Tag: Religion

New Year, New Hopes… and better Time Management

All talk on Islamic States is just an empty dream. No man in his right sense would accept a nation which bases its political administration on religion, and in a country like Malaysia with its multi-racial and multi-religious people, there is no room for an Islamic State.

Tunku Abdul Rahman, First Prime Minister of Malaysia

First off, Happy New Year 2023 to everyone!

2022 was an interesting year, for several reasons. Not least among them was the 15th General Elections on November 19th, resulting in a hung parliament but eventually returning Malaysia’s governance to Pakatan Harapan, spearheading a coalition government – or Unity Government, as it’s officially being called – which includes BN, something that very few would have expected.

But such is politics, and the strange bedfellows it makes. What will be interesting to see is if the negative narratives against DAP, a key component of PH, can be countered with BN being a part of the government. Why? Simply because UMNO was where the demonization of DAP began, a stratagem now taken up with gusto by Perikatan Nasional (PN), primarily comprising Bersatu (an UMNO offshoot) and Islamist party PAS (another UMNO offshoot, historically).

There are many challenges that the Unity Government faces, as the Malaysia it has inherited isn’t exactly one that was well managed post-Sheraton Move back in 2020. Thus far, the assurance given is that the primary focus for the present will be the economy and helping Malaysians tackle an ever escalating cost of living.

A month plus in, the government has so far been doing just that. But as we’re all too familiar with, band-aids may help in the short term, but what Malaysia needs moving forward are well thought out policies in all areas of governance and life. It’s early days still, and how the government fares will be something every Malaysian will be paying close attention to in 2023 and beyond.

There are a few things that Walski would personally like to see happen this year. Frankly, it’s a long wishlist, so he’ll just mention a few in this post.

One of the things that has suffered greatly in recent times is personal liberty, and the freedom to be. Overall, Malaysia has slowly but surely become more conservative, primarily due to religion being increasingly forced upon contemporary Malaysian society. And the push for “Islam” to be the base consideration for everything, affecting everyone regardless of creed, even if the ‘official’ spiel is that it will only affect Muslims. So does that mean a religious apartheid with heightened Muslim-policing best case, or worst case, a comprehensive religious police state?

That Walski has written “Islam” (in quotes) is by no accident – what he’s referring to is a very narrow officially sanctioned interpretation of a tenet that ironically has a long and rich history of divergent viewpoints and interpretations. And this officially sanctioned “Islam”, too, has (d)evolved over the years, a lot more puritanical today compared to a few decades ago.

For instance, every time we approach a non-Islamic religious, or even non-Malay cultural celebration sometimes, without fail injunctions on wishing well those who celebrate will magically emerge on social media. And this year, also without fail, emerged a lovely Christmas prohibition message, from none other than Malaysia’s favorite dissident religious persona non grata, Zakir Naik.

The 2022 edition of Zakir Naik’s divisive Christmas prohibition message…

Granted the Facebook posting this image was sourced from has since been taken down, how did this kind of divisive messaging become so commonplace in multicultural, multireligious Malaysia? The quick answer, from Walski’s POV: over-empowerment given to the religious right to push their ideologies into almost every aspect of life in this country, under the guise of Ketuanan Islam (Islamic Primacy/Supremacy), which is, in effect the new Ketuanan Melayu.

And it is upon this new reality that Perikatan Nasional made much gains during the recent GE15, support for PAS being the main contributor of votes, building upon GE14 momentum, and almost resulting in PN taking the reins of power (which, thankfully, didn’t happen).

What comes with an inordinate amount of religion in the public sphere? Quite simply ANYTHING that doesn’t jive with the Islamist establishment is suppressed and/or outright banned. Worse, anything found to be “insulting to ‘Islam'” (as defined by these Islamists, as and when and how they please) will land folks into hot soup. We saw this happen for real in 2022, by the way. Case in point: what happened to Rizal van Geyzel.

Walski’s hope is that we see no more of this similar Islamist-influenced BULLCRAP. And not just for 2023 either. Because the joke that Rizal van Geyzel made was something based on a FACT that didn’t sit well with trigger-happy Islamists: racial discrimination in favor of Malays/Bumiputera. And by some strange magical linkage that only an Malay Islamist could appreciate, this translated to an “insult to Islam”. Yeah, go figure.

