Sudden Awakening: Into Direct Realization by Eli Jaxon-Bear

Awakening is a living transmission of silence and freedom, writes Eli Jaxon-Bear, granting final liberation to everyone. A teacher in the self-realization movements of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Poonjaji, and Gangaji, Jaxon-Bear presents a unique map of egoic identification as a vehicle for self-inquiry and a final realization of freedom. Sudden Awakening puts spiritual awakening in a larger context: that it is humankind’s next evolutionary leap. Based on ancient Indian teachings and years of contemplation, this book offers the key to the possibility of ending world destruction. The book is written in clear, beautiful prose, and readers can peruse each chapter as a meditation, or as a gateway into awakening the highest self-attainable. It offers insight into the nature of the true spiritual quest and shows the traps as well as the signs of confirmation along the journey.

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Eli Jaxon Bear – 2nd Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview

Published on Apr 18, 2013

Eli Jaxon-BearEli Jaxon-Bear was born Elliot J. Zeldow in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947. His eighteen-year spiritual path started in 1971, when he was a federal fugitive during the Vietnam war. In 1978, Kalu Rinpoche appointed him the president of the first Kagyu dharma center in Marin County. In 1982, he was presented with a Zen Teaching Fan at ChoShoJi Zen Temple in Japan.

After a search took him around the world and into many traditions and practices, his path and his search ended when he was pulled to India in 1990, where he met his final teacher, Sri H.W.L. Poonja. Confirming Eli’s realization, his teacher sent him back into the world to share his unique psychological insights into the nature of egoic suffering in support of self-realization.

Eli infuses the teaching with his teacher’s living transmission of silence. He presents a unique map of egoic identification as a vehicle for ruthless self-inquiry and final realization of true freedom. He dedicates his life to passing on the transmission of his teacher.

Eli currently meets people and teaches through the Leela Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to world peace and freedom through universal self-realization.
He is the author of Sudden Awakening into Direct Realization, (New World Library), The Enneagram of Liberation: From Fixation to Freedom, (Gangaji Foundation Press), and he is the editor of Wake Up and Roar: Satsang with H.W.L. Poonja, (Sounds True).

Emptiness Dancing ~ Adyashanti

In recent years, the bold new teacher known as Adyashanti has dared hundreds of students across North America to ask, What is ultimately behind this set of eyes? For it is in the process of this inquiry that we let go of who we think we are, and begin to understand what we are.

With Emptiness Dancing, readers will explore these subtle differences, and many other human perceptions?and misconceptions that we live by, including:

• Openness: Discover the freedom available when you cultivate an open heart and an open mind, and lose your self-image to total presence.
• Love: Enjoy the peace from being the essence of love at every moment, with everyone and everything you experience.
• Ego: Unmask the fall guy of spirituality for what it is, and release yourself from the fruitless pursuit of and running away from something that doesn’t really exist.

The funny thing about enlightenment, or awakening, is that we miss it even though it’s not hidden,  Adya teaches. It is hard to find because it is right here. Destined to become a spiritual classic, Emptiness Dancing brings readers Adyashanti’s quintessential teachings in a mind-to-mind transmission from this gifted teacher.

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Stillness – from Emptiness Dancing, by Adyashanti, Chapter 8

Adyashanti “Silence”

Adyashanti is a dynamic and inspiring spiritual teacher who lives an ordinary life while demonstrating an extraordinary gift for transmitting a simple truth to thousands of students worldwide: liberation is the birthright of us all. His teachings have been compared to those of the early Zen masters and Advaita Vedanta sages.

Adyashanti began teaching in 1996 at the request of his Zen teacher, with whom he had been studying for 14 years. A native of Northern California, he now teaches extensively in the San Francisco Bay Area, offering weekly satsangs, frequent intensives, and silent retreats. He also travels to teach in other areas of the United States and Canada.

Adyashanti is the author of The Impact of Awakening, Emptiness Dancing, My Secret Is Silence, True Meditation, and The End of Your World, and has made extensive audio and video recordings of his talks and satsangs.

Adyashanti speaks to the word silence.

