The thirty masters whose quotes have been selected here have all touched and inspired me during more than forty years’ involvement in the spiritual world. Most of them have some degree of wider exposure in the spiritual world. There are figures from history like Gautama Buddha, Jesus and Lao Tzu, who had religions founded on their behalf. There are more recent masters like Georges Gurdjieff, J. Krishnamurti and Irina Tweedie. Both Nisargadatta Maharaj and Neem Karoli Baba are a constant presence, even though I missed their physical presence. Contemporary masters, Ram Dass, Paul Lowe, Adyashanti and Eckhart Tolle I feel as kindred spirits.

 Enjoy the inspiration you can get from the thirty full-page biographies and find your own spiritual heroes. 

When I began to seriously consider a book about my spiritual heroes I realised how many had influenced my spiritual understanding over a lifetime. Although I have used the words of these men and women as pointers to a deeper understanding of both human suffering and pointless joy, there is just as much inspiration, opportunity for reflection and insight in the words and actions of the two-year-old next door. 

Rather than focusing on the words themselves, our insight will come when we turn our attention to our own experience of what they are pointing to.