The Pageless Book

Photo Above by Richard Rutter. Photo Below by Lee Chisholm.

The Master doesn’t talk, he acts. When his work is done, the people say, “Amazing, we did it all by ourselves!” - Tao Te Ching, verse 17, Mitchell Translation.

At work, I’ve been trying to foster people-management skills within myself to further my career and in preparation to go into ministry. Too often I’ve heard that being a minister for a Unitarian Universalist Congregation is like herding cats, so I figured management-skills would be an important asset. What I’ve found interesting, though, is how much management philosophy has in common with my spiritual philosophy.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on achieving success through indirect means. For example, although managers have power and privilege above that of a normal employee, the point of those benefits is not to enjoy them for yourself, but to use them in accomplishing your job. The training material that I’ve read suggests using that power and privilege to reward employees and ensure they have the tools needed to succeed.

For those who’ve never been in a position of management before, it is quite a paradigm shift. Instead of doing something as a means to accomplishing an end, you are influencing people as a means to accomplish an end. Each manager is given the authority to make demands, force results, and discipline employees, but the power that a manager has isn’t derived from using his authority - rather it is from having the authority yet not using it that he is able to get things done. It is through mutual trust, respect, and communication that a manager achieves results.

What is perhaps even more interesting is how a manager finds job satisfaction in the achievement of others. They are like engine grease; it is their job to make sure all of the parts are running smoothly and aren’t causing friction. A manager knows he has done a good job when he is no longer needed to get the job done. It requires a sense of the larger picture - a manager needs to be able to see how all the parts of the business fit together.

How are these thinks like spirituality? The same panoramic understanding of business, when applied to life, helps us see our place in the grand scheme of things. We know that we are but a small part of a whole, greater than the sum of its parts. Power is not within money or fame, but in the trust and respect of others. People are the ultimate power source; they create authority. The trick is to understand that power and authority is most effective when given back to that source of power and authority. Using the trust people place within you against the better interests of those people results in diminished respect… diminished authority.

The lessons are clear - pay attention, respect and be respected, do good unto each other. Moral teaching of the great religions have found a home within effective management philosophy. Of course, that doesn’t mean that learning how to manage people is easy. Then again, neither is religion.

Photo above by Britt Selvitelle.
Cross Tattoo Photo by Josh Parrish.
Tattooed Man Photo by Fabrice Koch.

I have this particular image of myself as a minister - clean shaved, short hair, confident in my own quiet way, and smiling. I’m wearing a short sleeved shirt with the ministerial collar all done up, a chalice embroidered on the left breast… and tattoos from the cuff of my short sleeved shirt to my elbow on both arms. Something about the juxtaposition of tattoos and ministerial-wear speaks volumes about the type of person I am.

To be honest, I do not yet have tattoos that covers the area between my elbow and shoulder (also referred to as a half-sleeve by tattoo artists); this is something I want to do in the future. So, how do I know I want this done to my body? Because I already have one tattoo…

My Tattoo

I know what I would be thinking if someone else had said that they wanted huge tattoos based upon one tattoo experience;“This guy thinks he’s tough as nails and probably only has a square inch worth of some poorly done tribal art. He’s just a foolish poser.” That doesn’t really apply to me, though. I have no delusions of being a macho manly-man; it’s just not in my personality. Further more, my first tattoo is 16 inches by 8 inches and is in the center of upper my back. It took two three-hour sessions to finish; I know the type and the intensity of pain involved.

It’s a tattoo of an abstract raven in flight, viewed from above. The raven, which is done in black and blue, has a red snake on its back biting it own tail. The snakes body forms an infinity symbol. I chose this tattoo because ravens are my totem animal - they symbolize me as a spiritual person. The snake symbolizes the fragment of the Divine within me.

Unprofessional Inclinations

Why would someone looking to get into a religious profession want tattoos? That’s a better question to ask. As usual, I have a surprising answer… Tattoos are spiritual. More ministers and preachers should have tattoos. They fuse into your flesh the story of your life in a way that serves as a constant reminder.

Not all tattoos are spiritual - but I would argue that tattoos without special meaning are the exception, not the rule. If you ask someone with a tattoo why they chose to have an image permanently etched into their flesh, most often they’ll tell you a story about an important event in their life or a belief that they hold dear. In my case, I wanted to memorialize my faith in something bigger than myself and my willingness to allow that to guide my life. For others, a tattoo may symbolize the emotional scars left from abusive relationships, an oath made to be the best parent possible, or the sorrow of the losing a spouse to disease.

