A: Can you help me? I'm frightened of ghosts.
B: Sure. I'm very experienced with ghosts. I can help you manage the fear. Ghosts are very frightening.
A: That's really useful. Thanks!
B: That'll be a hundred pounds, please.
A: A bargain!
[Some time later]
A: I'm still frightened of ghosts.
B: Give time time.
[Some time later]
A: B is helping me with ghosts. It's slow, but it's important work. I really feel we're making progress.
C: There are no ghosts.
A: What do you mean?
C: There are no ghosts.
A: But I see them!
C: Yes, but that doesn't mean they're there.
A: How can I see something that isn't there?
C: You see what you want to be there; you see what you decide is there.
A: But there must be a world beyond my desires and thoughts.
C: Yes. But you're not seeing that: you're building the ghosts out of what you see.
A: So what is actually there?
C: Light, darkness, shadows, sounds.
A: That's not very frightening.
C: No.
A: Nor exciting.
C: No, not particularly.
A: And the light, the darkness, the shadows, the sounds, are not out to get me?
C: No. They don't know you're there.
A: I feel a little deflated.
C: Yes.
A: How much do I owe you?
C: Nothing.