Wow, your piece was great. Never heard about those caravansarais (until now that is). It gives that Jesus’ quote a more fleshed out subtext. But it certainly reinforces the idea of how clinging to wealth, from which rich people derive their identity, prevents them from letting go. The more effort they put into obtaining their wealth, the stronger the clinging, identification (“I am a rich man. Someone worthy!”), and also the need to defend it (none of which is conducive of peace). Their whole meaning of existence is derived from it. No wonder that we have Forbes’ list of billionaires, or that people feel the need to rank themselves according to their net-worth.

As for Eden — I have to admit, I never looked at it that way. Although it is true that the material standard of life in some parts of the world (in average maybe all across the world — this I don’t know) went up, I talk about Eden in that “original Biblical” way — wherever we are, whatever our circumstances, we are still in that fabled Garden and God is present all the time. We never left anywhere in the first place, but what’s more, not only is “Kingdom of Heaven” inside of us, each of us can also safely claim, “Before Abraham was, I am.”

Yet, all those false identities prevent us from recognizing it. And of course, this is only a description using Christian terminology, because the same knowledge permeates all existing spiritual traditions across the globe (but it’s hidden under layers upon layers of self-serving dogma).