Living Nonduality

by Robert Wolfe

Robert Wolfe writes about the nature of living without division.

Genres: Spirituality, Religion

480 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2009

Reviews

[Adil · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of books on nonduality have a simple approach that repeats the same message in a limited number of ways. This makes sense as the message is just a pointer that if you follow will lead you to a direct experience. The message is NOT the experience itself. If the message got more complicated, then one would worry that the pointing is no longer direct enough. Thus, elegance and depth are sacrificed for directness and simplicity. It was difficult for me to imagine any other way. In Living Nonduality, Robert Wolfe does the unimaginable of keeping the pointers simple, clear, and direct, but somehow adding elegance to the picture by managing to talk about nonduality in so many beautiful and interesting ways. He brings a wider range of concepts, people, and ideas into focus. He talks about Jesus, quantum physics, romantic relationships, political activism, and whatnot, in a series of short essays and dialogues. He does an amazing service to anybody who wants to communicate nonduality through his clear and meticulous explanations of the absolute vs. the relative (you will have to do the reading yourself to figure out what these are). This is not only a book for the spiritual seeker, it is a book for the spiritual teacher. I consider Robert Wolfe, simply on the basis of this fascinating work, one of the greatest living Western masters of nonduality. May we all be lucky enough to show, or at least to identify, the clarity, courage, and wisdom he reflects in this masterpiece.

[Phil Calandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very difficult book to review as the dualistic nature of our language makes "Non Dual Theory" beyond explanation. The author presents a very comprehensive review of "Non Duality" and raises very probing and provocative questions to this philosophy. However, in my opinion, the general tenor of this book is rather grim with no emphasis on spirituality and the answers provided are rather muddled and unsettling. It should be noted, however, that the author has based his philosophy on his own self realization experience and his views should be respected.
The author maintains that the little "self" or "ego" is a projection of the "Self" ("God", "Absolute") and that it disappears forever upon the death of the individual. The author describes the "Self" as "One Actuality", "Perfection" that is not in search of anything and is no need of having "Its" existence of non-existence confirmed. The "Absolute" is the creator, creating and created which is "One Actuality" which is eternally unknown to "Itself". In other words, there is a simple awareness which remains without subject or object without an awareness of being aware. Stated in different terms, there is no "self consciousness", no will or design to do anything. Manifestations of the "Absolute" appear in a rather haphazard fashion only to disappear into oblivion- certainly not a hopeful message for humanity and the individual.
The flaw in the author's analysis is why the "Self" would devolve from "Perfection" into Duality where "It" would experience imperfection and delusion. A contrary view presented by several Christian Mystics is that the "self" , the relative aspect of the "Absolute", is never completely annihilated and remains with the "Absolute" of almost equal importance. The "Absolute" beholds Its own essence in subjective terms (as per Meister Eckhart) but can only perceive "Itself" through "Its" own creation, ie. man. We share the "Absolute's" "Consciousness" of "Being", our upmost ground of who we are; however, through relativity, the "Absolute" gains "self awareness".

[Mark Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of Robert Wolfe's "Big Three," and a classic in its own right. If you haven't already done so, read this book. It's available for free at Robert's website, livingnonduality.org.

[Jakob · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insightful expounding of non-duality from all sorts of different angles, over 200 in fact. Short chapters on what non-duality is and how it can be experienced, and some of them are sooo soo good. Other ones seem superfluous or like repetitions. Towards the second half of the book, a collection of chapters are answers to letter from someone, although we never get to read the other half of the correspondence. This is confusing and just bad manners. Overall, this book has some great insights that I will carry with me, but could have used an editor to trim the fat.

Had it been half as long, it would have been twice as good.

"The absence of 'you' is the space in which Truth presents, unobscured."

"The real 'me' is the presence which persists even when all images have ceased in awareness - as is the case in deep sleep. There is no mentation there that asks 'how does one get rid of the me?'; there is no me there to be rid of. It is from this 'one' that the me image arises: in dreams, and in waking. There is no 'world' in this fundamental awareness: it is from this awareness that your world is created".

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gently dissolves the ego like a sugar cube in hot tea and leaves 'you' in a condition of Absolute awareness. All that you are is That. Everything, including both the manifested and unmanifested is That. There is no separation, no individual doer and with That everything is just as it is. What a wonderful message....Thanks and praise be to the author, Mr Robert Wolfe!