Like an alchemist of old, I'm asking you, . . . the reader, to look closely at the many subtle variations in spirituality's shadow. We all need inspiration, but we also need a realistic view of this area that is so easily sentimentalized. If you don't know the depths of the spiritual territory, you might well succumb to its dangers. Noble beliefs, purified values, and openhearted devotion can all turn into their opposites, and spirituality can become the most dangerous thing on earth.
— Thomas Moore, The Soul's Religion