Spiritual students seeking groups for peace and prayer

‘ ‘ ‘ In some ways, they’re searching for the same thing. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘There’s a part of the… ‘ ‘ ‘ In some ways, they’re searching for the same thing. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘There’s a part of the unknown they want to feel a part of,’ said Paula Kane, a religious studies professor at Pitt, of the students who seek religion or a spiritual belief system. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ A study performed last year by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, indicated that 74.2 percent of college students say they believe in God, and 50.4 percent think it’s very important or essential to integrate spirituality into their lives. ‘ ‘ ‘ At Pitt, roughly 1,275 of these students are involved with religious or spiritual groups on campus, according to Student Organization Resource Center records. ‘ ‘ ‘ Some of them are following in their parents’ footsteps. Others discovered religion or spirituality on their own. Some flip-flop between groups. ‘ ‘ ‘ But no matter what their background, the students interviewed seemed to agree: They look to their religion or spiritual belief system for direction and to its members for a sense of support. ‘ Buddhism for World Peace ‘ ‘ ‘ Lucy Storey, a 31-year-old student studying sociology at Pitt, sits in the Mulert Memorial Room on the second floor of the Cathedral of Learning on a Friday afternoon, waiting for the other members of Buddhism for World Peace to arrive for their meeting. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Nam-myoho-renge-kyo’ she chants. Devotion. Mystic Law. Lotus Flower. Sound. It’s part of her effort to connect to the larger universe. Storey sits, her hands folded as if she’s praying, in front of a table with a wooden chair sitting atop it. On top of the chair is the Gohonzon, a scroll to which Nichiren Buddhists chant to obtain enlightenment. ‘ ‘ ‘ Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. ‘ ‘ ‘ To the outsider, it looks like she’s reciting prayers.’ But her actions aren’t religious, she says. They’re spiritual. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I’m still an atheist,’ said Storey, who practices Nichiren Buddhism, a spiritual practice that says it’s possible to obtain enlightenment in this lifetime. ‘It’s not a problem if you believe in God, but there is no concept of God. We talk about gods and devils, but that’s a parable for the good and evil forces.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Instead, Storey said, Nichiren Buddhists search for enlightenment. They believe that the problems they face are just challenges they must overcome to become stronger spiritually. Chanting will help them solve their problems. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Chanting has this power to totally change your brain waves,’ said Storey. ‘It allows you to connect to this part of the universe. At the very least, it gives you this feeling of clarity. It helps you put everything in order.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Storey said she found Nichiren Buddhism almost seven years ago. A woman she was working for used to chant every day. Storey said she was always interested in the woman’s practice but never tried it until one day when she was stressed. ‘ ‘ ‘ Storey said her boss told her to try chanting and, ‘The moment I started chanting I realized I had no direct goals. I never wanted to do anything.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Now, Storey’s on track to graduate in April with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She said she hopes to one day become a professor. ‘ ‘ ‘ Robert Koutsoyannis, a 23-year-old electrical engineering graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University, said he was ‘born into the practice’ of Nichiren Buddhism.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ It’s been a constant source of inspiration in his life. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I kind of understood that if you chanted mystically, things would work out for you. You passed your test,’ he said. ‘There’s nothing one can’t accomplish through keeping steady determination. I’m convinced that if I need something, I need to do something, I chant.’ ‘ Christian Student Fellowship ‘ ‘ ‘ Every Thursday night, members of the Christian Student Fellowship, which is comprised of both Pitt and Carnegie Mellon University students, meet in the William Pitt Union for a devotional. ‘ ‘ ‘ They typically spend the first 10 to 15 minutes casually talking, sing a few worship hymns and then, depending on their mood, do a Bible study or watch a movie, said Greg Voss, the minister who helps organize the group. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘They want to feel like they’re learning, academically, spiritually, socially,’ he said. ‘And it’s at a different level than they’ve been at before.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ It’s a close-knit, nondenominational group, he added. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I had one girl that called our group ‘the rejects of religious groups’ because we do have quirky people, and I’ve been told they feel like they can be themselves,’ he said. ‘ ‘ ‘ Matthew Neupauer, a Pitt senior majoring in industrial engineering, said being part of the group changed his lifestyle. His religion, he said, is now the most important part of his life. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I can say that everything I do in my life right now I consider what the Lord wants me to do,’ he said. ‘I would say that before … a stronger focus was just to have everyone like me. When I started to focus on the Lord as opposed to myself, I would say I no longer needed everyone to like me.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Neupauer said that while he was raised in a Christian home, he didn’t begin to feel connected to his faith until his sophomore year of college, when he realized he needed a change. ‘ ‘ ‘ But he said he believes his god didn’t forget about him. ‘ ‘ ‘ Neupauer said he fell in love with industrial engineering and particularly enjoyed an engineering seminar he attended his freshman year. