Sangha of Auspicious Companions

185 Doors to Find Myself

Vicki Garlock was well-versed in world religions, and wrote multi-faith curriculum and books about faith traditions. “Somewhere in those years, I realized I needed to stop reading about other traditions and start showing up.” Almost on a lark, she signed up to break a Guinness record for visiting places of worship in one month. She thought it would be easy, but found she would need a real person to sign a verification form to document the visit. That turned out to be an opportunity for heartfelt encounters with security guards, custodians, immigrants, and people who were in Japanese internment camps to name a few. Many of the services were not in English, but Vicki walked into a place “believing we are already connected.” “…when you don’t have to worry about words — what they mean, or are trying to mean — you can let the experience wash over you. It takes the mind out of the picture. You hold it in your heart instead.”

Be The Change

Visit a faith tradition other than your own. As Vicki says, “You can go to a website, find a holiday or a service, send an email, make a call. You can say, I’m here to learn. Ring the bell. See who answers.”