Editorial Review

Cancer survivor, poet, and philosopher Mark Nepo has consciously allowed life to move through him. The Book of Awakening is the result of his journey of the soul and will inspire others to embark on their own.

Nepo speaks of spirit and friendship, urging readers to stay vital and in love with this life, no matter the hardships. Encompassing many traditions and voices, Nepo's words offer insight on pain, wonder, and love. Each entry is accompanied by an exercise that will surprise and delight the reader in its mind-waking ability. ... Read more

Reviews

Learning who I am
I start every morning with an inspiration from this book. I take the time I need to reflect on the daily passage and have found it to be a way of learning about the real person I am. I have been searching for inner peace for so long , this book has helped me to meditate on the important things to make my life and my inner self more complete and at peace. I love this book and want to give everyone I know a copy.

Editorial Review
There are very few books in this world which elicit the question `Why have I such an array of books on this subject when this one would suffice?' The entry of Mark Nepo's Book of Awakening into my life not only presented this question but also initiated an immediate removal of the other six inspirational books waiting in a tumbled line by my bed, making space in my overcrowded life for the simplicity of one source of wisdom.

The Book of Awakening, which is beautifully produced by Conari Press, is in the form of a daybook, having an entry of wisdom for every day of the year. This allows us to take a dip into this vast ocean of insight every day or to dive in at random when the spirit moves us. Each page of wisdom is followed by a short and profound meditation on the topic at hand which helps put the reading into the context of one's own life, and is suggested in such a way that even the meditation-shy could be enticed to participate.

In his introduction, Mark describes his book as `a companion and a soul-friend'. I agree that this book can act as a soul friend, which is a different relationship than is possible with most wisdom books. And that is quite a gift to give to yourself or a friend. The key reason for the possibility of this almost human relationship with the book is, I believe, to be found in the divinely human writing style of the author.

Mark is born a poet whose eyes perceive the divine patterning within the everyday experiences of life. He has crafted the art of painting that depth so that others may begin to see into and beyond the mundane. Each new entry seems to invite a deeper friendship of the soul as Mark lays himself bare in his truly personal stories of struggle and revelation. He interweaves his own perception with gems of collected treasures from many spiritual traditions, giving us access to his own spiritual advisers in their many forms.

--- Carmella B'Hahn, Sufi Journal, London

A Daybook with poetry, inspiration and much more!
Mark Nepo's day book is a wonderful way to remember the importance of enjoying the details that make life a mystery and a gift. The book includes inspirational quotes, beautiful poetry, points for mediationsand heart-warming glimpes of life. Although each day's entry is meant to be savored, I gobbled them all up and now will go back to holding them close to my life one day at a time.

A beautiful offering.
To be honest, this book caught my eye first because of its beautiful cover of the Lotus. I opened the book read a passage
and felt deeply moved almost to tears. This is a beautifully orchestrated book. Its daily reflections, passages and quotes
are soul food for our journey. This book is definitely a work
of love. You can feel the intent put forth and given to the reader by the author. What a blessed contribution it is. The foreward by Wayne Mueller sums this stellar gem up perfectly.
A difinite addition to your collection, if not the only book you will ever need and keep close to your heart, spirit and soul.
Dear Mark Nepo,
You have written a book that has moved me so, there are
no words to describe it. I thank you for sharing your beautiful offering. I am so happy to have come across it just in a time
when I was so ready and open to its messages.
Blessings,
Christine/Toronto, Ont. Canada

Beautiful Daily Contemplation Book
Written by a poet and teacher, this book is organized by date, with 1-2 page offerings for each day of the year. Beautifully written, each entry begins with a quote from another poet, saint (practically every spiritual tradition is represented), or other literary work, followed by the author's musings and a set of questions to contemplate that day. Some random samples: "August 1: The Pain of Becoming - We do ourselves a great disservice by judging where we are in comparison to some final destination." "April 10: At Home in Our Skin - The spiritual life is about becoming more at home in your own skin."

Mark Nepo's Book of Awakenings
This is a wonderful daily reader - a great way to start the day - sometimes I just pick up the book and randomly pick a reading. Truly inspiring stuff - it's like a yoga class for your mind.

timeless
A beautiful gift for yourself or a loved one. Dated daily essays to ponder along with daily exercises to strengthen those spiritual muscles. I'm admittedly a biased huge fan of Mark's writing. I've never bought a daybook before and didn't realise that's what this was when I purchased it. If I'd known I might have missed out on a treasure. It is structured with dates but there is no year so this book can be read and re-read year after year and I'm sure each read will reveal another level of wisdom. If you're on the fence about making this purchase, I'm sure you won't be sorry if you decide yes, and there's no reason to wait until the beginning of a year to buy it.

Deep, courageous, vivid, tender, honest, treasured
In every reading I find extraordinary insights I underline and carry with me. I actually am purchasing a copy for my desk at work. It is definitely a gift giver. So many of the daily meditation books I've purchased are disappointing, or I've gotten used to something kind of nice or merely reflective. Nepo takes me to an edge I've wanted to see time after time. I leave his readings better for the experience, eager to share.

A good book for the grieving woman
I am a life coach for widows.
I suggest to all my clients that they purchase this amazing book. It gently, lovingly and firmly reminds us each day of who we are and that in order to emerge, we need to accept that where we are is where we are supposed to be. Even if it is messy. I am so grateful for this book.

A Beautiful Devotional Read
I have found this book to be a beautiful daily devotional. It is rich
with poetic philosophy and heart opening passages that take you deep
within yourself. The guided meditations allow you to expand around the
everyday circumstances that life graces us with, and allows you to go
to the depths of your own heart and knowing you are better than you were before. This read is a portal into the self thatis conscious and aware of the inner workings behind every perceived problem and lifts you to the higher ground of expansion. It is a delight to read it daily and lift myself out of limiting beliefs into other perspectives that free me of conditioned responses. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

An Amazing Meditation CD! Really good!!!, November 15, 2010
Esther and Jerry Hicks have done it again with an amazing meditation book and cd!
This is a User-Guide that contains inspirational meditations. There are a variety of sections in the books that address inspirational messages from all areas of your life including general-well being, physical well-being, financial well-being, and relationships. I would highly suggest this book. It's such a wonderful handbook for getting into the vortex, and a meditation handbook that will give words of high-vibration and words from Abraham that provides inspiring guidance on:

-Getting into the flow of money
-Increasing the flow of money
-Manifesting Abundance
-changing your vibrational point of attraction
-manifesting perfect health
-manifesting general well-being
-releasing resistance
-how to not worry about what others think of you
-how to see the best in others and attract the positive qualities in others
and much more amazing inspirational wisdom on working with the vortex of attraction!

The Meditation cd is incredible. Abraham's voice is so calming and soothing in this meditation. It's a meditation cd that is just amazing and calming. And Abraham provides inspirational words on getting into the vortex. It's split into 4 different meditation for getting in the vortex: 1. The Vortex of General Well-Being 2. The Vortex of Financial Well-Being (my favorite) 3. The Vortex of Physical Well-Being 4. The Vortex of Relationships Well-Being (my favorite). This cd is about 70 minutes.

This is the must-have companion that you have to have if you are the ultimate Abraham fan! The energy of this book and cd is high-vibrational and is already shifting my energy! The cd is attached to the book. The book can be used in the morning and evening for inspirational wisdom. I use this book everyday to lift up my spirit and to get me into the vortex. The cd that comes with the book, is to be used for any moments that you feel worried, over-obsessing with negative thoughts, and feel sad. The energy of this cd WILL SHIFT your energy, your thoughts, and your emotional-state of attraction. It is amazing!

Powerful and Life enhancing, November 15, 2010

This is the most powerful work that Esther and Jerry have produced with the assistance of Abraham so far.

I had an advanced copy of the meditation CD and have been using it personally for a little while and have played two of the meditations for my Meetup group. The first time I used one of the meditations at my meetup the group was amazed at the power they felt in this work. They could feel their vibration lifting and could feel how powerful this would be for them over time.

I have felt a new sense of inner peace and a more solid grounding in this KNOWING of my own well-being and the well-being of our Earth from using this CD.

I highly recommend it and am very excited to see how much more powerful it is with the book (which I now have).

The book and CD need to be used together for the greatest impact.

For those who were holding out, those who were having a difficult time getting into the vortex on a regular basis, using this CD will help you do it deliberately on a daily basis.

There is an emphasis on taking 15 minutes a day to use the CD (but not more than 15 minutes).

For those of us who already hang out in the vortex on a regular basis this is like putting jet propulsion on ourselves.

Powerful! Powerful! Powerful!

This rocks!

Thank you Abraham, Esther and Jerry! You have again improved the world in which we live.

Getting Into The Vortex: Guided Meditations CD and User Guide, November 28, 2010
I have been a meditator for 40 years. I have experimented with many different disciplines and have enjoyed consistent benefits through these practices. I have also been an ardent follower of Abraham since 1994. I totally embrace the concept that we live in an attraction based Universe and that whatever events we experience in our lives are symbols of beliefs that we hold. However, I have come to understand that many of those beliefs are so enmeshed in the bedrock of our personalities that they are effectively invisible to us in a discrete form. As such, they are difficult to identify and if they are restrictive in nature, hard to release.

Abraham has addressed this problem in a most powerful, yet subtle, way. The book that comes with this CD contains all of the concepts expressed on the recording. It offers a written expansion on each of those concepts so that the reader can intellectually digest them and come to an acknowledgment of their validity. However, most of us have learned that agreeing with a concept intellectually does not necessarily incorporate that concept into the meshwork of our belief system. It remains somewhat outside of who we are. This is where the guided meditation comes in.

On the CD are two processes. The first is intended to focus the mind on our breathing - a practice common to a great many meditation techniques. This has the effect of quieting the otherwise incessant mind-chatter that distracts from connecting with our inner calm. The breathing pattern they establish is three beats of the music for breathing in and five beats for breathing out. The music changes key to signal these two phases, but it still helps to count beats if one is not to lose the sequence. This has the effect of providing a strong focus of attention, one which does not admit of mind-chatter.

While this breathing pattern is being maintained, with the occasional reminder by Abraham to "breath in" or "breath out" at the appropriate places, they are also speaking the same concepts that were written in the book. But since our mind is focused on the breathing, it is not free to analyze what is being said. There is no distraction about the pros and cons of the concepts. It is the same process that is used by teaching programs that play while one is falling asleep. Since the meditator has already used the book to analyze the concepts, any resistance about being told what to do or being hypnotized should be dispelled. (If the concepts were not acceptable the user would not proceed to the meditation CD.) Hearing aphorisms that one already agrees with while being in a completely non-judgmental state allows those concepts to weave themselves comfortably into the bedrock of our personality, replacing the old, resistant ones.

As suggested by Abraham, these meditations should be undertaken daily purely because they bring one to a place of feeling better. They advise against trying to measure objective progress in one's life. That is because doing so requires a neutral mindset, one that incorporates both failure and success, each tending to cancel the other. Accordingly, I enjoyed the lift in my spirits throughout the day that came from the meditations but looked for no more evidence than that. However, I was amazed to discover, by accident, that my physical strength and stamina suddenly took a quantum jump. Tasks which only a week before were taxing me to my limit suddenly were easy, even invigorating!

In my experience of only a week or so with these guided meditations I have already experienced some profound benefits. Additionally, I find that I have been able to uncover some of those resistive, bedrock beliefs that have been holding me back through most of my life and I am having a great deal of fun consciously turning them around.

Another Winner!, November 15, 2010
I am a big fan of Esther and Jerry Hicks and have read and have enjoyed many of their books.

Getting Into the Vortex: Guided Meditations CD and User Guide is their latest publication and includes an audio CD. The CD consist of four meditations and the guidebook does same--
The Vortex of General Well-Being
The Vortex of Financial Well-Being
The Vortex of Physical Well-Being
The Vortex of Relationships Well-Being

As the title suggests, the CD and guide address specific techniques to help you get into the vortex--and to do so simply--as in meditation. Relaxed and easy...If you are new to meditation, don't worry--the CD makes it easy. Plus, Abraham recommends no more than 15 MINUTES A DAY! He says, life is for living and enjoying...not spending hours meditating!

The Vortex literally means "The better feeling place,"--so, getting into the vortex means being in a place that feels good. Good stuff.

Abraham regards maintaining or improving physical well being as:

Think more good feeling, in-the-vortex thoughts
Drink more water
Breathe more deeply

Not so hard!!!

Meditation is meant to assist you in getting vibrational energy up to assist you in being in your "good space" more and more easily. When you are energetically vibrating at higher wavelengths, you thrive. Positive energy...More good stuff!

If you enjoyed The Vortex: Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships, you will like this CD/book, as they are very inspirational and motivating, just like all their other books are. However, you don't have to read the other books to benefit from this one. I have listened to the CD and read through the guide once; both were calming and helped me shift my energies to a better--more positive--space.

Ultimately, The Vortex guides us through the exercises that will make us feel good about ourselves and our relationships.

I am an interior designer specializing in Feng Shui, and I have practiced the law of attraction for years and have helped numerous clients of mine manifest their desires using the LOA. As I did in my review of MONEY, and THE VORTEX, I highly recommend the award winning book HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT: BEAUTIFY, DETOXIFY & ENERGIZE YOUR LIFE, YOUR HOME & YOUR PLANET along with GETTING INTO THE VORTEX, for a few more secrets to finding and keeping love and relationships strong. Finally, the original The Law of Attraction is still a terrific primer.

Ester and Jerry Hicks have written a clear and easy to follow guide and CD to help you live your higher purpose. Highly recommend!

YAY!!! Best Ever!, November 16, 2010
Okay, I'll be straight here, I'm one of those people who always wished that I would meditate every single day, and have been on and off meditating for years, but it always felt like something I had to make myself do because I thought I should, not because I just was excited to...this CD changed all of that!

I am IN LOVE with the new meditation CD!!! I received an advanced copy and have been using it every day for almost a month, the clarity and ease of the meditations are amazing, I've been listening to J&E for a few years, I have literally hundreds of their CDs and have read all of their books & can easily say this is the BEST thing I've ever heard from Abraham.

I love the music, the flow of the words, the directions on the breathing & I especially love the way that the CD is laid out, there's a all meditations are 15 minutes, there are 4 meditations:

General Well-Being
Financial Well-Being
Physical Well-Being
Relationships Well-Being

All of them are AWESOME, and what I love best is that I can focus in on whichever specific topic is active for me that day. I've been using this CD twice a day, General Well-Being in the morning & Financial Well-Being at night, and I've felt ease flow in on all fronts.

On top of it all, the book that comes with it is AMAZING, so good feeling & just awesome, and a real 135 page book (I thought it was going to be just more of a pamphlet).

I've already recommended this to all of my friends, and I am so happy to write a review telling anyone who reads it how fantastic this CD is! Hope you LOVE it as much as I do!!!...andrea


p.s. I saw another reviewer give a 1 star rating & say the other reviews were suspect because the product just came out, several people received advanced copies so that they would be able to review the product *smile*, that's how we know it's amazing...and it IS! YAY!!!

So good, so relaxing, so easy, November 17, 2010
I love it when life brings me something like this, making it so easy and fun to experience the fullness of who I am. I love that Abraham has delivered to us this little gem at the precise moment of our readiness for it. I love that I get to indulge in the meditation CD as often as I like (even though Abe says to do it only once a day...such fans of mixing it up in the contrast those little buggers are). I love the gentle, soft, lullaby-like quality of the music. I love thinking about how this whole thing came together...how the person who did the music must have gotten the inspiration to do it in just the right way to evoke the response of the listeners that would be most beneficial to their meditation practice. I love that there are four meditations, and I love that they are all on my ipod in their intended sequence. I love that if I didn't focus so well on the General Well-Being meditation, I can just allow the Financial Well-Being meditation to play. I love variety. I love the beautiful words in the book and how they summarize everything Abraham teaches in an easy-to-understand, yet powerful, way. I love the analogy of the Vortex that Abraham uses and how I'm sure it mimics the way physical reality is really created. I love the colors they chose for the book and CD cover art. I love Jerry and Esther Hicks. I love Abraham. I love me. I love meditating. I love my life. I love amazon. I love being here. I love knowing who I really am. I love loving. I love you for reading this entire review :).

Less Than I Was Hoping it Would Be, November 22, 2010
The teachings of Abraham have meant a great deal to me. I was really looking forward to receiving the cd and now have to admit it is less than I was hoping it would be. When I meditate, I take very long slow breaths, approximately 55-60 per 15 minutes. I always feel wonderful at this pace. Now with the signal to "breathe in - breathe out" every few seconds, it is distracting, and I am not enjoying the shallow breaths I have to take to keep up. Instead of ease and flow, getting into the vortex, it feels like, "following orders," which kicks me out.

I enjoyed the affirmations, and the music is fine, I only wish they had done two versions on the CD, one with the "breathe in - breathe out" command in it (for those who want it) and one with just the meditation, for those who feel more comfortable breathing at a different rate.

An excellent tool., November 18, 2010
This is very different from their other publications. This is a tool. A very helpful tool with 4 very good 15 minute meditations. The book is succinct and is multi-layered. There is much delivered beneath the surface as you read the material. It is very dense. I have read the whole book and done all 4 meditations. I had a powerful meditative experience during the first meditation and I look forward to more as I spend time with the meditations and make them part of my daily routine.

Amazing tool!, November 19, 2010
I was so excited to get this book and CD, I'm a big Abraham-HIcks fan. At first I thought I'd be disappointed in the meditations after hearing a brief online preview. I guess I expected four rampages of appreciation or something (but you can get those on the workshop recordings) but after just two days of using the meditations I experienced a HUGE shift and it was undoubtedly because of this tool. It was like suddenly after I had gotten the breathing pattern down I had a huge breakthrough and really saw the potential of this book and CD! I had been experiencing a funk for a few days before receiving this book in the mail, after using it for just two days I felt completely different! I'm excited to see the outer manifestations that come, but am completely amazed by how great I feel, and that alone is enough. I highly recommend this book and CD, its only been a few days but I can already tell its going to be a life changing tool! Its worth WAY more than it's price! The book also stands on its own and I keep it by my bed for a daily reading tool, it was all really well done!

This is the Rosetta Stone of Meditation!, November 17, 2010
I've always wanted to be able to meditate since the benefits mentioned by others were so appealing to me. However, I could never seem to focus on one thing long enough to realize any benefit. I was consistently frustrated to find that my mind had slipped away and was flitting from subject to subject. It just seemed like so much work and struggle when the point of it all was to release all of that.

I went through the first meditation with a friend who had an advance copy of the CD. The beauty of the CD is that it uses (1) spoken "in-the-vortex" affirmations, (2) statements that help you pace your breathing, and (3) ambient music that are all orchestrated around a 3-beat/5-beat rhythmic pattern. (You sync up your breathing such that you inhale over a 3-count and exhale over a 5-count. You take 6 breaths per minute.) The affirmations by Abraham are spoken aloud by Esther Hicks with an inflection that matches the 3:5 pattern. Also, the music's subtle chord changes and pulse (beat is too strong a word) match the pattern. Finally, there are occasional, well-timed statements to "breathe in" and "breathe out" to assist you in establishing and maintaining the 3:5 pattern over the course of the meditation.

This multi-faceted approach gave my wandering mind something interesting and constructive to wander to. At a couple of points during the meditation, I felt a buzzy hyper awareness of my entire body. When the meditation ended, I felt simultaneously a "woo woo" oneness with it all and a readiness to pounce. This felt really good!

So, considering Amazon's stocking-stuffer price, guess what the friends and family are getting at Christmas? ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Secret revealed the law of attraction. Now Rhonda Byrne reveals the greatest power in the universe -- The Power to have anything you want.

In this book you will come to understand that all it takes is just one thing to change your relationships, money, health, happiness, career, and your entire life.

Every discovery, invention, and human creation comes from The Power. Perfect health, incredible relationships, a career you love, a life filled with happiness, and the money you need to be, do, and have everything you want, all come from The Power.

The life of your dreams has always been closer to you than you realized, because The Power -- to have everything good in your life -- is inside you.

To create anything, to change anything, all it takes is just one thing…THE POWER.

Reviews

A NEW WINDOW INTO PROSPERITY . . ., August 18, 2010
Rhonda Byrne has been a long-time favorite author of mine. Through "The Secret," Rhonda has helped me to have an inner confidence in the law of attraction. I've come to believe that what I think about (in the right way) will come into my life.

In "The Power," Rhonda takes the law of attraction in another direction and teaches the power of using your emotions to FEEL what you want to have so that what you desire will come quicker. It is a way of engaging the mind and heart and getting them to work together.

I felt "The Power" was inspirational, because it reminded me of why we have feelings and the different energy that comes from feelings. Not surprisingly, love is the most powerful feeling . . .genuine love can change anything. . . or any situation.

Rhonda teaches how to use the power of love in all aspects of your life, from relationships to money, to health, and more.

I would highly recommend getting this book along with another that I read early this summer and has meant a lot to me. It seems that there is a 3rd dimension to the Law of Attraction. The best way to describe it is "Serendipity."

I've been so inspired by Serendipitously Rich: How to Get Delightfully, Delectably, Deliciously Rich (or Anything Else You Want) in 7 Ridiculously Easy Steps which was written by Madeleine Kay, along with a foreword by Joe Vitale (a star in "The Secret" movie). This book gives you a really fun and delightful feeling as it moves you positively on a path of change. However, it also gives you some practical steps which are akin to putting the law of attraction into action by teaching how to make decisions based on serendipity.

It is like having a deeper level of faith. It has made a difference for me. . .it might for you too.

I Have A Decision To Make, September 10, 2010
"The Power", by Rhonda Byrne, is a book about the power of love. The author wrote "The Secret" in 2006 and it became a world-wide bestseller. The author promises that this book will add immeasurabley to what you learned in "The Secret".

My father suffered a heart attack and I was spending endless hours at the hospital. One evening, I went to Walmart and I noticed this book on the shelf. I was instantly drawn to it. I spent the next couple of days reading this book as I sat in the hospital. It was a very anxious time but this book helped me gain a different perspective. The "power" in this book is the power of love. Your life is made up of only two kinds of things...positive things and negative things. This book explains how your attitude and way of thinking can make bad things seem better.

Most of the information in this book comes from the New Thought Movement of the early 1900s. These authors taught the principles of positive thinking and the law of attraction. Ms. Byrne quotes many of these authors in this book but she also describes how these principles can be used in everyday life to produce positive results in your life.

My favorite chapter in the book is "Keys To Power". One of the topics in this chapter is the "key of gratitude." Everytime I start feeling down, I think of things that I am thankful for. I am soon feeling much better. Ms. Byrne says, "No matter what negative situation you may find yourself in, you can always find something to be grateful for, and as you do, you harness the force of love that eliminates negativity."

Positive thinking does not always come easy to me. I remember my mom telling me when I was a child, "All you ever do is grumble, gripe and complain." Children tend to live up to spoken expectations so I tend to see the cup as half empty instead of half full. I like this book because it reminds me that changing your mind can change your life. I have a decision to make.

Even better than the Secret!, September 13, 2010
I loved it! I thought it was even better than "the secret", but I love both. I have read "the Secret" several times and will do the same with "the Power". It's easy to flip through for quick inspiration and the book radiates love, which is what the power is about.

Do not judge this, or any book until you APPLY it., September 17, 2010
The one star and five star reviews differ with people's attitude toward what this book calls them to do. It doesn't say sit and salivate and drool with love like a puppy. It tells you to take the attitude of love, meaning positivity in outlook and focus. So if you are the type of person that is mired in negative stuff and you cherish your state, then you will keep saying "buh-humbug" all the way. But if you have had enough of your pity-parties and you want to clear the junk in the attic of your head, then you will decide to APPLY the book's suggestions and God forbid, you may actually get out of your misery corner. So if you have no such intention, then don't waste your money. Not too many of the reviewers seem to have actually tried any of the concepts in the book. So they are not at all talking from experiential evaluation of the book. IF you want to try and APPLY the ideas, the book will be an uplifting start. Take the ideas and build on them, practice thinking only what you love and want, and if you still do not get any results, then come back to review with complaint that it was painful reading. If you honestly put it into practice, you will not need to! If it will sit on the shelf with all your other half-baked, half completed projects of yours, then save time and money now. So my suggestion:

You want to really APPLY and practice the book's way of living = BUY!!!!
You do NOT want to APPLY and practice = Don't buy.

You decide. Simple: In the end what you get is what you want and love.

Yes, I liked this book!, September 7, 2010
When I was in seventh grade, I made my first "vision board." Of course, that was many, many years ago. Back then, I called it (among other things) my "dream poster." I cut up magazines and newspapers and did drawings of things I wanted to do and places I wanted to see. I also wrote in notebooks with different colored pencils a "diary" of all the things I had achieved in life -- before any of it could have actually happened. I focused on my desires. I read biographies and novels and watched movies about people who did what I wanted to do. I worked on making my dreams come true. I got into the schools I dreamed about. I owned a business -- back when the "glass ceiling" in business was proudly made out of solid cement! I took a trip to Europe, and got a newspaper to foot the bill for all the expenses. I danced professionally. Yep, I was on the stage at Lincoln Center once! Later on, I got yet another job of my dreams.

And, I did this while lots of people spun their wheels in the background telling me what a fool I was, that I should give up -- over and over and over again. I've faced ridiculous obstacles, and conquered them every time.

So, I guess I discovered "The Secret" before Rhonda Byrne made it popular. But, even Rhonda Byrne admits that it is not her invention at all! Dream. Focus on those dreams. Keep going, even when reality and so-called realists tell you that you are wasting your time.

I laugh when I read the one-star reviews for The Secret and The Power. Sooo many people have the answer, they think. It's just that their answer is always "no." No, you can't have more money. No, you can't have that career. No, you can't get into that college. No, you can't dance, can't sing, can't paint, can't..... anything. And, for them, people who keep moving on are stupid, because we can't see it their way.

Enjoy your negativity, folks. I can't imagine what I might achieve next. But, I assure you it won't be sitting on my rump insulting others who dare to dream, and dare to achieve.

The Power, by Rhonda Byrne is an excellent book, and I highly recommend it to anyone capable of thinking outside of narrow limitations.

something everyone should own, October 17, 2010
This is a book all should read and have to just open and take in daily. It is amazing how you can start to feel confused or down and just a few pages puts you right on track. It answers alot of questions and helps to understand why we and others do the things we do. And how we can look at something different to DO something differently.

