The purpose of the spiritual marketplace is not to wake us up but to provide a convincing yet non-threatening alternative to waking up; a child-safe bouncy castle in which we can thrash around manically/maniacally without tearing ourselves apart. Meditation, for instance, the all-time #1 spiritual bestseller, is just a fancy name for the self-protective mechanism of spiritual water-treading. You’re not drowning, but you’re not going anywhere. You’re in motion, but not moving. It’s easier to braid our legs than to brave uncharted waters. What if the true purpose of meditation is not to awaken, but to stay soundly asleep? I only ask because that’s exactly what it is and why it’s such a popular spiritual solution; not because it works, but precisely because it doesn’t.