Monday, January 31, 2011

Disappointment and Not a Drop of Self-Realization.



Ever since we've lived here, I had something tiggling my funny bone: Ananda: The Church of Self-Realization. It is housed in a beautiful building, reminiscent of Spanish colonialism. It even has church bells, which definitely gives it church street-cred.

But every time I saw this building, I giggled. A church of self-realization??? You can call me cynical, but it sounds like a place where people sit in a circle and talk about how their fathers never played catch with them or how Buffy the Vampire Slayer got them through a rough patch. Really, it seemed like kind of a narcissistic venture. (And this is coming from a person who adores narcissism almost as much as she adores herself.) Also, I must gleefully admit that Ananda is a funny word. AHNAHNDAH. Because I drive by this building quite a bit, I've had quite a frequent giggle-fest.

Today, the giggles stopped.

Turns out Ananda actually has beliefs.

They are vague, yes, but they are beliefs. (New-age Buddhism with a swig of Christianity.) Now I cannot laugh at Ananda, because laughing at an actual church is probably bigotry, as opposed to my preferred goofery.  But how can I resist it?? It is still a funny name and it still says Ananda: The Church of Self-Realization in big letters.

Now I will have to have an ethical crisis every time I go to Costco. Also a giggle crisis. Also, a parking crisis, but that's only when I actually get there.

But I guess being a bigot will have it's perks.

I will get a lot of mail. (perk)

Hate mail. (not a perk)

And that hate mail will leave me lost and confused about myself.

Which will make me think of Ananda.

And a giggle crisis will ensue.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Not sending hate mail, I just think that the building has a strange resemblance to the bell tower in the movie Vertigo. Probably no connection.

Rachel said...

no dissing buffy until you've watched the whole series

Than & Lina said...

:) and cute clapping!

James said...

Ananda was a principal disciple of
Guatama (the latest Buddha) and the collector of his sutras.

"The most dangerous thief is
Unwholesome thought", You Scornful
Demon you.

James said...

Having done some research though, you
slandering devil:
the Church of Ananda seems to carry very little influence from traditional Buddhism, where self-hood is seen as an obstacle to enlightenment; and quite a bit from
popular psychology, where self-hood is a deity onto itself.

Sarah said...

Yeah, I assume Ananda is quite a bit like I pictured it. But they do have some religious basis, so I can't make fun of it anymore. Or at least admit to it.