Nietzsche declared "God is dead", and in one sense he was right. The traditional way of relating to God has been dying in a way that has seen tens of millions around the globe abandon the churches of old. In the place of these old religions, there has emerged a vacuum of guidance on how to relate to and engage with the spiritual dimensions.

The rising popularity of Buddhism and Sufism have gone some way to filling these gaps, but the Eastern traditions do not always fulfil the spiritual hunger that arises through a western mind. As a result, a range of alternative approaches to spirituality have become popular, ranging from Nature Mysticism, numerous ‘no-mind' practices of the Heart, the cult of the drug-induced insight, the Religion of the Ego (that argues that I am Divine as I am, pathologies and all), a resurgence of Shamanism, and others.

For those who are serious about their spiritual growth, this dazzling array of options can be sometimes delightful, sometimes confusing and at times even counter-productive. For example, any perspective on spiritual growth that makes an enemy of the mind is a variation on some of the old religions that made an enemy of the body. The mind is the link between Spirit and the Body, which is why Buddhism is so focused on Right Thinking. A path that tries to avoid all thinking is more likely to lead to mental illness than to Nirvana.

In the absence of spiritual Elders, perhaps most common strategy is the Do-It-Yourself approach to spiritual growth. Many of us build an eclectic jigsaw of spiritual perspectives that, in the end, we quietly pray will deliver us into our fullest potential. But how can we be sure? Without the guidance of Elders, how can we assign relative value to the various practices on offer? On a matter of such deep importance as our spiritual path, surely there must be a way to evaluate our choices to make sure they are not leading to a shadowy place?