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Enlightenment Trilogy #3
spiritual warfare: The Damnedest Thing
Book Three of Jed McKenna's Enlightenment Trilogy Guns and bombs are children's toys. A true war wages, and you're invited. IT'S AN INVITATION you may not be able to accept if you want to, or decline if you don't. It's an invitation to fight in a war like no other; a war where loss is counted as gain, surrender as victory, and where the enemy you must face, an enemy of unimaginable superiority, is yourself. In Spiritual Warfare , the metaphor of warfare rarely appears. Instead, we are presented with the living reality of a very normal woman -- a wife and mother with a demanding career and high-stress lifestyle -- and we see what happens when she receives an invitation that, try as she might, she can't refuse. And we meet another woman, a woman who accepted the invitation and fought and won. In the closing chapters of this book, we attend her memorial service as Jed delivers her eulogy. Spiritual Warfare issues a damning and irrefutable indictment of its own audience and genre, putting spirituality and religion themselves on trial. A terrible crime is being committed against humanity, a crime of oppression and subjugation far beyond Orwell's 1984. We are the victims of this crime, but we are also its perpetrators. Our motive is fear, our sin is ignorance, and the chain in which we enslave ourselves is belief. "Belief means not wanting to know what is true." -Friedrich Nietzsche Spiritual Warfare is a book for those who do want to know; people who want to escape from their dark asylum and experience a direct and authentic spirituality; people for whom it's time to look, to think, to know, and -- at long last -- to put away childish things.
328 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2007
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October 13, 2008
And this is the sweeper, here McKenna decisively wipes the floor with any would be enlightenment artists that might still be left standing, and dispenses with any remaining foibles and fallacies that surround the topic. The book is full of humor, and if nothing else the disclaimer in the front of the book alone is worth the price.
If you're tired of half-baked stuff, and new-age gobbledygook, this trilogy is a must-read. If you'd rather spend the rest of your days feeding your sacred cows, avoid them like the plague.
I sincerely hope McKenna stops writing now. He's made his point, there's nothing else to say, and if we didn't get it by now there's little point in continuing. Besides, this stuff is so good, if he wrote more I'd have to buy it...
Having said that, this 3rd book is easily the best of the trilogy, but if you read them at all -- proceed at your own risk -- by all means do read them in order.
If you're tired of half-baked stuff, and new-age gobbledygook, this trilogy is a must-read. If you'd rather spend the rest of your days feeding your sacred cows, avoid them like the plague.
I sincerely hope McKenna stops writing now. He's made his point, there's nothing else to say, and if we didn't get it by now there's little point in continuing. Besides, this stuff is so good, if he wrote more I'd have to buy it...
Having said that, this 3rd book is easily the best of the trilogy, but if you read them at all -- proceed at your own risk -- by all means do read them in order.
March 31, 2018
Spiritual warfare is 3rd Mckenna’s book in Enlightenment trilogy with word “spiritual” in name and which doesn’t have anything with enlightenment. This trilogy is about McKenna trying to tell you that life has no meaning and all beliefs are false and you could see it clearly if your sight hasn’t been obstructed by your ego. It is fair to say that I like McKenna’s work, but I reckon there is a majority of people who will read the book(s) and will not be able to get anything out of them, and McKenna also explained that in every each of them why is it like that.
Reviews of previous books can be seen here and here. I will continue pretending you have read them. As in the first two books McKenna is giving non-subtle signs that he finishes with that book and it was little bit funny to see same story repeating in first, second and again in third, while I am already in possession of fourth one, which I think is stand-alone but don’t hate me because I didn’t check and I do not check as I write this.
