By Brandon Alter:
The more I learn, the more I realize all the teachers are saying the same thing. They say it with different words, they use different symbols, they have unique points of view. But at their core, all teachings are the same. And at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who said it or how they said it. If it resonates with you, take it and make it your own. Use it. Share it. See if you can break it. Of course, if you quote something, have integrity and give credit where credit is due. But I think we get WAY TOO caught up with the identity of the teacher and the school of thought it comes from. This prevents us from receiving the full teaching.
If it feels true to you, does it really matter if it’s from the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita or RuPaul or your yoga teacher? In my humble opinion, it does not.
When I was young, I told my grandparents that I was a Jewish Buddhist who believed in Hinduism. And they said, "You can’t do that. You have to choose. You’re not allowed to take just the things you like from all the religions of the world and call them your own." But you know what? You absolutely fucking can. In fact, that is exactly what you are supposed to do.
You are making up your life as you go along, so make it up in a way that serves you MOST FULLY—and fuck the haters and the purists and the naysayers.
So here’s my advice: when you stumble upon a truth and it lights up your whole body, follow that and keep following it as far as it will take you.
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