Param Bhandare
My background took me from a Christian kindergarten and elementary school, to a Hindu middle school, and a secular, perhaps Perennialist, high school — while my parents delved into various guruships and forms of Eastern mysticism. This background has led me to want to reconcile different faiths’ philosophies in my own life and thinking, lately adapting them in process philosophy, but also something I continue to explore. For me, the religious experience is two-fold. While most recently I’ve been concerned about the intellectual aspects of religion, I am also seeking practice and the emotional side. Maybe you could say I yearn for an instinctual faith, which nevertheless remains rational — one that can be integrated into my career and life. Ultimately, the fellowship will help me in my search, and I hope my participation in the fellowship helps others as well.