This meaning - these life changing moments - are what spirituality and religion are about. If religion is about wisdom, tattoos are about remembering the our lessons. If religion is about growing as a person, tattoos are about declaring your individuality. Finally, if religion is about living our lives to the fullest, then we can say that tattoos are the stories that prove us religious.

Bad Ink

The last thing I want you to think is that I believe tattooing is for everybody. There are several religions that frown upon permanent alteration of the human body - I respect those traditions. Some people are more sensitive to pain than others and there are people who just don’t see the need. Most importantly, there are medical conditions that can make tattooing hazardous. This isn’t for everyone.

What I am questioning is the negative stigma we give tattooing in this society - particularly in regards to liberal religions. The judgment we place upon someone with multiple tattoos is that they are dangerous, lived a hard life, cannot be taken seriously, or some combination of the three. It is those types of judgments that are dangerous, that make life harder to live, and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Tattoos are nothing less than outward signs of an inner truth. If you want proof, all you have to do is spend a day at the tattoo parlor and ask the artists or patrons.

“God enters by a private door into every individual.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803 - 1882.

As I gradually have come to share my new found desire to enter ministry, I’ve found myself in the situation of trying to explain Unitarian Universalism. Friends and family want to know what Unitarian Universalists believe. When asked, I respond with an authoritative voice and a look of pride, then… admit that I have no bloody idea of how to explain it.

How do I explain to my mother that we occasionally sing hymns originally written and sung by The Beatles? Should I even mention that a large number of my fellow worshipers are agnostic or atheist? Would telling my friends that we use quotes from The New Testament, Buddhism, and English literature help them understand my faith, or just confuse them further? In an attempt to set myself straight as to the meaning of our faith, I thought it would be an excellent idea to write an article explaining the origins and evolution of Unitarian Universalist theology.

Unitarian Universalism (a.k.a. UUism) is actually the union of two different Christian denominations - Unitarianism and Universalism. As a result, in order to truly understand UUism you have to trace the history and understand the theology of both original denominations. Of course this makes any attempts to explain UUism that much harder, which is probably why the majority of us choose not to even try. …But I will try.

What is Unitarianism?

Unitarianism, first popularized by Arius in the early 4th century, is the belief that the Christian God is one entity as opposed to three distinct persons. While the Council of Nicea condemned this view in 325 C.E., it became so popular that it was dominant over the belief in the Trinity for a period of twenty years. In the 16th century, Unitarianism emerged again as a result of theologian Faustus Paulus Socinus and Doctor Michael Servetus. This was, of course, believed to be heresy, and resulted in the conviction and burning of Michael Servetus in 1553 C.E.

In removing the Trinity from Christian doctrine, the Catholic Church’s claim to absolute spiritual authority would be weakened. The implication of Unitarianism is that Jesus Christ was not God’s son in a literal sense, but accepts him as a prophet anointed by God. If Jesus was not the literal son of God, than what other sayings of Jesus were figurative? Most Christians would argue that the definition of Christianity is the belief that Jesus Christ is the literal son of God. Without that affirmation, the God of Abraham would be subject to new prophecy.

What is Universalism?

As with Unitarianism, Universalism has deep roots in the early history of Christianity. The belief that salvation is universal (hence “Universalism”) is first encountered in a number of early theologians, such as Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 - 200 C.E.), his student Origen (c. 185-250 C.E.), and Gregory of Nyssa (c. 330-390 C.E.). This was, of course, eventually declared heretical in 534 C.E., but reemerged as a protestant religion in 18th century America.

If all people are assumed to be saved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, this would include those individuals who choose not to convert to the Christian religion. With the Kingdom of Heaven open to all of God’s creation, there isn’t much incentive to join the church. Additionally, Universalism could (and does) open Christianity to possibility of accepting the practices of other religions as valid. As with Unitarianism, this weakens the authority of the Catholic Church.

Avoiding The Question

In 1961 C.E. the Unitarian and Universalism churches combined to form the Unitarian Universalist Association. In combination of these two liberal Christian doctrines, I have to ponder the implications on the rest of its theology. Where do these two philosophies lead us when combined? Can UUism still claim to be Christian? What is the future of UUism?

In trying to define UUism, I’ve painted myself into a corner with questions. Don’t worry, I have a plan on answering these questions and more in the second part of this article. For now, however, I’m more then delighted to leave the initial question unanswered and allow you, my reader, a chance to mull over the possibilities for yourself.

