Rainn Wilson's Spiritual Journey | Big Think

Rainn Wilson's Spiritual Journey
New videos DAILY: bigth.ink/youtube
Join Big Think Edge for exclusive videos: bigth.ink/Edge
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The actor grew up a member of the Baha’i faith, and "soaked in all kinds of different beliefs." He lost himself in his career when he was younger, but then found his way back to spirituality through art and creativity.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RAINN WILSON:
Rainn Wilson is an actor best known for his role as the egomaniacal Dwight Schrute in the NBC sitcom "The Office." He grew up in Seattle, Wash., as a member of the Baha'i faith, and attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He is the founder of the Web site Soul Pancake (and the recently published book of the same name).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIPT:
Question: How did your experiences growing up in a sort of unconventional family inform who you are today?
Rainn Wilson: Well, I grew up a very dorky, weird looking kid in suburban Seattle and to make matters worse another way in which I didn’t fit in was my parents were Baha’is, members of the Baha’i faith, and I grew up a member of the Baha’i faith. And one of the great things about that was that I had a very Catholic-from the original use of the word Catholic-view of religions. We soaked in all kinds of different beliefs. Jehovah’s Witnesses would knock on the door. We would invite them in and discuss the Bible with them. We would have Buddhist monks traveling through town stay with us. We had books on Sufism and Sikhism and I knew about all of these things and I was raised to think about philosophy and religious thought and the soul and the spirit of humankind in a different way, also really socially progressive teachings of the Baha’i faith, the equality of men and women, the elimination of racial prejudice, the equality of science and religion, so it was a big cauldron of big ideas in my household. And we were weird and unhappy family, but nonetheless that was a really positive thing that came out of it.
Then when I moved to New York in my 20s, I really abandoned all that-and so many people do that grow up in religious households. They just abandon the way of their parents. I decided there couldn’t be a God, that there was so much suffering in the world. Religion perpetrated so much evil. I wanted to do my own way and take my own journey and what I did was I became an artist and I just focused on being an actor and all of my attention just went to... and my kind of my fervor went to theater and acting and I really thought with my friends that went to school down at NYU we would do little basement productions of Hedda Gabler or whatever and we really thought we could change the world. If we did the right piece of theater in the right way with the right audience we could touch people’s hearts and we could just blow their minds and just open things up completely.
And I also focused on my career as an actor a great deal and I became very me-focused and me-centered, just myself and my career and what is next and how do I get a better agent and how do I get into TV and movies and then I you know I felt a yearning. I came to a crossroads. I hit bottom, in a way. I was really unhappy, and realized that I just wanted something more about.... from the experience of being alive. I was like I was doing great plays. It wasn’t changing the world. I was getting good agents and doing film and TV and I wasn’t happier. I was like "Wow, there is an unease inside of me." And that led me back on my kind of more spiritual path to the Baha’i faith in a new and fresher way and a more realized way and I came to also understand at that point that there was no difference between being devout and being an artist. There is no difference between creativity and spirituality and philosophy and that is what Soul Pancake, the book, and SoulPancake.com are about is: it’s all about human expression and it’s all about seeking to transcend. It’s about that yearning and whether it’s through science or through art, through service, through worship it’s the human experience of longing to connect with people, to connect with the energy throughout creation and we compartmentalize all of these things and I realized it’s all the same thing. I play Dwight. That is just much me being of service and worshiping as if I'm on my knees in some temple somewhere or bowing my head in prayer to God in some way. It’s really all just the same thing.
Question: What keeps you up at night?
Rainn Wilson: Boy, I sleep like a log. I always have. I just I hit the pillow and it’s like [snore sound]. What keeps my wife up at night is my horrific snoring, which I got to get taken care of. I need to get those nose strips.

[@bigthink]

Want to get Smarter, Faster? Subscribe for DAILY videos: bigth.ink/GetSmarter

[@poppinc8145]

In the captions when he says "catholic" why is it capitalized? He literally says "from the original use of the word catholic", in other words _universal._ Please fix it, and perhaps even add _(universal)_ into the captions in the second instance of the term so that people know what he actually means.

