Do you recall how, as a youngster, you used to drive your parents crazy by constantly asking why?
To adopt a Joblike mentality, we must quietly take all that life (or our gods) throws at us.
Instead of asking God the "grail inquiry,"
"What does this mean?"
Job sat mute and dumb, learning nothing until even Jehovah lost his cool and gave up.
In Arthurian tales, the equivalent is apparent when the dumb knight fails to ask the why? inquiry.
The actual meaning of sangraal, or the hunt for the grail, is the pursuit of knowledge.
Those who embark on this trip are each searching for their own personal "holy grail," which will lead them to their spiritual destiny.
Whatever road we take, we must have some type of guidance, which commonly comes in the shape of a priest/ess or guru on a spiritual level.
Some people will believe they can handle it all on their own and that they don't need somebody to arbitrate between them and God.
Of course, you don't need anyone – but how can anybody investigate a religious path or tradition if they aren't sure what it comprises or how long it will take?
This is the kind of knowledge that cannot be discovered in books, particularly those that praise the benefits of dealing with angels and nature spirits.
One student grew more irritated as he sensed a lack of tolerance for New Ageism, especially in the publishing industry. As he correctly pointed out, there is an exotic, watered-down, popularist version of every new "fad" that appears, bombarding the novice with a high proportion of shallow and erroneous information.
Many of the books do include suggested reading lists and bibliographies that a serious reader may delve into further to have a better grasp of the subject, but in fact, few people care to do so.
The result is that people with only a rudimentary grasp of esoteric tactics form groups, publish magazines, create books that are plagiarized from others on the shelves, and generally attract media attention.
Because everyone was pursuing the same objective, our student believed that there should be a balance and harmony between traditionalists and New Agers.
He can't wrap his brain around the idea that many traditionalists studied for at least seven years to achieve their positions, but many New Age adherents have simply read a professionally produced book.
Consider how much time and effort you're willing to put into your quest: would you prefer to study entirely through books?
Would you consider a priest's or a priestess' involvement to constitute interfering? Do you prefer one-on-one instruction?
Since we grow familiar with the "jargon," sound book learning is always a good foundation on which to build, but it seldom substitutes for the genuine cut and thrust of an active spiritual journey.
In esoteric circles, there's an ancient proverb that says we'll find our next teacher when we're ready to absorb the wisdom they're prepared to give us.
You may also want to read more about Spirituality here.
Be sure to check out my writings on Religion here.
