Silence speaks louder than words...

The new year had just begun and I began to weed through the vast amount of posts and links on my newsfeed when something worthwhile caught my eye. That something, said FREE.

The Buddha Mind Monastery in Oklahoma City was opening its doors to the public for a weekly meditation class(my responsible Facebook use was coming in handy).

I had no idea that Oklahoma even had a monastery!

On a cold and rainy Thursday evening, I left my countryside home in Guthrie and plugged the coordinates into my g.p.s. navigation system. It led me to Del City, or is it Midwest City, or are the two combined? I don't know. Forty-five minutes later, I had arrived, questioning myself if I could make this trip every week.

The turnout was tremendous(apparently everyone else thrives in a free society as well). I couldn't even find a parking spot! Vehicles were being directed by monastery staff to drive off of the pavement, disregard the perfectly painted parking lines and find a spot in the beautifully maintained winter weeds.

Leaving my shoes at the door, I found a makeshift spot on the temple floor, sat down, crossed my legs and began to observe my surroundings.


They were monks! What was I expecting? I began to realize how little I actually knew about Buddhism and how incredible this way of life was. I had been blinded by my own ignorance.

Learning the practice back in 2011, I had an on-again-off-again relationship with meditation due to my own poor time management. (Side-note: make time for the things that really matter, let go of all the rest and your life will be filled with joy. Stress is a self-induced disease.)

The scent of burning sage filled the air as positive energy abundantly flowed through the temple, into my open heart and out into the souls around me... A piece of Ecuador was here.

I wasn't sure how this Eastern philosophy had ended up in Oklahoma, but it didn't matter. I was simply thankful that it had.

Humbled in absolute silence, I sat surrounded by hundreds of other cross-legged Westerner's, all searching to find balance, to find peace, and to watch and to learn to simply observe the mind.

For the first time in a long time, I felt home.

The OPERA puts on a show!

Quechua Celebration dressed in traditional garb.

Coming home from Ecuador, I felt a newfound sense of growth and balance and courageously reactivated my Facebook page. This was one of the better decisions I have made. Facebook allowed me to connect with the family I had made in Ecuador and it offered me access to information I would not have found otherwise. Facebook, when used responsibly, can become a powerful tool.

An acquaintance of mine sent me an OPERA invitation, Oklahoma Physic Education Research Association, via Facebook. 

At that moment, my eyes were opened to the realm of possibility that there were others in Oklahoma on a journey of spirituality, just like me. I was not alone.

The OPERA puts together what they call a Metaphysical Fair, held at the India Shrine Center in Oklahoma City every few months. The fair consists of a series of classes ranging from astrological education, chakra healing, shamanic journeying, and past life guidance, to the education of the existence of Sasquatch. I’m serious; one time there was a Sasquatch class… The class topics are different at every fair as well as the instructors.

The best part, the fair is FREE!

The fair provides physics, tarot card readers, hypnosis therapists, and crystal and gem vendors a place to work their magic on the lives of those seeking guidance.

I now try to attend the fair every time it is held, usually making it to one or two classes at least. I make a point to never miss the “Angel Messages” class. This is where you get a tarot reading for free! If you haven’t noticed, I thrive best in a free society.

Each and every “Angel Messages” instructor is different. I have had instructors use their third eye to see auras and communicate with guardian angels, and I have had instructors strictly use tarot cards and their senses, sometimes allowing the angels to speak through them. Nonetheless, it is always a fun and interesting experience. These psychics or mediums are eccentric.

Coming from a Christian turned Atheist background, which relies strictly on scientific evidence, my spiritual journey has been a battle between my rational mind and the tug I feel from my soul.

“Angel messages” always test my faith. I go into them with so much doubt. I think, “that prediction or advice given to said person could apply to anyone and everyone in this room!” Like a fortune cookie! But, I have yet to leave disappointed. I always hear exactly what I need to hear and come out of the experience enlightened and empowered. The messages I receive are so impactful that they move me to tears, every single time.

Still, the struggle remains, as there are times when I am frustrated by the OPERA. The individuals who attend the fairs can be…unusual. But aren’t we all? And the instructors some times can be unprepared. But aren’t we all? And the lessons sometimes can shock our senses and lead us to unravel. But isn’t that life?

Regardless, I remain thankful for the OPERA in allowing me to see beyond the walls of my own mind and forcing me to question my beliefs one experience at a time.