The Freedom Religion Press

SOME REVIEWS OF THE BOOK The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss.

On February 9, 2008 Thomas R. Fisher from Portland, OR wrote:

It was 2 am on a Saturday in early February, 1964. I had not slept, anxiously awaiting the climb to begin at 4 am; my first ascent on a real mountain: 11,249-foot Mt. Hood in Oregon. I was a nerdly high school lad with bad eyesight, fresh from my mountaineering classroom work with the mountain climbing club. I had read the books, hung out with the seasoned climbers, bought the ice axe, crampons, etc. and could even read the topo maps using a compass. I was sure I knew the way from what I had studied. I knew the stories and the jargon and how to rappel but I had not had the direct experience of actually being at the top of a real mountain. I had imagined myself arriving at the top with everything I started with and then returning, intact, to my world able to claim I had something to say about the view from the top of the mountain.

It was 10 am on a Saturday in January, 2006. I was in the little meditation hut in our garden where I kept all those dozens of spiritual books I kept buying, and in a moment of shattering honesty I knew that for over thirty years I had been futilely brooding and trying to see my way to the top of the mountain with thinking (or experiences at retreats, emotional work, workshops, seeing teachers, etc.) and that thought would not ever get me there. Thought (or emotion) and concepts and words and borrowed imaginings of teachers would not get me there (I intuited all this in a single thoughtless flash) because thought is limited (I wrote in my notebook) even though I try to stay with what seems to be the core, impersonal I Am as the great sages all say to do. I admitted, completely, I did not know how to escape thought (ego) and that thought was my trap.

In a great, tectonic shift of consciousness, a shattering but temporary immersion of the ego in the Infinite Self came like the instantaneous shift of the heart that feels, quite sincerely, that it has fallen in love forever. I died that day to everything except: how do I fully awaken again only as That, the Real Self I now know by direct experience I Am and remain thus in bliss and true knowing as pure love, eternally?

It is March 6, 2007. The Most Direct And Rapid Means To Eternal Bliss arrives; it is read aloud by my wife and I, slowly, three times. We realize in an undeniable moment of the awakening of the truth (the emergence of the extreme desire for liberation) that the means and the way has at last been clearly, unequivocally described by a fully liberated sage. I had literally waited almost forty years to feel this certainty and clarity. We began the practice that very day and have continued several hours per day, every single day, for what has now been a year. It has forever lifted my despair and has permanently re-ignited the now undying fire and I now know EXACTLY, without any doubt, what the practice is to focus on the I Am, how to end thought (ego), and how to realize the Self eternally. It works, everyday, and the moments of pure awareness of what I Am, really, grow longer.

This unmatched gem of spiritual writing works because it teaches through direct experience -- through doing the practice earnestly and precisely as described in the book -- how the practice of Awareness of your own everyday Awareness, looking only at itself, becomes the teacher and that, by doing the practice one is immediately abiding in and as the real. This has indeed been my experience by using the book and the practice, this immediate and real abidance in the truth of myself. Much practice, perhaps some years for me, must yet occur for the ego to completely disappear. All books gather dust or have been given away. Now sixty and retired from my 30-year career as a psychotherapist, I am doing only the practice until the body ends. I feel much joy and energy and effortless compassion for all, including my own struggle to fully awaken, whereas before I felt tired and judgmental of myself and others.

All obstacles are swept away with sincere intention. If you buy the book and read it with an open mind and an honest heart this can be so for you as well.

However, to actually go up onto the mountain, it is essential to do the practice as described in the book. Because the ego is afraid of the mountain, the book also points out the many strategies that the ego (one's I-thoughts) will proffer, as if real, to avoid the mountain. In the actual experience of being fully in the practice there is room only for the reality of what one is -- which can be known only by direct experience -- without thought.

My favorite passage in the book is:

"Awareness watching awareness is awareness being awareness."

