by Owen Waters

The Buddha spent many years trying to understand evil and suffering. He eventually concluded that the only real power in the universe is the Creator and that all else is illusion and therefore has little or no power in comparison.

He then went on to counsel people to adopt the middle way in order to avoid being sucked into illusion and bringing suffering upon themselves. He saw attachment to things of the world as the source of suffering, so he advised people to be a part of the world, yet not attached to it.

His words ring as true today as they did 2,500 years ago; and yet, times have changed. Today's level of popular consciousness is far beyond that of the relatively dark times of 2,500 years ago. Today, detachment is still excellent advice, but we can do so much more now to consciously transform the old ways of darkness.