.

3. Why are so many people depressed?

   I believe that longterm or acute stress is the direct, but not root cause of depression. What’s causes stress? Perhaps that we will die without understanding, nevermind fulfilling, our reason for being here. We have a false sense of purpose, to create security and comfort in our lives, but this desire is limitless; and at some level we are sensitive to the imbalance. Those who are stressed are not as overtly aware of the rift between their actions are their real purpose – and stress is a symptom of that is. Depression results when stress degrades our physical body and mind beyond our reserves.

4. What are we all so afraid of?

   We are afraid of dying without realizing the nature of our existence, and without having the chance, for at least for a moment, to live in accordance with it.

5. When is war justifiable?

   Someone wise (the name has escaped me) said that you are on the “right path” if your feelings, your thoughts, your words (speech) and your actions are in accordance with each other. If it is ever possible for a conflict to be free of ulterior motives and subversive demands – if war can possibly arise from a place of honesty on every level, then it is justifiable. I don’t think a war like this has ever been fought.

6. How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?

   Firstly, I don’t believe big G wants anything at all. But if I were to be mindful of the Whole that encompasses good and evil, us and them, I’d arrive at the conclusion that we must strip the label “terrorism” from our vocabulary. Terror is our reaction, and we make ourselves victims by labeling the aggressors as “terrorists”. The only way that we can respond is by examining ourselves, opening up more dialog and giving more away. We are all human beings. But I’m an idealist, I’m empathetic to a fault, and I have never lived under conditions that made me feel terror.

7. How does one obtain true peace?

   I’ve been on Salt Spring Island for yoga teacher training for the past two weeks. One night a group of us went down to the beach to watch the sunset. On the drive down to the water, my window was wide open and the damp salty air was tangling my hair. I thought to myself “How great would it be to own a place here, sometime in the future?” The thought was accompanied by a pang of desire. I laughed at myself – here I am, alive and healthy on an exquisite evening. I am already here! Right now! How ridiculous is my mind. I think peace comes from getting over these thoughts.

8. What does it mean to live in the present moment?

   I like Warrior 2 pose because it reminds me of this: one arm stretched behind us to find stability from our past, but not reaching to clasp hold of our memories or point fingers at our regrets. The other arm stretching out in front of us, eyes gazing with confidence into the future, but not clamoring for things we think we desire, nor worrying about the unknown. Our hearts and our heads are settled in perfect balance in the middle. That’s the present moment.

9. What is our greatest distraction?

   Our fear – it’s causes us to believe instead of seeking the truth for ourselves. When distracted by fear, we see the unknown as unworthy of exploration. It also keeps us from laughing at ourselves.

10. Is current religion serving its purpose?

    No. I think most religions are self-serving institutions of control rather than guides for attaining inner peace. I believe that most of their core teachings are well founded, but I don’t support systems that require “conversion”; thereby excluding people from, and including subscribers in, with a clear line drawn between. I would like to see a move towards open belief systems that recognize the similarities, and respect the differences, between themselves and other systems. These systems would allow people to explore and migrate between them freely.

11. What happens to you after you die?

    I don’t believe in a discreet soul, but I do believe in an energy exists beyond the properties of our discreet bodies. This energy is persistent, and is interwoven with all that there is and even all that there is not. So the discreet “you” with your thoughts and personality cease to be – but the “you” that is everything and nothing will persist after death.

12. Describe heaven and how to get there.

    I can’t describe something I don’t believe exists.

13. What is the meaning of life?

    The problem with looking for meaning, is that the meaning of the meaning is then open for question, and so on… Ever get involved with a 2-year old that cheekily throws back every explanation with a “But why?”. I’m not sure an ultimate meaning exists – it results from our subjective perspective on the Whole, and a misguided attempt to relate to it through the duality of creator and creation; that the former had a “goal” when creating the latter.

    I do believe it’s compelling to understand the nature of life over it’s meaning.

14. Describe God.

    Big G: everything that is and everything that isn’t, and everything else in between.

15. What is the greatest quality humans possess?

    Our awareness of two things: the infinite, and zero.

16. Non-verbally, by motion or gesture only, act out what you believe to be the current condition of the world.

    More matter is held in living form, and an increasing amount in the configuration of the human form. There is a trend towards greater complexity on subtle and overt planes. I’m an optimist – I think in spite of having no meaning that it’s a beautiful thing.

17. What is your one wish for the world?

    That we each foster more empathy for all.

18. What is wisdom and how do we gain it?

    Wisdom is teaching from your authentic self. It starts by being humble enough to learn. Therein you have opened yourself to greater and greater realms. Finally you can be truthful in feelings, thoughts, words and action.

19. Are we all one?

    Yep. Phew finally a simple yes or no.