spiritual life in a nutshell

If there ever were a thorough, quick-hit description of serious spiritual endeavor, I doubt if it could do better than the following light-hearted limerick attributed variously to William Monkhouse or possibly the world-renowned Anon.

There was a young lady of Niger
Who smiled as she rode on a tiger;
They returned from the ride
With the lady inside,
And the smile on the face of the tiger.