The spiritual journey is often likened to climbing a high mountain. Firstly you have to encounter the mountain – in tales, photographs, or just in the imagination. Then you have to decide that you want to scale it. Next you train hard in order to acquire the necessary skills. Then off you go. The journey starts easy as you meander through foothills to base camp. From there things start to get serious. The journey becomes difficult and treacherous. Soon you are vehemently cursing the day you decided on this foolhardy expedition that can only end in failure. Next comes the zombie stage. You are delirious with exhaustion and deprivation yet you go on as though in a trance because what else is there to do? Reaching the summit is no longer a target. You are now content with just getting one foot in front of the other. Eventually you get there and you realise it is just one summit in a vast range of summits. Is it the highest? Does it matter? Slowly you come down and rejoin your world, the same person externally but completely transformed internally.