A Bible for us all!, September 21, 2010
Rhonda Byrne's timing in publishing her latest book was perfect! In these trying times when negativity abounds...we should all read and live "The Power"...the world would then be a wonderful place! Thanks, Rhonda, for your beautiful book and thought provoking words.

"The Secret" changed my life. Using the power of positive thinking, my house sold on the day I invisioned, for the amount I wanted, I was able to quit my job at a bank (Great timing there!), and move closer to my children and parents. My future husband then 'found' me and we are now happily married and living the life I had dreamed about. Does the Secret work??? You bet it does! I am living proof. All of my friends and family are amazed at how my life turned around. It can and will for them and for you, if...when...you start to live "The Secret" and harness "The Power"!

What a great way to live......., October 21, 2010
I have finished reading "The Power" for the 2nd time. This book has life changing suggestions to change the way you think to change the way you feel - it tells you how to look for the positive in all situations. Even when it is really hard to find a positive aspect to something that has gone wrong - there is always a lesson to be learned so that in itself is positive. It also has made me realize what love really is - not just for a person or family but for the whole of life. I have just purchased the audio as well because I'm going to take a 2-3 hour driving trip and I would like to listen to it on the way.

I'm not saying you are going to receive a million dollars but I'll bet you'll feel better about it if you don't :)

Barbara Johnson
Cave Creek, AZ

Getting stronger everyday, October 20, 2010
I purchased this book in an airport in Washington DC on my trip home to Florida. I have been battling a life threatening disease for some time now. I love reading Rhonda Byrne. She gives me inspiration to keep up with the fight.

words to live by, October 17, 2010
I love this book and it has changed my life and the way I live. The world would be an even more beautiful place if everyone lived this way. If you want happiness in your life and good things to follow you, read this book. Even after reading it, I still refer to it often, especially if I am having a bad day or a challenge in my life. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.

In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.

The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers -- men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible. ... Read more

Reviews

The Review "They" Don't Want You To Read, March 6, 2007
Catchy review title? Thought so. Robert Cialdini, renowned psychology researcher and author of Influence: The Power of Persuasion (perhaps the best book ever written on the subject) identifies six basic rules employed by politicians, advertisers and scam artists alike to persuade others. Each of them are employed quite adeptly by Rhonda Byrne in this book.

Cialdini's first principle is SCARCITY; people want what's expensive, exculsive, or otherwise attainable. Byrne's mastery of this principle is clearly shown by the very name of the book: The Secret. We all learned this the first week of kindergarten as we felt the jealousy of watching two classmates, hands cupped over ears, sharing a secret out of earshot.

This message is reinforced throughout the book and its advertising campaign which pitches "The Secret" (whatever it actually is) as jealousy-guarded information hoarded by the happy, wealthy and successful. Whenever someone tries convincing you of something, whether it's a way to make enormous sums of money, to lose weight, etc - be wary of when it's pitched as "the knowledge THEY don't want you to have." Think about it - everything from the "secrets that Wall Street doesn't want you to know" to "uncovered - celebrities' secrets to staying young" are phrased not simply to pique your interest but to make you jealous. Appeals to our emotion are far more powerful than appeals to reason, and Byrne demonstrates mastery of this principle throughout "The Secret."

Cialdini's second principle is LIKING. We like those who like us, and in turn, we do business with them. Positive thinking and emotional intelligence has been linked to strong interpersonal relationships, academic and professional success, and good health, but there is a fine line when positive thinking crosses over to unjustified exuberance. Instead of simply noting the substantial benefits of positive thinking (a well-accepted principle which wouldn't sell books), Byrne crosses the line so blatantly that anyone with a modicum of modesty would find it blasphemous.

AUTHORITY is another Cialdini principle, also in play in "The Secret" in quite subtle ways. Another technique which differentiates this book from just another book of positive thinking is the heavy use of quasiscientific language, which gives the impression that the "law of attraction" is (or will become) an accepted scientific principle, just like the law of gravity or the law of attraction of oppositely-charged particles in chemistry. Many people are both intimidated and confused by the authority of science, a fact exploited by manipulators ranging from Byrne to peddlers of magic weight-loss pills.

Since no respected physicist would ever publish a paper on the universality of the "law of attraction," Byrne indirectly seeks experts in other ways. She attributes the success of people ranging from Einstein to Beethoven to adherence of "The Secret," thereby manufacturing experts. After all, if Einstein and Shakespeare mastered "The Secret," who are YOU to question it?

The last two Cialdini principles are CONSISTENCY and SOCIAL PROOF. The success of this book should leave little doubt it will be followed by more (and more expensive) forms of media peddling "The Secret." The audio recordings, weekend seminars, advertising tie-ins, and other follow-up products certain to follow will exploit these two principles. Once people commit themselves to believing happiness will come from "The Secret," they will attribute future successes, whether a promotion or a great new relationship, to adherence to it. Conversely, setbacks will be even more powerfully in committing people to "The Secret," as people will attribute their failures to not living up to "The Secret" (and buying more of Byrne's books). Consistency dictates it will be less painful to buy more books and immerse one's self further into "The Secret" than to accept the whole premise is a quite ridiculous; while not as pernicious as a domineering cult, "The Secret" promises to charge you handsomely for a positive outlook on life.

Byrne's book is problematic on many levels. On it's face, it's a manipulative marketing tool meant to flatter, confuse and deceive. It's also pseudoscience at its best, the last thing we need to encourage in an increasingly technological world which requires healthy skepticism and critical thought. Most damaging, though, is how the book perverts reality by encouraging people to equate a positive outlook on life with a childish, idiotic narcissism. Ayn Rand must be rolling in her grave hearing about the modern manifestation of her objectivist movement reduced to the intellectual equivalent of canned pork.

If you're interested in "The Secret," I highly encourage you to read the book - yeah, READ the book - if for any other reason so not to be manipulated by its brilliant marketing. Read it with a critical eye, with a copy of Cialdini's book in the other hand. You may not learn the secret of happiness, but you WILL learn a lot about manipulation and influence from a master of the subject in Rhonda Byrne.

Reaches Too Far, Oversells, Underdelivers, January 1, 2007
I think a book like this, which makes some really big claims, should, roughly, do the following:

1) Present it's premise clearly
2) Since it's a self-help book explain clearly what you need to do
3) Provide compelling evidence that it's ideas work
4) Be credible.

The book does a decent job of explaining its premise, which is that everything in your life is the result of the law of attraction. I quote, "the law of attraction says like attracts like, so when you think a thought, you are also attracting like thoughts to you." In other words, think good thoughts and good things will come to you and if you think bad thoughts then bad things come to you. I've simplified this a bit but not a whole lot as the concept isn't rocket science.

Now, does this book explain clearly what you need to do? Actually, for a self-help book it does a very poor job of this. How do you control your thoughts? What kinds of practices and thinking produce the best results? The author and contributors basically tell you a bunch of stories about how "so and so did something and you can too by changing your thinking".

And that's it for the "how to" part of the book. There isn't any.

Now, if I wanted to prove something worked from a scientific perspective it would seem to be easy to test this stuff out. You take two groups of people, teach one the secret, let the other go on with their lives and see what happens. In theory those that know the Secret would be happier and more successful than the control group. It might not be perfect but it'd be a whole lot better than what we get in this book. But, of course, you'd have to have an actual methodology to test.

Instead the authors cite numerous anecdotes of how the Secret worked. One person's cancer went away. Another individual walks after a brutal accident. Still another finds romance. That's all fine and perhaps it's evidence but it's not proof. Cancer can be misdiagnosed. How many people who were injured like the "Miracle Man" never walked again despite the best attitude and trying the approach perfectly? The problem with anecdotes is that it's easy to start with a result, work backward and assume the conclusion. It's also very easy with anecdotes to only present the ones that make your case and ignore those that don't (when someone dies of cancer while practicing the secret for instance). It's just not good enough to use anecdotes for large claims like those made in this book.

The following quote struck a nerve.

"People hold that for awhile, and they're really a champion at it. They say, `I'm fired up, I saw this program and I'm going to change my life.' And yet the results aren't showing. Beneath the surface it's just about ready to break through but the person will look just at the surface results and say, `This stuff doesn't work.' And you know what? The universe says, "your wish is my command,"

I thought it was interesting that the universe instantly manifest failure but isn't quite so fast with success. In fact, a cynical individual might conclude that what they are really saying is, "when this program works it's because the secret always works, but, on the off chance it doesn't work, well, that's your fault." An even more cynical person might think, "gosh, I wonder what would help a person who failed? Maybe, a seminar with Bob Proctor would be just the thing to get them over the top?"

Lastly, is the Secret credible? On the one hand, I think a lot can be said for the idea that if you change your thinking you'd change your life. In many ways that seems obvious to me.

On the other hand, if the secret actually was true, especially at the scope claimed by the book it would mean that everything that's happened is the result of your thinking. So, when a child dies of pneumonia, well, it's because they brought pneumonia into their lives. Michael J. Fox, not only did you bring Parkinson's into your life but change your thinking and it will go away. Obviously these things aren't true and they obliterate, in my opinion, any credibility in the book.

Not only does the book go too far but most (I'd argue nearly all) of the contributors aren't credible. On a topic of this scope: the ability to 100% change your life and the world in an incredible fashion, does anyone really think you couldn't find psychologists, top flight scientists, therapists and thousands of mainstream individuals to support it, if it worked? Wouldn't there be tons of research instead of anecdotes? Instead we get a Feng Shui Master, a chiropractor, motivational speakers (err trainers), a metaphysicist, etc. combined with a half dozen anecdotal stories. So the most powerful like changing idea ever and you get it from the crew in this book presented in this fashion? I don't think so!

If this idea really worked, at anything other than giving material to self-help speakers and generating repeat students, it just wouldn't be found here. The book wouldn't even have to be written because we'd all already know it and be practicing it. Remember, this is not a new idea, it's been around for a very long time, and it's been the topic of literally thousands of seminars and hundreds of books.

In conclusion, I'm not opposed to the idea on a small scale but this book just goes way too far and I'm left with the feeling that all that's really going on is a bunch of people trying to get their name out and get you to pay for their seminars.

a best-seller; folly of the masses, June 25, 2007
This book was given to me as a gift on father's day. I started reading it the way I read any book but soon I started reading faster and faster, more like scanning, with speed-reading techniques, and finished it in 2 hours, while taking notes at the same time.

I have no interest in self-help books or concepts like power of positive thinking. This book combines the two, with the main thesis being that the "secret" to anything in life, wealth, health, success, love, romance, happiness is positive thinking, thinking positive thoughts. More specifically, imagining things that you want to have and really, truly believe that you already have them, and feel good about having them now!

For example, if you want to be rich, you should first imagine that you are already rich; second, you should really believe that you are already rich; and third you should feel yourself in a rich life style, feel happy about it. If you keep doing this for awhile, miraculously the doors of wealth will open to you, all the opportunities will line up at your door and you will be well into your way to becoming that rich person you are imagining. Similarly, if you want to loose weight, you should imagine yourself in your ideal weight, really focus on that, only allow yourself "thin thoughts" and avoid "fat thoughts", and you will get thin. I quote; "if someone is overweight, it came from thinking fat thoughts". Another one; "Food cannot cause you to put on weight, unless you think it can."

I felt like putting a smiley face right after the last sentence as I am smiling now, and was smiling throughout the book. All you have to do is just ask (oh, and believe, and feel) for the thing you want and lo and behold, thou shalt have it! I quote: "Make a command to the Universe. Let the Universe know what you want. The universe responds to your thoughts." Another one: "The Universe will start to rearrange itself to make it happen for you." Really? I didn't know the entire universe cared so much about me!

The method even works for some frivolous things. Like always finding a parking spot, never having to wait in lines, never being late etc. And a lot of people are, allegedly, already doing it: "We have received thousands of accounts of The Secret being used to bring about large sums of money and unexpected checks in the mail. People have used the secret to manifest their perfect homes, life partners, cars, jobs, and promotions, with many accounts of businesses being transformed within days of applying The Secret."

One look at the titles of the co-authors of the book says a lot: Metaphysician, moneymaking expert (ha?), healer, life coach, law of attraction specialist, feng shui consultant (sure)... How about gullibility specialist, swindling expert, or snake-oil salesman?

Actually I shouldn't be so hard. At least one person, the main author of the book made her wishes come true. In the foreword of the book, and elsewhere inside, she says that she was going through a very bad time, her company of 10 years was about to be history. In desperation she looked everywhere for answers and that's how she discovered "the secret". Judging from the success of the book and the film, it must have worked for her. I suppose she must have thought, believed, and felt something like this: "I want a large number of credulous people to buy what I am saying (and the book, and the dvd) so I can make a lot of money".

Think and Grow Rich Meets The Power of Positive Thinking in Brief Quotes, February 22, 2007
I am in complete agreement with the idea that our thoughts need to be carefully marshaled and focused on what we want. My comments focus on how Ms. Byrne has expressed that point in this book.

Everyone I know swears by the DVD version of The Secret. I decided to read the book first and then look at the DVD.

In grading this book, I am comparing The Secret to the many books that encourage you to create your own reality through mental focus including books written by those quoted in The Secret.

First, what is the secret? As stated in a quotation by Bob Proctor:

"The Secret is the law of attraction!

Everything that is coming into your life you are attracting . . . by virtue of the images you are holding in your mind."

Second, what causes the law of attraction to work? According to Ms. Byrne on page 11:

"You are the most powerful transmission tower in the Universe. Your transmission creates your life and it creates the world . . . . And you are transmitting that frequency with your thoughts."

Third, what's the evidence that this secret is true? Each of 24 authors tells anecdotes of people who overcame hurdles after envisioning a more positive result. A few claims are made that quantum physics supports this conclusion, and Ms. Byrne confides that she understands a great deal about this subject.

Fourth, why is this a secret? Because Ms. Byrne had never heard of the law of attraction prior to a year or so ago.

Let me make a few observations about the development of this idea in the book:

First, science has shown us that we ignore almost all of the sensory input we receive. Our minds focus on a small percentage of what's considered relevant through something called the reticular activating system. Change what you focus on, and you notice things for the first time that have been there all the time. That's one reason why envisioning what you want works: You notice helpful resources around you that you've been ignoring. That observation, however, has never been tied to any evidence (to my knowledge) that we physically create anything with our minds beyond our own bodies, except by manipulating the physical world in various ways.

Second, religion points to a different phenomenon. Christians, for example, read in the Bible that God has filled those who have been saved by repenting their sins and believing in Jesus with the Holy Spirit which permits good works (including miraculous works) to be done by the desire of the believer. The source isn't the believer's mind, but rather God's spiritual resources which are greater than the physical world. Anyone who read these Biblical texts would say that an individual is far from a powerful source of creating reality: An individual can do nothing to change reality without God, but can do anything good with God's help to change reality.

Third, in Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill reported the results of many years of intensive interviews with the most successful people on Earth of his day. Many of them believed that their thoughts physically changed the exterior world by opening the door to possibilities that otherwise wouldn't have existed. But Mr. Hill presented the idea as expressed opinions, rather than as a proven fact. He also pointed to many other things that these people had done that helped them succeed. Mr. Hill reported that it takes more just focusing on what you want: There are other steps involved such as working with a mastermind group.

Fourth, our own bodies are very strongly affected by our thoughts. Scientific research keeps showing new dimensions of that fact. Think certain thoughts and your immune system is stronger. Think other thoughts and your immune system is weaker. In addition, placebos do heal people who think they are getting real medicine when they are not. Why? Because people are really healing themselves. You can extend that influence by behaving well or badly towards others, causing a mental reaction in them, which in turn creates a change in their body chemistries.

By comparing those earlier works, my sense is that what The Secret really represents is one woman's quick attempt to make sense of this kind of information. In doing so, she seems to have oversimplified and misstated what is known about the role of thought in creating life experiences. I doubt if the intent was deliberate or not well intentioned. But after all, she is a film maker, not a student of thought.

By ignoring the full range and roots of the evidence, Ms. Byrne runs the risk of discouraging some people who feel like they are real losers because they cannot evince a perfectly positive reality. If it were as simple as The Secret suggests, we would have billions of people living trouble-free lives. To my knowledge, even the most successful practitioners of The Secret aren't as wealthy as those the most successful people who don't. That would make an interesting study, and a far more valuable book than this one.

Here's an example of a misleading example. Ms. Byrne argues that food doesn't make you fat; it's what you think about food that makes you fat. The punch line of her story is that "I now maintain my perfect weight of 116 pounds and I can eat whatever I want." Every person I have met who is an authority cited in this book is noticeably overweight. Why don't any of them want a perfect weight and be able eat anything they want?

My point for you: Avoid this book.

I encourage you, however, to think positively and learn about how your thoughts can improve your life!

If you want to learn about how to improve your life through your thoughts, consider reading more reliably based and carefully presented sources. If you prefer a secular book, try Think and Grow Rich or The Success Principles. If you would like a book that half-way between a religious and secular focus, try Your Best Life Now. If you want to draw totally on the Christian or Jewish religious roots, read the Bible.

I'll look at the DVD now and let you know what I think of that.

A book for losers, January 10, 2009
1. Bogus metaphysics, bogus science:

The Secret pretends it's a book about winners and how they win. It isn't. That's just the come-on. It's actually a happy make-believe feelgood book for losers.

Positive thinking is a powerful force, but it isn't magic. It's more like a necessary precondition to success: people who believe they can succeed are far more likely to succeed than people who are sure they'll fail.

For instance, say they're starting a new business, and they run into some big problem. The person who thinks in terms of success will say "Gosh, I'm going to have to figure out a way to get around this problem if I'm going to be successful." Then they get to work on figuring it out. The person who thinks in terms of failure will say, "I knew it was only a matter of time before the universe screwed me over -- I can never catch a break," and gives up trying.

Very important point: in both cases, positive or negative thinking didn't affect the universe. What it did was affect the way the people made decisions and addressed their problems in the real world.

That's the difference between a genuinely useful and valuable book like Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking, and the pile of steaming tripe that is The Secret. Peale's book tells you that positive thinking is the best starting point for getting what you want. The Secret says that positive thinking is enough all by itself. It dresses its idea up in bogus pseudo-scientific language, but essentially what it's saying is that positive thinking is magic.

That's premium-grade hogwash. Positive thinking isn't magic. Thoughts are not magnets. There is no Law of Attraction, no primal universal force that makes the events in our lives match the way we think about our lives. Positive thinking is a good mindset for making good decisions about the actions we take, but it's the actions that have the effect, not the thoughts.

That's why The Secret is a feelgood book for losers.

===

2. Some real-world implications:

If Rhonda Byrne's advice were any good, neither she nor her publisher would have to publicize her book. They'd just think the right thoughts, and readers everywhere would automatically be moved to pick up a copy.

People cycling through the manic phase of manic-depressive bipolar disorder would be such a nexus of inventiveness, serendipitous insight, and luck, that major corporations would bid on their services.

No baseball game could ever end as long as the fans on both sides believed victory was possible.

We'd never run out of petroleum.

Average global income would be far more evenly distributed than it is. After all, anyone can hope. Anyone anywhere can think good thoughts.

Alternately, there could be Third World sweatshops available to do our believing for us.

Finally, if Rhonda Byrne's advice were any good, the Evil Overlord list wouldn't include the observation that an Evil Overlord who shouts "I AM INVINCIBLE!" is a sure bet to die almost immediately afterward.

===

3. Fraudulent provenance:

If thinking the right thoughts really could do what The Secret claims, that fact could never stay a secret. Everyone has people they love; and because they love them, they want them to be happy and successful. If they learned an infallible secret for attaining power, wealth, and success, they'd pass it on to those they loved so that they could be happy too. Those people would tell others, and so the knowledge would spread. Soon it wouldn't be a secret any more. After that, people would start preaching it from the rooftops, and carving it into the sides of buildings.

Let's limit it to children. Can you imagine withholding such a secret from your own children? Could you keep silent while you watched them lead frustrated and impoverished lives, or died from conditions you knew how to cure? That's not believable.

Now, genealogists will tell you as a rule of thumb that everyone with European ancestry is descended from Charlemagne, who lived from 742 to 814 AD. That is: if Charlemagne knew this secret knowledge, and he only told his children about it, and they only told their children, and so forth and so on, by now half the world would know it. Yet author Rhonda Byrne says the Greek Philosophers and the Ancient Egyptians had this knowledge. The Greek Philosophers lived about 1,100 years earlier than Charlemagne, and the Ancient Egyptians lived more than three thousand years earlier. It's ridiculous to imagine that a simple, basic, easy-to-apply, and yet overwhelmingly powerful universal principle could stay a secret for even a fraction of that time.

===

4. Further real-world implications:

If what Rhonda Byrne says in The Secret were true, Las Vegas wouldn't exist. People don't place bets they think are going to lose. Gamblers are powerfully into positive thinking. Someone who's betting heavily while drawing to an inside straight is unquestionably visualizing success, and they're telling the universe exactly what form they want it to take. They nevertheless fail to fill their straights at exactly the rate predicted by plain old statistical probability -- that is, most of the time.

Positive thinking is all around us. New restaurants, new breakfast cereals, new television shows, and new political candidacies expect success. No one throws their heart into studying ballet from age six onward because they envision themselves having the wrong adult body type and winding up teaching tap and jazz to children in some dull but affluent suburb. The world is full of unemployed theatre majors, unpublished writers, unsuccessful beauty pageant contestants, unheard-of musical acts, and college athletes who never make the big time. None of them got there by thinking they wouldn't succeed.

If Rhonda Byrne's advice were any good, no singer would ever hit a wrong note. That goes double for singers who are drunk.

I know other reviewers have already covered the implications of The Secret's suggestion that misfortunes are caused by our own negative thoughts. Still, I have to say: NO KIDDING? SOMEBODY PHONE DARFUR NOW!

And while we're waiting for that phone connection: no kidding? Insanely bad high-level decisionmaking, failures of oversight, and a grossly irresponsible pursuit of deregulation for its own sake had nothing to do with our lives getting zapped by a collapsing economy? Look at Enron's employees and stockholders. They didn't expect to get screwed. New Orleans residents who didn't have cars never envisioned themselves drowning in their own attics. Homeowners with subprime mortgages never imagined they'd wind up in foreclosure.

Are we to understand that some families have an inexplicable tendency to attract the same ailment, generation after generation? How is it possible for devout Christian Scientists to die of cancer or eclampsia or ketoacidosis? If a guy in his late 50s has been in denial about his radiating chest pains for the last ten or twelve hours, and the first thing he says when the EMTs come through his door is "I'm not having a heart attack," has his attitude improved or decreased his chances of surviving the episode?

If I worry about drunk drivers, and then some night I get t-boned at 60 mph by an irresponsible lush with a DUI record as long as my arm, is the accident actually my fault because I had all those negative worries? If I've got a cheerful toddler with me, who's responsible for her death? If I kneecap Rhonda Byrne, and set fire to the warehouse where her books are waiting to ship, will she apologize to me for thinking thoughts that obliged me to do it?

===

5. In conclusion:

I swear, I've never had any thoughts that warranted the existence of this book.

Think for a minute with me before you buy, March 14, 2007
Let's say something first: if it makes you feel better, you can even believe in Santa Claus, and there's no problem with that.
So, if you want to believe what Rhonda says, it's up to you.
For me, there are too many lies in this book.
They are appealing, because we all search for an easy way out. They sounds beautiful, like birds in the sky. But they remain lies.
They are also immoral: I think one of the best teaching in christianity is compassion. Compassion means to feel the suffering of another, to understand him deeply. It's the feeling we all feel when we see a baby cry for apparently no reason, so cute and so defenseless.
We feel his pain, we think we have to help.
But if you believe that feeling (mental) pain attracts to you disgrace, how can you embrace compassion?
Also, why help others if when they are in struggle it's all their fault? Why try to help them if you believe that their minds are responsable for that?
When we think of World War II, and Nazism, are we going to say that all the Jews were vibrating in a bad mood? I don't think it's a good answer to the evil that men do (and what about 9/11, or Katrina?).
Were all the people in the '60 anti-war movement creating more war? Vietnam was caused by John Lennon? Don't be a fool.
The poet says: the good sailor moves the sails, for he knows he can't control the wind.

I take this very personal. When I was just a kid, a friend of mine died. He was the happiest child in the world, we were shocked and thought about death for a long long time. He didn't attract his bad destiny, and we didn't attract anything, except tears.
Leave this book alone.

P.S.
There's no need to say that the quotations of great men in the past are largely distorted. Take Bhudda: he spoke all the time against desire of material things, and he thought a lot about illness, aging and death. It's easy to take a quotation out of context and gain noble fathers for a poor idea.
Peace.

Unscientific Blather, April 5, 2007
The Latin phrase, Ad Ignoratium, is apt: the statements made in this book are true only to the degree of the reader's ignorance.

Hmmm, I can win the lottery just by thinking positively about it? What if everybody around me has the same thoughts? Can we all win? If I want a college degree, can I get one just by thinking really hard or do I have to actually attend classes? I have cancer; can I will it away by envisioning smiling faces? Or should I get chemo first?

The bulk of the book employs pseudo "experts" to elevate the very real power of positive thinking to the status of a wishing well. As most of us learned as children, wishing alone rarely makes things happen. Action makes things happen, and tragically little about action is talked about in this book.

Lots of people report great things coming to them after practicing the "Secret." But it's unlikely that anyone will report how often it doesn't work. Like psychic predictions, we breathlessly report the "hits" and ignore the misses.

I'm a believer in positive thinking, but not magical thinking. There is a difference. Keep that in mind when you read this nonsense.

nothing new, April 3, 2007
There is a lot of talk about the "Secret" but I really did not think it was "new" material. I find it rather interesting that with all the brilliant healers and scientists on this planet, that the people included in this work are only from the U.S..
I certainly do not agree that little children or unfortunate people that live in war torn areas "draw" this to them. Sounds more like a marketing tool than a message of peace. Where is the compassion for others less fortunate than us?

