Radiant Mind - awakening unconditioned awareness by Peter Fenner - Notes

 

This is a review of both the book "Radiant Mind", and the audio version of the book narrated by Peter Fenner. Both of these items were released around 2009 or so, and were popular at that time with both nondual and Mahayana Buddhist communities, and have since become less popular and/or dormant. 

The Radiant Mind 'course', which was offered around 10 years back by PF seems not to be offered anymore, and the author mainly does guest lectures at various Buddhist related colleges, and does some one-on-one coaching on the side.

Both the course, and the books have quite mixed reviews and experiences.. there's not a lot in between- participants and readers either love it or hate it. It seems a number of participants in the live course back when it was available did take exception to the cost of the course (being in the thousands) vs what they received which was essentially a review of the book/CD course and some clarifications by PF. I've taken notes and reviewed from my experience only and discarded what has been written on various sites, looking at the content and approach from scratch.

For those who are familiar with contemporary awareness teachings, then most of this material won't be new. In fact, there's quite a few exercises that are repeated very closely by other 'awareness' / advaita teachers. The unique part with this course and recording though is the delivery in how PF speaks and walks the reader/listener through the exercises in a very slow but effective way. There's also the added benefit of having received the 'just sitting' practice early on, which does very quietly enable one to accumulate some sort of familiarity with beingness and awareness while just sitting and not engaged in any activity purposefully.

Side note- the audio course (CD or Audible) is actually different to the written text/book, which is deeper in content than the audio course. The audio course is great for repeatedly getting down the practice contemplations and practical side, while the book itself is better for some more psychological context and theory around nondual awareness and some comparisons with Mahayana Buddhist pointers.

The Book:

The book has 

Practices

In terms of practices, 3 main practice areas are given, although the bulk of the practical exercises happens around the last chapter in the course/book:

1. "Just sitting"

This is a rather unique style of meditative sitting practice, not really the same as "shikantaza" in Zen, nor the same as resting in awareness in approaches such as Mahamudra or even Dzogchen, although it is probably most similar to these approaches, and the author's background in this work comes from these traditions. This practice pretty much involves being secluded, undisturbed, awake and seated in a spot for around 20 minutes, and "just doing what you're doing".. ie. sitting and doing nothing, but not making any effort to do something or focus, or even become aware of the process, but rather to just have a very relax, almost non-existent knowing that one is sitting and various phenomena are occurring. It's also similar to the 'do-nothing' approaches of teachers such as Shinzen Young, Angelo Dilulo and others. There's various "Do nothing" meditation sessions available on YT, each with their own take on how this is done. 

2. Relaxation meditation

The idea of relaxation and non-effort runs through most of the exercises and a specific exercises/practice is given in the final chapter of the audio course that takes around 20 minutes, and is a relaxing 'nothing to do' type of release meditation. This is in contrast to the bulk of mediations out there that work through body relaxation or breathing relaxation. So in this respect, PF has kept on track with his overall themes of nondoing and relaxing effort or concentration.

3. Direct contemplations and approaches with awareness

Another group of exercises relates to directly attempting to experience awareness or have some insight into the nature of ever-present unconditioned awareness. There are various pointers that are given, and various entry-points that one can take to directly experience or know awareness as it is. e.g. listening to silence, non-thought or 'not-knowing' mind, awareness as bliss, paradoxical pointers and enquiries similar to koans etc.

Some of the guided contemplations also focus on different aspects of unconditioned awareness, such as the bliss/peace aspect (although noted this is not a sensation or conditioned experience). Other contemplations focus on the all-embracing nature of unconditioned awareness as not excluding the unmanifest or the manfiest experience.

4. Present moment awareness

A final theme that runs throughout the book and course is the idea of present moment awareness, or the now-ness of one's being here and now. There is one particular mediation that works on deconstructing the past and future as concepts that are not present here and now apart from thought. 

There are many practical psychological exercises and explorations in the book. The first few chapters focus on exploring one's pre-conceived ideas about awareness, and also obstacles that may be present (or unexplored) that can lead to issues with resting in unconditioned awareness.

Some things I really like about Peter Fenner's approach:

+ I love how Peter Fenner presents his material in easy to understand, plain English, without cultural or technical terms and ideas. This makes it accessible for a wide audience without a background in Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and eastern philosophy, but who are interested in nonduality.

+ Peter narrates his material, particularly the Radiant Mind course (Sounds True) in a calm, clear and conductive manner matching what he's trying to get across. The whole recording not only acts as an information source, but also an experiential journey and meditation itself into the field of nonduality and unconditioned awareness.

+ The exercises in the book and the audio course are beneficial in uncovering assumptions and beliefs we have about nonduality, awareness, and spirituality in general. This is helpful in uncovering hidden obstables that we all carry with us into the path.

+ The Radiant Mind course is complete in that it can be undertaken in a self-directed manner, either long-term or on a shorter-term time frame. Originally designed to be 9 months, it can be shorted to several months, or even shorter depending on how much the participant/listener wants to get from it. I completed the audio course several times, and received some new insights/material on each listening. Likewise, the suggested "Just Sitting" practice deepens and grows over time to reveal an approach to nonduality that is ever-fresh and changing.. versus some of the more fixed philosophical positions that some teaches offer.