Related to this is Walski’s ardent wish that Islamists should no longer be allowed to dictate public policy exclusively. Sure, their opinions may be sought – and since we’re still a democracy, should be heard – and if these opinions are constructive they may very well be adopted, but not to the extent of blanket yes/no based on their opinions alone. Malaysian Islamists (maybe any Islamist) tend to be prohibitionist by nature and action. If they don’t like something, then NOBODY can like that something.

Here’s a current example: the Ministry of Health is embarking on a pilot project to provide PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) to prevent the spread of HIV, targeting people deemed to be most at risk, which includes intravenous drug users and sexually active male homosexuals. It’s no surprise that our Malaysian Islamists (i.e., ISMA et al) are campaigning against it, on the grounds that it will “promote homosexual activities”.

Screenshot from an article posted on Samudera.my, a news portal likely linked to ISMA

Instead, not unlike their Christian far-right counterparts in the US,, they promote Abstinence. Perhaps they should read research that has found abstinence-only strategies to not be effective. Or perhaps they’re aware but simply don’t care because it goes against their so-called beliefs, and so continue to promote what they believe to be the only acceptable way. Again, very much like their US-based Christian far-right counterparts.

Be that as it may, their opinions alone shouldn’t be the benchmark to create and implement public policies. And that’s another one of Walski’s hopes for the nation, this year moving forward.

Will the current PH-led government be able to last a complete term, or will it once again implode under the weight of political sabotage? There are many opinions about this, and quite frankly, at this stage, many of these opinions are mere speculations. After all, the government has only been in place for a mere month and a half, and for the most part is only now really getting down to business.

One thing, however, is clear: the Anwar-led Unity Government needs to deliver to a population that generally wants a better Malaysia, and after a fairly lackluster almost two years, wants that better Malaysia sooner rather than later. At the same time, however, Walski believes there is a real need to temper hopes and/or expectations, and to not expect the impossible.

At the year’s end, there is promise and potential for change, but cynicism and fear of disappointment reduce expectations and dampen hope. Not least of all is the reality that old forces remain in political power, despite the overwhelming call for change.

Dr. Bridget Welsh, “Malaysia’s year of yearning: Reflecting on 2022“, Malaysiakini, January 1 2022

As Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben once never said, “with lower expectations come fewer disappointments”.

Walski would ideally want to see Malaysia change for the better in all areas, but he realizes that changes to a “business as usual” governmental machinery cannot be achieved overnight. Even if those changes are for the better, because that’s just the nature of governments and bureaucracies – lots of inertia and lots of resistance to change. Sure, there are political pitches, promises, and all that, but never forget that animal called realpolitik. And overcoming that beast takes time.

The hands that work these bureaucracies, lest we forget, are real, living, breathing human beings. And we all know, despite putting up a façade to indicate otherwise, the operative thoughts will be, to varying degrees, “how will I be affected by all this change?”.

But Walski is hopeful that this time around, the PH-led unity government can and will deliver. The only question is how much and how soon. Walski is of the opinion that the government needs sufficient time and room to produce results, and not succumb to pressures to rush things heedlessly.

And in some areas, if Walski may remind you, effects of changes will only materialize after a period of years, and not weeks or months. Realistic change is not fast food, or pizzas that appear at your doorstep in 30 minutes or less (or your money back).

And if any politician tries to convince you otherwise, they’re lying. And if you actually believe said politicians, you’re a bigger fool.

So bottom line, fellow Malaysians, we will need to exercise some patience on our part as well. At the risk of sounding like a broken record: change takes time. More importantly we need to observe what are the steps being taken to exact that change we so desperately want? Personally, as long as things are moving in the right direction, Walski is happy.

Perhaps the one good thing (and maybe only one) about growing older is that one learns how things really work in this world. Well, Walski has, at least. And with that knowing is the realization that a lot of things take time. Just like the cliché about building Rome.

These aren’t the only hopes Walski has for 2023, of course, but let’s just say they sufficiently encapsulate the gist of things on his mind.

To close, on a more personal note, there is the question of New Year resolutions. And while some people’s resolutions are currently at 4k, Walski’s remains at full 1080 HD. A bit behind the curve, perhaps, but certainly clear enough to see what’s what, who’s who, and… where is that damned pizza he ordered an hour ago?

