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Elixir of Enlightenment
An exploration of essence, the presence or substance which inspires us to move toward enlightenment. An excellent introduction to the process of developing spirituality and the barriers involved.
- GenresSpirituality
47 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1984
23 people want to read
About the author
A.H. Almaas
141 books207 followersA.H. Almaas is the pen name of A. Hameed Ali, the creator of the Diamond Approach to Self Realization. The Diamond Approach is a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of awareness of both ancient spiritual teachings & modern depth psychological theories.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 10, 2026
If a spiritual teaching is true and deep, why is it not transformative for everyone who hears it? let alone those who try to practice it?
Almaas argues it's not enough to be true and insightful for teachings to be effective in any given case. If a teaching critiques aspects of your experience that you are fully identified with there's a good chance you won't be able to "hear" it in a transformative way.
It is not simply that the student has failed to follow the teaching and path. Almaas argues that part of the issue is with the effectiveness of the teachings even if they are true. Truth is not enough.
"A trait, like criticalness, has to become “ego-alien” for a person to do something about it, or even to see it as an issue to be understood. “Ego-alien” means that it is experienced as being alien to the ego, as not consistent with the person's interests, as conflicting with the rest of him. So no trait or part of the personality can become an object for understanding and dissolution as long as it is ego-syntonic. When it becomes ego-alien, then the person will become uncomfortable in such a way that he will be concerned about looking at this part of the personality and doing something about it."
Any aspect of identity or experience that is "ego-Syntonic" is not directly approachable to transformation even if the teaching, teacher, and method are ultimately true because the student can't see that at an unconscious level. Even if they believe it intellectually; they do not act on it because unconsciously they are identified with it as essential to their well-being.
Taking Buddhism as an example: "The student believes that desire is the root of suffering as the Buddha, and his teacher or guru have told him. But...at this deep level he does not believe in the teachings and unconsciously actually rejects it, he cannot be touched by it and he cannot follow the teaching in his life, or finds it difficult to follow because in the deepest part of his unconscious he cannot relate to it."
For most people desire is essential part of their life, it is the way to well-being and fulfilment. It is experienced as "ego syntonic"; only when it is already seen and deeply experienced as an obstacle to their well-being will the Buddhist teaching on desire have a transformative impact.
There's a saying when the student is ready the teacher or teaching will appear. Many great true teachings exist, many teachers, so it's really about when something becomes relevant for the student, they will find the teachings that addresses that issue. When desire is seen as an obstacle Buddhism will all of a sudden appear as desirable :)
Almaas goes through quite a few examples of teachings and students; aligning and not aligning. He goes into a few specific teachers: Krishnamurti, Osho, and Gurdjieff.
For one short example:
"Let us now suppose that the student('s)...life is primarily dominated by issues of surrender. He feels strong, willful, rigid. His heart is hard. He is always guarding his independence and autonomy. He cannot surrender to feelings of vulnerability. He cannot love...In this instance, Gurdjieff would be of no help. Gurdjieff and his system are will oriented. Gurdjieff's teachings would not be appropriate. Performing super-efforts would just add to his rigidity, and lack of softness. But the teacher who embodies the aspect of surrender would be effective with this student. Somebody like Ramakrishna, like Rumi, or a Hassid would be just right. Then not only will he receive the appropriate teaching for him, but he will also be in intimate contact with the quality of surrender itself. What is offered is exactly what he needs. He will be able to understand his issues, resolve his conflicts, and his heart will melt in the golden essence of love and surrender."
A student must bring a certain existential motivation and concern into every spiritual teaching they engage with. The better those align the more transformation is possible.
Even as the Diamond Approach (name of Almaas' teachings) is set up to be responsive to student's different issues and open enough spiritualty to explore different aspects/avenues of realization they still require serious students. They must already have a deep motivation towards spiritual truth and inquiry. That can't be talked into if you will; it's the requirement for Almaas' teaching to seem interesting and desirable :)
The end of the essay touches on how all this plays out in the Diamond Approach; getting into more intricate and esoteric aspects of transformation then I'm going to touch in this review. All interested can read it!
