In January, 1994, after a contemplative practice of more than two decades, I awoke to the transcendent heart. That fact, plus a couple bucks, entitles me to a (small) cup of Starbuck's coffee. I've waited more than 20 years to publish these essays about my experience of awakening-in order to give the stink of enlightenment time to wear off. These essays offer the refreshment of your own original, lucid nature. Like the taste of fresh, clear water, enlightenment is subtle to describe. Yet it is here for the tasting, and even the most carefully chosen words become obsolete as soon as you take the first sip.