Kidding aside, though, Walski hopes to write more this year. And for this blog to not be neglected like it was in 2022. And in order to write more – which also means needing to read more – Walski needs to manage his time better. So yeah, that would be the other resolution he has for this year: better time management.

Apart from writing for work (i.e. his real-world business), as you may or may not know, Walski also writes – 280 characters (or less) a pop – on Twitter. Yeah, yeah… he’s sticking around despite the mess Mr. Musk has made. So if you think Walski’s slacking off updating myAsylum, please remind him – nay, bug the heck outta him – on that bird app.

In the meantime, enjoy your Monday off, and once again, Happy New Year 2023!

Despondency Inc.

“The first ten million years were the worst,” said Marvin, “and the second ten million years, they were the worst too. The third ten million years I didn’t enjoy at all. After that I went into a bit of a decline.”

Marvin, the paranoid android in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

Scrolling through the various social media platforms, in particular Facebook and Twitter, Walski has observed a heightened level of despondency in today’s Malaysia.

And this feeling seems rooted in two areas: politics and religion. Also economics, but in Walski’s opinion the root cause in politics. More specifically, the obsession among our politicians to further politics over policy.

If once upon a time there was a push for Malaysia, Inc., the reality we’ve arrived at today is Despondency, Inc. And it honestly doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better anytime soon.

What the Malaysia, Inc. initiative – basically a situation of cooperation between public and private sectors for the advancement of the nation – turned out to become consolidation of wealth for the oligarchs in this country, and the creation of a GLC-controlled economy.

The 1980/90 period saw the start of a quasi-Thatcheresque privatization of government services, but with the government still very much involved in business. It was those with ties to the parties within government that benefited most (and continue to).

The other side effect of mega GLCs: crowding out of the market, creating barriers for ground-up businesses to flourish, and because of lopsided “policies” (to use the term loosely), those that really wanted to grow could only do so by relocating elsewhere. The most recent case: Grab, that relocated down south and is now a Singapore-based company.

Back in January this year, The Edge ran a story analyzing why Grab left, and what has made Singapore a better environment for tech startups. Walski won’t comment much on the article – go read it for yourself. But the question is this: if Malaysia has no shortage of Venture Capitalist (VC) organizations, what is it we lack preventing ambitious corporations like Grab to grow regionally or even be a global brand?

The complete answer, like all answers to simple question, is undoubtedly complex, and would require several posts to answer in sufficient detail. But for Walski, the bottom line is three things: lack of vision, lack of agile policy, and the fact Malaysia continues to be mired in identity politics.

And all three, at the end of the day, boils down to politics.

Perhaps an oversimplification and pretty crude, but it wouldn’t be unfathomable if one of the root-cause factors leading to Grab’s relocation is that the owners are of the “wrong demographic“.

Closely tied to the quagmire of Malaysian politics is religion, a source of political power for the major players in our political environment, which by and large still believes religious/ethnocentric concerns are the key priority. In the meantime, the rest of the world moves according to REALITY. Even those political parties whose existence isn’t grounded in this antiquated notion ultimately get dragged down into the bottomless shithole pit.

Because if they don’t play ball, the big political players and their legion of fucked up retard minions will start their campaign of mudslinging. Islam Über Alles… that sort of thing. Fascist? You betcha!

Today, race and religion have become all too intertwined. Religion has become the new “race”, and religion has become a blunt tool to exert perceived social and moral superiority. It’s a convenient tool to demand compliance of those with the audacity to think rationally and question when there’s a need to.

And if all else fails, invoke Article 3 of the Federal Constitution, regardless of how irrelevant it is to the argument. Or police reports, the favorite pastime of these mofo minions.

Religious authorities are regarded as sacrosanct, beyond reproach, and any criticism will be met with vociferous ire and blood-curdling threats of retaliation. Regardless of the sometimes overreaching and unreasonable these so-called religious institutions have become, these are the new sacred cows that can never be questioned. And who comes to the rescue when there is valid criticism voiced out?

The same damned mudslingers, and other minions of the countless religious NGOs that have mushroomed over the last decade, like fauna on fresh rain-watered dung. If there is one thing that will sink this nation down to the deepest pits of Hell on Earth, it will be our increasingly incessant obsession with invoking religion at every damned turn, and forcing it to be relevant over the most minute of concerns.

