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Who Am I?: The Sacred Quest
In his well known, clear and lucid style, Jean Klein offers a book that is fundamentally about ourselves, about our own reality, and how we can start to realise our true nature, our inner stillness and wholeness. Unique among Jean Klein's works, the dialogues contained in this book have been organised by subject. Topics include: Relationship; The Nature of Thinking; The Art of Listening; A conversation on Art, etc. Questioner : “In certain situations in life I feel blocked by a fear which prevents me from acting. How can I be free from this obstacle?” Jean Klein : “First free yourself from the word, the concept, "fear." It is loaded with memory. Face only the perception. Accept the sensation completely. When the personality who judges and controls is completely absent, when there is no longera psychological relationship with the sensation, it is really welcomed and unfolds. Only in welcoming without a welcomer can ther be real transformation. “We are in essence one with all existence; when we truly observe ourselves there is ultimately no observer, only observation--awareness.”
- GenresSpirituality
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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159 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 25, 2018
What comes to mind after reading Who Am I?, and on Klein's work generally, is 'profound.' His work shines with an indepthness of simplicity, reflecting Simplicity itself, yet is not simplistic. There is a simplicity so simple one must be with it in receptive awe, for it to integrate into his or her whole being. In traditional terms, such powerful, silent simplicity arises from the absolute Simplicity, being beyond and prior to subjectivity and objectivity, God.
'God' to Klein is Oneness, not the object of personal or group devotion, which, to him, entails emotionality. He observes, however, devotional religiousness can be engaged from the consciousness of Oneness, when the worshiper surrenders to the Signified signified by the means of expressing devotion. Then, the means of worship is dissolved in a direct knowing free of the means. Traditional religion can be, therefore, an effective pointer to transcend the subject-object dualities embedded in religious language, for in all language.
After having read three of Klein's works, and now reading a fourth, I will note some matters regarding Klein's approach, all applicable to this book, as well as others ~ my reviews of I Am and Be Who You Are are, likewise, posted at Goodreads.
1) Klein recognizes that one engages a particular knowledge base that leads to transcending the mind, otherwise one stays stuck in the mind.
It is not enough to point to oneness and say or imply simply to surrender to this that is. If that were true, the whole world in one moment could easily live oneness, while it can and cannot. 'Can' meaning, the potential is present; 'cannot' meaning we are not prepared. To know oneness, we first know about oneness, such is the way we humans arrive through preparation to receive. One cannot negate the role of mind in leading to the mental surrendering to One beyond mind, for mind is in oneness, not oneness in mind. Simply pointing to oneness repeatedly and not providing the necessary background for listeners, which seems frequent among works on nonduality, is a disservice to those seeking transposition beyond the mind. All within nature is developmental, even if oneness is not; yet, to position the body-mind to dissolve in oneness is developmental.
Klein does admit the possibility of one coming to this direct knowing apart from preparation in learning. Such, however, he concludes would be rare.
As an aside, and in agreement with this engagement of knowledge, for teachers of nonduality to say there is nothing one can do to know oneness is misleading, when even to sit quietly to welcome oneness in silence is a doing something. We simply cannot avoid doing to prepare for what gives Itself to us freely, gladly. Klein, however, correctly observes that when one knows the One, that dawning itself is nondevelopmental, so spontaneous.
2) Klein keeps free his nonduality pointing from reductionism to psychology, as well as other disciplines such as religion.
Nonduality encompasses thought and feeling, yet is in neither according to Klein. He presents oneness, or what he often calls Globality, as the irreducible, a non-state. All disciplines relate first to states of body-mind, even when serving as a potential transcendence into direct knowing of the One.
3) Klein's approach is inclusive of other discplines, is nonparochial.
The relates to the prior. Klein recognizes, for example, the place of religions and art, and regarding both seeing them as potential means to oneness, while accepting both, likewise, is usually entrapped within the cultural meanings and sensitivities that are short of surrender into the knowing of oneness. Klein, while pointing such matters out, never communicates as being against what appears to fall short of Globality. This inclusiveness mirrors the nonjudgmental welcome of oneness itself; indeed, Klein utilizes Welcome of the attraction of the One, seeing we are attracted like a magnet attracts to itself.