A Word to the Wise..., March 19, 2007
I am commenting on The Secret as a clinical psychologist who specializes in how cultural and spiritual beliefs affect health as well as the author of a book about converging science and mysticism to navigate our personal journey. First, The Secret is a compilation of opinions from a group of professionals in several fields, rather than a book by the author. It would be more accurate for Ms. Byrne to present herself as the editor, rather than the author of the book. Having said that, it is important to distinguish between wishful thinking and mind-body science. Although the concepts expounded in the book are beautiful examples of what we could achieve if we explored our potential, it leaves the reader with "feel-good" platitudes, by failing to convey that simply wishing something does not attract anything other than expectations that lead to disappointment. As a scientist, I have seen the mind bypass biology in miraculous ways, but this does not happen by just wishing and waiting for "the laws of attraction" to work. Instead, change requires honoring commitments, not blaming others for our failures, assessing the self-sabotaging that surface when self-esteem is compromised, and realistically defining goals.
The success of this book shows how hungry we are for someone to tell us that change happens magically without having to confront our demons and without taking responsibility for the life we created with our actions.
While I wish Ms. Byrne the greatest success, I want to caution the reader that if "wishful thinking" does not attract what you want, do not blame yourself, because it was only thoughts without action.

I wanted to like this book., April 8, 2007
Recently I was at the airport and overheard snippets of a conversation taking place nearby. A gentleman was telling a fellow traveler about "The Secret". Intrigued, I got the book and just finished reading it.

First I should say I really wanted to like this book. It's a delicious idea....to think that the happier, shinier, more successful people of this world have access to a certain "secret" that causes them to attract good things. Unfortunately, as much as I hoped this book would blow me away, it didn't.

I found it difficult to stay awake while reading the first four chapters. The same basic themes ("Your thoughts become things" and "The Great Secret of Life is the law of attraction") were repeated over and over again. Mixed with the boredom was a sense of surprise that the book was so focused on material things. A chapter called "The Secret to Money" came before chapters on Relationships, Health, "the World", You and Life, which definitely made me go "Hmmmm."

"The Secret" starts with a great idea, but develops a credibility problem when it uses All Or Nothing and Overly Simplistic language. For example:

(a) "Nothing can come into your experience unless you summon it through persistent thoughts." This would seem to suggest that everyone working in the World Trade Center on 9/11/01 somehow INVITED the terror attack through their own persistent thoughts (which is, of course, pure hogwash.) Or terminally ill cancer patients fighting for their lives... SUMMONED the disease.

(b) "You have two sets of feelings: good feelings and bad feelings. And you know the difference between the two because one makes you feel good, and the other makes you feel bad." This seems to wipe out several dimensions of human emotional experience. What about ambivalence? ("I'm happy about the job offer in LA but, gosh, I'll really miss my family and friends in Boston.") Are we wiping out the concept of bittersweet? Isn't it a balance of a range of emotions that makes us human?

It is fine to say that, within reason, what you take the time to visualize for yourself in glorious detail is more likely to manifest itself in your life, or even that you can accomplish things you never thought possible by first seeing yourself doing, feeling, and thinking like you have already accomplished them (and, of course, following up with massive action to get you where you want to go.) I also realize that repetition and simple phrasing can be useful tools for teaching new concepts; however the scope of "The Secret" is too broad to use these techniques. (We're trying to learn a new blueprint for life here, not how to care for a potted plant.)

"The Secret" takes a valid concept to extremes. The unrealistic wording is unnecessary and raised red flags that were distracting and interfered with my ability to remain open to the overall excellent and useful message of the book. If you seek to learn more about the fascinating power of positive thought and creative visualization but do not wish to be brainwashed with extreme claims, then this book is probably not up your alley either.
... Read more

Editorial Review

It's no wonder thatThe Power of Now has sold over 2 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 30 foreign languages. Much more than simple principles and platitudes, the book takes readers on an inspiring spiritual journey to find their true and deepest self and reach the ultimate in personal growth and spirituality: the discovery of truth and light. In the first chapter, Tolle introduces readers to enlightenment and its natural enemy, the mind. He awakens readers to their role as a creator of pain and shows them how to have a pain-free identity by living fully in the present. The journey is thrilling, and along the way, the author shows how to connect to the indestructible essence of our Being, "the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death."Featuring a new preface by the author, this paperback shows that only after regaining awareness of Being, liberated from Mind and intensely in the Now, is there Enlightenment. ... Read more

Reviews

Here and Now, November 2, 2008
After reading happiness books like "Finding Happiness in a Frustrating World", I felt like I had a good handle on what science had uncovered about how to live a happy life and have to say that I am MUCH happier for having read them. But, while the field of positive psychology has made some great contributions to my happiness levels, it's books like The Power of Now that come along and let you know there's STILL more you can learn.

A key concept of the book (if I'm explaining it right) is that you will start to experience a certain kind of enlightenment when you learn to leave your analytical mind behind. In other words, instead of "thinking" try just "observing your thinking." And when you do this, you also need to realize that all this "thinking noise" that goes on in your head all day long is not really who you are- an enlightening concept indeed!

To that end, the book is set up in a question and answer format to help you get to understand these kinds of concepts. While it might seem ridiculous to some, it really isn't. Case in point, we all talk to ourselves or have witnessed others talking to themselves at times (maybe during a sporting event perhaps). If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." And this, by definition, means that there have to be two "selves", an "I" talking to "myself"- and so justifies the idea of two selves (a "you" and a "thinking you" in the book).

Well, if these seem to be the kind of concepts you're ready to explore, this is your book. It raises some good questions and certainly brings up one that you can't argue with: all we have is the here and now. As the book so astutely points out, "Nothing ever happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing ever happened in the future, it will happen in the Now." And learning to live in the now IS the point of the whole book.

An idea whose time has come, October 11, 2002
You've heard the old maxim that there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. That's what The Power of Now represents to me. I have been in the book business all my adult life and consider myself somewhat jaded when it comes to books on self-help, gurus or enlightenment manuals. In fact, I almost never read them. There is something unique about The Power of Now that makes it stand out in an otherwise crowded field. It may be the clarity of the language, the absence of technical language, or more likely, the fact the author is clearly writing about a place the he authentically inhabits; and that my friends, is rare indeed. When describing this book to others, I compare the concepts and practices to the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and to the Dzogchen teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as the core instructions of such Zen Masters as Dogen and Hongzhi. The thing that makes this book so magical is that you get all that pith instruction without having to wade through cultural artiface or the barriers of religiosity. This is only the second review I've written, and I'm doing it because I believe this book is fundamentally important. The teachings have had an immediate impact on my life in a way that few books ever have. I agree with the editorial review - within a chapter of reading this book, I was already holding the world in a different container. This is the real deal.

This may just be THE book!, November 23, 2001
Eckhart Tolle's message isn't new. His book is meant to point us toward enlightenment,
and thus his teachings aren't much different than that of Buddhism. But the way this book SPEAKS...

WOW!

I've been reading "Power of Now" slooowly, over the past week and a half.
I'm nearly finished with it, and plan on starting again on page one when I'm done.
This may be the ONE book that you've been looking for... it's that good.

You can FEEL the essence of Tolle's message while you read. The book BREATHES with spiritual insight.
As you read, you just KNOW that what Tolle says is "the truth."

In reading the book, meditating, and practicing these principles in everyday life,
I've noticed in myself an increased ability to be "fully present" in the world and STAY THERE.
This is the experience I've been wanting for many years.
I've been waking up each morning in a peaceful mood...
I think, while sleeping, I've been integrating the lessons I've learned!

Be here now... it's the only place and time to be.

and Now..., January 24, 2002
I picked up "The Power of Now" in the "New Age" section of the bookstore. I was determined to make the reading about "spirituality" a short episode in my life... and I was probably right, as far as the reading goes, that is.

I got the book and continued reading at home, and, as I often do with study guides and textbooks, started underlining what seemed most important. Soon it became harder to separate the important from the unimportant, because it all seemed important! Then, I stopped, put down the pencil and said: "Wow!"

Where did this book come from? Why aren't we hearing about it on CNN? Reading it felt strange at first, as it demanded my total attention: either I was drawn deep into it, or not at all. Do you like to eat while reading? Well, this book will make you feel ridiculous if you try to eat and read at the same time!

The book showed me that I have a pretty thick mold of the mind to break through, and it took me very far on the first day, even farther after that. The message went beyond what I would probably recognize on my own. After all, I was (and still am but to a lesser degree) one of those constant thinkers who mistakenly believe that it's good to think all the time but almost never stop to see, hear and feel the essence of being. Although the message in the book seems familiar and simple, in the end it provided exhaustive answers to the few questions that I had and also those that I wouldn't have thought of before. Amazingly, it also managed not to raise new ones. What it did was grab me by lapels and put me into the present moment. Over and over again, it told me what it means, how to enter it, offered a few different methods, and suggested that with practice many opportunities exist to enter it.

Another point is that once I finished the book, its message lingered (may I say "in my mind" here?). The author's obvious and at the same time subtly effective, repetitive approach somehow kept reassuring me that I was absorbing and remembering the material. The text never strayed far from the core of the message, which seemed to stick with vivid clarity.

I soon began to practice shifting myself into this state of intense concentration, and it feels strange and alluring at the same time, this detachment from the mind. At first, I could only do it while being completely relaxed, just before falling asleep. Later, it became easier to do along with other daily activities. Don't worry; you will not get hit by a truck while crossing the street and trying to focus into the Now! Also, the people at work will not laugh at you because you look weird trying to focus, but they may notice a difference in you: that you are relaxed, focused and less confrontational (because you are surrendered to the present moment). The most immediate effect for me was that focusing into the present moment helped me communicate better. I began to listen more intensely, meaningfully and less judgmentally than before.

However, I feel that this is only the tip of an iceberg. Trying to be in the Now has inspired me more than any miracle. At the same time, it's clear that learning to live in the Now is a skill, and like any skill it can be enhanced with practice. The more you work at it, the better and more natural you get doing it.

In short, I don't need to search for the truth anymore. I got lucky on the first try, by becoming a little curious with the book that seemed unassuming and light in physical weight. Thank you, Eckhart. NOW, I can be at peace, knowing how much I can look forward to in this life, and beyond.

Not a book for the mind - a book to teach you to be free, June 30, 2002
I have refrained from writing a review of this book for nearly a year and a half, being content to simply practice what Tolle has expressed so simply - remain in the present moment for that is all we have. After nearly three decades of practicing meditation to become enlightened (some day) I found it disheartening to conclude that I wasn't really getting anywhere, yet I was reluctant to give up the effort. Then Tolle popped into my life like a much needed life preserver, showed me who I really am, and put an end to my thrashing about in self-created whirlpools of despair - when you discover you are the ocean itself the whirlpools peter out in embarrassment.

Don't read this book in order to feed your mind, stroke your ego or validate your beliefs. Read it in order to learn to free yourself from pain and delusion. It is obvious when reading certain reviews that some people are looking to add mind stuff to their inventory and then to demonstrate what a fine mind they have with an erudite and academic rebuff. They will have to remain content with a mind dominated life, always looking for something outside themselves to give validation and meaning. At some point, however, if they are lucky they may tire of that and take the opportunity to practice living in the now. It takes courage to jump into the unknown and discover the freedom and joy in living life moment to moment.

Perhaps you are ripe for this book like I was. Even so it was not always easy to let go of cherished beliefs and practices, but ultimately it is the only thing you can do if you really want freedom. Tolle shows how conditioned we have become in a gentle and easy manner, leading you by the hand all the way to the door of freedom. But it is up to each one of us to open that door. At first you may spend only moments of clock time in the sweetness of the now. If you keep at it you will become more skillful in accessing the now, and you will find yourself dwelling there for extended periods of clock time. And then upon reflection you will realize the peace that is always available - that we ARE peace.

So, are you willing to see what life will be like without a mind and ego to steer your every move, as you have been so conditioned to do all your life? (and if you are, don't worry, you will always have access to the mind and ego). Are you willing to let go of everything and to simply BE and let life unfold naturally? (it will anyway, but not resisting it reveals the peace that underlies all phenomena). If you are you will not find a better guide than Eckhart Tolle.

Clear, Intelligent, Gentle, February 5, 2001
Although I have always felt myself to be vaguely spiritual, I had never bought a book on spirituality before, shunned anything that smacked of religion, and wouldn't be caught dead in the New Age section. However, a friend recommended Tolle's book, and I found myself completely absorbed in it from beginning to end. Tolle himself would probably agree that there is nothing essentially "new" about the ideas in the book; the value lies in the clear, intelligent and gentle way in which they are presented. This book is carefully, thoughtfully and beautifully written. Not only does it illuminate the fundamental, slippery, destructive patterns of the mind or ego which confound one's spiritual and even physical well-being, but it also provides a variety of simple and practical techniques for breaking down and dissolving these various forms of mental pollution. I use Tolle's calming, contemplative techniques every day and throughout the day, and they work wonderfully for me. I've read the book twice so far and have given it to others as a gift. The companion tapes are excellent as well.

One Power trip, April 13, 2005
In all of my 62 years, I have read numerous works on the topic of spirituality. Mr. Tolle's book follows many classics of which I so enjoyed-works by Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, Andrew Harvey, Matthew Fox, Marianne Williamson, Alan Watts, Krishnamurti, Cayce ..ad infinitum. And though I enjoyed much of Tolle's book when it first appeared five years ago, when I look at it now(couldn't help but comment here on the author's vain and frighteningly egotistical preface to the new paperback edition), I am really wondering just who this teacher is.

I had the misfortune of hearing him speak when I was traveling in England last year, and the pomposity of which he came off -really appalled me. I never saw such an egotist in all my life. (in a so-called spiritual teacher-this is a bit off-putting) Tolle resonated with such vanity-that the spiritual "truths" he was attempting to make rang hollow. To me, those who remain modest and sincere and generous toward others are the real teachers. (Deepak Chopra, to me, is always so gracious and humble when he speaks; I also like Carolyn Myss and Andrew Weil-actually-- many spiritual communicators who come from a medical background-seem to walk their talk).

I can only say to those readers out there: "yes this is a good book-but pay attention to what may lie beneath the surface ". To me, the real spiritual teachers are always humble and helpful toward others. Tolle -in person- is very different from what he appears in his DVDs and books-I have heard he is cut-throat and very competitive when it comes to others' works (unfortunately, a good source of mine knows he has hurt others.) Bottom line? Everything must serve him. And that always says it all. Just be aware and go within and listen to your own inner communication to the divine. Forget this guy.

As one luminous Galilean soul once said: "By their deeds you shall know them".

Practical tips for joyous living, September 17, 2001
Philosophers like Krishnamurti say that the path of spiritual enlightenment starts with being aware of one's own thoughts. Commentators (of Upanishads and Gita) such as Swami Chinmayananda suggest that spiritual enlightenment is attained when the mind quietens. I have great respect for the above authors. However, I was frustrated for a long time as "watching my thoughts" and "quietening the mind" seemed impossible to achieve.

In this book, Tolle gives very practical advice on how we can watch our thoughts - the idea is to simply live in the present, in the Now. "...Make it your practice to withdraw attention from past and future whenever they are not needed. Step out of the time dimension as much as possible in everyday life. If you find it hard to enter the Now directly, start by observing the habitual tendency of your mind to want to escape from the Now..." is a brilliant piece of advice from the book.

The book is organised in a question-and-answer format and it is easy to read.

When we start reading the book, many questions rise in our heads. E.g.
*How can we forget the past? Doesn't past influence on our current situation?
* How can we not think about the future? How do we, then, plan for the future?
*How practical is it to ignore the time (future)?
All these questions and many other questions that come to mind while reading are answered in the book.

If you plan to read this book please think about the following: many of us read books like these and find them 'interesting'. As long as we are reading the book we feel inspired and we live in the Now. A while later, we go back to our routine and forget about living in the Now. To get the true benefit from this book, my suggestion is to create some measures so that you are reminded of the principles regularly. Some things you can do:

*Write down your questions, their answers and your other thoughts that come to mind, while reading the book. Review these regularly.
*Find people who are interested in discussing the issues relating to spiritual enlightenment and discuss.
*Make it a point to read or listen to books that relate to living the Now, on a regular basis.

The Truth is in the Power of Now, December 13, 2000
This book is so filled with truth, so powerful, so crystal clear that I was compelled to write this review and share it with other people. THE POWER OF NOW and WORKING ON YOURSELF DOESN'T WORK by Ariel and Shya Kane are the two most powerful and insightful books on self-awareness I've ever had the pleasure to read. Reading both of these books is like working with Zen masters, compassionate spiritual teachers who can free us from the torture that our minds and our judgments inflict on us constantly. I am not exaggerating when I say that THE POWER OF NOW was like a breath of fresh air. Tolle gets right to the point and explains so much about inner peace and how our minds actually work that I found myself wanting to share what he and the Kanes have discovered. If THE POWER OF NOW is the technical manual for reaching fulfillment (because it is mostly explanations about awareness rather than illustrative examples), then WORKING ON YOURSELF DOESN'T WORK is the practical guide with real world examples and insights that describe exactly how satisfaction is possible in everyday life. You'll want both of these books. I've found what I was looking for thanks to these wonderful authors.

The Power of Tolle's message, June 1, 2000
In the past 25 years I have read spiritual books ranging from the works of Gurdjieff and his followers to the discourses and satsangs with Maharaj, Poonjaji, and Gangaji. These have helped me and probably thousands of other seekers. They were the best written accounts available to all of us on the Path who refused to swallow the sugar pills of superficial knowledge of spirituality and enlightenment offered by many. NOW comes Eckhart Tolle with an unbelievably clear, powerful and succinct account of how and why our mind-based ego consciousness runs us, robs us of our birthright as humans, and why our society, at every turn, supports this process. His message is exquisitely eloquent and direct: Learn, through endless practice (unbending intent as Don Juan would say) to observe your mind without judgement. See where this leads you again and again as your sense of who you are escapes psychological time and the vastness, wholeness, and beauty of Creation opens before you. I have read only the first 50 pages and already I know that it will be THE ONE BOOK that goes with me everywhere as I read and reread it until it is part of me. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Rooted in traditional Toltec wisdom beliefs, four agreements in life are essential steps on the path to personal freedom. As beliefs are transformed through maintaining these agreements, shamanic teacher and healer don Miguel Ruiz asserts lives will "become filled with grace, peace, and unconditional love." Author workshops. ... Read more

Reviews

A Must-Have Book If You Want To Be Free, October 28, 2003
Don Miguel Ruiz is known as a nagual, or shaman, of the Toltec tradition. The Toltecs were an ancient group of scientists and artists that was formed to explore and preserve the practices and spiritual knowledge of the ancient ones. It is not a religion, but a way of life that embraces spirit and honors all the spiritual masters who have taught on the earth. Toltec wisdom arises from the same essential unity of truth as other sacred esoteric traditions that are found all over the world.

The Four Agreements are very simple, but very profound. To embrace and live each of the Four Agreements is to find yourself experiencing personal freedom--possibly as never before. The Four Agreements are:

Be Impeccable With Your Words
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best

From the cover of the book:

Be Impeccable With Your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Don't Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

Don't Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Always Do Your Best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

This book may be small in size, but it packs a hefty punch in terms of shattering personal illusions and opening up a path to personal freedom. I consider this book a must-have for anyone wanting to become more conscious and wanting freedom from personal stories and agreements that cause suffering.

A beautiful guide to achieve a life of freedom and happiness, May 29, 1998
I have read so many books promising joy in my life, yet I have read none so simple and practical as that of the Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz. The book is a beautiful instruction guide to achieve a life of freedom and happiness. He teaches four lifestyle commitments, which can transform life into the realization of your own personal dream. Written from his heart, the Four Agreements has made profound changes in my life. What seemed insurmountable challenges became powerful lessons which I was able to embrace with faith and love. What is the dream that you hold for yourself? Allow the magic of don Miguel's wisdom to shift your life into a masterful awareness of all you want for yourself.Become the power that you want in yourlife, realize the opportunites before you and then you can live in a heaven created from the beauty of your own heart. I have given the book to many people, who, only reading it once, have initiated life changes. My personal experience with don Miguel is that no matter how little you are exposed to him, your heart will always be touched. He and his words are the touch of an angel. Treat yourself to a world without limits!

How well does it work., October 16, 2004
The author says the we have chosen to believe what we have been programmed to believe. Recognizing how difficult it is to change core beliefs, he merely makes practical suggestions about how one can view things differently. All of the rhetoric, pro and con, about this book may stimulate the intellect; however, the ultimate question to ask about new ideas is `How well do they work". These Four Agreements work. This is precisely why an open mind is so important for spiritual growth. With an open mind one can experiment with new ideas instead of sitting around debating the merits of the ideas.

If you doubt the validity of what this author says, I would invite you to call up any one of your friends and see if they can carry on a conversation for 10 minutes without engaging in character assignation. The author says they can't, and I discovered he was right.

If you are open to new ideas, this book will be beneficial to you.

If you have the courage to further question what you have been programmed to believe, I would strongly recommend the book An Encounter with a Prophet by Clyde A. Lewis. An Encounter with a Prophet enabled me to give up my programmed beliefs about God -beliefs that were causing me a good deal of disturbance. The book also provided practical suggestions that I could experiment with. Those suggestions also worked.

An Enlightening Experience, April 11, 2000
Naomi Salvarezza, English 100 4/11/00 The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz is a very special book. Don Miguel puts forth many teachings which are very enlightening. These agreements in the book are a guide to personal freedom and happiness. Don Miguel writes "Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victum of needless suffering." Don Miguel smoothly blends his native teachings with the hectic pace of the modern world. Teaching us how to live without all the useless stress and worries and how we can be clean in clear in our energy, living a positive life. Another beautiful quote from Don Miguel is "Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate with others clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, drama. With just one agreement, you can completly change your life." I highly reccomend this book to anyone. It has helped me to become stronger in my spirituality and path. I know you all will find this book to be equally powerful and lovely. My thanks to the author for putting out such a good and beautiful message.

The Four Agreements Can Change Your Life, November 17, 2000
This book s interesting but enlightening:

1. Be impeccable with your words 2. Don't take things personally 3. Don't make assumptions 4. Always do your best

Sounds simple huh? Not so quick! Rooted in Toltec beliefs, Miguel Ruiz has done us all a great favor to explain and illustrate the above four agreements. This book serves as a practical guide to how we live daily. Language: Words, assumptions, thoughts, pre-occupation can always lead to misunderstanding and a break of relationship. Miguel Ruiz goes step-by-step, with practicals and examples, to help us achieve these four agreements. Say what you really mean to say. Don't circumvent or evade. Don't make assumptions because assumptions always lead to misunderstanding. Ruiz has so much to offer in this brillantly written book. Highly recommended.

Feeling is Believing., October 24, 2000
I've been poring through books about personal growth for years and I've found that if a book doesn't touch me, as in actually make me feel more alive, then all the words and ideas are just words and ideas. So when I read a review of Don Miguel Ruiz's "THE FOUR AGREEMENTS" where the reviewer actually said it felt good to read, I knew it was a book for me. The book is like taking a walk with a compassionate shaman who describes and lives simple truths. I particularly liked a passage on the third agreement ("Don't make assumptions") in which Ruiz describes a husband and a wife who fall out of relationship not because they don't love each other, but because they make assumptions such as the other member of the couple should be able to read their mind if they really loved them. How familiar! It really underscored the value of truthful communication for me.

The same reviewer also recommended "WORKING ON YOURSELF DOESN'T WORK" by Ariel and Shya Kane. This is an excellent book about REALLY living your life fully. And a perfect example of how the words are secondary to the feeling of well-being that jump off this book's pages. Thank you, kind reviewer, for two great gifts.

Excellent, July 3, 2001
This book is indeed excellent. If you combine the wisdom in this book with the book insight contained in the book An Encounter With A Prophet you will most certailly attain a new and wonderful outlook on life.

It just feels right, April 16, 2001
Reading this book is like talking with a wise and individual who seems to know your inner thoughts. It, much like the book An Encounter with A Prophet just plainly feels right. If you would like to get rid of some of your negative thinking, I would suggest reading both books..

A Simple Guide to Bettering Your Relationships, July 18, 2000
A friend tore an article about this book out of Oprah Winfrey's magazine and sent it to me.

I purchased the book and read it the same night. Then I re-read it. I am still in the process of reading it once again!

This is a practical book that can be adapted across many religious and spiritual belief systems. Although I may not agree that all of life is a dream, as the author says is the Toltec way, I am more than ready to apply the Four Agreements to my life.

Don Miguel Ruiz writes very simply and beautifully about the Four Agreements, and what he writes about builds upon itself and weaves together to create an ideal way of perceiving ourselves, others, and the world at large.

Each of the Agreements is a separate statement, yet they must all be considered together as one large agreement.

What affected me most in this book is what Don Miguel Ruiz wrote about not taking things personally. For years, I have been stung and hurt by what people have said to me. After reading this book, what has stayed with me is that what people say about me is not WHO I AM. It is merely their opinion based on years of their own experiences and reactions. I no longer base my perception of myself on others' opinions. This has stopped all the negative grudging I had against those I perceived were against me.

I recommend this book to anyone in any walk of life. You will view your world and yourself differently after reading it. It does not ask you to join an organization, change your religion, or become something you aren't. It will, however, change your way of thinking about how you live your life. You will realize the impact of your words, thoughts, and deeds in a way you never have.

If the whole world chose to live their lives this way, what a wonderfully enriching, nourishing place it would be! Improve your corner of the world and study the simply profound wisdom shared within these pages. If you're selfish, read it anyway, change yourself through reading it-those around you will appreciate it!

A Guide For Looking Inside Yourself, July 23, 2000
"The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz is some of the best money I have ever spent. For such a small book this one could certainly change many more lives that people I'll ever meet in mine. It breaks everything all down and lets your soul be your guide. The four basic agreements are:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Words.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally.

3. Don't Make Assumptions.

4. Always Do Your Best.

You can't break it down much more than that. These basic goals and hopes are wonderfully helpful and a path to making ones life a bit easier.

While, I'm not one for a lot of self-awareness books, self-help, etc....but, I certainly found this one helpful, honest and forceful. It made me take a good look at myself and make some changes in how I plan to proceed from this day. If nothing else, give yourself a chance and read this book. It might be helpful. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Millions of people are searching for secrets,wisdom, knowledge, and practical techniques to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move toward immortality. The way to accomplish all of these is to reach and meld with Tao.

This book, the successor to Tao I: The Way of All Life, reveals the highest secrets and most powerful practical techniques for the Tao journey, which includes one’s physical healing and rejuvenation journey and one’s entire spiritual journey. Its essence can be summarized in one sentence:

Jin Dan Da Tao Xiu Lian is the way to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move in the direction of immortality.

Shou Yi Yan Jin Ye is the most important daily practice for reaching Tao. “Shou yi” means focus on the Jin Dan area below the navel. “Yan jin ye” means swallow Heaven’s sacred liquid and Mother Earth’s sacred liquid.

