Best Intro Level Consciousness Book for my Brother

[BlessedLion]

Hi guys

 

asking for some help here. My older brother (quite materialist, scientific) is now curious in consciousness work material after my rantings about Peter Ralston. He says he wants to read a Ralston book and I asked him if he’s specifically drawn to Ralston or more this kind of work in general. He said the ladder

 

I was thinking to send him a copy of Book of Not Knowing but that may be too advanced and heavy for him. He’s a smart guy though, Harvard Grad, and I have no doubt he could handle it. But I also really want a nice and easy to understand yet powerful starting book so he’s not completely turned off by it. 
 

Was also thinking Ken Wilber One Taste or maybe Rupert Spira. 
 

Any suggestions? It’s needs to be grounded and almost scientific. Nothing woo woo, like Conversation with God or ACIM

 

thanks!

[CARDOZZO]

Find something between neuroscience <> meditation. 

[SageMind]

Maybe Waking Up by Sam Harris?

[_Archangel_]

From your description I get the feeling that He would enjoy The Book of Not Knowing.
As a companion, a perfect lighter read  with a different focus can be The Power of Now.

And

Get Him to watch some of Leo's with You, so You can discuss about it and pause and guide him if you see He doesn't get something.

[Salvijus]

 

[BlessedLion]

Nice. Thanks guys!

[UnbornTao]

Might want to check out Rupert Spira and Adyashanti. 

[cetus]

@BlessedLion How about a quick video introduction for your brother instead of a book? 

 @UnbornTao I'll 2nd that. Here Adyashanti explains awakening in as much of a logical way as possible so that your average Joe/ Jane on the street can relate.

Most ppl may have a glimpse but then fall back into their usual egoic state. But that's O.K. That first glimpse will always be there. Just jelling till you're ready.

.

 

Edited Monday at 03:01 AM by cetus

[Breakingthewall]

19 hours ago, cetus said:

Here Adyashanti explains awakening in as much of a logical way as possible so that your average Joe/ Jane on the street can relate.

When adyashanti talks, and some fragments that is read, immediately I have the feeling that he's talking about self help. How to modify your emotions to make them more loving and harmonious. I believe that this does not work, there is only one possibility, to break your human structure completely, anything else keeps you in a state of dissatisfaction. I perceive that Adyashanti is in that state of dissatisfaction.

[cetus]

@Breakingthewall I loved Adyashanti's explanation of what awakening means at the very beginning of the video. I thought it was spot on! 

 Which is what the O.P. was interested in conveying to someone unfamiliar with the work.

"A revelation that has the effect of shifting your identity from a mind based or ego-based identification to an identity that is more based in our fundamental nature, transcendent of the mind and ordinary identification"

What would be your definition of awakening in simple terms if you were explaining it to a total newbie? 

I only ask because I'm confident your input will be quite useful to his brother.

[Breakingthewall]

47 minutes ago, cetus said:

@Breakingthewall I loved Adyashanti's explanation of what awakening means at the very beginning of the video. I thought it was spot on! 

 Which is what the O.P. was interested in conveying to someone unfamiliar with the work.

"A revelation that has the effect of shifting your identity from a mind based or ego-based identification to an identity that is more based in our fundamental nature, transcendent of the mind and ordinary identification"

What would be your definition of awakening in simple terms if you were explaining it to a total newbie? 

I only ask because I'm confident your input will be quite useful to his brother.

I don't say that this definition is bad, what What I am saying is that there are degrees of this change of identification and I perceive that Adyashanti's level of openness is not broad. I do not perceive depth in his explanations but that they are flat, and also moralistic.

In my opinion there are multiple stages in the process of awakening or enlightenment, and knowing and clearly perceiving that you are the essential nature of reality is still an initial phase in which that nature is glimpsed but is still obscured by the structure of the ego. I read the description of when Adyashanti reached enlightenment, that she took her first steps, etc., and my feeling was that she was lying. Simply my perception, which may be wrong.

[Breakingthewall]

@cetus adyashanti says : Whatever your self-image is, it is a mask and it is hiding the emptiness 

In my opinion this definition is confusing and false. What is emptiness? Nothing? Void? Where is the difference between emptiness and fullness? Real meditation is dissolving those diferenciations and perceive yourself, and what you are in not emptiness, because the emptiness is full. The tao that can be named is not the real tao, and adyashanti name the tao calling it emptiness many times, maybe because he's a student of zen Buddhism. 

Edited yesterday at 07:47 PM by Breakingthewall

[Daniel123]

This was the first book that I read on nondual teachings / the direct path.

I would say it is very accessible and also includes easy practical exercises to get the first experiences beyond just theory.

https://lochkelly.org/shift-into-freedom

Loch Kelly is a student of Adyashanti by the way.

[cetus]

2 hours ago, Breakingthewall said:

What is emptiness? Nothing? Void?

No. Not at all.  Emptiness is the cornucopia from which all "things" spring into existence. A wellspring of infinite potential. Pure intelligence!!!

[cetus]

2 hours ago, Breakingthewall said:

The tao that can be named is not the real tao, and adyashanti name the tao calling it emptiness many times, maybe because he's a student of zen Buddhism.

We're all trying to put into words that which is indescribable. The Tao that can't be named is another way of saying beyond words and the logical thinking mind. The Tao being just a pointer to Truth. Bottom line is it takes two to tango.

[Breakingthewall]

6 hours ago, cetus said:

No. Not at all.  Emptiness is the cornucopia from which all "things" spring into existence. A wellspring of infinite potential. Pure intelligence!!!

Then when adyashanti says that it's confusing. He is supposedly a teacher, but he defines ultimate reality as emptiness. It seems that he learned this from Buddhism, but it is a misnomer, since emptiness is the absence of anything, and all reality is permeated with being, with reality itself.