On February 9, 2008 Allyn Fisher from Portland, OR wrote:

 The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss is not just another spiritual book to add to your collection. In fact, if you take it to heart, it may be the only book left on your shelves within a few months. It is not a scholarly treatise. It is not a book of theory or comparative religion. It is not a parable, nor is it particularly poetic. The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss is a concise guide to full Awakening in this lifetime.

My husband bought this book as a gift for me a year ago. When I realized that I had just received an instruction manual for escaping the mind's relentless orbit, an instruction manual stripped of theory and jargon, without any kind of wiggle room for the ego's tricks, without any room for questions or doubts, I was overjoyed, challenged, and inspired. We started the Awareness Watching Awareness practice described by the author immediately, and life hasn't been the same since. The egos in our household haven't yet met their final end, but they're well on their way to extinction. Turning one's attention away from the world, the body, and thought to focus instead on the I AM really does work, especially since Michael Langford actually explains what the I AM is in everyday language.

The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss is unique in a number of other ways as well. Mr. Langford clearly describes the ego, the true Self, and the difference between the two. He describes the innumerable tricks the ego uses to preserve its imaginary self, identifies the extremely intense desire for Liberation as the only antidote, and provides the inspiration needed to reach that level of desire. He chronicles his discovery of the Awareness Watching Awareness practice, and perhaps most importantly, doesn't include any extraneous or irrelevant information whatsoever. There is nothing in the book that doesn't continue to ring true, even after hundreds of readings. In fact, the truth behind it becomes increasingly evident as the practice deepens. There is no doubt that The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss represents the highest and best a teaching can offer: a real, tangible, actual means to the Truth, accessible to anyone who's really searching.

On August 5, 2007 ALLONE from North Carolina wrote:

 I had read that there was a difference between the false self and the true self in books I had read before. But I never knew exactly what that difference was until I read this book,
The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss. Because the difference was described so clearly in this book, now I can tell the difference between the false self and the true self in my daily life. I also can now see how the false self has fooled all of the people of the earth and caused all of our problems. This book is written in such a clear, easy to understand language that I can for the first time see all of that and so much more!

The solutions for all the problems of all the earth's people can be found in this book. I wasted so much time reading hundreds of religious books, books about meditation and new age books. I wish I had read this book, The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss, fifty years ago. I would not have wasted all that time reading all those other books that have so many extra words and so many detours and so many false paths.

This book, The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss, is the greatest book I have ever read. There is nothing else like it. I thought there was nothing new under the sun, and this book appears! There is something new under the sun. It is like thinking that the light of the sun is the most powerful light and suddenly the light of a million suns appears! This book is like that.

I think this book is destined to change the consciousness of the earth's people more than all the religions of the past combined. The reasons why we have not changed in the past are clearly pointed out in this book. How we can finally change and know the eternal beauty is also clearly pointed out in this book.

Do yourself and all of the people of the earth a favor and read this book. This book is written so clearly it makes all the other books I read look like mud. This book was written from the heart of reality. Every word in this book is a valuable precious jewel.

These are my favorite quotes from the book:

Introduction:

11. It is possible to be free of all sorrow and suffering and to experience absolutely perfect infinite eternal joy here and now in this lifetime.

12. It is possible for all humans, not just a few humans.

13. There is a rapid means to infinite bliss.

14. That rapid means is taught in this book.

Chapter One:

17. If you turn your attention towards the awareness that wakes up in the morning, instead of towards people, places, things, thoughts, etc., eventually you will discover that awareness is infinite-eternal-awareness-love-bliss.

Chapter Three:

78. If you really wanted Truth, you would insist on Direct Experience.

80. The extremely intense desire for liberation is the key to ending the ego's tricks, and the book you are now reading contains step-by-step instructions for awakening the extremely intense desire for liberation.

