Who Is In? Beyond Self-Image
By: Avikal E. Costantino - O-Books, $18.95
Description: Who is in? is for all spiritual seekers who encounter the basic questions of identity: Who am I?, Who is in? or What is the nature of I?
Using the Zen Buddhist koan - a paradox to be meditated upon - ‘Who is in’ as a door to discovering the true self and pure subjectivity, this book provides examples and understandings, techniques and invitations to experiment with self-inquiry.
Verdict: Author Avikal E. Costantino is a spiritual teacher. Curiosity, passion and love for the truth guide his teaching and are transmitted in a clear and focused way. He is also the founder and director of the Integral Being Institute active in Europe, Asia and Australia.
Here in his brand new book Who Is In? Beyond Self-Image, Avikal intriguingly ponders on how can we overcome the problem of seeing our self negatively and the resulting low self-esteem that quickly follows in its murky footsteps?
Is there a way to be in a state of awareness where our goodness and self-esteem is evident, irrefutable, and permanent? Well, as aforementioned, using the Zen Buddhist koan - a paradox to be meditated upon - ‘Who is in’ as a door to discovering the true self and pure subjectivity, this quite wondrous book opens our minds to the presence within our boundless and inherent self-worth; transforming the way we think about our self, life, and the world in revelatory ways, in general.
The referred to Zen Buddhist koan, is a story, dialogue, question, or statement which is used in Zen practice to provoke the great doubt and to practice or test a student’s progress in Zen.
Indeed, according to the Yuan dynasty Zen master Zhongfeng Mingben, gōng’àn originated as an abbreviation of gōngfǔ zhī àndú, which referred to a public record or the case records of a public law court in Tang dynasty China.
Kōan/gōng’àn thus serves as a metaphor for principles of reality beyond the private opinion of one person, and a teacher, as noted, may test the student’s ability to recognize and understand that principle.
Now, having read this compulsive read of a book twice, admittedly, there is one prerequisite for reading this book: you must be ready to let go of what you believe defines you. Yes, the first thing that comes to your mind, that identity that you are always too scared to death to let go of, you have to be willing to try here.
I know how terrifying it can be if you are seriously considering embarking on this path, but trust me, this book makes it all well worth while! Your fear, as real as it seems, is only in your mind. Accept it, feel it, and observe it with understanding, for it too shall pass.
Indeed, the moment you realize that your (self-imposed) identities are only keeping you from seeing your true nature, and are limiting your independence, you will experience true freedom, and a strange, stable sense of self - as you realize that you exist without these identities.
In closing, and I really cannot recommend this book strongly enough, Who Is In? Beyond Self-Image is an amazing read, an amazing journey, and is written by an amazing author in Avikal E. Costantino and thus I implore you to go out and buy it today (if not for yourself, but your coffee table, so that others might pick it up and you can pass it forward).
About the Author - Avikal E. Costantino is a mystic, poet and martial artist. Curiosity, passion and love for the truth guide his life and teaching. He is founder and director of the Integral Being Institute. He lives in Bondi, Australia.
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