WITHOUT A MASK: Discovering Your Authentic Self by Avikal E. Costantino

Who is behind the mask that we have learnt to wear in order to survive and function in the world? Who are we really, behind familial and social conditioning? If we are free from fear and the preoccupations that in the name of survival justify adaptation? Is it possible to be spontaneous and authentic, or is it just an infantile desire to leave behind us along with our dreams?

This book tackles these themes and offers understanding and techniques for recognising our authentic Self, helping us to realise that behind the personality mask there is a mysterious universe, an ocean of potentiality, and that that is our true nature. Then the phrase “know yourself” will no longer just be an indication of philosophers and mystics, but will offer us the concrete possibility to ask the right questions, those that enable us to lift the veil that hides our true face and find peace and fulfillment.

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Avikal Costantino

Avikal is a spiritual teacher. Curiosity, passion and love for the truth guide his teaching and are transmitted in a clear and focused way. He is the founder and director of the Integral Being Institute active in Europe, Asia and Australia. Avikal traveled extensively around the globe in his youth working as an anthropologist and a free-lance photographer.

His love for Martial Arts took him to teaching Aikido and Sword, while his love for the body produced diplomas and professional activity in different healing techniques.
From 1989 to 1994 he was the director of the Osho School for Centering and Zen Martial Arts in Pune, India, in the commune of the Indian mystic Osho.
Being involved with Zen and Advaita for more than 25 years, he now leads retreats such as Satori and The Awareness Intensive where the direct experience of True Nature is searched through the question Who am I?.

Since 1997 he has developed an innovative and original approach to the work with the Inner Judge and he is a well known teacher of Essence and Ennegram.
He is also a Life-coach, Management Trainer and Executives Mentor working with presence, leadership, resilience and conflict resolution in Italy and Australia.
He is the author of: “Freedom to Be Yourself. Mastering the Inner Judge”, Sydney 2007 and “Without a Mask Discovering your Authentic Self”, .London 2011

The Enneagram of Liberation: From Fixation to Freedom by Eli Jaxon-Bear

Eli Jaxon-Bear presents a radically new model of the ego and the psyche. Bringing together his background in Buddhism with his Sufi work on essence, he presents a fresh approach to awakening by using the Enneagram’s nine fixated structure of ego to clearly describe who you are not.

You will see how habits of egoic identification continuously appear to veil the pristine consciousness that you truly are. When these habits of mind are exposed, there is a clear choice to end the bondage of ego-based suffering and to realize the vast, inherent freedom of one’s true nature. In this book Eli gives us the map of the prison of mind and the keys to freedom.

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Eli Jaxon-Bear – The Essence of my teaching

Eli Jaxon-Bear dedicates his life to passing on his Master Papaji’s transmission of silence, traveling the world to share his unique psychological insights into the nature of egoic suffering in support of Self-Realization. Eli teaches through the Leela Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to world peace and freedom through universal
Self-Realization. To find out more about Eli and his schedule of upcoming events, please
visit: http://www.leela.org

Eli Jaxon-Bear – Interview on the Enneagram, Madrid

Eli Jaxon-Bear dedicates his life to passing on his Master Papaji’s transmission of silence, traveling the world to share his unique psychological insights into the nature of egoic suffering in support of Self-Realization. Eli teaches through the Leela Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to world peace and freedom through universal Self-Realization.

Eli Jaxon-Bear – Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview

Eli Jaxon-Bear was born Elliot J. Zeldow in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947. His eighteen-year spiritual path started in 1971, when he was a federal fugitive during the Vietnam war. In 1978, Kalu Rinpoche appointed him the president of the first Kagyu dharma center in Marin County. In 1982, he was presented with a Zen Teaching Fan at ChoShoJi Zen Temple in Japan.

After a search took him around the world and into many traditions and practices, his path and his search ended when he was pulled to India in 1990, where he met his final teacher, Sri H.W.L. Poonja. Confirming Eli’s realization, his teacher sent him back into the world to share his unique psychological insights into the nature of egoic suffering in support of self-realization.

