Yes, I’m converting. And, it’s not the first time I’m converting.
I was born and raised Jewish – plain Jewish.
It was in the middle of sixth grade when I converted and became an Atheist. It was on the day I made a teacher at my orthodox Jewish school cry.
My newly-minted Jewish studies teacher was explaining that Moses ascended Mount Sinai… received a stone tablet with the 10 commandments engraved on them from God…descended to the waiting people…and outlined all 613 commandments that make up the Jewish religion. I challenged her with full-blown adolescent chutzpah, declaring that that sounded like a bunch of bullshit (excuse my French). She ran out of the classroom crying.
Shortly after two things happened: 1. I was booted from the school, and 2. I declared that I was an Atheist. A Jewish Atheist, I conceded. Even at that young age, I knew I couldn’t reject my DNA, epigenetically embedded with anxiety and nurtured with bland mushroom-barley soup.
I rejected all religions, scorning their dogma and divisiveness.
Fast forward to today: I now acknowledge that – ironically – my atheism was marked by many of the same traits of the god advocates I rejected: absolute conviction and adamant resistance to any form of questioning.
Research reveals that while most of us consider ourselves open-minded, few of us actually are. Are you? I, for one, was not!
Leadership gurus share tips to help us become more open-minded: Be curious. Stay intellectually humble. Surround yourself with diverse people. Create psychological safety in groups. All good ideas.
But, I experimented with a radically different approach: plant medicine. Please stay open-minded on this one! : )
Yep, my plant medicine journeys shook up my belief system, like the aftershocks of an earthquake that can shift and crack foundations.
With plant medicine, I tapped into feelings that can only be captured with woo-woo words like spirit and cosmic connection. In particular, on my Bufo trip, I visited another dimension where I was enveloped by deep all-encompassing universal love. After that journey, I believe that anything is possible. Even God.
Hang on. I am not converting to anything involving a deity, especially not one who identifies as a white male, uses he/him pronouns, and is commanding and controlling! But now, I better understand how others may experience or interpret God.
I now recognize a deeper, unseen dimension of existence, a realm where energy plays a fundamental role. I am now able to tap into that dimension fully sober – be it with less mind-blowing depth. But with total awe and spirit.
So what am I converting to?
You might suggest “Agnostic,” but that feels uncomfortable, as it is god-centric in definition.
I am converting to something that defies a limited label. My beliefs are now intentionally imbued with uncertainty. They are also infused with possibility for what exists, both in the here-now and the here-after. One might say that I’m converting to… more open-mindedness.
As Mark Twain said, “An open mind leaves a chance for someone to drop a worthwhile thought in it.” Please be that someone and send me yours about a time you radically changed your mind!
