Make Me One with Everything

March 9, 2015
The title’s reference to the classic joke about the Dalai Lama’s encounter with a hot dog vendor signals the playful tone of Surya’s exploration of non-duality, but the influential American Buddhist teacher and writer (Awakening the Buddha Within) is passionately serious about his subject. “Inter-meditation,” he explains, “means meditating with—the practice and art of intimacy and union with whatever is, just as it is.” He demonstrates how the ancient Tibetan practice of lojong (“heart/mind training”) can be applied to everyday life through many practices, such as focused meditations on others and tantra-inspired sex, that encourage intentional connection with others. Discussions of suffering, old age and death, and action in the larger world provide a strong conclusion. Packed with generous wisdom from Surya’s 45 years of eclectic study and training, this book offers an exuberant, impassioned plea for a life lived fully in connection with others and the universe. While the author clearly has an affinity for mysticism, his approach is down to earth; readers tolerant of his ebullient self-promotion and penchant for neologisms (“we-volution,” “convergitation,” and more) will find abundant resources for spiritual growth.