I’d personally divide this one in three parts about how I felt about them. First one is first quarter of book, second second quarter, and third one remaining half. First part starts in his usual aimless, senseless tone, driving (metaphor) around and doing this-and-that. I was in for it, little bit of laugh, some his insights, introduction to story which awaits and characters who will join us for the rest of book. Pleasant, but nothing special. Second part I did not like; I felt it was repetitive to the first two books, like he run out of things to say. Thing I didn’t like even more is that I felt he didn’t know how to say what he wanted to say. Now I’ll make small digression to explain why I actually hated that. Thing which actually attracted me most to McKenna’s book is that he is actually one of rare people who is on same page with me considering the way to look at reality. We both are discarding all bullshits, stripping layers of ego until there is nothing left. We are not in search for happiness, love, peace, peace of mind or enlightenment, we only seek to really see what is and what is not. And unlike most of the other people, we do not make compromise or try to slip from one delusion to another. We do have couple of differences, but they more probably come for limitations of expressing through words, rather than different view of particular subject. But in this, second part I occasionally felt we fell of same train and it was bit of disappointing. It was about connection between falling of bike and finishing book; if you are on same page with us, you’ll get it. And third, last part, was where McKenna started to shine. All faults of being unable to express his thoughts have vanished, and strong parts of text arose. He was clear and strong. Maybe this last part was the most unbelievable in all three books about realness of characters in it, but it did not bother me, because they fully served their purpose. And coming close to an end prose was started being more and more poetical, humor was subtle and elegant and you could see the honesty in words about himself and his path.
One of the criteria by which I judge book, is what to they mean for me, what do I gain from them. I consider a book good if I am able to get two or three things which expand my perspective or offer me some kind of understanding which I haven’t had before. Spiritual warfare follows the example of its predecessors making McKenna writer (or a person) which I hold in high regard. What will you be able to gain for them/him, it entirely depends on not your desire to see everything as it is, it depends on severity of your discontent with delusions you’ve created so far.
Reviews of previous books can be seen here and here. I will continue pretending you have read them. As in the first two books McKenna is giving non-subtle signs that he finishes with that book and it was little bit funny to see same story repeating in first, second and again in third, while I am already in possession of fourth one, which I think is stand-alone but don’t hate me because I didn’t check and I do not check as I write this.
I’d personally divide this one in three parts about how I felt about them. First one is first quarter of book, second second quarter, and third one remaining half. First part starts in his usual aimless, senseless tone, driving (metaphor) around and doing this-and-that. I was in for it, little bit of laugh, some his insights, introduction to story which awaits and characters who will join us for the rest of book. Pleasant, but nothing special. Second part I did not like; I felt it was repetitive to the first two books, like he run out of things to say. Thing I didn’t like even more is that I felt he didn’t know how to say what he wanted to say. Now I’ll make small digression to explain why I actually hated that. Thing which actually attracted me most to McKenna’s book is that he is actually one of rare people who is on same page with me considering the way to look at reality. We both are discarding all bullshits, stripping layers of ego until there is nothing left. We are not in search for happiness, love, peace, peace of mind or enlightenment, we only seek to really see what is and what is not. And unlike most of the other people, we do not make compromise or try to slip from one delusion to another. We do have couple of differences, but they more probably come for limitations of expressing through words, rather than different view of particular subject. But in this, second part I occasionally felt we fell of same train and it was bit of disappointing. It was about connection between falling of bike and finishing book; if you are on same page with us, you’ll get it. And third, last part, was where McKenna started to shine. All faults of being unable to express his thoughts have vanished, and strong parts of text arose. He was clear and strong. Maybe this last part was the most unbelievable in all three books about realness of characters in it, but it did not bother me, because they fully served their purpose. And coming close to an end prose was started being more and more poetical, humor was subtle and elegant and you could see the honesty in words about himself and his path.
One of the criteria by which I judge book, is what to they mean for me, what do I gain from them. I consider a book good if I am able to get two or three things which expand my perspective or offer me some kind of understanding which I haven’t had before. Spiritual warfare follows the example of its predecessors making McKenna writer (or a person) which I hold in high regard. What will you be able to gain for them/him, it entirely depends on not your desire to see everything as it is, it depends on severity of your discontent with delusions you’ve created so far.
August 21, 2012
Becoming an adult vs. going all the way to enlightenment...
The whole series is exceptional and thought provoking. Highly recommended.
Mountain Jim
The whole series is exceptional and thought provoking. Highly recommended.
Mountain Jim
October 31, 2023
A great closure to the trilogy.
This one felt more like the first book, unorthodox, witty and straight to the point. The reading was easy and fun, but mostly enlightening. I found the metaphors to be quite creative and on point. This isn't a book about spirituality and as such, some people won't find it comforting.
