For thousands of years, religions, philosophies, saints and sages have tried to help us find the answers to those two simple questions. We have usually been content to argue and even kill each other over the differences in their teachings, but when we let go of such fearful separateness and look honestly at the similarities instead, we discover that the great "Wisdom Traditions" all point in exactly the same two directions: Inner transcendence (Communion), and unselfish behavior (Community).

In response to the first question, "What are we doing here?," the Holy Ones have all said 1) It’s way beyond your understanding, so give up trying to figure it out with the mind; and 2) Look within, look beyond the mind, be STILL, go to the Secret Place within the heart. In other words, they point to an experience of direct contact with the Christ—Allah—Great Spirit—The Almighty -Yahweh - Buddha Mind, etc., which can only be found by going inside, past all our notions about self or God. Lao Tzu’s poem (below) sums it up perfectly: Learn how to remain in the Center, watching — and then forget that you are there. A word for this which no tradition would argue with is COMMUNION. The Great Religions and masters tell us to diligently seek Communion.

In response to the second question, the holy teachings, once again, have each expressed exactly the same advice, the same ethics and standards for human behavior: Be kind to one another; love thy neighbor as thyself; do unto others as you would have them do unto you; live for a mightier cause than selfishness; serve the poor; make the world a better place. Another simple, unarguable word sums it up: COMMUNITY. The Holy Ones all tell us to dedicate our lives to the Community. Lao Tzu says it in a way that gives us no excuses:

Or, as Neem Karoli Baba put it over two thousand years later, "Do whatever you must with people, but never shut anyone out of your heart, even for a moment." It’s all the same teaching. ~ Bo Lozoff