This is how the book starts out.

This is from the back cover: Description      In the Enneads, 3rd century mystic philosopher Plotinus synthesized a thousand years of accumulated Greek wisdom with his own profound mystical experiences.      What is the nature of God? Of spirit? Of soul? In what fashion can God be realized? How can the validity of spiritual experiences be tested? Return to the One presents Plotinus's compelling answers to such ageless questions in a refreshing modern style.      Whatever your spiritual beliefs, you will find yourself challenged and stimulated by Plotinus's matchless blend of rationality and mysticism. Praise      "This thought-provoking study concerns a rational mystic from the ancient Greek world whoe God-intoxication is still of interest to spiritual seekers today. One significant virtue of this book is that it is written in a lively, accessible way."      --Daniel Dombrowski, Seattle University, author of A Platonic Philosophy of Religion      "Brian Hines has managed to present Plotinus's wonderful and elaborate system in a way that makes it accessible to the contemporary reader....Creating the bridge between the paradigm of ancient Rome and that of the Western world in the 21st century is the gift of this book."      --Shimon Malin, Colgate University, author of Nature Loves to Hide: Quantum Physics and the Nature of Reality, a Western Perspective