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Nisargadatta Maharaj and Stephen Wolinsky
ONE: Essential Writings on
Nonduality
Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Borders Stores]
Dutch version:
Non-Dualiteit in
het boeddhisme, christendom, hindoeïsme, taoïsme,
soefisme en de kabbala
The Fascinating Journey into
Nonduality
Review by A. Walker
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality,
edited by Jerry Katz, is a well chosen collection of
ideas and writings discussing the captivating concept of
nonduality. The thoughts and expressions presented to a
curious reader are not based in a sole tradition or
philosophy. Instead, Katz has brilliantly drawn on lively
passages from major traditions such as Buddhism, Taoism,
Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This unique
selection of writings paints a vivid picture of
nonduality for the reader; bringing an ancient philosophy
into the modern world with striking relevance.
Nonduality is a hard concept to grasp at first because
the mind is trained to make distinctions in the world and
nondualism is the rejection of distinction. Not to say
that all differences are eliminated, merely transformed
into relationships. Presented with an in-depth and
captivating explanation of the notion of nonduality in
the first chapter, the reader is eager to delve into the
rest of the book. Further exploration is like a journey
toward the understanding of truth and the desire for
nonduality. Conclusions and explanations are drawn from
every walk of life. There is something for everyone in
the journey including beliefs from Judaism, the Native
American tradition and Buddhism. If these discussions are
not enough to fascinate, One also includes discussions of
psychotherapy, art and even the cinematic phenomenon The
Matrix.
Each writer's work featured in this complete collection
is an exciting and intelligent commentary about
Nonduality. Jerry Katz has ceased to become an editor and
has transformed into an inspired guide into the world of
nondualism and the search for truth. Any reader
interested in finding the enlightenment that links us all
together would greatly enjoy this book. It is a
fascinating read from beginning to end and every step
along the way.
-A. Walker
Books like The Word of the Light do
not come along very often, but, a decade later, humankind
has been gifted again by Jerry Katz of the Nonduality
Salon (an Internet community), also in the form of
eminently accessible and practical book, One:
Essential Writings on Nonduality (Sentient
Publications: 2007). -Christiannonduality.com Full review
"I started out calling the gathering
'Advaitic Movie Night,' but changed it to Cinema
Nondualité after reading your wonderful book—for
which I thank you very much. I’m very grateful for
the contribution you continue to make to the global scene
out here in the hinterland." "Moss
Campion." leader of Cinema Nondualité
group in Anchorage.
"This slim volume collecting excerpts
from some of the world's well known sacred texts and
enlightened writers makes a simple point, that awakening
to our true nature is not a process or experience bound
by culture or theology. ... This is a wonderful
book for a new spiritual seeker, or an old one
who hasn't been exposed to the well-trod paths winding
through other corners of the world. Reading it may help
us recall that, despite differences in language or
ideology, our quest for awakening is after all is a quest
to be fully human." -ShriDurga, Amazon.com Vine
Voice
It was after reading “One, Essential
Writings on Nonduality” that “nonduality”
and all it signified by the “teachers” that I
was able to see that the concept “nonduality”
was “nonsense” which, in turn, gave me
that clarity state held when naive. -Faithe
Arden
Before reading your book, I was not as aware
or awake as I am now. I'm running into knowledge at an
ever increasing rate and this is a very unusual
state of being for me. -JT
What can I say .. love the book. It explains
everything I "feel" in regards to nonduality
but can't quite articulate to family and friends.
In my business, (I have sixty staff) I’ve introduced
some of the principle and triggered a thirst for more
….. I think your book and especially some audio will
lay a solid foundation for my friends. A big thanxx from
Australia. -WMT
The book is dedicated "to everyone I
ever met on the Internet", and as one of those
people, I reply with a bow and a Namaste...for you have
enriched my life. -David Hodges
Order ONE: Essential Writings on
Nonduality
Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Check availability at your local Borders
Store
Presents the marvelous implications of
Nonduality by guiding us gradually, and logically into
the meaning and function of Nonduality in our lives here
and now. As he does throughout the book, Katz leads the
reader at a steady pace into subtler depths of this
profound characteristic of reality by gradually building
upon the knowledge we have attained in the earlier
sections. -Ted Biringer, The Flatbed Sutra of Louis
Wing
If you are curious about what non-duality
has to offer, look no further.
-Dennis Waite, Enlightenment: The Path the Jungle
A great addition to the written Advaita
tradition! -Charlie Hayes, No Way Out: The Gift of
Absolute Freedom
A fascinating read from beginning to end and
every step along
the way. -A.Walker
This is without doubt the finest collection
of Nonduality-flavored writings available today. -Jeff
Foster, Beyond Awakening: The End of the Spiritual Search
"If you wish to be reminded how Oneness
delights in the variety of its myriad expressions, look
no further than Jerry Katz's wonderful book, in which the
message of Nonduality shines as brightly from
contemporary science fiction movies as it does from
ancient Buddhist teachings. This is without doubt the
finest collection of Nonduality-flavored writings
available today, arranged in a coherent and highly
accessible manner, and I would recommend it highly to
anyone interested in finding out who they really are,
beyond name and form, beyond religion, beyond belief. It
is a love letter from Oneness to Oneness, and it points -
so very clearly - back home. -Jeff Foster
The editor is knowledgeable in all of these
areas and weaves together the extracts well. All
disciplines are unlikely to appeal to everyone equally.
