Most upper mid-westerners grow up in faith based Christian families/communities and continue the religious traditions of their family of origin throughout their lives. I think it is important to note that Christianity is only one of many religions practiced around the world. Per comparative religious studies, arranged by historical origin and mutual influence they are classified as follows: Middle Eastern, Iranian, Indian, East Asian, African, and Indigenous Ethnic & New Age. Christianity falls into the Middle Eastern category due to its geographic origin.
In Thailand we observed Buddhism (Indian), a tradition that worships no specific deity. In the mountainous northern city of Chaing Mai, where we spent much of our time in Thailand, there were many temples throughout the city. We learned that each neighborhood had its own temple (church) each with its own Buddha that represents spiritual enlightenment and freedom from the continuous cycle of life and death. One of our hotels was next to a temple and the smell of incense was very strong throughout the day. You will hear bells/drums and chanting if staying close to a temple or walking by one. They are open to all as a place for spiritual contemplation and enlightenment. If you happen upon the monks, they are fun to talk to and many speak English. You will often see groups of orange clothed monks walking through the city streets collecting alms (donations) which are used to meet their basic needs which is necessary due to their vow of poverty. One of the most beautiful things I have ever seen was a night sky filled with small white floating lanterns being released from the grounds of a temple on New Year’s Eve. For a small fee you could purchase a lantern from the monks at the temple, light the candle and release it symbolically along with any negativity you want to let go of in the new year. I released my niece’s boyfriend which she didn’t think was funny until she dumped him in the New Year.
Historically, young Thai men were expected to spend several years of their lives living as monks in monasteries strategically placed in both the city and country. We visited several monasteries observing different ceremonies along with the lifestyle of the monks. There are often young boys who also board at these monasteries as part of their religious training. Silence is golden in these compounds but you can request a private tour and sit down with a monk who will serve you tea, provide you with spiritual teachings and present you with a small gift upon your departure. Visiting practitioners wear white and are seen in walking meditation throughout the beautifully manicured grounds. My friend has lived in Thailand for over 10 years and spent some time as a monk. He says anyone can show up and stay/practice their mindfulness at a monastery or join group retreats oriented toward improving their spiritual practice. As a guest, you are assigned house/property keeping tasks and we saw a lot of sweeping going on. To me it looked like a great way to spend some time in solitude getting re-centered to live more peacefully in the western world. Of course, you must get up before sunrise to meditate, are served only two small meals a day and there are no TV’s, cell phones or computers allowed. As such, most westerners probably white knuckle it through their entire stay.
In Nepal we were introduced to Hinduism (Indian) which acknowledges a multitude of gods and goddesses. This includes animals, thus, cattle roam free in the streets. In querying the locals it appears only young males are banished to roam free, whereas, females are kept for milking and breeding. This practice makes for some interesting sites on the city streets where they are gently nudged out of the way of pedestrians and car traffic. I was told these free range animals survive through the kindness of neighborhood patrons who provide food and shelter. Hindu’s believe in the principle of karmic reincarnations so the idea that you “reap what you sow” is alive and well in the Nepalese culture.
In closing, I feel it has enriched my spiritual life to experience the similarities, differences and beauty of the multitude of faiths practiced around the world. 2018