Safíthéa (Greek – Clear View)
When we enter the contemporary spiritual supermarket, we are immediately confronted with a vast and bewildering array of offerings: Bubblegum Dharma, Corporate Mindfulness, Barbie Yoga, Neo-Tantra, Vedanta Lite and Spirituality™, to name only a few.
In what has become a fully-fledged Dharma Industrial Complex, the world’s wisdom teachings have been commodified and repackaged as life-style consumer products that promise vague goals such as “wellness” and are then sold and promoted by often unqualified, but wannabe gurus, and various other spiritual snake-oil grifters.
How have the world’s most sacred teachings been reduced to this? If we peek behind the curtain, we discover familiar stories of human weakness. From the creators’ side there’s the perennial search to acquire money, control, and power. In a world where we are encouraged to expose our lives on Social Media, these products may help some seekers signal virtue, helping them win status and prestige. For others they provide a means to connect, fulfilling the need for community. But do they really satisfy our deep spiritual longings or are they just fast-food options, providing more junk food for our hearts and minds?
Flooded by so many low-quality options, how can we break through this confusing milieu and proceed with confidence when engaging on our spiritual paths? We need a clear view that reveals not only a safe foundation of knowledge and understanding but one that also empowers us with tried and tested tools that allow us to skillfully engage with and discern authentic wisdom traditions.
The primary objective of this book is to present us with such knowledge and tools. Offering a clear and comprehensive manual of spiritual development, Safíthéa talks directly to the modern reader from a contemporary mythological setting, using language and metaphors understandable by all. Like a trusted friend, Safíthéa shines a light on the contemporary spiritual world so we can set out and proceed with confidence.
Great opening paragraph.
Bubblegum dharma and the rest.