In this country, and perhaps in other places in the world too, there is a deep hunger in the common women and men for true spiritual knowledge. When we interact with people at this level, we find that many common people, have uncommon intelligence. Those who would fail at school and have been considered dim-witted in terms of many knowledges, will display an ability to grasp the most subtle of cosmic truths.
In most cases people’s words are misleading. They can make you believe that there is such shallow understanding. It is the nature of the mind perhaps to repeat words, intelligent sounding words that have been learnt over the years. Good words and speeches, idioms and axioms, quotations from religious texts of popular mythologies, accepted academic wisdoms. But this is the mere surface. While our lower and ordinary natures are wont to conform and seek security in familiar concepts, there is another side to us which is hungry for and instantly recognizes the living and everlasting truth, when it is communicated to them. This is why perhaps at least in the Asians worlds it is the ordinary people that have continued to cherish and nourish holy people, whether these holy people are garbed in ascetic clothing or simply live among us as ordinary folk.
It is sad really that those who consider themselves wise and rational and wish to rid the common people of their superstitions, are really unable to perceive this ocean of intelligence that lies in the hearts of a people. It teaches them to doubt their intuitive relation with truth and see everything in terms of loss and gain, power and defeat, rights and stances. Even the most evolved of concepts is but a blip before the experience of the ever-flowing river of truth. Concepts about social equality, justice and freedom are great historical achievements, but without a relationship with the ever present ocean of continuity and totality, they will foster only a continuous restlessness, a disconnect from others but also more primarily a disconnect with one’s most important and deeper needs. They will paint everything in the light of struggle and protest.
The re-turn to religion and faith is a great achievement in the world today, and if perceived in the right and open-minded light it is not antagonistic to equality and freedom, it is in fact their natural evolution.