A Meditation on I Am

by Rupert Spira

“Rupert Spira is one of the great souls. Read his books, and be clarified.” —Coleman Barks, translator of Rumi, including Soul Fury

A contemplative poem about the intimate, impersonal, infinite nature of being.

In A Meditation on I Am, Rupert Spira contemplates the essential nature of our self before it has been conditioned or qualified by the content of experience. It is a poem, a prayer and a hymn of praise to the simple fact of being that is the source of the peace and happiness for which we long above all else.

For seasoned spiritual seekers and newcomers alike, this meditative poem explores and celebrates the truth of what we essentially the awareness of being that shines in each of our minds as the knowledge “I am,” which is temporarily coloured by experience but is never modified, changed or harmed by it.

Genres: Spirituality, Poetry, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Meditation

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2021

About the author

From an early age Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality. At the age of seventeen he learnt to meditate, and began a twenty-year period of study and practice in the classical Advaita Vedanta tradition under the guidance of Dr. Francis Roles and Shantananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the north of India. During this time he immersed himself in the teachings of P. D. Ouspensky, Krishnamurti, Rumi, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta and Robert Adams, until he met his teacher, Francis Lucille, in 1997. Francis introduced Rupert to the Direct Path teachings of Atmananda Krishna Menon, the Tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism (which he had received from his teacher, Jean Klein), and, more importantly, directly indicated to him the true nature of experience. Rupert lives in the UK and holds regular meetings and retreats in Europe and the USA.

www.rupertspira.com

Reviews

[Khalid Abdul-Mumin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, profound, deep and yet ethereal poem that inevitably moves one's soul to introspectively meditate on the subjective experience and essential meaning of the "self" tinted by the lens of non-duality.

"'That which is never ceases to be; that which is not never comes into existence'"

A highly recommended exposé for those times when one desires to look deep within...

2023 Read

[LPosse1 Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars

Meditations on I Am by Rupert Spira is a beautiful and ethereal poem on the nature of self. Spira’s language flows like still water—measured, reflective, and deeply rooted in the contemplative traditions of Advaita and non-duality. The book reads less like a treatise and more like a lyrical meditation, meant to be absorbed slowly rather than analyzed.

I appreciated its quiet rhythm and its sense of wonder about consciousness itself. The verses invite you to look inward—to rest in awareness rather than thought. That said, I have to admit that I’m probably a bit too pragmatic to fully connect with the purely poetic, mystical tone. I admire the artistry and the message, even if it sometimes floats a little higher than my own day-to-day sensibilities.

Still, this is a luminous and deeply peaceful work—a poetic exploration of what it means simply to be. Readers inclined toward the contemplative or spiritual will likely find it profoundly moving. I will revisit again in the future

[Ari Lohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

an adorable poem that reads like a series of excerpts from a pocket bible. i really took my time with this one, savoring each line as the “invocation,” the “prayer” of something both out-of-this-world and yet exceedingly ordinary, to which the non-dual understanding points. as always, rupert spira proves yet again to be a diamond in the rough of contemporary spiritual “teachers,” approaching the divine with words that focus on each of us’ most intimate, most familiar, and yet most forgotten experience — that of being. if you’re intellectually (and hopefully experientially !) familiar with the non-dual understanding, or with that of ‘god,’ i’d give this one a few reads; if you read this book and felt as if rupert was just stating the obvious and nothing else, first — good. second — spend some time asking yourself who you are.

i gave it 4 starts instead of 5 because i think the price is a bit much lol

[Sherry]

I found this impossible to rate and I’m ok with that. Even having given it several days to peculate in my brain, I’m no closer to a rating. Not even clear on my thoughts or feelings about this very short little book that potentially contains everything and nothing at all. I believe I would have been more moved by it had I read it closer to the other works I’ve read by him. I thought the forward was excellent but the poem itself was maybe more than I as the listener, (listened on audio which is read by Spira himself and he does very well) could take in with the freshness I usually feel coming to his teachings. Maybe I will feel differently upon a reread.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll want to keep this poetic, crystal-clear gem of a book in your pocket. Take it with you wherever you go. There is always something new to see, understand, and feel. Something new, yet forever familiar. Maybe the cover will become bent, pages well-thumbed from use, returning again and again, like your own personal velveteen rabbit. Catch the rhythm of these words, and find solace here, in Rupert Spira's refined and elegant poesy.

[Santosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good

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[Antoinette Van Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a beautiful poem. i enjoyed the introduction and afterword as a way to make sense of the duality throughout the work.

the use of a movie screen as a metaphor for our existence and experiences was very well thought out and quite apt.

"The contents of experience are continuously changing. No thought, feeling, state if mind, activity, or relationship is essential to us. They seem to temporarily qualify our self, but our basic sense of being remains the same throughout. It is the changeless background of our ever-changing experience" (2).

regarding the movie screen metaphor: "Our being is the objectless, aware presence that lies behind and, at the same time, intimately pervades all experience. As such, our being both transcends the limitations pf experience and is immanent within them" (5-6).

[Marcel Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the back cover says, "It is a poem and a meditation. It is also a prayer, an invocation and a hymn of praise."

I cannot heap enough praise on Rupert Spira. He beautifully and majestically expresses the inexpressible in this book. For those familiar with meditation and prayer, just holding this book can be enough to evoke the sense of Presence or Being to which "I Am" speaks.

And if read aloud, this book may have the added impact of bringing to life these words.

Note: this is a small book, but at once timeless and priceless.

As always, thank you for sharing, Rupert.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Spira's, especially his Essence of Meditation series (2 books)-- this one, though, not so much. Ostensibly a poem (well) in the voice of Awareness/Being/I/God, it reads more like a collection of snippets/aphorisms, and although surely not his intention, taking on this voice comes across (to me, at least) as a tad arrogant. I doubt this would turn on a first time reader. If you're new to Spira, I'd recommend starting with the 2 mentioned above, or The Nature of Consciousness.

[Pam Reeves · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me

As much as I loved his book, the nature of consciousness, I couldn’t get into this meditation. I truly understand where he’s coming from, but the words just didn’t speak to me.

[Barry Ioannou · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book by a truly beautiful soul.
The poem speaks directly to the heart.
Thank you Rupert Spira for being in my life and invoking the truth in me.

[Matt G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book and an amazing expression of Vedantic teachings in a new way.

[Jim Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving

Amazing book I would compare it with heart of awareness by Thomas Byrone Rupert is surely a modern day master 😍

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a poem and an introduction. The 2 parts go well together and I was touched by lines.

[Abby Crow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short & sweet poem/meditation.

“I am the reality of an illusion
I am the existence of all that exists”

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bowl of words… and it’s quite pleasant.

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I appreciate the intent of this work, and it is without a doubt beautiful, it's still a pity to say it so.

[{ rosina } · Rating 1 out of 5]

Preachy, redundant, and pointless. Honestly some of the worst, most boring poetry I've read.

[Oscar Pettersson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some are beautiful and should be made into songs. They all speak of the transcendental nature of the I, that which I find so hard to put into words.

[My Tien Khuc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound- obvious and yet very subtle pointers towards the essence of I and what it means to am.