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This is a well-done English translation of Bertelsen's book "Nuets himmel" ("The heaven of Now") originaly published in 1994. Perhaps a slightly strange choice because this was the last book he wrote before exclusively focusing his writings on the Tibetan method of Dzogchen. Whereas this book is in fact more centered on his general approach to self development and meditation.
Bertelsen himself is no doubt a highly intelligent man who wrote his doctoral thesis about Jung and the Ouroboros myth and worked several years at a university lecturer before starting his own spiritual growth center. And his books reflect this written in a somewhat dry style and emphazising the need for a respectable social life as basic for entering the spritual path. Mostly aimed a people in professions like high school teachers, priests, physicians, psychologists that also seems to form the core of his own students/disciples.
He acknowledges the need for some therapeuthic ground work and for years of serious mediative practice and sadhana. Thereby contrasting favorably with the popular trend of (neo)advaita - think Tony Parsons, Nathan Gill and the many Papaji disciples like fx. Mooji - and by the same time embracing the philosophy of non-duality.
Central in this book is the concept of witnessing which Bertelsen seperates into three aspects based on his anlysis of the central concepts and atitudes of the human mind: neutral observation, choiceless awareness and bidirectional consciousness. And from that he tries to outline a healthy meditative approach to life. Highly important is also the concept of spiritual transmission based on his own experience with the Tibertan Dzogchen teacher, the higly respected Tulku Urgye Rinpoche. Another Buddhist influence in the book is shown by the importance that he places on compassion and the opening of the heart as the necessary accompaniments of the spiritual life. (Here some of Bertelsen's critics would argue that this contrasts somewhat to his own rather seclusive lifestyle and - according to some - dominating teaching style).
That Bertelsen's writings are based on his own evolved (and evolving) inner experiences is evident from the concluding interview with the author which may in many ways be the most interesting part of the book.
An intelligent introduction to meditation and Dzogchen and spirituality in general. But also showcasing that he is in his own way just as onesided as the neo-advaitins. Cause just as it is 'stupid' to deny the value of sincere sadhana it is also absurd to refuse that spontaneous awakenings do happen and that a well-respected social life is not a necessary prerequisite for Enlightenment. Clearly shown by the examples of Eastern mystics like Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi, Osho or Western teachers like Eckhart Tolle or Byron Katie.
- Paperback: 160 pages
- Publisher: North Atlantic Books (June 4, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1583946152
- ISBN-13: 978-1583946152
- Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
- Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
- Average Customer Review: 6 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#2,567,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6412 in Medical Psychotherapy TA & NLP
- #2019 in Tibetan Buddhism (Books)
- #1599 in Buddhist Rituals & Practice (Books)
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