Daily Meditation: Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Asceticism - is not necessarily proof of spirituality

11/17/2004

Some spiritualists claim that we must become detached from the material world in order to come closer to the spirit. In doing so, they go to the other extreme, even to the point of disregarding hygiene, aesthetics, and simple common sense. As if the spirit could be happy living in filth, ugliness and insanity! You will say: ‘But some ascetics…' Well, it is not certain that all those who present themselves as ascetics are actually any closer to the spirit. To seek deprivation is, in fact, a sign of abnormality. There are those who take pleasure in suffering and mistreatment, just as others wallow in pleasures. This is no proof of spirituality. Where the spirit manifests, life takes on the most reasonable and harmonious forms.