A Journey through the Stages of Spiritual Awakening
According to a time-honored metaphor, our essential nondual spiritual nature is an open secret: It’s never been hidden even for an instant, but it remains a secret to us until we realize it for ourselves. In Zen, a gateless gate or barrier appears to separate us from truth—only when we finally pass through it do we realize that the barrier doesn’t really exist and the separation was illusory from the start. Likewise, Tibetan Buddhism speaks of ground, path, and fruition: The ground of our Buddha nature is ever-present and all-pervasive, but until we embark on the path and realize the ground for ourselves, we never experience the fruition of our search.
In spiritual circles these days, we tend to talk about the nondual as an ontological reality, as if we all know exactly what we’re talking about. But traditionally, the nondual must be experienced, intimately and directly, as our very own true self, for it to become a living reality in our lives. In this presentation, we outline the path by exploring the four primary stages of spiritual awakening through teachings and guided meditations that point us directly to our radiant, boundless spiritual nature, beyond the mind.