Shahar Rabi comes from a lineage of rabbis, is a practicing Buddhist, is fascinated about Christianity, and is comfortable calling himself an aetheist. He says his wife, Saskia Tait, is a yogi. Their daughter Annika, is 18 months old. He is currently working at the Orchard Recovery Centre as the Program Director and psychotherapist and finishing his Ph.D on relapse prevention, social change and integral theory.
“I’ve been wondering how we can raise Annika within a community that has a similar interest in the complexity of life,” says Rabi. “I think we live in a world where many of us have rejected religion and spirituality in the name of social progress. In doing so, I think we run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”
Rabi says that he hopes the panel discussion he has set up called, “The Future of God,” will open up a non-judgmental and nonsectarian conversation about psychology, spirituality and “God” in whatever form it takes for people of all religious and spiritual leanings - and possibly open the door to further workshops.
“Of course, common values are a part of this, but I would like to get a little deeper than that,” says Rabi.
But what does, “deeper” look like?
“I think there is a longing in our hearts, in our guts, to talk not just about values, but about what holds those values. Who or what holds those values? Who is it, saying, I am? Every cell in every one of our bodies was present for the Big Bang as potential. We are the universe in the sense that our chemistry was made in exploding stars— so, in some sense we ARE stardust – I think that’s what I mean when I say we need to go beyond a conversation about values.”
Going back to the idea of how he wants to raise his daughter, Rabi adds that sparking this kind of conversation is all about creating the widest mythology possible for our children.
“If we don’t, I think the most likely option is for them to buy into the very limited mythology of commercialism.”
Rabi will be moderating the panel with speakers Chris Dierkes (soul interpreter, energy healer, and spiritual guide with a background in Christian mysticism), Trevor Malkinson (MA in philosophy, currently completing a masters in divinity at the Vancouver School of Theology) and Rev. Sophia Ducey (Ordained minister, speaker, teacher and counselor with an ardent commitment to my individual and the collective evolution of consciousness .)
The free event will be held at the Bowen Island Yoga Centre, 27th of February, at 6:30. For more information on the Future of God Panel discussion, check out the workshops and events section at bowenislandyoga.com
