Continuing the Journey
I don’t want to get on a soapbox and start telling the world what I’ve learned. And I don’t want to use this blog as an advertising medium to celebrate my newly discovered ideas of living. But I will admit that it is hard to contain my excitement and my feelings for the last week of training that I have been involved in. I have been exposed to wonderful people and a cause that has inspired me to continue with my journey on another level. My whole perspective on life and my worldview has changed for the better, and in the next few months I hope to share some of these teachings and my new experiences with you. I’m probably not the best person to convince another to try something out, as evaluation and choices come down to the individual. Changes come from within. That’s all I’ll say for now about the positive changes that I have experienced.
The last week I have been learning, questioning, discovering and healing with new friends and mentors. My learning will never be finished, but the next step of my journey will take me back to the Peten area of Guatemala, where I will spend a month or two to find and encourage new members to learn more about our program and then bring them back to San Pedro for further instruction. I will be living with a fellow from Canada, Francios, who grew up just outside of Montreal. We’ll be leaving this Sunday. There is very limited access to Internet where I’ll be stationed, but we will pass through Poptun on Monday, so I’ll provide another update at that time. But for now, please enjoy the following pictures that were taken this past week at the training center in San Pedro, housed in an old colonial style building just a short walk to the lake’s edge.
We have 3 levels of space–one for our meetings (the public face), one for operations (behind the scenes admin stuff), and an upper level for housing our new members.
Front entrance.
We sell our books in English and Spanish. Over 20 million copies have been sold worldwide.
We also have our own newspaper publication we can hand out to the public in the capital city and other gringo trail hotspots. We have these in German, English, Spanish and Chinese. We talk to locals and international travelers alike. Since my Spanish is still pretty rough, I’ll be shadowing Francios for a little while and helping where I can. Our aim is to introduce Scientology and be available for people who have questions or misconceptions on what they may have heard from the media. The true heart of our program is to help people live better, fulfilling lives.
Please do email me privately or via the public comments section if you’d like to learn more about deepening and freeing your mind to our understanding of the world and our place within.
Finally, depending on my Internet access, please do check back on Monday for an important announcement regarding my plans for the future with the organization. Happy June everyone!
Tags: Travel
Administrator
Hi Edwin,
I am going to have to call “BULL SHIT” on this one. Aren’t you supposed to be back in the states this week? Remeber I offered to buy you lunch/dinner when you return? I know you well enough to know you would never pass up free food. So then, I will see you in the next couple of days, right?
And, if by chance you are serious, make sure to stop by and say hello to Tom, Katie and Suri!
Katie
Did you lose your razor?
Ok so I am also going to have to pull the BS card on you. “Mr. I call in sick to work so I can leave a day early to go start my trip to the east coast!… and AND! call in sick to work bc you are still in Vegas!
And shave that brillo pad off Mr. Miyagi….”wax on ….wax off….wax on ….wax off.”
PS if you happen to meet up with Tom, tell him I’m over him cuz he has gone downhill since Top Gun.
See ya later on this month Mr. BS.
One more thing…please feel free to email me privately if you have any thoughts of freeing your mind of being a total BS’er.
Hey Edwin, intersting blog…. a bit different for you. It’s not my take on religion, but still spiritual growth is very important to each of us in our own way. I think it’s great your taking time for spiritual growth, and don’t let others put you down for it! Hope you have a great time on the rest of your adventure and a safe trip home. E-mail me sometime. Take care. 🙂
So full of $%@!@!*&! it ain’t even funny. At least make up a religion. Something about waking up next to dead fish on the beach and an empty bottle of tequila.
Your Spanish classes went so well that you sat in a Scientology class and learned that? Sorry ADD boy, nobody is falling for it. If you come back and follow it for 8 months then we will believe you.
That’s one way to go about meeting Tom Cruise.
Ive known Edwin for a very long time, and I know this is no joke.
