On Faith Poem by Dr. Madan Gandhi

Faith like Enlightenment,
until experienced can’t be known
faith opens the door
to our unity with the entire universe.

Like fish within the great ocean
by this unity
are we sustained at all times.

A simple act of faith but a first step.
An honest doubt,
a little humility,
most crucial to the recognition of Truth

How humbling this recognition
which leaves us open
to endless possibilities.

A skeptical doubt
lets us lose the sense of wonder
so essential to uncover
what lies yet unknown.

An honest doubt
doesn’t limit other ways
but spurs us to discover,
and express the Truth.

A 'creed' carries the implication: 'This is the Truth.
Therefore, all else must be false.'
This amounts to squeezing out the space
to further questioning and unraveling the Truth

Without gentleness and flexibility,
without room for honest doubt,
real faith thins out and ceases to exist.

An honest doubt lets us to recognize imperfections,
weigh them against their merits,
and to understand the the real perfection,
hidden in all things.

If faith enables us to see enlightenment
manifest around us, and in the actions of others,
doubt lets us to accept human nature as it is.

Gently accepting our own limitations,
we can at last glimpse enlightenment at work
within ourselves too.
(Yayati)