Buddha on a Bull: A Practical Approach to Enlightenment

By Elena Nezhinsky

From hard-core spiritual seeker: authentic spiritual adventure with passions and vulnerabilities, and a simple and unconventional guidebook for those who are tired of seeking enlightenment.

This is the most real, raw, wild, truthful, funny book on awakening and enlightenment I have ever read.  It could easily be called

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elena Nezhinsky
• Release date: Aug 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781733222044

Elena Nezhinsky

Elena is an independent thinker and a long-time seeker of Truth. She is a pioneer of a global awakening movement and a co-creator of the spiritual inquiry method of Direct Pointing that can lead to release the illusion of separation. Elena is a Spiritual Mentor and Deep Transformation Coach.

Book preview

Published by Awaken Now Publishing

Copyright © Elena Nezhinsky 2019

All rights reserved. The right of Elena Nezhinsky to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988. Apart from short passages for the purposes of study, research, criticism, or review, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author. The worldwide publishing rights of this work are the exclusive property of Elena Nezhinsky.

Book cover/logo design by Bonnie Aungle

Illustrations by Jason Kolano

Internal design by Jane Green of Everlasting Magic Design.

www.everlastingmagicdesign.com

ISBN — 978-1-7332220-0-6

ISBN — 978-1-7332220-4-4 (e-book)

To everyone

who is tired of seeking enlightenment,

like I was…

RIDING THE BULL FIELD NOTES

For confused beings like ourselves who have the habit of shopping from shelf to shelf for Dharma snacks, Elena has written the perfect handbook. If you’ve been gorging on empty calories, here is the balanced nutritional supplement you need. And it answers many of the modern problems never even thought of in Traditional Eastern meditation texts! It’s practical, and gives advice on avoiding difficulties, which are all of our own making. And it’s simple, full of easy effective ways to make sure that once we get unstuck, we can relax, free.

--John Hoag, Practitioner of Dzogchen and translator for Tibetan Teachers, Montana, USA and Nepal

She invites us to wake up right where we are. To allow the knowingness to show up: there is no need to try to find it. It is organic, not a static view, just follow your heart, be still, and in the silence the struggle will settle to a realization of one’s true nature. Just be. I felt the panic of my heart calm reading her words. Her poetics and insight from a long journey paid off. I love her and her story.

--Jane Edberg, MFA, former Professor of Art at Gavilan College, California, USA

‘OH MY F-ING GOD!! This is the most real, raw, wild, truthful, funny book on awakening and enlightenment I have ever read. It could easily be called ‘welcome to being human’. Elena brings the spiritual search into the realm of being human in a way that no one else could. I deeply and highly recommend this easy to read, easy to love, easy to understand jewel to anyone seeking themselves.

--Shanti Zimmermann, Emotional Clarity Mentor, Switzerland

The writing is simplicity itself, in her unique enjoyable voice she speaks to her readers as an equal, without the rarified air of a teacher, daring them to let go of everything they think they know about seeking, about enlightenment, and about who they really are. Accessible and beautifully devoid of non-dual BS.

--Cynthia M. Clingan, MSEd, PCC, Somatic Psychotherapist, Ohio, USA

Elena has written a delightful guide full of important pointers for those who wish to explore the journey of awakening. The book is easy to read and the stories are told with sincere honesty, eliminating the many fantasies surrounding spirituality. Her practical guide will lead the readers to discover that the ordinary life when free from compartmentalization is exactly where and when the search ends and what comes after is a human life that is free and full of wonder and amazement.

--John Tan Thusness, Dharma Teacher featured in the Awakening to Reality blog project, Singapore

A joy to read. It’s like sitting in a coffee shop with a friend who has awakened, chatting in an easy, relaxed, fun way while listening to stories and anecdotes, jokes and wisdom of the way home, back to your true self, and discovering you have always been there.

--Vinito Freo, Non-Dual Therapist, Australia

A fascinating tale of seeking and finding, laden with insight, helpful perspectives and refreshing candor. Many will find inspiration and practical pointers to assist their own spiritual search through Elena’s eloquent charting of the peaks and troughs of her heroine’s journey. Here is a genuinely fresh and authentic voice in a crowded marketplace.

--Will Pye, author of The Gratitude Prescription, founder of Love & Truth Party, Australia

Elena has written a passionate story of her love affair with Truth, that is an exquisite invitation for all those with this interest. Thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated!