Tao II: The Way of Healing, Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality explains the significance of this highest secret and exactly how to do it. It gives you the sacred key for your whole life’s practice and shares two hundred and twenty sacred phrases that include not only profound sacred wisdom but also additional simple and practical techniques.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Reach fan lao huan tong, which is to transform old age to the health and purity of the baby state.

Prolong life.

The final goal is to reach immortality to be a better servant for humanity, Mother Earth, and all universes. ... Read more

Reviews

Simply amazing!, November 3, 2010
Reading Tao 2 was a big surprise. After reading Tao 1 I was a bit unsure if I would be able to follow the deep wisdom provided in Tao 2. But I am in awe, the wisdom is even easier to understand but still on a deeper level! Every sentence brings you deeper wisdom from the Divine, from the Tao. And I simply love the new Tao song! Words simply are not enough to share my experience. Try it for yourself! It is such a small price and the book with the free CD brings to you sooo much for it! I cannot thank Master Sha and the Divine enough!

Tao II: Another Instant Classic, November 28, 2010
The "Tao II" book is another instant classic by Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha. In this book, Master Sha reveals "Jin Dan Da Tao Xiu Lian" (The Big Tao Golden Light Ball Purification Practice) as the way to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move in the direction of immortality.

Jin Dan Da Tao is the simplest, most powerful, and direct way to reach Tao. This practice gathers the jing (matter), qi (energy), shen (soul), xu (emptiness), Dao (complete emptiness) of everyone and everything to form and build the Jin Dan to heal, rejuvenate, prolong life, and move towards immortality. The Jin Dan is the greatest treasure of all life.

The serious practitioner will love this book. A new practitioner will love this book too. I know that what was written in this review might not make a lot of sense for people new to these teachings. That is okay. You just need to read this book. The wisdom is explained in a way that you can understand and learn easily. Then, practice by applying the techniques. You will believe more and more as you progress and experience the results on your healing and soul journey.

(Note: I also recommend "Tao I: The Way of All Life" by Master Sha to be read and practiced too.)

The Impossible Is Possible, The Unimaginable Is Real, November 8, 2010
I really cannot say more than the title of my review. Do you want to heal completely, and heal not only your physical body, but also your emotional, mental and spiritual bodies? Do you want to rejuvenate and have a long, long healthy and vibrant life? Do you want to be a better servant for humanity, Mother Earth and beyond? You can, you can and you can! Read this book to learn the simplest and best way how - and for much, much more. The ancient Taoist masters all wish they had the simplest teachings and practices revealed and freely shared by Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha, the purest of divine channels, vehicles and servants. Taste the pear: read the book, do the practices. You will know how sweet it is!

The way of life is given here for everyone, November 28, 2010
Dear everyone i have waited for all lifetimes to reach a level of peace, stillness and love that separates any of my concerns about the life on Mother Earth. Life on Mother Earth is getting difficult. This book carries the essence of all life including health, energy, life transformation including finances and relationships. The truth is here in this book which will serve every aspect of your life. The way of all life presented in this book has been shared from the Divine to clarify the secrets from china, to add the wisdom of over 5000yrs of study & spiritual practises that has served millions of people in Asia. If you have tried any of the asian martial arts or chanting/meditations you will experience another level of energy vibration and frequency that will blow you away. Its heart touching for your soul. Its heart touching to the generosity of this Master & Dr Zhi Gang Sha. We are blessed that his heart is so open to share these secrets and practises to all humanity. We are blessed

The Title Says It All, November 28, 2010
Yes, you can definitely judge this book by its cover. The title says it all: Tao II: The Way of Healing, Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality. This book delivers what the cover promises. If you have read spiritual classics like Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and Spaulding's The Teachings of the Masters of the Far East, and Eva Wong's Tales of the Taoist Immortals, then you are familiar with the possibility of immortality. What this book presents is the Way of immortality for folks like you and me. Incredible! Incredible becomes credible when you do the practices and meditations in this book. This is a treasure for humanity. This book opens a way of being on planet earth that blesses all souls. This books prepares one to be a better servant of all. Get this book. Use this book for healing...! Use this book for rejuvenation...! Use this book for longevity...! Use this book for immortality !...!...!

Wisdom of the Ages, November 25, 2010
It may 100 years before humanity realizes the depth and power of the wisdom revealed in the book TAO II. The teachings of this book are the equivelant of that of the I ching or the Tao de Ching when they where revealed to humanity centuries ago. Master Sha is a blessing to humanity and generations to come. Know that these words and all of his books are divnely guided wisdom. These wisdoms are experienced not understood. This is what seperates true wisdom from fake teachings. Experience the wisdoms for yourself and wrap your soul in the nectar of these soul empowering teachings. Hao

Wow! This is not only a book, this is so much more..., November 28, 2010
There is no other book on mother earth I know, which speaks from Longevity and Immortality much less describing in detail the way to come there. And there is no other book on mother earth I know containing not only sacred wisdom and knowledge for healing and rejuvenation but also Divine download treasures. I am very confident that everybody who is reading the book and doing the practices as recommended can also experience the power of this book like I did and still do. Therefore I can recommend this book from my heart to everybody who is interested on the highest levels of spiritual healing or is looking for rejuvenation, longevity or even immortality.

Simple but Profound, November 28, 2010
In Tao II, Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha has taken ancient esoteric teachings and made them accessible and understandable to everyone.Readers are guided step by step along the path to longevity and,if they are diligent and committed to the practices taught within the book,even immortality!

This seemingly simple book, is in fact very profound, in both its content and it's potential results. It's a treasure to humanity offering hope, healing and blessings to all who are called to read it and wise enough to heed it. I am very grateful to Master Sha for sharing these ancient sacred secrets with humanity at a time that it is most needed. I will read Tao II many times, to glean deeper levels of its wisdom.

Grateful for this Jewel, November 28, 2010
I am loving this book and will probably read it 40 more times before I feel I have truly fully absorbed the teachings. Simply because it is profound on so many levels. I love Jin Dan Da Tao Xiu Lian, the complete explanation written in English & Chinese & that there is a CD provided to teach pronunciation. Thank You Dr Sha for sharing this treasure with us.

When the Teacher Appears, Grab the Teacher!, December 5, 2010
When I chant the Sacred Text of the Tao of Healing, Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality, I can feel changes taking place in my body on the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical levels. It's difficult to explain, but it's almost like a powerful force enters my body and begins to heal and change the vibrational frequency of my being. There is a feeling of being re-created. I have similar experiences as well with doing the other practices in the book.

Based on these experiences, I would have to conclude that the wisdom and power here are truly authentic. These are very exciting times, to be able to have access to wisdom, knowledge and practices that can bring about the kind of life-transformation that so many rarely even dream of. I feel in my heart I have found the right teacher and the right book. Thank you, Master Sha. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In The Emotion Code, renowned holistic physician and lecturer Dr. Bradley Nelson skillfully lays bare the inner workings of the subconscious mind. He reveals how emotionally-charged events from your past can still be haunting you in the form of "trapped emotions"; emotional energies that literally inhabit your body.Dr. Nelson explains clearly and concisely how trapped emotions can create pain, malfunction and eventual disease. In addition, trapped emotions can exert a dramatic effect on how you think, the choices that you make, and how successful you will be.Perhaps the most important discovery that Dr. Nelson has made is that trapped emotional energies will often gather around the heart, creating a "Heart-Wall" that may block you from giving and receiving love freely.The Emotion Code is a powerful and simple way to rid yourself of unseen baggage. Releasing trapped emotions often results in the sudden disappearance of physical problems, self-sabotage, and recurring relationship difficulties.Filled with real-world examples from many years of clinical practice, The Emotion Code is a distinct and authoritative new work that is destined to become an instant classic on self-healing. ... Read more

Reviews

A Unique New Approach to Healing Emotional Hurts, July 22, 2007
As complementary and alternative approaches to healing began to gain ground, many of us began to notice something strange.

Some conventional treatments that worked well in the past were often not as effective today. Conversely, treatments that once worked only occasionally started to become more stable.

Over the last three decades we have seen a lengthening list of new forms of successful physical and psychotherapy treatments are Thought Field Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, Quantum-Touch, The Reconnection, Tapas Acupressure Technique and Matrix Assessment Profile. Though there are some therapies that rely on novel technology, many of these new techniques seem to have been discoveries rather than new inventions.

Physicians and therapists have been pushing and prodding people for millennia. Their powers of observation were often astonishing. So it is unlikely that they would have failed to notice that touching someone here or applying intention there could be an effective form of therapy. Unless these techniques did not work in the past. The emergence of these new, and often very effective therapies, is one of the reasons for believing that the laws of healing are changing and evolving as we are changing and evolving as a species.

To this list of new therapies we now need to add "The Body Code" of which the Emotion Code is a part.

So what is it all about? Based on a his observations in practice, Brad Nelson has come to believe that much human suffering is due to negative emotional "energies" that have become "trapped" within us, most commonly around the heart, where they can create a "Heart-Wall" that may block our ability freely to give and receive love. Anyone who has done much body work has seen something similar. I once treated a woman with acupuncture. She had an exquisitely tender knot along the inner border of her shoulder blade. It felt like a small hard miniature person. It turned out to be the signature left by an abusive ex-husband. As she was treated, the knot vanished and with it many years of negative emotions flowed out of her. This is precisely the kind of thing that Brad has observed, but he has devised a series of simple steps that almost anyone can try to help themselves, as an adjunct, rather than a replacement for medical care.

Though there is a small amount of theory, this is essentially a self-help book for identifying and treating blocked emotions. And it is that second part: the "treating" that is unique. The main tools are muscle testing, magnets (even fridge magnets seem to work) and a willingness to listen to the answer that you body and mind might give you

Though the techniques described in this fascinating book have not yet been subjected to formal empirical study, I have four reasons for being excited about this new form of treatment.
First is that the theory makes perfectly good sense: it is entirely consistent with findings garnered in a number of fields of "energy medicine," often more accurately referred to as "information medicine."

Second, is that there is already an impressive number of people who have been helped by the technique.

Third, I saw the author and his wife using the technique on an individual and could easily see the flow of energy and the positive impact that it was having on the "patient."

Fourth is the author himself. I spent many years as a "quack buster," and I am pretty good at sniffing out the real from the, ahem, less so. Brad Nelson is smart, well educated and a poster child for integrity and compassion. He has discovered the things that he has because of his humility and willingness to listen to his patients and listen to the answers that they - and the Universe - were giving him.

Highly recommended.


Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life

This book has the power to change everything!, December 12, 2007
There is actually a book out there that will, quite possibly, save your life! It's called The Emotion Code and it's author is Dr. Bradley Nelson.

There have been few books that have left me with a feeling that there is so much more to this life than what meets the eye. In fact, I don't think I have been this excited about a book in years. That is why I felt it appropriate to put a book review on an indie music review site. After all, this book is about as indie as you can get.

Within the pages of The Emotion Code Dr. Nelson explains the inner workings of the subconscious mind and lays it bare for all to see. He writes simply so you, the readers, are not left scratching your heads in complete bewilderment. This book makes so much sense that it's scary. Why do we have phobias? Why does it seem certain people can't seem to loose weight? Why can't some people seem to ever find someone to love? Why are some people always sick and the doctors can never find the answers? The answers are all within The Emotion Code.

Dr. Nelson also teaches his readers and patients how to become healers themselves by releasing what are called Trapped Emotions - trapped emotions boil down to an emotional event in our lives that becomes trapped within our energy field/body - yes, we are all made of energy and all energy vibrates at different frequencies. We all send out our own unique frequencies. Have you ever felt like someone was staring at the back of your head so you turn around and someone is staring right at you? Yup, that's what I'm talking about. Well a small part of it anyway. Actually, everything that you can and can't see on this earth is made of energy. Sometimes our trapped emotions get caught in the energy field of our body and can have any number of effects on us. But don't worry, we can all learn how to release them through a technique called muscle testing, which has been around for a while now, but Dr. Bradley has come up with his own techniques. I have tried all of them and they all work (for me some are easier than others). Learning how to find my trapped emotions and release them has been one of the more eye opening experiences in my life, not to mention seeing other people have their emotions released from them is amazing. It can be a lot of fun to release these emotions and at the same time very spiritual.

Yes, there is a whole theory of medicine in this book. For the most part it's new (Dr. Nelson calls it "Future Medicine") but if we open our minds just a bit, this book can be totally change the lives of every living being on this planet. Every problem that occurs on this earth can be looked at in a totally different light once you have read, studied and understand The Emotion Code.

Some people, the narrow minded ones might call The Emotion Code "hokey", to those people I say, times are changing. We are learning new things everyday and this book and it's teaching could quite possibly lie in all of our future's. This book has positively affected so many people in my life that I am truly grateful for Dr. Bradley's life changing methods. There are numerous testimonials in The Emotion Code and on his site to give further street cred for his teachings.

If there is a "Must" book of the year, it's The Emotion Code! - BEAR

Intriguing, informative, and just makes sense!, October 15, 2007
So interesting and intriguing, I read the entire book cover to cover in one sitting. Dr. Nelson's theories on healing the body just make sense. Our bodies are intelligent and know what they need to be healthy, we just need to know how to ask them, and Dr. Nelson's techniques make it so simple. This book is written in an easy-to-understand format, with lots of real-life experiences and testimonials. Clearly, Dr. Nelson sincerely wants to help people heal themselves and others. I highly recommend this book.

the jury is out, October 20, 2010
This book explains a potentially superb and relatively simple system of mental/emotional and physical healing by using a small magnet - even a fridge magnet - plus kinesiology (muscle testing for answers, a process related to dowsing) plus an emotion chart. Having tried the process on myself for a frozen shoulder and on a colleague who has been suffering acute arthritic attacks for the last 3 weeks, there have been no measurable or even noticeable improvements. Oddly, my shoulder was actually a little worse the next day.

I trained in several different kinesiology schools for over 5 years (by the end I was considered an expert, particularly in emotional healing, by many of my fellow students) but did not take it up professionally because my (perhaps unreasonable?) very high standards - for clear, measurable and long-term benefits in the majority of clients - were not met by any program. Most were thorough, some quite sophisticated, but none produced the virtual miracles that they sold themselves by, whether in my fellow trainees or when I had treatments from graduates or even teachers - and I gave and received many sessions indeed.

So, unlike many others who may try the process in this book, I have few concerns about whether my kinesiology testing part of the process is working or not (and neither kinesiology or dowsing are as easy as they seem, if you insist on accuracy). All I can say is that, while it seems feasible, and I don't really want to discourage anyone interested in trying it, the first results of using the Emotion Code were not encouraging.

In the last ten years alone I have read about and/or experimented with so many processes for healing: numerous books on nutritional healing, allergies&intolerances, "Miracle Mineral Supplement" - MMS (did not work for anyone I know) & MMS2 (worked for some, but not others), natural remedies, iridology, flower remedies, light/color/sun/earth healings, books on breathing, dowsing, life coaching, etc, etc. So many more books: positive thinking healing including "The Intention Experiment" and many other kinds of healing, such as "Conscious Healing, "Instant Healing", "Quantum Touch", "The Secret of Quantum Living", anything on water by Emoto, "The Healing Power of the Past", "Trauma Release", "The Healing Code", "Matrix Energetics", and not least many different types of emotional healing, such as "The Ultramind Solution", EmoTrance and EFT (dozens of EFT books, including a very sophisticated version in the "Matrix Reimprinting" book).

The previous decade was just as intensive, with more emphasis on psychotherapy and counseling, none of which helped much (and there are good, research-based books out now explaining just why most of it doesn't work) as well as more alternative therapies like iridology, flower remedies, crystal healing, sound/voice/gong/Tibetan bowl healings, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, massage, reiki, shiatsu, voice dialogue, shamanic healing including soul retrieval & past lives, rebirthing, dream healing, meditation, yoga - as well as the 5 years of kinesiology trainings in various schools. I'm not even going to start listing the numerous happiness/gratitude books I've read or the endless spiritual books, tapes, CDs and DVDs including (and this is just a partial list) those by Walsch, Marciniak, King, Villoldo, Millman, Clow, Rasha, Osho, Aurobindo, Braden, Hicks, Long, Carey/Zoosh, Carroll, Hubbard, Perkins, Kybalion, Hall, Hawkins (David, not Stephen), de Mello, Redfield, Tolle, Renard and A Course in Miracles.

Have I read thousands of claims of amazing successes? Yes. Have I met many practitioners who thought they did wonderful work? Also, yes. Have I personally seen, or even known anyone claim, a miraculous healing? No.

The key to working with long-term illness and serious disease is persistence and patience. In over 3 decades of researching, training in, and consulting professionals on hundreds (yes, truly) of alternative therapies, I have seen small but long-term benefits only from body adjustments (Rolfing & Reflexology but not chiropractic), from acupuncture and other Chinese Traditional Medicine, from natural thyroid (but not the synthetic version), from one Herbal Master (but not any other "expert" in herbal medicine), from a few homeopaths, from 2 psychics specializing in psychic attack/spirit attachment-or-possession/soul retrieval, and from a few of Stewart Swerdlow's processes.

[Later note: Also impressed with the new mental/emotional healing process explained in "The Healing Code" by Loyd/Johnson/Eble. There are many, many personal successes listed in the reviews on Amazon.com. For myself, in the first few weeks there were no improvements in physical symptoms but I did clear some long-standing old upsets. As emotional blockage is at the root of all illness, completely - and quickly - removing mental/emotional fears/anxieties and horrible memories is an impressive start, especially when none of the more famous processes, for instance EFT and Heartmath, have worked that well for me.]

Nowadays, before entering into trainings and courses I am thinking of taking, I make sure to pay for three sessions with a teacher or expert in the process. If I do not see measurable benefits, I do not enroll. I haven't enrolled in anything in the last 3 years.

As far as I know, every one who is ardently, and long-term, following a healing path has similar stories of mainly disappointment and a very few small successes. And no one is sorrier than I am to have to write this. My time, money and alternating hope&despair have added up to paying a high price to reach this sad conclusion. Yet I go on seeking: because even now I believe there is nothing better than healing (at all levels) that I could invest in.

BE CAREFUL!, October 29, 2010
I bought the Emotion Code and tried it for an extended period of time. It did lessen my negative emotions, but they always seemed to come back. I began to get headaches that I had never had before. The entire premise of this program is using magnets (some of them large and powerful, because I bought one) on your brain to lessen the emotions. An M.D. advised me to stop using the magnets on my brain. I did, and the headaches stopped. I recently had the opportunity to ask the same thing of another M.D. who knew nothing about my headaches. I was simply asking about any health risks related to using magnets repeatedly and long term on your brain. He said the same thing - that he would advise any person NOT to do that. The last time I went in to see my Chiropractor, I asked the same thing of him and his partner (another Chiropractor) - they were familiar with the book and Dr. Nelson. They said they thought highly of Dr. Nelson as a person, but they would agree with the M.D.'s about the long term, repeated use of magnets on the brain. They remarked about how many times people do things, with good intention, thinking that there is no health risk, and then sometimes years later people start having all sorts of health problems from it. They said that, in their opinion, the daily, long term use of magnets on the brain would definitely be in the "risk" area - regardless of how much it seems to be safe or help right now. I know Dr. Nelson is a Chiropractor and obviously has a difference of opinion on this, and states this in the book. However, of four health professionals I have asked about this, all four said the same thing - they did not advise the long term, repeated use of magnets on the brain, for safety reasons. There are other techniques that can quickly lessen negative emotions without putting yourself at any risk - that's exactly what the two Chiropractors said to me. Just one persons experience and opinion.

Great Discovery - try it, January 24, 2009
I thank Dr. Bradley Nelson for sharing this method of getting in touch with our subconcious mind.

When I tried the method on myself my biggest suspicion was that my concious thoughts would influence my results. But they didn't. I assumed an emotion would be about a particular event, but my subconcious took me back to totally different memories.

The only thing the book does not do is warn us that this method will truly makes us face ourselves and our true feelings, about ourselves and others. It is a door to personal growth and peace. It is an opportnity to forgive ourselves, love ourselves, and heal ourselves in places that we had forgotten about and levels that we cannot imagine.

I do not know of anything else like this.

I found this to be a very easy book to read. It is organised very well and takes the reader step by step, which I appreciate.

I believe that Dr. Bradley has explained a very important thing very easily. He carefully and openly says he is not promising all-out-cures. He also points out what this can be used for, and what not.

To do justice to it, one has to try it for themselves.

Heartfelt and Informative, August 31, 2007
I haven't finished The Emotion Code yet, but at the rate I'm going, I'll be done with it shortly. It's obvious how much time and research Dr. Nelson has put into this book, but it doesn't read like a boring journal article or preachy self-help title. The tone is genuine and heartfelt, and the message is one of healing. I highly recommend this book to ppl who have chronic pain or illness that lowers their quality of life and to anyone who is interested in furthering their spiritual and emotional development.

Wonderful, simple and life changing!, June 13, 2009
I could hardly put this book down! For those who wish to learn a simple technique for releasing hidden or trapped emotions, this is the quickest way that I have ever experienced. The book teaches you everything that you need to know to do this for yourself or for others with no expensive additional purchases necessary. The author recommends the use of a Nikken magnet to facilitate the process, but says that even a business card size refrigerator magnet would work effectively. I was so impressed with this book and the technique that it teaches that I sent out an e-mail to family and friends with a link back to Amazon.com so that they, too, can purchase this book and enjoy the benefits of greater health and peace of mind.

Energy flows where attention goes, November 19, 2010
I have bought many different energy based books, and used different energy based techniques, with great results.

Quantum Touch taught me the importance of breath and how to move energy, and the principles of resonance and entrainment. EFT taught me how to release negative emotions within two minutes by tapping on specific energy points. Reiki taught me the importance of healing touch, and using Universal Life Force energy effortlessly.

Matrix Energetics taught me the importance of intention, and active imagination. I could go on, Qigong, Reiki, Touch of healing, Yoga, Tibetans, Huna..

A few months ago I attended a Donna Eden seminar, and saw The Emotion Code on sale with her products. I thought, hmm, this is the only product by any other author on sale, so it's recommended by her and must be pretty good.

It's an easy read, easy to learn, and easy to do the emotion code process. I was able to make it work with a fridge magnet. In fact it's similar to the energy zip up technique used by Donna Eden in which you trace your fingers up the central meridian to your mouth while holding an affirmation in mind, except that here you are tracing backwards over the governing meridian, to release trapped emotions and self testing to see the effect of what you are doing. This may very well be the quickest process work I have done.

This book contains every thing I like in a good book. There are numerous specific examples and case studies of how this process has worked on many people, and testimonials. I particularly like how he explained that certain emotions are tied to certain organs. Anger to the liver, sadness to the lungs and colon, anxiety to the heart, and peeved to the bladder meridian. What's another word for peeved? Although an emotion is not necessarily limited to a specific organ.

Not all of our emotions are conscious. Usually, if I am doing change work or people I might ask them what emotion they wish to release, so I was somewhat surprised at the intuitive method he uses to discover what emotion is really troubling the person. In fact not only did I read the book, I noted that he was doing a seminar in San Francisco, and I went. I wished to test this process on someone. I worked on several people, but one young lady in particular, who had been troubled by a knee pain since she was 16. Using the intuitive process we discerned the trapped emotion was blaming. I asked her if this made sense. She said yes. We backtracked to the root cause of the emotion, and I ran a powerful magnet down her spine three times, with an extra one or two passes for good luck. We tested her for the emotion and it was gone, and the pain had disappeared, in fact she felt warm sensations down her right leg as it released.

One of the intriguing chapters in the book is about heart walls. Almost all of us have them, in which the wall, designed to protect us operates as a barrier to connecting with people, and to intimacy. Mine was about one and a half feet thick, and made of wood. Many of the cases in the book had much bigger heart walls.

I find many parallels the Emotion Code process and TimeLine Therapy, in which I am trained, and there is a testimonial about a near death experience from someone who also did nlp and nlp and Timeline Therapy.

One of the other reviewers mentioned a concern about magnets. First, most of the magic of the process is in the intention of the magician not the wand he uses. This process requires you only to move the magnet over the meridian several times. Nowhere in the book does he recommend using a magnet for a prolonged period, and with a rolling magnet like the Nissen magnet you are getting both north and south exposure. You can read more about magnets in Donna Eden's Energy Medicine. Prolonged exposure to one pole for say 8 to 10 hours could be detrimental, and the magnets you can get at Radio Shack are probably powerful enough for your purpose.

If you wish to explore energy medicine more, I recommend:

The Energy Medicine Kit [With 43 Energy, Medicine Cards and 1-Inch Cut Glass Crystal and CD and DVD and 28-Page Booklet] [ENERGY MEDICINE KIT] by Donna Eden, which shows energy testing being demonstrated, energy zipup technique, and more advanced techniques, including a five minute daily routine to boost your energy.

Quantum-Touch: The Power to Heal (Third Edition): The Power to Heal (Third Edition) by Richard Gordon.

Life Energy: Using the Meridians to Unlock the Hidden Power of Your Emotions: by John Diamond MD, one of the best books I have read on energy medicine, and a complete manual.

The Touch of Healing: Energizing the Body, Mind, and Spirit With Jin Shin Jyutsu. It's Jin Shin Jitsu, a complete system, very easy to learn and use.

The EFT Manual (Everyday Eft: Emotional Freedom Techniques) (EFT: Emotional Freedom Techniques)by Gary Craig is a simple tapping process useful for letting go of troubling emotions. Imagine easily letting go of issues such as anger, anxiety, fear, forgiveness, stress, procrastination, traumas, and buy various books on Amazon.

The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy is a beatifully illustrated encyclopedic book about energy medicine.

A Healer's Manual, May 28, 2009
The Emotion Code is an excellent source for those who are either in healing business or want to learn about healing. It is all about emotions and how to get rid of blocked emotions. It is an introduction of a technology available to easily remove blockage, which otherwise create physical ailments and hindrances in progress of a person. It is a good guide and easy to understand book, even for novice. The book not only explains the method and techniques to remove blocked emotions, but it also explains the philosophy behind the ideas. For advance learners, it is a good source and a reference guide, which can be kept for regular reference. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This calendar is jam-packed with astrological information to plan the year wisely. You'll find horoscopes, best days for planting and fishing, rewarding and challenging days, and travel forecasts by Bruce Scofield. There's also an astrology primer to help beginners use the vast amount of astrological data contained within. Comprehensive and practical, with original artwork by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, the creator of the Shadowscapes Tarot, it's easy to see why Llewellyn's Astrological Calendar is the best-known, most trusted astrological calendar sold today.

