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"I L

OVE TO

E

AT

S

UGAR

, I D

O

N

OT

W

ANT TO

B

ECOME

S

UGAR

"  

| S

COTT

D

OUGLAS

N

IEDFELDT

The primary impetus for Scott Niedfeldt s essay came from my seminar in East Asian Religious

Psychologies, which examined a variety of theories regarding the nature of the human psyche and how

best to cultivate it in the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.  Among the teachings considered was Shri

Ramakrishna s version of Tantric yoga, which included a critique of the monistic ideal of merging one s

personal consciousness into an undifferentiated cosmic consciousness (figuratively represented as

"becoming sugar").  Niedfeldt concurred with Ramakrishna s critique and undertook to trace the devel 

opment of his remarkably individualistic approach to enlightenment.

After improving and refining his essay in Dr. Brummer s class on Essay Writing in Philosophy and

Religious Studies, Niedfeldt successfully submitted his work to The Vedanta Kesari, a monthly journal of

the Ramakrishna Order.  It has the distinction of being the first paper written by one of our under

"I Love to Eat Sugar, I Do Not Want to Become Sugar"      Scott Douglas Niedfeldt

98