84. Your motivation while reading is very important.

85. The correct motivations are (86-89):

86. Extremely intense Self-honesty.

87. An extremely intense desire to directly experience the infinite-eternal-absolute Truth.

88. A willingness to let go of all the ideas you have accumulated in the past.

89. An extremely intense longing to be free of sorrow and to live in eternal-joy.

Chapter Four:

23. When the desire for Freedom becomes even more intense you can see all of the ego's preservation strategies.

24. When the extremely intense desire for Liberation is awakened you will marvel at how it was possible you did not see the ego's preservation strategies before.

49. What if your desire for Liberation were a million times greater and more intense than it is now?

55. After the extremely intense desire for Freedom arises all is made clear and you have no doubts!

56. After the extremely intense desire for Freedom arises, for the first time you can see!

Chapter Five:

37. The extremely intense desire for Liberation is like an infinitely strong grip that grabs hold of the absolute goodness that has never known falsehood with a hold so strong that nothing can weaken that grip.

Chapter Six:

85. The significance of the Awareness Watching Awareness discovery is one of communication.

86. A human could be told to focus on the I AM and even after one hundred million lifetimes, still not know what the I AM is.

87. However, if told that the I AM is the awareness that appears to wake up in the morning, the background of awareness that is there during all the waking hours, and given specific instructions in how to turn the attention away from thought, etc., and towards awareness watching awareness, one can end the ego and suffering in this lifetime and remain eternally in bliss.

88. Those specific instructions are in Chapter Seven.

Chapter Eight:

131. If you remain content with awareness watching awareness, your problems will start to disappear.

132. Your misery will start to disappear.

133. Peace will come unexpectedly.

134. Joy will come unexpectedly.

135. Infinite Love will come unexpectedly.

143. Watching thoughts is not looking inward.

144. Watching feelings is not looking inward.

145. Watching breathing is not looking inward.

146. Only turning the attention away from the observed and towards the observer is looking inward.

147. Only awareness watching awareness is looking inward.

148. Looking inward is eternal liberation.

149. Looking inward is eternal life.

150. Looking inward is eternal awareness.

151. Looking inward is eternal peace.

152. Looking inward is eternal joy.

153. Looking inward is eternal Love that is absolutely perfect and free of all forms of sorrow and misery.

Chapter Eleven:

30. That infinite space is your awareness.

31. That infinite space is infinite love.

32. That infinite space is eternal life.

33. See the infinite freedom of infinite space.

65. Never again imagine that space is just nothing.

66. Space is that which is truly valuable.

67. Space is eternal life-awareness.

68. Space is infinite Love.

69. One being, one space, one infinite Love.

83. You are not a thinker living in a body in a world.

84. You are infinite-eternal-awareness-love-joy.

Chapter Thirteen:

70. This book contains a unique step-by-step formula beginning from the Introduction, through Chapter 13.

71. All of the steps, from a detailed description of the imposter, to understanding how the imposter arose, seeing the difference between the imposter and the true Self, understanding the imposter's tricks, the methods used to see that thought has no real foundation, the importance of awakening the extremely intense desire for liberation, the methods to awaken the extremely intense desire for liberation, the Awareness Watching Awareness Method, The Abandon Release Method, The Eternal Method, The Infinite Space Method, and the Loving All method are essential for most people, due to the tricks of the ego.

99. Doubt is a very valuable tool in the process of awakening.

100. You could begin by doubting all of the religious and spiritual teachings of the past.

101. Then doubt every human belief in all fields including science and philosophy.

102. Then doubt the validity, sincerity and existence of the doubter. Find out: who or what is the doubter?

103. Then practice the most direct and rapid means to eternal bliss.

104. Then, eventually, sooner or later, experience the absolute perfection of Infinite-Eternal-Awareness-Love-Bliss. Then continue to practice.

105. For this to happen you have to begin to care.

106. Care about Truth enough to see that the human past has been a falsehood.

107. Care about Truth enough to drop the past ideas, beliefs, concepts and opinions. Then begin a new life.

To read more reviews: scroll to the top of this page and see the right column.

For information about where you can order the book The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss, click "AMAZON" below.

MORE REVIEWS OF THE BOOK The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss.