Just before this Christmas Holiday, Cathy Crovis from RipplesofImprovement.com tagged me for this rather morbid task of writing my own eulogy. I am supposed to write it to reflect the goals and dreams I have for the future. The purpose of this endeavor is to give focus to what I want to accomplish in my lifetime. Instead of using this opportunity to poke fun at myself and the task at hand, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to actually take this seriously. Well, not too seriously; after all, there is a point at which this could become depressing rather than enlightening. So, with no further explanation needed, and far too much given already, I present to you…

The Eulogy of John Michael Pageless

Photo by Maciej Lewandowski

Reverend John Michael Pageless lived a full life of joy, love, and worthy accomplishments in the field of religious tolerance and spiritual exploration. John Pageless, the son of Albert and Marie Pageless, began life in a lower-middle class family in the Baltimore County suburbs of Maryland. Although he and his family did struggle through economic hardships during his childhood, he still learned from the experience of his mother’s candor and open-minded views, as well as his father’s sensibilities and sense of humor. These traits would later become the hallmarks of a great man.

John Pageless was baptized Catholic, raised Lutheran and later non-denominational Christian, but was constantly infatuated with all the religions of the world. When he had become a teenager, he delved deeply into non-Christian religions, such as Buddhism and Qabalah, from which he would develop his views on God and religion now popularly known as Omnitheism.

In the fall of 2006, he married his best friend’s sister, Mrs. Pageless, with whom he would spend the rest of his life. He would later attribute his successes in life to Mrs. Pageless during her Eulogy, given only three years ago. He said, “Behind every good man, there is a great woman. It may be clique, but it wouldn’t have become a clique if it was not true. I am an example of such. One can hardly argue that we are both very successful in our later years together, but I would have to insist that her success was far greater than mine, as she was solely responsible for all of her own accomplishments, and a good portion of those attributed to myself. I would have never made it through seminary without her by my side…”

As a Minister of the Unitarian Universalist church, he became a staunch proponent of liberal religion and religious tolerance. With his inspiration, the Unitarian Universalist Association, in conjunction with other liberal churches and multi-faith organizations, challenged and defeated the political attacks on religious freedoms made by fundamentalists in the early part of the twenty first century. He also became known as America’s Minister, having written numerous best selling books on the subject of liberal religion, and was council for every president since Chelsea Clinton took office in 2017.

With his influence, John Pageless ensured equality for people of all peaceful religions - including the non-religious. He also reconfirmed the separation of church and state, and set up the United Nation’s World Religion Congress to promote interfaith dialogue on an international level. Yet despite his importance to the world at large, he never failed to place his duties as a husband and father ahead of his professional calling. He is survived by his son, David Alexander Pageless, and his daughter, Alexandra Diane Pageless, both of who have inherited their parents’ dedication to making the world a better place.

Rev. John Pageless had once said that he believed we each end so that someone else may begin. So as we reflect on the life of this man and mourn his passing, let us remember that his absence is a challenge to each of us to begin the journey to do great things. He invites us all to change the world as he did.

One thing this eulogy didn’t mention is how I would die. I want to have the privilege to reenact an ancient Sumarian ritual, recently found in the texts of the unearthed “Necronomicon.” After repeatedly assuring the audience that this ritual poses no danger, I would start the ritual that would result in the summoning of Cthulhu. This ancient demon-priest would then swallow me whole, leaving only my left foot for burial. My last words would be “I could be wrong.”

So that I am not the wet-blanket who ends this string of premature post-humorous remarks, I’m tagging Rev. Dan Harper of Yet Another Unitarian Universalist to write his own eulogy. I look forward to seeing what he writes and hope it involves another Mythos deity; after all, the world needs more H.P. Lovecraft references.

Photo by Lin Bow

I’ve mentioned before that I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder. Because of this condition, I have to pay special attention to my mood and my stress level so that I don’t suffer a panic attack. Meditation has become a form of preventative medicine for me, but as we all know, it is hard sometimes to find the time when at work or during other important social engagements. Just for this reason, I’ve developed a few meditation techniques that help me relax in the toughest situations.

If you have time to use the restroom, you have time to meditate. Now, I won’t claim that a five minute meditation is going to be as therapeutic as a longer or deeper meditation, but that isn’t its purpose. A five minute meditation is like a between-meal snack; it gives you just enough to help you function until you have a moment to take care of yourself properly. Like all quick fixes, this is a temporary solution, so please don’t treat these techniques as anything but temporary.

