Hi everyone,
For the Jewish people, it is Jerusalem. For Muslims, it is Mecca. For
Catholics, it is Vatican City. For non-Catholic Christians, it is
Bethlehem. For Buddhists, it is Bodh Gaya. For Hindus, it is
Varanasi. For Tibetan Buddhists, it is Llasa. For Sikhs, it is
Amritsar. And on and on.
It seems that every religion has its "Holy City" – a place that holds
special significance to that particular faith, belief system, or
movement. These wonderful cities provide a spiritual connection to
the past and a place where individuals can go to feel closer to
something beyond their limited physical existence. They offer a
location where people can come together with others of like-mind to
worship, pray, meditate, and become better human beings by
recommitting to radical teachings of how to better treat each other
and thus eventually truly become One.
I would like to add the town of Copán Ruinas, Honduras to the list of
holy cities. Strange, you might think. "What religion has a unique
connection to Copán?".
My answer is… "None, if you only think of religion in terms of
specific traditions and hierarchical structures designed to pay
homage to a deity or deities."
I think that all too often religions get way too caught up in their
operational aspects. In other words, those things that allow them to
thrive as unique entities and remain separate from each other. Most
religions have their own set of rules, regulations, and guidelines
by which their members are encouraged to abide in order to be
deemed members in good standing.
This emphasis is unfortunate, in my view, because it misses the point
of what those special individuals who inspired the founding of the
world's great religions were trying to make. It is the messages of
these spiritual masters that were central to their lives. The
religions that subsequently sprang up evolved from these new ways of
thinking, speaking, feeling, and acting. Over time, they were
influenced by various cultures, events, and agendas, which led to
different translations and interpretations of the teachings,
divisions within the religions and further divisions, hierarchies and
sub-hierarchies, and rules and more rules.
For me, religion represents two things. First, it represents
following the spiritual teachings of someone in whom you trust and
believe. These teachings should provide the path toward enlightenment
and unity with each other and with the beating heart, mind, and power
of creation. Secondly, it represents following these teachings within
a community. We humans tend to be happier within communities, and we
certainly can accomplish so much more working together.
If you allow me to simplify "religion" on my terms, then it is not
such a far stretch to conceive of Copán Ruinas as sacred ground.
For the past three years, Copán Ruinas has served as the site of an
annual pilgrimage by people from all walks of life, various faiths,
and different countries. The purpose of the pilgrimage has been to
come together as a community to find ways to become more enlightened
and learn how to work as One. The ultimate aim has been to better
support the poor and underprivileged within Honduran society by
empowering them through education, healthcare, and a variety of
community building projects. And to do so in a positive spirit of
compassion, harmony, and joy.
This annual pilgrimage has brought people face to face with others
who enjoy giving of themselves to others in need. I sense that these
individuals do this for no other reason other than that is what they
feel compelled to do, rather than for any promise or expectation of
rewards. Somewhere along the line, they have discovered the truth
that it is by "emptying oneself" selflessly to others that we become
One in the spirit and gradually start to transform the world for the
better, starting of course with a little piece of it known as
Honduras.
It is no small feat for more than 200 people from diverse backgrounds
to meet each year for four days and four nights and then leave with
renewed energy, confidence, goodwill, and new contacts to continue
their work in partnership with the people of Honduras. That is
exactly what the Conference on Honduras has accomplished during three
conferences in Washington, DC and three in Copán Ruinas.
Copán is extremely well-suited for this particular kind of gathering.
Its proud but humble people, its central park, its coffee shops, its
colorful restaurants and hotels, its cobblestone streets, its
marketplaces, its river and green mountains exude charm, warmth,
something mystical. The place is accessible spiritually. It has the
effect of bonding those who visit it, and that is precisely what we
seek. It is that effect that, to me, provides meaning to the concept
of a Holy City.
Several people ask me each year to send them a report of the results,
conclusions, recommendations, and expectations of the Conference.
When I say to them that there will be no such report, they look
puzzled.
The results of the Conference lie in the benefits of the
relationships that develop from the event. The conclusions are that
focusing on education, healthcare, and community building are the
right strategy for empowering the people of Honduras and changing the
country for the better over the long-term. The recommendations are
that those who are helping Honduras should continue to do so
consistently, selflessly, wisely, creatively, and with a positive
attitude. The expectations are that within one or two generations
Honduras will be transformed into a model for other developing
countries to emulate.
In the final analysis, isn't religion really all about transformation?
If you're interested in participating in the next pilgrimage to the
Holy City of Copán Ruinas during October 12-15, 2006, see
http://www.projecthonduras.com/conference
Marco
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