Eli infuses the teaching with his teacher’s living transmission of silence. He presents a unique map of egoic identification as a vehicle for ruthless self-inquiry and final realization of true freedom. He dedicates his life to passing on the transmission of his teacher.

Eli currently meets people and teaches through the Leela Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to world peace and freedom through universal self-realization.
He is the author of Sudden Awakening into Direct Realization, (New World Library), The Enneagram of Liberation: From Fixation to Freedom, (Gangaji Foundation Press), and he is the editor of Wake Up and Roar: Satsang with H.W.L. Poonja, (Sounds True).

Growing Your Inner Light : A Guide to Independent Spiritual Practice By Lara Owen

A comprehensive guide for creating a daily spiritual practice, Growing Your Inner Light gives specific advice on developing a unique spiritual path that fits exactly who you are, and what you hope to grow into as a spiritual being. Author Lara Owen clearly shows how a personalized practice can open the doors to living fully with integrity and to feeling connected with the surrounding world.

For readers yearning for a sense of inner peace, and a direct experience of spiritual meaning and connection, Growing Your Inner Light is a groundbreaking, transformative journey through thirteen phases of your growth, including: developing intuition; creating sacred spaces and altars; understanding your dreams; exploring the importance of retreats, meditation, and rituals.

Growing Your Inner Light gives readers the freedom to integrate from different traditions — and develop new ones — in order to create their own spiritual tradition. One former student of Lara’s program shared that she feels “less like a spiritual tourist and more like a pilgrim.” Spiritual development is a natural part of being human, and a vital way to expand the intensity of your inner light throughout your life.

Lara Owen grew up in England and has traveled the world to study with traditional Chinese doctors, Native American and Mexican shamans, Tibetan lamas, Swiss and American psychologists, and many other teachers. She has worked as a doctor of Chinese medicine and as a psychotherapist, and now consults on personal and spiritual development with individuals and institutions. She is the author of several books including the acclaimed Her Blood is Gold.

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The Way of Liberation: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment ~ Adyashanti

The Way of Liberation is a stripped-down, practical guide to spiritual liberation, sometimes called awakening, enlightenment, self-realization, or simply seeing what is absolutely True. It is impossible to know what words like liberation or enlightenment mean until you realize them for yourself. This being so, it is of no use to speculate about what enlightenment is; in fact, doing so is a major hindrance to its unfolding. As a guiding principle, to progressively realize what is not absolutely True is of infinitely more value than speculating about what is.

Many people think that it is the function of a spiritual teaching to provide answers to life’s biggest questions, but actually the opposite is true. The primary task of any good spiritual teaching is not to answer your questions, but to question your answers. For it is your conscious and unconscious assumptions and beliefs that distort your perception and cause you to see separation and division where there is actually only unity and completeness.

The Reality that these teachings are pointing toward is not hidden, or secret, or far away. You cannot earn it, deserve it, or figure it out. At this very moment, Reality and completeness are in plain sight. In fact, the only thing there is to see, hear, smell, taste, touch, or feel, is Reality, or God if you like. Absolute completeness surrounds you wherever you go. So there is really no reason to bother yourself about it, except for the fact that we humans have long ago deceived ourselves into such a confined tangle of confusion and disarray that we scarcely even consider, much less experience for ourselves, the divinity within and all around us.

The Way of Liberation is a call to action; it is something you do. It is a doing that will undo you absolutely. If you do not do the teaching, if you do not study and apply it fearlessly, it cannot effect any transformation. The Way of Liberation is not a belief system; it is something to be put into practice. In this sense it is entirely practical.

To read this book as a spectator would be to miss the point. Being a spectator is easy and safe; being an active participant in your own awakening to Truth is neither easy nor safe. The way forward is unpredictable, the commitment absolute, the results not guaranteed. Did you really think that it could be any other way?

Excerpted from the Introduction of The Way of Liberation by Adyashanti.