The first step is finding some privacy. Now, I don’t want you to think that you must find total privacy - often times this can be unrealistic. Privacy can be as little as walking into a back room, the before-mentioned bathroom brake, or a mindless activity that separates you from your source of stress. All you need is enough privacy so you can hear yourself think.

The next step is to take three deep breaths, each one slower then the last. This clears my mind, slows down my heart rate, and prepares me for the rest of the meditation. If you feel you need more then three deep breaths, take your time and give yourself what you need. I sometimes find it helpful to visualize light entering my body with each breath, but this is completely up to you.

This small act might be enough to help you deal with your situation, but if not, you should try recognizing the source of your stress and accepting it. Sometimes recognizing the source of stress can be enough to bring relief. Allowing myself a moment to acknowledge that a situation is stressful and accepting that situation for what it is gives me enough perspective to handle the stress it creates. I need only to say to myself, “I am feeling stressful because…” then state what is making me feel stressful.

After accepting the source of your stress, most often I will need to delve deeper. Attempts to keep your emotions in check can become an added source of stress in addition to your external situation. Say to yourself “This is stressful because it makes me feel…” finishing the sentence with how it is making you feel stressed. Perhaps you are angry that you have to deal with a problem that you didn’t create. For me, sometimes I feel afraid of making a mistake, or guilty that I have already made mistakes. Whatever it is, by recognizing that emotion and no longer avoiding that emotion, you will find the situation easier to handle.

Finally, if you still have not sufficiently calmed down, you should remind yourself why you can handle this stressful situation. Say to yourself “I can handle this because…” and say whatever best helps you face your problem. If it is an ongoing issue, I like to remind yourself that I have handled this successfully before, or if you feel that the source of your stress is somehow your fault, remind yourself that everyone makes mistakes. Whatever it is you need to say to yourself, say it over and over again, until it begins to have a calming affect. I would personally recommend between seven and ten times, but if you feel relaxed after less repetitions, that is fine as well. Once again, I take a few slow deep breaths. Now I would be ready to face whatever obstacle ahead of me.

Most times, a five minute meditation isn’t enough to completely relieve you of your stress. That’s okay. I find that working out even a small bit of that tension from my day can make it more bearable and is usually enough to keep a handle on myself. It should go without saying, however, that the better you take care of yourself when you are not in stressful situations, the easier it will become to maintain a low level of stress in those situations. With this in mind, if you find yourself using this technique more than once per day, you should look into other means of lowering your over all stress level. For me, this meant seeing my doctor, although for you it may mean daily meditation or exercise.

I have plans… Oh, yes, I have plans for this little blog. I’m not satisfied being a mere blip in the blogosphere, ladies and gentlemen. You see, I’m planning world domination from my desk top. I’m going to be the new Illuminati, the puppet master behind the scenes, and bend the ear of every world leader! How am I going to accomplish this? Popsicle sticks and Bubble Gum!

Er, yeah… The plan still has a few bugs.

Somewhere between here and world domination, you can expect some changes to this site. The Pageless Book has been up for only three months or so, but already I’ve made progress towards being a great blog. Of course, this is due to my readers, without whom I would not feel motivated to write. In an attempt keep you, my readership, in the loop, I’m letting you know up front what my future plans are.

• Monetization: Yes, I am planning to monetize my blog. The truth of the matter is that seminary costs money and recently money has been getting tight for me. I don’t want you to think this means you’ll be bombarded with grotesquely flashy ads or annoyingly inappropriate suggestions about your weight, the medicine you take, or long distance phone service. This is my promise to you as well as to myself; this blog will never be just about making money.
• Book Reviews: In conjunction with monetization, I plan to doing sponsored book reviews. All of the book reviews I do will concern spirituality in some manner and will give an honest assessment of the book in question. If you buy a book based on my suggestion, I want it to be because you trust my judgment and not because I am getting paid.
• Minister Interviews: I’m interested in interviewing the Unitarian Universalist Ministers who are bouncing around in this crazy blogosphere. Soon, I’ll begin seeking them out, work on getting their attention and trust, and asking each individually if they are willing to grant me the privilege of an interview. If one such person is currently reading and would like to step forward, please feel free to do so. I really do want to hear from you!
• Daily Posting Schedule: My life is still in flux, so I cannot promise a post every day, but I am doing my best. As things settle down with my job, school, and personal life, I hope to be able to give you a detailed posting schedule. I want to continue to provide great content to you, my reader, in a more consistent way - it just isn’t realistic at this moment. Please know that I am trying.

