Awareness: Conversations with the Masters Paperback – 1 Jun. 1990

So insightful, life changing if you take the author at his word. This was a book to chew over, reflect on and then decide if you want to be aware, be awake. I purchased it for a few friends/ family. When something is that good you want to share it.

Anthony De Mello was Jesuit - but from India. His thought has influences from Asian philosophy.He tells how religion can be a barrier to spirituality … perhaps for things like this,the Catholic Church has, distanced itself from him, (he died in the 80s).The book starts simply. It’s written from lectures De Mello gave at a Retreat (Retreat: a Catholic quiet organised spiritual away time)Two things spring to mind: he tells how people don’t want to be cured - what they want is relief. (I’ve just looked - that’s in first chapter - which is short- all chapters are)And De Mello tells the cost of awareness -(perhaps its unconscious knowledge that keeps people from wanting cure …?)“self-condemnation, self-hatred, self-dissatisfaction.’He tells how to deal with these issues.This book is a constant teacher to me. a source of … wonder.I bought it in 2013. The simple beginning put me off at first. I was too literary.Since I started reading it - four five years ago, it’s been a constant.I find a thought swimming in the head - ‘ah that’s from De Mello’i said ‘source of wonder’ - yes. Because passages have effectively changed.From the first time I read them - their content which the first time was… words … now i read, and they are easy ideas, a clever ally pointing things out.I had a tendency to gloom and inner resentment at one time. The ideas imbued from this book have taught me the silliness - the waste of an unaware life.That said - there is a problem - which to his credit De Mello says (I paraphrase. This is an edit)‘Don’t agree with me on all this. If you’re not questioning this as we’re going - you’re not getting awake’(That De Mello note was a comfort to this one who finds it difficult to stop question)The problem is the possible unfortunate tendency to ubermensch.We’re human. Comparison may be odious but it - is - something we do.This book may be labelled Spirituality’ but a lot would have no problem putting it on the self-help shelf. (Chesterton asked the difference between spirituality and psychology).And there’s the problem.DeMello speaks virtually disparagingly of earthly success.Talks of a company CEO as a monkey pulled by societal strings.De Mello dehumanises himBecause of the book being also self-help - because of the general spiritual void - there will be those who read this book who are negatively outlier.Heck - I can feel like that!Sometimes among my peers I have not succeeded.But I know - I’ve been in a place and I wasn’t right for a number of reasons.What I’ve learnt - it has affected my mood, which obviously affects perception.If I didn’t have my, education- if I did think purely subjectively this book - the disparaging talk about earthly success - De Mello doesn’t include a bit where he says‘Those guys are on *their* thing, you’re on yours….’ (actually he probably would have said ‘guys on journey’ this was 80s and it was newish then’)I saw a TV documentary once its whole premise was John Lennon’s murder should be blamed on ‘Catcher In The Rye’.There was a copy among John Hinckley’s possessions.Uhhm dramatic.Fact is speaking disparagingly of others encourages disparaging thought and talk.Those under the cosh of a conceit -born of peer-failure may infer/translate/take - ‘this message is that I will be *better* than those without it’.A turn on the holier than thou.P.S in this early 21st century, ‘perfect’ means flawless. The meaning has changed. At the time of the writing of the KJV for instance - it meant ‘complete’. (Did get that via Shakespeare.)

A guide to living from a genius the world needs now. Watch his YouTube and listen to this on Audible to hear it directly from the beautiful man himself. Wonderful and life changing. Put it on the curriculum.

The book opens with a thought-provoking and amusing little parable about an eagle who thinks he is a chicken because he was reared as a chicken. Basically he is not aware of who he really is. This whole book is about becoming aware of one's authentic self and opening up to the wonderful world of opportunity available to us for growth in our personal inner life whatever the outward circumstances. By becoming aware and losing all the inner chaff that clouds our vision we gain insight into why circumstances are as they are and learn to modify our reactions as a result of self-awareness. An easy read and a simple message for anyone, whatever their spiritual status or tradition, interested in personal growth. In fact you don't have to be interested in spiritual thought at all.Full of humourous short paradoxical stories and parables that illustrate how to awaken awareness of the reality of life and provide insights into ourselves and a glimpse of the mystery of a higher consciousness that pervades all. De Mello's psychological viewpoint is what really captures the reader's attention. He makes the reader stop and reflect on the stories rather than bombarding him/her with set beliefs. De Mello asks you to enquire into your own being and into the reality of life and its quirkiness and to extract the meaning for yourself.Such books should be welcomed as useful stepping stones to an awakened awareness of something beyond ourselves. Such books excite interest in the inner life and often provoke further exploration and reading and even the following of a spiritual path. Such books are beacons of light giving a taste of the potential beauty and depth of the inner life that can lead to a more wholesome view of life in every moment.Worth reading Anthony de Mello's autobiography if you find his many books a thought-provoking read.