Personally, I found Ibn ‘Arabi a revelation and
Steven Harrison’s piece on ‘Education’
excellent. The introduction too, by David Godman,
provides a superbly concise summary of Ramana
Maharshi’s teaching. But I found Bernadette Roberts
incomprehensible and the Native American piece overly
mystical. There is a review of the ‘Matrix’
films that is thought-provoking and an essay by an artist
that serves to reinforce a long-standing view that
writing by artists is invariably unintelligible – it
seems that it is because what they want to say cannot be
said that they have become artists in the first place.
‘Chacun à son goût’, as they say – all
of this merely reinforces the view that there is
something here for everyone. If you are curious
about what non-duality has to offer, look no further.
-Dennis Waite
Thanks Jerry for your website and
book. Having traveling many paths, I appreciate the
way you weave the thread of Truth throughout the various
traditions mentioned in your work. -Randy Allen
Those who attempt to express the
Indescribable Inescapable Isness of Nonduality are often
awkward and inarticulate as the baffling of words fails
always to point to this Naked Awareness that IS the
True-Nature of this appearance. Jerry does this
startlingly well: "Nonduality Is The Experience Of
Your True nature." That is a great pointer, and as
the natural seeing develops from that, it is ultimately
seen to NOT be a "personal experience" at all
(!), but rather the impersonal choiceless
"experience of immortality" as one sage titled
this Absolute Being-Aliveness. This is a great addition
to the written Advaita tradition! -Charlie Hayes
Order ONE: Essential Writings on
Nonduality
Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Check availability at your local Borders
Store
Surprisingly, in view of my earlier
rather negative comments about her earlier contribution,
I found Bernadette Roberts summary one of the most
convincing. My differences or negative reactions are
mismatches with some of the contributors, not with the
author. My overall reaction to the book is very positive.
I think Jerry Katz has done a great service in bringing
these strands together and presenting them in such a
coherent and accessible fashion. In reading his book I
have focused on the aspects which relate to my condition
and undoubtedly this has given a rather lopsided view of
a very balanced and inclusive approach to the difficult
subject of Nondualism. I think it is a fine work,
comprehensive and well presented. It is both an excellent
introduction to Nonduality and a useful reference. -Alan
Mann, The Nowletter, Capacitie.org
You're the best 'editor/compiler'
on the nondual topic I know of, which is no mean trick
Jerry - it's like taking a bunch of biographies,
testimonies of 'truth', thousand year old translated
texts, person to person talks, etc. and not only make a
coherent whole but to bring them to life, get them to
mean something to the general public. --Omkara
Datta
To bring [nonduality] down to
public consciousness is in many ways an absolute gift.
Thanks for writing ONE. ... Thanks for opening my eyes to
nonduality ... We hope to talk to you again. --Rollye
James, Coast to Coast AM
In One, Katz presents
various perspectives -- including writings from Sufism,
Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, and Native
American tradition as well as the essential teachings of
Ramana Maharshi and a discussion of The Matrix
Trilogy -- to guide us toward recognition of the
essential oneness of reality, the truth of our Self. Shift
magazine: The Institute of Noetic Sciences.
A very readable overview. True freedom
arises through the discovery that separation is an
illusion and that everything is, quintessentially, only
One. This book can be an opening. Very well done and
highly recommended. -Chuck Hillig, Enlightenment for
Beginners
ONE is a clear and concise guide to the
most universal truth of all: that the world between our
ears that we call "me, myself, and my story"
does not actually exist. When we see this, when we
actually realize our true, nondual nature, conflict and
suffering leaves us, and peace and joy prevail. -Jim
Dreaver, The Way of Harmoney
"Highly recommended for religious and
spiritual philosophy shelves." -Midwest Book
Review
If I were to suggest a book on Nonduality,
I'd say: First have a look at "One" by Jerry
Katz. You'll find all direction you need in there. -Hans
Schulz
Katz has brilliantly drawn on lively
passages from major traditions such as Buddhism, Taoism,
Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This unique
selection of writings paints a vivid picture of
nonduality for the reader; bringing an ancient philosophy
into the modern world with striking relevance. A
fascinating read from beginning to end and every step
along the way.
-A.Walker
Best reference guide
to nonduality on the market today
-Paul Cohen, Monkfish Book Publishing Company
What can I say ..
love the book. It explains everything I "feel"
in regards to nonduality but can't quite articulate to
family and friends. In my business, (I have sixty staff)
I’ve introduced some of the principle and triggered
a thirst for more ….. I think your book and
especially some audio will lay a solid foundation for my
friends. A big thanxx from Australia. -WMT
It is somewhat
challenging due to its depth, but then when one sits
back, is it true depth? Or is it so
simplistic that it takes awhile to assimilate only
because we are not taught this skill in life and we
just don't think this way, or don't think... I am
seeing how one's language changes when we speak
of nonduality. <smile> -Adrien
"Shows beautifully how ... ancient
traditions have pointed RIGHT HERE." -Greg
Goode, Standing As Awareness
Clearly written, highly accessible, and
extraordinarily insightful. -James Braha. Living Reality:
My Extraordinary Summer with 'Sailor' Bob Adamson
Jerry Katz had me from the first sentence. -Alice
A. Chestnut
I am grateful for words which help me
remember what we all are.
