> That professional demands being subordinated to the inner > call is consistent with the inner life. This means - as averred > earlier - the call of the seeker or the disciple taking > precedence over the call of the professional or the historian. > And in the case of "The lives.." the professional seems to > predominate. The author acknowledges that. And there is good reason for the professional dominating ! The Gita Chapter 7, Verse 16 states

catur-vidhā bhajante māḿ janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

It says four kinds of people desire Me (i.e. Yoga) (1) Arta are the people who are in distress, those who want to escape suffering in the world. (2) Jijnasu (Intellectual explorers/curiosity seekers) are those who enjoy learning because it brings them a sense of power ( e.g. they want to understand the structure of the universe, levels of consciousness, yogic powers, etc). (3) Artharthi still have some desire in them. They practice Yoga because of the benefits it gives. [Note that Arth in Gita is true wealth (liberation) while An-arth is false worldly wealth.] (4) The last type as the Jnani, the wise ones who have surrendered their ego and expect nothing. Type (2) are intellectual theorists like Ken Wilber, Michael Murphy and our dear historian :-)