This one felt more like the first book, unorthodox, witty and straight to the point. The reading was easy and fun, but mostly enlightening. I found the metaphors to be quite creative and on point. This isn't a book about spirituality and as such, some people won't find it comforting.
May 9, 2019
Just when I though the series could not get, nor conclude any better.
Jed’s book this time focuses on a woman, Lisa who comes to stay with him in Mexico having had enough of her constraining normal life and bolts to find some serenity, and clarity, albeit she does not know what to do next. It’s just hard for her to try to assess what happened and try to decide and determine what happens next.
Nevertheless, Lisa learns that she has embarked however unwillingly, as she (and most of us who experience this) on the event that can change her life … if she so chooses, and chooses to go further with what the life changing event can entail potentially. Add to that, Lisa brings her daughter, whom Jed ‘uses’ as an additional incentive for Lisa to choose becoming awakened and going further in embracing, flowing with and continuing on with her new life. The dynamics of this is discussed in detail in Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment, McKenna’s previous book.
What is interesting about this book is the discussion between Lisa and McKenna about what to do in the aftermath of the life-changing event (which is usually devastating and involves a loss of some kind), and between Bob (a spiritual teacher and author) insofar as to what spirituality means and can (or cannot) do for people. McKenna’s Spiritual Autolysis is reinforced throughout the book in both discussions, as McKenna’s point still is, one needs to look at events and onself honestly in context of the event in order to be able to see what one has to do next, toward be(com)ing an Adult, rather than an overgrown child. That entails exploring and looking what we believe in the eye and questioning honestly whether or not it serves us or holds us back. McKenna contends that beliefs do the latter. Nevertheless, the exercise is or Lisa, Bob and the reader to determine via testing what(ever) we believe for ourselves and be honest with ourselves with the result. With Bob, however, the discussion is between Bob’s wanting to use the traditional practices, rituals, tenets of spirituality, which McKenna counters are debilitating to people’s capacity and opportunity to discern what is true, for themselves, and impedes people’s discernment between self and ego and self and no-self: the awakened state.
The crux of the book is to not take anything for granted, life in particular and live each day, each moment as honestly as one can. We have to learn to be(come) vigilant in terms of being present or within the (socially-constructed, and limited) program (roles) we are to play to keep society whole and functioning … but we do know; we don’t pay attention to the fact that at some point, the role we play and expectation we are to fulfill do not serve us, respectively. Sooner or later, it either explodes in our faces, or is ripped from us. Hence, Lisa’s trip to Mexico after her son declares he wants to be a dentist like his father … a profession, the reader later learns that Lisa’s husband did not really want to go into. Nevertheless, we do see the warning signs, but we ignore then in that either they will go away, or can/have to be dealt with later … which inevitably, it cannot!
I am most touched by the discussion of death. Beyond fear of doing what we can and should, but don’t, Death is treated as the uncomfortable truth we ignore. We know its there, we know it’s coming, but we do everything in creation not to face it. Nevertheless, McKenna’s discussion on death makes one appreciate life more as death is the thrust that incites people to appreciate (albeit not consciously, if barely in our day-to-day capacities) life more. McKenna’s discussion of death, with the quotes following that chapter, bring the perspective home. I am reminded of Fulghum’s facing death in visiting his cemetery plot in his book From Beginning to End: The Rituals of our Lives. The point is death is inevitable, and we know it, and we know it to be true. However, we don’t take it seriously as breathing, as we are taught that death is something to be feared and pushed back as far away as possible, as it is too scary to deal with. Yet, as with a lot of inevitables in life, we don’t take the moment to face it, let alone consciously deal with it … until it irreparably comes and we then cannot duck, dodge nor make excuses anymore.
That is also McKenna’s take on fear. We don’t consider let alone deal with what fear does to our lives . Nor do we discern if it is us doing the fearing, or something else inducing the fear, masquerading as us. That fact is clear throughout all three of the books, but is brought home in this book because anything that we fear IS what holds us back from becoming the adults that we can be! Sadly, we don’t face it because we are too scared or too busy, but it doesn’t make what we need to face lessen nor go away.