On March 8, 2008 Kevan M. Jackson from Carson, CA wrote:

I've been a spiritual seeker most of my life. Over the years I've been heavily into various spiritual traditions, Zen, Sufism, Yoga, Christian mysticism, Hindu mysticism and martial arts. I've also aquired an extensive library of books written by or about every "enlightened" person that ever lived. Honestly, all I really succeeded in doing was creating a much more spiritual ego.

I had just about given up on the idea of realizing Truth, when at age 57 I finally came across The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss. I gotta tell you, I wouldn't care now if all my other books burned!

This book is it! The author tells you exactly what the ego is. Exactly how it works, and all it's strategies and tricks. He tells you exactly what you need to do, (practice awareness watching awareness, which was the method recommended by Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta) and how to do it. Yes, you will be able to read this book and perform the method correctly!

I've read quite a few books where the "enlightened" author tells you over and over to just look out at the world as your True Self. Right... But they offer nothing as to a method for arriving at that level of understanding? Not the case here. Nothing vague in this book. Nothing to guess about. Nothing to interpret. The author even cautions readers to read the book literally. He tells you that yes, he really means exactly what he is saying.

If you're tired of dead ends, if you really thirst for Absolute Truth, this could be the last spiritual book you ever buy.
My eternal gratitude to the author.

On February 19, 2008 Linda D. Russell wrote:

This is the most direct and clear spiritual book I have ever read.....no nonsense ...no stories....just clear and precise explanations and instructions.  Thank you very much.

On February 8, 2008 Jane McIntrye Myers from Syracuse, NY wrote:

The best spiritual book I have ever read...the book gives clear, concise instructions on how to reach enlightenment.

The book is direct, easy to read and does not include any unnecessary information. The author gets right to the point and gives the reader what he/she needs to know.

This book is a god send...I couldn't find any instructions on how to practice self inquiry as described by Ramana Maharshi until I found this book.

I have been practicing the AWA method from this book for over 3 months now and I love it...buy this book and try it for yourself...it's wonderful.

No other spiritual book gives the reader such a clear method for practicing self awareness...I was frustrated by other books and teachers that said..."you are already That"....well I didn't feel much like 'That' until I found this book and started practicing the AWA method.

Now I am having little glimpses of what enlightenment might be like.

It will probably take me a few years to finally put an end to my ego and become fully consciousness but I know I'm on the right path as described by Ramana Maharshi. Get this book and start watching your Awareness and you will too!  

On August 5, 2007 A Reader from the Oregon Coast, USA wrote:

There is no way that words can capture just how powerful and potentially life-altering this book really is.

We, as a species have been searching.

But we've not been finding!

And so we go from one idea to another, from one system to another, from one book to another, hoping that we will stumble upon some way out of the suffering and confusion.

If you are interested in ending this seemingly endless search, you must own this book. When discussing books dealing with spirituality, the phrase "this is the last book you'll ever need" is tossed around a lot. Well, take it from someone who has read nearly a thousand books which could be considered "spiritual", if you are reading this, you've finally found it! You've truly found the last book you will ever need! And I don't say that lightly.

Michael Langford has written a book which shows the way to Freedom. I would even go so far as to say that it is the ONLY way to Freedom. If there is another, I have not been able to find it!

After reading the book, you'll understand why the human race is in the situation it is, collectively and personally. And more importantly, you'll understand how to end the delusion, end the fear, end the conflict. It is a very deep and incredibly profound book. But it is written very simply. There are no fancy concepts here. There is only Truth.

You can get this book and save yourself years of continued searching, or you can look for yet "one more door". But I urge you from my heart to get this book, do as it instructs, and walk through THIS door.

It is the doorway Home.

On August 3, 2007 S. Srinivasan from Burlingame, CA USA wrote:

From the Introduction chapter of the book...

"11.  It is possible to be free of all sorrow and suffering and to experience absolutely perfect infinite eternal joy here and now in this lifetime.

