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Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality by Anthony De Mello (1990) Paperback
Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1900
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About the author
Anthony de Mello
161 books991 followersAnthony de Mello was a Jesuit priest and psychotherapist who became widely known for his books on spirituality. An internationally acclaimed spiritual guide, writer and public speaker, de Mello hosted many spiritual conferences.
The few talks which he allowed to be filmed, such as "A Rediscovery of Life" and "A Way to God for Today," have inspired many viewers and audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America. De Mello established a prayer center in India. He died suddenly in 1987. His works are readily available and additional writings were published after his death.
In 1998, some of his opinions were condemned by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, wrote for the Congregation:
"But already in certain passages in [his] early works and to a greater degree in his later publications, one notices a progressive distancing from the essential contents of the Christian faith. ... With the present Notification, in order to protect the good of the Christian faithful, this Congregation declares that the above-mentioned positions are incompatible with the Catholic faith and can cause grave harm."
Some editions of his books have since been supplemented with the insertion of a caution:
"The books of Father Anthony de Mello were written in a multi-religious context to help the followers of other religions, agnostics and atheists in their spiritual search, and they were not intended by the author as manuals of instruction of the Catholic faithful in Christian doctrine or dogma."
The few talks which he allowed to be filmed, such as "A Rediscovery of Life" and "A Way to God for Today," have inspired many viewers and audiences throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America. De Mello established a prayer center in India. He died suddenly in 1987. His works are readily available and additional writings were published after his death.
In 1998, some of his opinions were condemned by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, wrote for the Congregation:
"But already in certain passages in [his] early works and to a greater degree in his later publications, one notices a progressive distancing from the essential contents of the Christian faith. ... With the present Notification, in order to protect the good of the Christian faithful, this Congregation declares that the above-mentioned positions are incompatible with the Catholic faith and can cause grave harm."
Some editions of his books have since been supplemented with the insertion of a caution:
"The books of Father Anthony de Mello were written in a multi-religious context to help the followers of other religions, agnostics and atheists in their spiritual search, and they were not intended by the author as manuals of instruction of the Catholic faithful in Christian doctrine or dogma."
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 1, 2025
The book is written by a Jesuit priest who presents a lot of thought provoking ideas. I highly recommend this book. The concepts he presents are certainly worth contemplating.
June 2, 2025
Awareness is not the kind of book that offers step-by-step solutions or techniques for improving your life. Instead, it invites you to question the entire framework of how you define “improvement” in the first place. Anthony De Mello, a Jesuit priest and spiritual teacher with roots in both Christian and Eastern traditions, delivers a clear and often startling message: waking up to reality means letting go of nearly everything we believe is essential.
This book challenges you—gently but persistently—to take an honest look at how much of your thinking is shaped by fear, by attachment, and by the need for approval. De Mello doesn’t offer comforting platitudes. He offers something far more powerful: the possibility of real inner freedom.
One of the central ideas is that most of what we suffer from isn’t caused by events themselves, but by the way we react to them. He calls us to become observers of our inner lives—to notice how often our moods, decisions, and relationships are governed by unconscious patterns. That kind of awareness, he argues, is the beginning of transformation.
What makes this book different from many in the spiritual or self-help space is its refusal to feed the ego. There’s no spiritual performance here, no checklist for success. Just the quiet, radical truth that peace comes when we stop trying to control everything and start telling the truth—to ourselves.
De Mello’s style is conversational, accessible, and filled with stories and examples. At times, his bluntness can be jarring—but that’s part of the point. He’s not trying to please. He’s trying to wake us up.
This is a book to return to often. It doesn’t just tell you something—it shifts something. If you’re tired of chasing after peace and are ready to sit still long enough to find it where it already lives—this book works.
This book challenges you—gently but persistently—to take an honest look at how much of your thinking is shaped by fear, by attachment, and by the need for approval. De Mello doesn’t offer comforting platitudes. He offers something far more powerful: the possibility of real inner freedom.
One of the central ideas is that most of what we suffer from isn’t caused by events themselves, but by the way we react to them. He calls us to become observers of our inner lives—to notice how often our moods, decisions, and relationships are governed by unconscious patterns. That kind of awareness, he argues, is the beginning of transformation.
What makes this book different from many in the spiritual or self-help space is its refusal to feed the ego. There’s no spiritual performance here, no checklist for success. Just the quiet, radical truth that peace comes when we stop trying to control everything and start telling the truth—to ourselves.
De Mello’s style is conversational, accessible, and filled with stories and examples. At times, his bluntness can be jarring—but that’s part of the point. He’s not trying to please. He’s trying to wake us up.
This is a book to return to often. It doesn’t just tell you something—it shifts something. If you’re tired of chasing after peace and are ready to sit still long enough to find it where it already lives—this book works.
December 25, 2025
Awareness offers thoughtful life advice grounded in the universal spiritual insight that most human suffering arises not from what happens to us, but from how we interpret and react to events. De Mello’s central call is to wake up from this conditioned way of living and cultivate awareness.
While I appreciate this underlying message, the preaching format based on the transcription of various sermons and seminars, was less appealing to me. Moreover, if you already resonate with the core idea of “waking up,” as I do, the book offers little that is fundamentally new. Conversely, readers seeking practical guidance on how to cultivate greater awareness in daily life may also find this lacking in this book.
While I appreciate this underlying message, the preaching format based on the transcription of various sermons and seminars, was less appealing to me. Moreover, if you already resonate with the core idea of “waking up,” as I do, the book offers little that is fundamentally new. Conversely, readers seeking practical guidance on how to cultivate greater awareness in daily life may also find this lacking in this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews