There has long been a fascination in Western countries with the mysteries of the East - and in recent times this has extended to the spiritual realm. As more people begin to define themselves as “spiritual” rather than “religious” - often dropping out of organized religions in search of a more open and individual approach to the sacred - the Eastern traditions have held a special appeal. Unlike religions that were born in the Middle East - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - most Eastern approaches to spirituality place little or no emphasis on a supreme being as a source of divine guidance and dispenser of blessings. Rather, the emphasis is to develop one’s own inner sense of the sacred - or, in the words of Buddha, to “be a light unto yourself.” This volume explores four major streams of Eastern wisdom as seen through the understanding of a contemporary mystic, and offers the reader a window into a broad spectrum of new possibilities from the disciplined awareness of Buddha and Zen, to the relaxed acceptance of Tao and Tantra. Each has something to offers the reader with an open mind and a taste for the challenge of breaking old patterns, and exploring new possibilities.