emalpaiz

I come here in search of understanding. I always find words that inspire and guide me to new sources of light.

My question has always been "Who am I?" I get many answers, but none of them satisfy me. Yes... I am a human being, I have a name, a family, a language, an ethnicity, but the question keeps coming back..."Who am I?"

I would say that I fall on the Gnostic/Theist side. I do not believe in the Bible/Qur'an God concept. I follow a more Pantheistic or Panentheistic concept of God with a strong Buddhist moral view. Hermano Luis

I have a small sanctuary (the Moriviví Hermitage) that can hold a very small congregation (5). It is were I do my meditation and prayers. Hermano Luis

I am still around. Sometimes my work keeps me a bit busy and it appears that I am not around, but I am still around. Hermano Luis.

Keep your faith no matter what it is. You do not need a "Bill of Rights" to uphold your faith. Stand firm! Hermano Luis

When you entered the temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece, you found a sign that said "Gnothi Seauton" which mean "Know Yourself." The early Gnostic Christian attributed to Jesus Christ the following words: "When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living father" (The Gospel of Thomas, verse 3). Bassui Tokusho (1327-1387), a Japanese Buddhist teacher, taught his students that be obtaining knowledge of their true self they could reach enlightenment or Nirvana, spiritual enlightenment. Meister Johannes Eckhart (1260-1327) wrote the following: "To reach the center of the greatness of God, one must at least reach the center of oneself. It is impossible to know God if one does has not known oneself at first". Sri Ramana Maharishi (1879-1950), a modern day Hindu Guru, taught his students to concentrate on the question "Who am I?" in order to reach spiritual enlightenment. These three men from three different religions taught the path of "self-knowledge" in order to reach the goal of their respective religions. The simple path of self-knowledge or concentrating on the question "Who am I?" can lead us to profound inner understanding. It matters not if we believe or not in a being called God, the path of self-knowledge can awaken in each of us an inner light. Hermano Luis

I find myself a bit confused. I thought that I wrote something while ago, and I do not know where it went.

I loved those words. They express what I feel, and how I walk my spiritual path (if it can be called a spiritual path). Thank you! Hermano Luis

Somewhat late at answering this question. I follow an ancient teaching of Hinduism that is closer to Buddhism in many ways. Some Hindu temples in India still sacrifice a lamb or a goat on certain days. I am opposed to the sacrifice of animals in the name of religion. I am a vegetarian. Hermano Luis

One thing that I have found of value in the spiritual path is be yourself. Nothing wrong with following this or that religion, but it is more creative just to be ourselves. Good luck in your search! Hermano Luis

I do believe that the whole universe is an Ocean of Life. Call it what you want, it does not matter. Then again, I am not very brilliant. Hermano Luis

Let us enjoy the Good Will of the Christmas season, and let us pray that the New Year 2016 will bring Joy and Blessings to our lives. Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

Let us forget those negative prophetic dreams. Let us learn to live in our here and now. We have to learn how to treat each other with understanding, love, and compassion. We have to eliminate those barriers that separate us from our sisters and brothers who have different religions, nationalities, races, etc. Instead of thinking when the world is coming to an end, we should start thinking about when the world will become one. Prophetic literature is not helping. Let us believe and promote unity. We are people of one world. Lord Buddha is attributed with saying the following: "For hatred can never put an end to hatred; love alone can" (Dhammapada, verse 5). Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

It matters not if we have a congregation or not. What is important is if we are making the effort to express in our daily life understanding, love, and compassion (ULC). If that is the case the whole world is our congregation. Sometimes the best sermon can be expressed with a sincere smile. Silence can also be very powerful. Just be there for the world. Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

Happy Thanksgiving to you also! I started the day saluting the Divine everywhere. Ate a simple vegetarian meal. I am having a very peaceful day. Blessings to all! ¡OM Peace Amen! Hermano Luis