So if you wonder why Walski senses great despondency within the social media sphere, these are the two root-cause reasons. From his perspective, and his alone, naturally. And yes, he too is despondent. Very much so.

Oh, and by the way, Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

For all it’s worth…

Photo credit

The feature image used for this post is a screenshot from a video short called Suicidal Clown, via Alexandru Cotoc on YouTube (full image below).

The title pretty much describes what Walski thinks about Malaysia today: idiotically clownish, and just waiting to implode and self-destruct. But hey, as long as we’re “moral” and performatively pious, right?

Would a cesspool by any other name smell just as pungent?

Cesspool failures

The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and in-grafted into the machine of government, have been a very formidable engine against the civil and religious rights of man.

Thomas Jefferson

Islam in Malaysia has oftentimes been equated to be like Hotel California, based on that one line in Eagles’ most overplayed song – you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. And it’s worse if you were born in Hotel California.

There currently is one court case where an individual who was born into a Muslim family is trying to leave the religion, and said individual is currently seeking permission to have her judicial review heard in the civil court system, as reported in The Malay Mail this week.

You can read the background of the case, summarized quite comprehensively in that report. The applicant had already gone through all kinds of hoops and legal hoopla, as is the case with the Shariah Court system in cases such as this, only to have her application to leave Islam rejected by the Shariah Court of Appeal.

If you’ve read lawyer Fahri Azzat’s piece some months back, you’ll know that this is not surprising at all. Not by a single iota.

But what’s interesting is part of the court’s reasoning why the applicant’s request was rejected (emphasis by Walski):

Shariah High Court had — in rejecting A’s bid to be known as no longer a Muslim — ruled that the right to freedom of religion in Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution is not applicable to Muslims.

The Malay Mail, Wednesday, 27 April 2020

A few perplexing things are happening here. One, does the Shariah High Court even have the right to rule on constitutional matters in the first place? Ask most lawyers, and the answer you’ll get in most instances is NO. But never mind that for the moment.

Let’s digress for a sec so we can do a quick recap of exactly how Article 11(1) of the Malaysian Federal Constitution is worded: Every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.

Every person – so, if EVERY PERSON has freedom of religion as a basic right, but this basic right is not applicable to Muslims, does that mean that in Malaysia Muslims are not even regarded as proper “persons”? If the answer is YES, then that goes a long way to explain the prevalence of herd mentality among many Malay/Muslims…

But all kidding aside, by making the ruling, the Shariah High Court has pretty much declared Malaysia to be a RELIGIOUS APARTHEID. At least that’s how Walski sees it.

Many a rational person would have to wonder: what’s the big deal if everyone – every person, to be specific – could exercise the fundamental right accorded by Article 11(1)?

Try to even broach this question, and the earth will undoubtedly start to shudder with the collective wrath of the “faithful”; HOW CAN YOU EVEN ASK SUCH A QUESTION!!! DOOMSDAY WILL COME IF THAT HAPPENS! THE EARTH WILL OPEN UP AND SWALLOW THE TWIN TOWERS, KL TOWER, AND MENARA 118!!!

Persist with the question, and you’ll probably find a gazillion police reports filed against you for the crime of intelligent enquiry…

But that’s the reality of this cesspool we’ve become. The entrenched status quo must never be questioned, even if the questions are reasonable ones. And why we’ve become the cesspool we are today has a lot to do with that quote by Thomas Jefferson.

And the root cause: political expediency; of trying to out-Islam the Islamists. Fast forward three decades plus change, the entire nation is the worse for it. We’ve become a religious apartheid, and as these things go, once Stockholm Syndrome sets in any attempt at change and rectification will be messy. And Malaysia doesn’t possess the political will to clean up anything that’s messy.

Regardless, the court challenge Walski mentioned above will be an interesting one to follow. Essentially, submissions to challenge have been made, and a decision on whether the challenge may be heard will be known come June 15. Well and good if leave is given, but if it is rejected then another round of questions will emerge. Either way, let’s hope the legal arguments presented are sound ones.

