Pointers to Awakening

"The living understanding of Awakening must emerge in its own cultural element. The West has borrowed from the East for far too long. Go create the truly unique Western version" Ramesh Balsekar Alan Shelton, like many before him had his awakening experience that revealed the the nature of consciousness. His lifelong interest, within the corporate arena and the world at large, was how to make sense of such an experience in his own western tradition. One day over tea he asked Ramesh Balsekar, his mentor, how he saw what the west needed now. The words above are those that Ramesh spoke to Alan. Pointers to Awakening is the response to this insight. The way that the West understands itself is to embrace the terrain upon which any journey occurs. Our Western tradition wants to know where we are headed and what are the signposts. Pointers to Awakening is a chapter by chapter, pointer by pointer, build of this terrain. Yes, the eventual burst of awakening is rendered in presence. But what points to that eventuality? Ultimately all there is to understand is that, as a seeker, you likely live in a state of mistaken identity. What then is that identity? Who are you really? This book is for the serious seeker who likely has visited many dead ends in the spiritual process. If you want to onboard the unvarnished version of the spiritual journey, this is the ultimate guide.

About the Author :
Alan grew up immersed in the sixties' vision of infinite possibility. He began his career in 1977 at Price Waterhouse, structuring and negotiating Fortune 500 merger and acquisition transactions. After decades of managing and advising large multinational companies, as well as the type of early-stage organizations that launched his career, Alan migrated to brand, story and executive development for some of the largest brands in the world. If it could be said that one is a product of the mentors who have poured their life energy into the next generation, and Alan is clearly in this lineage. In his early career he had mentors such as Milton Friedman, Peter Drucker, and Stephen Covey to name a few. Stephen Covey was his professor in college and later a fellow director on the board at the school of management at Brigham Young University. Milton Friedman selected Alan to assist him the IBM Memorex antitrust suit of the late 70's. Alan spent hours with Peter Drucker in the mid-80s as he did graduate work at the Claremont Graduate School. Peter's emphasis that corporate organizations should expand their footprint within the community fabric is a lesson that Alan has never forgotten. Once in India, Alan spent years in Poona in the ashram of Osho. It was there that he spent thousands of hours in process and encounter groups as well as meditation. He became a therapist facilitating groups of seekers in primal, encounter and meditative offerings. It was through a relationship with Ramesh Balsekar, a former CEO of the Bank of India and Advaitan sage, that Alan graduated from the tough school of mentorship.In terms of pure metrics, Alan's biography is robust. In his early career he was the senior partner of a significant merger & acquisition CPA firm numbering over 100. His role was to prepare companies for acquisition or possibly becoming public. He participated in CEO resource groups with executives from major corporations such as Pacific Mutual, Allergan, and Fairchild Semiconductors. During this time, he served on boards of director for Martin Luther Hospital, Corona Community Hospital, and Micro Data Services. Over the years he has served on numerous other boards as well. And as well Alan was asked to teach Mergers & Acquisitions at Cal State Fullerton, Entrepreneurial Studies at Claremont Graduate School and Leadership Development at The University of San Diego.Alan's corporate roles have included stints as CFO, CEO, as well as a founder of several successful entities. Alan left the professional services world at the age of 36 and spent several years in India engaged in his own personal path. Upon his return he took assignments as a founder and CFO for digital imagery company as well as CEO assignments of several companies in the $500,000,000+ range in revenues. He executed these assignments for venture capital firms seeking an exit from these investments. Alan lives in a remote agricultural area on the Big Island of Hawaii, with his wife of 25 years, Justine. She is a yoga therapist and healer who works with those threatened by traumatic illness. Alan's children- Kristin, 38 and Michael, 35- both graduated with business degrees from University of Southern California and University of Arizona, respectively and are both avid entrepreneurs. Alan has had a lifelong love affair with rescued dogs and as you read this, it is likely that Rama and Juneau are sleeping at his feet in the office whilst he mentors executives in their spiritual search.

Review :
This book is a gift to mankind, to those who have decided not to be conformed and defined by the world, but those who are being renewed by their mind to actually see the "Oaktree" in the "Acorn". Jerry Skillett Pointers to Awakening is the perfect vehicle to understanding the spiritual journey. Much like the perfect wave that starts simply and then shows its majesty at the crescendo, it is the perfect expression of my time with Alan. I have walked the beaches, jungles and taco joints with Alan. It's always the same. Spirituality is here and now. Dan Callaway It is easy for me to make things sound wonderful, but there is simply no space for embellishment here. This work deserves the highest praise. It is an instant spiritual classic with nothing like it in modern print. Chapter 23...just WOW! What a service to the spiritual seeker. My goodness, the clarity of the delivery of that chapter is a game changer. Ron Ario Alan's style of working and writing is very available and ordinary and that's why he's so special. Awakening has been made special by the spiritually misguided and is anything but. Pointers to Awakening is direct, simple and compelling. Alan has often been called the "food truck" style of spiritual chef. That he is. Toivo Halverson "It is not at all an overstatement to say that Alan's work has utterly transformed the way I understand my life and exactly who and what I am. Even beyond that, his transmission of wisdom through this book gave me the ability to act in accordance with this understanding in every area of my life RIGHT NOW. " Jaya Daniel If you're a genuine seeker, this is for you. My entire life revolves around the most unbelievable coincidences which is exactly how I came to unexpectedly meet Alan Shelton during an online event. Like all enlightened masters Alan's wisdom and insights are priceless and I consider myself very fortunate and blessed indeed to be his friend. Julian Robus