"Read this book as you would a scripture or a sutra and let it open your eyes to eternity." —Adyashanti

This new, expanded edition of our most popular current title brings forward the importance of joy and love and grace in Short Path practice—with additional meditations and expanded teachings to help readers achieve their goals. These accessible teachings distill the essence of currently popular and traditional sudden-awakening teachings (Advaita, Zen, Dzogchen, etc.). Paul Brunton calls them “Short Path” teachings. A simple recognition, a brief moment of grace, can make what seemed like a far-off spiritual goal actual here and now. But we need reliable pointers for when and how and where to look. Brunton delivers the essence and practices of this path in direct, jargon-free language.

• How to move from the Long Path of spiritual disciplines to the Short Path of direct insight
• Short Path exercises
• Experiences that may occur
• Warnings
• Stages of realization
• Stabilizing the awakening
• The nature of lasting enlightenment

Widely considered the most influential writer on systems of self-realization in the 20th century, Paul Brunton traveled the globe in search of authentic spiritual teachers, with whom he lived, meditated, and studied. Major reviewers acclaim his integrative writings as “sensible and compelling,” “a rich vein of wisdom,” “sensible, deep, and original,” etc., that “stand  beside Merton, Huxley, Suzuki, Watts, and Radhakrishnan.” He presents and makes accessible a broad spectrum of deep teachings, both East and West.

"In The Short Path to Enlightenment, Paul Brunton gives voice to the profound teachings of immediate spiritual awakening that have the power to short circuit the seeker in us and reveal the true nature of reality here and now. But the true gift of this wonderful book is in how nuanced and subtle Paul Brunton understood these profound and transformational teachings and how directly he conveys them. Read this book as you would a scripture or a sutra and let it open your eyes to eternity." —Adyashanti

"The Short Path to Enlightenment is a deeply supportive text from the extraordinary Paul Brunton, the spiritual explorer who first brought knowledge of Ramana Maharishi to the West. In this work published by the Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation, readers receive the invitation and instruction to discover the truth of oneself. The accompanying excellent glossary gives depth of understanding to Brunton's unique terminology. This book is alive with supreme knowledge. May it support you in immediately and continually recognizing yourself." —Gangaji

“This work, The Short Path, consists of meaningful fresh passages that could have been composed today. Brunton was a literary force. His books were better written than those by any of the current communicators of nondual consciousness.” —Jerry Katz, Nonduality.org
 
“Reading The Short Path to Enlightenment was a breath of fresh air to me. Co-editor Jeff Cox has laid out these particular teachings by Paul Brunton in a clear, open and flowing manner. For me, it was the right book at the right time. It helped me to understand my path and where I am on it. The Long Path being the preparation to the Short Path and the role of Grace. Surely, one of the best books on Enlightenment I have read.” —Gary Goldberg, “In the Spirit” radio show, Troy, NY

“. . . As Brunton makes clear, the Long Path is necessary preparation for the Short Path, although to some extent both may be undertaken together. His brief, pithy passages present a virtual road map to Self-Realization: concise, practical, no-nonsense, yet very kind, wise and high. Readers will be helped to discover where they are on their own path, and how to move on. Enlightenment is always “immediate” when it happens; here is some solid guidance on diving into the ocean of Grace.   —Light of Consciousness magazine

"Paul Brunton is one of my 'eyes.' My shakti [spiritual power] is working through him. Follow him closely." Ramana Maharshi

"Paul Brunton needs no introduction to our readers. The value of his insights is that they come from a long and sustained journey by someone whose intelligence, perseverance, and integrity are self-evident. There is an element of common sense coupled with a refined fluency in his writing style which is immediately engaging. A gifted writer, his books published in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s are classics and have quietly influenced generations of seekers. Through his books, especially his A Search in Secret India, many especially in the West came to know of Ramana Maharshi. Paul Brunton has the ability not just to inspire but clarify what is essential. The simplicity of his writing veils the sophistication of his comprehension. These short selections on a wide range of spiritual topics are meant more for meditation than browsing. —The Mountain Path Journal, the publication of the Ramana Ashram

“A person of rare intelligence . . . thoroughly alive, and whole in the most significant, ‘holy’ sense of the word.” —Yoga Journal

“Any serious man or woman in search of spiritual ideas will find a surprising challenge and an authentic source of inspiration and intellectual nourishment in the writings of Paul Brunton.” —Jacob Needleman

Paul Brunton helps us hear the melody behind the medley of today's "spiritual marketplace." His late writings raise the bar for what we can expect of spiritual teachings and teachers, and what we can do for ourselves. Born in London in 1898, he soon became a leading pioneer of much of what we now take for granted. He traveled widely throughout the world (long before it was fashionable) to meet living masters of various traditions with whom he then lived and studied. His eleven early books from 1934–1952 shared much of what he learned, and helped set the stage for dramatic east-west exchanges of the late 20th century. Paul Brunton left more than 10,000 pages of enormously helpful new work in notebooks he reserved for posthumous publication, much of which is now available as The Notebooks of Paul Brunton. See "The Complete Paul Brunton Opus" in blue below to see his many works available on this site. You can also search on Paul Brunton in the search bar to browse the selections, or click on a link below for specific connections.

Click here for an article about Paul Brunton.

Click here for The Notebooks of Paul Brunton.

To access small theme-based books compiled from Paul Brunton's writings, scroll down to Derived from the Notebooks below.

To access Paul Brunton's early writings, published from 1934–1952, scroll down to Paul Brunton's Early Works below.

To access commentaries on Paul Brunton and his work by his leading student, Anthony Damiani, as well as other writings about Paul Brunton and/or his work, scroll down to Commentaries and Reflections on Paul Brunton and His Work below.