Youniverse

When I attended community college out of high school, I had an interesting professor named Mr. Pierce. I’ll always remember the weekly Thursday evening at 7 class’s initial start. I got into the elevator in the school building, with red eyes, from having just smoked marijuana. Before the door closed, a tall dude wearing a cowboy hat entered. As the elevator took us up, I noticed briefly that his eyes were as red as mine. He glanced back at me. We both smiled and laughed lightly under our quiet breath. When the door opened, we both walked slowly into the same classroom. To my comical discovery, he was the teacher.

World Religion 101 was a semester that stays with me to this day. I’d signed up out of interest and credit requirement. Each week, there was a new lecture, with a new paper to write. Professor Pierce had a way with words that always captivated his teaching to me. He really was a lowkey preacher in my opinion, someone who had the character of an open mic standup performer blended with sharp intellect. 

His lessons covered an intro to the world’s main religions, and from that I began to develop my own brand of unique spirituality. He had a warm demeanor and felt intrinsically personable. One night after class, he casually mentioned to a group of us lingering that he’d be going to an Occupy Rally the next day. Some of the lingerers faded away and he asked me if I wanted to go with him. I honestly replied that I couldn’t, as I was committed to work, my job at a children’s fitness center. The comedy continued, in that I couldn’t go to a protest against the workforce, due to being a member of said workforce.  

Then on the last day of class, I was reviewing his semester with positive regard for his quality professionalism and entertaining manner, as I bid him goodbye. He again said he would be attending some political activist rally and invited me. But I was honestly headed on a road trip to Utah with my best friend at the time the following morning. It is only in hindsight that I think perhaps he liked me in some special way, some hint I couldn’t read until I’d had more experience in adulthood. I actually did some growing up and found myself liking this type of guy. Oh, though, the chances we lose in naivety can reemerge with maturity. 

This article is not about cute and smart professors with cute and smart students… it’s about my affinity for Spiritualty. Although, dare I insist that a spiritual practice is certainly the ways in which one expresses Love. 

My name is Kristine, and that is Latin for “Chirst-like”. While I am not a certified Christian, I do get down with some of the messages within christianity. I’m inspired to write this tonight because my friend from childhood recently reached out to me about her newfound affinity for bible study.

Kelsey and I are like cousins in that our mothers have been best friends since they were in kindergarten together. Earlier this month, when she gifted me a book titled “Faith, Doubt, and God’s Mysterious Timing”, she raved about how enlightened she felt upon reading it herself. I figured I’d give her the time of day and read it myself. And I’m learning it’s pretty cool. 

I once thought christianity was a bunch of fables and mythology. But as I read more stories from all the wide-ranged written history of biblical relevance, I’m beginning to believe these stories actually occurred on earth. Sure, thousands of years ago, but times were vastly different back then, making the books about god and the like seem plausible in the general headspace of Europeans centuries ago. It’s unimaginable now with how far myriads of technology has brought us, but lightyears ago, I can buy that life was so different it was possible for biblical stories to have been reality.

But we mustn’t limit ourselves to but one belief system. I’m a dieheart WORLD religion practitioner. It’s so much more depth in accepting the other faiths from other parts of the huge planet. Mostly because we can’t ignore that humans have come up with fascinating thoughts and theories from africa, asia, and south america, equal to those created in christianity. I’m talking about the 100s of cultures worldwide, from neanderthals to the modern era. It is to restrict oneself to abide by only one religion. Christianity and its variety of sectors are perhaps the most accessible for Americans today; but history accurately depicts spirituality across all walks of life, and that’s a fact I feel comfortable and confident in expressing my whole identity.

A lot of american people take on some elements of Buddhism. Meditation became a mainstream health and wellness practice in the western world, and many industries invented the aesthetic of buddhism across the nation. Chakra jewelry, crystal shops, Asian fashion, restaurants and cafes, tattoo ideas, may all be themed with evidence of Ze Buddha. The phenomena of blending Eastern Philosophy with the western world post industrialisation is in fact quite trendy. I include myself in this trend. Nirvana, homies. 