McKenna again uses movies and literature to emphasize his points and from an awakened perspective a lot of it begs reviewing. Stories in general, do help us grasp what the concepts are, and they do teach, providing that is the intent. The crucial point is for the student and reader to see the point of the story, as well as McKenna’s point in utilizing them. Nevertheless, the choice of whether or not to, is up to the student and the reader.
Overall, it will be interesting to see if the student/reader wants to and can pursue his/her awakening given what it requires, and what the result is. It is up to the student/reader to honestly choose and commit to the task … and it is NOT an easy one. Still, the alternative, as illustrated in the book 1984, Animal Farm, and the movie The Matrix, (among others in McKenna’s bibliography and throughout the book) is not conducive to human development, freedom nor evolution.
I love the series!
Jed’s book this time focuses on a woman, Lisa who comes to stay with him in Mexico having had enough of her constraining normal life and bolts to find some serenity, and clarity, albeit she does not know what to do next. It’s just hard for her to try to assess what happened and try to decide and determine what happens next.
Nevertheless, Lisa learns that she has embarked however unwillingly, as she (and most of us who experience this) on the event that can change her life … if she so chooses, and chooses to go further with what the life changing event can entail potentially. Add to that, Lisa brings her daughter, whom Jed ‘uses’ as an additional incentive for Lisa to choose becoming awakened and going further in embracing, flowing with and continuing on with her new life. The dynamics of this is discussed in detail in Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment, McKenna’s previous book.
What is interesting about this book is the discussion between Lisa and McKenna about what to do in the aftermath of the life-changing event (which is usually devastating and involves a loss of some kind), and between Bob (a spiritual teacher and author) insofar as to what spirituality means and can (or cannot) do for people. McKenna’s Spiritual Autolysis is reinforced throughout the book in both discussions, as McKenna’s point still is, one needs to look at events and onself honestly in context of the event in order to be able to see what one has to do next, toward be(com)ing an Adult, rather than an overgrown child. That entails exploring and looking what we believe in the eye and questioning honestly whether or not it serves us or holds us back. McKenna contends that beliefs do the latter. Nevertheless, the exercise is or Lisa, Bob and the reader to determine via testing what(ever) we believe for ourselves and be honest with ourselves with the result. With Bob, however, the discussion is between Bob’s wanting to use the traditional practices, rituals, tenets of spirituality, which McKenna counters are debilitating to people’s capacity and opportunity to discern what is true, for themselves, and impedes people’s discernment between self and ego and self and no-self: the awakened state.
The crux of the book is to not take anything for granted, life in particular and live each day, each moment as honestly as one can. We have to learn to be(come) vigilant in terms of being present or within the (socially-constructed, and limited) program (roles) we are to play to keep society whole and functioning … but we do know; we don’t pay attention to the fact that at some point, the role we play and expectation we are to fulfill do not serve us, respectively. Sooner or later, it either explodes in our faces, or is ripped from us. Hence, Lisa’s trip to Mexico after her son declares he wants to be a dentist like his father … a profession, the reader later learns that Lisa’s husband did not really want to go into. Nevertheless, we do see the warning signs, but we ignore then in that either they will go away, or can/have to be dealt with later … which inevitably, it cannot!
I am most touched by the discussion of death. Beyond fear of doing what we can and should, but don’t, Death is treated as the uncomfortable truth we ignore. We know its there, we know it’s coming, but we do everything in creation not to face it. Nevertheless, McKenna’s discussion on death makes one appreciate life more as death is the thrust that incites people to appreciate (albeit not consciously, if barely in our day-to-day capacities) life more. McKenna’s discussion of death, with the quotes following that chapter, bring the perspective home. I am reminded of Fulghum’s facing death in visiting his cemetery plot in his book From Beginning to End: The Rituals of our Lives. The point is death is inevitable, and we know it, and we know it to be true. However, we don’t take it seriously as breathing, as we are taught that death is something to be feared and pushed back as far away as possible, as it is too scary to deal with. Yet, as with a lot of inevitables in life, we don’t take the moment to face it, let alone consciously deal with it … until it irreparably comes and we then cannot duck, dodge nor make excuses anymore.
