Radical Awakening: Cutting through the Conditioned Mind

by Stephen Jourdain

At the age of sixteen, Stephen Jourdain experienced a radical awakening while contemplating (in the manner of a Zen koan) the famous Descartes statement "I think, therefore I am." As a result of this... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1878019163
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Inner Directions Foundation
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Must read for part-time spiritual seekers

This is the first time I read about how awakened one (referring to Stephen Jourdain) may integrate his life into practical aspects of daily life. Stephen lived as real estate agent in all his years since his awakening as 16 years old boy. He refers to those with ordinary consciousness as sleepers, a kind of harsh but I am very open-minded. The choice of vocabulary may be a bit harsh sometimes but I could read the message Stephen was trying to convey. If you are looking for ways to cut through our conditioned mind while having a regular family life, this book really lives up to its title quite well. You may also find this book a worthy read in case if you are stuck into the kind of vocabulary used in oriental spiritual texts for too long. The choice of words used in this book in my opinion are throughly original and refreshing in the sense it came out from a person who speaks from experience, a person who have lived an enlightened life throughout his life. During the course of reading this book, I experienced some little moments of Eureka. Now I am feeling indebted to the spiritual teacher who recommend this book as must read for all serious spiritual seekers. O thank you teacher!

another current era "awakened master"

mr jourdain is another of that rare breed who see beyond what the rest of us are capable of seeing. awake! he sees beyond the poor shadows and ego games we take as real life and a real world. he knows how to be still and know I AM. this is an interesting book of conversations with a very rare bird indeed. in my humble judgement i rate jourdain with the likes of david hawkins and jed mckenna, but probably still short of ramana maharshi and nisargadatta maharaj and a few, very few, others. i notice these great ones generally tell us seeking is futile, there's no "place" we should go and there's nothing we need "do." they hold rank on me and i can't argue but i always notice that they themselves were extremely driven "seekers" before the great awakening came. things that make you say, "hmmm"...a very interesting read this book is, about a very interesting fellow. for myself, though, i think i'll just keep right on knocking to open, asking to be given, seeking to find.....

Remember, you pretend to believe.

This is a very useful book. I found the dialog with Stephen Jourdain authentic. I had an experience about a year ago that left me on one hand profoundly and ultimately changed, but on the other hand utterly the same. Hearing Stephen speak about what it is like to see the world from his awakened perspective gives clarity to many of the things I have been perceiving since then. I know that his descriptions are true not from an intellectual standpoint but from an experiential one. The most important thing Stephen said in the whole book (see pages 95 & 96) and the thing that helped me most to return to the world was this- "But--watch out--he pretends to believe because if he doesn't, reading becomes impossible." I had begun to forget how to read, Steve's warning helped me to return to the stage, but with a bucket of ice water poised carefully above my head just in case I get drowsy. Thanks Steve.

A must read!

All too often we find ourselves caught up in the "path" (practice, dogma, doctrine, etc.) to enlightenment rather than the awakening itself. This book cuts through all that and gives a "simple" (it is possible to awaken but not probable - no pill yet!) formula for attaining the awakening.One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "All is merely pure thought, nothingness, a little of one's own thought wearing the mask of reality."What of the "path?" - There is no "path!"For a more "complete" discussion of this type of "path", I highly recommend "I Am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj." ...

Fresh and deep water.

I devoured this book. I believe Stephen Jourdain to be truly enlightened ; this word seems so cheap sometimes and so many books claim to come from enlightened beings. What truly fascinated me is how personable and passionately alive SJ is. Great masters have explained that when you renounce (or lose) your individuality you truly find what makes you unique. This is what this book will reveal to you : the intensity of love, the delightful pleasure of living together with the knowledge and awareness. This book will make enlightenment closer to your heart I believe. And very funny too.