Well, Welcome to the Joseph Goldstein Insight Hour.

This podcast is an expression of our shared interest in self-discovery.

Join Joseph as he shares his deep knowledge of the path of mindfulness.

If you are interested in supporting this podcast,

please go to be here now network.com slash Joseph.

There's a book by the author Renee Domal called Mount Analog and sort of an allegorical description of a spiritual journey using the metaphor of climbing a mountain and he has some very good advice about how to undertake this journey.

He said, keep your eye fixed on the way to the top.

But don't forget to look right in front of you. The last step depends upon the first.

Don't think you're there just because you see the summit.

Watch your footing. Be sure of the next step.

But don't let that distract you from the highest goal.

The first step depends upon the last.

And I love that last little piece.

The last step depends upon the first.

We have to take the first steps, but the first step also depends on the last.

And so even though we're at or toward the beginning of the retreat.

This evening I'd like to talk a bit about the end of the path.

Because the direction of our journey, the direction of our first steps depends on our

understanding of what the last step is.

And so it's helpful to have that comprehensive view

of the direction that we're going in.

So the French philosopher and political activist and mystic Simone Weil, she wrote,

...