[@thomaseaves132]

Thank you, Rainn Wilson. Your words are very welcome to this weary heart.

[@benjamindeutscher6183]

Thank you Rainn for sharing your experience as a human, growing up in a Baha'i family and your own journey and search for meaning.

[@BensonsHandyAndy]

Rainn, You are how I found the Baha'i and a better way of living. Your bachelorette speech at USC was a tearjerker for me.

[@JordanHowellMusic]

My father always says when people ask of his religion, "I am a devout musician". now i know what he's talking about! wow....wilson is on point

[@WingsWithWax]

I love meeting ppl like rainn, they have such a fascinating history to listen to

[@HashGray]

Truly a great thinker and an astouding philosohper.

[@kiyashahidi768]

+HashGray Yes a great individual thinker, however most of his words do come from the writings of Baha'u'llah '

[@DivineFellowship]

Right. My Lord. lol

[@fsmtdaler]

"Nothing short of the unity of the entire human race will suffice to heal the ills which afflict mankind." Baha'u'llah

[@snroper96]

I don't know much about religion, but I was raised in a Native American household and I truly believe he was/is yearning for a balanced lifestyle which is what our faith teaches at it's core. You have to balance faith, physicality, spirituality, emotionality (not sure if that's a word, but it sounds great for the sentence lol) and mentality to become truly in balance with your environment/surrounding and that's a life-long cycle to find that balance for you. :) I hope this has shed some light to Native American spirituality and has enlightened you to realize that there is something beyond the reservations and Pow Wows..

[@kiyashahidi768]

+Shane Roper That is a very good point shane

[@Fullas714]

Amen. I love that you are Baha’i.

[@ukno918]

And he played the most thick character ever, Dwight.

[@stevenfrasier5718]

He's a Shaman. The Dwight character has hidden meanings.

[@justinpinedo173]

Yeah Dwight does have a phat ass

[@stevenfrasier5718]

@@justinpinedo173 Not near as Phat as your head, shmucko. ~S

[@joc4709]

Dwight isn't thick.

[@Kgoverstreet]

So glad I watched!!! You are right; you playing Dwight is an act of love!!! This life is all about memories, and that is one of them for many.

[@DudeMangBro]

Great work mate! You are a successful change in the world.

[@evernarten42]

Hello fellow IB student 👋 Just another one of y'all passing by

[@MrIsaiahdix]

I wish I had some social media outlet to share this on. I can def relate to everything he's feeling.

[@sadhuvoodoo5285]

Create videos I will watch

[@Babypunter217]

"... I was really unhappy" "I hit rock bottom" Bingo. Right there. Main reason why people return to their faith; his only reason.

[@khaledadams4329]

As a Baha'i, I often hear people suggest why I believe what I do... to cling to some sort of hope, because I am biased to my parent's beliefs, to fill the gaps of the unknowable... I can understand why someone would question my beliefs. With the utmost respect in what you are suggesting, I ask you sincerely; can you tell me one single, negative consequence to holding these beliefs? I feel it is beneficial to all of humanity for me to try to follow the teachings of Baháʼu'lláh.

[@adambrothwood]

We should be friends for ever and ever. Good day to you kind sir and I do hope you have a prosperous and long standing life.

[@Akpeacecat]

Love it - art and expression, if done in an attitude of service, is worship.

[@galactikbutterfly]

I love this! we share so much in common ....the spiritual journey...is the "stuff of life...cool that some celebs are leading the way jim cary and you refreshing arrigatto

[@ihetuhare]

great stuff. thanks for sharing.

[@Lyrahas]

Really appreciated your perspective about spirituality, philosophy, science..& how we compartmentalize our human experience but how it's all just the same thing; wanting to reach out & touch someone/something... @ least that's how it touched me, thnx :)

[@bellabean7]

It's so weird that he is the exact opposite of Dwight Shrute (: But I love it.

[@cleancutmhc1]

wow..... that is incredibly diverse

[@JustHereForComedy]

He is so very well-spoken.

[@TheArtemis07]

I sleep like a log, too, man. You’re the best!

