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Against the Pollution of the I: Selected Writings of Jacques Lusseyran

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Jacques Lusseyran writes with a love that you can feel permeating you as you read his words. My favorite essay in this collection of 6 was "Jeremy," the story of a blue collar saint in Buchenwald. I found myself crying and feeling wonderful at the same time. This writing defies description.

This book is simply wonderful. To me, it shows that spirituality does not need the clothing of religion or a spiritual tradition. All spiritual teachings are based on a direct perception and relationship to life. To me, the beauty of this book is the sincere communication of his inner life and direct experience. The book is not trying to convert us to anything or trying to sell us anything. Lusseyran simply invites us to explore directly the ongoing unity of reality. It also shows that virtues are the foundation of a spiritual life, not because we want to be puritans or good children, but because the cosmos is intrinsically ethical. When we don't actively embody love or virtue, our awareness contracts and the sense of alienation ensues. When we actively embody the virtues, the inner life unfolds beautifully and naturally. Being virtuous is the most natural expression of our being, it is not important to call it Buddha nature or Christ mind or whatever label we wish to put on it. Lusseyran is refreshingly honest and straightforward; and because of it, his message touches me and invites me experience things as they are.