The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment [Hardcover]

Adyashanti (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

More and more people today have had a glimpse of genuine spiritual awakening, only to see it slip away after a few hours or days. Adyashanti calls this the ¿I got it/I lost it¿ phenomenon, and it perplexes many of his students. For those caught between what he calls ¿non-abiding¿ awakening and the ultimate state of ¿abiding¿ enlightenment, Adyashanti offers The End of Your World¿an in-depth look at the remarkable yet enigmatic process of spiritual awakening. With straight talk and penetrating insight, Adyashanti helps readers navigate the pitfalls and cul-de-sacs that ¿un-enlighten¿ us along the journey, including: ¿ The trap of meaninglessness ¿ How the ego can ¿co-opt¿ realization for its own purposes ¿ The illusion of superiority that may accompany intense spiritual breakthroughs ¿ The danger of becoming ¿drunk on emptiness¿. ¿I often ask people who come to me, `Are you ready to lose your world?¿ Because true awakening will not fit into the world as you imagine it or the self you imagine yourself to be,¿ explains Adyashanti. Covering a range of topics ordinarily kept private between student and teacher, The End of Your World invites you to join Adyashanti for an honest investigation of what you really are¿and how to live when you discover it.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Adyashanti began teaching in 1996 after a series of transformative spiritual awakenings, at the request of his Zen teacher of 14 years. Today, his retreats are so popular that would-be attendees must win a lottery held only twice a year. Adya's teachings have been compared to some of the early Ch'an (Zen) masters of China as well as teachers of Advaita Vedanta in India. His books include True Meditation (Sounds True, 2006) and Emptiness Dancing (Sounds True, 2006).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 218 pages
• Publisher: Sounds True, Incorporated (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591799635
• ISBN-13: 978-1591799634
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After 15 years of Zen practice and a series of ever-deepening realizations, this direct, loving and engaging modern teacher began to offer dharma talks, weekend programs and retreats in 1996. Known for his clarity, wisdom and rich humor he has a rapidly expanding base of students, many of whom have awakened to their true nature in his presence. His teachings have been compared to those of the early Zen masters, and the wisdom teachings of Advaita Vedanta, and speak deeply to all seekers of Truth.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great company, December 27, 2008

By 

E. Leiste "clarity" (Mexico, Chiapas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment (Sounds True Audio Learning Course) (Audio CD)

Feeling kind of alone with my experiences on the awakening path, Adyashanti is a great understanding company for me and i only can recommend his Audio CD's, describing all traps i could fall into.
I read Tolle, Balsekar, Ramana, Nisargadatta etc., all helped and Adya definitely helped me further through his language.

55 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The End of Your World, June 11, 2008

By 

Katie Davis "Author, Awake Joy" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment (Sounds True Audio Learning Course) (Audio CD)

In his usual intelligent and no nonsense manner, Adyashanti warns the spiritual seeker that they just might find what they are looking for! This is straight talk about the nature of enlightenment and outlines the pitfalls of the spiritual awakening process.

With penetrating insight, Adya navigates beyond the common traps which include the sense of meaningless, the ego's attempt to co-opt spiritual awakening for its own purposes, the sense of superiority that may accompany profound breakthroughs, and grasping the intoxicating bliss.

This is an honest investigation into the truth of who you really are and offers direction in how to live this truth once it has been discovered. In addition, the six cd set also offers teaching stories and an interview with Adyashanti.

He frankly shares that awakening does not offer a "new version of you," but rather no version at all. The wisdom of this collection points to the profound spiritual realization that lies beyond "you and your thoughts," "you and your emotion" and "you and your personal will."

Katie Davis, Author, "Awake Joy"

67 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On Life After Awakening, February 27, 2009

By 

Tom Thompson "Tom Thompson" (Southern Pines, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment (Hardcover)

First, I want to acknowledge Tami Simon for the outstanding service she has provided spiritual seekers for over two decades through her amazing company, Sounds True. Tami had the wisdom-eye to spot Adyashanti's spiritual genius relatively early on in his teaching career and has made his teachings available to the general public through Sounds True.

This book (or cd), "The End of Your World," is once again a creation of Tami's wisdom/compassion. She saw the vital need for clear spiritual guidance not only into awakening, but through it and beyond. She asked Adya to respond to this need and the result is this essential book.

The great awakening traditions have their own ways of dealing with life after awakening. Unfortunately, their methods too often require the assumption of cultural affectations and reprogramming into a particular stance or relationship with reality. How is it that someone who claims to have awakened continues to identify with being a yogi, sufi, zen buddhist, taoist or christian- all human created over-lays of reality? Our spiritual/religious identity is part of what is awakened out of. Hence, the end of your world. You don't even get to keep your spiritual delusional system, as nice as it may be!

Adya points to total freedom from self and its multitude of identities, including the spiritual ones. No abidance anywhere.

This is an essential guide book for anyone experiencing true awakening. It isn't a program or even a map, just a gentle reminder that everything that happens is only an expression of absolute freedom. So relax. What's the worst that can happen? The end of your world.