I find great beauty in being in the ULC. It is a unique church because its foundation is Freedom: freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom to be or not to be. I found the ULC many years ago, but I could not understand its profound concept of freedom. Back then I had not developed spiritual maturity. So I moved away from the ULC. I took me a few years of travel and study to discover how vast and complex is the spirituality of the world. I read many of the sacred books of mankind, and found in them many things of spiritual value and a lot of things of no value at all. I found in most religions hypocrisy, hatred, arrogance, conceit, fanatism. I also found in all religions that I studied good and devout people who were not controlled by the fanatism of the majority. These people I have called the saints of the world. Do not get me wrong, they were not perfect. They were people like you and I: fallible, but filled with good will. After my studies and travels, I found the ULC once more. This time in the internet where interesting conversations were held. I found men and women who were in truth dedicated to the values of freedom and good will. But now I had matured, and took the spiritual life in a more open way. I was not concerned anymore in transmitting my religious beliefs and values, but in sharing spiritual interests with men and women who understood life in different ways. My rediscovery of the ULC has opened new doors of spiritual understanding. I have dropped many things that I still considered to be spiritual. Even though I still walk the spiritual path that I started over fifty years ago, I do not consider it as being a very unique path: it is just one of the many paths that believes to have God on its side. I still believe in God, but I am more aware that I can not say with certainty that God exists or not, nor do I have a good definition of God. What I now have is a simple path that leads me to expand my freedom, understanding, love, and compassion. For this I am grateful. Hermano Luis Moriviví Hermitage

When will the world come to an end? It will, but no one knows when. Prophets are dreamers, and some dreams are nighmares. Let us continue to live and apply a bit of understanding, love, and compassion to our lives. Hermano Luis

Today the Hindu world celebrates the birth and life of Sri Bhagavan Krishna, an Avatar or Incarnation of God. It is claimed that Sri Krishna was born 5,200 years ago. Sri Krishna has promised in the Gita that He would come to the world everytime to destroy evil, protect the good, and restore the spiritual values of mankind. To all, Hindus and none Hindus, have a very happy Sri Krishna Janmashtami. Hermano Luis

Today the Hindu world celebrates the birth and life of Sri Bhagavan Krishna, an Avatar or Incarnation of God. It is claimed that Sri Krishna was born 5,200 years ago. Sri Krishna has promised in the Gita that He would come to the world everytime to destroy evil, protect the good, and restore the spiritual values of mankind. To all, Hindus and none Hindus, have a very happy Sri Krishna Janmashtami/ Hermano Luis

Today the Hindu world celebrates the birth and life of Sri Bhagavan Krishna, an Avatar or Incarnation of God. It is claimed that Sri Krishna was born 5,200 years ago. Sri Krishna has promised in the Gita that He would come to the world everytime to destroy evil, protect the good, and restore the spiritual values of mankind. To all, Hindus and none Hindus, have a very happy Sri Krishna Janmashtami/ Hermano Luis

I was once accused by a Christian of trying to kill his family by performing witchcraft. This was back in 1987. I have never practiced witchcraft nor anything that looks like it. The judge dismissed the case. The accuser was saying strange things. Ignorance is terrible. Hermano Luis

I stand openly against animal cruelty. Cannibalism is not practiced where I live, but I definitely stand against it. In Puerto Rico, USA, where I live, there are many Muslims. They have been a very important part of our community to this moment we have never had problems with them. Yes, Pete, some things have to be challenged and we must if we want to live a life of Understanding, Love, and Compassion.

My parents were Roman Catholics, but my father was also a Freemason. Religion was never a topic at home. By the age of 14, I started to take an interest in religion. I read the Bible and other religious scriptures of the world. I became interested in Hinduism and Buddhism, and in mystic Christianity. I have nothing against any religion; I believe that every religion is a different path to an inner understanding. I eventually became initiated in a modern Hindu spiritual tradition. Once and a while missionaries come around my house to preach their stuff, sometimes I listen and sometimes I don't. I have no hatred for any of them. I respect their paths, even though I know that they do not respect my path. I have taught my children to respect other religious way, and to find their spiritual path in life. Hermano Luis MorivivíHermitage

In both Vedantic Hinduism and Buddhism there is a meditation that follows the question "Who am I?" I have been following that meditation for many years. It does not give an answer, but it leads one into an interesting understanding into how complex we are. After years of practicing this meditation I have found a bit of serenity. I have understood that I am just another man trying to find meaning in a sometimes confusing existence. I will continue to practice this meditation even though I might never find an answer. But I can say a few things as to who I am: I am a man who grew up in a culture of two languages; a man who is the product of many races: white, black, Taino Indian of the Caribbean. I have grown up in three religions: Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism. I love freedom, the ocean, and the mountains of my island. But my true nature will probably always elude me. Who am I? Hermano Luis Morivivi Hermitage