Hazrat Inayat Khan reflects upon the attitudes he found in the West regarding mysticism and spirituality. The previous post in the series is here.

I have also found some religious enthusiasts who extol Christianity as a purely Western faith, forgetting that Christ himself was from the East, and that the East has understood and adored him much more than is generally known, although the Christian Church may not be established everywhere and the East may worship in other houses of the Lord.

Fain for salvation I would come to Thee,
The guide to cross the forest-wilds of life;
Wilt thou not heed when Passion’s robber-band 
Would snatch from me Thy Treasure’s Trinity? 
   – Jain Hymn

There seems to be a growing yearning for esoteric studies in Europe represented by different so-called mystical and spiritual societies and institutions for mental healing, but I found most of these to be on a purely commercial basis. Still, I would not blame them, seeing that the commercial trend of the age would surely not allow even Christ to preach as he did formerly. Also, this new awakening has produced one good result, which must not be overlooked. It has aroused the interest of the people in something higher than the world of flesh, and a door is opened in the West to allow the Eastern winds of divine wisdom to bear its spirit on towards an ideal end.

But although this wave of thought has created a longing for the golden paths of mysticism, yet it has in a way degenerated, owing to its abuse in two directions: the desire to attain the requirements of daily life through mysticism, and the placing of the higher aspirations on a lower level. 

Among those who are interested in mysticism there are some who have various objects of gain in view, and thereby, in the place of the true goal of mysticism, they direct all their energies to experimenting with phenomena. Some desire psychic powers, others wish to reach the planets, some hanker after glorious reincarnations in return for their virtuous acts. Some depend on spirits to guide them, and some do not rise above their undeveloped ego. Others dabble in mysticism out of inquisitiveness, some for a pastime, others as a profession, and yet others relish the notoriety their association with the unseen brings to them. I have met some who never knew what they were seeking, and yet were inordinately enthusiastic.

With the exception of a few chosen ones of God, who were inspired by the light and glory of truth, I found great difficulty in turning the interest of the people from the objective to the subjective world; in other words from illusion to stability, and from egoism to self-negation. It was like steering a ship against the tide. It is the same even in the East; otherwise every Oriental would be a saint. Still, the environment and training of the East surely help them in smoothing the path towards the ideal life.

To be continued…