nondual books

[danielsannel]

In the past 2 years i have read several nondual books.Some of the more well known books I have read are "I am that" by Nissargadatta,"Talks",which is a collection of Ramanas satsangs from 1935 to 1939.Also Papajis or he is also known as Poonja,Has some great books such as "wake up and roar" 1 and 2 and my favorite of his is the "truth is".I would also reccomend any of the books by adyashanti.Some of the more obscure books would be "perfect,brilliant,stillness"by David Carse its a great read.Also "Transmission of the flame"by jean klein.When i read any nondual books Im always aware of the presence the book is pointing to and worry less what the mind is trying to say about it.I have close to over 30 or so nondual books and if there is anyone in the Minneapolis area, you are more than wlecome to contact me and loan a few out.I would love hear about some of the books other memberes have read. Daniel sannel

[Eric Putkonen]

I list several books I recommend on my website...

Favorite and Recommended

~ Eric Putkonen

[Solar Eagle]

My absolute favorite non dual book is Unity: Dawn of Conscious Civilation, by the western advaita teacher Maitreya Ishwara. When I read the book it took me on a journey, where each days reading was a direct reflection of the lesson I was taught through my direct experience. It was quite amazing. The book gives a transmission unlike any others I have read, and I love his style of potent simplicity.

Here is a sample from the book, which is available for free from his website as a download, or as a hard cover. I recommend the hard cover.
http://www.ishwara.com/


Understanding the ego

Most spiritual teachers agree that ego is the problem, but their approaches to dissolving it vary widely. In fact, if you look closely at many teachings you will find that they are actually ego-based. Any direct strategy to transcend the ego must involve a more subtle ego that is initiating the discipline. Hence the frequent perpetuation of the spiritual ego in many traditions.

Most teachers suggest that it is necessary to adopt certain positive attitudes and qualities in order to make progress. In this process your unconscious ego recreates itself as it strives to reach the ideals of your teacher.

Buddha understands that attachment is a problem, so you should not cling or reject. Jesus knows that love is freedom, so you should be more loving. New-age teachers value a wide variety of positive ideals. Therefore you should be more positive.

If you could be different from the way you are right now, you would be. You can be only as you are, until that changes. This understanding reflects Buddha's greatest insight of tathata or suchness, and is the essence of the refined spiritual insight of advaita. The seeker's ego survives unconsciously in its agenda for self-improvement. This is the main hiding place in many teachings for the ego’s last identification.

The strategy of ‘cornering the ego’ in the Zen tradition implies a superior ego to manage the cornering. And even teachings that say you should surrender may miss the point that the ego lives on in that very attempt to surrender. The spiritual ego takes refuge in ‘my surrender’ and thus perpetuates itself. When the implications of tathata are deeply understood, the ego naturally becomes neutralized. Buddha’s insight cuts to the core of the identification with a doer called ‘me’. Clearly all seekers have experienced that their inner world is not in their control.

If control were in your hands you would just choose to be enlightened and free from all suffering. Every seeker tries to be more positive and conscious, but mostly with limited success. All that is needed is to deeply recognize the facts: life is already living you and has its own agenda that is often contrary to that of your ego. This gap, between your ego's agenda for how things should be and the actual reality of life, manifests as suffering.

The potent insight of advaita is that all life, including your ego-doer, is a play of consciousness. This insight rests on the core enlightened experience of conscious oneness which is then extended in logic. The human mind is the most sophisticated creation on Earth. Every buddha has discovered that consciousness is at the source of mind, so it follows that other creations also spring from consciousness.

This means consciousness is the core reality, the source of the universe and all existence. Intelligence is programed into every atom of the universe, therefore it follows that consciousness has a superior intelligence to design and manifest existence. Conscious intelligence with the power to design, create and sustain the universe is an accurate definition of God. Since all of existence has God as its source, everything that exists is equally divine and is made of God by God.

This also means God is the only real power and that your ego’s claim to free will is illusory. Even your ego-mind is a play of consciousness and has no independent power to achieve anything at all. God or consciousness is the only power there is, both as all the manifest multiplicity of existence and its eternal transcendental source.

The application of tathata, or suchness, gives the means to live with the complex vicissitudes of life: one simply watches all internal and external events with the deep acceptance that they must be as they are until they change. Acceptance does not prevent anyone from being total in the game of growth and self-improvement, but it does remove the burden of ego responsibility for success or failure, and makes your endeavor more conscious. You play your part in the leela as if it really matters - and to the very best of your ability - while remembering that ultimately nothing is in your hands.

Not my will but ‘Thy will be done’ is the highly valuable contribution of Jesus to tathata and advaita. Since God is omnipotent, then whatever happens, including all details of everything, must be the will of God. And surrender to life is actually surrender to divine will.
Only in this surrender born of deep understanding is the subtle spiritual ego neutralized. To grow and to enjoy life you need only to be consciously with what is so. There is nothing to do or achieve.

Mindfulness in action is good and necessary, but it is not enough to allow consciousness to turn back on itself in the essential rest of silent awareness. For awareness to expand in most seekers, silent unoccupied meditation time is required.

After the preparation of ego-based disciplines, meditating with an awakened one within the context of advaita creates the best conditions for rapid growth. Meditating in the energy field of a living buddha is the ultimate effective method of transformation - his or her energy lifts you up into the light of consciousness.