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘That was the Lord just telling me he wanted me there,’ said Neupauer. ‘ ‘ ‘ So now, he attends two Bible studies to stay focused on his religion. He said the small size of the Christian Student Fellowship meetings, which usually have 10 to 15 people at each session, allow him to interact with other Christians. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘For me, discussion would be the most important part,’ he said. ‘If I hear a story of how the Lord did something for someone I know, it’s a lot easier to bring the stories up to everyone else. It gives you an opportunity to testify to someone else in a way.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Voss added that when the group is running smoothly, it’s as though the members were family. With friends, he said, people are always free to leave. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘With family,’ he said, ‘you’re committed.’ ‘ Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh ‘ ‘ ‘ Junior Carly Adelmann used to joke that she was a ‘Cashew.’ Her father was Catholic, and her mother was Jewish. ‘ ‘ ‘ That changed when she started going to the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I realized that you can’t be half Jewish,’ said Adelmann, Hillel’s president. ‘ ‘ ‘ Adelmann said participating in Hillel activities taught her that there’s more to her faith than simply religious activities. ‘ ‘ ‘ Yes, the group holds Shabbat services and hosts meals on religious holidays. But religion, she said, is ‘not always the focal point. The majority of students would not consider ourselves ultra observant.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Former Hillel president Becca Lehner said one of the group’s main goals is to connect students to the University and Pittsburgh communities. ‘ ‘ ‘ Lehner said Pittsburgh’s Jewish community is so large that if she had an idea for an activity, if she wanted to try to bring a band to campus, for example, there was always someone who could help her do it. ‘ ‘ ‘ This year the group tested a program called Hometown Pittsburgh, which gives Hillel members opportunities, through mentoring programs and networking events, to get to know Jewish people working throughout Pittsburgh. ‘Hillel provides you with an outlet for things you want to do,’ said Lehner, former Hillel president. ‘ ‘ ‘ Lehner added that the group’s laid-back nature inspired her to more actively study her religion. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Judaism has always played a huge role in my life,’ said Lehner. ‘Since I haven’t had it forced onto me, it’s made me more open to [study] it.’ ‘ Baha’i Campus Association ‘ ‘ ‘ Lahia Annis-Christy’s Squirrel Hill apartment is dark except for a few tea lights spread out over her glass coffee table.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Nine people, many of whom attend Baha’i Campus Association meetings, sit in a circle around the table, their eyes closed and their hands folded together in prayer. ‘ ‘ ‘ For a few minutes, the only sound is of everyone breathing. They’re silently praying to their god, who they believe sent Abraham, Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Moses, Muhammad and Zoroaster. To them, each of these men proclaimed the message from one god who teaches them that all people are equal and that world peace is attainable. ‘ ‘ ‘ A few minutes pass and Jason Rafalak, a fellow Baha’i, begins to quietly play the guitar. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Oh God, guide me, protect me,’ Rafalak sings. ‘Make of me a shining light.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Annis-Christy, the president of the Baha’i Campus Association and a Pitt undergraduate, and the others join in. The music, Annis-Christy will later say, helps her connect with her god. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Music is unique because it bypasses the filters of the mind and goes straight to the soul,’ she said. ‘ ‘ ‘ Annis-Christy said that in addition to attending devotionals, she makes an effort to pray daily to stay connected to her religion, with which she grew up. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘The effort to be a Baha’i is very conscious,’ she said. ‘It’s not a default thing. There is no clergy. There is no service. If you want to develop spiritually, it really is on an individual basis.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ After high school, Annis-Christy spent a year in El Salvador teaching classes and leading devotionals on the Baha’i faith. She said the experience showed her what she wants to do with her life. ‘ ‘ ‘ She’ll graduate from Pitt this spring with a degree in Spanish and hopes to one day teach English as a second language. ‘ ‘ ‘ Annis-Christy said her experience in El Salvador reinforced for her the Baha’i philosophy that people, regardless of their nationality, are more alike than they are different. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Yes, I’m American, but that doesn’t separate me from the rest of the world,’ said Annis-Christy. ‘We’re all connected.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ And that aspect of the Baha’i faith shows at their meetings. The members come from a variety of backgrounds. Some have Middle Eastern roots and speak some Farsi. Others are black and several are white, like Annis-Christy. ‘ ‘ ‘ They sit in their circle, many with smiles on their faces, some with their eyebrows crunched together in concentration. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘My God, my adored one, my king, my desire, what tongue can voice my thanks, voice my thanks to thee?’ they sing. ‘ ‘ ‘ The wick on one of the tea lights burns bright orange and then goes out with a puff of smoke. ‘ ‘ ‘ Their devotional is over. But that’s only one step, Annis-Christy said, Baha’is take when they’re working toward peace.