I would never want to reinforce the erroneous idea that the South is a backward place that defines itself against change and resists foreign influences. It is not, but in my experience, in this respect, the South has been slower to accept what are considered alternative approaches to spirituality. Still, things are starting to change a little in my neck of the woods. The meditative Celtic Evensong my mother now attends at her Episcopal church is almost as well-attended as the traditional morning services. Many friends who showed no interest in or skepticism of meditation before have read the bestselling book, Eat, Pray, Love, in which the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, describes in penetrating detail her own trip to an Indian ashram and her experiences of meditation.
In fact, I owe Ms. Gilbert some thanks for having the acuity and grit to lay her personal spiritual path bare before millions of readers whose reactions she could not, like I do, watch and gauge. Now, when I do share with people this part of my life, and I get the same questions I know they will ask, I can say, “kind of like Eat, Pray, Love,” smile, and leave it at that.