12.  It is possible for all humans,
not just a few humans.

13.  There is a rapid means to
infinite bliss.

14.  That rapid means is taught in this book."

This book is a unique contribution. It is an 'Instruction manual for enligtenment'. It contains extremely practical step-by-step instruction to the 'direct experience of reality'.

The first three chapters are devoted to understanding the ego and tricks of the ego and how it keeps one from waking up. These chapters are extremely insightful and I personally found it very useful. One of the several ego's tricks which I Identified in myself after reading the book was a preference to engage in endless reading and discussion instead of devoting time for actual practice.

Then there is a chapter on the importance of the 'desire for liberation' and how it can dissolve all obstacles to enlightenment.

There is a chapter devoted to 'how to awaken the extreme desire for liberation' which is also very insightful.

There are two meditation practices offered for daily practice as the 'most rapid and direct means to the direct experience of reality'. The first one is the 'Awareness Watching Awareness'(AWA) method, and the second one is the 'Abandon Release Method' (ARM). According to the author AWA is the most rapid and ARM is the second most rapid method. These two methods alone are worth the value of the book.

There is an extremely useful chapter on further clarification of the 'Awareness watching awareness' method which addresses all possible doubts or questions one might have during the practice. The author gives very practical tips and pointers to address any questions which might cloud the meditator's mind during practice.

E.G. from chapter eight...

"10. Don't expect any type of experience.

11. If you are wondering if you will have some kind of spiritual experience,
then that very wondering means
you have added something to
awareness watching awareness.

12.Never add anything to
awareness watching awareness.

13. The key is to be content just watching your awareness and not to move from that and not to add anything to that. 

165. Don't expect any of the experiences described in this chapter. Expectation will destroy the effectiveness of the practice.

166. If it seems boring
the first few times you try the
awareness watching awareness practice, that is OK. Continue to practice."

Initially when I started practicing AWA, I found it to be quite difficult. Then I took the authors suggestion in the book and practiced ARM first for a few months and then switched to AWA. It has been more than a year since I started practising seriously and the results are amazing, I can definitely say that I am on the right track.

The following quotes are from chapter 6:

"67. From the very first moment one tries this practice, one is abiding as awareness!

68. There is no waiting!

69. It is so easy.

70. One does not mean to imply
that from the beginning the ego ends.

71. It takes years of continuous practice before the ego meets its final end.

72. However, from the moment one tries this simple, easy to understand practice, one is abiding as awareness!"

There are also several supplementary methods which are not meant for daily practice but can be practiced once or twice to get a deeper understanding of the primary method.

There is also a chapter titled 'reminder' which is meant to be read everyday to motivate one to practice the methods every day.

Well how does one know whether this is infact the 'most rapid and direct means to liberation'?

Quoting the author from chapter 6:

"123. The only way to find out if the Awareness Watching Awareness Method works for you is to practice it.

124. If without trying it, you come to the conclusion that it will not work, then you have allowed the imposter (thinking)
to rob you of a great opportunity

125. With thinking you have a conclusion, an opinion, an assumption that may be correct or may not be correct.

126. However, with practice, you will know for sure if it works for you or not.

127. Therefore, consider giving it
a sincere, fair try."

In my case, the unconditional joy and bliss that is starting to fill my being and is deepening with each practice session is enough confirmation that the AWA method really works.

Very Highly Recommended!

(The quotes are from the 4th edition of the book)

On February 17, 2008 Eric B. Robins, M.D. who is the co-author of the book Your Hands Can Heal You wrote the following review of the book The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss:

There are lots of great spiritual books out on the market today, and many great teachers of varying degree of "development."

In my opinion, this book takes the cake (in fact, it is the icing on the cake), and is the Real Deal.

Someone once said that the sign of a brilliant Teacher is their ability to boil down complex topics and make them simple. Michael Langford has done just that. He has taken the milleniums of spiritual teachings and broken them down into their distilled practical essence.

