From Self Realization to God Realization and Beyond
Many spiritual seekers aim for self realization, the realization of one’s true self beyond the ego and identification with the body and mind. This is an important milestone on the spiritual path, but it is not the final destination. Beyond self-realization lies God-realization, the realization of the Divine presence that dwells within and permeates all of existence. God-realization takes us beyond identification with the individual soul to union with the Absolute.
However, even God-realization is not the ultimate end. As human beings with finite minds, we can only grasp so much of the infinite mystery of being. Our realization is never complete. There are endless dimensions of reality waiting to be unveiled to us. The process of realization is without limit – there is always more truth and beauty to behold. As we expand in awareness, consciousness, and love, our self-concept and God-concept must also continuously evolve and expand. Dive deeper into this infinite ocean of being.
Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery
For the first time in print, well-known spiritual teacher A. H. Almaas presents the highest level and most profound teachings of the Diamond Approach on the true nature of reality and the path to enlightenment.
For more than thirty years, A. H. Almaas has been developing and teaching the Diamond Approach, a spiritual path of self-realization and maturity based on an original synthesis of modern discoveries in psychology and a new paradigm about spiritual nature.
Suppose we can say the Diamond Approach has a goal. In that case, it is to realize the truth at progressively deeper levels until one reaches the ultimate Truth, the Absolute, and to become integrated into that truth so that we are a living presence and embodiment of that truth.
This is the classical enlightenment of many nondual paths. Yet, the path of the Diamond Approach does not end at integrating the absolute, for as this book shows, such realization functions as a stepping stone to further and subtler realizations.
The teachings of this path have been unfolding over time, and Runaway Realization presents–for the first time in print–the highest level of teachings in the Diamond Approach in the most profound work by Almaas so far.
In this book, Almaas offers a detailed look at the true nature of reality and the nature of enlightenment. He also talks about practice–what it is and what it isn’t, and how practice relates to the realization process. He looks at what it is to be a human being and our role in the universe’s totality. The material includes a discussion of the nature of space and time and a view of more and more subtle levels of realization.
Chapter 1: Continual Practice
Chapter 2: Enlightenment Drive Read chapter
Chapter 3: Motiveless Practice
Chapter 4: Practice to No End
Chapter 5: Uncaused Realization
Chapter 6: Non-Self-Centered Practice
Chapter 7: Opening Time and Space
Chapter 8: Total Being
Chapter 9: Organ of Realization
Chapter 10: Dynamic of Realization
Chapter 11: The Paradox of Nondoing
Chapter 12: The Mystery of Emptiness
Chapter 13: Delusion Beyond Realization
Chapter 14: Steps to Nowhere
Chapter 15: Total Nonconceptuality
Chapter 16: Featureless True Nature
Chapter 17: Not One, Not Two
Chapter 18: Total Freedom
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The teaching in this book is off the map. It is outside of all previous articulations of the Diamond Approach. We are in uncharted territory. This new view, which I call the view of totality, reveals that the Diamond Approach cannot be mapped because reality itself cannot be captured in a map. Reality is not a monolithic, static truth that can be defined in a fixed way. It is actually way more alive and mysterious than that. We might feel chagrined by this if we believe that we have reached some final, eternal truth about reality; or we might feel delighted by the freedom of not having an end or a goal to reach. Regardless of how we feel about it, recognizing this indeterminacy of reality is crucial to living our realization and our freedom. – A. H. Almaas