Pilgrim Simon

‘You must remember that each person comes to the Golden City along his or her own path. Some of those paths will be close to yours, others not. Some will run parallel to yours, others not. 76. To move to the insights gained by others may or may not be profitable, but it is definitely a move to extrinsic morality and spirituality. 77. The danger is that their codes and disciplines may be imposed on you, with the entire burden that this may imply. 78. They may exploit your need for belonging by imposing heavy burdens of obedience to codes and rules. 79. This is the danger of religious groups, who, one way or the other codify and institutionalise the intrinsic spirituality and morality of their leaders and founders into extrinsic forms that are imposed on followers. Rather, your path to God is unique. 80. Notice also the dual nature of morals. As you entered the Moral Temple, you saw the Typhon, symbolising energy, instinct, the feminine and emotion. But I, the Head Master, symbolising the cognitive, and the masculine have taught you. I have taught you here, on the roof of the Temple, but below us always, has been the Typhon. 81. Morals and Ethics are not a purely academic or theoretical affair. We are not merely philosophising here. Our moral and ethical behaviour is underpinned with emotional energy, sometimes contradicting our thoughts, and pulling us in different directions. 82. The path of intrinsic morals is a hard and complex one. 83. For a while I relaxed with the Head Master. We drank tea, whilst we sat in comfortable chairs overlooking the Golden City, enjoying the pleasant late afternoon sunshine.