4) Klein clearly differentiates, in contrast to many, that unicity, unity, union is not oneness, or Oneness.
He points out that these other words refer to a joining together, while oneness, or Gobality, is prior even to togetherness. Then, to know you, is to know myself, not only another one with me. Union is prior to communion.
5) Klein clarifies why one living oneness is of a sage, not a mystic.
This seems a confusion in much work on religion and spirituality, where mysticism is oft treated as the height of religiousness or consciousness emergence. The mystic moves in and out of exalted states of consciousness; the sage is free of feeling any need for or desire for these states, for oneness is Contentment of no state and does not come and go. A sage does not seek union, for example, with God, or oneness with God, for oneness is, he or she lives in oneness. The mystic never finds stable contentment in God, in religious terms, for he or she returns to longing for a re-union, again and again. This is Klein's view on sage and mystic.
6) Klein, like many ancients, sees the Word as potent, meaning Word imbued with the power of oneness, not merely words of information.
He stresses pointing, or teaching, when arising directly from oneness, has the power to enact transformation into oneness. While observing needed knowledge to prepare for the transposition, the direct knowing itself cannot arise from knowledge about. So, he wisely encourages one receive his words, but not think about, or contemplate, the teachings. Simply receive, then forget. Allow the potency of the teachings to work silently within, in a posture of passive alertness.
My sense is persons of an intellectual inclination would connect well with Klein. Many persons, due to the inclusive approach, of religion or not, spirituality or not, traditional or not, would find Klein a welcome source to visit for guidance and inspiration. Klein models for us how simplicity is indepthness, and indepthness is simplicity. Ironically, Klein invites us to be drawn through the mind to beyond the mind, by oneness to oneness, to an awed profundity, so leaving us silent in Silence, a Silence alive with Its own aliveness.
'God' to Klein is Oneness, not the object of personal or group devotion, which, to him, entails emotionality. He observes, however, devotional religiousness can be engaged from the consciousness of Oneness, when the worshiper surrenders to the Signified signified by the means of expressing devotion. Then, the means of worship is dissolved in a direct knowing free of the means. Traditional religion can be, therefore, an effective pointer to transcend the subject-object dualities embedded in religious language, for in all language.
After having read three of Klein's works, and now reading a fourth, I will note some matters regarding Klein's approach, all applicable to this book, as well as others ~ my reviews of I Am and Be Who You Are are, likewise, posted at Goodreads.
1) Klein recognizes that one engages a particular knowledge base that leads to transcending the mind, otherwise one stays stuck in the mind.
It is not enough to point to oneness and say or imply simply to surrender to this that is. If that were true, the whole world in one moment could easily live oneness, while it can and cannot. 'Can' meaning, the potential is present; 'cannot' meaning we are not prepared. To know oneness, we first know about oneness, such is the way we humans arrive through preparation to receive. One cannot negate the role of mind in leading to the mental surrendering to One beyond mind, for mind is in oneness, not oneness in mind. Simply pointing to oneness repeatedly and not providing the necessary background for listeners, which seems frequent among works on nonduality, is a disservice to those seeking transposition beyond the mind. All within nature is developmental, even if oneness is not; yet, to position the body-mind to dissolve in oneness is developmental.
Klein does admit the possibility of one coming to this direct knowing apart from preparation in learning. Such, however, he concludes would be rare.
As an aside, and in agreement with this engagement of knowledge, for teachers of nonduality to say there is nothing one can do to know oneness is misleading, when even to sit quietly to welcome oneness in silence is a doing something. We simply cannot avoid doing to prepare for what gives Itself to us freely, gladly. Klein, however, correctly observes that when one knows the One, that dawning itself is nondevelopmental, so spontaneous.
2) Klein keeps free his nonduality pointing from reductionism to psychology, as well as other disciplines such as religion.
Nonduality encompasses thought and feeling, yet is in neither according to Klein. He presents oneness, or what he often calls Globality, as the irreducible, a non-state. All disciplines relate first to states of body-mind, even when serving as a potential transcendence into direct knowing of the One.
