EDITOR’S MESSAGE

It has been a great honor and joy to be involved with this expanded second edition of THE INNER GUIDE. I first met the author in 1973 in India just a few days before the release of the first edition of THE INNER GUIDE. When Jay asked our meditation teacher SivaBalaYogi if I could have a complimentary copy of THE INNER GUIDE the yogi answered: "Let her pay for it herself, she will appreciate it more." How right he was, because I fell in love with the sweetness, simplicity, and intensity of these outpourings of the soul. Little did I know that two years later my childhood dream of being married to a writer would become a reality.

Over the coming years I would witness future outbursts of creative activity. These did not arise in a secluded sacred space but in the middle of life’s chaotic bustle. Riding the New York subways, during work on his job as a history teacher, while shaving, and even while standing in a bank line, Jay would always have his trusty pen handy with his little writing pads to quickly retreat into himself and scribble down those precious words of wisdom. It was a marvel for me to watch these inspirations emerge in a very uninspiring stage of life. However it was nourishment which sustained our souls.

I sincerely pray and hope that the reader will equally benefit from the inspiration and guidance conveyed in these pages. May the author be rewarded with the fulfillment of his own spiritual yearnings for his great efforts in making these messages available to all lovers of mystical poetry.

Gabriele Mazo, Sierra Vista, Arizona 1998