I found this to be a fantastic and eye-opening essay when I first read it some 19 years ago; and I still find it so on reread. It's also a great entry point into the Diamond Approach. This essay is probably easiest found as part of the book "Essence With the Elixir of Enlightenment: The Diamond Approach to Inner Realization"
Almaas argues it's not enough to be true and insightful for teachings to be effective in any given case. If a teaching critiques aspects of your experience that you are fully identified with there's a good chance you won't be able to "hear" it in a transformative way.
It is not simply that the student has failed to follow the teaching and path. Almaas argues that part of the issue is with the effectiveness of the teachings even if they are true. Truth is not enough.
"A trait, like criticalness, has to become “ego-alien” for a person to do something about it, or even to see it as an issue to be understood. “Ego-alien” means that it is experienced as being alien to the ego, as not consistent with the person's interests, as conflicting with the rest of him. So no trait or part of the personality can become an object for understanding and dissolution as long as it is ego-syntonic. When it becomes ego-alien, then the person will become uncomfortable in such a way that he will be concerned about looking at this part of the personality and doing something about it."
Any aspect of identity or experience that is "ego-Syntonic" is not directly approachable to transformation even if the teaching, teacher, and method are ultimately true because the student can't see that at an unconscious level. Even if they believe it intellectually; they do not act on it because unconsciously they are identified with it as essential to their well-being.
Taking Buddhism as an example: "The student believes that desire is the root of suffering as the Buddha, and his teacher or guru have told him. But...at this deep level he does not believe in the teachings and unconsciously actually rejects it, he cannot be touched by it and he cannot follow the teaching in his life, or finds it difficult to follow because in the deepest part of his unconscious he cannot relate to it."
For most people desire is essential part of their life, it is the way to well-being and fulfilment. It is experienced as "ego syntonic"; only when it is already seen and deeply experienced as an obstacle to their well-being will the Buddhist teaching on desire have a transformative impact.
There's a saying when the student is ready the teacher or teaching will appear. Many great true teachings exist, many teachers, so it's really about when something becomes relevant for the student, they will find the teachings that addresses that issue. When desire is seen as an obstacle Buddhism will all of a sudden appear as desirable :)
Almaas goes through quite a few examples of teachings and students; aligning and not aligning. He goes into a few specific teachers: Krishnamurti, Osho, and Gurdjieff.
For one short example:
"Let us now suppose that the student('s)...life is primarily dominated by issues of surrender. He feels strong, willful, rigid. His heart is hard. He is always guarding his independence and autonomy. He cannot surrender to feelings of vulnerability. He cannot love...In this instance, Gurdjieff would be of no help. Gurdjieff and his system are will oriented. Gurdjieff's teachings would not be appropriate. Performing super-efforts would just add to his rigidity, and lack of softness. But the teacher who embodies the aspect of surrender would be effective with this student. Somebody like Ramakrishna, like Rumi, or a Hassid would be just right. Then not only will he receive the appropriate teaching for him, but he will also be in intimate contact with the quality of surrender itself. What is offered is exactly what he needs. He will be able to understand his issues, resolve his conflicts, and his heart will melt in the golden essence of love and surrender."
A student must bring a certain existential motivation and concern into every spiritual teaching they engage with. The better those align the more transformation is possible.
Even as the Diamond Approach (name of Almaas' teachings) is set up to be responsive to student's different issues and open enough spiritualty to explore different aspects/avenues of realization they still require serious students. They must already have a deep motivation towards spiritual truth and inquiry. That can't be talked into if you will; it's the requirement for Almaas' teaching to seem interesting and desirable :)
The end of the essay touches on how all this plays out in the Diamond Approach; getting into more intricate and esoteric aspects of transformation then I'm going to touch in this review. All interested can read it!
I found this to be a fantastic and eye-opening essay when I first read it some 19 years ago; and I still find it so on reread. It's also a great entry point into the Diamond Approach. This essay is probably easiest found as part of the book "Essence With the Elixir of Enlightenment: The Diamond Approach to Inner Realization"
Displaying 1 of 1 review