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If you find me charming, it means that right now you’re in a good mood, nothing more.
In Awareness, Anthony De Mello challenges everything you think you know about happiness and spiritual growth. Through sharp insights and memorable parables, he reveals why most of us are sleepwalking through life and how to finally wake up.
SMARTEST TAKEAWAYS
Three Pillars of Spiritual Awakening
1️⃣ Stop Fixing, Start Watching: De Mello insists that trying to change yourself is part of the problem. True transformation comes from simply observing your thoughts and behaviors without judgment. It's like watching a movie of your own life—you see everything clearly but don't get caught in the drama.
2️⃣ Attachments Create Suffering: Every unhappiness in your life comes from attachment—to ideas, people, outcomes, or your self-image. By recognizing these attachments, you begin to loosen their grip. It's not about becoming detached; it's about seeing how attachments control you.
3️⃣ Reality Is Your Best Teacher: Stop seeking wisdom in books and gurus (yes, even this one). The truth is right in front of you in every moment. Your job is to drop your preconceptions and see what's actually there, not what your programming tells you is there.
De Mello was a Jesuit priest, psychotherapist, and internationally acclaimed spiritual guide. The book ‘Awareness’ is a compilation of talks that he gave at retreats.
INSIGHTFUL EXAMPLE
From Anxious Executive to Awakened Observer
A high-powered executive was constantly stressed about his performance, his image, and his future. Despite success, he felt empty and afraid. Reading Awareness transformed his approach: instead of fighting his anxiety, he started observing it. He noticed how his need for approval drove his actions, how his fears were based on imagined futures, and how his "success" was really a prison of expectations.
By simply watching these patterns without trying to change them, everything changed. His anxiety didn't disappear—but his relationship to it transformed. He stopped being controlled by it. His work improved not because he tried harder, but because he stopped getting in his own way.
BOOK FACTS
Awareness
First Published: June 1, 1990
Print length: 192 pages
Listening length: 7:26
Ratings: 4.7 Amazon, 4.3 Goodreads
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Mind-Body Consciousness
Even after De Mello's passing in 1987, his direct, no-nonsense approach to spiritual awakening remains uniquely powerful. Enjoy the book—and enjoy the journey to consciousness.
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— Scott
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