Zeal is because I'm passionate. It is not only to be found within. Passion is an essential component of being of any benefit to humanity, and my higher self, in all my causes. But it is to be found within my actions, not outside them. If my feeling is merely an illusion of energy, an illusion that wears down and steals away at my humanity, why should I move forward in that direction?
But there is another aspect to Zeal, beyond the blaze of exuberance. Beneath the glow of zeal, there is the constant unceasing search for better. It is an effort to set and reach goals. No one likes to feel as though they are being forced, but even a modest effort can mean a great difference. And a difference that's big enough to win wars.
If we compare ourselves to the blazing petals of a blooming flower, Zeal is an arching peak crowned by what seems to be an inconspicuous stalk. This is not an image that is in the least aesthetically pleasing, and it causes the clear and of the lustrous outer rays of the sun to obscure the inner light that radiates out from the starry crown.
As someone who is happiest in his work, the difficult decisions that Zeal makes almost always occur within his inner world. Being exiled to the outer planes is no barrier to an expression of Zeal, and a residence there brings much more energy than one on the coast. Zeal tells people the most sensible or effective thing that can be done without "giving up" on a given pursuit, and occasionally some of his later quotes illustrate the same principle with astounding accuracy.
This an intriguing natural gift that most of us have overlooked, thanks to those who can focus all of their lives on healing as opposed to it. There are several groups and missions who are truly refining the use of willpower in many practices, and in life in general.
There is nothing pious about Zeal. Nothing spiritual about it. No beads or candles or steps to keep in line or strictures or commandments to follow. What we have is a type of excitement that can be deadly, more deadly than pride or envy. It sees, hears, feels and reacts to the world with hyper intensity, urgency and ferocity. Zeal manifests itself first as irritation; it rises to anger; then it turns to rage and hatred.
This may sound much too much like arrogance, even snobbishness, and indeed it is. Zeal is a true humility. I know many good men who think of it, and admire it, but it isn't their spirituality. Zeal is not that. It is a pure, healthy interest in beauty, all forms of beauty, the diversity of all forms of beauty. One who has a zeal for a certain kind of art can make more clear what they want.