The Knee Of Listening: The Divine Ordeal Of The Avataric Incarnation Of Conscious Light

Rating:
Summary: Eye-and-Heart Opening
Review: Adi Da Samraj reveals his life and work in the pages of this autobiography, and as that revelation unfolds, a simple fact emerges: he has gone through an extraordinary ordeal to give us all a way to be happy, even right now. It is a fascinating and moving account of how that way came to be, full of both the ordinary trappings of human existence and incredible spiritual awakenings. This book opened my eyes and heart to a rare being. Definitely worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Profound beyond Limit
Review: I have just started reading this newly updated book, having read an older version several years ago, and I am even more speechless reading this book - with the profundity, the sacrifice, and the recognition of the One Who speaks through The Knee of Listening. This is spiritually historical, but also very human.

I am newly impressed on each page and each chapter, with the depth of Adi Da's Realization, and with the sacrifice Adi Da has made and continues to make for the sake of returning to the "Bright" not just himself, but as his gift for all humanity, for our liberation and Happiness. The relentless willingness he has to go beyond all limits blows me away! Also, the relationship he had to his teachers is very instructive, especially talking about Nityananda and Vivekenanda. I think this book is a must read for anyone interested in God, Truth, Religion, or anyone on their own spirutual path.

Rating:
Summary: The most illuminating autobiography you will ever read!
Review: This is the most illuminating autobiography you will ever read! It will change your whole idea of life. When I read Adi Da's words, I can feel amazing clarity and bliss pervading my mind and heart. Troubles, seeking, and problems seem to instantly disappear.

I have always loved the prologue to the Knee of Listening, which speaks about the real possibility of freedom from fear of death:

"Death is utterly acceptable to consciousness and life. There has been endless time of numberless deaths, but neither consciousness nor life has ceased to arise. The felt quality and cycle to death has not modified the fragility of flowers, even the flowers within the human body. Therefore, one's understanding of consciousness and life must be turned to That Utter, Inclusive Truth, That Clarity and Wisdom, That Power and Untouchable Gracefulness, That One and only Reality, this evidence suggests. One must cease to live in a superficial and divided way, seeking and demanding consciousness and life in the present apparent form, avoiding and resisting what appears to be the end of consciousness and life in death.

The Heart Is Real understanding. The Heart Is Real Consciousness and Real Life. The Heart Is What Merely and Only Is, but Which Is also Appearing In and Behind the conditions of mortal life and its death. Therefore, it is said of old, the One That Is Is neither born nor come to death, not Alive merely as the limitation of form (itself), not Itself (or Entirely) Rendered in what appears, and, yet, It Is the Living One, than Which there Is no lesser other (and no Great or Greater Other), Appearing As all of this Play of changes, but Eternally One, Unchanging, and Free.

There is Only the Constant Knowledge and Enjoyment of the Heart, moment to moment, through the instant of all conditions of appearance and disappearance. Of This I Am Perfectly Certain. I Am That."