There is a lot of discussion going round at present about the new era in spirituality, the new wave of esoteric thought and a coming age of enlightenment. Some of it deadly serious, some seemingly less so. Some may seem ludicrous to others… though not to those who believe it… and that is a starting point for much heartache and worse. I’m a firm believer in the saying, ‘a thousand monks, a thousand religions’. Every one of us sees our own path a little differently, even when we nominally share a faith or set of beliefs.

The older I get and the more I learn, the more I see a very simple and common thread running through most belief systems, regardless of the symbols and tenets of doctrine, beyond the stories, scriptures and legends. It goes deeper than what we are taught and told, to a deep inner seeking that seems common to us all.

Whether we seek the answers in religion, faith, science or philosophy, there are deep-seated questions and a desire for understanding and purpose; a quest for a way to grow into ourselves. And because these are undoubtedly profound questions, we often take ourselves and life itself very seriously in light of them.

Don’t misunderstand me. I am not advocating any abrogation of responsibility. On the contrary, being responsible for oneself and one’s own thoughts and actions is, perhaps, the single most important thing we can choose to do. It pulls together the threads of all other parts of life. To take responsibility in that way requires that we be conscious, aware of what we do, who we are and the consequences of our actions, their impact on lives other than our own. It means accepting responsibility for ourselves.

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