Welcome to Inviting Oneness, a podcast where we explore true stories from friends and members of EquaSion, stories where the illusion of separateness gave way to the deeper truth of our shared humanity. Oneness isn't an idea, it's an experience. And today we continue listening for it one story at a time.

Our guest today is Aruni Marapane. Aruni was the honorary chair of the 2025 Festival of Faiths. Based in Cincinnati with roots in Sri Lanka, she is a Buddhist Chaplain specializing in spiritual care for those in long-term care, hospice, and hospitals. She actually just returned from a 5 month stay in Sri Lanka where she served as a chaplain and witnessed the power of tolerance and connection across the Asian continent. We’re so happy to have her back.

At EquaSion, we recently launched a new small-group initiative called Faith & Friendship Groups. Throughout the summer, interfaith groups will gather around a range of themes and practices, including Having Difficult Conversations, Prayer, Belong Dinners, Faith Communities in Solidarity with Immigrants, and Sacred Connections, our Religious 101 group that visits different places of worship across the Greater Cincinnati region.

Each gathering begins with a poem and a connecting question. The poem you’ll hear today was written by Aruni Marapane and it opened all four Faith & Friendship Groups last week. After sharing the poem, Aruni responds to this connecting question: What is one spiritual or religious routine you look forward to every day, week, or month?

As you listen, we invite you to reflect on that question for yourself.

If today’s story moved you and you’d like to get involved visit us at equasion.org.

Until next time, may we keep inviting oneness—within ourselves, and with one another.