The Myth of Enlightenment: Seeing Through the Illusion of Separation

By Karl Renz

Whether you meet Karl Renz in person or through this book, the encounter will leave you with a radically different sense of yourself. Karl's unique ability lies in exposing the beliefs we've built our... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1878019244
• ISBN13: 9781878019240
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Inner Directions Pub
• Length: 203 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

A Nest of Nonduality

Sometimes Shadowy and Indirect: There's a sense that Renz is amusing himself with shadows in the forms of questions and words. "Whatever happens in this wakefulness [the world] is nothing more than fleeting shadows on a screen." He's engaged with his own cleverness. Or maybe he is mirroring the cleverness of those who question him. An exchange addresses this: The book is written in question (Q) and answer (K for Karl) form. Q: "Oh, I can't grasp you! You dodge every statement like a snake!" K: "But the snake says, `Why don't you try it? Come into the gap where you can't exist. Take a bite of the apple!" "I don't talk to any person, but to existence, the Self," Renz claims. "I only know that I am and that there's existence. Everything else is speculation. Truly, I know no more than you." Other Times Instruction is More Direct: "Just see you're that which realizes and not anything that can be realized. ... Don't turn toward what appears in awareness, but toward awareness itself." He speaks about the value of self-inquiry: "When you concentrate on this question [Who am I?] all personal history is slowly but surely annihilated, since in this question no person can exist anymore." Back To The Shadows: "Enlightenment is merely one more concept in that endless stream of ideas about improving yourself, discovering yourself, or obtaining happiness. ... It's unnecessary because there's never been any need for anyone to become enlightened." An Explanation: "I'm not here to dissolve, but to create knots. I tie so many knots in your brain that you may suddenly realize it's impossible to ever undo them. Then you can give up trying and simply be still. Once you're completely still, who cares whether there were ever worlds, rebirths, webs, knots, or dissolutions?" Abundant, Refreshing, and Profound Humor: K: Through desire and hard work, you seem to make decisions and control your own progress, and then bang! Through some kind of accident, all this falls away. Q: And then I'm no more? K: Yes. It's almost a pity because you had built up such an interesting relationship with yourself. Conclusion: The strands of shadow, slippery snakes, and neatly bound direct instructions intertwine to form interesting knots. The humor helps to undo them. Or tightens them. But I do recommend landing into this nest of nonduality. Jerry Katz

A Buddha of our time...

It is likely that the best measure of a genuine spiritual teacher is the skill with which he presents that which is simply beyond words. Karl Renz has a clarity that both painful and freeing at the same time. If you agree that it is necessary to see illusion before you can see through it you will find your mirror in this book...

An inspirational telling of all of the truths we humans have been taught to deny

The Myth Of Enlightenment: Seeing Through The Illusion Of Separation by Karl Renz is an inspirational telling of all of the truths we humans have been taught to deny. As The Myth Of Enlightenment progresses, readers will discover a more elaborated and honest part of themselves, in both their social and solitary life. The Myth Of Enlightenment is very highly recommended for its intriguing content and everything it has to offer for all readers, religious or otherwise.

Karl Renz, THE MYTH OF ENLIGHTENMENT

"Comrade this is no book, Who touches this touches a man... It is I you hold and who holds you." (Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass) First, some context: I have read/explored this book's presentation thoroughly now for the second time. Someone considering this book as a choice, may find these comments helpful. The book is a transcription of live dialogues. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to sit at several question and answer sessions with Karl and to watch many of the available DVDs. I have a "feel" for the flavor and texture of his answers, body language, vocal intimations, etc that cannot be written in words. While I cannot say that I have "touched the man", for certain he touched "me". "Emptiness means the absence of everything except what you are." (p 188). From what I have seen, I can tell you that these dialogues are quite typical of his "style" of presentation. We with query, who see ourselves as separate, individuals ( man), pose as half of the apparent Q and A team.. We seem to ask the "same ole questions", verbalized sometimes cleverly, sometimes not. He, knowingly being both ends of the duo and everything in between, prior to all perplexity, responds from Self to Self. Awareness that is "what man is" responds to itself; so Karl says. Answering at times with humor, or tenderness, paradoxical perplexity, or perhaps perceived insult, he may seem to contradict himself in a matter of minutes! However he responds, there is for me, the Felt undercurrent of non-emotional Love and Lightheartedness of being. This, even if he is sitting on the edge of his seat leaning forward and thundering responses loudly, rapidly as lightning flashing. He, a truth whisperer with the universe as his megaphone, shouting from the Silence that IS every bone and stone, "THIS is Home". Just This; AS it IS, whatever it is. Prior to every thought, feeling , emotion, prior to even I AM, the Consciousness of all, says he. I felt an open invitation/ daring flirtation, hinting at the possibility of Present Knowingness in this Merciless Mercy. Like an older brother, grandfather or child, I felt like I could unabashedly ask him anything or as easily go for a coke, beer or coffee with him. And did. Such is the everyday ambience of ordinariness and approachability that surrounds him. At least so it seemed for me, tiring now after all these decades of longing and searching, and being addicted to the silly shenanigans of Self-pursuit. Test it for yourself. It is NOT easy read for some and is not for everyone, but is one of the most down to earth, that is, Fundamental, Radical expressions of That which cannot be known by its expression, I have ever experienced. It seems I have digressed from discussing the "book" to discussing the "man"? Yes, it seemed so to me as well until, in my perplexity, I saw where Whitman's poetry, haunting me now for days, fits. Fits like a key that opens a door that isn't "there". No need for key o

A Radical Approach

Reading Karl Renz's MYTH OF ENLIGHTENMENT strips away all remaining illusions the mind still creates even if you "think" you got it! If we can manage to read this book in timeless presence and "loose our mind" we are realizing there is nothing to realize! Karl knows all the tricks the mind is playing and brings with his book a refreshing non-perspective, humorous and radical approach recommended for anyone interested in any spiritual path and/or non-dualistic philosophy.