Customer Reviews

Awakening to the Natural State

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I met John Wheeler at a talk and book-signing event in the summer of 2005. The funny thing was, he wasn't really peddling his book very hard, and as the talk went on, I understood why not - John's whole message is that you don't need another book. So that was my introduction to unique thing #1 about John Wheeler: he's about pointing right at the simplicity of Being, not selling books or anything else. Just showing you the way - clearly, patiently, and as some would say, relentlessly.

Unique thing #2 about John Wheeler is that he looks like he could be the guy at the next desk in the office - no flowing garb, no eccentric hairstyle, no etheric gaze - and, there's no fuss along with his presentation - no request for silence before he enters the room, no bell-ringing, no photos of gurus on the wall. He's just a regular working guy, and the reason I mention this is that it was this very quality that instantaneously brought his message into focus for me - for the first time in my life, I realized this business is for regular people like you and me.

But I'm not saying being with John *felt* like being with the guy next door - far from it. The total clarity of his presence somehow knocked all the thoughts right out of my head (Unique thing #3). I sat in that room listening to people ask John questions, and I was sort of dazed, grinning, and thinking, what do these people think they have to find out? Can't they see there's nothing more to know - that they are already what they're looking for?

The reason I'm making this book review so personal is to tell you that I know first-hand, John Wheeler is the real deal. You can completely trust what he says, and his pointers are very clear. I followed up with John by reading this book, and his second book, "Shining in Plain View," and they have been described really well here by reviewer R. Haigh. A few emails and a phone call later, my twenty-five-year search was over. John is that clear, and that effective.

What John talks about in "Awakening to the Natural State" is not theoretical or metaphysical - he doesn't ask you to take anything on faith, but instead asks you to look and see for yourself (Unique thing #4). John continually shows you what direction to look and what kind of inquiry will assist you. His whole point as a teacher is to take you beyond the need for further help. And this he does directly and swiftly, by illustrating the utter simplicity of what we make such a muddle of in our heads.

Not just "highly recommended" - more than that! John Wheeler could end your search. Don't pass up this opportunity.

John Wheeler's writing is direct and easy to "get." Since starting to read this book (I'm nearly through it) presence awareness is very obvioius most of the time and there is a deepening into it. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has been reading non-dual books and still seeking. This could be what makes things very obvious.

John Wheeler is simply a master at gently but ruthlessly throwing you back on that which you already are - presence awareness. This book is mostly a series of question and answers - John has a very simple and loving way - he's very patient but also unfailingly catches the questioner as they fall back into the mind, into the sense of "I" - John gently directs them back and continuously reminds them of what they are. John is one of the most "respected" authors writing about Advaita or NonDuality today - a student of Bob Adamson - he has gone beyond the mind and resides in the clear presence awareness of which he speaks and points to. To be more clear - he shows that there is no one to go anywhere, no one to achieve or attain, nothing to do but BE WHAT YOU ALREADY ARE. All of his books are very highly recommended.

For anyone on a spiritual path and sometimes getting lost along the way. John seems to me like a signpost, a guiding light pointing out another direction to explore and he does so in a patient and gentle manner.

This book is comprised of questions and answers and I found many of the questions to be my own so I found it very relevant. I feel John is clear, concise and relates well to the modern American. I like this book a lot and recommend it to anyone that feels they need a little nudge.

After being in the spiritual path for 8 years, John Wheeler showed me I was doing it all wrong. Well, not that I was doing it wrong. The thing is that there is no "I" doing anything, so what was "I" hoping to achieve in that quest?

Some people may say his books are not for beginners. That they may require some background on Advaita or Non-duality. Personally, I do believe these books are perfect for beginners. No information or knowledge is needed at all. They will save a lot of time and digging to any seeker. I went to several retreats, courses and workshops, I spent one year in Zen monasteries. Now I just wish I started with John's books. I would've spared a lot of money and frustration.

I read many books on New Age, Buddhism, Zen, Taoism and many others. I read from Ramana Maharshi to J. Krishnamurti, from Shunryu Suzuki to Lama Yeshe, from Deepak Chopra to Eckhart Tolle, but John Wheeler is more solid and straight to the point than any other - in my opinion.

Till now I read "Awakening to the Natural State", I'm halfway through "Shining in Plain View" and I read bits and pieces of "You Were Never Born". They are all as clear as pristine water and direct as a lightning thunder.

He is utterly humble and simple, no self there at all looking for credit or recognition. At the same time, he is direct and ruthless when it comes to dismantling your illusions. I've sent him a couple of e-mails and he answers with the same clarity and straightforwardness used in the books. He is deeply "interested" in your direct understanding of your true nature, although deeply detached too.

Book 1, 2 and 3 are questions and answers, from beginning to end. Book 4 (You Were Never Born) adds an introduction to the basic points of John's approach, a collection of "pointers" and an interview with a Dzogchen practitioner.

All books are highly recommended. My understanding about spiritual issues is clearer than ever before. The beginning of the end of my spiritual quest has begun. It will conclusively end when I meet John in person. I will travel all the way from Europe to California just to meet him. I have absolutely no doubt that all will be clear and finished by then. That's how clear and sharp John Wheeler is to me.

Take a look to John's website and judge for yourself: http://thenaturalstate.org

The author, John Wheeler, does not waste any words. This is one of the clearest book of pointers to reality. Get it, savor it again and again.

John Wheeler has written 5 books on non-duality to date; this was his first. And that was the reason I chose this one on Amazon. I figured, why not see how the "awakening" unfolded for John right from the very beginning. John says that it was his going to Australia in 2003 and meeting 'Sailor' Bob Adamson that all of his questions were answered. What was left was a very profound understanding that we are not who we think we are. Says John:

"Not being clear on our true nature, we believe the concepts and stories in the mind and they take us for a ride." pg 26

"Once you begin to glimpse your true nature as the awareness in which the mind and all else appears, you are out of the game." pg. 31

John's writing is very smooth, clear and direct. Very few "theories" for the mind to get hold of. Rather, just a constant barrage of pointers saying, "Here, here it is, it's right here. It's been here all the time!"

One thing I like about Wheeler is that he answers a lot of questions that I have not seen answered elsewhere. The book is filled with questions from seekers, fired one after another at Wheeler and he deftly shines an illuminating light on them all. He is able to do this because all his answers come from the same place... the space this presently arising moment is arising in!

To paraphrase John's message: We are not what arises, we are the space in which it arises.

Watch here how he assures a seeker who feels he had "it"(awakening), but lost it somehow:

"The interesting thing is that even while you are doing this and seemingly losing it, nothing has really changed. This is all just a play of thoughts dancing around in front of you and does not really touch you."

A very nice reminder that who you are never changes, even if you forget who you are!

If you like your medicine straight, you will definitely enjoy this book. (To see more of my spiritual book reviews, please visit my website. -Michael Jeffreys)

This book is the third one of John Wheeler's that I've read and IMHO,it's the best.He has a true gift with words in that he is able to describe with almost shocking clarity,the true nature of who we really are and as one reads, there is a quiet drawing in to that deep, silent empty space of being-awareness. I can honestly say that if there was only
one book on this subject on my bookshelf, it would be this one, because after you read it, you won't need any more! A great book by a great teacher.

John Wheeler writes very clearly about non-duality. I ordered about 20 non-duality books from Amazon by various writers, and John Wheeler's books were definitely the ones that impressed me the most by using the clearest and simplest language. I highly recommend John Wheeler's books if you are interested in non-duality.

This is an excellent book on the subject of non-duality. Such books usually don't offer techniques, but rather a "pointing" to what needs to be seen, and the author does a great job of that.
He tells about how "Sailor" Bob Adamson pointed the way for him, and warmly gives his pointers without the use of stories.
As you read the words in this book, the mind melts away and you are left with understanding that was really there all along, but seemingly hidden.
The greatest thing about John Wheeler is that he is, as another reviewer mentioned, a nice guy and really seems to want to help, not just sell books.
John's pointers resolved all the questions that were here, and all that was left was the peace that was always there.
The questions are gone along with the questioner, everything is seen clearly thanks to John Wheeler.