[@kasparsvolonts]

Thank you for reply. I really apreciate your part of youtube. I think your channell deserves much bigger audince in youtube (more views and publicity). Really - thank you for sharing from Latvia. P.S.do you have blog and do you have viedo with some journalists or PR specialists?

[@lolabloom5999]

This man is so talented and interesting .

[@stevenfrasier5718]

I knew there was something special Rainn Wilson when I first saw him. ~S

[@TheAnders9594]

i have so much respect for this guy

[@adambrothwood]

Rainn is a hero. He expresses the unifying sanctity of the human experience in a straight forward non biased manner. I'm an atheist and agree with everything that was said here. Peace

[@Balla4life3]

Beautiful!!!!!!!!!

[@lboy1193]

Well spoken.

[@Inannawhimsey]

sharing in the common human experience...

[@2661960]

Enjoyed your video...thanks.

[@bigthink]

Glad you did, Honorah!

[@foroughsanai1041]

"...Spiritual happiness is eternal and unfathomable. This kind of happiness appeareth in one’s soul with the love of God and suffereth one to attain to the virtues and perfections of the world of humanity..."

[@trugangsta4real]

Spiritual journeys are much easier to have once money isn't an issue anymore. Not having to work for a living really allows you to focus on the bigger questions.

[@ara-pf5zx]

interesting thoughts. also would recommend everyone to listen to people who talk about religion! i'm not religious/particularly spiritual but i find it best to keep an open mind when listening to people discuss it 💫

[@Fernando-fr5cu]

What an awesome guy and actor.

[@grapentine739]

This seems to me to be the best way to explore and study the phenomena that seems to be in a lot of religions. We are all in this mystery together. We by Gods grace are the only way we will get out.

[@Apropoetic]

Very well stated.

[@Docdaman4]

It doesn't matter, I will keep praying for you and God will take care of it! But it is good that you're helping your city!

[@robertoesquivel4447]

I love you Rainn Wilson

[@davidyork9922]

i feel spirituality can be the same as thinking. depending on how you use it.

[@SudeepHegdehog]

What an amazing guy!

[@onkar5609]

Great man dwight

[@Beatnikzombie]

He's fabulous.

[@crashfrog3051]

Question: What type of bear is best?

[@craigis123]

Crash Frog beets, bears, bears eats beets.

[@rajeshravindrasharma9014]

Black bear

[@michaelvieregge2257]

Battlestar Bearlactica

[@Slycoomer56]

Yes I saw it too... Ugh.

[@thesansplayer7498]

Crash Frog “FACT Bear beets battle star glatica”

[@akrammohamed8374]

I like how this is very close to the islamic perspective of worship and spirituality, for example, in Islam we tend to take good and connecting intentions in everything that we do so we can make a good deed out of it. There's a saying by prophet muhammed (PBUH) which's "Whenever a man plants a tree, where people and animals find shelter in it from the sun, he earns a good deed and is raised in spirituality"

[@izkoism]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@Riachan93]

You are a fascinating person.

[@vrdub610]

Not to say that he has it all figured out, but he seems to have a solid grasp on the human experience.

[@salmonmelon94]

Love you Rainn

[@iamamywalker]

I love him omg

[@gagekelly1051]

Whole new perspective on him

[@earthlyfriend]

You are right we are more genetic than spiritual but we can rise to that higher spiritual power in order to be better people.

[@ch0oy]

Rainn Wilson's aura is light blue :)

[@nancycole-auguste6614]

Remember going to Kansas 1981?

[@etherjoe505]

@Lyrahas everything is everything =)

[@ethanmiller6945]

Reason in Nature's lotus drenched, The memory of ages quenched; Give them again to shine; Let wine repair what this undid; And where the infection slid, A dazzling memory revive; Refresh the faded tints, Recut the aged prints, And write my old adventures with the pen Which on the first day drew, Upon the tablets blue, The dancing Pleiads and eternal men. -Emerson (from Bacchus) Wise words from such a Good Dwight! Great for Dwight!

[@MrFuzziiWuzzii]

Just because we don't have answers and we can't do tests, doesn't justify a higher power/deity. Just accept the universe for how mindblowing and beautiful it is and accept that we will never know its origins in our time.

[@trippyphreak]

I agree with the majority of wat he says but i think the best way to live life is thinking like this "there is no right, and definitely no wrong"

[@kasparsvolonts]

Best thing I`ve seen about Rainn. Really great thinker. Wonder how he ended up in The Office, and how is he completing his "mission" at the moment. Nevertheless gret mind, Rainn

[@Docdaman4]

I kind of do have spiritual happiness, you see, I am at ease because I know God has a plan for me and for everyone for that matter and I look forward to fulfilling that. And you're right, I shouldn't have said that was stupidity, I should have said very close-minded. I really don't want to argue, but I have been praying for you, and I will continue to do it until you become a believer. So don't worry about it, God will take care of it. :)

[@Jimothythe2nd]

The character of Dwight definitely made the world just a little bit brighter :)

[@tangomango1376]

GOD IS GOOD THE POINT OF LIFE IS TO BE FREE AND ENJOY BUT FEEL PAIN AS WELL I HAVE EXPERIENCE SO MANY POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SPIRITUAL MOMENTS IN MY LIFE SUCH AS DEMONS BUT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT SPIRITUAL MOMENTS

[@fsmtdaler]

@kasparsvolonts Rainn is an actor, and as such, jobs are jobs. He does have to work. Kinda like a mechanic working on a Yugo. The important thing about expressing his Faith is that he believes what he is talking about. He also does extensive charitable work in Haiti, along with his wife, because they have very big hearts. So it isn't all talk. He walks the walk, as a Baha'i.

[@KimberleyRichardson]

Art - is that not the outward expression of the Creator that lies within every one of us? Is this journey we call spirituality, simply not our search for self? And perhaps then, the journey - the honoring of our self and the ultimate expression of LOVE

[@pharastar1]

oh wow!!!

[@aleciakorkowski8714]

He is a beautiful man. I love Rain and I love Soul Pancake ^_^

[@bobsvagene3021]

I love you too

[@PseudoChris]

You missed the point. It wasn't rock bottom in the tradition sense of the term. He hit a spiritual low, in which he felt some part of his self wasn't being fulfilled (although he was subsisting successfully at the time) so he reflected on his spirituality and philosophic introspection in order to bring more meaning and value to his life. There's a huge difference between this way of "rediscovery of meaning in life" and an addict hitting rock bottom and "finding solace in god".

[@vicgilley6944]

thanks for telling me there's a soul pancake book.

[@lavastrat]

@8bitfist Bear, Beats....and The Baha'i faith :P

[@Docdaman4]

I really wish he was a Christian, I'm gonna pray for him, anyone care to join me?

[@vinosaires]

There are right and wrong answers and different beliefs will lead to conflict. With just looking at the 'beauty' of life no man will progress.

[@stsk7]

WELCOME FELLOW BABA'I'S!

[@greciaquinones5468]

In a different way also ready social Progressive teaching of the Baha’i

[@booktendersclub1110]

You'll always be Pensylvania Dutch for me, Dwight!

[@TheSinestr]

That's what makes it so appealing and rational as a religion.

[@Lionhearted626]

I felt like he’d been talking for five minutes and I looked down and it was 2:14.

[@JMulvy]

There is a difference between spirituality and religion. We need a spiritual revolution. Religion is structured and predefined. If you do not follow it to the T then that is frowned upon, it can be rectified by making amends which instills a modicum of guilt in lifestyle choice. Spirituality is within. We are all a apart of the divine so spirit can be found in art, music, making love, meditation and even a casual walk through your favorite park or swim in your favorite pond. ~much love and light

[@DivineFellowship]

He's a very typical Baha'i male: Soft, puffy, feminine. Can you imagine Wilson sending his wife back home due to an argument while traveling? This is the command of Baha'u'llah in the Baha'i "Book Of Laws": *"If a difference occurs when a man travels with his wife, he must pay the expenses for a full year and return her to the abiding-place from which she came or entrust her to some faithful person and (provide) what she needs for the journey to get to her place. The Lord, indeed, commands as He wills by an authority which encompasses the worlds."* _-- Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas, Elder-Miller translation

[@tonyrandall3146]

What a beautiful guy!

