Understanding of God
I am not religious by nature; however I do believe that there exists a supreme force. God is the origin of these forces. People just perceive the force differently. Human beings generally require a physical presence, an image, to justify their worship. I do not believe in the various forms of God that societies have developed over the years. God is someone I speak to personally.
Spiritual beliefs
Like I mentioned, I believe that each person’s God is within. You thank him during the good times; you question his existence during the worst. I am sure that everyone has a voice in their head, that they speak to when they are alone, that is one’s personal God.
Spiritual practices
I do not believe in idol worship, ceremonies, poojas and so on. It works for some people as it reassures them. For me though, I speak to myself before I make any decisions, before the start of a show, when I am alone and thinking. It’s like a continuous conversation I have from within. It calms me and provides me with logical answers and positive energy.
Pilgrimage sites
My parents have always taught me that people go to temples to receive positive energy and shed their negative energies there. I however do not really go to temples much, unless forced to (It makes them happy). I personally believe that any place where you can completely release the negatives and come out refreshed is your temple. It could be even the beach or a long drive. I have visited certain places with a tourists’ interest, but have been surprised by the spiritual atmosphere that even affects the least spiritual. Guruvayoor in Kerala and St Paul’s Cathedral in London come to mind.
Faith in miracles
I believe everything is a miracle. The working of the human body for instance, definitely needs to be a miracle. There are times when things just work out for you, just when you give up. If you put in the required work from your end, you are always bound to be at the end of a positive miracle. However, submitting to miracles and faith completely without doing your bit is never going to work.
(Aditya Madhavan is a media planner and actor. He recently made his directorial debut in Chennai with the play ‘Man from Earth’)