Yesterday Marilyn took Jy and me on a tour of the four Indigenous communities around Filadelfia. I thought we were going to learn about cultures, traditions and ways of life.
Instead, I apparently signed up for a little spiritual enlightenment as well.
Jy is about 35, from South Korea, and is a Yogi. Like most of us, he has his own beliefs and philosophy — although his particular philosophy certainly gave me something to ponder on.
His opening statement was:
“To identify is to disease.”
Well… that got my attention.
Apparently, the moment we start identifying ourselves as a particular type of person, believer, political persuasion, religion, nationality or anything, we become trapped inside that identity.
And once we’re trapped, we stop seeing the world clearly.
Now, I’m quite attached to my identity. I know who I am, where I’ve been, what I like, and approximately how many pairs of walking shoes I need to travel with.
But Jy’s point was that we shouldn’t automatically accept beliefs simply because someone else tells us they are true.
Governments tell us things. Religions tell us things. Leaders tell us things. The media tells us things. And apparently, if we’re not careful, we spend our entire lives believing everyone else’s version of reality.
He pointed out that good people have even killed other people because they were told it was the right thing to do.
That’s a rather sobering thought to have while sitting in the Chaco sun.
Jy believes that corruption is increasingly being exposed and that, as more truth comes to light, people will begin questioning what they’ve been told. And from that awakening, he believes, will eventually come peace.
His advice?
Look within. Believe and trust your inner self.
I’m not sure I’m ready to throw away every belief I’ve ever had and become a completely enlightened, label-free yogi just yet.
I still rather like being Charlie.
And I’m fairly certain that if I looked deeply enough within myself, I’d discover that my inner self mostly wants coffee, adventure and to know where the next toilet is.
But I did like his challenge to us:
Do we actually believe something because it is true to us — or because someone else told us it was true?
And perhaps that’s what I enjoy most about travelling.
You set off thinking you’re going to see another country, another culture or another community…
…and occasionally you meet someone who makes you question yourself instead.
So yesterday we went looking for four Indigenous tribes.
We found those — and a South Korean yogi who gave us a small existential crisis for free.
Not a bad day’s touring really.
