Three Lives: Three Paths: The Spiritual Quest of Thomas Merton, Alan Watts, and Annie Dillard

Abstract

A morning rainbow graces Manoa valley. In the back of the valley, Konahuanue rises to the heavens. A gentle mist surrounds the summit and hides the peak from view. It is called noelani -- the heavenly mist. The search for meaning is often called the eternal quest and has been likened to the climbing of a mountain: while there are many paths up the mountain, the mountain and the summit are the same. The lives of Thomas Merton, Alan Watts, and Annie Dillard represent three different paths up the mountain. Their paths diverge and converge; they vary in the difficulty of the ascent and in the vistas they provide. The temperament of the hikers differs as well. But ultimately they aspire to a common goal -- spiritual union.