Summary

The next part of the site now develops ideas about jnani in much greater depth, through an examination of Masters and traditions from all round the world. Before going on it will be useful to summarise the main points so far. We can do this with four simple distinctions.

  • secular and spiritual (raised in connection with Whitman and Harding)
  • social, occult and transcendent (types of spiritual life)
  • bhakti and jnani (orientation of heart or head)
  • via positiva and via negativa (embrace or renounce the manifest world)
'Jnani is a radical idea for the West. It has been overlooked through a number of historical accidents, yet is simple, profound, and highly relevant to the new millennium. Its importance also lies in the emphasis it gives to bhakti. Jnani will only have been understood properly if bhakti also becomes an accepted part of mainstream Western life.'

Although the whole emphasis in this site is on jnani it will have failed in its purpose if it only establishes that term in Western spiritual thinking. The success of jnani as a way of approaching the divine will be in proportion to the degree that it argues for bhakti. The devotional spirituality is equally profound, but has lost its champions from amongst the Western intelligentsia, and its own voice is too subtle in a world of 'clever' people to claim the place it deserves.

(continue)