This slim volume collecting excerpts from some of the world's well known sacred texts and enlightened writers makes a simple point, that awakening to our true nature is not a process or experience bound by culture or theology.

Most of One's selections are quite short, ranging from 5-10 pages, and are served with up with introductions setting time, place, and context. If the title and the introduction hadn't already clued you in, it very quickly becomes obvious that sages of ancient India to the script writers of the popular film series The Matrix all have an identical message to convey, that conventional reality is only surface reality, the mind like a movie screen on which fleeting images of light are projected. What lies below, the real reality, can never be described, is approached through humility and abandonment of all conception and striving, and leads to loss of self, the dissolution of I into God, the union of subject and object - enlightenment, rapture, nonduality.

While the religious writings (including selections from Hinduism, Buddhism,Taosim, Native American animism, mystical Judaism, Christianity and Islam) are interesting enough, it's the book's latter half that has the most direct appeal to the modern reader. In it, writers working in such diverse fields as the arts, psychotherapy, and education present perspectives of their professions informed by nonduality.

Most of the selections should be fairly comprehensible to anyone with a decent secondary education. The introductions go a long way in helping explain concepts and expressions used in traditions the typical Western reader may not be familiar with, for example in Hinduism or Buddhism. Ironically for a collection issued in the US, I found one of the densest and least penetrable texts to be of a Christian enlightenment experience.

This is a wonderful book for a new spiritual seeker, or an old one who hasn't been exposed to the well-trod paths winding through other corners of the world. Reading it may help us recall that, despite differences in language or ideology, our quest for awakening is after all is a quest to be fully human.

#

I am grateful to Jerry Katz for offering us this superb introduction and explication on the meaning, function, and essence of Nonduality.

In the past, when friends or acquaintances asked me to recommend a book on this marvelous, but sometimes difficult subject, I was forced to hand them a half-dozen books and point out the pertinent sections--No more! Mr. Katz's lovely book brings all the essential writings together--and much more!

Part One of "One: Essential Writings on Nonduality", begins with a straightforward and lucid introduction to the essential concepts of Nonduality, then suddenly and unexpectedly, Katz expertly guides us beyond the "concepts" of Nonduality and evokes the experience itself! With the compassionate wisdom of a Zen master, Katz pulls this off by directing our awareness to the evidence of our own inherent wisdom. By page 4 we may realize that we are "not in Kansas anymore", and by page 7 we may be startled to find that while "there is no place like home", there is "no place BUT home."

In Part Two, Jerry Katz begins to present the marvelous implications of Nonduality by guiding us gradually, and logically into the meaning and function of Nonduality in our lives here and now. As he does throughout the book, Katz leads the reader at a steady pace into subtler depths of this profound characteristic of reality by gradually building upon the knowledge we have attained in the earlier sections.

With a wonderful selection of teachings by Sri Ramana Maharshi, Katz takes us for an exciting exploration of the essential teachings regarding spiritual liberation, freedom from fear and greed, and the actualization of a full and authentic life.

Outlining the two fundamental "attitudes", or "approaches" to practice and enlightenment, Mr. Katz furnishes us with all the tools and knowledge we need to begin our journey along the ancient Way, which is actually beneath our own two feet at this very moment.

Part Three is a veritable treasure trove of the sacred wisdom from all the great religions and spiritual traditions of the world. By utilizing a number of insightful selections from Buddhism, Taoism, Advaita, Sufism, Judaism, Christianity, and the Native American Tradition, Katz not only reveals the wonders of Nonduality--he gives us a direct presentation of it!

As the late great mythologist, Joseph Campbell revealed in "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," there may be many "faces" but there is only One "hero", Jerry Katz reveals the "One" reality as it speaks through all the great traditions.

This section of the book provides such a wealth of information, knowledge, inspiration, and traditional wisdom that we may want to have at least two copies; for we are sure to wear this book out as we will be returning to this section again and again for decades to come.

Part Four of "One: Essential Writings on Nonduality", provides the reader with some of the ways that the reality of Nonduality manifests in society, culture, and the world. This whole section is like icing on the cake.

Jerry Katz takes us behind the scenes, giving us an inside tour of the modern world through an exploration of the nature of Nonduality in:

o Psychotherapy

o Education

o Art

o Even in the movie, The Matrix

In Part Five (Yes, there is more!) Jerry Katz brings it all together (or actually reveals that it has ALWAYS BEEN altogether) by highlighting some extraordinary implications of Nonduality, as well as providing us with some grist for the mill on our own journey.

Throughout "One: Essential Writings on Nonduality", Jerry Katz provides us with the kind of lucid and insightful commentary that opens our hearts to the marvels of this vast unnamable fathomless void that we call home.

Highly Recommended!!

`Selected writings' rather than `essential' but there is nevertheless something here to inspire everyone and perhaps point them in a direction to discover more about the one truth that is the background of all appearance.

The editor is knowledgeable in all of these areas and weaves together the extracts well. All disciplines are unlikely to appeal to everyone equally. Personally, I found Ibn `Arabi a revelation and Steven Harrison's piece on `Education' excellent. The introduction too, by David Godman, provides a superbly concise summary of Ramana Maharshi's teaching. But I found Bernadette Roberts incomprehensible and the Native American piece overly mystical. There is a review of the `Matrix' films that is thought-provoking and an essay by an artist that serves to reinforce a long-standing view that writing by artists is invariably unintelligible - it seems that it is because what they want to say cannot be said that they have become artists in the first place.

`Chacun à son goût', as they say - all of this merely reinforces the view that there is something here for everyone. If you are curious about what non-duality has to offer, look no further. Dennis Waite, author of Back to the Truth: 5000 years of Advaita

Jerry has contributed probably more in the area of "modern nonduality" than anyone else.

Just his NondualitySalon mailing list has been a smash hit over the years, although it isn't quite what it used to be (people have branched out to separate lists and such - it used to be almost an Upanishad in itself.

Editing nondual subject matter is a thankless task - it is so diverse, there is so much to it. How to even communicate what 'nonduality' is to a newcomer? It is amazingly difficult, but Jerry does a wonderful job as always!

Many thanks to Mr. Katz for his continuing contributions, including the nonduality.com web site. Visit mine if you like www dot omkaradatta dot info (I am a teacher).

So many great teachers and teachings are sharing the non-dual pointers to what is Real and exposing the false ... and Jerry Katz, who has been at this for quite a while now, has kind of put it all together so as to to interrupt the mind's grasping and bring the ancient teachings into real "time."

Those who attempt to express the Indescribable Inescapable Isness of Nonduality are often awkward and inarticulate as the baffling of words fails always to point to this Naked Awareness that IS the True- Nature of this appearance. Jerry does this startlingly well: "Nonduality Is The Experience Of Your True nature." That is a great pointer, and as the natural seeing develops from that, it is ultimately seen to NOT be a "personal experience" at all (!), but rather the impersonal choiceless "experience of immortality" as one sage titled this Absolute Being-Aliveness. This is a great addition to the written Advaita tradition! With great respect and love, from [...] ... thanks for nothing/everything...!!

Charlie Hayes, author of From I Am To I Am, With Love: A Guide To The End Of Your Psychological Suffering