That is also McKenna’s take on fear. We don’t consider let alone deal with what fear does to our lives . Nor do we discern if it is us doing the fearing, or something else inducing the fear, masquerading as us. That fact is clear throughout all three of the books, but is brought home in this book because anything that we fear IS what holds us back from becoming the adults that we can be! Sadly, we don’t face it because we are too scared or too busy, but it doesn’t make what we need to face lessen nor go away.
McKenna again uses movies and literature to emphasize his points and from an awakened perspective a lot of it begs reviewing. Stories in general, do help us grasp what the concepts are, and they do teach, providing that is the intent. The crucial point is for the student and reader to see the point of the story, as well as McKenna’s point in utilizing them. Nevertheless, the choice of whether or not to, is up to the student and the reader.
Overall, it will be interesting to see if the student/reader wants to and can pursue his/her awakening given what it requires, and what the result is. It is up to the student/reader to honestly choose and commit to the task … and it is NOT an easy one. Still, the alternative, as illustrated in the book 1984, Animal Farm, and the movie The Matrix, (among others in McKenna’s bibliography and throughout the book) is not conducive to human development, freedom nor evolution.
I love the series!
June 17, 2020
An Egoistic Mind's View of Enlightenment
I believe his books can be helpful for a time to some. I also believe that at one time he may have experienced some inner revelatory Truth but that it's being voiced through an ego. How could it not be. If we're still appearing to be here, an ego still "exists."
Still, I have enjoyed and found value in some of his interpretations but not his judgements of the dreamstate. After all, " The world was over long ago." ACIM
If you have an interest consider Kenneth Wapnick's book "A Vast Illusion".
I believe his books can be helpful for a time to some. I also believe that at one time he may have experienced some inner revelatory Truth but that it's being voiced through an ego. How could it not be. If we're still appearing to be here, an ego still "exists."
Still, I have enjoyed and found value in some of his interpretations but not his judgements of the dreamstate. After all, " The world was over long ago." ACIM
If you have an interest consider Kenneth Wapnick's book "A Vast Illusion".
December 30, 2019
The most essential author I've ever read. There are those who have read Jed and those who have not.
My sense is that it's crucial to counterbalance Jed with the likes of David Hawkins, Eckhart Tolle, or Mooji. Jed's world is not the end-all-be-all, but it's a test, a crucible, a paradigm-shifting gauntlet. And once you pass through it, you will never be the same.
My sense is that it's crucial to counterbalance Jed with the likes of David Hawkins, Eckhart Tolle, or Mooji. Jed's world is not the end-all-be-all, but it's a test, a crucible, a paradigm-shifting gauntlet. And once you pass through it, you will never be the same.
Read
June 9, 2008This is a truth book without all that spiritual satsang language,,, it's written really orginally so it feels really groundbreaking in a really really ordinary common sort of way
February 18, 2014
What to say
What to say
a total and complete pull your head of the sand wake up call for me. I'll need to read it a few more times, lots of stuff here to consider.
What to say
a total and complete pull your head of the sand wake up call for me. I'll need to read it a few more times, lots of stuff here to consider.
March 10, 2024
This book had some high highs and a lot of mediums. Seemed to kind of sprawl and lack coherent direction. The disjointed narratives allowed McKenna to get his messages across, but it was messy. The first two were kind of messy, but this one was messier.
Regardless of the above rant, I still enjoy McKenna's postulations - his mind bombs. He doesn't hold back and it seems to me that he has a lot right. I am still skeptical of his claims, but I also respect them and his logic.
It was surprising to me to read that McKenna does not believe in coincidence. Now, he isn't saying that trite "God is in charge", but more that reality flows in alignment/coherence (see below). I am more of a coincidence guy, but apparently McKenna sees relationships I don't... I feel like I agree with him, I just don't have an explanation for what I see.
"A coincidence is an unplanned alignment of events, things happening in a way that seems planned, even though it’s just an accident. In my case, I don’t see the accident part, just the planned part, the alignment, the coherence. Not just now and then, but all the time, more certain than sunrise. So yes, it’s a happy coincidence from the eyes-closed perspective, but from the eyes-open perspective, this alignment is everywhere, all the time. It’s like I live suspended in a network of invisible lines, and even though I can’t see them, I know they’re there, and I’ve learned how I fit in with them."
Here are some quotes that I highlighted:
* I am no one thinly disguised as someone.
* When we believe in the world outside of ourselves, gain is often perceived as good and loss as bad. When we stop believing in a world external to self, that reverses; gain becomes bad and loss becomes good. Nothing we can lose was ever ours in the first place. All we can ever lose is illusion.
* Etch the words, ‘Only that day dawns to which I am awake,’ into your bathroom mirror.
* The only way self-inquiry can fail to work is if you fail to do it. That’s a pretty important point so I’ll say it again: The only way self-inquiry—Ask yourself, Who am I?—can fail to result in enlightenment is if you fail to do it.
* The most sincere seekers are the most desperate to stay lost; that’s the real dynamic at work in the spiritual quest. They’re not seeking truth or answers; they’re seeking relief from Spiritual Dissonance. Providing this relief is the lifeblood of the religious and spiritual marketplace. It has nothing to do with truth or awakening. In fact, just the opposite. In the final analysis, stripped of all its holy pretensions, the entire spiritual marketplace is really nothing more than an existential quick-lube shop, and while there may be an endless variety in packaging, there is really only one product.
* You are nothing but consciousness, everything that tells you more than that is like a built-up crust of hard-packed emotional energy that has formed around you like a shell. All true growth and development is first and foremost a process of chopping away this crust. Ego sends us searching in the direction of learning, of becoming more and adding on to ourselves, but everything we claim to seek lies in the opposite direction; of unlearning, of letting go, of reducing. We think the goal is to become someone, but the universe can only be ours when we become no one.”
Regardless of the above rant, I still enjoy McKenna's postulations - his mind bombs. He doesn't hold back and it seems to me that he has a lot right. I am still skeptical of his claims, but I also respect them and his logic.
It was surprising to me to read that McKenna does not believe in coincidence. Now, he isn't saying that trite "God is in charge", but more that reality flows in alignment/coherence (see below). I am more of a coincidence guy, but apparently McKenna sees relationships I don't... I feel like I agree with him, I just don't have an explanation for what I see.
"A coincidence is an unplanned alignment of events, things happening in a way that seems planned, even though it’s just an accident. In my case, I don’t see the accident part, just the planned part, the alignment, the coherence. Not just now and then, but all the time, more certain than sunrise. So yes, it’s a happy coincidence from the eyes-closed perspective, but from the eyes-open perspective, this alignment is everywhere, all the time. It’s like I live suspended in a network of invisible lines, and even though I can’t see them, I know they’re there, and I’ve learned how I fit in with them."
Here are some quotes that I highlighted:
* I am no one thinly disguised as someone.
* When we believe in the world outside of ourselves, gain is often perceived as good and loss as bad. When we stop believing in a world external to self, that reverses; gain becomes bad and loss becomes good. Nothing we can lose was ever ours in the first place. All we can ever lose is illusion.
* Etch the words, ‘Only that day dawns to which I am awake,’ into your bathroom mirror.
* The only way self-inquiry can fail to work is if you fail to do it. That’s a pretty important point so I’ll say it again: The only way self-inquiry—Ask yourself, Who am I?—can fail to result in enlightenment is if you fail to do it.
* The most sincere seekers are the most desperate to stay lost; that’s the real dynamic at work in the spiritual quest. They’re not seeking truth or answers; they’re seeking relief from Spiritual Dissonance. Providing this relief is the lifeblood of the religious and spiritual marketplace. It has nothing to do with truth or awakening. In fact, just the opposite. In the final analysis, stripped of all its holy pretensions, the entire spiritual marketplace is really nothing more than an existential quick-lube shop, and while there may be an endless variety in packaging, there is really only one product.
* You are nothing but consciousness, everything that tells you more than that is like a built-up crust of hard-packed emotional energy that has formed around you like a shell. All true growth and development is first and foremost a process of chopping away this crust. Ego sends us searching in the direction of learning, of becoming more and adding on to ourselves, but everything we claim to seek lies in the opposite direction; of unlearning, of letting go, of reducing. We think the goal is to become someone, but the universe can only be ours when we become no one.”