3) Klein's approach is inclusive of other discplines, is nonparochial.
The relates to the prior. Klein recognizes, for example, the place of religions and art, and regarding both seeing them as potential means to oneness, while accepting both, likewise, is usually entrapped within the cultural meanings and sensitivities that are short of surrender into the knowing of oneness. Klein, while pointing such matters out, never communicates as being against what appears to fall short of Globality. This inclusiveness mirrors the nonjudgmental welcome of oneness itself; indeed, Klein utilizes Welcome of the attraction of the One, seeing we are attracted like a magnet attracts to itself.
4) Klein clearly differentiates, in contrast to many, that unicity, unity, union is not oneness, or Oneness.
He points out that these other words refer to a joining together, while oneness, or Gobality, is prior even to togetherness. Then, to know you, is to know myself, not only another one with me. Union is prior to communion.
5) Klein clarifies why one living oneness is of a sage, not a mystic.
This seems a confusion in much work on religion and spirituality, where mysticism is oft treated as the height of religiousness or consciousness emergence. The mystic moves in and out of exalted states of consciousness; the sage is free of feeling any need for or desire for these states, for oneness is Contentment of no state and does not come and go. A sage does not seek union, for example, with God, or oneness with God, for oneness is, he or she lives in oneness. The mystic never finds stable contentment in God, in religious terms, for he or she returns to longing for a re-union, again and again. This is Klein's view on sage and mystic.
6) Klein, like many ancients, sees the Word as potent, meaning Word imbued with the power of oneness, not merely words of information.
He stresses pointing, or teaching, when arising directly from oneness, has the power to enact transformation into oneness. While observing needed knowledge to prepare for the transposition, the direct knowing itself cannot arise from knowledge about. So, he wisely encourages one receive his words, but not think about, or contemplate, the teachings. Simply receive, then forget. Allow the potency of the teachings to work silently within, in a posture of passive alertness.
My sense is persons of an intellectual inclination would connect well with Klein. Many persons, due to the inclusive approach, of religion or not, spirituality or not, traditional or not, would find Klein a welcome source to visit for guidance and inspiration. Klein models for us how simplicity is indepthness, and indepthness is simplicity. Ironically, Klein invites us to be drawn through the mind to beyond the mind, by oneness to oneness, to an awed profundity, so leaving us silent in Silence, a Silence alive with Its own aliveness.
April 9, 2023
In realtà non è un libro abbandonato, ma semplicemente non finito.
L'approccio Vedanta oscilla per un profano tra la verità suprema e la cagata pazzesca e in questo caso sento che questo testo è più vicina alla prima, ma non ho gli strumenti.
Rischia di essere un insieme di parole che rimangono senza significato e credo sia giusto lasciare immote molte di queste pagine: chissà se ci sarà occasione di riprenderle.
Per le pagine lette: meno diretto di Desjardins, meno affabulatore, più etereo, ma con alcuni suggerimenti molto calzanti ed utili.
L'approccio Vedanta oscilla per un profano tra la verità suprema e la cagata pazzesca e in questo caso sento che questo testo è più vicina alla prima, ma non ho gli strumenti.
Rischia di essere un insieme di parole che rimangono senza significato e credo sia giusto lasciare immote molte di queste pagine: chissà se ci sarà occasione di riprenderle.
Per le pagine lette: meno diretto di Desjardins, meno affabulatore, più etereo, ma con alcuni suggerimenti molto calzanti ed utili.
May 11, 2013
Great pointers to the simple state of nondual being. Nice to read out loud, since they were originally delivered in spoken format.
June 17, 2025
"Who Am I..." is an excellent book concerning Non-Dual Advaita Philosophy that teaches about ourselves, about our own reality and how we can realize our own nature. The author states that our own nature is stillness and that we cannot acquire what we already are which is eternal consciousness. Jean Klein taught that Advaita is the direct approach beyond any mental activity or striving. It cannot be taught and is understood only through one's experience. This is provocative but highly challenging book that I would highly recommend
February 28, 2022
Usato negli anni come invito alla meditazione senza oggetto.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews