Adam Blatner

People are sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously on a sort of journey when it comes to their spiritual orientation to their life. It is unique and very multi-faceted. When I was a kid folks didn’t much think about these things, most folks. You sort of inherited your religion and stayed pretty much with your own kind. But cultural mixing and diffusion accelerated.

Now I am of the opinion that many people are by no means orthodox, in the sense that they believe everything that they are expected to believe according to the general doctrines of their religion or denomination. I’ve found that folks throw in curves according to their own quirks, background, which symbols are especially meaningful, which stories have never made much impact. Even people who outwardly claim they "believe" the party line cannot help  unconsciously add modifications that are in keeping with their own temperament, abilities, history, and other aspects of their own individuality. We all imprint as children and at other key times in life different songs, images, memories, relationships, memories of textures, smells, tastes. For example, for one person Easter also has a deep and positive memory of going camping with a favorite relative. For another, Easter as a concept is colored by memory of colored Easter eggs that magically hatched into baby ducks!

Nowadays, there is often an adventure, as major shifts among denominations or even religion are not uncommon: More people are putting it together in their own ways. (I know I do.) My own story is a complex journey from not-too-observant and moderately assimilated Judaism as a kid to agnosticism as a teen; atheism, esoteric interests and a mixture of depth psychology in mid-life; then Whiteheadian process philosophy, and new syntheses later on. I’ve found that others really have an interesting “journey” or succession of experiences that, at a certain time, may be reflected upon. Whether or not words can adequately express this sequence, or add an overlay of extra meanings, any degree of reflection on “that was part of my life, too” adds to the experience of having “really” lived. For me as audience, I enjoy listening and helping to shape it into a bit of autobiography.