I believe that there are enlightened masters, men and women who have dropped the last vestiges of separate self and realized the true nature of life as a manifestation of God. Such people are rare, and when they do appear in the course of history, they manifest as people of immense kindness and compassion. They can be stern and honest in their teaching and practice, but they are never exploitative in their relationships.
Kindness, not craziness, is the hallmark of a holy man or woman. Selflessness, not selfishness, is the by-product of spiritual awakening.
— Rami Shapiro, The Way of Solomon