-Jemille Hardy, M.D.
An "I can't put it down" book that
is the best single collection dealing with Nonduality
that I have ever found. -Bob Rose, Meditation Society
of America
Beautifully written, well crafted, literary
experience. -Dr. Stewart Bitkoff, A Commuter's Guide
to Enlightenment
A major step in increasing our understanding
of Nonduality. -Gary Crowley, From Here to Here:
Turning Toward Enlightenment
I especially like how the questions most
readers might already be asking are used to
provide continuity and bring the focus back to
just how all this matters to us. -Gloria Lee
Goes straight to the heart of the matter. -Dhyan Dewyea,
Beyond the 'I': Notes on Waking Up to Oneness
I love the title and the simplicity of the
book's design. The simplicity extends itself throughout
the text. -Vicki Woodyard,
www.bobwoodyard.com
You will find a ‘language of the
spirit’ which points beyond language itself, which
points to the deep heart of all understanding - deep in
the realisation of ‘ONE’. -Roy Whenary, The
Texture of Being
ONE: Essential Writings on Nonduality
Edited
by Jerry Katz
Order through Amazon.com
Order through Amazon.co.uk
Check availability at your local Borders
Store
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Non-Duality
Press  
In The
Light That I Am,
Amberchele tells us how
he found true freedom in
prison. A deeply moving
and yet rigorously
unsentimental book.
In You
Are No Thing, Randall
looks at the typical
spiritual search and our
assumptions about
ourselves, the universe
and the very meaning of
spirituality.
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 Perfect
Brilliant Stillness:
beyond the individual self
by david carse
"David
Carse is a carpenter living in Vermont.
He writes clearly, attempting to
convey the awakened understanding of
Advaita, pointing to what is beyond
words, beyond the illusory sense of an
individual self, and beyond the
whole dream-like movie of waking
life." -
Joan Tollifson
Excerpts
- Front/back covers - Order
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Enlightenment grounded in the
obvious, not the obscure.
"BREATHTAKING!"
-Gabriele Hilberg, Ph.D.,
international lecturer
FREE Chapter and Reviews at
GaryCrowley.com
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“A supremely
practical guide to wake up to
Non-duality.” - Dennis
Waite
"A gift to all seekers of
Truth and enlightenment.”
– Deva Premal
“The love of the real shines
through every page.” – Isaac
Shapiro
 
Awake Joy
by Katie Davis
Free Spirit
by Sundance Burke
Better
Together Discount 20%
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 WE ARE ALL
ONE: A call to spiritual uprising
by J.M.Harrison
"In a state of true awareness,
consciousness is the underlying substance
of all, the void between the atoms, the
invisible One-ness, the very spirit of
God." p.167
"Once
you have read this book, you will
actually begin to feel the universal
connection, the One-ness that joins us
one to another, whether human, animal,
plant or mineral. We can no longer argue,
We are all ONE." Highly
recommended by Allbookreviews
Order We Are All One from
Amazon.com or www.we-are-all-one.net
Find out more: Blog and
videos
Visit the
Dubon Centre in Gascony, France for
holidays, healings and workshops
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You are not who you take yourself to be...
find out who you REALLY are!
Experience one of the most profound teachers of all times!
Two hours of unique archival videos and conversations with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
(the author of "I AM THAT")
Includes 6 minutes footage of Bhagawan Avadhut Nityananda.
Fully translated from Marathi and Flemish
All materials are fully translated from Marathi and Flemish |
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 Love's
Quiet Revolution:
The End of the Spiritual Search
Scott Kiloby"A
font of true wisdom." Unmani
Liza Hyde
When Truth comes through like
that in a book, it is
unmistakable. Mandi Solk
"Potent. Inexorably brings
the "spiritual seeker"
back in bite size steps to That
Which Never Changes."
Charlie Hayes
"Points clearly and simply
to your true nature, revealing an
awake space, a resonance which
cannot be grasped by the thinking
mind. And in that openness, in
the space where "you"
are not, the secret is
revealed." Jeff Foster
"The most direct and clear
exposition on awakening that I
have ever seen." Eric
G.
Order Love's
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Visit
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How can you get nearer to 'This,'
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Watch the trailer
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Nonduality Books Received (the most
recently received book listed at the top)
How to Get Your Book, DVD,
or CD Featured
-- Write
Jerry Katz
-- If I don't already know you, tell me about yourself and your
book
-- Let me see an excerpt so I can get a feel for your book.
-- I'll get back to you pretty quickly and let you know what you
can expect as far as a listing, publicity, and a review.
-- If you want tips on how to publish your book, read my blog entries. Scroll to the bottom and read bottom to
top.
-- This is a free service.
Sound Bites from Silence, by Robert
Rabbin. Download a free preview edition. This book comprises
67 "sound bites," or prose poems, on the theme of
Silence, about which Robert writes in his Introduction: One may
wonder at the value of Silence. For me, it is everything. It is
where I discovered my authentic self, where I learned what life
is, where I learned what is worth wanting, where I developed my
professional skills, where I learned how to listen, to be aware.
