The Path of Direct Awakening includes seventy lyric poems and ten short prose pieces that give voice to humanity’s highest spiritual aspirations. The pieces gathered here are of great power and beauty, and are presented in an elegant and restrained visual format. What distinguishes this work from comparable collections is that all its selections reference an impersonal divine - in most cases expressed as ‘Nature’ or ‘Mind.’ It is thus ideal for mediators or spiritual seekers who resist the notion of a personalized divinity, preferring to address the Absolute directly. Readers attracted to Buddhism, in particular, will find the collection inspiring. The selections are drawn from the Buddhist literature of India and China, and the Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist traditions of China. They include writings of such figures as Lao Tzu, Confucius, Buddha, Han Shan, Huang Po, Wang Wei and Hui Neng. The work is introduced by a short essay that describes the fascinating lives and historical contexts of the writers represented. This is followed by another essay on the technique of passage meditation. Four black and white brush-stroke drawings from the Chinese tradition beautify the text. Notes on the individual passages are at the back of the book.