From Onions to Pearls: A Journal of Awakening and Deliverance

by Satyam Nadeen

A true story of one man's spiritual awakening under severely restrictive, sometimes violent, physical and intense emotional conditions.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction

215 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Prabhu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I was expecting this to be more of a fluf ridden self help book, so I was pleasantly surprised by the way the author expressed such a heavy non dualistic way of life right from the get go. The concept of peeling back the layers of the onion to expose our hidden pearl vision was explained in an articulate way, yet still very easily accessible to a less versed audience, almost too easily accessible in fact. The story unravels while Satyam Nadeen is locked up in county jail and 2 years later transferred to federal prison on some hefty drug cult charges and whereas, I haven't done any time in the prison system (only a few county jail stints in my younger years, haha.), I didn't find his painting the picture of prison life to be very congruent with the federal institution system. If one doesn't know, prison is prison and it's all Riker's Island, but state and federal prisons house different populations. Sensationalized for book sales, I guess.

For sake of the review, I would certainly recommend this book as a soft start to understanding non dual thought to someone like my sister or neighbor, but if you are familiar with the concepts involved, this book does little to expand those processes. On some platforms, the study of non duality and/or Advaita can be very heady and thought provoking on higher levels, but this isn't the case with From Onions to Pearls. This is a sit down on the couch after dinner and relax with an easy to read book. Most chapters not exceeding a few pages, I found myself subconsciously skimming parts to avoid over absorption with the mood.

When sources are sighted properly and the sampradaya's conceptions associated are in line with the expansion or progression of concept, great things can evolve. There is no ego involved with such a purpose, it's duty. It's when these collaborative theories become the perceived intellectual property of a individual that the point gets distorted. I'm not saying that Nadeen is pushing his view as merely his own realization, but at the same time he is claiming the mark has been missed until now. Just in my experience alone, being a member of a spiritual community, I have found that those that spent a fair amount of time hopping from guru to guru to guru in the New Age heyday, only later to take the amalgamation of thought into a guru position for themselves, need to be taken with a grain of salt and recognized just for what they are and not Divine expansions.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book about a man who goes to prison, begins questioning his life, and becomes enlightened. It is a powerful story in a way that all such stories are: in it's utter simplicity, it reveals the man behind the book with honesty and focus--enough to indeed turn onions to pearls. This book is a chronicle of a life redeemed through one man's practice of such unfaltering self-honesty and focus. From Onions to Pearls deserves a permanent space on my shelf.

[Karolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aye this book triggered a full on awakening back in 2022. Meant to be. The book is still incredibly relevant today as it was back then. I found this in a used book shop in the philosophy section randomly but it never ever left my mind. I found the idea of peeling your inner layers to get to the diamond very interested and true when it comes to de-colonising your mind from the toxic christianity structures and the author seemed to have had a very interesting unconventional life which is what attracted me to read it in the first place. The book is packed with wisdom, new age ideas, which are most often overlooked, but this one particularly spoke to me at the time.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has been a while since I've read Satyam's book and I gave it away to a friend when I was through : )
I have a new copy now, so think I'll read again, another cool story of one finding one's "inner" once again : )
I really enjoyed this book.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written work on one's undoing as well as one's experience with helping others through MDMA and also the penalties that ensued.