Inner Journey Home: The Soul's Realization of the Unity of Reality [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Gaining a deep understanding of the "soul" is a subtle process requiring both knowledge and practice, in addition to "time and circumstance," through which one absorbs the teaching and the experience(s) toward which those teachings are directed. Many writers have impressive insight into such knowledge (e.g., Wilber), and some have participated in aspects of the practice (e.g., Grof), but no contemporary writer has been able to fuse knowledge, practice, and interior experience into a corpus of work having such a unique clarity, depth, and eloquence appropriate to the contemporary Western audience as has Hameed Ali (literary name, A. H. Almaas). The reason for this is that no contemporary writer (with the exception of Idries Shah) has authoritatively addressed the nature and function of the subtle centers of the "lataif" or essential qualities (different from the "chakras"), and only Hameed's practice directly addresses the "activation of the lataif," which are the substance and expression of the mysterious "pearl" of the Soul. This knowledge and practice goes far beyond the rational and intellectual (e.g., 'philosophical') perspectives which can 'point to' these truths and cross-correlate them across world traditions but do not facilitate one's experiencing or 'tasting' them.

Discussion of such experience(s) requires a degree of "circular philosophizing" that is designed to show the reader how this knowledge resonates with what is in their cultural experience, such as orthodox psychology, German Existentialism, Sufism, Eastern religions, etc. (his Diamond Mind series), or how the practice resonates within the egos, minds, and souls of those who are attempting to "taste" their essential nature (his Diamond Heart series), and offers suggestions for how to pursue that practice (his Diamond Body series). Yes, one does indeed need a "frame of reference -- which is provided by Ali's other books," as is true with any authentic operative philosophy (Gnosis) designed to assist sentient beings (ordinary people) to begin to engage the full depth and essential nature of the Soul and situate that process within a larger Essential Reality that is indeed tangible and accessible to the soul. Hameed's work is not just another intellectual "philosophy" (and certainly doesn't deserve to be referred to as "semantic mush"), rather it is the current flowering of previously secluded Naqshbandi Sufi knowledge and practice related to the "activation of the lataif," arising out of 21st century Western soil carefully prepared by the decades of work by Idries Shah and others; this combined with the mature expression of the enneagram school of psychology and psycho-dynamic practice expressed in the lineage of Oscar Ichazo -- Claudio Naranjo -- Hameed Ali, another occasion where 1000 year-old esoteric Eastern knowledge and practice has emerged within the contemporary Western stream of cultural confluence.

I can concur (word-for-word, including the "30+ years") from personal experience with the previous reviewer¡s observation that participants with whom I have partaken of Hameed's Ridhwan school are "simply the most mature, developed, clean, clear, and simply HUMAN human beings I have ever known in the 30+ years I have been seeking out transcendental experience/ knowledge." For the most part they are serious and dedicated individuals who have been disillusioned, misled, or even "burned" by other paths or approaches and find the Diamond Work provides the substantive teaching and practice they have been seeking and previously not finding. Or they are simply people who have little experience of such "paths or approaches" but have been drawn, in one way or another, to this work, which they find necessary and appropriate for their personal development.

I have great respect for the work of Ken Wilber (have most of his books and have read half of them), and for the work of Stan Grof (have most of his works and have read or re-read most of them), and I would include the lesser known but equally sweeping, prodigious, and perhaps more comprehensive corpus of some 20 works by John G. Bennett, particularly his monumental 4-volume "integral" synthesis, _The Dynamic Universe_, but Hameed's work is of a different order, being the expression of a comprehensive philosophy, psychology, and teaching, honed over years of instrumental practice. In conclusion, I own more than 2000 volumes of "books," mostly on historical, cultural, scientific, philosophical, transpersonal, and transcendental topics, and, to put it simply, Hameed's books are on the "top shelf." I would encourage those seriously interested in self-knowledge and individual development to take the time to immerse themselves in Hameed's work and absorb its Essence.

This book requires serious attention!! In two ways: One, it requires the readers serious attention to truly grasp and appreciate the many revelations and discoveries contained within. Almaas is precise and finely discriminating in his use of language. At times in philosphical like language, at others in more psychological language the reader is rewarded by deep insight into her own nature and an enlivened curiosity to find out more. Two, the major themes: the nature, properties and liberation of the Human Soul, and the Unity of Reality, Being and the Soul is a vast subject which Almaas handles coherently and in depth. This book requires serious attention from interested seekers and scholars alike for it crosses many disciplinary boundaries, linking the spiritual with the psychological and the philosophical through the practice of open-ended inquiry that comes from the very root of the Western Tradition. Their are insights for practioners in both eastern and Western spiritual traditions here. This is Almaas' 11th book, and the best one yet.

I found this book to be profound and deeply rewarding. Almaas, precisely describes the Diamond Approach to self-realization, your true home, as it was experientially revealed to him. He also offers a rich and in-depth description of the view of reality held by many of the world's religions.
I have felt blessed by reading many other books by Almaas and other spiritual teachers. However, this book provided a comprehensive and scholarly understanding of the soul and its movement toward truth that gave me a long awaited sense of the overall experience of the inner journey, and spirituality in general. His writing seamlessly integrates spirituality and psychology to illuminate topics such as the soul and essence, living presence, human potential, liberating the soul, and divine love and light. One central thread of this book presents a clear picture of the non-duality of reality.
Almaas also discusses the stages of spiritual development and the psychological obstacles that are encountered in the journey to individuation and self-realization. He begins by presenting an understanding of the soul, or self, as it is for most human beings. And then he explains the soul's development to the dimension of the Absolute where the soul or self is "the transcendent summit of reality". He continues his description of spiritual development by explaining the journey of descent where the soul or self realizes its full potential as an expression of the absolute in the world.
I feel very inadequate in trying to describe the profundity of this book and it's impact on me. I have read parts of this book several times. Each time I read it I experience greater movement toward truth, the realization of the reality of who I am.