Becoming a
spiritual nomad
I haven’t felt satisfied with my spiritual life for so long that it
feels like forever. I’ve been searching
for the right path for me, but I can’t seem to find my niche. I finally realised a few months ago that I probably
will never be able to say “this is my religion and will be for the rest of my
life”. As life goes on, I change. I need to find a spiritual path that’s right
for me now, but that will also evolve with me as I move along through
life. So, when I learned that Dianne
Sylvan was going to give an e-course for spiritual nomads, I saw it as a sign!
The moments
of grace
When I read this, my first thought was “what moment of grace??” I was
positive I’d never had even one. Thinking back though, I realised that I had!
My first one was in the summer of 1997, I was spending some time with
my in-laws at their home in Newfoundland (more precisely in Western Bay, a
small village on the Avalon Peninsula). On the way there, we drove by a place
called Spout Cove. Nothing more than an abandoned village with a couple of
crumbling houses but by a cove surrounded by cliffs! First time I saw it, my
breath caught in my throat and I was awed by the magical beauty of this place.
Every time I passed by after that first time (and there were many as I was in
Western Bay for 6 months), I could feel my heart beat faster as I got closer
until the culmination point when the cove came into view. An orgasm of the
soul! That’s the best way I can find to describe the feeling.
My second moment of grace that came to mind was more recent. In the
summer of 2010, I took a few days to be by myself in the small seaside village
of Natashquan, a few hours drive of my home. When I arrived to the charming
little cabin I had rented, I sat in a swing right by the water and I left
myself be rocked by the wind. I could taste the salt on my lips from the ocean
and I felt content. This calm feeling engulfed me and I knew then that I was
exactly where I was supposed to be.
While I could find many commonalities in the first two, this third
moment of grace was different. During my last few years in Toronto (this must
have been in 2006 or 2007), after my boyfriend and I broke up, I have a Hindu
friend. She invited me to her Mandir a few times and I really liked it. The
mass always was in Hindi and I couldn’t understand a word but I still felt a
strong connection. I think that it was my second time there, it was a normal
weekly celebration but they were also honoring my friend’s mom as it was her
birthday. I was deeply moved by the whole celebration. The way they honored her
was simple yet powerful and her humility was so touching. I’ll never forget
this.
This was not the celebration I wrote about. This was for Diwali. Only picture I ever took there as I didn't want to be disrespectful. I was told it was ok, but didn't want to abuse. Blurry as I didn't want to use my flash.
Well, I think now is the time to finish emptying my shrine!
