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Shining in Plain View

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Boy! This is indeed a strange book and if you don't know anything about pure Advaita just move on to Ramesh Balsekar or something. This is a sort of operating manual for folks at the end of the Advaitic rainbow. At this point you know who you are and you're sure about it and there's a knowing it's time to drop out of the play. This book is a collection of brief dialogues of "people" ready and willing to return home. If you like Stephen Wolinsky, Tony Parsons, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Bob Adamson, you'll see this is the absolute bare bones of Advaitic teaching, all fluff is totally and radically removed. This is kind of like meeting Joe Friday from the Dragnet TV series....just the facts Maam.

John Wheeler has the ability to point out what we are always seeking, in a way that leaves only the doubts that we are unwilling to examine in the light of unborn awareness. The book is the second in a trilogy (so far) of dialogs between John and many of those who have been wise enough to communicate with him. If you have an appreciation for the Advaita teachings but feel you haven't quite "got it" yet, this may be your chance...

I have read hundreds of spiritual books and followed several traditional practices including vipassana and zen. Nothing has ever 'hit home" as the writings of John Wheeler, which combine a truly extraordinary talent for simple expression, a rock-solid foundation in non-dual principles, and an astonishing talent for connecting with people.

I was on a spiritual quest for a little over four years and this book as well as meeting John Wheeler were the last two milestones on that road. Ever since I started my "spiritual quest" I read spiritual books addicitively. Over the course of those years I read over a hundred books mostly on zen and buddhism, but also lots or random new age books ranging from Eckhart Tolle, to Louise Hays, to Shakti Gawaiin. When I discovered John Wheeler I was rereading every spiritual book I owned over and over again determined to end this journey. And this delightful book appeared in my vision.

I remember first reading this and I could feel that this was the beginning of the end, and surely enough it was. During this period I was packing up to move to the Northwest and decided I needed to meet this Mr. John Wheeler on my way. Meeting him was like meeting god himself. This guy was completely sure of himself, clear and is a true living example of every reading I've studied over the years. It was obvious that something much deeper was going on under the surface of this man's voice.

After meeting John Wheeler and going over his teaching for a few months I went back and forth between having it and not having it, which is really impossible because there is neither. But following the advice in this book and questioning everything that came up, it finally is clear. No self. Very simple really.

If you are ready for the end of your journey the teachings in this book are sure to help you on your path, or lack there of. He is clear and direct, and this is the next best thing to actually meeting a "person" who has "it". What seperates his book from others really is his adamance on the fact that "you" don't exist, there is no you and there never was. He pounds this into your head page after page after page. I remember talking to John about this, saying I never finished his book because he just kept repeating himself page after page, which he agreed. But this is what the "person" needs. So many many other books are all over the place and really make up a whole philosophy and idealogy about an enlightened person and the spiritual life. For years I rememeber trying to mimic the way "i" thought an enlightened person should act. But enoug of that. Wheeler goes straight to the source of the problem, the "I", the self. Eliminate this and you're done. In the words of many others before me, "no self no problem". Wheeler shows you how to see this which is already here.

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.

if you've earnestly read everything, joined everything, tried everything to get "it" and none of it has worked; if you're about ready to give up on the whole thing for once and for all, you just could be ripe for this. i was. between wheeler and nisargadatta you'll be cooked, trust me. it's over. thank goodness! don't have to buy any more spiritual books, no more questions, no more angst. Get this and I AM THAT by N maharaj and you're done. really done!

I found John Wheeler quite by accident as I searched for the astrophysicist of the same name. I was struck by the synopsis on his homepage and felt an immediate connection with his message. I was no more than half way through his book when I realized it to be a complete confirmation of the sum of my 25 years of searching. John Wheeler and his teacher, Sailor Bob Adamson, both point directly to our essential nature and, for me, the last question fell away in a moment of simple clarity.

John's super direct approach allows no room for deviations from what really matters. Simple and clear. Lovely conversations with a lovely teacher.

I read John Wheelers first book, "Awakening to the Natural State". and knew I had found what I needed. I only made it through a third of this book and it was over. If you are sincere and willing to leave your doubts behind and trust in this, you cannot possibly go wrong. John Wheeler does not give your mind any sort of elaborate goal to spin in; he just drives you relentlessly to the simplicity of this and gets you to see in your immediate experience the simple facts. There are no unnecessary words in his dialogs. I would recommend to everyone (no matter what mind created level you think you are on) to read this book. As you will see in this book this understanding is available to everyone.

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.