[@oliverqueen1812]

i would love to talk with him about salvation

[@sngscratcher]

Pretty cool dude! And now I get how he got the name Rainn: hippie (spiritual) parents. Like River Phoenix.

[@SherriSLC]

I think it's ironic and interesting that on a video of someone expounding Bahai, an atheist and Christian have left dozens of comments bashing each other's heads in.

[@tutentDotCom]

You might try a mouth guard for the snoring. The kind they use to avoid grinding your teeth. It tends to move the jaw down and provide a free breathing passage and it would probably be cheaper in the long run. Although, your wife might not like it. Or would she?

[@squamish4244]

This guy is cool.

[@Aviator928]

Honest when I heard rain Wilson had the same religion as me I was surprised

[@TheJosephPrice]

Considering this video is mainly focused on Rainn Wilson's journey back to the Baha'i Faith, I'll take it from a Baha'i perspective(Being a Baha'i myself). It doesn't matter what you believe, or you don't believe. As long as you are a Good person, that is all that matters to Baha'is. If you believe in a God(s) or you don't, is entirely irrelevant. There is no way to prove either argument.

[@Razzics]

woah... somebody who thinks exactly like me.

[@cristerowarrior1450]

Wow this is why people think actors are Aloof confusing acting and prayer. No acting is not a replacement for worship

[@nightmareX1993]

I think that that is the best response to that abhorrent, obnoxious statement. thank you

[@vincereviews]

No one person has it all "figured out" and if they claim to they are bullshitting you.

[@mayrar9164]

is this dwight

[@ahmedetemadi3434]

yes

[@TheShoeHanger]

No

[@jdswim13]

yay :D i like you!!!

[@csifresno8302]

Dam Dwight

[@071oakland]

I was considering getting more involved in The Baha'i faith. After finding out from other people who participated in this faith and views of what they experienced"It seems as though that this faith is just as discriminating as some other religions. it seems as though that the LGBTQ community might be accepted but the ACT? or to act on it in an intimate way is not accepted.. To me that is no different than how this group of people is being discriminated against with other religions.. I was hoping for more from the Baha'i faith!!

[@terrorstroika]

Exactly, a so-called progressive religion...unless you're a homosexual, then you have less validity than everyone else and need to be "cured". Although a little more diplomatic in this area (but only because it's been forced to be by changing attitudes) it's basically the same old archaic, intelligence-insulting nonsense.

[@teedy1708]

I had the same problem about this religion, but I was able to come to a resolution that showed me how this faith is truly the best path for humanity in our day and age. Through individual investigation of the faith and science, which is one of the Bahai’s core beliefs about learning about the faith, I found that many of the beliefs I had of “right and wrong” were merely results of where i was born and the society I was raised in, in America. The Beautiful thing about Bahais is that, yes although some of its views are conflicting on modern progressivism, bahaullah created this religion with an elected House of Justice by the bahais, which has a sole purpose of accurately evolving the religion to fit the time that the religion is in, which is so progressive especially considering the time and place the religion was conceived and the original people it had to convince. Additionally the faith never truly discriminates against any group of people through shame and violence. The most it does to someone that lives a life that is explicitly against the teachings of the faith is offer solutions on how to make best of their situation according to the faith. depending on how you interpret this last point, you can take it as a form of judgement and discrimination OR you can see how truly progressive this is.

[@goddamnjabronies]

when i saw him on the office i expected him to be a huge hardcore atheist but i guess i learned not to judge people by there appearances

[@senorryan70]

You should not be afraid of your god. Live life to its fullest. Im not saying get black out drunk every night i just think you should live your life how you would want to and not worry about a god. You can not listen to this if you don't want to but im Buddhist and we believe that there is an end to this long and wonderful path that is life. The purpose of our lives is to be happy. -The Dalai Lama Don't listen to me if you don't want to this is just my opinion.

[@LightlessDimension]

Spirituality = Religion. Spirituality is about the supernatural/faith. It's not the same thing. You're making it sound poetic and comforting.