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Is this all that there is, man, singly or in co-operation with others, against nature and other men? Is there not something else? Is there perhaps a spiritual or supernatural reality apart from and transcending the natural world? It would appear that from the earliest times mankind has seen this as a possibility. Such a supernatural being or entity could explain the origins of creation and life, and how we came to be here. It could reveal the end and purpose of existence. It could be a source of power to help us with the encounters and problems of life.

Different generations, in different places and with a variety of cultures, have pictured the supernatural in different forms, and with different purposes and methods.

(a) Some have believed in an irresistible fate that carries us remorselessly on, and that we are powerless to change. It is all "in the stars" and we are following a pre-ordained path to a pre-ordained fate. We may resist, we may struggle against it, but we cannot avoid it, and we cannot alter it.

(b) Some have believed in a mighty but neutral power, which judges human efforts and achievements, and our faults and failures. This is in order to reward or punish, in this life or after death.

(c) Some, regarding the vagaries and seeming unfairness of life, the prospering of the villainous and the suffering of the innocent, have imagined "gods" looking down on the world and interfering in human affairs for their own amusement.

(d) Some believe in supernatural spirits whom we can placate by gifts and sacrifices, and so persuade to help us obtain our desires. These spirits, it is sometimes believed, can be contacted for information and advice.

We can regard these ideas as either religious or superstitious. They present two problems. They are not only different, they are contradictory. They cannot all be right, so which do we believe? The second problem is a practical one. They can be used by the unscrupulous to exploit the gullible. People have claimed to speak on behalf of the god or spirit, and have been able to exert their own influence over those who believed them. Claiming to represent the "god", they receive gifts and offerings of money on his behalf, and use them for their own purposes. Some people, particularly the vulnerable, are easily exploited.

Is this all we have to choose from? Either (a) a natural (as against a supernatural) explanation of creation where everything happens by chance. Is the only reality what we see around us and recognise with our senses, the physical and material world and universe? Is it just birth, life and death, and nothing more? Are there no other purposes than survival and a search for pleasure? Is it simply existence then oblivion? Or (b) the alternative, which is a supernatural systems of belief based on legends, myths and superstition which is open to corruption, particularly to the exploitation of the gullible by men of greed and cunning.

Is there a spiritual reality that is good and acceptable, that we can relate to individually, and in which there is no danger of exploitation? We do need a sense of meaning and purpose for our existence. For fullness of life we need wholeness and balance in every area of our being; material, physical, intellectual, emotional, aesthetic, social and moral. Is there a spirituality which can bring all these into wholeness and harmony? We need to maintain our integrity as individual human beings and not feel that we are being manipulated. Is there a spirituality which does not subordinate us to systems or put us at the mercy of other people?

This book is itself a journey of exploration, seeking to guide us in the discovery of the true spiritual meaning of existence. It is not to be read as a textbook, that is something that provides all the answers. Rather it is a workbook, providing exercises for self-discovery; so please do not skip over the exercises, the readings, the self-examination and the meditations suggested. These are the essential parts of the book. It is through these rather than the explanatory teaching that you will make discoveries and learn. The book is meant to present a series of signposts, pointing to the next stage of the journey. The good traveller also uses maps and compass, and is not averse to asking advice from others. There is one piece of basic equipment that you cannot do without. That is the Bible. It is your infallible work of reference. Get one in a modern translation which is easy to understand. This is truly indispensable.

Ask yourself three questions. Do I want to know which way I am going? Does it matter which way I am going? Am I prepared, if necessary, to change direction? If you answer, "Yes", to these three questions then please continue, and our exploration of life's directions can begin.