It is fortunate that the plaintiff’s legal team, the prosecution, and the court have unanimously agreed that withholding the applicants identity (the Islamists won’t be pleased, but screw ’em) is in the best interest of everyone involved. Because what will undoubtedly happen is harassment by the “faithful”, and maybe even threats to her life.

In the meantime, there is a sense of calm in this cesspool. For now, at least. Let’s just hope that calm isn’t the kind that precedes a ferocious shitstorm…

Freedom of Religion… and the Malaysian reality

What does religious freedom mean if we would use it as a cover for hate and privilege?

DaShanne Stokes

Before Walski continues with what’s on his mind, he asks your indulgence to take this simple poll:

So, you might be wondering: what is it that got under Walski’s skin to write about this?

Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock these past few weeks, you will probably have heard about the plight of one Loh Siew Hong. Her husband, who converted to Islam, took their three children, left them at a charity home where they were converted to Islam, with only the husband’s consent.

Granted that the High Court has ordered the release of the three children into her custody, Madam Loh’s ordeal is not over. Pretty much the entire Malaysian Islamic Bureaucracy, and the countless NGOs of the Islamic vein, are pressuring to ensure the three kids remain Muslims.

Now, bear this in mind: at the time of conversion the twin girls would have been around 11 years old, while their younger brother around 7. Now, would anyone that young appreciate or understand their “decision” (assuming there was no coercion involved) would be binding for the rest of their lives? Walski contends that the answer is NO. For pretty much the same reasons why driver’s licenses are NEVER issued to 7 or 11 year olds.

The now question is whether or not the Malaysian Islamic Bureaucracy, and the NGOs that prop them, will leave Madam Loh to raise her kids in the best of her ability and conscience, OR will they continue to force their way into the family’s lives?

So yeah, that’s what’s gotten under Walski’s skin.

Back to the question the poll asks: is there freedom of religion in Malaysia? Walski will leave the poll up until the end of February, after which we’ll look at the results and discuss. If you were following the earlier myAsylum blog or know Walski first-hand, you’ll probably be able to guess his answer to the question. So as to not prejudice the poll results, we’ll leave this as it is for now.

But before Walski concludes this post, consider what the Federal Constitution says about freedom of religion:

Clause (1) in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution states thusly:

(1) Every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.

Clause (4), which is a qualifier, states: State law and in respect of the Federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and putrajaya, federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam.

So effectively, freedom of religion is, in theory, enshrined in the Federal Constitution. But does freedom of religion, in practice and in reality, exist in Malaysia?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

The Journey Spiritual in a Dogmatic World

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion

Albert Camus

Every human is born a free spirit, and it is the experience of life that shapes who we eventually become. And although we have “become“, possibilities and opportunities will always present themselves to enable us to redefine ourselves.

But only if we want to.

Just so you don’t read the rest of this post confused, allow Walski to elucidate why he’s writing this. Some weeks back, he completed reading an important book by author, journalist and thinker Mustafa Akyol, “Reopening Muslim Minds“. To say it’s an important book would be an understatement. Walski believes everyone – Muslims in particular – should read it. And for selfish reasons, Muslims in Malaysia especially.

(Disclaimer: Walski is a Malaysian, hence the slight selfishness)

One of the things he thought of doing was to write an unsolicited review on the book, and why Walski thinks it’s important, especially for Malaysia currently. But before that, he thought it only fitting that Walski share a little bit about his own spiritual journey, so that the review might have some foundational context as to where Walski comes from.

And so, with that out of the way, let’s begin our journey. Well, Walski’s journey…

Let’s start at the beginning. Or, as close to the beginning as practical.

Walski grew up in a middle class family, both parents in the civil service, as were his granddads on both sides of the maternal/paternal divide. He was born in the mid-60s, and grew up during a time Malay/Muslims weren’t so obsessed with performative piety as they are today. A lot less uptight, too, about… well, just about everything, really.

Sure, Islam was observed in the family then. 5-times a day prayers, fasting in Ramadhan, etc. But apart from that, by and large Islam wasn’t something every damned thing revolved around like it is in Malaysia today. Yes, the state did have some level of control, but by and large it was a personal belief matter. And in the 70s and early 80s, no one talked about religious rehabilitation.