Alongside buddhism I admit my love of Taoism. This was professor Pierce’s favorite religion and i caught the vibe in my heart too. I enjoy it’s moral - there is no god… only Flow of the Universe. Only Energy within and surrounding totality. Only infinite time and space and art and music and human consciousness. As a poet myself, the poetry book Tao Te Ching rings realer to me than any other holy book; holy books which can at times sound too harsh or be too confusing to comprehend. The tao te ching is beautiful and centralizes beauty as Life’s purpose. Speaks volumes to me eternally.  

   

At age 26, I read the Bhagavad Gita of Hinduism and it delivered me a transformative experience. It was the way I related to hearing the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in my mind, then seeing it apply to my real life. I really love how the Gita speaks on the importance of yoga. I’ve been doing various kinds of yoga for many years and only see many more to come. I’m also a lover of Hindi Polytheism. The belief of many gods. Speaks to my soul. Namaste, pals. Or my personal favorite aphorism, “Sat Nam”, which means, “Truth is my identity.”

When i joined a commune in rural Virginia at age 27, some of the communards were Pagan. I’d been reading articles and listening to podcasts about magick, tarot, feminism, alchemy and spelling, witchery/warlocks, and Gaia (mother earth), so the opportunity to celebrate such ideologies was an honor. These beliefs have been entwined in my character ever since. Paganism has a huge net of influence throughout its complex history, and it matters on when and where you are with it that’ll lead you where you run with it. For me, it’s essentially about casting oneself alive through the power of manifestation, with your intentions and actions. The artist and crafter in me is pagan for sure. The aesthetic is totally my desired brand, and my tattoo is a symbol of my worship to this spirituality. 

As you can now tell, I’ve got my own smoothie of religiousness about me. And that’s a point of pride in my book. I admire my birth name for the Divinity it encapsulates. But i’ll never really be a full on follower of christ; mostly because i disagree that i’m a sinner. Because im not! My life has been full of abundant fortunes. I never had a guilty bone in my body. And i think most jesus freaks would disagree with my affinity for the other religious practices I adhere to as my life Source. Nonetheless, i felt inspired to write this memoir since this summer i’m going through some awakening again. Afterall, enlightenment is an ongoing process; one we agree to by our chosen evolution. 

I recently quit smoking marijuana. While it played a central role in my past, it no longer feels relevant in the present. I have no regret for the stoner i was. It shaped my character in the best ways possible. Yet, my future is brighter than the burning end of a joint. I feel like i’m high enough. On existence itself. As a bipolar person, it was an herbal remedy for cooling me down in manic behaviors & lifting me up in depressive thoughts. Yet, every world religion touches upon the negative impact grass can have on your Qi. So, i’m following that these days. And I feel quite healthy in doing so. It’s just an extra factor about me that i am now set free from. Imagine the amazing experiences i can get into with the financial aspect of being off the habit… doors open when you close the window with smoke out of it. & i’m really looking forward to the relationships formed with MJ out of the picture. Above the influence of green, and on the influence of whatever’s even higher. Bless up!

As for now, i’m curious about the eye contact i’ll make when our eyes ain’t red as a blood moon. And the art i’ll create when im awake enough and ain’t snoozing around four-twenty o clock. I heard Jesus was age 34 around the time of his death. I’m about that time too, on board for the magic that happens when the days of dazey youth are gone… but i’m still glowing. Maybe i’m woke enough now to get when cute and smart professors are flirting with me… because i heard that the bible has stories of folks living to be like 500 years old. I don't really believe exclusively in the traditional form of “years” (the Gregorian calendar is but one of many systems to measure time). So… here’s to four score and many more, infinity and beyond, the eternal Now, and whatever else under the sun, stars and Mars. And cheers to you, my friend, reader of an ancient alien textbook titled this journal… may the power of Love overcome the love of power & that force be with us. <3333