Ive know him longer than almost anyone here, and I know he has been seeking truth for many years now.
The whole purpose of this trip was to find himself, and with Scientology im sure he has done this.
Dont write this off as BS yet, Edwin may just suprise you on this one..
I remeber 10 years ago when he came back from from Morocco, he was a Muslim. He wore the robe and head gear, the whole 9 yards.
He was a convert for a little over 1 month. It was I that unconverted him by taking him to strip bars, gambling, women…. His religion and life style controdicted one another. 2 months after coming back he had lost his found religion and was lost yet again..
The irony is I became a Muslim several years later after meeting my wife.
Now the cycle returns.. With Edwin coming back with from a journey, and having yet again found truth. This time in Scientology.
The good thing about scientology is, he can still go to strip clubs, gamble and pimp the ho’s and not burn in hell.
In fact I think this crazy behavior is encouraged in scientology.
I am exctited for the new Edwin to come home, as I was 10 years ago when he came back from his journeys a Muslim. A religion I made fun of at the time, but converted to a few years thereafter.
Life is a very strange thing. Strange indeed.
Perhaps with it, some of you will learn the ways of scientology.. Dont laugh.
It could happen.
And no, im not bullshiting..
Edwin has always been of search of truth and balance.. ALWAYS……..
But with traditional religion, the concepts never really clicked with Edwin.
Now, I know a lot of you here know Edwin.. Think about it.. Think about what you know about him… Then do a little google search on some of the fundamentals of Scientology..
IM not talking about the crazy stuff you see with Tom Cruise.. The following is much muck much more than Tom Cruise and that whole gimmick he puts on… Really read about it, the fundamentals..
Then ask yourself…. Is this not EDWIN?????
I think you will see a pretty clear answer…..
Remember why Edwin has gone on this Journey to begin with..
Do you really know why?? Has he really told you?? Think about it.
Add it all up.
It would suprise me if he didnt come back from this trip changed..
Afterall that is why he made this journey to begin with.
Hello Dear Cousin Edwin,
I’ve known you since you’re 4. And if you know me at all, I’m not one to have any strong opinion about organized religion. If anything, I embrace all faith as I believe spirituality comes from the inside.
Scientology? Don’t know enough about it to make any judgment call, but this one, I don’t know bro! I say do keep an open mind. Don’t close any doors – you may need to go back. Whatever you do, be safe, be happy and may you find peace and prosperity. Keep in touch.
PS – Does this mean you’re not staying at the beach house tomorrow?
None of us said anything bad about scientology, we just said we think Edwin is pulling one of his many pranks. I may have only known Edwin for 5 years but I can tell you that it took some time to figure out when he was telling the truth or pulling my leg. Like when he said he was going to California to go gold mining for his vacation. If in fact he has found his truth then so be it. We would all support him of coarse, it’s just that I will believe it when I see it with my own eyes. Take care Mr. Eddie.
Well said Katie. On top of it, the way he is holding the book and smiling…he could get a job on The Price is Right.
Yes, after he showers and is de-ticked.
I just wanted to forward this e-mail I recently received from Edwin. Hopefully this helps alleviate your concerns about him.
—–
“Dear Jonas,
Please send my gratitude to everyone for expressing concern and support regarding my latest explorations of the world and of the spirit. I have recently been offered the opportunity to be a part of something bigger, something important. I have been selected to be adopted as the older brother of a newborn progeny named Suri. For this privilege, I have been designated a new name: She-Ra, which means ‘Princess of Power’ from the ancient language of Etheria.
Do not worry about me. I will be back in Portland as soon as this arrangement runs its course, which will be when my adopting matriarch reaches 30 years of age and my patriarch searches for a younger mate such as one Dakota Fanning or Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt.
Your friend,
She-Ra (formerly known as Edwin)”
To anyone who believed Edwin: Didn’t you find it a little strange (1) that the church’s signage is in English and that (2) you can see skyscrapers reflected in the front window?