Fast-forward to 1990, when Walski returned to Malaysia after spending 8 years abroad, doing his tertiary education and briefly working after that. By then, Malaysia was already in the early stages of metamorphosis, religion starting its creep into the public sphere. Later in that decade the now infamous Lina Joy case made it clear that government departments were bound by what religious authorities dictate. Religion – specifically Islam – was no longer something between an individual and God, but between an individual and state dictates. And what the state dictates shall be what “Islam” is in Malaysia.

So if the state dictates a particular school of thought is the only permissible school of thought, then that’s that. Personal conscience? Doesn’t exist in Malaysia; at least not among anyone unfortunate enough to be born into a Muslim family, or decided to embrace the religion.

What changed Walski, looking back, was probably the Black Metal police raid that happened on New Year’s eve 2006 in KL, and before that, another in December 2005 (in Seremban). These two police raids, it would appear, were the direct result of moral outrage caused by religious councils about the evils of Black Metal, which later morphed into fantastical articles in Mastika (yes, that literary giant), and which eventually drove PDRM to act. Later in 2006 the National Fatwa Council made it “officially” haram.

Ok, first off, Walski is not a big fan of Death Metal. And the real point is not this specific genre being banned, but how the opinion of religious bodies (a fatwa, by definition, is an opinion) could drive enforcement apparatus of the state to act. Which leads to another question: do religious authorities have the power to shape legislation, and the actual people responsible to create legislation (Parliament and the respective State houses) have no choice but to comply?

Sadly, as we have slowly discovered since then, the answer is yes. Whether or not this power of sway is based on actual laws or not is irrelevant – what they say, goes. Or else, the legion of Islamic NGOs creep out of the woodworks to shout loudly. And this government, which has historically relied on the Muslim vote to remain in power, kneejerks into action. The question of legality doesn’t even arise – the religionists speak, and therefore MUST BE OBEYED.

Also interesting was this popular notion going around during the Lina Joy trial – she had abandoned Islam (and did it publicly), therefore must be eliminated. Killed. Wait, what? Isn’t Islam a religion of compassion and peace? Or, at least, that’s what Walski had been brought up to believe.

And then there was also this thing about certain words that are exclusive to Muslims in Malaysia, and no one else may use them. Huh? How and when did Islam become so exclusivist?

There are other things that popped up in addition to these two, but suffice it to say Walski had to find out more. And thus, in 2006 his spiritual journey began. The year he turned 42. Which, coincidentally, is also the ultimate answer; the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

But just like in Douglas Adams’ series of HItchhiker books, the quest became to seek what questions to ask. And the questions were many.

And it was also at this point that Walski (finally) took the trouble to read the Quran. Not merely recite it while not knowing what it says, but really read it. And understand it (or try, at least). Back in 2006 there wasn’t the abundance of tafseer (or “translation”, loosely translated) to be found on the Internet like there is today. But there were enough resources, that said.

And what Walski found out was actually in the Quran? Eye-opening and enlightening, to say the least. More importantly, a lot of what today constitutes Islamic practice and belief is not in the Quran at all. Like, for instance, that apostates and blasphemers may no longer live. Sure, there’s damnation and all, but no worldly punishment. Similarly, the punishment of stoning to death – nowhere in the Quran.

Also eye-opening was the much-repeated appeal for us to use our intellect and reason. And not at all like what most religionists today demand, that we must accept their truth as the only truth, and most of all, never question.

So what happened to Islam between the time the Quran was revealed, as the seal of revelaion and God’s final word to mankind, and the present day? In a nutshell, a lot. Put it this way: if the very basis of this nation being secular in nature can be altered, challenged and re-interpreted 60-some years after 1957, what more a faith that’s been around for over 1,400 years?

Which brings us to back to Mustafa Akyol’s book, “Reopening Muslim Minds“. Its subtitle, by the way: A Return to Reason, Freedom and Tolerance. Not ‘opening’ but Reopening. Not ‘Towards’ but A Return to. Think about the title and their implications.

And when Walski gets around to writing the review, we’ll discuss this more.

So that’s the journey Walski embarked on in 2006, and which continues till this day. A journey of asking questions, and seeking answers. It’s a journey that will continue until his last breath, in all likelihood. There have been more questions than answers, but that’s okay.

Such is the nature of spiritual journeys, it would seem.