The words religion and faith I do not cherish, for they echo with shadows of the past. Spiritual philosophy seems a gentler, more luminous path for the modern, evolved human being.
We must understand that our culture and society, the soil in which we were raised, shape the contours of our belief. In earlier times, when most could neither read nor write, entire peoples became easy prey for the ruling priestly caste, and were, alas, led into manipulation and deep enslavement of the mind.
Even now, certain traditions persist, claiming truth as their sole possession. Such figures, no matter the lofty positions they hold, are perilous—stains upon the essence of spirituality. For within spiritual philosophy, each soul is free to unfold inwardly, to awaken to the divine presence within.
Sacred writings may serve as companions along the way, yet they are but signposts. A day will come when even these must be transcended, when we listen only to the inner voice of the Supreme, of God, of the Absolute—or whatever name one chooses for this ineffable mystery.
With our best wishes for profound peace,
Sannyasin Anamika
