The Magnificent Experiment

Pain thresholds can be high, but they are not limitless. Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be another way.
(A Course in Miracles)

A spiritual path is a magnificent real life experiment. My understanding is that the difference between a spiritual aspirant and a 'real person' is the disappearance of time illusion. Once you are a Tao traveler, the implication of your action will be presented to you pretty much immediately so that whenever you feel depressed, you can always identify which of your choices along the Way got you to that state. In the end no one willingly chooses to be depressed, so if you are a Tao traveler you kind of learn the hard way to do the right thing. 'Choose love' the quiet voice in your head whispers, but is drowned out by loud one that screams 'gold ahead' every other minute. Of course, there never is any gold where the ego perceives it; you only get a headache by running into yet another wall. But since the Tao traveler is able to link the headache with the earlier siren call, it is only a question of time before you start doing what is right for you and everyone else. And as the noise in your head is quieting down you start perceiving this sweet sound that tells you where the true gold is lying instead.