"One was a book I read by Mahatma Gandhi. In it was a passage where he said that religion, the pursuing of the inner journey, should not be separated from the pursuing of the outer and social journey, because we are not isolated beings"

In this quote, Satish Kumar reviews Mahatma Gandhi's perspective that the pursuit of individual spirituality or spiritual understanding must not be separated from our engagement with the world around us. Gandhi, understood for his approach of non-violence and his function in India's self-reliance movement, believed deeply in the combination of the inner journey-- our spiritual or religious mission-- with the external journey, which incorporates our social and common duties.

At its core, this concept recommends that our personal growth and spiritual enlightenment are intricately linked to how we engage with and add to society. Gandhi's emphasis is on the interconnectedness of all human activities and the ethical responsibility to live a life that is consistent in both the personal and public domains. For Gandhi, spirituality wasn't practically personal salvation or knowledge-- it had to do with living a life that reflects one's beliefs and values in every action, therefore adding to social justice, harmony, and peace.

This approach challenges the notion that spiritual practice is simply an internal or separated undertaking. Instead, it advocates for an active engagement with the world, where spiritual maturity goes hand-in-hand with social activism. By pursuing both inner and external journeys simultaneously, individuals can work towards societal change while likewise fulfilling their individual moral or spiritual objectives.

Kumar's reflection on Gandhi's message can trigger readers to examine their own lives and think about how their personal beliefs and spiritual practices converge with their roles and duties as members of a community. It invites a holistic view of life where individual advancement and social engagement are equally enhancing, motivating a life of integrity, credibility, and compassion.

In a modern-day context, this combination can be seen as a call to resolve social issues not just through external actions but also through the cultivation of inner values, intending to develop a more just and harmonious world through a balance of reflective insight and outward action.