The Silent Question: Meditating in the Stillness of Not-Knowing

Words from the Heart-Mind indicating the presence of that which is beyond words,beyond concepts,beyond dogmas. All are welcome(d).You are welcome(d).

Cracking the cement of language is a quote of Toni's in the book. It describes for me the experience of reading this book (and her other works). Her words point to an experience of bare, natural awareness. A worthwhile read. Not much else like it around.

Many teachers of non-duality communicate the impression that if we can simply experience the bare awareness that is the screen upon which the story of life appears, then suffering will vanish. My experience has been that the experience of bare awareness is the easy part. My messy, squalorous mind just goes right on doing what it did before, totally unimpressed, leaving me feeling perhaps marginally less miserable that I had before but also leaving me with a nagging feeling that I just haven't quite got "IT." What I appreciate about Toni is that she describes, as if she were in my own head- and I since we are all the same- I guess she is, inside my own brain. She is fond of quoting Hui Neng- "One enlightened moment and an ordinary man is a Buddha. One deluded moment and a Buddha is an ordinary man." Sounds like me phasing in and out.

In her new book, Toni further explores the themes of her work of not depending on any belief, ritual, or conceptual understanding of any kind for security or comfort. Constant return to awareness of what is happening right now brings the possibility of seeing in a fresh way with a clarity that is completely new. This opens up the possibility of a peace and joy not dependent on idea and in no need of defense. For anyone interested in the work of J. Krishnamurti or the ultimate goal of Zen practice, Toni's work is an invaluable tool in ridding ourselves of any habitual patterns of thought and belief. Life becomes less restricted, freer and constantly open to change and freshness.

I loved this book for many reasons. A subtitle for the book could easily have been "Beyond Buddhism" although no doubt Ms. Packer would, I imagine, argue that such a title would make no sense as there is nothing to get beyond. Nevertheless the influences of her Zen background permeates the work but do not shadow it. The most exciting part of the book is that the history, theoretical premises and all the bells and whistles that usually accompany a line of thought are absent. It simply shows that being totally immersed in the awareness of the current moment is all that matters. It is fascinating that a concept that can be stated in one sentence can be expanded on enough to fill an entire book. Yet one never gets the feeling that one is just reading the same stuff over and over again. Each new chapter brings with it a sense of excited anticipation. She presents her ideas in a very easy to understand concise fashion. The emphasis is on application in everyday life, not on theories or explanations. She shows clearly how awareness of the present, or lack thereof, can have a major impact on our lives. Her writing on inimate relationships is particularly illuminating. This is a challenging book, not in terms of ease of readbility, but in terms of the learnings and insights that come when applying what is written to your inner personal world. Her seemingly simple insights can lead to incredible depths of understanding when thought about and applied.