Whether it is called enlightenment, pure awareness, or the "unconditioned mind," there exists an awakened state of pure liberation that is at the heart of every contemplative tradition. Yet, according to Peter Fenner, this experience of boundless consciousness does not have to exist separately from our day-to-day, "conditioned" existence. Rather, we can learn to exist as unique individuals at the same time as we rest in a unified expanse of oneness with all existence--in a state he calls "Radiant Mind." In Radiant Mind, Peter Fenner shares the insights, techniques, and exercises he has developed in teaching the thousands of students who have attended his sold-out workshops, including: * How to observe and dissolve fixations, to live in the here and now without being controlled by our desires * Listening and speaking in a way that moves us toward pure openness--and lets us share this experience with others * Tools for identifying our conscious and unconscious sources of suffering--and learning to transcend those patterns "As extraordinary as unconditioned mind may sound," teaches Peter Fenner, "it isn't distant from our everyday life; it's always readily available to us." Now, this respected authority on both Eastern spirituality and Western psychology introduces readers to a set of practices available to anyone open to the complete possibilities of their spiritual evolution--and to the experience of the unconstrained bliss of Radiant Mind.

I bought the book because of the twelve prior ratings. My mistake, should have read the sample offered.
It is very basic. If you have any background in Buddhism, or non-dual philosophy, you will find this book repetitive and simplistic.
I wonder why authors don't have good editors, or bypass the edit process entirely. They wind up saying the same thing in a lot of ways, or, worse, just saying the same thing over and over.
The book could have been half the length and gotten the point across, plus had room for some fluff.

Radiant Mind is a fantastic book! Having read many books on Zen, Buddhism and meditation, along with personal training and meditation retreats, I have to say Fenner nails it! It is difficult to say exactly what it was in the book that was most meaningful, but what Fenner says and how he says it definately gave me several Ah-Ha moments. Similar to Adyashanti's teachings, if you have moved beyond dogma and liturgy in Buddhism, and are truely looking for the essense of Buddha's awakening, then this work is where you want to spend time. It is a book I will return to many times.

This book is exceptionally clear and lucid, while covering material that is deep and too often difficult.

If you pay close attention, you'll be able to notice that the author gives us readers a *process*, somethings to do...that help us get results.

This isn't theory-only, it's very practical.

If you want good background and foundation, processes and methods that work, if you want to come away with clarity and be able to make progress -- then this is one of those rare books that will give you all that.

For those seeking some form of Enlightenment, Fenner shines a bright, if not harsh, light on just what enlightment is - and is not. His writing is actually very positive and helps one to experience the non-dual in everyday life (hence: Radiant Mind), instead of merely seeking to "be" non-dual, which of course is an impossibility. This is the CD version - it is clear but Fenner does speak a bit slowly, perhaps attempting to induce a calm aura into his ideas. Very straight forward and down to earth, a welcome change to the Ken Wilber style. A valuable addition to a seeker's library.

The purpose of Radiant Mind is to turn the reader's attention toward cultivating unconditioned awareness in the midst of everyday experience. Peter Fenner is a well known teacher, writer, scholar, and counselor. In the world of nonduality, Radiant Mind is one of the few all-encompassing, structured nondual teachings for students of the early 2000s. If your current involvement with nondual teachings is unsatisfactory, you may be very pleased with the breadth and depth of Radiant Mind. I recommend investigating it.

Fenner anticipates and confronts the reader's avoidance and dishonesty. He points out the difference between disconnecting from and deconstructing our problems. He's honest: "We don't necessarily want to examine our patterns. In fact, the patterns are constructed with a dual purpose. They are designed to sabotage our life and the lives of others, but in such a way that we don't recognize them."

Following each chapter are exercises. Their initial objective is to connect you with your fixations or conditioned existence. Then the exercises are designed to cultivate unconditioned awareness through sitting, pure listening, and various ways of deconstruction, especially conversations: "These conversations dismantle the structures of our conditioning and introduce us to the experience of contentless awareness."

For those who think they are beyond meditation, or contemplative practice, Fenner points out that practice is necessary in order to reveal to us that practice is not necessary. More honesty: "This constant denial saps our energy and demoralizes us, because we're engaged in a losing battle with a reality that simply isn't interested in our existence."

Peter Fenner does not allow you hide anywhere. He knows all your tricks and spells them out. At the same time, he is open about the paradox of functioning out of the nondual space. He says, "You're so complete it doesn't mean anything to say you're complete. This book is a paradox. ... I'm sure you also know that it has nothing to do with unconditioned awareness."

Counselors, psychotherapists, coaches, spiritual teachers, and self-realized gurus looking for ways to explain things better, and anyone functioning within, or with, or as the paradox, will benefit from reading Radiant Mind.

Radiant Mind may also be engaged as an 8-month course. Fenner mentions the course in passing at the very end of the book. He gives all he's got within the limitations of a book. The course is not necessary, however the serious reader/student will know soon enough.

Finally, I want to briefly talk about the index. The index is excellent and professional. The only thing that puzzles me is why the material in the exercises at the end of each chapter was not indexed.

For example, under the entry "pure listening," all the appropriate page numbers in the book are noted except for pages 123-124, which are exercises in pure listening. Perhaps the indexer or publisher could explain to me the justification. Aside from that, it is one of the best indexes in the nonduality genre today. That the Appendix on Radiant Communication was indexed is commendable.

Jerry Katz
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality