A Spiritual Community Without Dogma, or “Learning is a Metaphysical Activity, Part II”

 

While Rainbow is not defined as a spiritual community, many of us who have children there, work there, or are alumni families, unofficially consider it our spiritual community (or one of our spiritual communities).

Why?

For each person it would be a different reason.  The short answer is that is enriches our spirit in fellowship with others.

For the teachers and students, they participate in centering — a spiritual practice — every day.

We support one another — whenever someone is ill or a life tragedy strikes, they are supported in many ways, including financially and with food, etc.

We promote internal and external peace.

We have fun together.

But one thing we don’t do is promote any sort of dogma or associate ourselves with one religion.  In fact, we don’t even expect people who are “members” to consider themselves part of a spiritual community.

The only thing we all have in common is that learning is considered the core of what we do.  Of course, as a school, learning is the bottom line — we are literally measured by how well we learn while at Rainbow.  However, we go one giant step further into a whole different realm — I believe that “to learn” is what we, as humans, are put on earth to do.  It is the core of our being.  Learning is sacred.

From the post I recently wrote on Buckminster Fuller: “I work at a school that was founded by Sufis, by mystics.  Rainbow was founded with the belief that there is much more to life than what we can see and prove in the material realm.  Learning is far more than a fact that can be quantifiably recorded with testing data.  Material data can barely scrap the surface of what goes on internally.

When I say we can’t actually see learning, understand that we can see artifacts of learning – student work on walls, presentations, and of course test score data, but the actual act of learning is invisible.  Thus, metaphysical.  There is something magical about learning.

At Rainbow, learning has always been recognized as a sacred activity.  It stirs our soul because we can’t actually see it — yet we can we can feel it, we can enhance it, and best of all–we can share it.  It provides fellowship and brings together our whole community.  Learning provides passion and purpose in our lives.  Many wise people have claimed that the whole purpose of life is to learn.”

What better purpose for a community to come together?  No wonder we are a spiritual community without dogma.  Dogma, by it’s very definition is limiting; but learning is infinite.

If you want to read the whole blog entry from the above quote, see Learning is a Metaphysical Activity