A. H. Almaas

This is the first book I've read by Almaas. I have not been involved at all in his teaching orbit. So I came at this book without any prior familiarity with its contents. On the other hand, I've been involved in Yoga and Buddhism for several decades, so the general topic of self-cultivation is quite familiar.

This book seemed to be a survey of the system that Almaas has developed. It doesn't get into practical details at all. It's more of a metaphysical outline, a map of the territory, with no discussion of what vehicles one might use to embark on an actual journey there. There are many references to other books by Almaas, where, the reader is told, further details on this or that topic are available.

The book did remind me of Wilber's big fat metaphysical tomes. The difference I think is mostly that Wilber covers broader territory. Almaas is really focused on the structure of the soul. I don't see the soul that Almaas discusses being the same soul that Buddhism denies. At some ultimately deep level, yeah, it gets really tricky to say much without blundering. But the various Buddhist school all criticize each other for such blundering. I don't see that Almaas got much further out of line. But mostly the soul discussed by Almaas is much the same as the kind of dynamic psychology that is central to Buddhist psychology.

Almaas is not focused so much on general psychology, but more on the phases of development of someone cultivating their mind. A lot of the ideas seem quite specific to the strategies employed in the training program developed by Almaas. It's of some interest to a person like myself who is not engaged in that program, but I am sure that folks in the program will find the book a lot more useful. Folks who have no interest in disciplined self-cultivation will have no use for this book!… (mere)

I always found Almaas's books some of the clearest writings for the practical application of Zen practice, or what he calls Work. His Diamond Heart series is very easy to understand and apply. The chapter on The Theory of Holes in Diamond Heart Book One is worth reading alone. At times, Almaas seems a little verbose and the message gets watered down with too many words. Some of his books have just been hard to read unless you're an intellectual. I'm a layman. Keep it simple.

And that's exactly what Almaas does in The Unfolding Now. His best writing to date. A practical guide to living life in an honest, practice-minded manner. If you practice meditation, this will help clarify what you do on the cushion as well as your daily life. I wish there was an opportunity to work with his school, but distance is an issue for many of us. Thankfully, he's given us some wonderful writings.… (mere)