Reviews

Whimsical, Ethereal Pictures..., September 16, 2010
I just received the 2011 Llewellyn Astrological Calendar from Amazon and am very satisfied with the artwork and content. The artwork in the 2011 edition lies more on the whimsical and airy side - a beautiful blend of Fairy and Tarot if you will. Upon closer observation, you can see that the artist Stephanie Pui-Mun Law really put alot of thought and attention to detail into every page, creating fluid movement throughout each sign. If you still have the 2010 version, you'll notice the art was more traditional and two dimensional in nature, with jewel-tone colors and typical Archetypes being used for each sign.

As far as I can tell, the 2011 horoscopes appear quite distinct and specific for each sign. I found the 2010 readings pretty accurate looking back, even though they were short. You'll find "Rewarding" and "Challenging" dates provided every month as well so you'll know when you should be out on the town or when you should call it a night.

The astrological "Basics" at the back of the calendar are very informative and I especially enjoy reading the "Travel and Vacation Forecasts" provided for each sign. Bruce Scofield is the author of the travel piece and he seems to really knows his dates and times for planning a great trip (as well as which months to absolutely avoid).

Overall, I was surprised by how much this calendar covers: houses, aspects, signs, planets, eclipses, travel forecasts, planting and fishing days, moon signs and phases, retrograde table, and even the Ephemeris Table (which alot of beginner's may not utilize anyway). All in all, this is a beautiful calendar, no matter how you use it, and most anyone would be happy displaying it on their wall for the artwork alone.

Wonderful Calendar, December 22, 2010
I buy this calendar every year. It's a must if you follow planetary daily aspects and much more convenient for quick reference than pulling out the ephemeris. The only reason that I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 is because of the way they show the void of course moon. Instead of showing it next to the aspect in which it occurs (as they have done in former years), they list the void of course time in the top of the box, and in order to see the planets involved, you must look for it at the bottom of the box. It just adds another step to the process. I don't know why they changed this. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Other than that, it is a beautiful calender.

Llewellyn's 2011 Astrological Calendar, December 6, 2010
This one is especially lovely. I've been getting them for many years as it's a personal interest. Lots of extra room in the box too. Thanks!

Beautiful calender., October 1, 2010
This calendar is really pretty. I love the art work and cant wait for January so I can use it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The astonishing New York Times bestseller that chronicles how a brain scientist's own stroke led to enlightenment

On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover.

For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews

Important
This is, indeed, a first-person description of stroke by a scientifically and dare I say it -- spiritually -- sophisticated person. The author describes a range of experiences that make sense given our knowledge of localization of function. I'm not sure that such a detailed and consistent report by a scientist is available anywhere else. As such, this story is unusual and important. Moreover the author reports how she turned her stroke into an opportunity for profound wisdom and insight. Amazing stuff! And this may save lives.

Personally, I don't share all the author's ideas about strict functional localization in the brain... but that is secondary and doesn't detract from my admiration of her remarkable contribution.

My enjoyment of this book was enhanced considerably by the material and links at the author's website. She has posted a number of video and audio presentations, radio shows, etc.

Stroke of Brilliance!
I first came across Jill Bolte Taylor, Phd when her speech at TED (an annual conference devoted to Technology, Entertainment, Design) went viral. In it, she describes how she witnessed herself having a stroke and the subsequent feeling of peace that enveloped her when her logical left brain shut down and her right brain became dominant. I became intrigued after watching the video and then read the book.

The book expounds on her experience while having the stroke and her subsequent recovery. It was amazing on many levels:
(1) She gives a 1st person narrative of her experience of the stroke and recovery but she doesn't portray it as something we should all pity and feel sorry for. Instead, she lays it out not unlike an explorer discovering new territory, full of suspense and wonder.

(2) She gives incredible tips on how to communicate with and care for stroke victims. For e.g., some people would yell at her after they saw she didn't understand what they were saying. However, she wasn't deaf. She could only process one word at a time. If those people would have spoken more slowly rather than loudly, she would have been able to understand them. This is something that would never have occurred to me if I hadn't read this book.

(3) She takes us on a tour of the 'mystical' right side of her brain which little is known about and whose capabilities in today's world seem to be dismissed. She says the right side of the brain is the gateway to enlightenment and nirvana. She shares tips on how to 'tend the garden of your mind' and to interrupt or stop those stories we all tell ourselves over and over again (usually about how we are deficient, not good enough, etc.). She calls them loops.

Dr. Taylor's tips about how we can all achieve nirvana by accessing the right side of the brain as a conscious process is worth the price of the book many times over. We all have a "loop of deep inner peace" wired into our neurological circuitry in our right brain and we can consciously choose to run this loop whenever we wish.

Closely related to this topic are books by Ariel & Shya Kane. They've written three outstanding books: Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life, How to Create a Magical Relationship: The 3 Simple Ideas that Will Instantaneously Transform Your Love Life & Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment. The Kanes have been teaching about accessing the magic of the right-side of the brain for over 20 years and their book is chock full of tips, and stories on how to recognize those loops Dr. Taylor talks about and how to bypass them. If you're serious about getting enlightened, get Dr. Taylor's and the Kanes' books NOW!

Required Reading
My wife is a "massive" stroke victim. Her survival and recovery themselves were miracles. We are very fortunate. But one of the god-given gifts that has not returned is her speech. And while as a husband of 45 years when asked how she is doing often facetiously say that her loss of speech "is not all bad", I feel for her occasional frustration as she stumbles in her attempt to convey her feelings - fortunately, it is only occasional. We were warned it would be much, much worse.

But the bottom line, this book has restored her faith in the possibilities of even further recovery. It should be required reading for all stoke victims whose speech was affected. Likewise, for all caretakers of those victims. For just to see the light shine in her eye as she showed me many passages in the book that still gave her hope was well worth the price and time involved.

Fantastic!
I've been recommending My Stroke of Insight to nearly everyone I know. Jill provides a great moment-by-moment account of her stroke, a potentially devasting event many of my relatives have experienced. I deeply admire her determination to work through it. She also does one of the best jobs of describing brain function I've ever run across. I came away with a renewed sense of understanding, wonder and hopefulness about the capabilities of the human brain. Highly recommended!

Glimpse Inside the Mind of Another
Dr Taylor shows there are many kinds of knowledge, but maybe only one kind of awareness. The specialjourney that "Stroke of Insight" chronicles is surprising. It's a lesson how new learning, understanding and benefit can come of an experience that most would consider a severe blow. If you have the courage to face it and see it.

The ability to experience something on several levels, beyond the daily vision of most of us, and then to share it in such a clear and thoughful account is rare. In this book, Dr Taylor shows her courage doesn't end with facing pain, loss or mortality, but she also now breaks convention and presents her ideas and experience in full view, with their emotional and philosophical content included. Not only was she inspired by her own journey, but she shares the inspiration directly with the reader.

More than just an interesting read, this is one of the books that lets the reader peek inside the mind of another and, in doing so, to learn more about the self and the nature of our existence. Well worth your time.

Great book
How often do you get to hear a neuroscientist describe her own stroke?
This is an amazing story on three levels; physical, emotional, and spiritual. Dr. Jill's description of her eight year recovery is both uplifting and powerful. But the spiritual aspect is alone worth the price of admission. (I won't spoil it for you.)

Dr. Bolte-Taylor is not a writer of prose. Her style is that of someone experienced in writing scientific papers; factual, concise and parsimonious. But the content! That is what makes this a great book in my opinion.

A quick read but a powerful story.

Danny

My Stroke of Insight
An absolutely wonderful journey by a brain anatomist who suffered a stroke. Her resilience, her deep understanding of the condition and lessons to be learned by her and other health care professionals is outstanding. A must read for anyone whether faced with a health problem or not. Is a mind awakening experience!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from "the space between lives," which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss's family and his dead son. Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career. ... Read more

Reviews

Past Life/ Reincarnation Primer, January 17, 2002
Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss, M.D. was an easy, enjoyable read. Well written and fast paced, I read it in one sitting. Most of the subject matter covered will not be new to a long-time student of reincarnation. This book is geared for readers new to the subject, as Dr. Weiss was at the time the events he describes took place. His analysis of events may annoy those who don't require concrete proof of spiritual realities. He offered no verifiable scientific proof of what he presented anyway. It was encouraging to see a serious scientist open his mind to faith without proof. Dr. Weiss' enlightenment on the subject (in this, his first book) is limited to one patient he regressed through 12 of her 86 past lives. The ones that are delved into aren't described in much depth. Though the regressions reveal personal insight into her present life difficulties, there's not much applicable universally. Some "Masters" he quotes seem a little too judgmental to be enlightened spirits: "Humans just destroy. They will eventually destroy themselves." Much of their wisdom offered little new in the way of insight: "Wisdom is achieved very slowly." The methods he describes using to obtain this material don't rule out contact with less enlightened spirits, which Dr. Weiss admits at one point. So the "many masters" may not have been masters at all. He does show how past life regression can be a powerful tool in healing emotional problems and phobias. Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls by Michael Newton, Ph.D, another regression therapist, are much more in depth and informative, though they deal with life between lives more than the mechanics of reincarnation itself. If your budget calls for more bang for your buck, your money might be better spent on classic "must read" books on reincarnation: Many Mansions by Gina Cerminara & You Were Born Again To Be Together by Dick Sutphen. Two newer "must reads" are: Adventures in Reincarnation
by Brian Jamieson and Past Lives, Present Dreams : How to Use Reincarnation for Personal Growth
by Denise Linn

Life changing, October 9, 2001
I cannot get 'into' a book very easily - and it can even take me months to finish one that interests me. I picked up this book, by suggestion of a friend, about 3 years ago. I sat down on a Sunday morning around 10AM and with the exception of making a quick sandwich and some 'natures call' breaks, I did not put this book down. Next thing I knew it was 5:00 in the afternoon and I had read the entire book. Right from the first few pages, it'll grab you. I've purchased this book for several friends and family members and I get the same response, "WOW!"

I'm generally a pretty intense, high-strung person. After reading this book, I really mellowed out and learned not to take things SO hard when they go wrong, to take things in stride. We're all here to "LEARN" - to be better people. Better spirits.

This book somehow taught me to live a healthier lifestyle, to be happier and really enjoy my life, my friends, my family. I'm now reading it for the 2nd time and I'm enjoying it just as much as the first time.

OBVIOUSLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This Book Has Changed My Life, February 20, 2002
This book is amazing! I have been an atheist all my life despite (or is it as a result of?) attending Hebrew school as a child and Christian school from 4th through 12th grade. In my final year in college, I took an Intro to Buddhism course and was immediately intrigued by Buddhist teachings and philosophies. But my exploration of Buddhism hit a wall, because I could not convince myself to subscribe to one of the fundamental tennets of Buddhism: the belief in reincarnation. I just didn't believe in reincarnation at all. I was always of the "You Die and That's It" school. Nothing even remotely changed this view for years--until last week when I read this book. In the span of less than 24 hours, I went from not believing in reincarnation at all to being almost completely convinced of its existence.

I read this book with a very skeptical eye. But I also read it with objectivity, and, above all else, an intense desire to find truth. And I believe the account in this book to be factual. For the sake of argument, if it's a fake, it's an absolutely brilliant fake. But if it's completely authentic, then it's a phenomenal account that could change your life for the better. Either way, it's worth a read.

For those open to the concept of reincarnation, July 27, 2004
Weiss, Chief of Psychiatry at a large university-affiliated hospital in Miami, first met 27 year old Catherine in 1980 when seeking help for her anxiety, panic attacks and phobias. For 18 months he used conventional methods without success but then in a series of hypnotic trance states Catherine recalled past-life memories that proved to be the causative factors of her symptoms leading to her cure within a few months. She did not believe in reincarnation but acted as a conduit for secrets of life and death from highly evolved spirit entities, some of which were specifically for him. Weiss's life would never be the same again.

When the guide described artifacts at an Egyptian exhibit she found herself correcting him and at the next treatment Weiss regressed her, asking her to recall earlier ages; "Go back to the time from which your symptoms arise." "We live in a valley; there is no water; the year is 1863 B.C. The area is barren, hot and sandy. There is a well, no rivers. Water comes into the valley from the mountains. There are big waves knocking down trees. There's no place to run. It's cold; the water is cold. I have to save my baby, but I cannot; just have to hold her tight. I drown; the water chokes me." In later sessions he found that her experience of death in her many lives was similar each time. A conscious part of her would leave the body around the moment of death, floating above and then being drawn to a wonderful, energizing light. She would then wait for someone to come and help her. The soul automatically passed on. Weiss investigated references to reincarnation. "In A.D. 325 the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, along with his mother, Helena, had deleted references to reincarnation contained in the New Testament. The Second Council of Constantinople, meeting in A.D. 553, confirmed this action and declared the concept of reincarnation a heresy. Apparently, they thought this concept would weaken the growing power of the Church by giving humans too much time to seek their salvation. Yet the original references had been there; the early Church fathers had accepted the concept of reincarnation. The early Gnostics - Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Saint Jerome, and many others - believed they had lived before and would again."

Between sessions Catherine became more psychic, having intuitions about people and events that proved to be true. Her father, expressing doubt about what was happening, was amazed when she picked the winner of every race, although she gave the winnings to a poor person as she knew that her new spiritual powers should not be used for financial gain. She recalled periods between lives. "I am aware of a bright light. It's wonderful; you get energy from this light." She then spoke in a different voice. "Our task is to learn, to become God-like through knowledge. We know so little. You are here to be my teacher. I have so much to learn. By knowledge we approach God, and then we can rest. Then we can come back to teach and help others." "They tell me there are many gods, for God is in each of us." She later identified the masters, highly evolved souls not presently in body, as the source. They could speak to him through her. Although he had kept a strictly professional distance, telling nothing about his personal life, Catherine explained the deeper meaning - payment of karmic debts and teaching lessons - of the one-in-ten million heart defect that caused the death of his first born child when 23 days old. "Catherine could not possibly know this information. There was no place even to look it up." "Who tells you these things?" "The Master Spirits tell me. They tell me that I have lived eighty-six times in physical state." He pondered the miraculous messages and the implications. " The light after death and the life after death; our choosing when we are born and when we will die; the sure and unerring guidance of the masters; lifetimes measured in lessons learned and tasks fulfilled, not in years; charity, hope, faith, and love; doing without expectation of return - this knowledge was for me. But for what purpose? What was I sent here to accomplish?" He realized that faults are not important - love is. He did not need to try to be perfect or in control all the time. There was no need to impress anyone.

Psychiatrists use high doses of tranquilizers and antidepressant medicines to treat people with Catherine's symptoms whereas under Weiss's hypnosis treatment she became radiant, serene, and happy beyond his wildest hopes. This book will be of interest to anyone open to the concept of reincarnation and the thought that each of us may have lived multiple lives. Could it be that we never die but pass through different phases? Could it be that time is not as we see time, but rather in lessons learned. Could it be that guardian angels want to help us, especially to overcome the fear of death? Could it be that acts of violence and injustice will have to be repaid in kind in other lifetimes? Could it be that greed, manipulation and self-centeredness retard the progress of the soul? Could it be that our body is just a vehicle while our souls and spirit last for ever?

Aid to understanding the "why"'s of the universe, August 19, 2000
BACKGROUND: In 1986, I was involved in a severe accident which had left me comatose for 9 days. During the early part of my recovery, a dear friend suggested that I read this book after telling her about my memories from the time while in a coma.

REVIEW: Dr. Weiss answered a big "why" question for me. Why was I struggling between the notions of One-life, One-soul vs. Many-lives, One-soul? Through his research (much of which is presented in a worthy bibliography in the book), he discovered that the wording of the Bible has been modified -- at the order of Church leadership.

The story was quite grappling. I could not put this book down. I read it within 2 or 3 days. The experience through which I, myself, had just evolved compared too well with what I was now reading from another human for the first time in my (current) life; I was 35 at the time.

It was also quite compelling. Questions -- hard questions -- which many of us struggle to answer are addressed in his book. Being from a Baptist Christian up-bringing, I found it hard to acknowledge the Truth as presented. However, my own experience prevented me from disspelling it in the sake of other "unquestioned" teachings which cannot hold up to research methods.

Obviously, I believe that Many Lives, Many Masters is a great, yet simple, work. It excites me to think that when all has been deciphered from the Dead Sea Scrolls (and other ancient texts which have less political influence than the Bible), we will see that, indeed, Dr. Weiss has revealed to us the Truth -- Critically honest answers to the hard questions about our beings, both physical and spiritual.

Open you mind. Read this book!, March 16, 2002
I guess the best way I can put this is that I respectfully disagree with the respected Pathologist and the other fellow who claims this was a good "story".

The truth is that in my experience as a hypnotherapist past lives are real. This book offers compelling evidence for the phenomenon but there are many other books that do so as well. I simply like Dr. Weiss's presentation.

Those who left negative reviews seem to not realize a simple principle regarding subjective experience. That principle is that all subjective experience is translated through the subconscious before it can be percieved or vocalized by the subject therefore there can be some confusing or disjointed perceptions. Subjective experience is just that, subjective experience. Sometimes it can be proven with evidence found in the objective world; such as historical observations that can be confirmed.

In other cases, these experiences cannot be verified because there are no references available. In these cases the reality of the experience will be its effect upon the subject. If the experience was transformative then it is fundamentally "real" for the person involved. These types of cases aren't able to be proven. That doesn't mean it didn't happen.

I have no doubt that those who gave negative reviews have beliefs that are less than 100% grounded in reason and proof such as God/Jesus/Buddha/Allah/Krishna or any Higher Power by whatever name or an afterlife. There is at least as much "proof" for the existance of past lives as there proof of God(s) or an afterlife. So before you scoff consider that we all hold beliefs (well 99% of us at least) that are gounded in a reality beyond that which we can perceive with the senses. I'm not talking about resurrections and parting red seas I am talking about that which we can experience, not in simple faith which can be likened to continuing to believe in Santa well into adulthood. You may believe but that belief is largely baseless.

Plus, the soul/mind/spirit has its own wisdom beyond the physical brain. It is that perception that allows us to perceive that which cannot be empirically proven. I love science, but my religion isn't materialism and sometimes we can become blinded by "reason" to truths beyond the scientific method.

Chris

We are together, to the end of time., March 4, 2004
This is the third time that I've read this book over the years, and no doubt it will not be the last.

Just because this is a book on reincarnation, and past life regression, many people dismiss it a simple-minded, new age, drivel. I know that I almost did. That would have been an arrogant mistake, and a stupid loss, on my part. Take a look at the author's credentials: a Phi Beta Kappa, Magna cum Laude graduate of Columbia; a M.D. from the Yale University School of Medicine; Chief of Psychiatry at a major hospital; over 37 papers and book chapters published in his field, a recognized expert on brain chemistry. In short, this man wasn't jeopardizing his career to make a quick buck. It pretty well shook his world to the foundations when he discovered that reincarnation and the evolution of the soul were reality. As he points out, until they personally experience the reality of the existence and survival of the soul then most people simply will not, cannot, accept it. Then, once they do accept it, then they find that there are literally libraries full of legitimate research that confirms it all.

The main text of the book reads more like a novel than a scientific or spiritual work. The main case that shattered the doctor's previous beliefs is unfolded in exactly the way that it happened to him. The past life hypnotic regression of the subject is recounted practically word for word - including the words of the Masters.

What struck me was the agreement of everything that came from the Masters (sages at the highest plane spiritual evolution) with the perennial wisdom teachings that stretch back through all human history and all traditional cultures. It is all there: the fact that we are here primarily to learn and grow; that we are to learn to see the that spark of God in both others and ourselves; that only God may take a life; the importance of harmony, balance, and simplicity; to do good for the sake of good alone- with no expectation of reward; and of course the survival of the soul and the cycle of rebirth and spiritual evolution. Indeed without the latter, human existence would hardly make sense.

It all sounds simple, but you only really gain such wisdom by slowly applying and living it- by turning the theoretical into the internalized. This is what you take with you, and what you bring back with you on your next cycle of birth and death- the eternal wisdom that you have welded eternally to your soul by actually living it.

Many Lifes, Many Masters, But Few Answers., April 3, 2004
In this book Dr. Brian Weiss deals with reincarnation. I have been interested in this subject for years and have been looking for something to provide the some kind of evidence. In this book the author gives us descriptions of past lives that he happened upon accidentally through one of his patients, who was suffering from phobias that he regressed. He attempts to explain that our lives are schools of sorts where our souls learn their lessons. In the words of Goober, "DaaaHaa". All of that was previously explained by Cayce, Roberts, Bailey, ..... The list goes on .... This book left me asking the question "Where does the learning process for our soul begin? And why?"

I have found a book that I feel has headed me towards the path to discovering these answers. The book is called, "The Book of Thomas," by Daniel Aber and Gabreael . This book is composed of RAW channeled material.I have not seen work of this magnitude since Edgar Cayce's work came out many moons ago. In this book the authors discuss in detail the beginning of the soul, charting our lives paths, the different levels of heaven and so on. I enjoyed it so much I read it twice and gave it to my mother to read.

This book opened the door., February 2, 2000
In search of some solace, I was told to read this book. It has changed me in many powerful ways. The author takes the reader through the many past lives of one of his patients. The messages she channels are sage-like and eternal. I have lent this book to two other people, and they were equally touched. For those of you who wonder about reincarnation, this book may help you to understand its power and meaning.

Most inspirational and life saving book I've ever read, October 15, 1999
My husband commited suicide in '92 in front of me and my two year old daughter. From that day I prepared myself to die. Until, that is, my mother sent me this book. It put me at ease to know what my husband was actually experiencing. I'd always heard that if you commit suicide you go to hell and that thought consumed me. It was so relieving to know that he was making his own passage. I prayed for my husband to be born again through me so that his ending wouldn't be the same. A year later my son was born and my current mate said he looked like my husband. I never told him of my prayer. This book literally saved my life. The words provided me comfort when I needed it the most. Instead of alcohol, I learned to turn to books. I highly recommend this book for all of the people that have yet to find the'r way in life, or their life seems to have no meaning. It made me pick myself up and start looking for "my reason for being here". ... Read more

Editorial Review

Since its publication in 2005, The Gift of Nothing has become an instant classic--the perfect gift for "the person who has everything." In this appealing picture book, Mooch the cat--star of the nationally-syndicated comic strip Mutts--searches for a present for his friend, Earl the dog. Earl already has everything he needs: a bowl, a bed, a chewy toy...What else could Mooch get him? Then it dawns on him: NOTHING! This timeless tale has a heart-warming message about the most valuable gift of all--friendship--that appeals to readers of all ages. Great for a last minute gift, this special edition includes an elegant paper slipcase designed to look like gift wrap with foil accents and an embossed bow and faux hang tag. ... Read more

Reviews

Spare, lovely, moving as a classic fable, September 26, 2005
Whether you're a kid or an adult, or a dog or a cat, or a fan of "Mutts" or a newcomer, this book is going to grab you. What do you give your favorite dog pal when he has everything? Nothing. The cat's journey to find nothing reads to this child in an adult's body as both one of those funny Zen koan adventures...and a heartfelt exploration of friendship. McDonnell's color palate is especially interesting...he sticks to a simple combination of black and white and red, which makes the story all the stronger. Mutts, YESH!

Friendly and Fun, November 10, 2005
weather you love Mutts, or never read it (like me) you will enjoy this book.
As a mom whose child became known as "the kid who has everything" (thanks to his grandma) even I myself have found it hard to pick out presents for him. this will be a christmas gift for my son, and I will ask his grandma to read it too him. This book is simple and cute with a great moral of how friendship is more important, that its the thought that counts, but it is done in a delightful way. This book had me laughing out loud when I read it and is a must by to gently remind kids to appreciate what they have

The Gift of Nothing, January 30, 2006
What a special little book. Everyone I have showed it to as gotten a really special feeling from it.
I will treasure it.

A Whole Lot of Nothing, October 21, 2005
The schweetness of Mutts is really brought home in this wonderful little book that expands on one of the strips and leaves you with a warm and fuzzy feeling. I gave it to my wife for our anniversary (instead of a regular present) and got away with it!! Highly recommended. Earl says yesh.

Perfect for Everyone, December 1, 2005
this is perfect for anyone - from children to just people you love

the gift of nothing is beautiful, and you should share it with everyone. i chose this as a birthday gift for my mother - who, consequently, has given me everything and nothing. i feel it is only right to give the same back. ;)

The Gift of Everything, November 7, 2005
This is a simple yet fantastic book about the true meaning of friendship. In our materialistic world where "do it yourself" TV shows now focus on clutter control, it is great to read a book about what gift is most important. If you liked The Giving Tree, you will love this book.

Another must have ''CLASSIC" for both children and adults, April 9, 2007
The author may have gotten some tips from those classic MasterCard commercials which illustrate that money can buy some things, but certain moments and life experiences are "priceless."

Through the beautifully and simply illustrated tale of friendship between a cat and a dog (the interspecies metaphor alludes to openness and acceptance of differing points of view and experiences), we learn that material possessions and tangible items are sometimes not as meaningful as the space between two individuals, people, living beings, etc. It is the unspoken, uncategorizable, sublime moments of life that are most fulfilling and rewarding, and the hardest to capture or describe. Therefore, when trying to convey the depth of meaning of these moments, we cannot, and therefore, should not even bother trying (to encapsulate them, try as we may through photographs, video, blogging, etc.). The best gift is one that one already has the power to give oneself--the gift of friendship, self-awareness/mindfulness and the ability to honor and nurture the two.

MomSoup Review: The Purrfect Gift Book, November 17, 2005
This is the PURRFECT gift for that friend who already has everything. Great for both children and adults, this is a charming story of friendship that transcends the cat/dog relationship. Even if you are not familiar or already a fan of MUTTS, you'll enjoy this story.

So so so so cute, February 12, 2007
I bought this for the only little man I know (my sister's son.) Since everyone else in the family buys him gifts pretty much all year long... like most kids he has more toys than he needs. So, I thought a non-traditional b-day present would be great this year.

This would even be a great gift for parents of new little ones - it's an excellent, sweet bedtime story!

What could be more perfect?, January 9, 2007
This book is very cute but also to the point. Although it seems that the book is for those you can't seem to find the perfect gift for, it's also a good gift for those whom you'd like to just let them know how much they mean to you. Because, truly, in the long run, it's not the gifts, but the memories and times we share with one another that sums up all the love we can give. I like to add my own personal message in the back of the book for the special person who receives it. It truly touches everyone who receives it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ram Dass, one of America's most beloved spiritual teachers, sparked a revolution forty years ago with the publication of Be Here Now. This landmark classic inspired an entire generation to see the world in a different light. Over the past four decades Ram Dass has been a beacon for seekers worldwide, challenging us to find new sources of meaning and purpose in our lives.

