By Process of Illumination is both deeply personal and universal. This free verse poetry first captures the anguish of personal loss. Then it takes the reader on a journey from the grief and darkness, through psychological and spiritual insight, to a place of self-transcendence where the drama of personal life can be witnessed without distress. The author's spiritual perspective is nontraditional, and he captures wisdom from Buddhist, Advaita Vedanta, and Christian sources. In the poem "Mass Awakening" he points to a global spiritual awakening. The 9 poem series "The Fall from Grace" succinctly captures a theology that is consistent with non-dual teachings. Along with this, some poems have a lightness that winks at you and reminds you that ultimately joy is the fruit of spiritual awakening.