Adyashanti's "True Meditation" presents a direct path to spiritual awakening, emphasizing the importance of self-inquiry and non-manipulation. The book challenges traditional methods that focus on achieving specific mental states, arguing that true meditation lies in abiding as primordial consciousness. Adyashanti introduces a two-fold approach: allowing everything to be as it is and engaging in meditative self-inquiry. This self-inquiry involves redirecting attention from thoughts to their source, leading to a deeper understanding of one's true nature. The book's clarity and simplicity make it accessible to both beginners and experienced meditators.
Rupert Spira's "Being Aware of Being Aware" offers a concise introduction to his teachings on non-duality. The book centers on the inherent awareness that underlies all experience, emphasizing that this awareness is the true nature of our being. Spira argues that the overlooking of this fundamental awareness is the root cause of suffering. He guides readers toward recognizing this inherent awareness through direct experience, bypassing intellectual understanding. The book's brevity and clarity make it an accessible entry point into Spira's profound teachings on self-realization. It encourages readers to turn their attention inward, discovering the peace and happiness that reside within.
The Zen Teachings of Huang Po offers a glimpse into the core principles of Chinese Zen Buddhism, predating its transmission to Japan. Huang Po's teachings emphasize the importance of a silent mind and the cessation of conceptual thinking as pathways to enlightenment. The text guides readers toward understanding the inherent unity of all beings and the illusionary nature of separation. It challenges conventional spiritual practices, suggesting that true understanding arises from a direct experience of one's own nature. The book's concise and profound insights continue to resonate with seekers of spiritual awakening.
Published in 1944, 'The Razor's Edge' by W. Somerset Maugham is a novel that delves into the search for the meaning of life and the dichotomy between materialism and spirituality. The story centers around Larry Darrell, a former World War I aviator who returns to Chicago a changed man. Larry rejects conventional life and sets out on a spiritual journey, influenced by his harrowing war experiences and the death of a friend who saved his life. The novel is narrated by Maugham himself, who interacts with and observes the characters over a twenty-year period. The story explores themes of war, death, life, marriage, and profession, and contrasts Larry's spiritual pursuits with the more materialistic lives of characters like Isabel and her uncle Elliott Templeton. The novel is set in various locations including Chicago, Paris, and India, and it was one of the first Western novels to propose non-Western solutions to societal issues[4][5][2].
In this episode, we share a gift bag of movies and books that have inspired us over the years and talk about how they can be powerful tools for inspiration and spiritual growth when approached with an open, receptive mindset.
Don't forget to subscribe for more ingenious ways to tap into the ever-present stillness and joy of our true nature.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Movies: Brother Sun, Sister Moon - directed by Franco Zeffirelli Resurrection (with Ellen Burstyn) - directed by Daniel Petrie Peaceful Warrior - directed by Victor Salva Harold and Maude - directed by Hal Ashby The Razor's Edge (Bill Murray version) - directed and co-written by John Byrum Waking Life - written and directed by Richard Linklater
Books: The Zen Teachings of Huang Po - by John Blofeld (Translator) True Meditation: Discover the Freedom of Pure Awareness - by Adyashanti A Search in Secret India - by Paul Brunton The Razor's Edge - by W. Somerset Maugham Being Aware of Being Aware - by Rupert Spira The Zen of Oz: Ten Spiritual Lessons from Over the Rainbow - by Joey Green
In addition, don’t forget these books: Awareness Adventures - by Brian Tom O’Connor The Enlightenment Project - by Jonathan Robinson
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CORRECTION: The Bill Murray version of The Razor’s Edge does indeed take place during the early twentieth century, just as in the novel.
To learn more about Jonathan Robinson and Brian Tom O'Connor, please visit https://findinghappiness.com/ and https://www.playawarenessgames.com/
You can listen to all of our episodes on this YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLThffcko0gAXyaArC4OyY0y84CZ8uSb_n
Enjoy, Jonathan and Brian
Awareness Explorers 