Be Love Now is the third book in a trilogy that began with Be Here Now and was followed by Still Here, Ram Dass's acclaimed work on aging, changing, and dying. In Be Love Now, Ram Dass shares what he has learned in his remarkable four-decade-long spiritual journey. Through timeless teaching stories, compelling and often humorous personal anecdotes, and soul-stirring insights, Ram Dass tracks the stages of his own awakening in his trademark down-to-earth style. Starting with his days as Harvard psychologist and psychedelic inventurer, continuing through his profound encounters with his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and moving beyond the reawakening brought on by his near-fatal stroke, Ram Dass shares his life experiences while offering a timeless teaching on love and the path of the heart.

Guiding us through the pitfalls and perils of our own spiritual path, Be Love Now is both a deeply personal and wonderfully universal exploration that will open hearts and minds. Ram Dass once again blazes a new trail, inviting all to join him on this next stage of the journey.

Reviews

Great Sequel to Be Here Now, Full of Inspiration No Matter What Your Spiritual Path!, November 2, 2010
Book Review Be Love Now by Susan Schenck, author of The Live Food Factor, The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet

In Be Love Now, Ram Dass teaches us about real love and how he found it in his guru, Maharaj-ji. He distinguishes emotional and romantic love from unconditional love. "It's more like love for no reason, love without an object...The judging mind gets absorbed into the heart-mind. The thinking mind is extinguished in love." He explains that "Emotional love is based on external gratification, having our love reflected back to us. It's not grounded in feeling love from inside."

This book contains the memoirs of Ram Dass' encounters with Maharaj-ji. The vivid details make you feel like you are right there in India, on a vicarious journey. When his guru read Ram Dass's mind, for ten years he thought this was what had impacted him. Later he realized it was his heart that opened. Maharaj-ji had loved him more than anyone in the world had ever loved him before. It was "love on another plane," "impersonal," and something he could "bathe in."

Ram Dass gives us tools to work with, such as the mantra, "I am loving awareness." We must learn to identify with our soul, not our ego. "Souls love. That's what souls do. Egos don't, but souls do." We must develop our witness state. "As you witness yourself, the process becomes more like watching a movie than being the central character in one." He points out that as we witness our ego stuff, we can offer it into the fire of love in the heart with the mantra, "I am loving awareness." Ram Dass also silently chants Ram, the name of God, while fingering his beads when he is out in the world. He discusses the value of music and satsang, hanging out with others on the spiritual path. Surrendering to the guru is also important--but Ram Dass explains that this does not mean giving power to him, but rather "letting go of the stuff that keeps you separate."

The book is loaded with numerous fascinating and funny stories about Maharaj-ji. He put Ram Dass "in charge of the Westerners," only to pull the rug out from under his ego by undermining his authority in many ways until finally Ram Dass caught on and went along with it. Those Americans who had learned some Hindi would find that the translators would often delete some of the guru's foul language, as happened when a woman was robbed. The real translation was "Those stupid sister [...], they leave their doors open for any passing thief!"

In fact, the latter chapters of the book are a biography of Maharaj-ji from all the stories Ram Dass could collect. His life was filled with a synchronistic flow that Ram Dass calls "cosmic show biz timing." We learn of his siddhis, special yogic powers, such as bringing life back to a dead bird, making a stuck train go, being seen in several places at the same time, reading minds, finding things that were lost, and more. It concludes with a section filled with details on other saints, very reminiscent of Autobiography of a Yogi.

This book is a real inspiration for anyone on a spiritual path. If you haven't found a guru yet, don't assume you are to make Maharaji-ji your guru. As Ram Dass explains, "It doesn't matter whether you know your guru. Your guru knows you. There is no way that you can determine through your intellect who your guru is. You don't choose the guru; the guru chooses you." He goes on to say that your guru could even be posing as a cop giving you a ticket, or a beggar asking you for a handout. Unbelievable as it sounds, when you read this book and see what our consciousness is evolving to, it seems highly credible!

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in spiritual growth, regardless of who your guru is or what your spiritual path may be. It is packed with gems of inspiration.

A Lesson of Love, November 4, 2010
Wow. I was first attracted to this book because in the book description, it mentions a favorable review from Wayne Dyer, a Law of Attraction author/speaker. As someone studying the Law of Attraction, I was intrigued. Though the book is written from the perspective of a man following a Hindu path, the message that threads throughout the book goes beyond religion, culture, and other demographics. The book speaks to the universal language of each person's Inner Self: unconditional love. Not the diluted, clich�d meaning of unconditional love, but a love that resonates through body and soul, a constant blissful eternal love.

Throughout the book, as Ram Dass chronicles his lifelong spiritual journey, inspired by his spiritual teacher Maharaj-ji, he invokes the divine by impressing the everlasting nature of true unbound love. He distinguishes between the "emotional love" that many of us are familiar with, that depends on some sort of condition. Once that condition is taken away, the love sours; it's temporary. The love that Ram Dass describes is one that flows from the Divine, the type of love that he calls "truth-consciousness-bliss."

What impresses me most about this book is that Ram Dass teaches us, as human beings, to tap into ourselves to create this bliss that he has been experiencing over his lifelong journey. Some of the ways he discusses to accomplish the feeling of this love is through music, chanting, and viewing the people we encounter in our everyday lives as "divine manifestation." If we're to embody what Dass explains in this book, it would be hard not to feel a real sense of love and respect for all beings-humans, animals, plants, etc. Because it is through this love that we can experience true joy, that Dass defines as "being a part of the One."

I'm delighted that I happened across this book, as I found it to be a thought provoking read. As I read through this book, I felt that joy, that natural high that one feels when you're inspired. I'd recommend this read to anyone who wants to get a better understanding--and feeling--for the real love that we can all experience and share unconditionally with others.

How blessed can we be!, November 2, 2010
From the first time I read Ram Dass' book BE HERE NOW, back in the day, as they say, I have felt blessed by his teachings. They have helped not just me, but ALL OF US, to evolve spiritually. This book, BE LOVE NOW is no exception. He seems to have his heart tuned to the pace of our Awakening process and offers us the perfect teachings at the perfect time. What I love about this book is the warm and human invitation to become our better selves through Love. We can never have too many of those...and from Ram Dass? Well, for me this is a privilege as well as a blessing!

Janice Masters
The Everyday Joy Coach
[...]

Words we Need and Love, November 3, 2010
Reading "Be Here Now" when it was published set my life on a new course, one that continues to evolve and deepen, and has just been given an amazing lift by reading "Be Love Now." The love that Ram Dass cultivates and embodies can be felt in this book, which is also full of personal stories we haven't heard before. For example: he always thought his guru was a renunciate, but after the guru died, Ram Dass learned his guru had a wife, children and grandchildren and essentially had led a double life. While working on this chapter about his guru as a "family man," Ram Dass learned he has a family he's never known about. You can read more about this at [...]
So don't hesitate: give yourself and others the gift of "Be Love Now."

Get it, read it, be it, November 19, 2010
Having read all of Ram Dass' previous books, I must say this is his most eloquent, heart-felt, to-the-point, clear read and brings full circle his remarkable life. He now knows what he has learned and experienced without attachment. This LOVE is not romantic, possessive, jealous, selfish or temporary. It is pure conscious awareness and compassion; who we really are. I have met Ram Dass once in my life but am already planning a trip to his retreat in Maui as soon as possible.

A wonderful gift!, December 4, 2010
Once again, Ram Dass shares his wonderful spiritual journey with us. This time the emphasis is on the teachings of opening the heart and love from his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and how he and we can use them for transformation in our own lives. This world class storyteller uses his continuing journey from his beginnings at Harvard through his work with Maharahji, communicating those teachings to the world, his stroke and recovery, to today. He writes with humor and compassion making this very accessible for readers at all stages in their own spiritual development.

My only criticism is with the end of the book where lives of the saints are discussed. While valuable reading, it ended the book abruptly. I would have liked a short chapter after this that wraps up the book. I felt that to be missing. But not enough to miss this latest gift from Ram Dass.

ESSENTIAL AND CLASSIC RAM DASS!!!!!!!!, November 3, 2010
Simply put, if you love BE HERE NOW and any of Ram Dass' other books, buy BE LOVE NOW. Essential reading for our current times. I LOVE THIS BOOK! Endorsed by Wayne Dyer, Daniel Goleman, Michael Beckwith, Krishna Das and MANY other master teachers ... Read more

Editorial Review

The definitive guide to the philosophy and practice of Yoga--the ancient healing discipline for body and mind--by its greatest living teacher. Light on Yoga provides complete descriptions and illustrations of all the positions and breathing exercises. Features a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin. Illustrations throughout. ... Read more

Reviews

Everything a beginner needs, December 5, 2000
Whether you are looking for a physical improvement or a mental one, Light on Yoga will give you what you need. Each asana is accompanied by at least one (usually more) photographs to illustrate the proper technique, a synopsis on the effects, and details instructions that anyone can follow. Breathing, focus, position of each limb and which muscles to focus on are all covered thoroughly. When applicable, there are even variations that can be applied, depending on the student's comfort and skill level, so that no one need skip an important technique just because he or she is starting out and has no outside help.

Iyengar then further assists the beginning student with a list of which poses to start with and add each week, for a comprehensive schedule that will keep you improving for years. Also included is a list of common ailments and asanas that can relieve these ailments.

Anyone interested in strength, flexibility, balance, and inner peace should have at least this one book.

Simply the best, October 8, 2001
This is the definitive text on hatha yoga. This is the book you want if you are serious about beginning your yoga practice. This is also a text of reference for professional teachers used throughout the world. It is no exaggeration to say that all yoga instructors in the United States know this book, and most of them own a copy and refer to it regularly.

Iyengar's text is characterized by a thoroughness of content, a detailed, precise, step-by-step "how to" for instruction in asana and pranayama. There are 602 photos of Iyengar himself demonstrating the poses with extraordinary flexibility and precision. I have an early, hardcover edition with the photos collected together at the back of the book. The newer editions have the photos spaced appropriately throughout the text.

The 34-page Introduction entitled, "What is Yoga?" is a concise overview of the nature, aim and extent of yoga as gleaned from the ancient texts, in particular Pantajali's Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and Swatmarama's Hatha Yoga Pradipika (from which Iyengar gets his Sanskrit title, Yoga Dipika). These are the three great texts of yoga and Iyengar knows them well. This Introduction rewards patient study, and is the kind of pithy text that needs to be returned to again and again, and yet it is written in an accessible, inspired, and inspirational style.

Iyengar emphasizes precision and careful technique and a whole body mindfulness as prerequisites to success in hatha yoga. From my experience this mindfulness is absolutely essential for two main reasons. One, you will surely strain or pull a muscle, usually several little ones, if your mind goes astray or if you practice with your attention elsewhere. Count on it. Two, the full import and effect of asana cannot be appreciated, nor the psychological and spiritual lessons implicit within the practice be understood without a deep and continuous concentration--the mindfulness leading to meditation.

The technical instruction of the poses includes some commentary on beneficial effects. It should be noted that according to tradition there are 84,000 poses known (or perhaps the number is 840,000) of which about 84 are said to be necessary for health and the progression to samadhi. It is also said traditionally that a cat was the first yoga teacher. I want to note that only a gifted person with a natural suppleness can hope to master all the poses that Iyengar demonstrates. So don't despair. Most authorities will tell you that a dozen or so will suffice.

Even though detailed instruction is given in only three pranayamas, the subject is nonetheless throughly introduced and explained in the twenty-five elegant and succinct pages that constitute Part III of this book. Included and noteworthy is Iyengar's well-know warning: "Pneumatic tools can cut through the hardest rock. In Pranayama the yogi uses his lungs as pneumatic tools. If they are not used properly, they destroy both the tool and the person using it."

There are two appendices, one on "Asana Courses," which may be useful for teachers or for those who like a highly structured approach. The other is on the curative effects of asana for various disorders including arthritis, asthma, diabetes, flatulence, etc. I take this second appendix with some reserve and note that a comprehensive study of the curative effects of asana awaits its great genius. Nonetheless, the traditional experience, which Iyengar relies on, is part of the ancient practice of ayurvedic medicine, one of the great healing traditions of the world, and as such commands the highest respect. Personally, it is obvious to me that certain asanas facilitate certain natural bodily processes, and it is well know that a concentration of attention and blood flow to an effected part of the body can assist the body's healing mechanisms. Asana, properly understood in this context, is part of a maintenance program for a healthy body.

Iyengar's is preeminently a practical approach seeped in the ancient traditions of India. As such there is a distinctive, but unavoidable Hindu cast to his instruction. (Separating yoga from Hinduism is like trying to unscramble an omelette.) Nonetheless Iyengar strives for a universal approach and does an excellent job of achieving it. Note this from the introduction: "Food, the supporting yet consuming substance of all life is regarded as a phase of Brahman. It should be eaten with the feeling that with each morsel one can gain strength to serve the Lord...Whether or not to be a vegetarian is a purely personal matter as each person is influenced by the tradition and habits of the country in which he was born and bred."

EXCELLENT BOOK - THE TOP IN ITS CLASS, July 15, 1999
Both the complete novice and the seasoned yogi will benefit from this book. Mr. Iyengar not only provides simple step by step written instructions, but also enough photographs to completely undertake the study of Yoga on an auto-tutorial basis. As long as diligent, intelligent, careful reading and imitation are observed, the serious student will benefit from the this book tremendously. However, one should pay heed to Mr. Iyengar's advice of ultimately studying with a competent instructor.

In your search for books on Yoga, this reviewer urges you NOT to be persuaded by marketable and fashionable products. The dedicated student will learn all the basic lessons of Yoga by carefully reading Light on Yoga, and through the negotiation of all 200+ poses without the aid of special props and without concern for the seemingly gargantuan task. Two important requisites for a beneficial study of Yoga are explicitly stated several times throughout the book: determination and perseverance in all aspects of life lead to success.

In its structure and content, Yehudi Menuhin's foreword exemplifies the duality of simplicity and profundity that Yoga can offer. The beauty of this book resides in its minimalistic conciseness. In this respect it is a hidden treasure as well as a faithful embodiment of the ultimate goals of yogic practice: mental, physical and spiritual development. It is also an ancient radicalism aimed at the heart of our modern quick-fixes and 30 minute workouts.

In case some of the other readers missed Mr. Iyengar's instructions with respect to the duration of each of the poses, please note the following. Light on Yoga recommends that one should always begin by GENTLY, CORRECTLY and RESPONSIBLY negotiating each pose before holding it for at least 20 seconds (a bit longer if you are physically capable). Always keep in mind that Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline. Therefore, one should take note of his or her own capacity when doing any of the asanas.

It is imperative that all poses be held for as long as possible once the CORRECT posture is GENTLY and RESPONSIBLY negotiated. After some practice one should hold each posture slightly beyond what seems to be humanly possible at the moment. Once one becomes an expert the duration can be extended according to one's personal physical capacity. The key is to first follow the advice and cautions outlined throughout the book. What follows is the classic battle of mind over matter. Learn to master the body by focusing your mind on the discomfort and use your mental powers of Self control to learn to relax the affected areas. Ultimately, the body will be strong and no longer a major concern. The mind is then free for further development. This requires patience as well as discipline, and it is what Mr. Iyengar is trying to get across. Yoga is a life-long discipline with the hidden power of providing durable results only to those who persevere. Do yourself a favor and do not look for the easy way out by searching for pretty pictures and a standardized array of time frames.

The reader, of course, is free to choose from the myriad books available, but I urge you to keep one thing in mind. Such books are NOT the treasure that you will find in Light on Yoga. Quite frankly, there is no other Yoga book on the market that even comes close to genuinely caring for the personal benefit of its reader.

Read this book, study it and take notes before reading it again and repeating the cycle indefinitely for the rest of your life. You owe it to yourself. I wish you success in your exploration of this life-changing gift from a living legend. Have faith in the ancient history that precedes your Self. With time and patience one can create a proper sequence of asanas to fit comfortably within a busy schedule and according to one's needs and capabilities. Trust me on this one.

Mr. Iyengar recently reached his 80th year of youth, health and vitality. But do not be awed by this. Neither should you worship him. Instead, admire his humility. Learn from him. Simply let him guide you. He is human...and so are you.

Namaste.

A great, encyclopedic, illustrated guide to yoga, May 20, 1998
Light on Yoga is a comprehensive guide to yoga asanas (poses). For each pose there is at least one photograph of the pose performed by Iyengar. He gives clear, complete instructions for performing every pose and practical suggestions for improving your practice.

For example, in his instructions for headstand he not only gives a list of correct body actions, but also suggests practicing in a corner to prevent misaligning the legs.

I met a wonderful yoga teacher who studied without a yoga instructor for ten years, following only the instructions in this book.

The book is so complete. It has wonderful instructions on basic poses and a suggested set of asanas to perform each week of your practice. For inspiration, check out the poses toward the back of the book! I aim to perform these after 20 more years of practice. :-) This book is a must-have for any yoga student.

The book gives some forward to yoga philosophy and instructions on pranyama as well, but the focus is on the asanas (poses).

My only complaint about this book is that it is so encyclopedic that it is too difficult to use while I am actually practicing yoga. I find it's too hard to keep the book open flat while I try to perform the asana. Now I try to focus on a pose every week. I reach Iyengar's instructions each night and try to put them into practice the next day.

Cant Miss for whoever is interested in yoga/spiritual stuff, December 2, 1999
Guru Iyengar's book cant be missed for whoever is interested in yoga/spirtual stuff or the like. After reading the introduction, you will have a new insight into life and I personally read the introduction many times. And the instructions for the asanas, pranayama, and the banda are indispensible for every yoga student. I bought this book 8 years ago and I was amazed and started learning how to do yoga. In the book, Guru Iyengar said you need a teacher or a guru and its true. I tried to do it without a teacher for 6 years and got very little improvement and even hurt myself. It is very important you have a teacher because the book doesnt convey those minor details which is critical in every asana poses. I now go to local Iyengar Yoga class weekly and practice daily by myself and I feel I learn much much more and benefit much much more. It takes time, but doing yoga(Hatha Yoga, asana, pranayama) will equip you with good health and you will feel you start integrating your body, mind and spirit. Its just wonderful. I dont know what else to say. Go to a local Iyengar yoga center and start go to class and practice it!

Light on the Yogi's Path., February 26, 2004
This is one of those books that you simply have to review. B.K.S. Iyengar's works are unparalled in the field of modern yoga literature. With hundreds of illustrations and in-depth descriptions of all the important asanas (postures), it really is the "bible" of yoga today. If you prefer to practice at home, this is the book for you. It is the next best thing (and a cheaper alternative!) to a good yoga class.

Part I gives in brief the theory of Raja Yoga and how it is complemented by, not separate from, Hatha Yoga. The theoretical part alone makes "Light On Yoga" worth the money. But it is really a book for serious practitioners of yoga. If you like this part of the book and want to know more, you might want to check out some good commentaries on "The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali" and "The Bhagavad Gita" (Iyengar has his own).

In Part II (the heart of the book) are all the major asanas, generously depicted by over 600 photographs. The Sanskrit names of the asanas are used, along with a short explanation of each one in English. Then, you get step-by-step instructions on how to execute the pose, with ample warnings and tips. Each pose has a number or difficulty-level assigned to it (1-60), and there are basic and advanced stages of many postures. Take that seriously and do not go too far too soon. Lastly, the author tells you what health benefits you will reap from a pose.

Part III introduces you to the complex area of pranayama. But for this, I would recommend "Light On Pranayama," which is a companion to the present volume.

Appendix I has a 300 week course divided into three stages: easy, intermediate and difficult. Appendix II lists various ailments and the asanas that can cure them. There is also a glossary, a table of asanas and an index.

Another reviewer asked if the health precautions make sense. They do. Do not dismiss Iyengar's warnings. Do not practice certain asanas (particularly, inverted ones) during the menstrual period. Do not perform the head stand without assistance if you are a beginner, especially if you have sensitive eyes.

Be sure to follow the courses as given in the back of the book, since practicing asanas beyond your capacity can be harmful. Start with the easy poses first and add gradually the intermediate and advanced asanas as your body adjusts. Some asanas must be approached with great caution. Be very careful if you decide to try those at home without a teacher or friend to assist you.

My only real complaint? I wish that these gurus would give simple English names for the asanas, as an alternative to the confusing Sanskrit/Indian names. It would make memorizing the order of asanas in a given routine easier.

Iyengar is a true master of his art, and this book is the best guide on the subject available today. Whether you want to become a full-time practitioner, or are just looking for basic exercises to improve your health with, this book will give you what you need. I wish I had found "Light On Yoga" sooner. Granted, there are countless other books on the topic that describe the same asanas and all. But this one is the most exhaustive and the most reliable.

Also good is "Yoga: the Path to Holistic Health." That other book by Iyengar is not as comprehensive as this one, but it is a full-color, coffee-table book with 360-degree views of the main poses. A big plus is that it makes use of props--benches, chairs, pillows, etc.

The Most Important Book Ever Written, November 4, 1999
Ever wondered why you are here? Or what we humans really are? Or how to live right? The answers are all here. The short introduction alone is worth much more than the price of the book. I have read the intro at least a dozen times, and each time I get something more out of it. (Unless you have reached a place in your life where you are "ready" to understand, many truths often pass right by unheard). And I must admit, I need to read it again now!

This book contains everything you need to know about yoga. With each pose, Mr. Iyengar explains not only how-to-do-it, but WHY-to-do-it (how the pose benefits you). Looking at the pictures, a beginner can easily be intimidated, but do not compare yourself to Mr. Iyengar, who has devoted his life to yoga. Beginners have MUCH to gain!

NOTE: (1) This book costs only a third of what you are used to paying for a book this size. NOTE: (2) Books, and especially videos, are no substitute for studying with a good teacher.

With his teachings and with this book, Mr. Iyengar has given a gift to mankind, a gift of undescribable beauty, joy, and compassion. You need this book. The world needs this book.

A Bargain at Five Times the Price, August 29, 2004
I own a slew of large format, glossy, full-color yoga books. If I had to choose between the lot of them and this smaller format, non-glossy, black and white book, I would toss them all and keep this book without hesitation.

The Introduction is 36 pages long and explains the basic philosophy behind B.K.S. Iyengar's yoga practice. I was very glad to see that this wasn't the usual pop, new age, "feel the white light enter your navel" kind of philosophy common to many yoga books. And of course, you can always skip the introduction entirely if you don't care about the philosophy and just want to get to the poses.

Each pose is illustrated in pictures (black and white) and explained in great detail. I have had no difficultly at all in following the instructions for the poses--an amazing feat which speaks for the clarity of the writing.

After the section of yoga poses, there is a section of instruction for pranayama. This is a section for very advanced yoga practitioners and deals with controlled breathing. Being a yoga novice, I haven't tried anything out of this section. Pictures and explanations appear to be the same in presentation as the yoga section.

The first Appendix lays out "Asana Courses," or more simply put: What Poses to Do When. This section lists each week of yoga practice from the first week to the 275th week, and lays out what poses would be appropriate for each.

The second Appendix recommends poses for specific health ailments.

This is by far the best yoga book I have ever encountered. It would be a bargain at 5 times the price. The instruction is so good, you won't miss the glossy color pages one bit. I consider this to be one of the best book purchases I've ever made.

The Best Yoga Book on the Market, August 21, 2003
I fell in love with yoga after severely breaking my leg in three places. Rehab only took me so far, but thankfully yoga took me the rest of the way. After discovering the many health benefits of yoga, I began studying it seriously. Part of the journey of any student is to become a teacher. For two years, I taught yoga classes at local gyms and dance studios 5 times a week.

As a teacher, I became more of an avid student than I was before. I bought just about every book and tape on yoga, and I even had friends bring me books from respected Yogi's in India. But the best book I ever found was Light on Yoga. It starts at the beginning with, "What is Yoga?" before continuing on with each position. It details the technique in both written form and with a photograph, and then it discusses the effects of each position. You see, yoga is not just designed to make you more flexible or releave stress--each position can help treat/prevent certain sickness and infections.

For those of you who are just getting started, this book might seem overwhelming when you see photographs of Iyengar doing things with his body that seem humanly impossible. But don't focus so much on the flexibility aspect, as the healing aspect. If you take each position to your own level, you will be doing a great service to your body, and to your health. Bottom line--buy the book and join a local yoga class!

Enlightening, November 16, 2000
I learnt yoga through another teacher. I wanted to use this as a reference book. Well, as it turned out it was not a reference, but the bible. All nuances which I missed while learning are clearly mentioned. Exact details of the postures involved along with photographs are clearly shown here. This book has helped me beyond my imagination. It is also very well patterned because, it tells you what is the posture and its characteristics. The steps involved. References to related postures and ultimately, the effects and precautions. Throughout the book, he has mentioned that a guru's presence is very important. It should not be ignored. It is better to take some classes first and after that, this is the only book you will ever need. The postures are given in the sequence of easiest to the most difficult. All in all, THE BOOK. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Get it. Read it. Live it., December 17, 2009
I just this minute finished reading don Miguel's new book, The Fifth Agreement, for the first time. It opens with a recap of the first four agreements, which is a little draggy if you've read The Four Agreements three times, but which is still worth reading because it is a reminder of the ramifications of the four agreements, and a chance to refocus on them in a new light. The fifth agreement, be skeptical, but learn to listen, is a stealth stunner.It seems simple and basic, but it's one of those that if carried to it's obvious conclusion, leads to complete freedom. In sum, it is a great book, a book to read, and reread, and read again. It is a book to practice and to live.
Don Miguel has a great knack for taking "keep it simple, stupid" to it's optimum.
Get it. Read it. Live it.

Creating Your Personal Heaven, February 28, 2010
"The Fifth Agreement" is the sequel to "The Four Agreements," which outlines a simple foundation for a happy life that anyone can implement regardless of one's religion or lack of one. They convey the core of the Toltec shamanic tradition in a nutshell: Be impeccable with your word; don't take things personally; don't make assumptions; and do your best.

Don Miguel Ruiz wrote that bestseller 12 years ago, and now has written "The Fifth Agreement" with his son, don Jose. The fifth agreement is deceptively simple, yet incredibly profound. It states, "Be skeptical but learn to listen." While the first four agreements deal with our relationship to ourselves and how to create a happy life, the fifth agreement deals with our relationship to others, and how to create a better world.

