WHO YOU ARE

SKEPTICS

“Don’t believe anything second hand. Don’t believe anything because it’s written in ancient books. Don’t believe anything because ‘everyone’ knows it’s so. Don’t believe anything because the sages proclaim it. Don’t believe anything because of habit. Don’t believe anything arising in your own mind, mistaking imagination for Truth. Don’t believe anything on the authority of your guru or priest. What you yourself feel is true, what you experience and see for yourself, what is helpful to you and others, in this alone believe, and with this alone align your behavior.”

—Siddhartha Gautama, Kalama Sutra, Rabbi Rami Shapiro translation

How can I leave this world a better place than I found it?

It’s a question you often ask yourself—as a naturally curious person, interested in using your voice, your values, and your vision to be a force of good in the world. You believe in something bigger than yourself and want a way to tap into that “something bigger” on a more regular basis. But your spirituality can’t be found in a church. The canopy of the trees are your cathedral and the delicious bounty of the earth is your baptism. The goodness of people is your salvation.

Your truth comes from your own first-hand experience of the world and not because some guru, sage, or priest proclaims it.

You’ve seen the best—and worst—of traditional religious structures, and are clear that they are not for you. You’re not one for dogma or taking on other people’s belief systems. Your spiritual identity comes from within and cannot be found in a single book or culled from a single master. You may call yourself “spiritual but not religious,” “agnostic,” or even “humanist” but using such labels to convey your beliefs has felt limiting and can only scrape at the surface of who you really are and what you really want to be in the world. You need to develop your own belief system—one that is right for you— and you’d love the support to help.

You’d love to deepen your understanding of the wisdom imparted by a millennium of wise elders without the prescriptive dogma and political agendas of traditional religious structures.

Let’s be honest: It’s hard not to be cynical in a world where “the word” has been used to hurt as much as it has been used to help… Where political history has directly, and often adversely, affected the shape and expression of human spirituality… Where the dominant culture has appropriated and twisted ancient wisdom until it’s no longer recognizable or helpful. You are ready for more meaning and connection in your life and want the resources to help you go deeper.

How can I tap into the wisdom of ancient teachers, spiritual masters, and the perennial wisdom of the natural world and humanity without all the drama?

We get it. There are a lot of paths to connection and spiritual fulfillment—through writing, music, nature, philosophy, and even food and film. That’s why we’re here. We want to help introduce you to “religion on its best behavior”- to help you dig underneath the language of religion to find the morality and truth beneath it. We want to teach you new ways of connecting with nature, music, movement, writing, and the arts to cultivate a practice that brings you more joy and meaning in life.

So how do I take my next step in this journey?

Deepen Into the Mystery

Come shine your light on the shore of the Great Mystery. Use modern means to explore ancient wisdom traditions and stay up-to-date on the latest offerings, inspiration, and resources available for you as a Seeker, Skeptic, or Scamp.

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