Waking Up: Overcoming the Obstacles to Human Potential

Everyone should read this book. You'll be astounded at how "on autopilot" we live our lives. I'd recommend this book to anyone that is wanting to break out of the "robotic shell" and want to truly start living life.

Tart does an excellent job of introducing Gurdjieffian "waking" for modern, technologically oriented people. I don't mean this book is for computer geeks. If you're reading this, you almost certainly own a computer, a microwave, a TV, and a hundred other gadgets that insulate you from reality. I generally don't do "self-help" books. This one is different. And you will begin understanding the difference almost immediately upon practicing Tart's techniques. Of course, once you digest this and Tart's _Living_the_Mindful_Life_, you should probably look into R.A. Wilson's _Prometheus_Rising_ and _Quantum_Psychology_ as a look at the wilder side of Gurdjieff's teachings.

He explains how most people are caught in what he calls "consensus trance", or ruled by mechanical patterns of thought and behavior that amount to a great injustice to ourselves. Among other things, he goes over the different types of defense mechanisms we like to use, described in a way that makes them familiar. I've done just about all of them, and quite often. Unlike other authors, he's interested not only in pointing out the problem but also in what can be practically done about it, which the second half of this book is about. This is now one of my few favorite books.

If you were only to have one personal growth book, this would be the one. Charles T. Tart can articulate deep issues very clearly and he does not force anything on you. He presents the ideas and you run with the knowledge. After reading "Waking Up" I've purchased every book published by this author.This book is more like a text book than a casual read; but don't be put off. Every page has knowledge and ideas distilled from Gurdjieff's teachings. But the book is pure Charles Tart. I recommend starting right at the beginning and enjoy. Get your highlighter and pencil to write your own comments in the margin and highlight passages of pure wisdom.There is a logical method for each chapter and if you follow it through, it will really open your eyes. This was a break-through book for me. The book talks about how we are put in a conscious trance since birth and own true essence is suppressed in order to fit and cope in our culture. And how this creates a false personality in ourselves that we have to feed and thus takes energy away from our true selves. Tart talks about how we have created a simulation of the world as we se it and not how it is. There are chapters on Emotions and Defense Mechanisms we employ to protect our conditioned self. Then Tart moves into chapters on how we can self-observe ourself and start to wake from our sleep. There is just too much here to talk about in a few paragraphs. It is one of the few books I can truly say that I reference in my life on a frequent basis. It was originally published in the late 1980's then went out of print. I am so glad to see it available again. The people of the world need this book. Buy it and you won't regret it.

"Waking Up" by Charles Tart was a book read ten years ago which has stuck with me since and I have referred to him in countless conversations with my W. Va. peers since. Such was my original zeal for this book that I bought two copies but, unfortunately, gave them both away and now have none - but I do have sublime memory of its insights. I remember being particularly pleased when Tart referred to one of my all-time favorite philosopher/psychologists Gurdjieff. If I remember correctly, Tart, like Gurdjieff, said we are all in a concentric trance due to our conditioning. But we *think* we are awake. Rather like the recent Jim Carrey film, "The Truman Show," where, to his horror, the protagonist wakes up to the fact that he is living in a 24-hour soap opera bubble. Tart would have no trouble envisioning such a thing. Tart spoke of levels of objective reality and higher levels of introspection which almost no one reaches. I liked this book because it pointed out the hopelessness of trying to communicate with the "rats in their mazes" who, utilizing defense mechanisms that operate at levels below conscious awareness, will never develop sufficient insight to "wake up" to any degree. Tart recommends meditation, going within, similar to Zen. But since so few people are even intellectual and can question their culture and "think about their thinking," it's no wonder these books get lost. Tart's depth of insight is profound. For the intellectuals seem to think they can to the instinctuals and emotionals and hit home - but you must, as Tart says, get beyond even the philosophical level to realize there is no communication. As Gurdjieff pointed out, you can only understand one level above you - and that is extremely difficult. I like books on the hopelessness of the human race because it's a waste of energy and time to have hope where there is no hope. Schopenhauer spoke of the "uselessness of striving and the inevitability of defeat" and how "only youth is happy, youth who cannot see..." It's not that Tart doesn't pint to the possibility of WAKING UP!, it's just that most have no idea they're asleep and victims of false maps of reality by the media, groups, institutions, corporations, etc. It's only when the robot realizes it's a robot and becomes skeptical and questions its conditioning and thinking that there is any hope in finding Truth and Reality. Tart lights a candle in the darkness but it must quickly go out. For the masses believe they are all right and doze on forever. Heaven help anyone who tries to wake them up! For those like Tart who light the candle will be consumed in its fire.