What lures a man to this quest? It may be that the ideas by which, and with which, he has lived for a long time have proved insufficient, false, or feeble. It may be that bereavement, calamity, or suffering have brought him to cherish peace. It may be nothing else than the simple need for a higher quality of living. It may even be that he comes to this quest, as some undoubtedly do, because he seeks a special benefit--healing, relief, amendment of fortune, perhaps. But in that case he must remain on it because he seeks the Overself, alone. Lastly let it be noted that if for some the first step on this quest is the final step down a long road of increasing desperation, for most it ought to be the first step up a garden path of increasing joy.
-- Notebooks Category 1: Overview of the Quest > Chapter 2 : Its Choice > # 236