What he has come up with are the following ideas:

1) The ego, otherwise known as our thinking, is the source of our problems. He shows us how to identify when we are acting out of ego, and shows us many of the tricks that the ego plays to stay in control.

2) The Soul is our underlying awareness; it is not found by thinking, it is found by meditating on awareness. As we do this, we increase soul contact and there is an increasing amount of peace, bliss, joy and expansiveness that we experience in our daily lives.

If you are looking for just another book that will satisfy your intellectual curiosity, this probably isn't it.

If you are looking for a book with practical exercises that will allow you to have a Direct Experience of your Divine Nature, then you have found what you are looking for. And, this may very well be the last book you ever need on the topic. Is is the BEST book I have ever read on the subject, and has my highest recommendation.

On November 7, 2007 Anne Gorman wrote:

WOW, This book and its message might be the book I have always been looking/waiting for! I am following its instructions and have a strong feeling that this is going to work for me.

The following is an Editorial Review of the book The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss: 

 In this book there are practice instructions for seven different methods of meditation including:

1. The Awareness Watching Awareness Method.

2.   The Abandon Release Method.

3. The Eternal Method.

4. The Infinite Space Method.

5. The Loving All Method.

For thousands of years humans have been stuck in the same pool of inward unsolved problems. Thousands of years ago humans had the problems of suffering, sorrow, anger, fear, violence, conning, cheating, lying, death, etc. Today humans have the problems of suffering, sorrow, anger, fear, violence, conning, cheating, lying, death, etc. All of those problems have a single cause. In this book the cause of the lack of progress and the solution that actually works is revealed.

There is a secret, a missing link, a vicious circle, that is keeping humans stuck in the same pool of unsolved problems. That secret, that missing link, that vicious circle is revealed in this book. How to break free of that ancient human trap is also revealed in this book.

The solutions taught in the past have failed. Not even one in a million humans has been freed from all suffering and been established in absolutely perfect infinite-eternal-awareness-love-bliss by the solutions that have been taught in the past.

It is possible to be free of all sorrow and suffering and to experience absolutely perfect infinite eternal joy here and now in this lifetime. It is possible for all humans, not just a few humans. There is a rapid means to infinite bliss. That rapid means is taught in this book.

Whatever spiritual path you are on, this book will be a great help. The problem of the ego distorting, distracting and keeping the attention directed outward is a problem shared by all humans, whatever path they are on. The ego's tricks have seldom been looked at in spiritual literature. The ego's tricks are revealed in this book. How to put an end to the ego's tricks is also taught in this book, making this book a unique and immensely valuable contribution.

This book is a great help to all humans, including those who are not on a spiritual path, because the most direct and rapid means to end suffering and sorrow and to live in awareness-love-bliss, is of benefit to all.

For human consciousness to be transformed something new must be introduced. This book introduces something new into human consciousness.

It is rare that a spiritual book goes into detail revealing the tricks the ego uses to avoid liberation. The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss is such a rare book. Step-by-step instructions in how to put an end to the ego's tricks are given in this book.

This book shows how to directly experience infinite-eternal-awareness-love-bliss in this lifetime. This book contains a detailed description of the difference between the True Self and the imposter self. Detailed instructions in how to directly experience the True Self are given in this book.

Of the thousands of spiritual books you could purchase, The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss is the best first choice. This is the book that created a spiritual revolution that is continuing to transform all human life.

The direct experience of infinite-eternal-life is available to all humans. There is a fork in the road. One road leads to ideas, beliefs, concepts and opinions. The other road leads to Direct Experience. This book shows the difference between these two roads and how to choose the road that leads to eternal-perfect-love-bliss in this lifetime.

This book is a new doorway for humanity. On a combination lock that you have been unable to open, it is not the numbers on the dial that are new. It is the combination that opens the lock that is new. The more than fourteen hundred sentences in this book reveal the combination that opens the lock. On the other side of the door is eternal Life-Love-Bliss.

For information about where you can order the book The Most Direct and Rapid Means to Eternal Bliss click "AMAZON" below.

AMAZON