Don Oakley
Nondual Teachings
Books by Don Oakley
Don Oakley's first book is entitled "It's Time to Wake Up Now: The Top Ten Myths that Can Hijack Spiritual Awakening."
"Many people believe that awakening is a path of more: more knowledge, more effort, more dogmas, more good deeds, more meditation, more ritual, etc. If you want a lifelong hobby, a nicely polished spiritualized identity, the comfort of certainty, and the companionship of fellow believers, there are plenty of suitable books out there. This is not one of them.
However, if your intent is to wake up spiritually, then this book might just save you years of looking for Enlightenment where it cannot be found. This book is your tool to dispel the Top Ten spiritual myths leaving you grace-prone to awaken."
"If you are pursuing enlightenment for your own aggrandizement, you will be either deluded or disappointed. It’s not what you gain; it’s what you lose. Truth is already present. It is obscured only by your belief in what is not true. And all beliefs are false. Be foolhardy and dare to step naked into the unknown domain of your own existence."
What People Are Saying about The Top Ten Myths
Joan writes, "I read this book cover to cover twice. I love it. It says everything I could not put into words and rings so true for me. No dogma, no requiring faith or belief, just truth!"
"Having just completed this book, I thoroughly recommend it to all spiritual seekers and to anyone who has a genuine curiosity about their True Nature. Don Oakley uncompromisingly breaks through many of the barriers to true spiritual living, by holding our most cherished beliefs up to the light of our innate wisdom. The writing is very clear, straightforward and pleasant to read, as well as being imbued with humor and wit throughout. 'It's Time to Wake Up Now' is a wonderful gift to the spiritual literature of our time. Enjoy it!"
"This is a fun spiritual read. Don is light-hearted, insightful and proposing the types of practicality that are so useful for the spiritual arena."
"A First-Rate Piece of Writing: While the title suggests that this is about "spiritualism" and may serve to turn away those with no interest in the subject, the book accomplishes two different purposes. The first is to discuss and dispute common assumptions about necessary steps to achieve spiritual "awakening", a term referring to a radically different perspective on life that produces a much calmer and authentic existence. Awakening is the end goal of the Buddhist and Taoist philosophies and over the thousands of years that people have pursued that "Path", various assumptions about its nature have arisen, especially with its introduction into Western culture. These might include ideas such as you need to meditate a lot, pursue an ascetic lifestyle, have cool spiritual experiences, etc. Oakley contradicts and demolishes each one with a careful blend of logic and common sense. His writing shows evidence everywhere of being subjected to the most painstaking examination and editing, and what remains is among the most lucid pieces of prose you will encounter. He is also wonderfully witty, often in a self-deprecating way, enjoyable because it is dropped in unexpectedly, keeping the tone of what could be pretty serious stuff light and down-to-earth. The second purpose is to discuss the nature of reality. While this might seem daunting, as ontology is no one's idea of relaxing bedtime reading, Oakley takes the reader through a series of thought experiments, delivered in a gentle conversational tone, that provide access to different and very thought-provoking perspectives. And again, his reasoning is painstakingly constructed without rhetorical shortcuts or technical terms to hide a lack of rigor in his reasoning. At the end, even if you have no taste for spiritualism or Eastern religions, at minimum you will find yourself with a little more space around your problems and access to a point of view that can lead in intriguing directions. Very highly recommended."
Don's newly released book is called "Empty Wisdom: The Subtle Art of Discovering What You Already Are" is now available on Amazon,
"We normally think of wisdom as the accumulation of knowledge over a lifetime. Knowledge can be helpful, to the extent that they point in the direction of deeper truth, but concepts, in themselves, will never contain the wholeness of reality. Attempts to stuff reality into a concept, however elegant, will inevitably lead to frustration. When we finally recognize the impotence of acquired ideas, concepts, and dogmas, what remains might be called “Empty Wisdom.” That which we truly seek has always been patiently awaiting our own direct recognition. Explore this Subtle Art of Discovering What You Already Are."
Empty Wisdom focuses on the sometimes perplexing period after awakening where everything is fine, but motivations have changed. There can be a sense of nowhere solid to stand, and the mind may be confused as it tries to regain the upper hand. A rich territory to be explored!
What Others Have Said About "Empty Wisdom"
"Dear Don, I am writing to congratulate you and to thank you for Empty Wisdom. It is a true gem: brilliant, clear, inspirational, stoutly reasoned, profound, and funny. I can't imagine a better distillation of ancient wisdom for the modern mind nor a better guidebook for seekers of truth. Better still: I know (somewhat) the man who wrote it! And I can feel his loving energy and hear his wise and generous voice in every passage. This is a job well done. May it bless many beings."
Other Upcoming Book by Don
"The Natural State: Enlightened Living in the Everyday World" is expected to be published this year (2024). It will focus on the sometimes puzzling and poorly charted territory period after spiritual awakening.