I’ll Choose Rich Over Right Any Day
The conversation that’s gotten started from “How Do You Orient To The Divine?” is one that I’m really, really enjoying. It’s the kind of discussion (one of them, at least) that I was hoping would happen when I started Monk at Work.
I’ve been touched by the sentiments shared, because it’s easy to see that people are really looking at their beliefs, and perhaps, questioning them. Personally, I’ve been questioning my beliefs for most of my life, and it has been a very fruitful debate.
One of the things I wrote was, “I’ve been both [a dualist and a monist],” The truth is, I could have easily added, “and, I’ve been neither — for most of my youth, I didn’t believe in anything.”
“- gasp - is it true? the monk was once an atheist?”
Yeah, but it’s really not that big a deal, I don’t think. If anything, it demonstrates my belief in having first-hand experience of something in order to make a decision about it. Because I didn’t have those experiences in my youth, I didn’t believe.
Things change, though.
In the explorations of my twenty-something years (and since), I’ve had a number of experiences where I’ve tangibly felt and communicated on some level with a presence that I’ve come to call Divine.
And, I’ve also had plenty of times where I’ve questioned it all, including all my experiences, no matter how strong and sure they were in the moment.
What I’ve come to is this: I suppose I could argue that my first-hand experience is unquestionable. Or, I just as easily say that every experience is subject to doubt. Which is to say, I could argue for, or against, the existence of a Divine presence, and I’d probably be right.
But I also have come to realize that even more important than being right is being rich. Having a full, abundant experience of life is more important to me than scoring an “A” on any scorecard that my mind (or anyone else’s) would hand out. And whether I’m right or wrong, for me, believing in the Divine (and living the life that stems from that) is the path to the richest, fullest experience of life I know.
So, whether you believe or don’t, I don’t really mind. I can support and love you in either. And where I truly want to support you is finding what works for you to have the richest, fullest experience of life that you can.
Image by chuckp via Flickr, by Creative Commons license.
And thanks to all who have commented on the previous post so far: Tshombe, Mark Silver, Jean Browman, Gayle, Edward Mills
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Adam,
Exactly what I wanted to hear about today. I have been struggling with being happy lately. Pull between being in the world of work and being with the divine. When I am connected to the divine that is the only place I want to be and it causes me to shrink back on other responsbilities. And when I am in the world of work, I miss the depth and ease of being in the divine. So I shrink from taking more of a leadership role. The two worlds seem to be coming closer, but I still feel like there is a wall in front of me that I can’t climb over.
Thanks for your thoughts. Lee
Hi Lee, I used to feel the “wall”, too. One of the things that worked for me was the realization (not the understanding, I had that long before I realized it) that the connection to the Divine is always there — I’m just either aware of it or not.
When that clicked for me, it became increasingly easy to “re-awaken” the connection in a split-second, and work while conscious of it. (the monistic way of orienting also helped that amazingly…)
Amen to that! I love your title. I have the same definition of rich as you do.
You say, “… for me, believing in the Divine (and living the life that stems from that) is the path to the richest, fullest experience of life I know.” My view is believing in the Divine is one way of getting there, but it’s the “living the life that stems from that” that’s the important part. One of my favorite quotes is by Thich Nhat Hahn:
“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now… It is not a matter of faith; it is a matter of practice.”
I know a lot of people who believe in some form of the Divine and don’t practice the life that stems from that. I also know people who do the practice without believing in the Divine. (As I understand it, the Buddha was one of them.) I decided in my twenties that I wasn’t interested in theology. For me it is the experience that counts. Or in your words, I chose to live a rich life.
That doesn’t mean I never think in terms of the Divine. My favorite prayer in tough times is: “Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity. I sure hope You know what You’re doing!” At other times I think of myself as a little flame, supported by the universe. I have an infinite reservoir of fuel to tap into. At yet other times, I think the universe on the whole is without soul, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do my little part to add some to it. I take a pragmatic view of mental images. I try to use what works best at the moment. My constancy is in my purpose, in trying to follow my path.
Thanks for the great post!
Adam and Jean,
Thanks for your experiences. They are reminders.
In my life right now, I am learning to see the divine everywhere. When I am in that ‘zone’ then there is no division, no split. I am so very impatient.
I know there is no goal to reach. Yet at times it is hard to accept that ‘living’ is the goal.
Lee
I love your perspective, Jean. It just really resonates with me. In fact, one of my Sufi teachers once hesitantly admitted that he didn’t believe in God, either. It started quite a conversation… a really rich one.
Thanks for the great comment!
Lee… “‘living’ is the goal.” => Now you’re talking!
My brother, you know I had to jump in on this one. One of the challenges of being human seems to be a need to be right. And nowhere does that show up more than in religion/spirituality.
Yet if we believe in “God.” And if God is the Creator of all things. Then it’s safe to say that God also created the many perspectives which we all cling too. So if that’s the case, then I can’t say that my perspective is any more right or wrong than yours - except in how it relates to me.
And Jean…what a great quote:
So true. It seems many of us are looking so hard for dramatic, earth-shaking miracles that we miss the millions of little ones that happen daily. Just look at how much ’stuff’ has to happen inside our bodies for us to take one step. Or the indescribable process of birth. Or how leaves form and grow on trees. Or the miraculous effects of rain on the earth. Etc, etc, etc.
Miracles go off millions of time a minute. So much so that we often take them for granted.
Yes we all have a certain view on life that gives value and worth to our lives. Yet how many of us slip in and out of seeing those ‘everyday’ miracles?
When I’m there it’s home, when I’m not it’s - where did I go?
Perhaps its the reminders from others that shifts my perspective back to home.
So true — if you haven’t heard the song “Holy Now”, you really should check it out (I know Greg Tamblyn’s version, and David Wilcox sings it the best, but it’s Peter Mayer who wrote the song originally; check out the link for a sample…)
Dear Adam,
I so appreciate this post and all of the beautiful comments it inspired.
I just returned from a seminar this weekend where this concept of ‘being right’ was explored.
What a complete waste of time it is when we insist on being right! I ask myself, “Do I want to be “right”, or do we want to be happy?”
It’s all subjective, anyway, this personal sense of holiness, divinity, and oneness. I’d rather be happy (read, rich!) any day, than be “right” and miserable and poor.
As I daily explore, define, and embrace what is holy (Thank you, Adam, for sharing the absolutely amazing Peter Mayer lyrics!), authentic, and right for me, I also commit to honoring that which is holy, authentic and right for others.
Tshombe, you bet. I’m glad to hear your seminar went so well.
Exactly!