The Essence Of Enlightenment

The core teachings of Vedanta are eternal. They were revealed several thousand years before the Christian era. As a means of enlightenment, Vedanta evolved slowly since then as great minds contributed dispassionately to the teaching tradition, which reached perfection in the eighth century. Just as nobody is trying to invent a new wheel, no one can improve Vedanta, because it does what it purports to do: set us free of our sense of limitation. This book demystifies the topic of enlightenment. Although it is inspirational, it is not just another vague inspirational read. It is written in a simple style that I believe will make the science of Self-inquiry accessible to seekers and finders everywhere.

The counterintuitive, radical message of Vedanta, the ancient science of self-inquiry, is that reality is non-dual consciousness. What this means and how it benefits people in their quest for freedom from limitation is the subject of this inspirational book. In an accessible style, James Swartz's new book develops teachings introduced in his popular first one, How to Attain Enlightenment, covering topics such as values and the enlightened person, dharma and the essence of enlightenment, and the relationship between consciousness, the individual, and the total. Demystifying enlightenment, Swartz makes Vedanta understandable to all.

“Goes through the entire gamut of topics covered by the Vedas, making use of yoga, detachment, the ego, karma, dharma, love, meditation and much more.” —East and West Magazine This complete guide to enlightenment presents the wisdom of the ancient science of self-inquiry, a time-tested means for achieving spiritual freedom. The author discusses the purpose of self-inquiry, the quest for lasting happiness, issues of identity and transcendence, the role of wisdom and action, and the subconscious obstacles to freedom. He convincingly refutes the popular view that enlightenment is a unique state of consciousness and debunks a host of other enlightenment myths. In his straightforward style he reveals proven methods for purifying the mind, and includes chapters on love, the science of energy transformation and meditation. He takes the reader from the beginning to the end of the spiritual path, patiently unfolding the logic of self-inquiry. “Vedanta is the original systemized enlightenment teaching, and James does an extraordinary job of extracting the essential nectar of the teachings from its dusty, ancient, Sanskrit origins and elucidating it with utmost clarity. One review cannot do this teaching, with its rich history and depth, even a modicum of justice. James’s book is the best introduction there is to this subject.” —Consciousness Junkie “Explains methods of Vedanta in his survey of spiritual techniques, pairing theory with practice and explaining the myths and realities behind an enlightened state. From reflections on moving to a larger living space and clutter to assimilating experiences, How to Attain Enlightenment is a powerful survey any new age library needs.” —The Bookwatch

Enlightenment is not what many think it is, nor is the path to attain it. A. H. Almaas presents myth-shattering aspects of reality that allow true seekers to pass through to a "spiritual reality".

It's no wonder that The Power of Now has sold over 16 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 30 foreign languages. Much more than simple principles and platitudes, the book takes readers on an inspiring spiritual journey to find their true and deepest self and reach the ultimate in personal growth and spirituality: the discovery of truth and light. In the first chapter, Tolle introduces readers to enlightenment and its natural enemy, the mind. He awakens readers to their role as a creator of pain and shows them how to have a pain-free identity by living fully in the present. The journey is thrilling, and along the way, the author shows how to connect to the indestructible essence of our Being, "the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death." Featuring a new preface by the author, this paperback shows that only after regaining awareness of Being, liberated from Mind and intensely in the Now, is there Enlightenment.

A MASTERPIECE of illuminative writing, Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing is mandatory reading for anyone following a spiritual path. Part exposé and part how-to manual, this is the first book to explain why failure seems to be the rule in the search for enlightenment, and how the rule can be broken. :: Book One of Jed McKenna's Enlightenment Trilogy. Contains Bonus Material.

Enlightenment simply is finding the truth of existence and that includes you as you are not separate from existence. One may ask why should one bother about the truth of existence. Answer is by touching the truth of existence one achieves the highest freedom available in the universe. And ultimate freedom leads to unbounded happiness. As happiness is the driving force behind all human pursuits, one may as well go for the quintessential gold of enlightenment rather than the pursuits of the typical worldly life which though may provide some happiness here and there for some time, inevitably leave one high and dry constantly searching for the next object or relationship in the hope that somehow they can provide the answers one is looking for only to be satisfied for a period of time before starting on the next seeking. There is so much confusion as to what constitutes enlightenment with many cultures expressing the concepts in a variety of ways leaving humanity searching for meaning of existence for pretty much all their lives. I present material of this book precisely, without beating around the bush in a no nonsensical manner. I give only necessary explanation and reasoning so as not to put the reader to sleep. One may come across some Sanskrit and Vedic terminology in the book in some sections. I have taken a cautious approach not to overwhelm the reader with any unnecessary burden of learning some other language or culture to grasp the necessary concepts. So, I kept such terminology to the minimum to avoid being distracted and only presented them to the absolute minimum level in a proper context. My view is that the truth is beyond language, belief system and cultural practices. One should have equal access and appreciation for the truth in English just as one has in Sanskrit or any other language. So, even if I presented few terms of Sanskrit and Vedic lineage, I made sure that English is the medium of presentation throughout without any loss of details. My hope is that after completing this book, the reader is fully equipped to lead an empowered life by understanding the big picture of life within the framework of enlightenment. I presented the complex topics of spirituality in simple terms so it's easily understood and put into practice in the material world as spirituality that doesn't bring practical value to life is of little use.