Consciously watching with equanimity as life lives you is a deeply transformative approach that frees mature seekers from ego neurosis herenow.

[danielsannel]

what kind work do you have to do,what practice?you are that.There is no where to get too.Ask yourself who is there to practice?who is doing the hard work?Just be

[Solar Eagle]

Practice is powerful. When moving into areas of alchemy and conscious transformation,
practice is paramount. Though passive is perfect, its the active side that creates.

[Donna Barnette]

Okay!!! I am getting the book. I relate to what you have written here. It reminds me of concepts from both Tolle and Katy. AND it explains a recent place to which I have come. I have explained it to my friends as "faith", a term I have primarily resisted all my life because it seemed to close to Christian dogma. However, I have recently experienced many unpredicted and surprising turns---some of which might previously have thrown me for a real human ego-based, out of control loop! Instead, I have detached and kind of stepped back with what is becoming a permanent smile of fascination with how it all unfolds. And the faith part? Well, I feel confident that how it unfolds is just the way it is meant to unfold. And so I watch and I particpate at varying levels--those that feel right to me. And the rest? I just let it be as it is. Thanks for posting this;)

[Solar Eagle]

Hi Donna,

Here's one more message from Maitreya Ishwara that I really like, though its not in the book. It illuminates the paradox of free will and predestiny.

I like to say: As it is written the story is told, even while the story is already written. In other words the story is already written, though within our concepts of space and time, we write the story in every moment with our choices and actions.


Beloved Friends
Love

Those of you who are familiar with my work will be aware of my fatalistic predisposition. My direct experience and the irrevocable logic of advaita insist that the Whole is the one and only power in existence. This means your ego and its program for self-improvement is being managed by the One power, and you are in the hands of Life already.

Krishna highlighted the law of destiny in his classic battlefield exchange with Arjun. He counselled Arjun to play his part in the divine play, and pointed out that the die was already cast, that in fact Arjun had no real choice other than to play his pre-destined role. Arjun is apparently convinced by Krishna's wisdom, and this story forms the heart of the Hindu understanding of destiny. Krishna is absolutely right.

The Whole is the only doer, chooser, manifester and power. It programs humans with a comical, self-important ego that is busy trying to choose the best for itself. But life is more complex and contradictory than either 'free will' or 'pre-destination'. In fact it is both simultaneously. For humans apparently have the option of choosing to be more conscious.

This is where Buddha enters the scene. He witnesses the lethargy and degeneration that appear to spring from Krishna's fatalism, and teaches personal responsibility for your life and enlightenment.

The apparent contradiction between Buddha and Krishna easily dissolves with understanding the set up.

You are programmed by consciousness to experience separation via the mechanism of your choosing ego. Eventually you will be attracted to a new age teaching that emphasises making the right choices and manifesting your hidden potential. This stage of choosing and ego development is essential.

The ego must come to its positive, responsible potential before meaningful let go into the flow of life can happen. And even if your ego needs more choosing and manifesting, you can understand that ultimately the one and only power of the Whole really manages your life; via your ego/mind.

So I agree with both Buddha and Krishna, teaching meditators to choose to live each moment as consciously as possible, and to fully understand that your success or failure is not in your hands. You try your best to be as conscious as possible and watch with equanimity at the mixed results of your intense endeavour.

Finally the experience and understanding of choicelessness is fully revealed in its wonderful climax of total surrender to the One.

Love
Maitreya

[Lisa]

The only teacher that I have read in the beginning was Tolle and those words alone, instantly put me a space that was behind the words. I have read Gangaji, sp? Last I have read Adayashanti. I had asked for guidance showing me how to deepen the awareness in the heart space, it's one thing to have a silent mind, but not the same as being completely awake. I haven't read anything else.

[Ram]

I would highly recommend a book entitled "Master of Self Realization" that was written by Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj while sitting in satsang with his master Shri Siddharameshwar Maharj. This book is certainly destined to be one of the greatest advaita spiritual classics of the 20th century. Many doubts are cleared and the aspirant imbibes deep spiritual understanding transmitted by one of the greatest saints to offer teachings in modern times in clear, easy to understand teaching. It is said that he was the greatest unknown saint of the 20 century Nisargadatta maharaj said, "I accecpted what my master said and his understanding became my own." I don't think you can get a much better endorsement than that.

"Master of Self-Realization" can be found on www.sadguru.us and www.wayofthebird.com.

Namaste...

[Orva Schrock]

Lisa, give Ramana Maharshi a serious look. After some decades of searching and hundreds of great books; i believe Ramana is the greatest nondual Master of all time.
Best Wishes.

[rosy]

love this book
True Meditation
Book with CD


87-page hardcover book with 60-minute CD


What would happen if you were to allow everything to be exactly as it is? What if you gave up the need for control, and instead embraced the whole of your experience in each moment that arose?

This engaging and elegant hardcover book invites you to explore these life-changing questions as Adyashanti offers his unique and powerful perspective on the art of meditation. Chapter titles include:

* Beginning the True Spiritual Journey

* The Ultimate Act of Faith

* Do Meditative Techniques have any Value?

* Ending the War with the Mind

* How I Discovered Meditative Self-Inquiry

* Who Is Aware?

* The Way of Subtraction

* Live in the Same Way You Meditate

Based on the True Meditation 3-CD set, this book includes 29 chapters, a 16-page interview, and a 60-minute CD with two guided meditations.



rosy
http://www.satsangs.co.uk