You can help me make this blog grow, just by doing what you’ve always been doing. Visit and comment often, subscribe to my RSS feed, submit posts that you enjoy to Stumble, Digg, and Technorati, and, most important of all, act in loving kindness in your daily life, being the wonderful people I know you to be. Thank you for all that you do.

Namaste.

Today I learned something fairly shocking; my employer is holding the annual Christmas Party at a church. Just about every co-worker I’ve spoken to has regarded this as a bad move on our employer’s part - and not just the non-Christians. Many of my peers say that they will not be attending this year, in part due to its location. This situation has me seriously thinking about the role spirituality plays in the workplace.

It should be obvious what is and isn’t acceptable in regards to religion in the workplace. Any employer sponsored events or causes should be sensitive to the spiritual beliefs of their employees. Holding your yearly holiday party at a church is just one example of what isn’t acceptable. Nor are donations to religious organizations being made in the company’s name, management led prayer, or office nativity scenes acceptable. Unfortunately, an employee has little recourse besides resignation, which isn’t always practical.

We cannot rely on our employers to be sensitive to our spiritual beliefs, but we can at least be sensitive to the spiritual beliefs of others. Eight hours a day, about half of the time we are awake, we spend at work. It’s unrealistic to expect employees to check their spirituality at the office door, but it is fair to expect that their religion should not interfere with their ability to work. Spiritual practices can be a great form of stress reduction, which is sorely needed in the work environment, yet can be a source of conflict if not handled appropriately. How do we go about striking a balance? Is adding a spiritual element to your work day even worth the risk?

Personally, I think spirituality in the work place is fine, as long as you keep your fellow co-workers in mind. It’s very easy to tell you what not to do, like so many other articles on this subject, but I find its more important to give you ideas of what you can do. This list is by no mean comprehensive, but it should give you a good basis from which to develop your own ideas on how to integrate your spiritual life with your work.

• Spiritual Quotes: Displaying inspirational quotes at your desk or your locker. You should focus on quotes that can be accepted by just about anyone, or quotes that focus on your relationship with the Divine. A good example of an appropriate quote. is Corinthians I 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” The quote does not have to be a religious quote, either. For example, a good number of my favorite inspirational quotes are from the written works of Albert Einstein.
• Jewelry: Christians tend not to think that wearing a holy symbol to work is that big of a deal, in western culture. Jews, Muslims, and Neo-Pagans, however, would beg to differ. While few people think twice about wearing a cross necklace, wearing any other holy symbol is a sure way to draw uncomfortable attention and questions to yourself. Wearing a holy symbol underneath your clothing is a perfectly acceptable option, but is not a perfect solution. Each person will have to decide for themselves if wearing a visible holy symbol is appropriate for their circumstance. Personally, I have found that most folks are more understanding than what you would first assume.
• Knickknacks: Worry stones, small sculptures, and other small reminders of your faith and spirituality. Sometimes, it’s the small things that wordlessly offer a pick-me-up in the middle of the day that make all the difference.
• Holy Texts: This can, in some circumstances, be difficult. As with Jewelery, this has to be decided on a case by case basis. I have found, however, that most people avoid bothering anyone else about what they are reading.
• Prayer/Meditation: While praying aloud or chanting a mantra may not be appropriate in an office setting, silent prayer or meditation often can provide much needed stress relief in the middle of the day. No one needs to know that you are in silent prayer or meditation, just be willing to put up with occasional interruptions; inevitably, they will occur.
• Blessings: If you work in customer service, you know that occasionally you will come across a customer who closes every conversation with “God Bless You.” There is nothing that anyone can say about you returning in kind. Otherwise, taking a moment to intentionally and sincerely thank your customer isn’t just a good spiritual practice, but good customer service.
• Discussion: As with several of the ideas I present here, open discussion concerning your religion or spiritual practice requires some judgment on your part. However, if you can be genuinely open to hearing about another person’s spiritual life, discussing religion can open you to a new level of camaraderie with your co-workers.

I hope this article has been informative. If you should have any other ideas of how to integrate spirituality into your work day or wish to disagree with any of the points I make, I would love to hear from you. Do you have a story regarding your spirituality in your workplace? I’d like to hear about that as well. As always - Namaste.