Spiritual Delights and Delusions: How to Bridge the Gap Between Spiritual Fulfillment and Emotional Realities Hardcover - 2008 - 1st Edition

In spiritual fantasies, we dream of achieving true enlightenment: that far-off state of consciousness in which we become perfect human beings, always satisfied, never battered by emotions, and capable of knowing and doing the right thing at all times. Failure to achieve this state can make us wonder whether we will ever be pure enough to become enlightened. These self-limiting thoughts distract us from what we can achieve now. Spiritual realism frees us from the fantasy of having to develop a perfect personality in order to find enlightenment. While spiritual delusions lure us into thinking that enlightenment brings the elimination of all suffering, spiritual realism helps us love the world as it is and make peace with the difficult feelings we all face.

Steve Posner links his personal experiences with spiritual wisdom from all over the world in order to reveal a reliable path toward a more realistic spirituality. To illustrate this realistic spirituality, He tells dramatic stories from his own life. He describes tense experiences, including being threatened by thugs in Shanghai and traveling with terrorist supporters in Palestine. He also recounts moments of great joy: climbing up mountaintop shrines in Burma with the Buddhist monk Gayuna Cealo, meeting the silent saint Mother Meera, meditating with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, journeying with the spiritual guide Chalanda Ma across Israel and India, and being embraced by Amma the hugging guru. Charting a course that can be followed by anyone of any faith--and even those of no particular faith--Steve Posner brings us to the calming presence within that can be experienced not only when our eyes are closed in prayer or meditation, but also when they are open.

Spiritual Delights and Delusions shows us that we need not resist or deny the natural anxieties that come and go in order to attain a spiritual awakening. Uncertainty itself can offer opportunities for a profound peace and a forgiving heart, returning us to the steady spiritual silence that exists beneath the normal struggles of our everyday lives. This book is a guide for imperfect people who seek enlightenment in an imperfect world.