© Adyashanti 2012

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Adyashanti The Undivided Self

Emotional Hostage – Negotiate your freedom by Ian Wolstenholme

“Is it ok to be you? Is it ok to be everything you are? Is it ok to be the bits that only you know about, the bits that you keep hidden? I say yes, yes it is”

We have many parts and voices. Each part of our pysche represents a different part. We are not just one person we are a whole cast of characters. Sometimes we listen to one part of ourselves and sometimes to another. This leads to conflict within ourselves and conflict in our relationships. So how do we know which is the real part, the real me? Which part should we listen to?

The truth is that when we become totally identified with one part of us we have become an emotional hostage. That part of our pysche has taken us over and convinced us of something. You can be dieting for two weeks when another part of you takes over that says ‘what the hell, I want to eat cream cakes all day today’. If you then act on that you have been taken hostage. The part that was committed to the diet feels completely frustrated and a failure. It happens to all of us, we are all taken hostage at some time or another. The question is what to do about this? What is the path to freedom?

The solution is that we have to negotiate our freedom. All these different parts of us are meant to be there, there is nothing wrong in it. It is not possible or even preferable to get rid of them forever. The part that wants you to eat cream cakes all day is ok, it needs to have a say. The solution is to start to listen to all these parts, they are trying to tell you something. Each of these parts need to be heard. The seer is the part that sees all of this going on in you, the part that sees you acting in certain ways, the part that sees the cream cake disappearing down your mouth but is powerless to stop it.

The seer has to act as the negotiator. It sees the different parts of you. From the space of the seer you need to ask what the different parts are trying to tell you. Talk to that part of you and ask what do you need? You will probably find that a certain part needs to be loved, needs to cry, needs to be held. So now you have the chance to give that part what it needs. It wasnt really a cream cake that it needed, it needed to be held. It is about taking the time to stop and ask what that part is really trying to tell you. Then the negotiations continue, the part that was screaming for cream cakes is now fulfilled by being held and can agree to continue the diet in alignment with the committed dieter.

The important thing to see is that all these parts, voices are meant to be there, it is not a signal that there is something wrong with you. It is just a matter of employing a negotiator in the form of the seer to assess which parts need what and what value to give each part. From there we can start to be straightforward and communicate honestly with friends about what are true needs are. Asking simply ‘I need to be held right now’ .

Ian Wolstenholme – ‘Negotiate Your Freedom’ – Interview by Iain McNay

Ian Wolstenholme ‘Negotiate Your Freedom’ Interview by Iain McNay
Author of ‘Emotional Hostage — Negotiate Your Future’ talks about his awakening and how it impacted his life. ‘Self Discovery is the process of seeking yourself, seeing through the illusions of your conditioning and finding the real you. Everyone will tell you to be yourself but how can you know which of the voices inside your head is the real you?’

The Power of the now, trust & Enlightenment – Ian Wolstenholme, Glastonbury UK

From http://www.loveoftruth.org/ ; ” Ian is an enlightened spiritual visionary, whose work is to support people to experience a greater depth within themselves. He has been working with people for over twenty years, facilitating groups, doing talks and giving individual person alchemy consultations. Ian is willing to drop the mask and show others who he truely is – without pretence or hiding behind an enlightened facade. Energetically this creates a space where your true feelings and thoughts can come to the surface and everything that you are can be seen and accepted for what it is. Ians approach is to guide you into your own empowerment , so you are able to accept all the parts of yourself and see them rightly, for it is only in doing this that you can truely be free.

Ian Wolstenholme – Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview

Published on Feb 19, 2013
Ian Wolstenholme is an ordinary man who randomly awakened to the realized space in 1969. The assimilation of this process continues to this day, Ian was not transformed into a god or bestowed with remarkable powers. His consciousness was expanded to include the viewpoint from which the human condition could be examined and revealed to be as it is. Ian came to see the extent of our conditioning and the way in which this set of meanings govern life as it is lived. The massive false interpretations continue to be implanted as beliefs into the personalities of every being alive today.

Realized space is freedom from belief and meaning and provides a mature acceptance of what is.

This is not an easy place to live.