It is where I learn about love and courage and freedom and
self-expression. It is everything. This book is
an original expression of Robert's personal experiences and
insights and is beautifully illustrated with full color nature
pictures. -from the website
The Transparency of Things:
Contemplating the Nature of Experience, by Rupert Spira. The purpose of Rupert's
book is to look clearly and simply at the nature of experience,
without any attempt to change it. A series of contemplations lead
us gently but directly to see that our essential nature is
neither a body nor a mind. It is the conscious Presence that is
aware of this current experience. As such it is nothing that can
be experienced as an object and yet it is undeniably present.
However, these contemplations go much further than this. As we
take our stand knowingly as this conscious Presence that we
always already are, and reconsider the objects of the body, mind
and world, we find that they do not simply appear to this
Presence, they appear within it. And further exploration reveals
that they do not simply appear within this Presence but as this
Presence. Finally we are led to see that it is in fact this very
Presence itself that takes the shape of our experience from
moment to moment whilst always remaining only itself. We see that
our experience is and has only ever been one seamless totality
with no separate entities or objects anywhere to be found. -from
Amazon.com
Nothing I See Means Anything:
Quantum Questions, Quantum Answers, by David Parrish, M.D. This book, full of lucid,
penetrating insights into the nature of consciousness,
definitively closes the gap between mind, matter, and cosmic
intelligence. Parrish elegantly identifies the pathways to
highest consciousness -- something with which we're all in touch
but don't necessarily realize. Starting with a layman's
examination of Freud's psychology, the author moves seamlessly
through existentialism, cognitive systems, medical theory,
quantum physics, and mysticism to arrive at his unique synthesis
of them all. -from Amazon.com
Bitten By The Black Snake: The
Ancient Wisdom of Ashtavakra, by Manuel Schoch. This book presents each
sutra from the extremely nondual scripture Ashtavakra Gita and
expounds upon it. Read an excerpt.
From Self to Self Card Deck: 48
Advaita Cards, Karl Renz with Sitara E. Eggeling. These cards combine
essential statements of the Advaita teacher Karl Renz with
paintings by the artist Sitara E. Eggeling. Karl Renz says he
gives self-talks since the Self talks to the Self. The speaker,
the words, and the listener are the One Self. The quotes selected
for this card deck hit directly: they are deep, and often funny.
Karl’s words and Sitara’s colorful, meditative
paintings will remind you of the truth of your existence. The
cards appeal to That which, as Karl says, doesn't understand with
the mind.
The Tao of Now: Daily Wisdom from
Mystics, Sages, Poets, and Saints, by Josh Baran. Formerly published as 365
Nirvana Here and Now: Living Every Moment in Enlightenment.
A collection of very short readings from diverse sources, each
containing the kernel of nondual essentiality. An attractive
hardback for twenty bucks. This would make a fine gift for
yourself and others. It will appeal to long time nondualists as
well as those who have just read The Power of Now and are looking
for the next nondual title geared to the mass audience. --Jerry
Katz
Of Earth & Fire: Artwork, Poems, Reading
by Vijali Hamilton. The images of Vijali Hamilton's
stone sculptures and painted stone bas reliefs along with
passionate readings of poetry, draw us into an intimate union of
body, earth, and spirit. Vijali accompanies the reading with
songs and voice that calls forth longing, mystery, and the
ripeness of earth. Vijali Hamilton, a visionary sculptor, poet,
musician, performance artist, and author is the originator of
World Wheel. This work, a global peace project, combines
sculptures in living rock and community ritual-based theater. Her
work includes education, art, spirituality, peace activism, and
focuses attention on the resolution of environmental, spiritual,
and social problems. World Wheel is an artistic forum for global
understanding. It activates awareness of our interconnection with
all life.
The Book of Listening, by Jean
Klein. Jean Klein
is regarded as one most eloquent communicators to the West of
non-duality in the second half of the 20th century. "The
striking thing about Dr. Klein is his independence. He teaches
Advaita but he rarely uses its technical terms. In fact, he has
developed his own vocabulary which consists mainly of the special
use of words like 'listening', 'transparency', and so on. Nor
does he refer back to the tradition for any kind of confirmation.
He occasionally gives a quotation from Gaudapada but nothing
more. He does not mention other teachers (such as Ramana Maharshi
and Nisargadatta Maharaj, to name only two of the best known).
His is not an approach which makes itself more persuasive by
making connections of this kind." -Andrew Rawlinson
Jeff Foster 2008 USA Tour. July 13
in Chicago. A
beautifully edited DVD of a full meeting with Jeff Foster, filmed
at a talk given in the Summer of 2008 in Chicago. Featuring an
introductory talk by Jeff then Q&A's in chapters. NTSC
format, playable worldwide, 2 Hours 20 minutes in length.
"This is a sharing, in friendship, of something that is
really is too intimate to talk about." / "This isn't
about the words. The mind will only see paradox here. But behind
these words something else is happening, too astounding, too
miraculous to put into words" / "Breathing is
happening: in and out. And even in deep dreamless sleep, when
'you' are not even there, it goes on breathing, in and out. And
the heart beats. One day it won't do, but it is now. It gives you
that too. Feelings in the body happening. One day they won't be
there. But they are now.. It gives you that too. And thoughts
arising out of nowhere - it gives you that too. And the floor and
the ceiling and colors and smells and memories, other people to
talk to, friends to meet, things to do, places to go, it gives
you all of that, right here, right now. Out of nothing,
everything arises. Nothing has to be there, but everything is.
