After expressing the thanks and respect these well intentioned words and their author deserve, may I be frank? My response is summarized by the aphorism: "Not for lack of flowery words is the world plunged into suffering." These are flowery words that may inspire the surface minds of readers, but such inspiration is a mood that quickly passes. I read a lot of such words and wonder why so many believe in the power of flowery words to end our suffering, bring us closer to the state of Yoga/Union, etc.? If the goal is this state of mind (Yoga, Enlightenment, Divine Union, etc.), why not say whatever needs to be said to inspire the reader to take the most direct path (or, for those who believe there is no "most direct path," ANY well-established and proven path)? Flowery words are not any of these paths. They are, at best, "inspiration with no clear guidance" and, at worst, "entertainment" (as in "further distraction") for those who are stilllost. This may sound overly harsh to some. However, I say this to those of us whose state of mind is such that such words come unsought (i.e. as a natural expression of divine consciousness: reader attention is a precious and fleeting phenomenon. Where we direct the attention of others can change their lives or mire them deeper in illusion. Whichare flowery words likeliest to do for the vast majority of readers? This is my point. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have been called to a direct path are also called to pay that gift forward. Weaving a perplexing tapestry of words is not paying the gift of our salvation forward. I declare that atechnique of self-transcending introspection (raja yoga) that has proven itself safe and effective over scores of generation isthe most direct path for both the religious and hte nonreligious. It soon light the thirst for knowledge (jnana yoga), devotion (bakti yoga), and right action in the field of action (karma yoga). This is the direct, PROVEN path to Enlightenment, particularly Enlightenment across all cultures. Flowery and perplexing words may flow through us as a result of progress on this path. However, again and in closing, such words are not the path, for the vast majority, they are wasted opportunity that could be much better spent with eyes closed and attention freed to move inward in the direction of every greater charm and liberation. Jai Guru Dev.
On Mar 12, 2019 Eric Hutchins wrote :