Ian’s book: Emotional Hostage: Negotiate Your Freedom

Interview recorded 2/2/2013

Indian Masters – Blueprints for Awakening – Book + DVD by Premananda

DVD-Sampler in the book (contains a trailer of the film ‘Blueprints for Awakening – Wisdom of the Masters’, the video website and high quality Masters’ photographs)
Blueprints for Awakening is for everyone who has an inner passion to know what they are doing here as a human being. Premananda has interviewed sixteen important Indian Masters. He asks each of them the same set of questions about the teachings of their fellow Master, Sri Ramana Maharshi.

It is for all who ask the question ‘Who am I?’ and for those who are looking for guidance on the teaching of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi to ‘be as you are’.

As time passes, many great sages become legendary, as the average man cannot even comprehend the possibility of the infinite wisdom they lived and loved as their own true nature. Slowly and steadily, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi too shall be part of that legend. Swami Suddhananda.

In India he is regarded as a Saint and many consider him the most important guru of recent times: Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, simply called Bhagavan, God, by his devotees. Premananda has succeeded in coaxing sixteen important Indian Masters to speak into his microphone. He asks each of them the same set of questions about the teachings of their fellow Master, Sri Ramana. The result is a compendium of astonishing wisdom about the biggest secret of all times: the nature of our true Self and how to realise it.
DVD Blueprints for Awakening

This unique film presents fresh, modern dialogues about ancient truth. Premananda’s familiarity with this subject, combined with his many years of experience guiding spiritual seekers, create fascinating, lively interactions with each of the Masters. The questions relate to major topics which we meet on the spiritual journey, such as Enlightenment, Self-enquiry, the Nature of the Mind and the World, Guru and Devotion.
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Premananda is an English Spiritual Teacher. He spent 15 years with his first Master Osho and 5 years with the great Advaita Master Poonjaji (Papaji), a direct disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi. His deep love for India and Sri Ramana Maharshi led him to meet and befriend many Indian Saints and Masters, collecting rare interviews which can now be found in his book and its companion film “Blueprints for Awakening – Indian Masters“. After the support and feedback he received, he was led to another book and film project “European Spiritual Masters – Blueprints for Awakening”. A third USA and Australian Masters is under preparation. http://www.blueprintsforawakening.org

He has directed three films which can be seen with sub-titles in 9 languages: Indian Masters and European Masters in the Blueprints for Awakening series and Arunachala Shiva, a film about the life and teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Since 1998 Premananda has travelled widely in Australia, India and Europe offering Satsang meetings most evenings and weekends, wherever he is invited. He enjoys art and beauty and is himself a painter. http://www.johndavid.org. Presently he is a guest in the Satsang and Arts Community, Open Sky House, located close to Cologne in Germany http://www.openskyhouse.org. He is actively available in this International Community.

He offers on-line Satsang, to a high quality, 3 evenings a week through SatsangTV, which can be viewed live around the world. http://www.premanandasatsangtv.org.
There is also a comprehensive archive of 300 Satsang meetings since 2009, in seven different languages.

He is an unusual character, full of fun and lightness with the possibility of a sudden storm at any moment. Many love him to bits and others find him outrageous. He is never boring but not always able to see when he is too much. He would love to invite you to come and make your own assessment!
http://www.premanandasatsang.org

Blueprints for Awakening Trailer-Interviews about Ramana Maharshi’s Teachings

Interviews with 16 Indian Masters about the teachings of Ramana Maharshi. This unique film presents fresh, modern dialogues about ancient truth. Interviewer Premananda’s familiarity with this subject, combined with his many years of experience guiding spiritual seekers, create fascinating, lively interactions with each of the Masters. The questions relate to major topics which we meet on the spiritual journey, such as Enlightenment, Self-enquiry, the Nature of the Mind and the World, Guru and Devotion.

Premananda Satsang- Who am I?- Russian translation

Premananda about the fundamental question ‘Who am I’ and Self-Enquiry from Ramana Maharshi.

Moksha and Nirvana: Should We Seek It?

Happiness or Freedom? Satsang with Amoda Maa Jeevan, December 2012

A short excerpt from an evening Satsang with Amoda Maa Jeevan, recorded on 11th December 2012 at the Friends Meeting House in Hastings, East Sussex, UK – the question is “do you want happiness or do you want freedom?”

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