Right now, you are given everything for free. This is absolute
grace, and we are already living it. Indeed, we ARE it. Yet we
spend our lives wanting so much more..."
Oneness Meeting Itself: A Meeting with Jeff
Foster. A new DVD
of a meeting with Jeff Foster in California with a 40 minute
introductory talk followed by questions and answers. 1 hour 30
minutes duration. Menu: 1. All Happens Effortlessly 2. Oneness is
meeting Itself 3. A Plunge into the Unknown 4. Question 1. Mind
Plays a Role? 5. Question 2. Is Suffering Optional? 6. Question
3. Is Depression Physiological? 7. Question 4. Remove the Sense
of Me? 8. Question 5. Child Must Have Ego
Discovering the Current of Love, a DVD featuring Jean Klein. "Yoga teacher Lilias Folan
interviews Jean Klein with basic and practical questions about
the search for truth and the direct path as well as questions
about Jean’s own background. This DVD is a welcome
introduction for those who know little of Jean and a warm, joyful
reminder for people already familiar with his approach."
-from the description of the DVD
Embracing the Now: Finding Peace
and Happiness In What Is, by Gina Lake. "Then who are you? That is the
perennial question, which ultimately results in the discovery
that you are not a thing but more of a being, an experience of
existing. If you strip away all labels and ideas, you are left
with just 'I am,' just existence. You are that which is existing
right here and now and aware of that. Spiritual teachers often
call the true self 'Awareness' because the experience of the true
self is that it is aware. Beyond that, it can’t be defined.
It has qualities that can be felt, such as peace, acceptance,
love, compassion, gratitude, kindness, patience, wisdom, and
strength, but these don’t come close to defining it."
-an excerpt from the book
Nidra
Yoga, by James Traverse. James Traverse has been practicing Yoga for over
30 years and teaches Nidra Yoga in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
James is man of clarity and quiet power who is to be taken
seriously. At the same time, there is a feeling of lightness and
light when in his company. One is impressed with his lack of
judgment, his natural way of expressing things, his intimacy with
the teachings of reality. His love, basically. His joy. His flow
with you. Traverse writes, "Although Nidra Yoga means Sleep
Union, ultimately it is about being fully awake to who you truly
are and living the understanding across all states of
consciousness."
"Ultimately this work is about realizing the living answer
to the questions, "What is it that acts when I am in Deep
Sleep?' and 'Who am I?'" -from the review by Jerry
Katz
Guardian of the Den: A Study on the Nature
of Duality and Its Inherent Wisdom, by Max Stone. "Seeks to answer the
furthermost question humankind has ventured to ask: "Why are
we here?" A bold and original self-analysis and rediscovery,
it is nothing less than a new Gospel, a modern testament to God,
who reveals Him/Herself in each of His/Her creations. Drawing
exclusively from the Creation Story in Genesis the material
offers new interpretations of old tales, nearly always plunging
into the ocean of words to draw pearls of wisdom. It treats this
iconic narrative as an allegory for all things dual in nature,
including the dueling nature of man. The concept of duality is a
recurring theme that paves the way for a holistic and balanced
purview. Did man choose to leave only to come back again as his
knowledge ripened to wisdom?" -from the book description on
booklocker.com
The Struggle to Surrender: Love,
Consciousness & the Quantum Field, by David Lowell. "Ideally, in a fully matured human,
the information flow runs from the top down, although for most of
us the lower centers and bodies tend to overpower everything. Our
society and its control by the media is designed to turn us into
emoting broadcasters, expressing our feelings to the world. While
it is true that stuffing one’s feelings is very deleterious
to one’s health, indulging in emotionalism is an infantile
pattern; one which is all too prevalent in our society." -an
excerpt from the book
Everyday Enlightenment: Seven
Stories of Awakening, by Sally Bongers. Sally Bongers, the distinguished
Australian cinematographer, compiled these interviews whilst
researching subjects for a documentary film on Enlightenment.
Initially she sought out established spiritual teachers, but her
emphasis changed to interviewing ordinary people who had
experienced a shift of perception which, in the Eastern
tradition, would be called Enlightenment or Liberation. She found
men and women who still live their lives much as they had done
before the realisation, working and living in the everyday world.
Seven of their stories were chosen for this book. Hearing these
people talk about living with this understanding in the real
world (not in an ice-cave somewhere!) confirmed the closeness of
it all. These stories make it clear that Enlightenment can
'happen' to anyone, regardless of so-called spiritual
qualifications. -Amazon.com product description
Living from the Heart, by Nirmala. A collection of
teachings about the Heart, including: From the Heart:
Dropping out of Your Mind and Into Your Being, which offers
simple ways to shift into a more open and accepting perspective
and to experience your true nature as aware space. The
Heart's Wisdom, which points the reader back to the Heart,
the truest source of wisdom. And Love Is for Giving, Not for
Getting, pointing to the true source of love in your own
heart. It is by giving love that we are filled with love.
Up Without Meds: Five lifestyle
decisions correct your chemical imbalance so you recover from
depression naturally, even when antidepressants have failed by
Mark Myers.
