Shavasti’s ‘Teachings from an Awakened Heart’ is a sound investment. As a spiritual teacher, and committed student of life and God, Shavasti provides what one may experience as something akin to a rich individual session in the form of meditations and guided reflections. Addressing so many levels, Shavasti (aka John L. Payne), is not afraid to use the term “God” and conversely is unafraid of challenging those who linger only in the God realm, critical of and completely detached from all of the teachers available to us as ‘relational beings’. He gently suggests the tragedy of seeing human beings without the inclusion of that which is greater than flesh and bone.

In Teachings from an Awakened Heart, Shavasti provides a transparent personal history which includes harrowing experiences including a horrific home invasion with a gun being held to his head; with a generous soul, Shavasti shares the deep soul initiation and the journey that transpired as a result. A friend of life and death, Shavasti’s humble assertion is that he is not a unique or rare ‘Awakened heart’ but that he is in the process of Awakening. Encouraging us to work, live and love with an ‘awakened heart’ Shavasti proposes that this place, perspective, and paradigm, is the place that introduces the grace of surrender, while in a practical sense preventing burn-out for those who work with healing and being in service. Part poetry, part prose, Teachings from an Awakened Heart is engaging and encouraging. Giving everything a place, Shavasti introduces an expanse of soul which would be a benefit for any human being.

 – Francesca Mason Boring, Author ‘Connecting to our Ancestral Past’