Author Description

"Enlightenment is guaranteed. That is a fact. Every moment, every event in your life, every experience and all your feelings are bringing you to Enlightenment." Umi Here is the expression of two Masters, Bodhidharma, the first Zen patriarch, who lived fourteen hundred years ago, and Umi, whose more than thirty years of meditation and intense spiritual work culminated in January 1998 with a dissolution of self and merging with the Whole -- an experience mystics call Enlightenment. In this series of recent public gatherings, Umi focuses on Bodhidharma -- a Zen monk who was so intense, he cut off his eyelids to stay awake during meditation, who traveled alone from India to the uninitiated China to spread word of Zen's freedom. Although today's online spiritual culture has dubbed Bodhidharma "someone to watch", his words are often so controversial that Buddhist leaders hesitate to quote him. Umi's straightforward commentary on these words, however, sings their strength, beauty, and clarity. Never before have Bodhidharma's experiences been shared with such bliss. The discourses of Enlightenment Guaranteed are peppered with visitors' questions and Umi's answers, which come direct from his own experiences. Even funny, off-color jokes have a place here, when Umi uses them to make a point. Spiritual discussions have rarely been this engaging. "There are not enough stars in the heavens to rate Enlightenment Guaranteed. Umi's words touch so deep, and he speaks like an 'ordinary' person -- like the friend he is. His unconditional love, truth, and patience reach right into my heart. As a direct result, my life experience has profoundly opened and deepened -- and I feel the unfolding continuing in every moment. I encourage you to read this book!" Morgause Abheeti, Aptos, CA