This is a powerful book for anyone dealing with
depression arising out of breakdowns in lifestyle habits. If you
follow Mark Myers' recommendations, you might be able to stay out
of the therapist's office (although those are valuable places,
too!) and away from medication (although there's a time for meds,
as well). In my own life I know the value of following Mark's
recommendations. I know that when I get slack with one of the
five lifestyle changes Mark talks about, the forces that keep a
healthy life together start to weaken. -Jerry Katz
Consciousness and Beyond: The Final
Teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. A DVD from Neti Neti Films. An Amazon
reviewer writes, "The wonder and enchantment continues with
another delicious visit to India! Maurizio Benazzo directs as
Stephen Wolinsky recaps the previous three DVD's and narrates. He
delivers seven new impeccable discourses and unknown anecdotes
and teachings by Maharaj, Ram and Hunuman. Who knew that Maharaj
was born on Hunuman's birthday? I greatly enjoyed the
cinematography and iconography of the Temples, images, statues
and murals and landscapes of Mumbai, Ganeshpuri, Bodegaya, (a
mecca of Temples & Shrines) and the Bodi Tree (Peepal Tree).
The people of India are poor & humble, yet rich in their
Devotion. This is another inspired and creative work, for example
Stephen gives a discourse in darkness at night with the funeral
pyres burning in the background...without death there's no
life."
I Am That I Am. Part 1. Experience the
Teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.from the website: Experience the teachings
of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. Narrated by Dr.Stephen Wolinsky this
two and a half hour DVD contains not only The Complete Teachings
of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj but also "experiental
meditations" to lead the viewer into the I AM and beyond,
into That One substance from which all phenomena appear to arise.
The DVD is divided into twelve themes which include: The I am,
The body, Consciousness, The Nothingness, Realization,
Spirituality and Spiritual Paths, The Guru, The Void, Birth and
Death, Cause and Effect, That One Substance and The Illusion.
Featuring never seen video footage of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj!!!
I've seen this video only once and have found it to be a very
clear presentation. There is extensive video of Nisargadatta in
his small Bombay room fielding questions from visitors. It's
interesting to observe the people in the room. You can read them
quite easily. You'll see yourself there in the company of
Nisargadatta. The whole video is clear, straightforward, and
watchable. Watch it and you'll know what the bleep anyone knows.
--Jerry Katz
I Am That I Am, Part 2. Nirvana
Means Extinction.
From the website: Dr. Stephen Wolinsky takes us on a three hour
excursion traversing the roots of Advaita-Vedanta, neuro-science,
philosophy, linguistics and tantric yoga, to provide a long
neglected understanding which lies at the core of all of these
teachings; "All spirituality and psychology are dependent on
the existence of a separate independent individual self."
BUT what if this self is an illusion....?
I Am That I AM. Part 3. Prior to the I Am:
The End of Self-Consciousness. From the website: Sri Nisargadatta
Maharaj, (documented in video footage from 1980) is shown saying
the exact words Nagarjuna used in presenting his eight negations.
Dr. Stephen Wolinsky clarifies and defines spirituality as the
Primordial That. Moreover, in this DVD, Dr. Wolinsky deconstructs
the spiritual and psychological realms as philosophical traps
(neti neti), discarding all perceptions, even that of the brain
and nervous system, and, going even further by deconstructing
deconstruction itself.
Consciousness: Talks About That
Which Never Changes, by Alexander Smit. "Alexander Smit
whose final guru was Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj, is deeply rooted
in the age-old tradition called 'Advaita'(Non-duality), which has
been transmitted from teacher to disciple. At first sight no
specific, recognizable method seems to be imparted here - rather,
any such method seems to be undermined. But on closer study the
authentic Advaita appears to be there, as bright as a diamond.
Only a truly original transmittance, not based on memory, can be
a help in the realisation of the Authentic within ourselves. The
present book 'Consciousness' contains a selection from the
numerous talks in which the oral transmission of this Authentic
or Original in man takes a central place."
The Book of No One: Talks and
Dialogues on Non-Duality and Liberation, by Richard Sylvester. Richard Sylvester
continues to communicate the radical and uncompromising view of
non-duality expressed in his first book 'I Hope You Die Soon'. He
answers many questions about the nature of non-duality,
liberation and enlightenment with clarity and humour. -from
product description
Wasteland Words: The Heart of
Wonder, by Nicholas Czernin. Tony Parsons, author of The
Open Secret, All There Is and Nothing Being Everything, writes
“Sometimes, in music or nature, or for no particular reason,
there can be a feeling of something other, something beyond . . .
like a deeper, fuller sense that is both fascinating and
different. Poetry often holds that whispered wonder that happens
through the words in the way that they sing together
and point to something unspoken. I have found this with many
kinds of poets, including some of the so-called 'spiritual' poets
when they aren't being sanctimonious or prescriptive. There is no
chance of that with Nick Czernin's work which is joyfully
irreverent whilst also being richly profound. The clarity of the
communication is unwavering, and every poem has its own
particular take which can illuminate, sometimes with a gentle
chuckle. I am very happy to recommend such a rich expression of
passionate wonder.”
The Mirage of Separation, by Billy
Doyle. The
Mirage of Separation is a collection of poetry and verse
reflecting different facets of the non-dual perspective. Billy
Doyle lives in London and teaches yoga in the Kashmir Tradition,
an approach brought to the West by Jean Klein.