"The Fifth Agreement" asks us to be skeptical and use discernment when listening others, and to understand that everyone has his or her own perspective and agenda reflected in their words. It is up to us to discern the truth behind the words, but always to be respectful of another's right to his or her views, even if we don't share them. Each of us is the artist of our own life, the director of our own play, and we can make it an adventure or a drama - heaven or hell, it's up to us.

The first part of the book reviews the first four agreements, discussing how the meanings we attribute to symbols define us culturally. The second part of the book delves into the more advanced concepts of the Toltec mystery school, including the Fifth Agreement, Victims, Warriors, Masters and Seers. All the concepts are explained in ways that anyone can understand and, hopefully, implement in one's life.

I had the opportunity to ask don Miguel in an interview for New Consciousness Review why he didn't include the fifth agreement in his first book. He said, "It wasn't the time." The fact that he decided that it is now the time, implies that we are finally ready as a society to learn to listen to each other and to respect our differences. Combined with the prescription for living joyfully offered by the Four Agreements, we really could have heaven on earth. This powerful little book shows the way, and makes it all sound possible.

Expanding on Toltec Wisdom, December 17, 2009
Don Miguel picks up where he left off in the Four Agreements. The book is again written in the first person much like carrying on a conversation with someone face to face, which, in my view, adds to the power of the propositions being offered.

There is some redundancy in rehashing some issues of his previous books, but this is no reason to avoid or reject the book. From the point of view of a new reader to the Toltec wisdom, or not having perviously read the The Four Agreements, this book is a good place to begin, because the Four Agreements are summarized before getting to the Fifth Agreement material.

The new information is well worth the price of admission and rather than spoil it in advance of your reading the book, suffice it to say that the fifth agreement material, perhaps holds a powerful tool for personal transformation beyond the original material.

It differs significantly from the original material in that it advocates for us using all our sense perceptions to ascertain what values are perpetuated in the Dream of the Planet. In my view, a good thing. But more importantly, the book provides added tools for personal transformation engaging the full scope of our personal powers that have been domesticated by the forces and powers of our contemporary world. The new material asks us to open ourselves without a personal agenda and let things seep in and take root. From that point we might evalute its value on our lives without first jumping to conclusions.

By my reckoning, a very important proposition for creating a life of joy and happiness.

An Excellent Follow-on Book to "The Four Agreements", March 9, 2010
This is a wonderful book. Although there is some repeat of information from Ruiz's book "The Four Agreements," there is also a lot of new and very insightful content. In particular, I got the sense that Don Miguel Ruiz's son Don Jose, and the other co-author, Janet Mills, brought another dimension to the work that clearly added value to the book. As such, I highly recommend The Fifth Agreement as a spiritual growth resource. Here's one of my favorite passages:

"Let's say you're living with guilt and shame for a mistake you made ten years ago. The excuse for your suffering is, "I made a terrible mistake," and you're still suffering for something that happened ten years ago, but the truth is you're suffering from something that happened ten seconds ago. You judged yourself again for the same mistake, and of course the big judge says, "You need to be punished." It's simple action-reaction. The action is self-judgment; the reaction is self punishment in the form of guilt and shame. All your life you repeat the same action, hoping to have a different reaction, and it never happens. The only way to change your life is to change the action, and then the reaction will change."

Simple Wisdom for Complex Times, January 30, 2010
Many years ago I read Ruiz's "The Four Agreements, A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom". I was so impressed by the simple, but deep wisdom of the Four Agreements that I sent copies to each of my twenty-some children. I think they received them much as anything of this sort is received from a parent.

A friend recently gave me a copy of The Fifth Agreement. I wondered why they put out another one as the first seemed enough for a lifetime, but it did not take me long to understand.

The first part of the book is a revisiting of the Four Agreements. Like a lot of things in life it never hurts to back over the basics. The Four Agreements are essentially the foundation for the Fifth Agreement.

Again the book is simple yet profound. None of the Five Agreements is something we do not know about. The trick is remembering them and living them.

For me, at least, the book is best read in multiple sessions. I read each chapter as meditation. Like a meditation each chapter can be read again.

The book is spiritual, but not religious. It embraces and rejects religion all at the same time. At least that is my dream of how it read.

As I read the book, I could not help but see the confluence of Buddhism ant Toltec wisdom. Is it surprising, or is not surprising that similar concepts / wisdom developed at different times in different cultures.

The next question is why do I say this? Both approaches emphasize being in the moment. Impeccable speech strikes me as Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, and Right Thought in the Buddhist tradition. They phrase it differently, but they both address quieting the clattering monkey mind.

There is a comment towards the end of the book about life is not about suffering, but that life is to be enjoyed. I don't know if this is a swipe at the Buddha's primary premise or not. I do think for a vast number of folks life is suffering. Buddha said that when we let go of our attachments this suffering diminishes or goes away. Then life can be enjoyed (my words). I do not feel that is that far away from the letting go of the symbols we hold so dearly that may be feeding us lies.

My take on it is that it is two different set of symbols, but they end up in the same place

Simple wisdom for complex times.

Living the 5 Agreements, December 15, 2009
The Four Agreements along with all the other books written by Don Miguel Ruiz have elevated everyone I have passed them on to. These books have done amazing things for my life. And now to continue to strive for true happiness and freedom along comes The Fifth Agreement. This book is well beyond worth the read, and once you've done that pass it on!!!

A book for those who want to uncover their authentic Self, May 17, 2010
For those who have noticed that one's person's truth seems to be another's lie. If you are like me, then you have become confused by this notion and wondered whether there is a Truth that is common to us all and how to align one's self to this Truth. Perhaps you have been connected to this Truth and realized that it, in fact, lies within you. Then perhaps you have come to the realization that this authentic Self which is an embodiment of the Truth is not so easy to unfold as it is covered by layers and layers of spoon fed beliefs and conventional assumptions since childhood. Often these beliefs and assumptions conflict with each other, giving rise to a nagging doubts about what is real or imagined, even concerning our very self. Perhaps we have once had an elusive sense of understanding during which we have felt what life could be and truly is, but from lack of being able to conceptualize it, we have forgotten its substance and lost the living creative power of this inner knowledge. For a subject as complex and daunting as the very nature of reality as we know it, and the role our beliefs (or owned assumptions) play in shaping our own reality, "The Fifth Agreement" does a great job in explaining it all. Furthermore this sequel to "The Four Agreements" promises a Fifth Agreement which, although more abstruse then the preceding four, has the potential of guiding us towards finding who we really are (Our Authentic Self) in all the perfection of our "imperfect" individual Self.

The Fifth Agreement, January 17, 2010
A phenomenal read, ground breaking look at the workings of the mind and how it can takes us away from the Truth.
A must read for any Mystery School seeker.

The Fifth Agreement, February 23, 2010
This is a wonderful book. I have been reading The Four Agreements for several years, and this book puts it all together. My life has been changed. Thank you to the Ruis family for sharing this knowledge with me.

fifth agreement slightly disappointing, February 7, 2010
The fifth agreement is a good book but my disappointment was that 40% of the book was a repeat of the Fourth Agreement. If you never read the Fourth Agreement it would be an excellent buy would encourage it. It is still an informative book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

All around the world, The Secret is guiding millions to the life of their dreams. Now, with The Secret Daily Teachings, creator of The Secret Rhonda Byrne takes you through the next vital steps in living The Secret.

With 365 brand new insights that build on The Secret's powerful truths, your knowledge of the law of attraction is about to expand far beyond what you can imagine. More joy, abundance, and blessings -- every single day of the year.

For more information about The Secret, visit www.thesecret.tv. ... Read more

Reviews

Love, love, love The Secret., December 19, 2009
I have read several books on the Law of Attraction and besides the Hicks' books, The Secret will always be on of my favorites. In this one, we get daily teachings. What I like best about it is that it really reminds you--everyday!--to focus on your desires. I think this is great. If you like the Secret, chances are you will like this one as well. I also liked You Don't Need a System: A Straightforward Guide to Using the Law of Attraction.

Don't tear it apart!, June 5, 2010
We all need reminders from time. This is a compilation of daily inspirational messages. I recommend do NOT tear the pages out. I use a little bookmark and can keep reading them on a daily basis, year after year. A little stimulation at the start of each day can go a long way toward paving a path to wholeness.

Warning: This is NOT a book, it's a calendar!!!, May 6, 2010
I've got The Secret DVD ... definitely believe in the principles. I was hoping this was (as described) a book of daily readings/motivational messages I could start my morning with. While it does have daily readings/messages, they are in a tear-off, page-per-day format, like a calendar, not a book! Once you've ripped off all 365 pages, you've got nothing left. I'm returning this ... Amazon needs to describe this item better!

Great Daily Reminder, June 13, 2010
This has been a great daily dose of information. Its difficult to stay in a positive state of mind but using this calendar and each morning reading something positive, I find that it helps set the tone for the rest of the day.

Love this Book, April 28, 2010
This book is exceptional! The only thing that could make it better would be a list a task to help you gain momentum as your integrate the principles into your life. There is a 'Secret' workbook. I am going to purchase it when I finish the book.

SECRETE day to day, April 14, 2010
Except for the lack of a place to keep the past days information, the learning and guidence provided is excellent.

Positive profound messages on life's trials and tribulations, April 13, 2010
I read these Daily Teachings every morning and use them as my mantras through out the day ! At the end you will find a surprise you can use every day of the week, inspiring and manifestations of attracting all good in your life.

Rocco

Wonderful! This book is the best I've EVER read!, May 24, 2009
Without a doubt this book has done more for me then anything I've ever read. I talk about the book The Secret all the time to everyone. I think life is way to short to waste it, this book helps keep everything positive. I have given this book and have had all my employees watch the DVD. It has truly helped my business and the work place.

The Secret, September 10, 2009
Loved "The Secret" and read it slowly to absorb the contents! My granddaughter, aged 20, had read it when it first came out and kept talking about it. IT HAS CHANGED HER WAY OF THINKING AND HER LIFE!!!! She is so positive and has accomplished so much, so well!!! I have also gotten the tape and given it to my non-reading friends and family.

I am a very positive person, but this book really makes me understand why I have done well and hopefully will help me to accomplish so much more!
Sincerely,
Gale

The Secret, March 22, 2009
I like the book but wasn't too crazy about this. It seems a bit "hokey" and when you tear off that day's quote, there's no place to keep the past "words of wisdom" for future reference. A little pocket at the back of the book might have been nice. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Louise explains how limiting beliefs and ideas are often the cause ofillness, and how you can change your thinking...and improve the quality of your life. ... Read more

Reviews

Exactly What I Needed, July 20, 2007
When purchasing self help books, I think it helps to remember that, like ordering food or clothing, you're choosing something for yourself, not anyone else. The book doesn't need to suit anyone's needs but your own and if a book doesn't suit your needs, that doesn't mean it might not offer someone else exactly what they need to work through their situations.

During years of researching the topics of healing, happiness and love and having read dozens of excellent books on these topics, Louise Hay's "You Can Heal Your Life" (YCHYL) is by far my favorite book of all. More than any other author, Louise Hay helped me get to the very core of the things I needed to know most in order to transform my own life from within.

I originally picked up this book because it was referred to very favorably in another book I'd read and I was interested in that portion of "YCHYL" that dealt with the link between physical ailments and the unresolved emotional issues we carry around inside us. Having already cured myself of an ulcer by addressing such issues, I was most interested, initially, in learning everything I could in order to free myself of some other problems that had plagued my body over the years. I found this portion of YCHYL VERY helpful in clearing up several problems I had at that time, but then set the book aside for a time, feeling I'd gotten from it about all I could.

Years later, my girlfriend and I began reading it again, and it was like rediscovering the book all over again. She had also read it when she was younger and we thought it would be good for us to read through it together. WOW were we right. Speaking only for myself, I can say that on a second reading, I realized at a much deeper level just how completely ALL the "less than wonderful" issues of our lives stem from one basic cause ... a lousy relationship with ourselves.

During all my years of researchings these topics, I'd become convinced on my own that Love ... true, unconditional acceptance of ourselves and others ... really was the central choice we had to make in order to have harmonious lives in every way. What Louise helped me REALLY understand was that I had not yet truly accepted MYSELF on an entirely unconditional basis. I had focused most of my efforts outward, toward other people ... forgetting ... or, more honestly ... not wanting to admit that I can't give to someone else what I haven't yet given myself. Paraphrasing from YCHYL ... "The most important thing you can do to help heal your entire life ... is stop criticising yourself".

For reasons I need not go into here, I was still carrying around a HUGE amount of self criticism ... most of which was so automatic for me, I didn't even notice it. Because I'd rid my body of most of the physical problems that were bugging me, I thought I'd done a pretty good job of clearing house emotionally, getting rid of most of my old "I'm not good enough" baggage. What a second and third reading of YCHYL showed both me and my girlfriend was that there was a lot more self criticism left inside us than we realized and that it affected areas of our lives ... relationships with friends ... our financial lives ... our job fulfillment ... that we'd never imagined.

For us, YCHYL has been a miracle in its own right. It's helped us make a committment to making total acceptance of ourselves, just as we are today, our number one daily task. Louise has helped us see that living our lives from a place of total self acceptance transforms EVERY part of our lives from "working far less well than they could" to "working so well, we're AMAZED".

Our work with this book is not over yet. But we both wanted to thank Louise for writing such a clear, easy to understand book about what we need to do to really come to grips with what throws our lives out of balance and what we can do, alone and together, to get things back on center and realize the full potential we have in every area of our lives. For us, this book has been PERFECT !!

The Holy Grail, February 7, 2000
I bought You Can Heal Your Life on Tape and recommend this to others because Louise Hay has a voice that seems to magicaly heal you. I have been able to heal my life from past childhood issues, rape, parents, and drugs. My life now, is one that allows my dreams to come true. I loan the tapes to others and they are having excellent results. I have saved myself thousands of dollars in therapy sessions. I now have the peace, contentment, success and happiness that I never knew was possible. This is the best money that I have or will ever spend.

Just what I need..., July 22, 2006
I have never been big on self-help books; many of them are too stuffy, or technical, or don't really relate to what I'm going through. "You Can Heal Your Life" is different. It is easy to read, and well-written, and helps you see/realize/re-affirm that you are the master of your destiny, that only you can change your life, that you are loveable and perfect as you are - and best of all, the process is not "hard" - you just have to be willing to do the mental work. The book gives practical advise, it's non-judgemental, and it's real and true.

I have been struggling with depression my whole life, and doing lots of work to heal myself. Reading this book at this point of my life-journey was just what I needed. I'm happy! Since I started reading the book (a week ago), I have not had any trouble sleeping. That may not seem like a lot, or a long time, but I've also struggled with insomnia most of my life too. Falling asleep peacefully is a triumph, and a joy.

Another great thing about the book is that I'll be able to refer to it often. The index in the back has already come in handy when I wanted to look up something I read a few days ago.

If you're not sure, and if you resist the book & its message, if you think "oh, this author must have it all together, she must have had a great childhood, things must just come easy to her, that's not me, my life sucks", then read the last chapter, "My Story." It will make it obvious that no matter what you go through, no matter what you've experienced, you can be happy. All it takes is you.

...And So It Is!, May 21, 2006
This is a great find and if you have been lead to this book consider yourself a very blessed and fortunate individual. Healing our lives is such an "iffy" proposistion. So many times we derive so many "benefits" from not healing our lives; we can play the victim, we can blame others, we can receive sympathy from others, we can stay limited and small. If you don't want to heal your life right now, that's okay, I don't blame you because it's kind of scary taking complete response-ability for your life, but if you are ready...really, really ready, then this is a book for you.

I recommend reading it with a friend or if you can't do that, read it in front of the mirror. I can guarantee that if you do that, the tears will come. Don't be afraid of getting upset or angry or even disturbed because Truth is upsetting because Truth is unsettling but I warn you, once you've been exposed to a few empowering ideas, you can never go back. You can try, but you'll have this nagging feeling that somehow your life is your creation and you have always been responsible for it. Yeah, your daddy might've been abusive and your mommy might've been alcoholic, but are you going to RISE UP or are you going to sit in the ashes of the past and play dead?

The point of power is always in the present moment so I suggest that you go and reclaim your life. I suggest that you cry, scream, throw things until you get it all out of system and out of complete and total surrender come back to the Life that was always waiting for you to notice it; your life and you are a beautiful, wonderful, magnificent creation that has so much to give.

You can heal your life. You can let the dead bury the dead. You can discover/uncover the Truth that your wholeness is yourt holiness and your holiness is your wholeness.

My only problem with this book is the section in the back where Louise mentions certain physical ailments and the mental attitudes that MIGHT have created the situation. This information can be a blessing or a curse. It can be a blessing because it can give you something to work through and heal or it can be a curse because you can use this information to beat yourself up with or make yourself feel guilty that somehow you created this situation and I don't think that it was Louise's intention for any of us to take this powerful information and find new ways to beat ourselves up. This is the only reason I'm giving the book four stars and not five not because the information is wrong or misleading, but because I've met quite a few people who run around "diagnosing" everyone. Use this information and do not abuse it.

Peace & Blessings

Enrich your life with positive information, February 29, 2008
I'm always looking for positive messages that will keep me on track. Louise has a missing link to why we're not getting ahead. I play the video every night to erase the negative and create a compelling tomorrow. Thank you, Louise

To a skeptic, form a former skeptic!, December 27, 2007
I can understand how people could be easily upset by this book at first read. I received this book as a gift from a coworker (which offended me), I wasn't suffering from any serious physical ailments or illnesses, and I was not a fan of "self-help" books!! I did not need help. The book itself just seemed too simple, new age mumbo jumbo... Several months later, I read the book again, and again. I skipped around & highlighted the parts that I felt were use full to me at the time. My boyfriend saw me reading the book & remarked that he hoped it helped with my depression. Me depressed? It wasn't my fault, it was him, my boss, my parents, my friend, my kids, everyone else, I was a victim!!!!

This is how it starts. In fact, things got worse before they got better, some things in my life were resistant to change. Those things soon faded & made room for the good things I have now. Two years later I am happily married (not to my old boyfriend), we started our own business, I am financially secure, close to my parents, have a new car, have a lovely home, full of happy people who love me, and I love myself.

This book helped me to stop worrying about how "other people" viewed me, and start changing how I viewed myself. I just ordered a copy for my mom. (at her request) She knows that this book was responsible for the changes I made, most of which she was adamantly opposed to. I know she (like myself) may call it nonsense at first. The truth is sometimes hard to accept, but I couldn't think of anyone who I'd rather share my "secret" with more than her, after all, I developed most of my negative thought patterns from her. We all have the lives we feel we deserve. Including me. I have also purchased The Power Is Within You which is the same concept, a little more in depth, & less about physical dis-ease, but also a good read. I recommend you start with You Can Heal Your Life (Gift Edition) This review is from a skeptic, to a skeptic. You won't be sorry!!

A book that reveals more you, September 23, 2005
This book is not a very easy read. The first time you read it, you think 'What in the world..?'. But deep down inside a particular sentence or concept rings a faint bell and it makes sense. Everything in the book might not apply to you right away. But there is truth in it and you definitely can use it to heal your life. Hay has come up with a unique approach to life and all it has to teach you maps your road to positivity, contentment, health and happiness. I would suggest reading it at least twice over - even randomly if that what works.

I need to read this again..., March 26, 2008
I'm horrified by some of the negative reviews I've read here.

This from one reviewer on the author speaking on AIDS:

"So, AIDS is not caused by a virus, but by low self esteem. If people will just think better about themselves, their AIDS will disappear.

No need to worry about condoms, or safe sex, or anything. Just maintain a positive attitude, and condoms aren't necessary.

Such a lie is nothing short of grotesque. No, really, it is murderous."

I don't remember getting that at all. I took it to mean that if people had better self esteem and thought better about themselves, they would use condoms and practice monogamy/ safe sex, minimizing chance of contracting HIV/AIDS.

I'm not sure how much I was reading into this book but I will pull it off the shelf in the coming days.

It's a two-way street.
Louise Hay's printed word is not the be-all/ end-all.

She offers suggestions.

It's up to us to think.

A loving book with useful tools, January 10, 2008
It has been very interesting reading through the multitude of varying reviews on this classic work.

Personally, I view this book as having been written by an author who experienced a violent childhood, who managed to find some useful tools in helping herself overcome many of the effects of those experiences and feel good about herself. Through this work, Louise is reaching out to others to share the tools which have worked for her.

I noted that many poor reviews of this book cited the lack of research, scientific methodology etc, and this may actually be the case. This does not mean that the tools and methods explained in the book can not work for people. Many self help books are simply authors reaching out to others to share what has worked for them in creating meaning in their lives, and are not designed to be scientifically proven methods. Use what works for you, disregard what does not. Not all methods work for all people.

As with all things, discretion and discernment are required when looking at what might work for you. Choose wisely for yourself- be gentle on yourself. Louise is sharing her beliefs about life and the world. You are free to choose your own thoughts and beliefs- it is your choice. You will presented with some options of choice you may not have thought about before, which may or may not work for you. Choose that which does!

Many negative reviewers seemed to have the impression that this book claims that tragedies which occur (such as rape) are the victim's fault. I did not interpret the book in this way, although I can understand the above perspective. Lousie herself was raped at five years of age, and sexually and physically abused until she left home at fifteen. At no point did she claim that these experiences were her fault. She does say that healing began and continued as she opened to taking responsibility for her ideas ABOUT herself. Rather than continuing to be internally victimized by the effects of abuse in her adult life, she chose to find ways to release the emotional and mental pain associated with her early experiences and empower herself with loving thoughts about who she is. The ideas presented worked for her, and can work for others- but they are not for all people. Our job as readers is to discern which ideas might be beneficial to us.

The ideas in the book seem to be backed by Quantam Physics (but I am no expert!), in that our thoughts create certain vibrations, and these vibrations attract similar (or like) vibrations. Louise proposes that we can shift our thoughts to ones which work positively FOR us, so we attract loving things in our lives. As far as I am aware, most religions use similar ideas- treat your neighbour as yourself (in other words, treat yourself well and lovingly so you can treat your neighbour in the same way), what you give out comes back to you etc. This book takes these ideas to the thought level.

This book is presented lovingly and in a matter of fact way. Change takes time- and can feel uncomfortable at first. Be gentle on yourself!

This book is fantastic!, July 13, 2006
I read a lot of spiritual or metaphysical books but this one is definately one of the best, most personally useful ones. I just started it yesterday and although I am only half way through I am so excited by the information within I could not wait to rave about it and recommend it to family and friends. It is so enlightening to me in explaining my negative thought patterns and how programming from childhood has influenced my entire life. No wonder Louise Hay is a guru to so many new age type authors. I am reading sections aloud to my husband. I am underlining passages to re-read later. I see myself so clearly in the examples given as well as other people I love in my life. Although I did not buy this book through Amazon like many others I've read, I would most definately purchase it again for a gift or advise somebody I really cared for that could use this kind of revelation to buy it. My copy is the earlier printing (1984) so I can only assume more recent re-printing dates are at least as good or improved. Do not hesitate. You need to read this book. You deserve it and can really benefit from it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With his distinctive clarity and wit, "Bhante G" takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. We already have the foundation we need to live a more productive and peaceful life — Bhante simply points to each tool of meditation, tells us what it does, and how to make it work. This expanded edition includes the complete text of its bestselling predecessor, as well as a new chapter on the cultivation of loving kindness, an especially important subject in today's world. ... Read more

Reviews

Meditation for the West, August 25, 1997

Ever start reading a really cool looking
meditation book only to find that the picture on
the cover is the only thing that makes any sense?

Have you ever wondered why the author or
translator never bothers to tell you what those
weird words mean, "Samahadi...",
"Vipassana...", "Dukka..."

Have you finished a meditation book and
understood about half of what was talked about and
figured that half is better than none? (a very 'enlightened'
but often frustrating outcome
especially when these books aren't cheap)

This little known book seems to have addressed
and solved all those problems and more. It is a book
written for people who have no clue how to
start meditating and for those who have started, but
don't know where to look for the answers to
questions that come up during their practice.
The best thing about this book is in
its title,'plain English'.It seems to gently
lead one by the hand through the mystery and
confusion of meditation with a sense of humor
and patience rarely given to the subject.

I have been meditating for nine years now and
have built up a small library of books on the
subject. When friends ask me about meditation
I dig around in all the books with great
covers and reach for "Mindfullness In Plain
English" every time.

An excellent beginning for your path to Liberation, May 31, 2002
Mindfulness is not an easy concept to explain in words yet H. Gunaratana does a nice job of doing just that. First and foremost, this book is a beginner's guide to the practice of Vipassana (or Insight) meditation. Having it's roots in the Gutama Buddha's life over 2500 years ago, Vipassana meditation is a skill that takes only a short while to learn but a lifetime of dedication to master.

The introduction gives a brief look at the roots of the practice and tells the reader that meditation is intrinsically experiential so the best way to get started is to just sit and try it. In the following chapters, Gunaratana helps the reader to understand exactly what meditation is and what it isn't. From there he goes into more detailed instructions as to what your mind and body should be doing while you meditate. This is accompanied with useful tips on dealing with problems that may arise in your practice, including the 5 major hindrances that nearly all meditators face. The book wraps up with a more in depth look at exactly what "mindfulness" is and how to "take it from the cushion" and integrate it into our daily lives.

I found this book very easy to read and understand and feel it would be an excellent guide for people just getting into Buddhism and meditation. Already being the owner of a collection of books on Buddhism, this book didn't offer any new revelations but I was extrememly pleased with the sections on mindfulness and have already used some of the author's suggestions on integrating it into daily life. The main reason I did not give the book 5 stars is because it offers much more for the new reader than it does for one with more experience.

If you buy this book and still feel like you could use more detailed instructions on meditation, I recommend you also purchase "Change Your Mind: A Practical Guide to Buddhist Meditation" by Paramananda (ISBN: 0904766810).

Exactly what the Title Says it is..., May 21, 2001
Sometimes when I pick up titles on meditation, yoga, or other practices associated with Eastern philosophy, mysticism or relgion, I am overcome with the author's inability to say what they mean in language that is useful to the rest of us. My relief was enormous, therefore, when a friend gave me this book by Venerable Henepola Gunaratana! This book is exactly what the title implies...easy to read and understand because it is not written in mystic hokum, rather it is written in plain english. The result is a manual for the beginning student of meditation that is sufficient to get you well on your way to benefitting from the practice of Insight Meditation.

