The Four Stages of Enlightenment: A Guide To Awakening, Nonduality, & The End of Suffering

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In The Four Stages of Enlightenment, Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., offers a compelling map that bridges ancient Buddhist wisdom and contemporary psychological insight. Trained in social and personality psychology at UC Berkeley, she brings rigor and clarity to what can feel like abstract spiritual terrain.

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Davis explains how enlightenment isn’t a mystical leap but a progressive series of stages—each peeling away layers of ego and illusion, guiding us toward the end of suffering.

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The Purpose Behind the Book

Davis’s awakening arose spontaneously, prompting a journey that felt both disorienting and liberating. Without spiritual training or mentors, she turned to Buddhist “maps of enlightenment” (referencing Ingram, Sayadaw, Schanilec, and the Pali Canon) to make sense of her experience. Her book aims to demystify awakening—making it accessible and relatable—by offering a structured model. This model helps readers identify where they are on the path, what lies ahead, and how to continue moving forward with intention and grounding.

The Stages Between Awakening and Enlightenment

Stage 1
Once we have our initial awakening, we are in the first stage of enlightenment. This initial awakening involves seeing through a part of our self-concept (or identity) and gaining a whole new perspective on what we really are (e.g., Dilullo, 2021). Although this can be extremely inspiring and beautiful, it can also be overwhelming, confusing, and full of illusions.

Stage 2
In the second stage of enlightenment, we become aware of the mental processes of attachment and aversion. We can now see how these processes seem to create suffering. Although we begin to break free from the suffering of attachment and aversion, this letting-go process can be quite painful at times. Eventually, we learn how to stop attaching and avoiding, and by the end of this stage, very few external experiences can truly bother us.

Stage 3
In the third stage of enlightenment, boundaries dissolve, and we finally start to experience nonduality or oneness. Without the mind constantly labeling, conceptualizing, and trying to control everything, we begin to experience life as it truly is. With continued honest observation of our experiences, more parts of the self are seen through, and, eventually, the physical experience of being a separate "me" dissolves. In other words, the sensation of being inside of a physical body (often described as a knot in the stomach) fades away (e.g., Adyashanti, 2009). Suffering is seen through, and finally, we are free.

Stage 4
In the fourth stage of enlightenment, the physical sensation of self is gone, suffering is gone, and both are seen to have never existed in the first place.

Why This Book Matters Today

In an age marked by psychological fragmentation and spiritual commodification, Davis offers something both grounded and profound. Her work is deeply rooted in her psychological training and personal awakening journey. It’s not about guru worship or abstract doctrines—it’s a map for those seeking clarity, not euphoria. Davis brings rigor and compassion, inviting readers to walk the path with eyes wide open.

Her accessible language and structured framework make this book a valuable resource for therapists, coaches, seekers, and anyone curious about awakening. It offers both guideposts for where to look and reassurance that the path is rarely linear.

Final Thoughts on The Four Stages of Enlightenment

The Four Stages of Enlightenment by Tchiki Davis provides a deeply resonant guide to awakening—not as a one-time event, but a process of unraveling. From the first dissolution of identity through mystical fullness, deep emptiness, cathartic processing, and ultimate self-transcendence, the journey is both intimate and universal.

As readers navigate these stages, they may find comfort in the shared structure, encouragement in the unfolding map, and solace in knowing that suffering isn’t permanent. Davis’s blend of psychological insight and spiritual wisdom offers a map that feels both ancient and timely—one worth revisiting often.

Get The FREE eBook

✓ Discover what awakening is like
✓ Learn about the four stages between awakening & enlightenment
✓ Get exercises to progress

Sign up to get our FREE eBook.