Instructions for Spiritual Living

(Paperback, 3rd Edition, Revised Edition of Essays on the Quest)

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Answers to the questions that arise on the spiritual path

Includes specially selected writings from the huge literary archive of Paul Brunton

Explains the different stages of meditation and the obstacles likely to arise for each, offering guidance for achieving advanced states of meditation to deepen ones inner life

Challenges the need for spiritual dependency on any particular guru, teaching, or practice, showing that following your intuition can bring the best spiritual success

Explores the process of self-examination and emotional purification, revealing how to break free from the ego and tap into the inspiration flowing from within

No matter where we are in our spiritual development, we all have questions about our practice and what we are experiencing--both the challenges and opportunities. How can I overcome my struggles to meditate more deeply Is there a need for a guru or can I rely on myself Can I trust my intuition Is it possible to hear the Inner Word, the voice of the soul, and how can I be sure thats what Im hearing Is the Higher Self in the heart

Offering trustworthy answers to these and many more questions, renowned spiritual teacher Paul Brunton provides instructions to guide ones development in three fundamental areas of the spiritual path: meditation, self-examination, and the unfolding of awakening. Guiding you with insight and care through each stage of meditation, including advanced states that deepen ones inner life, he explains how meditation is the art and practice of introverting attention, of freeing oneself for a period of time from thoughts, sensations, and feelings and allowing the soul to reveal itself out of the quiet that one has created. He explains the goal of each meditative stage and the obstacles you are likely to face and examines the need for spiritual dependency on any particular guru, teaching, or practice, showing that following your intuition can bring spiritual success.

Exploring the process of self-examination and emotional purification, Brunton shows how lifes challenges are moments by which we can make real progress in our surrender to a higher life. He reveals how to break free from the ego, follow your intuition to align with your ideals, and tap into the inspiration flowing from within. He also examines the development of transcendental insight, the cornerstone of compassionate wisdom in action, which allows us to become a source of inspiration to all we encounter.

Including writings received by the Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation after his death, this guide offers transformative wisdom to aid our understanding of what the spiritual journey entails, help point the way when the way is uncertain, and learn and grow from the challenges that arise as you develop spiritually.

Reviews

Paul Brunton was a great original and got to a place of personal evolution that illumines the pathways of a future humanity. * Jean Houston, author of The Possible Human and A Mythic Life *
Any serious man or woman in search of spiritual ideas will find a surprising challenge and an authentic source of inspiration and intellectual nourishment in the writings of Paul Brunton. * Jacob Needleman, professor of philosophy at San Francisco State University and author of Lost Christ *
A powerful transmission for our time. Instructions for Spiritual Living and Paul Bruntons lifetime works should continue to inspire the world for years to come. This powerful book bridges ancient and modern mysticism. A gem! * Mariana Caplan, Ph.D., MFT, author of Halfway Up the Mountain: The Error of Premature Claims to Enli *
A truly comprehensive and authoritative work that should be read by sincere seekers and advanced adepts alike. Paul Bruntons work demonstrates a real mastery of the intricacies of spiritual life. His sagely conclusions on a number of key topics rarely covered elsewhere in spiritual literature provide an important contribution to our contemporary understanding of awakening and enlightenment. This kind of knowledge is indispensable for the modern seeker, because it provides a clear picture of not only what to expect when going through the process of dis-identifying with form and becoming one with the formless but also how to properly integrate this profound transformation of consciousness into an ordinary human life. We are very fortunate that his writings are available. * Stephen DAmico, author of Heaven On Earth and The Incredible State of Absolute Nothingness *
Paul Bruntons wisdom is like the childs voice in the story The Emperors New Clothes. His observations and spiritual insights reveal a laser-sharp eye that directs us back to that which is obvious within us, though obviously overlooked--the Divine Self. * Mooji, spiritual teacher *
Paul Brunton was surely one of the finest mystical flowers to grow on the wasteland of our secular civilization. What he has to say is important to us all. * Georg Feuerstein (19472012), author of The Yoga-Sutra of Patajali *
In The Short Path to Enlightenment, Paul Brunton gives voice to the profound teachings of immediate spiritual awakening that have the power to short circuit the seeker in us and reveal the true nature of reality here and now. But the true gift of this wonderful book is in how nuanced and subtle Paul Brunton understood these profound and transformational teachings and how directly he conveys them. Read this book as you would a scripture or a sutra and let it open your eyes to eternity. * Adyashanti, author of The Way of Liberation *
The Short Path to Enlightenment is a deeply supportive text from the extraordinary Paul Brunton, the spiritual explorer who first brought knowledge of Ramana Maharishi to the West. In this work, readers receive the invitation and instruction to discover the truth of oneself. This book is alive with supreme knowledge. May it support you in immediately and continually recognizing yourself. * Gangaji, author of The Diamond in Your Pocket *
With the possible exception of Alan Watts, Paul Brunton has probably been the most influential exponent of Eastern philosophy and systems of self-realization in this century. . . . significant commentaries on nearly every conceivable aspect of the spiritual quest . . . unreservedly recommended as the final, eloquent summing up by one of the Wests most perceptive thinkers and deepest students of the ancient wisdom. * The American Theosophist *
Nowhere else will you find such a profound synthesis of East-West philosophic mysticism stripped of all the usual obscurity and extravagances. Both the modern intellect and the weary heart will find unlimited inspiration, wisdom, and guidance for action in these Notebooks. * Victor Mansfield (1941-2008), author and professor of physics and astronomy at Colgate University *
Paul Bruntons Notebooks series is a veritable treasure trove of philosophic-spiritual wisdom. * Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1926-2004), author of On Death and Dying *
The first word that comes to mind is 'wonderful' and the second is 'useful.' Instructions for Spiritual Living is really like a Swiss Army knife of tools for advanced spiritual growth. Moreover, it is readable, offering complex insights in simple language, and permeated with the voice of genuine noetic apprehension. * Dana Sawyer, Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy, Maine College of Art and author of Aldou *
"Instructions for Spiritual Living is an important book which clearly demonstrates the power of words, long after the author's death, making it particularly relevant and prophetic in today's world." * Bruce Stringer, New Dawn Magazine *

Author Bio

Paul Brunton (1898-1981) is widely esteemed for creatively integrating the worlds spiritual teachings and meditation systems into a clear, practical approach best-suited for contemporary life. He is the author of more than 10 books, including the bestselling A Search in Secret India, which introduced Ramana Maharshi to the West.