Being spiritual at Taft is difficult. We dedicate so much effort to academics and athletics that when choosing between sleep and soulful, heart-fulfilling, introspective meditation, sleep usually wins. As a community, we lack structured time and undisturbed spaces to develop and nourish a regular spiritual connection. Yet, despite these challenges, we believe in the pursuit of spirituality, deepening the bond of the mind, heart, and soul. Thus, we consulted Taft’s spiritual guru Reverend Ganung—a man whose wiseness extends beyond the reverberations of his singing bowl at assembly, a man who believes the practice of spirituality to be a worthwhile endeavor for every Taftie.
In our conversation, Rev. G shared how he maintains such a high level of spiritual intellect. Every day, he wakes up at 5:00 a.m. for a twenty-minute meditation, nurturing a peaceful mindset for the rest of his day. Afterward, he takes his dog on a walk through nature, connecting with God’s earthly presence. In his free time, he finds peace playing the guitar, his artistic expression of spirituality, or fly fishing, where he is, again, one with nature. Rev. G has a deep passion for astronomy, often gazing at the stars to reflect on the past and the future. Somehow, all these personal practices make up only part of his spirituality. Outside of Taft, Rev. G serves as a Pastor in Bethlehem, where he preaches to a congregation of rural folk. He dedicates time as a hospital chaplain to comfort people in sickness and remind them of God’s presence. Rev. G is a true servant of God and leader of people.
When we asked Rev. G to define spirituality, he told us it is about compassion, empathy, forgiveness, and perhaps most central, unconditional love. Perhaps that’s romantic love, platonic love, or self-love, but it’s love all the same. Spiritually engaged people find love in their hearts for everyone. Rev. G told us of when he felt rivers of love flow through his body, after a chanting session at a Hindu Ashram in Boston and as he walked across Temple Mount in Jerusalem with his mother. Spirituality is about awakening the heart of compassion and recognizing that everyone is interconnected- we are all a part of the greater whole. If we understand this, we are more likely to lead our lives with love, acting with kindness and consideration, and striving to uplift each other. Today’s world is ridden with conflict, but spirituality puts our differences aside to love one another. Deep spiritual love is when meditators including Rev. G put photos of people with whom they disagree on their altar because there is no burden of hatred more powerful than love.
As mentioned before, finding spirituality at Taft is a daunting task. But, there are many students who have done an exceptional job at growing their spirituality. Rev. G gives a shout-out to seniors Jesse Peck, Dani Ip, and Denzel Seetso for their frequent attendance at meditation and dedication to understanding the spiritual mind and heart. He commemorates his days as a football and thirds hockey coach, as well as his current days coaching varsity baseball, where each player has made spirituality an essential tenet of their team. He promotes the FOCUS Christian fellowship group, the Muslim Student Association, the Religion and Spiritual Life Council, religious and philosophical courses, and weekly meditations for Tafties looking for spiritual guidance. To honor the ultimate spiritual journey beyond Taft, Rev. G praised 24’ graduate Conrad Lynch’s summer pilgrimage across the Japanese Island Shikoku.
Rev. G. emphasizes the importance of discovering our own path to become more in touch with our spiritual well-being. This is often achieved through art, meditation, and reflection, but it’s open to any introspective passions we have. Spirituality is a deeply personal journey of self-discovery, one that requires looking inward to understand where your soul is headed. We thank Rev. G for his wisdom and hope you all can find love and spirituality this Valentine’s Day season.