Rude Awakening: Perils, Pitfalls, and Hard Truths of the Spiritual Path

by P.T. Mistlberger

We live in the Golden Age of publishing for spiritual, esoteric, and new age books of all conceivable stripes (and then there is the Internet). Amongst this wild proliferation of available information there has occurred a cheapening effect, in which many teachings have been watered down to make them palatable for a public with diminishing attention spans and suffering from information overload. For the sincere spiritual seeker there needs to be an awareness of the various ways we can go astray on the path, or fall off the path altogether. The whole idea of spirituality is to be awake, yet it is all too easy to simply end up in yet another dream world, thinking that we have found some higher truth. Rude Perils, Pitfalls, and Hard Truths of the Spiritual Path is dedicated to examining, under a sharp light, the many ways our spiritual development goes wrong, or disappears altogether in the sheer crush of books and the routine grind of daily life.

Genres: Spirituality

289 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2012

Reviews

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully laid out book on the challenges and misunderstandings of inner spiritual work. There are three major sections in the book. The first outlines common difficulties in spiritual practice, from 'Eastern Fundamentalism' to denial of sexuality to the distortions that come with the commercialization of spiritual practice. I have to admit, I found this section made me squirm, given that my practice is, shall we say, sporadic. I expect many readers would feel a sting as Mistlberger slaughters yet another cherished notion.

The second section is the author's take on what works, in the broadest terms. He is careful to give a clear, linear-appearing approach based on his life experience and those shared by mentors and historical influences of those considered 'awakened' or particularly 'advanced'. He draws inspiration from multiple practices, including, Buddhism, mystical Christianity, Shamanism, transpersonal psychology, etc. to illustrate his points. Although he has strong opinions about certain spiritual approaches or perspectives, he does not show any sense of fundamentalist thinking. He is also cautionary on the apparent linearity of his description, seeing limitations of attempting to describe the transcendent in words.

The final section is best described as mini biographies of spiritual inspirations, seven in total. I found these expressed a beautiful sense of the diversity that underlies awakening, as the seven he chose are as different as they are similar. Overall, I found this book inspirational and it's moved me to 'awaken' and recommit to a practice.

[Tess Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sensible book about the spiritual path, and this is a rare thing. He spells out the many pit falls on the way and gives an outline of the whole journey. He doesn't refrain from writing about the difficulties likely to be met along the path, while at the same time he gets across the idea that it is the only worthwhile trip. I think it is a valuable read for any seeker of ultimate fruition of the human life, regardless of where you are along the way.

[Kenneth B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've worked with Phil and it's quite the trip. Rude Awakening is the book that convinced me to commit to the work itself. It exposes the means and limitations of the experiential, neo-tantric practices for direct awakening that emerged in the decades following the sixties and seventies, with their Oshos, Esalens and Landmarks.

Phil brings a learned, scholarly voice to The Great Work, the journey of self-processing oneself into greater emotional maturity, power and integration. He provides distinctions that help you navigate and make sense of the mess left by many non-dual teachers. He doesn't pull punches on the details, which might bounce off some readers expecting a lighter, vaguer metaphysical read. But if groundedness is a requirement in your spirituality, you won't be disappointed.

I give it four out of five stars because the book is incomplete. It doesn't give examples of what to do, only what not to do when working on oneself with an emotional and spiritual focus. His other books, like "Natural Awakening" or "The Inner Light," go more into what to do. However, seeing Phil articulate what others get wrong was essential - without that clarity, I wouldn't have trusted that his approach actually works as a means toward experiencing my truth.

If his work speaks to you, please check out Mistlberger's Conscious Relationship Trainings. You can search for them online. It is a direct application of Phil's expertise as a facilitator and I could not recommend more highly engaging with them while he is with us.

[Mary]

recommended by Joe Haase

[Joe Haase · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best, most sensible, book on the path to spirituality that I have ever read!

[Allan Konjolka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. You realize it takes commitment to make spirituality happen and give it meaning.

[Davide Ariasso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly grateful for having found this book. It spells out the 'perils, pitfalls and hard truths' someone will find when engaging in a spiritual path in the clearest, most precise way. It has something in common with (and quotes a few times) Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa, but it expands in more directions, and it is probably more useful for seekers on the most diverse paths. P.M.'s voice in this book is engaging, linear, down to earth but not simplistic, it's analytic but its analyses are based on a long, dedicated practical experience, and it shows in every chapter. Highly recommended to anyone whose passion is the search for truth and the depths of life beyond the limits of the intellect.