May 19, 2017
“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see….”
― John Lennon, Strawberry Fields Forever
See, I can do the quote thing too. Here's another:
“They are simply and undisguisedly realizations of wishes.”
― Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams
Freud saw the dream state as responsive to mind. The universe manifesting what you want, but not the inauthentic (merely conscious) wants, or else no one would ever have bad dreams. McKenna refers to everyday life as the "dream state" and sees it similarly. He doesn't require us to agree, he's just saying what he sees. After all, there are no facts, other than "I am."
I'd like to say what I see, or some of it. On second thought, I probably wouldn't like to say it. What's the point?
I mostly enjoyed reading this book. He bothers to describe the indescribable so who can complain if it doesn't always come out consistent or fully understandable? His certainty when saying what can't be said is sometimes scary, but I believe it's really what he sees. After all, he could be lying to us. He doesn't believe lying, or anything else, is wrong. Right and wrong are Maya's domain.
― John Lennon, Strawberry Fields Forever
See, I can do the quote thing too. Here's another:
“They are simply and undisguisedly realizations of wishes.”
― Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams
Freud saw the dream state as responsive to mind. The universe manifesting what you want, but not the inauthentic (merely conscious) wants, or else no one would ever have bad dreams. McKenna refers to everyday life as the "dream state" and sees it similarly. He doesn't require us to agree, he's just saying what he sees. After all, there are no facts, other than "I am."
I'd like to say what I see, or some of it. On second thought, I probably wouldn't like to say it. What's the point?
I mostly enjoyed reading this book. He bothers to describe the indescribable so who can complain if it doesn't always come out consistent or fully understandable? His certainty when saying what can't be said is sometimes scary, but I believe it's really what he sees. After all, he could be lying to us. He doesn't believe lying, or anything else, is wrong. Right and wrong are Maya's domain.
March 11, 2018
Simply Explained
I’m unsure about Jed McKenna. Spiritual Warfare has to be his most accessible book about enlightenment, focusing on conflict between our perceptions and a reality of nothingness.
I like that McKenna is down to earth and the book is fairly rhetoric free. It’s sort of an every man’s mysticism type of book, without the frills of guros. At the very least, it’s thought provoking.
However, i still don’t understand the hype of McKenna, perhaps because I haven’t take the leap into “enlightenment.” Sure, he lays out the ideas simply enough, and I guess that’s his main selling point.
Outside of the book there’s a questions on if McKenna is actually the man of his pseudonymous writings, or if this lifestyle and mode of being are simply works of fiction. A short search on google can pull up articles about “the real Jed McKenna” - recommended if you want a candid picture of this character and/or author or some drama.
If you don’t know who he is, you can probably pass this up. But if you can’t escape the McKenna name, this book is a primer.
I’m unsure about Jed McKenna. Spiritual Warfare has to be his most accessible book about enlightenment, focusing on conflict between our perceptions and a reality of nothingness.
I like that McKenna is down to earth and the book is fairly rhetoric free. It’s sort of an every man’s mysticism type of book, without the frills of guros. At the very least, it’s thought provoking.
However, i still don’t understand the hype of McKenna, perhaps because I haven’t take the leap into “enlightenment.” Sure, he lays out the ideas simply enough, and I guess that’s his main selling point.
Outside of the book there’s a questions on if McKenna is actually the man of his pseudonymous writings, or if this lifestyle and mode of being are simply works of fiction. A short search on google can pull up articles about “the real Jed McKenna” - recommended if you want a candid picture of this character and/or author or some drama.
If you don’t know who he is, you can probably pass this up. But if you can’t escape the McKenna name, this book is a primer.
Shelved as 'act47-org'
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February 18, 2024
I don’t think Jed is enlightened (assuming enlightenment is even a thing), I think he is a smart and well-read guy who convinced himself (through an ultimately self-serving logic) that his way of being, including limitations and quirks (some of which have similarities with autism and narcissism), is enlightenment. And just as it often happens in spiritual circles, people give such characters the benefit of the doubt, making bizarre behaviors normal or even desirable because they show how normal ethics don’t apply to him.