+ PF offers support services, counselling and some other courses (such as a teaching course) for those further interested in pursuing this approach to nonduality-- which is a rather unique approach, given the author's background, context, and way of working with nonduality and phenomenal reality in a balanced and mature way.

Overally, I feel this is a great introduction to nondual awareness with an emptiness flavour and some Mahayana Buddhism mixed in, but in a way that doesn't require much background experience or prior knowledge. The audio course is narrated very well, and easy to listen to and follow along both casually and also as a complete meditation in itself. One should come away from this course (and book) with some balanced ideas about nonduality, emptiness and various approaches to gently coming to know what nonconceptual awareness is (and its nature). Highly recommended.

Is a teacher necessary in the nondual teachings?

 “It is earnestness that will take you through, not cleverness - your own or another’s.”

― Nisargadatta Maharaj, I Am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Is a teacher necessary in the nondual teachings?

Nondual teachings are a form of spiritual inquiry that aim to reveal the true nature of reality and the self. They are based on the premise that there is no separation between the subject and the object, the observer and the observed, the self and the other. Nondual teachings challenge the conventional dualistic view of reality that assumes a distinction between the inner and the outer, the personal and the impersonal, the relative and the absolute.

One of the common questions that arise in the context of nondual teachings is whether a teacher is necessary or not. Some people may argue that a teacher is essential, as they can guide, support, and challenge the seeker along the path of awakening. They can point out the pitfalls, misconceptions, and blind spots that may hinder or obscure the recognition of one's true nature. They can also offer feedback, validation, and encouragement to help the seeker integrate and embody their realization in daily life.

Others may contend that a teacher is not necessary, as they may create dependency, authority, or hierarchy that may interfere with the direct experience of reality. They may also impose their own views, beliefs, or interpretations that may limit or distort the seeker's understanding of nonduality. They may also have their own flaws, biases, or agendas that may compromise their integrity or authenticity as a teacher. Furthermore, some people may claim that there is no need for a teacher, as one's true nature is always present and accessible within oneself. They may suggest that one can rely on their own intuition, insight, or inner guidance to discover and realize their true nature. Some teachers openly admit that the whole purpose of a teacher is only to point out the 'inner teacher' that each apparent individual innately contains (or actually is).

So, is a teacher necessary in the nondual teachings? There is no definitive answer to this question, as different seekers may have different needs, preferences, and experiences. Some may benefit from having a teacher, while others may not. Some may need a teacher for a certain period of time, while others may need one for longer or shorter durations. Some may find a teacher in a person, while others may find a teacher in a book, a video, a podcast, or even in nature. Ultimately, the question of whether a teacher is necessary or not is secondary to the question of whether one is sincere, open, and willing to inquire into their true nature and reality. As long as one has this genuine aspiration and curiosity, they will find their way to the truth, with or without a teacher. 

Approaching Nonduality via dualistic concepts and practices.

I was prompted to write this short post due to some readings and listenings over the last few months.

Briefly stated, I want to present the idea that there can be no approach to non-duality, or the ultimate Truth, except through dualistic concepts, or at least a basic dualistic setup.

There are a number of modern teachers who like to talk about the need for a 'direct, uncompromising pointing' to the ultimate truth. These teachers seem to indicate that their pointing totally removes the need for all practices, concepts, etc. and directly points at the ultimate truth of non-duality, which lies in the direct experience of presence, beingness, aliveness, etc.

Unfortunately, this too is a concept. The dualistic concept of beingness, presence, etc., even the actual felt sense, is still a concept. "Just this! Nobody here!" is still a concept. There is the thought-stream, mind, world etc. and then there's presence, awareness (another concept). Everything is perfect, nothing needs to be done or attained, and yet there's a pointing happening in the appearance. (Another concept). 

There's really no escape from concepts, right from the moment someone or something opens its mouth.

Then there are the time-tested teachings of the sages, which openly espouse dualistic concepts or systems for the apparent seeker to engage with, as a precursor to the direct truth of non-duality. Sometimes the direct truth is presented first (as in dzogchen, and teachings such as practical Advaita Vedanta). At other times it is reserved for a later time in one's 'progressive path', such as in traditional Buddhism, Dhyana, or Sankhya yoga.

Some examples of dualistic concepts that were used by teachers (that I'm familiar with) include:

Purusha/Prakriti (and 3 gunas) - Sankhya yoga

Pure consciousness / the witness - Sri Atmananda

Food body / consciousness - Sri Nisargadatta

ego, I-thought / Self - Sri Ramana Maharshi

mindfulness of the 4 Foundations, samsara / Nibbana - Buddhism (Theravada)

non-conceptual awareness / thought, concepts - contemporary Advaita teachers (e.g. Sailor Bob)

form / emptiness - Mahayana Buddhism

Real / unreal - Sri Sankara

Space, 'headlessness' / the world, universe - Douglas Harding


One important point on the above, is that the conceptual system presented by the teacher must in some way deconstruct itself or provide the means for its own undoing. It is of no use to be stuck in the dualistic concept or hang on to it as such when its work is done. Any valid use of a dualistic concept must contain the seed, as it were, for its own undoing or unfolding that naturally occurs, and thus make way for an understanding of the real state of things (ie. one's own nature being nothing other than non-dual existence+non-existence).