I sometimes wonder whether this awakening game would be so popular if people really knew what it entails. We promise an unshakable peace of mind and heart and an inexhaustible wellspring of love and joy. But do folks realize that they will lose everything they thought they were or had in the process and be left with nothing? 

Of course, this nothing is the ultimate goal of our aspirations, the wish-fulfilling jewel that renders up the peace, love, and happiness we seek. But nothing is still nothing—no sweets for the ego, no lasting accomplishments or possessions to hold on to (not even enlightenment), no cherished identities or beliefs to give solace, nothing but constant change and the gradual (or sudden) wearing away of all our attachments and expectations. 

Life itself is the ultimate guru, as it strips us of youth, health, success, loved ones, and finally life itself. In the end, all we’re left with is the diamond that can’t be destroyed, the source of all genuine fulfillment, our inviolable and irreducible true nature. Nothing, and at the same time everything—magnificent, perfect, all-inclusive. Just this! 

Just be sure this is what you really want before you embark on what may seem like the romantic and heroic journey of spiritual awakening. Because once you set out, you may not be able to turn back.