Now add to that the fact we don’t know who the guy really is, we have no info on his real life (Ex-wife? Abandoned children? Unethical work history? Questionable relationship with family?) and you just bought the fairiest of tales.
Another thing is that he keeps mixing relative reality questions with absolute reality answers to score cheap “gotcha” points. Things like: “you want to advance” (relative reality desire) “but you’re already there” (absolute reality claim) are absolutely all over the place. Has he never pondered this basic point? It doesn’t seem so.
Still a good read, three times the size it needed to be.
Now add to that the fact we don’t know who the guy really is, we have no info on his real life (Ex-wife? Abandoned children? Unethical work history? Questionable relationship with family?) and you just bought the fairiest of tales.
Another thing is that he keeps mixing relative reality questions with absolute reality answers to score cheap “gotcha” points. Things like: “you want to advance” (relative reality desire) “but you’re already there” (absolute reality claim) are absolutely all over the place. Has he never pondered this basic point? It doesn’t seem so.
Still a good read, three times the size it needed to be.
August 2, 2017
The last book of the trilogy helps the person in the middle of the spiritual journey to make sense of his/her new life after the post-enlightenment "breakdown". It really stuck with me the idea that: "Whatever happens is the best thing to happen because it's the thing that does happen". This book is designed to help us letting go of our illusion of control and live more in the moment. Highly recommended if you underwent the process explained in the first two books.
May 11, 2020
Jed again tries to explain enlightenment without watering down the content. His words give you the perspective from the "other side", so that you should know what to expect. He uses many references from movies and books he has read and offers an enlightened interpretation.
The biggest lesson is that once you wake up, you must go with the flow since you are the flow.
The biggest lesson is that once you wake up, you must go with the flow since you are the flow.
March 6, 2024
Almost Done
This is my second round of reading Jed McKenna and his trilogy. I am not sure Jed really exists or if he is a product of the dreamstate. Iregardless this trilogy is a clear reminder that our journey to wake-up is a journey of endless adventure with no clear endpoint. Enjoy and be optimistic.
This is my second round of reading Jed McKenna and his trilogy. I am not sure Jed really exists or if he is a product of the dreamstate. Iregardless this trilogy is a clear reminder that our journey to wake-up is a journey of endless adventure with no clear endpoint. Enjoy and be optimistic.
December 4, 2019
The War is on in the non-realm...
The first step began ten years ago. Further to go...thank you for the clarity, non-Jed. A heavy blow to non-Maya's non-ego. No thumbs up...waaay up!!!
The first step began ten years ago. Further to go...thank you for the clarity, non-Jed. A heavy blow to non-Maya's non-ego. No thumbs up...waaay up!!!
May 4, 2020
Wow
It’s difficult to put in words what this book is. For many it will challenge long held beliefs, and people have a tendency to hold on to beliefs even when life continually shows you “This is not working “.
It’s difficult to put in words what this book is. For many it will challenge long held beliefs, and people have a tendency to hold on to beliefs even when life continually shows you “This is not working “.
August 16, 2023
In this book Jed goes deeper into how the Spiritual Autolysis works.
His books overall are a red pill that everyone in the spiritual community needs to take. Spirituality today has become the ultimate Maya, more dangerous than todays other distractions like the smartphone, video games or food.
His books overall are a red pill that everyone in the spiritual community needs to take. Spirituality today has become the ultimate Maya, more dangerous than todays other distractions like the smartphone, video games or food.
March 14, 2018
Hell of a book. If you've read the first 2 in this series you know what you're getting into. A nice compliment, definitely worth the time.
November 4, 2018
Mindblowing. Literally.
August 8, 2019
All his works resonate as....True.
September 4, 2019
After all, no matter how you play it, it's just a fuckin' game.
September 6, 2019
Great book..
May 6, 2020
The best book in the series. Life changing.
October 12, 2020
Interesting topic but poorly written
December 25, 2020
If I'd to summarize, if you're in a spiritual warfare, the only way to victory is through surrender.
This book also discusses about memento mori, integrated state, and many others.
This book also discusses about memento mori, integrated state, and many others.
April 8, 2021
Jed Mckenna’s trilogy is the most important thing I’ve ever read, and also the most difficult. We’ll see where I go from here.
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