Nondualism & Educational Drama and
Theatre: A Perspective for Transformative Training, by Kriben
Pillay. This
study explores Nondualism and Educational Drama and Theatre as a
perspective for transformative training, where this training is
about creating the experiential learning space for experiencing
and transforming the core error of separation which structures
our common perception. A perspective for leadership training and
organizational learning. The introduction on nondual perspective
is by Jerry Katz.
Enlightenment: The Path Through the
Jungle, by Dennis Waite. The theme of this book is that you
can become enlightened through traditional advaita, while it is
unlikely you will become enlightened through neo-advaita and
satsang. Dennis writes about the book's purpose: "The
purpose is specifically to address the concerns of seekers who
are dissatisfied with the satsang or neo-advaitin approaches to
the teaching of advaita and to answer related questions."
Waite says, "I am not primarily criticizing neo-advaita in
respect of the truth or falsehood of its actual statements but as
regards its utility as a teaching methodology."
The Most Direct and Rapid Means to
Eternal Bliss, by Michael Langford. This book shows how to
directly experience infinite-eternal-awareness-love-bliss in this
lifetime. This book contains a detailed description of the
difference between the True Self and the imposter self. Detailed
instructions in how to directly experience the True Self are
given in this book. Of the thousands of spiritual books you could
purchase, The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss is the
best first choice. This is the book that created a spiritual
revolution that is continuing to transform all human life. The
direct experience of infinite-eternal-life is available to all
humans. Amazon.com description of the book.
Sciousness, by Jonathan Bricklin,
Editor. "The
last couple of years have seen a resurgence of interest in
William James, one of modern psychology's most widely respected
pioneers. ...But nothing has quite highlighted the depth of his
thought like Jonathan Bricklin's Sciousness." -What Is
Enlightenment magazine.
"In the 60s and 70s, many seekers of spiritual truth learned
about mysticism and found affirmation of their nondual intuitions
within William James's book, The Varieties of Religious
Expression. Now we can discover that James was a nondualist
afterall. Sciousness is a superb anthology, the best possible
book imaginable for the discovery of the nondual William
James." -Jerry Katz
God is an Atheist: A Novella for
Those Who Have Run Out of Time, by N. Nosirrah. A profoundly funny romp
through religion, spirituality, and the contemporary clash of
cultures of belief, with special attention to the human obsession
with knowing what can't be known. Nosirrah provokes just about
everyone as he describes a world where God is on the run from
Islamic extremists, the Pope announces he shares a bed with
Richard Dawkins, and Buddha's son disappoints by getting
enlightened instead of becoming a doctor. To say this novella is
strange might give the reader a way to relate to it, but in fact,
nothing will shift the burden away from the reader. In its pages,
the world is bent around the reader's mind until either the mind
itself begins to bend, or indeed, breaks. A book without plot,
characters, structure, or obvious purpose, this is an endless
descent into the netherworlds of a dystopian mind. If a thousand
monkeys typing endlessly would eventually produce all great works
of literature, then God Is an Atheist is their first draft.
-Amazon.com description
Turn Off the TV and Turn On Your Mind, by
Michele Doucette. I
like how your book begins with an explanation of duality along
with a pointing toward nonduality and advice on how to pursue
nonduality. You then assert that the pursuit is dependent on an
understanding of the mind. Your book provides various ways to
turn the mind toward its source, toward the nondual, along with
some interesting and practical diversions along the way. -Jerry
Katz
Fill Your Hole: Spirituality -- A Practical
Guide, by Nigel Paul Watts. Outrageous, provoking, but true.
"Fill Your Hole" is really a serious book, a practical
guide. As I share how to reveal our real nature. Through this
reorientation, a natural bliss and intimacy is found, fulfilment
and joy. Your hole is filled, as we learn to let go of this self
illusion. There is no you or I. That's the problem, the great
illusion that has held us in too much separation, fear,
dissatisfaction, that hole. The calamity of thinking we are
someone is seen through now, as we expose what we really are,
strip naked of what we have taken too be, and enjoy this paradise
we are. This is experienced for real and has the potential to
change your life. We are spiritual, experiencing the physical but
have been deluded. I will give an understanding, but then we have
to let go of the intellect and engage in this simple but profound
reorientation, and be found. Come and take a step in
evolution.I'm experiencing we are much more than this, and am
offering to share. It's not like this, think about all the things
you desire, and love to do, enjoy doing. That is because they get
us into this moment. It is this moment you desire and love. Not
what you desire! -from book description
Nondualism in Western Philosophy,
by Greg Goode.
Nondualism is often thought to be an exclusively Eastern
teaching. But Western philosophy and mysticism have given rise to
varieties of nondual expression since before Plato. This is a
series of pointers to how the Western approach can assist with
one's self-inquiry. It begins with a description of nondualism,
Western style. Then various views and arguments are presented
that might serve as tools for inquiry, and suggestions are given
on how these tools might be used. You will learn how Democritus,
Plato, Plotinus, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Fichte, Hegel,
Wittgenstein, Wilfrid Sellars, Richard Rorty and others have
resolved or dissolved the classic dualisms such as mind/body and
appearance/reality. Concludes with a practical, forward-looking
dialogue. -from the book's description.
