Book review: "The Nature of Consciousness: Essays on the Unity of Mind and Matter” by Rupert Spira

Since my first out-of-body experience at age four, when under anesthesia, my awareness hovered peacefully above the lights that glared down on a doctor stitching up my bottom lip, I’ve been interested in spiritual matters. As a young girl I love ghost stories and boasted I was never afraid; I played a game based on reincarnation, I drew faces that people recognized as dead relatives, and as a teenager, I began my life-long practice of meditation.

My dad thought I’d grow up to be a nun since I was so curious about God. Me, a nun? I knew that wasn’t gonna happen! (I was also very curious about boys.) Although I fought it, I was confirmed Catholic. By fourteen I knew the religion of my ancestors would not satisfy my search for a connection with God, and ultimately, the peace and happiness I experienced first hand.

After my second OBE and my near-death experience as an adult, I studied Zen Buddhism and came upon the Advaita Vedanta teachings. “Advaita” is a Sanskrit word meaning “not two” and “Vedanta” refers to “the end of the sacred texts.” These ancient “ultimate” teachings are also known as non-duality (the term I prefer because it’s more direct and contemporary).  

Non-duality is a worldview that, very simply put, states that one consciousness encompasses all existence. There is no separation between objects, minds, bodies. As individual modulations of the same eternal, unlimited Awareness (God), we are essentially one.

Such unity forms the basis of most world religions, but sadly, it’s a view that isn’t embraced by our Western culture, where matter is king and consciousness comes last (as in, “first there was a void, then matter, then mind, then consciousness”).

Non-duality resonates with me as I experienced a profound connection of unity when I wasn’t in my body. However, without a teacher to guide me, I found the concepts difficult to grasp; what was written felt true but at the same time, too esoteric, perhaps poorly translated as well.

I found books by Dr. Deepak Chopra to be more accessible. About ten years ago, I read “Ageless Body, Timeless Mind.” Deepak wrote about transcending outmoded, dualistic paradigms of separation in order to have a healthier life. I also enjoyed the popular “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle, but it wasn’t until about four years ago that I discovered Rupert Spira’s videos on YouTube.

Rupert Spira teaches the Direct Path of Advaita which means one doesn’t have to spend years under a yogi, gradually unraveling the mystery, preparing to learn the truth. The Direct Path lineage includes such brilliant teachers as Francis Lucille, Jean Klein, and the guru Sri Atmananda Krishna Menon.

Through metaphors and often humor, Rupert makes the concepts of non-duality enjoyable to grasp. He’s compassionate, articulate, generous, and always spontaneous.

When his newest book, The Nature of Consciousness: Essays on the Unity of Mind and Matter (Sahaja Press, 2017) became available at my public library, I got on the waitlist. The book was constantly by my side for weeks; luckily, I was able to renew it a couple of times.

I found myself reading a paragraph then putting the book down and pondering the meaning for several minutes, to allow it to sink in. Each essay goes down a different path of looking at non-duality. Chapter 15, “The Shared Medium of Mind,” is the essay which most directly pertains to mediumship. Rupert states:

“At the deepest level all minds are connected because they are all precipitated within the same field of infinite consciousness, and the varying degrees of connectedness that we feel with one another or with animals, objects and nature are the degrees to which our minds are transparent to this shared medium.”

This is the connection I felt when in spirit; clear telepathic communication unfiltered by the mind. He continues, “Love is the word we use when we feel this shared medium with other people and animals. The same experience is referred to as beauty in relation to objects.”

Most of us have experienced love, the dissolution of ourselves into another, or have experienced the awe of the beauty in nature or art. The difference is that we may think it’s the other person or object that is responsible for our feelings, when in fact, it is simply the recognition of our shared being that is love.

Rupert’s guided meditations can be found on YouTube. I’d recommend that mediums follow his direction to “be aware of being aware” prior to every link instead of “sitting in the power,” which is like expecting an outside energy to elevate us to new heights.

Because “[E]ach of our finite minds brings a segment of infinite consciousness’s potential into actuality,” we are already accessing that power which we seek.

Rupert’s book is filled with beautifully formed articulations of non-duality and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in metaphysical philosophy and the truth, especially mediums and psychics.

When we see ourselves as separate individuals and experience blending with spirit energy as mediums, we find ourselves and Spirit to be “not two.” As we feel this connection, the apparent merging with other modulations of energy feels easier, lighter, and more loving.

We suffer when we feel separate. Knowing that we are the same Awareness brings happiness. Bring that knowledge to all your relationships and your mediumship will feel more natural, and naturally, it will blossom.