--Isaac Shapiro, non-duality teacher, Australia

Buddha on a Bull is forthright, raw, playful, vulnerable, and daring. To feel accompanied on the path to self-understanding, to know the value of your quest for transformation, lean into the words and wisdom of Elena Nezhinsky. She gleans from her years of searching. A book unlike any other.

--Patrice Vecchione, author of Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination and Spirit in Everyday Life, California, USA

Elena unapologetically follows an inner knowing. Listening and following one’s inner knowing, she informs the reader, is imperative as the ultimate guide home. In her book, Buddha On a Bull, Elena displays the courage, insight, and understanding gained from her life journey, and she generously shares her experience and guideposts with the reader.

--Susanne Marie, Spiritual Mentor and Guide, New Mexico, USA

This is raw, honest, personal testimony. I particularly enjoyed the light-hearted directness and the down-to-earth, practical approach of the second part of the book, so much of which resonates with my own journey and experience. The ending slows down magically, echoing the slowing down and disappearance of ‘I’. Beautifully expressed!

--Mark Marshall with Frederic Constant, founders of nondualityforum.com, France

Loved being taken by Elena on ‘her train’. Beautifully written. Honest, clear and raw… Wonderful!

--Meike Schutt, non-duality teacher, Australia

To read Elena’s words is to travel alongside the ultimate spiritual friend, to listen deeply and watch understanding and recognition arise in you. Elena writes with clarity, courage, humor, and compassion about her own experience of waking up. Buddha on a Bull stirs the truth within, the place in each of us that already knows. It is a book that can change you!

--Jane Murphy, Editor, Writing Coach, Oregon, USA

I recognize something in here that is rare to see, and that is realness, pure honest witness filled with grace and tenacity.

--Sjef Romijn, Human Design teacher, writer at Reflector Sessions, Netherlands

A must-read book for all spiritual seekers! Her writing is refreshingly direct and honest!

--Cynthia Copple, Ayurvedic Doctor, author of Know your Blueprint, California, USA

An easy read for someone interested in truth but in no way is it a simple book, you will find abundant nuggets of wisdom and many warnings about possible pitfalls along the way.

--Magdi Badawi, Non-duality teacher, Virginia, USA

In sharing the intimate details of her awakening journey, with a beautiful energetic lightness and laughter at the absurdity of it all, Elena provides a set of bread crumbs to follow. I saw my personal journey in many of her stories and found myself constantly smiling at what was shared.

--Fergus Denhamer VP Operations, Vancouver, Canada

Buddha on a Bull is a wonderful, heartfelt journey on a train that takes you to the station you never really left, your own Awakened Consciousness. Elena’s genuineness, sincerity, and humility shine and invite you along for the ride.

--Ishtar Howell, Meditation teacher, Ishaya monk, Oregon, USA and Portugal

Buddha on a Bull is able to capture the exhilarating and difficult ride of spiritual transformation and awakening. It’s an encouraging and enlightening read on the winding spiritual path.

--Joan Staffen, author of The Book of Pendulum Healing, California USA

Buddha on a Bull book has a great purpose. I have known Elena’s work for many years and recommend her message for all to read and learn from.

--Shane Wilson, Buddhist teacher, The Meditation Learning Center, Arizona USA

Waking up is such an individual expedition! Buddha on a Bull provide practical, yet profound insights for spiritual seekers! Reading such experiential and embodied wisdom was a joy!

--Lisa Meuser, MSW, Somatic Therapist, Matrix-Trauma Integration, Indiana, USA

Whether you are new to spiritual inquiry or well established in practice, Buddha on the Bull is an unusually candid and penetrating guide, not only to the life-altering experience of waking from the trance of the separate self, but also to the ongoing adventure of embodying the vastness of your true nature in every arena of life.

--Keith Thompson, author of To Be a Man: In Search of the Deep Masculine, California, USA

Filled with practical and exhilarating truth, this book just might wake you up!

--Lori Lothian, Astrologer and creator of the Awakened Dreamer blog, Montreal, Canada

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Complete Humanity Series

About the Book Cover

Foreword

Reviews for Buddha on a Bull

[Machiel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A story about the "personal story of Enlightenment" of Elena Nezhinsky, but made understandable and practical for anyone on a spiritual path who wants to burn the path and the one on it so to speak, read it, jump on the ride!