Standing As Awareness: Dialogues
from Nondual Dinners, by Greg Goode. The book's title is a
tribute to Sri Atmananda (Krishna Menon), a great teacher in the
Advaitic nondual tradition. Sri Atmananda's recommendion is to
take a stand as awareness. In doing so, you don't take yourself
as an object, such as the body or a personalized mind state, but
as awareness itself. This direct and immediate stand is something
you can't possibly be wrong about, since awareness has always
been the nature of your being (and all else). After you take a
stand as awareness, you will come to see that all of your
experience actually confirms this stand. Sri Atmananda passed
away in 1959, but his teachings have been carried forth by Jean
Klein and Francis Lucille. -from book's description
Seeds for the Soul: Living as the
Source of Who You Are, by Chuck Hillig. "Probably Chuck
Hillig's richest book, it is often quoted in online nonduality
forums. A powerful expression of spiritual truth. These pages are
like lotus flowers that open, revealing deeper and deeper
insights and wisdom." -Jerry Katz
The Way IT Is: Realizing the Truth
About Everything, by Chuck Hillig. "Presents non-dual
philosophy and spirituality in a clever, playful, imaginative
fashion. The author was influenced by Ramana Maharshi's teachings
on Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism). However, the author presents
these concepts in a more generic, religiously-neutral
fashion." -Amazon.com review. "A unique and effective
contribution to nondual literature. Highly recommended."
-Jerry Katz
A Commuter's Guide to
Enlightenment, by Dr. Stewart Bitkoff. This is a beautifully explicated work
founded in Sufi tradition, which instructs on how to be free from
the control of your thoughts. Bitkoff communicates on many
levels, from the most obvious and practical to the utterly
divine. Prayer, positive thinking, therapeutic meditation and
breathing, surrender to God, are all weaved into this story in
such a way that you don't always know that you are being
instructed. Whether you are looking for some peace of mind to get
you through your daily commute, or if you are pursuing a much
deeper understanding of life, this book will serve you
outstandingly. Because Bitkoff instructs on many levels, keep
this book around for a long time. You never know when some
portion of it will begin to make new sense to you. I suggest
reading the entire book now and parts of it every 3000 miles.
-Jerry Katz
Living Deeply: The Art &
Science of Transformation in Everyday Life, by Schlitz, et. al.,
editors. Living
Deeply transcends any one approach by focusing on common
elements of transformation across a variety of traditions, while
affirming and supporting the diversity of approaches across
religious, spiritual, scientific, academic, and cultural
backgrounds. Each chapter in the book ends with "Experiences
of Transformation," exercises drawn from wisdom traditions
or scientific investigations meant to enhance your direct
experience of the material. Opportunities to actively engage in
your own transformation and that of our world are woven into the
fabric of your everyday life. Learning more about the terrain of
consciousness transformation can not only give you a map, but can
help you become the cartographer of your own transformative
journey. Research over the last decade at the Institute of Noetic
Sciences has systematically surveyed hundreds of people's stories
of their own transformations, as well as conducting over 50
in-depth interviews with teachers and masters of the world's
spiritual,religious, and transformative traditions. -from
Amazon.com
The Third Jesus: The Christ We
Cannot Ignore, by Deepak Chopra. The theme is separation
or duality and how to overcome it by knowing Jesus as
God-consciousness or self-realization or Truth. The theme is
supported by scores of quotations, with explanations, from the
New Testament and the Gospel of Thomas. Chopra calls these texts
the gospel of enlightenment. Excellent chapters on practice in
which Jesus is secondary and Chopra's universal teaching
expressed throughout his books is primary. Social commentary
regarding Christianity and gay rights, abortion, and women's
right, finish the book, but who is listening? The fundamentalist
Christians have long discarded this book. -Jerry Katz
The Sanskrit-English Philosophical
Wordlist is a compendium with about three thousand five
hundred terms compiled in order to help the author (Christopher
Freeland) read and study Shankara’s Kevaladvaita system of
philosophy, which logically enough refers to terms employed by
other Hindu and Buddhist philosophical systems, as well as some
inevitable mythological references. There is a definite bias
towards non-dualistic thought and in the interpretation of the
terms. Entries are in Devanagari script with a romanised
transliteration, where possible the Sanskrit root word has been
included with the entry to satisfy curiosity or aid further
investigation. For etymologists concerned by historical setting,
textual reference is often provided in which the expression
appears and thus the time of its use can then be deduced. The
wordlist is intended for students of Indian philosophy and
language. Foreword by Professor J.Gonda of Utrecht University.
432 pp, quarto hardback bound edition, price 50 euros. Payment by
PayPal, available at thaitoff@gmail.com
The Yoga Vasishta Ramayana (YVR)
is an eleventh century (CE) text and probably the earliest extant
treatise on Vedanta. As is common to the Indian tradition in such
matters, it is in dialogue form. Unlike the Gita, which albeit
very inspiring and wonderfully enriching as it meanders in a more
worldly and human context, the YVR goes directly to the point and
repeatedly drives home what is required for man’s salvation
– an end to mentation, for everything in any world is just
ideation. As fresh today as it was no doubt when Valmiki wrote it
a thousand odd years ago, the message is simple and compelling.
For the first time, I think, a free rendering of pertinent
selected sections from the original Sanskrit text was translated
and edited by Swami Pranav Tirtha and Swami Chidananda Tirtha
(aka Christopher Freeland), as part of the latter’s
apprenticeship. 165 pp, quarto hardback bound edition, price 35
euros. Payment by PayPal, available at thaitoff@gmail.com
Imposter, by Richard Beymer.
