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A great book. At 280 pages, it is a less daunting read that actually fits into your luggage for taking on a trip. Yet content-wise, it is as dense or more so than the predecessor. Full of underline-able tidbits. Ideally would be read after The Book of Not Knowing, and he refers back to it regularly, saying the topic is covered in more detail in the other. But it is still definitely worth reading cold.
Even though the material is redundant to the previous book in parts, it's stuff you need to hear multiple times from slightly different angles, and the new book definitely has new insights. Between this book and the previous one, Ralston had an 8 month-long apprenticeship program in Mind Stuff, the results of which seem to have heavily informed the book. Key takeaway is that Enlightenment and Transformation are two different tasks. Enlightenment does not directly result in transformation (yet most people pursue it for that reason at least partially). But pursuing each supports the other. A transformation means drilling down and identifying the kernels that drive your emotions, and changing them. Which means changing your self. Which means your self is not immutable, it is a construction, the knowledge of which is a key stepping stone to enlightenment. He separates them out and addresses them separately, while constantly talking about how they support each other. Big lesson learned for him from the apprentices.
Some other tidbits:
- Great section on manipulation versus communication, recognizing we mostly do the former, and striving to achieve the latter when appropriate
- Great short section on intense contemplation and how to make it a practice
- Great section on working with and detaching from emotions, i.e., transformation.
- Great section on relating to and ultimately detaching from your life story.
His writing style is easy to read, and he constantly challenges you to wave the bullshit flag on him if you think it is appropriate. If you read The Book of Not Knowing and got anything out of it at all, you definitely want to read this one.
Check out the table of contents...
