Awareness by Anthony De Mello

Awareness by Anthony de Mello is a modern spiritual classic that invites readers to wake up from the illusions of ego, conditioning, and control. With a blend of sharp humour, deep insight, and grounded practicality, de Mello delivers a powerful guide to inner freedom and present-moment living. Perfect for fans of Eckhart Tolle or Ram Dass, this book continues to resonate with those seeking clarity, peace, and spiritual awakening.

Solitude and Solace

Like most booklovers, I take my sweet time thinking about which books to accompany me on holiday. During a recent trip to Glendalough in County Wicklow, when I was packing I was looking for something that would suit the mood; reflective, maybe a bit restless, looking for something deep and clear.

I spent a lot of time on the bench outside, chillin at the cillín, and this was the perfect companion. Very often I’d read just a few paragraphs or a chapter, and find myself having to put it down for a bit, just to let it resonate. That’s what I’m looking for when I’m reading books about awakening and non-duality - to help me just rest in awareness, to bring me home again.

De Mello peels back the layers of identification gently but relentlessly — using stories, humour, and a kind of warm detachment that cuts through illusion without preaching. He invites you to look directly at what’s here, now, before the mind grabs hold of it.

What you are aware of, you are in control of; what you are not aware of, is in control of you

And in the best way possible, he invites you to look at your beliefs. I’m not interested in another teacher with more advice on what I should be doing to ‘wake’ up. De Mello ain’t no guru, that’s for sure.

“The only way someone can be of help to you is by challenging your ideas.”

Anthony De Mello

Anthony de Mello was a Jesuit priest, psychotherapist, and spiritual teacher born in Bombay, India, in 1931. He’s best known for blending Christian mysticism, Eastern philosophy, and psychological insight into a powerful, no-nonsense approach to awakening.

Though trained in the Catholic tradition, de Mello’s teachings transcended religious boundaries, drawing deeply from Buddhism, Advaita (non-duality), and Sufism. ‘Awareness’ is his most well known book, and is based on his spiritual retreats and talks.

De Mello died in 1987, and it seems that some of his work was controversially criticized by the Vatican for not aligning with Catholic doctrine — which, ironically, only deepened his appeal to spiritual seekers who sensed in him a rare authenticity. De Mello’s voice continues to resonate today because he wasn’t offering dogma — he was offering direct experience.

Catholicism

One of the reasons the book resonated with me so deeply was that it was written in a language familiar to me from my youth - rooted in the gospels, Jesus, and prayer. What he then does I found interesting - he encourages you to look through that spiritual, emotional and cultural conditioning.

When I look back now at all of the time spent in pews listening to priests, the feeling I most remember is one of fear, based around obedience, sin and suffering. Very often I’d remember leaving the chapel or confessional feeling full of guilt and shame, even though I wasn’t sure what I’d done. A feeling familiar to many catholics I’d say, lapsed or otherwise.

What De Mello does is turn this inside out; he doesn't deny that people suffer or cause harm — but he sees the root not in sinfulness, but in unconsciousness. In his eyes, guilt is not redemptive. Awareness is.

“Guilt never sanctifies. It only wounds. It causes neurosis and anxiety. It does nothing for you.”

“What you call sin is a symptom. You are asleep. When you wake up, sin disappears.”

Spiritual Growth

What De Mello is saying, is that real spiritual growth isn’t about guilt and penance — it’s about awakening to your true nature: aware, alive, and already whole. In this book, he’s encouraging you to look past the fear based interpretations we have around religious teachings - these are just lots of words and belief systems. And what lies beneath them?

Stillness, presence, aliveness, grace.

“Suffering arises when you cling to what you should let go of, or resist what is.”

During my mid to late teens, I spent a lot of time immersing myself in my faith, attending services and reading the bible and investigating the power of prayer. I can look back now and see that I’ve always been a seeker - whether it’s music, literature or art, I’ve constantly been looking for meaning. That period of intense seeking within catholicism was another part of the journey.

Thing is, during this current period of spiritual seeking, I can look now and find more resonance than ever in the teachings.

The kingdom of god is within?

Be still and know.

And before Abraham was?

I am.

But those are words, quotes, koans - pointers as such. The truth isn’t in the words. As the Zen saying goes,

Don’t mistake the finger pointing at the moon for the moon itself.

What De Mello as a priest and this book taps into powerfully, is to say - Look behind the doctrine. Forget about the institution, strip it away and what remains?

That deeper essence, returning us to what we already knew as a child, before we were taught to feel wrong about ourselves.

Summary

As this book is based on De Mello’s spoken talks and spiritual retreats, it reads in a lovely conversational style with simple language. It’s direct, laced with humour and anecdotes, and at times he’s wonderfully blunt. It’s also divided into short chapters, and thankfully devoid of jargon. I can see why it’s seen as a spiritual classic.

I felt like De Mello was sitting on that bench beside me. And funny, on a couple of evenings I decided to join some of the local nuns for their evening reflection. We read from the psalms and choose our favourite passage. After all these years, and I find more deeper resonance than I ever did - not based on guilt, or fear, but now intimacy, stillness and direct experience. Always here, not judging, holding everything in quiet awareness.

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.”
— Psalm 139:1–3

First published January 1, 1990

190 Pages Paperback

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