' Selling Water by the River '...

In speaking regularly with spiritual seekers, it dawned on me one day how addicted so many of them are to the power of charisma.

They swap stories about how powerful this or that teacher is and compare experiences.

They get a charge from it, many mistaking charisma for enlightenment.

Charisma attracts at all levels:

political, sexual, spiritual, etc., and it feeds the ego's desire to feel special.

The ego loves getting hits of power—it's like a form of spiritual candy.

The candy may be sweet but can you live on it?

Does it make you free?


-Adyashanti