In "Mindfulness" you will gain an understanding of what mindfullness is, how to cultivate it both during sitting practice and the rest of the time, tips on how to sit and how to overcome some of the most common distractions (including your feet going to sleep and your back hurting), and what to look for and what to avoid. I have not been practicing meditation for long, and this book was of enormous value in helping me identify the things I was doing that served as barriers to effective insight meditation, as well as giving me ideas on how to enhance the effectiveness of my meditation.

This is an extremely practical book for the western practitioner. It draws heavily upon the Buddhist paradigm, but the techniques for effective meditation cross all sect boundaries, and the beginning practitioner of any faith will find this book of enormous benefit. I would strongly encourage the reader to suppliment this book with "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hahn. The two together are a delightfully easy to read but complete and well rounded introduction to the practices of Insight Meditation. If you want to know how but don't want to hire a Yogi to translate, this book is the place to start.

Meditation for skeptics..., January 3, 2004
I am a rationalist. I am not a mystic. I do not believe in chakras, yogic flying, psychic visions or tantric orgasm. I have a western scientific mind, and a very short patience for BS.

I loved this book.

Mindfulness in Plain English is a meditation manual that's been brutally stripped of superstitious hokus pokus. It's focused, straight-forward, practical, yet profound. It says what it means and it means what it says. And if you practice, really practice, you'll find the techniques it describes can honestly change your entire outlook on life in a frighteningly short period of time.

If you're a skeptic, and you're interested in meditation as a psychological exercise rather than a mystical mystery, you'll do well with this book. If you need your chakras petted, look at any of its 10,000,000 lesser competitors in your local flaky pseudo-eastern bookshop.

Best available book but needs to offer better practical help, May 16, 2004
One third of what you will learn about meditation will come from your teachers and your fellow class and retreat meditators; one third from yourself on your own patient journey - and one third from a good book. That book will sometimes seem the least important third, sometimes the most important part. Having read a shelf full, I find, Mindfulness in Plain English, to be the best available how to meditate guide - it is well written, clear, graceful and it covers all the issues tackled elsewhere.

But it leaves out much advice that would have made it much better. 90% of those starting a meditation class drop out - meditation teachers such as Gunaratana rarely seek to find out why and so the small things that get in the way of even the most determined intentions. A good meditation book must tackle them - and Gunaratana like every writer does so only partially.

Here is a list of a few of things that could be added.

A beginner requires equipment to handle the 20, 30 or 40 minute duration of their meditation -- for example, a timer used in cooking (under something to dim its unpleasant alarm sound), or a CD burnt with silent tracks that end with one of bells. After a few months, time can be estimated by looking at a watch but in the initial days such checking just adds an additional and an unnecessary burden.

Ear plugs (motor cyclist shops and internet sites are a good source), or ear muffs (internet sites again check for Bilsom or Peltor brands) might be an idea. Again after a few months, distracting sounds of kids, power tools, TVs in other rooms etc are not a problem, and can even add to the practice, but in the initial stages they add that extra difficulty.

I guess that half of those that drop out would not if they were better prepared about these and other small practical issues.

Also forget ideas about lotus positions, sitting Buddhas and Nirvana. Instead it is as if you have an old fashioned radio in your head. What is called `meditation' is simply slowly and patiently learning how to shift its dial off its noisy stations. As you sit, you will find the radio dial keeps drifting back on to news or entertainment broadcasters. But carefully - the radio is delicate and needs a loving touch - you move using a focus upon your breath the dial back to silence. Slowly as you learn to move off the main stations your awareness becomes more sensitive. What was once emptiness is now discovered to be filled with the noise of distant stations and even static. Patiently with increasing tenderness and gentleness you keep moving the dial until you find yourself in awareness not of a silent radio but where you are.

This kind of nonBuddhist practical advice is not in this book - or any other. Meditation books do not get written ground up from the problems that cause people to drop out. Nor do they give the practical tips that are soon forgotten by experienced meditators but that beginners need to stay the initial course. Sorry about being so negative about Gunaratana - you will not find a better book. Buy it, retake that mediation class that was dropped or never continued. But do not think meditation has yet to be written about in the way it should.

The best you'll find on mindfulness meditation., February 5, 2000
I love this book. It is straightforward, thorough, and easy to read. I don't know who Gunaratana is, but he does a great job with this book. Even the layout of the book is clean and simple and pleasant.

If you are interested in vipassana or mindfulness meditation, or even zazen, this book is worth reading. It tells you how to do this kind of meditation, and what to do with the problems that come up. It is a practical handbook and it's also fun to read. I'm the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I can tell you with some authority that the techniques Gunaratana describes in this book work, and they are worth applying, even if you don't sit still. You can do your work with mindfulness. You can talk to your child with mindfulness. Anything can be a meditation. Mindfulness in Plain English will show you how. I recommend this book.

A resource you'll return to again & again., August 30, 2005
Nothing I've read comes close to "Mindfulness in Plain English." Besides explaining how to meditate, and why to meditate, Gunaratana lays out a lot of the underlying fundamentals of Buddhist thought. He provides by far the best description of nirvana(nibbana) that I've ever seen. Read this description, and you'll feel you understand the concept for the first time.

He explains a variety of ways to meditate, details the kinds of problems you'll confront, and offers a variety of methods to deal with those problems. Instead of telling you "the" way to meditate, he helps you find your way to meditate.

That's why this book is one you'll use, rather than just read. It's not like all those other trophy books we read once and then leave out for display, for ourselves or others.

His writing style reminds me of the Dalai Lama's; it is eloquent, yet to the point. It's profound, yet practical. His writing is grounded in your immediate experience. It is not abstract, esoteric or grandly philosophical.

I can't agree with the notion that this is a fast read. This isn't because it's a difficult read. There is a lot to absorb in a few pages. I found myself wanting to reread many chapters, just so I could articulate it myself. It is a very thought-full book.

Ultimate, clear, contains simple english words., October 19, 1999
This book is really good. Text is clear. Nuts and bolts book about how to meditate. I feel good every time I think about this book. Writer is not only good meditation teacher, he is also good writer. If you don't know what to do with your mind, this book is for you.

A great book, April 13, 2002
Somehow I feel that a long review would be unfaithful to the spirit of this great book. Not since I discovered Alan Watts some ten years ago have I read such clear words in the context of buddhism. You will find great introductions to meditation in your local bookstore, from which I recommend the books of Chogyam Trungpa, his student Pema Ch�dr�n, the American Surya Das, and last but not least Sogyal Rinpoche (all from the Tibetan tradition). But "Mindfulness in Plain English" (from the Theravada tradition) stands on a class of its own. If you are a rookie practitioner like me and you do not have the good fortune of having a qualified teacher around, I believe this little manual alone, and discipline, can take you a long way. And you will not exhaust it in one reading. The language is deceptively simple and the book contains some very nuanced discussions (e.g. the distinction between "mindfulness" and "concentration" should be required reading to philosophers of the mind; by the way, when will the Searles and the Dennetts ever discover the buddhist insights about consciousness?) This review is long enough: read the book and meditate everyday. You will be better and so will the world.

Clearest detailed guide to meditation ever, January 1, 2006
This book is by far the clearest explanation I've ever read on what meditation is and how to do it (and I've read quite a few). This book covers Vipassana ("to see clearly"; AKA, Insight) meditation, which is the type of Buddhist meditation practiced in Southeast Asia and India. It's also the type of meditation the Buddha taught. Over the 2500 years Buddhism has existed, other schools have developed, but Vipassana does not conflict with any of them. This is the core of Buddhist teaching.

Mindfulness in Plain English explains exactly what meditation is (at least what Vipassana meditation is, although it very briefly explains what other Buddhist meditation systems are about, again very clearly), why it's a worthwhile activity, and how to do it. It also answers the questions that meditators invariably end up asking of teachers. If you have a good meditation teacher, then you SHOULD buy this book. If you want to learn to meditate without relying on an experienced teacher as your guide, you MUST buy this book.

I wouldn't call this book a light read. However, it's by no means a difficult read. The author is an EXCELLENT writer, but he's covering what is essentially a technical subject, and it's virtually impossible to cover such a topic in a way that is fun.

If you're looking for a light read on Eastern spirituality, I instead strongly suggest Ram Dass' (AKA, Richard Alpert's) delightful, classic book, Be Here Now. I could also suggest, but much less enthusiastically, Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda (whose name I undoubtedly just misspelled). If you want to read an absolutely beautiful, WONDERFULLY-written book, full of great stories, that's a good introduction to Vipassana meditation and, more broadly, the spiritual life, I strongly recommend Jack Kornfield's book, A Path With Heart. If you actually want to learn to meditate, read Mindfulness in Plain English. ... Read more

Editorial Review

**Unraveling Trauma in the Body, Brain and Mind—a Revolution in Treatment**

In this culmination of his life’s work, Peter A. Levine draws on his broad experience as a clinician, a student of comparative brain research, a stress scientist and a keen observer of the naturalistic animal world to explain the nature and transformation of trauma in the body, brain and psyche. In an Unspoken Voice is based on the idea that trauma is neither a disease nor a disorder, but rather an injury caused by fright, helplessness and loss that can be healed by engaging our innate capacity to self-regulate high states of arousal and intense emotions. Enriched with a coherent theoretical framework and compelling case examples, the book elegantly blends the latest findings in biology, neuroscience and body-oriented psychotherapy to show that when we bring together animal instinct and reason, we can become more whole human beings. ... Read more

Reviews

Personal, deep, and informative., October 15, 2010
This is a tremendous book on trauma. He doesn't just talk about what trauma is (which is a great - a thwarted and overwhelmed survival act), but also gives a very thorough explanation of how it should be dealt with and treated. The case studies at the end are invaluable examples for those trying to get a real grasp at what he's describing with all of his theoretical sides. The first chapter is riveting, and all of it is really, really informative. I have given it already to a few of my friends, and they all feel that this is an incredibly important book to read. Certainly the best thing he's ever written. Certainly the most personal.

Author's Best Book Yet, October 30, 2010
I first studied with Peter Levine in 1983 long before his Somatic Experiencing theory had been developed, and then again in 1988 as he was first developing it. After a twenty year stretch in which my life took a diversion I have come back and studied his work again, and have became certified as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. During this time Dr. Levine's work has become exquisitely refined and the theory has become teachable. In the early days we would watch him work and could not follow the subtleties but would always be amazed as almost miraculous healings would unfold before our eyes. In his first book, "Waking the Tiger" he was able to articulate his theory of healing trauma in a way that was readable and informative. In this book he has made the work fully approachable. With examples from his own life he shows us how we can go through life-threatening experiences and not only avoid being traumatized but actually come out of such experiences a healthier human being. This is by far his best book to date and I practically demand that all of my clients read it so they can understand many of the symptoms they are experiencing. For, it turns out that trauma is the great imposter. It can look like just about any medical or psychological disorder in the diagnostic books. Many people are not even aware that they are suffering from the hidden effects of trauma until they read this book and understand the mechanisms by which long forgotten traumas have crept back into their lives and even taken them over. In my marriage counseling business I see a lot of couples who are not actually incompatible but whose nervous systems have become stuck in fight or flight as a result of trauma and who therefore end up in an escalating cycle of fighting and resentment. As we work the trauma issues these relationships begin to fall into place and support the partners instead of activating and agitating them. This is the book that puts the jigsaw pieces together and makes the whole mystery begin to make sense.

An Important Book For Anyone Recovering From The Trauma of Chronic Pain, November 20, 2010
This is such an important book for anyone who has experienced or lived with bodily trauma or chronic pain. Many of those with fibromyalgia and the chronic inflammatory disorder interstitial cystitis (IC) suffer from PTSD, and this effects the body in very specific, measurable ways. We've known this for a long time, but now we have someone who can personally guide us through the process of learning to let go, not just of the trauma and pain, but also of the guilt that many trauma sufferers and survivors feel.

Wendy Cohan, RN
Author: "The Better Bladder Book - A Holistic Approach to Healing Interstitial Cystitis & Chronic Pelvic Pain" (Hunter House, 2010)

deep and friendly, October 23, 2010
the book bring you step by step to the the auther approch to trauma & post trauma understanding in clear and warm approch.
very helpfull for professional as for nonprofessional.

Highly recommended for college-level psychotherapy holdings, December 10, 2010
In An Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness uses the author's experiences as a clinician and a student of comparative brain research to explore the nature and impact of trauma on the body and brain. Here trauma is viewed as neither a disease nor a disorder, but an injury caused by loss and fright that can be healed through therapy. Case study examples blends biology and body-oriented psychotherapy in a fine collection of insights highly recommended for college-level psychotherapy holdings.
... Read more

Editorial Review

Learn the latest details and most recent groundbreaking discoveries that reveal, for the first time, the mystery of life in the spirit world after death on Earth—proof that our consciousness survives—in Journey of Souls by Michael Newton, Ph.D.

Using a special hypnosis technique to reach the hidden memories of subjects, Dr. Newton discovered some amazing insights into what happens to us between lives. Journey of Souls is the record of 29 people who recalled their experiences between physical deaths. Through their extraordinary stories, you will learn specifics about:

·How it feels to die
·What you see and feel right after death
·The truth about "spiritual guides"
·What happens to "disturbed" souls
·Why you are assigned to certain soul groups in the spirit world and what you do there
· How you choose another body to return to Earth
·The different levels of souls: beginning, intermediate, and advanced
·When and where you first learn to recognize soulmates on Earth
·The purpose of life

Journey of Souls is a graphic record or "travel log" by these people of what happens between lives on Earth. They give specific details as they movingly describe their astounding experiences.

After reading Journey of Souls, you will gain a better understanding of the immortality of the human soul. You will meet day-to-day challenges with a greater sense of purpose. You will begin to understand the reasons behind events in your own life.

Journey of Souls is a life-changing book. Already, over 165,000 people have taken Journey of Souls to heart, giving them hope in trying times. You should read a copy, too.
... Read more

Reviews

One of the most important books you'll ever read!, December 10, 1999
As a reader of hundreds of books on the mystical, the occult, spirituality, etc. (Robert Monroe, Jane Roberts, Castaneda, Tibetan Book of the Dead, Lobsang Rampa, Theosophy, Yogananda, Chuang-Tzu, Dion Fortune, Eckankar, etc., just to give you an idea of what I brought to reading this book), I can only say that I was ASTONISHED by this book. There are so many questions answered here for which I've never gotten satisfactory answers: for example, how suicide affects karma, why humans are so often evil (and what happens to them when they die), what the ultimate goal and purpose of life is (stated everywhere, especially in Christianity) but for some reason this is the first explanation that has made any sense to me. This description of the nature of the universe and our place within it is fully compatible with discoveries in quantum physics, is simultaneously scientific and spiritual. I experienced profound shifts while reading this book- am changed by it. I cannot recommend it enough. If you buy only one book this year, make it this one!

A ground-breaking book offering proof that life never ends., February 25, 1999
I felt "flashbacks," if you will, as I read this book, especially the discussion about soul groups and the schooling-type activities that go on in the spirit world. It's good that this account includes multiple case studies of those who have been regressed beyond their past lives into this other realm -- and that their answers were strikingly similar. The concept of soul development levels helps to explain a great deal about human behavior throughout the ages. The spirit world's strong sense of kinship, love, and understanding stuck with me long after reading Journey of Souls. How wonderful if these concepts could be shared universally; perhaps human beings might cease to cause each other so much physical harm? Alas, part of the order of the Universe seems to point out that this will never be possible on Earth. That gives those of us who want to contribute positively to the world something to strive for. It also offers a sense of hope, that life, "Here" and "There," is an ongoing series of lessons, and that there is always a higher level of being to reach.

I know we've met before..., June 24, 2000
Michael Newton collected interviews with some of his patients about their experiences between lives. Intriguing? You bet!

I am a mystic and have had memories of past lives, as have many people. My daughter recommended Journey of Souls, and in a conversation with her before I had received mine (her gift), I told her about my immediate past death and what happened afterwards. She was amazed as she said, "That's right." Why? The first thing I said was that I had died so many times that I knew what had happened to me. This was a familiar thread in this book because the trauma of death is exactly that--trauma; however, these interviews show hope and continuance.

My journey through this book was a confirmation of what I already believed happens right after death and of what the between-world, the place of souls, is about. So, although there was not a lot of new information for me in the first third to half of the book, it made me feel very happy just reading it because the descriptions from others paralleled my own. There is nothing so rejuvenating as corroboration from a myriad of strangers.

For anyone who wonders if there is life after death, this answers that question as well as providing insight into soul development and progression. One of the most interesting aspects were the "keys" that we memorize so that we will know certain people as they enter our lives; that feeling of "Gee, I know you," indeed is reality.

Find Out What Happens When You Die...and Between Lives, November 13, 2004
"Are you afraid of death? Do you wonder what is going to happen to you after your die? Is it possible you have a spirit which came from somewhere else and will return there after your body dies, or is this just wishful thinking because you are afraid?" --Dr. Michael Newton in Journey of Souls - Case Studies of Life Between Lives

At one time or another, everyone wonders what happens to them when they die, and what lies beyond the grave. In his book Journey of Souls - Case Studies of Life Between Lives, Hypnotherapist Dr. Michael Newton chronicles the experiences of 29 people that were under deep hypnosis and their experiences between lives. Many books have been written about past lives, but this book addresses what happens between lives.

Dr. Newton did not set out to regress people beyond their current earthly lives. In fact, as a skeptic by nature and one oriented towards traditional therapy, he resisted requests to do past-life regression--feeling that this was unorthodox and unethical. However, one of his clients complained of a lifetime of chronic pain on his right side, and during one of their regular sessions, the client made stabbing motions to describe the kind of pain he felt. When searching for an explanation for this client's choice of images, he uncovered that his client had a past life as a WWI solider that was killed by a bayonet in France. Through this discovery, they were able to eliminate this pain altogether.

He then began to do past life regressions, but then stumbled on a discovery of enormous proportions: he found that it was possible to see into the spirit world through the mind's eye of a hypnotized subject who could report back to him about life between lives.

Dr. Newton explains:

"The research was painfully slow, but as the body of my cases grew I finally had a working model of the eternal world where our souls live. I found thoughts about the spirit world involve universal truths among the souls of people living on Earth. It was these perceptions by so many different types of people which convinced me that their statements were believable. I am not a religious person, but I found the place where we go after death to be one of order and direction, and I have come to appreciate that there is a grand design to life and afterlife."

Dr. Newton shares actual dialogue culled from audio recordings of regression sessions between he and his clients about what happens at the gate of death, who meets us on the other side, what we do once we're there, the purpose of our life, the role of guides, the nature of karma, cluster "study groups", inter-soul communication, what happens to "disturbed" souls, aura colors, the different levels of souls, and much more.

I found Journey of Souls utterly fascinating, as well as Dr. Newton's sequel Destiny of Souls. However, my experience with these books was much more than mere intellectual fascination: both my husband and I experienced an utter paradigm shift about the afterlife, the Creator, and the purpose of life. Up until reading these books, I was still on the fence about reincarnation, and my husband's perspective was "no way!" The compelling regression sessions chronicled in this book convinced us otherwise, largely because of the consensus among regressed clients and how their reports confirmed some spiritual notions we were discovering on our own through direct experience.

No other model made sense to either one of us; we long concluded that there was no literal hell, but what of suffering on Earth? Are our bodies, and our lives, completely random and arbitrary? Is it really possible we live more than one life? Why are we born into the family we are, especially if it results in abuse or pain?

In these books we discovered that individuals carefully choose his or her own body and life circumstances to bring about certain experiences and to draw the soul closer to the perfection of the Creator. The whole point of incarnating is for self development. Yet, no one is rushed back into incarnating, and every soul has a chance to enter a dimension of time/space to "try out" a life and decide if this is the best choice for their own path.

On the other side, there is playfulness, exploration, role playing, lessons, growth, past life examination, and so on. It is a place of rest, healing, rejuvenation, and self-examination. There are "schools" and our learning is a part of a specialized soul group. We have guides who teach us how to work with energy, and others who open up "books of life" so we can scrutinize our past life performance--and decide where we messed up, and how we can best grow in future lives.

A helpful aspect of this book is the explanation of why some individuals go through difficult relationships, especially as children:

"When clients tell me how much they suffered from the actions of family members, my first question to their conscious mind is, 'If you had not been exposed to this person as a child, what would you now lack in understanding?' It may take awhile, but the answer is in our minds. There are spiritual reasons for our being raised as children around certain kinds of people, just as other people are designated to be near us as adults...

...whatever happens to us in life, it is important we understand that our happiness or pain does not reflect either blessings or betrayal on the part of a God-oversoul, our guides, or life selection coordinators. We are the master of our own destiny."

Most encouraging though, especially to those who fear a vengeful God awaiting them after death, is that we are not condemned or punished in the afterlife. Newton writes:

"All soul evaluation conferences, be they with our guides, peers, or a panel of masters have one thing common. The feedback and past life analysis we receive in terms of judgment is based upon the original intent of our choices as much as the actions of our lifetime. Our motivations are questioned and criticized, but not condemned in such a way as to make us suffer."

I highly recommend Journey of Souls, especially if you're searching for answers about the meaning of your life, why things happen, and what happens after death. Truly, we are never alone and are always surrounded by a supportive "great cloud of witnesses".

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

Resonance with Truth..., December 17, 1999
As someone who no longer needs to be convinced as to the reality of reincarnation, it's unusual to find a book on the subject that interests me anymore. However, I was fascinated by this book, and I understand why Journey of Souls captivated me so: Because the world of spirit described in the book (by Michael Newton's regressed subjects) resonates, on the deepest level, with what I remember to be the truth of that world. An excellent read, highly recommended to anyone who is seeking to lift the cloud of amnesia that most of us have about life before birth. As well, Journey of Souls beautifully serves as a clear reminder that a soul incarnates with loving purpose and by choice. I await more from this author; he has written an exceptional book on the relatively unexplored subject of life between lives.

My life-long search is finally over!, August 8, 2002
I was raised in a religious family, but something didn't feel quite right in all those rules. I stopped going to church and doing anything religious for a time because I just felt like it wasn't the answer.
On the other hand, I DID feel there was something that I needed in my life to balance everything else out, and that was my understanding of the meaning of life.
I have spent several decades in this search for truth. Until now, no one had been able to answer my questions. From the very get-go, this book leaves you with wanting more. I read it in 4 sittings (and that's probably only because I have a child!). This book touches on everything you have always wanted to know including ghosts, intuition, child death, crippled people, personal guides (before I was afraid they were 'evil spirits in disguise),time between past lives, why we choose certain bodies, certain familes, and certain talents all the while maintaining our free will in life & our body. This books touches on the union bewteen the mind & soul, when the soul comes to the baby, and abortions. Of course as the title explains, the book elaborates on all aspects of what exactly happens from the time our body dies until (and if) we choose to take an other.
This book is VERY conforting to those who :
*feel a void in their lives
*are searching for meaning
*are depressed
*have lost someone close
****Please remember that all of the author's case stuies come from hypnotized subjects. If you don't *believe in* hypnotism, you'll find this a waste.
This is an excellent book and I have recommended it to several of my clients( I am a Life Coach).

This book helped me to uncover my real priorites and get back to the *important* things in life. You won't regret buying this book!

Exploring the Spiritual World, March 29, 2004
It took many years after leaving the monastery for me firmly to decide that the Catholic Church was just another corporation driven by power and money. I threw out the baby with the bath water.

Many years later I read Dr. Raymond Moody's "Life After Life" which introduced me to a spiritual world I might be able to understand and rationalize rather than just believe. Dr. Moody interviewed over 100 people who were declared clinically (brain and heart) dead, and later revived. He tells their stories. Dr. Newton's "Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives" picked up where "Life After Life" left off, and takes a giant leap toward understanding the life of the immortal soul.

I'd like to live my life looking toward that "last judgment" I learned about in school. Dr. Moody tells how a "being of light" asks a non-verbal question which none of his subjects is able to reproduce precisely in words. This early discovery of Dr. Moody was published in 1975. Dr. Newton's 1994 "Journey of Souls" explains the process more thoroughly. Dr. Newton hypnotizes people, and helps them explore their past lives and their spiritual existence between lives while under hypnosis. The non-verbal question is far more complex than "What have you learned?", "How have you loved and been loved?", or "Was it worth it?" -- the approximations interpreted by Moody's subjects.

Dr. Newton, through summaries and transcripts of his hypnotherapy sessions, helps us learn about spirit guides, (guardian angels), our welcoming into the spiritual world after death (judgment), and the maturation of the souls (karma/nirvana/the beatific vision).

I've looked for this kind of guidance for years in the monastery, in Europe, in Asia, in the Middle East, in scriptures, books, fellowships, churches, temples and synagogues. Life After Life and "The Journey of Souls" and has caused changes in the very foundations of my beliefs, and helps unite the concepts of Christianity, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and other religions. For my own journey toward an understanding of the meaning of life and death, Dr. Newton has offered sign posts in poorly charted territory.

If you are interested in spiritual life beyond the doctrines of the organized religions that are based on power and money, "The Journey of Souls" is a must read.

I'm glad I didn't start with this one but ..., January 8, 2001
... it has been interesting. I've been voraciously reading about reincartnation. As with many people I was told about a book called "Many Lives, Many Masters" which started me down this path. I've read all of Brian Weiss's works on past-lives and have now started reading Michael Newton's books but it's going to take a bit longer. The biggest word to describe this is "CLINICAL"! The author writes as though he is presenting his work to a room full of collegues rather than the average reader. Having said this, I have found his case studies extremely interesting as they serve to augment (for me) Brian Weiss's works. Brian focuses on the actual past life experience while this book focuses on the time inbetween to bring us a more complete image of our exsistance. I look foward to reading "Destiny of Souls".

Destined to be a classic, December 3, 1999
Building upon the work of past life regression pioneers like Dick Sutphen, Newton has managed to produce possibly the most advanced text on soul theory. Students of metaphysics will no doubt gain much from this book. Having studied this subject myself for a number of years, this book helped me to finally solidify many of my own views and theories on the subject. Newton's research should provide a lot of inspiration to those searching for meaning in their lives. I can understand the skepticism that is rampant in this field of study, but I am confident that Newton's work will be regarded as one of the most important contributions to metaphysics in the coming Millenium. Indeed, Newton clearly communicates that there is a divine order to the universe that many of us are just beginning to comprehend. Because this material can be so overwhelming, I suggest that people who are new to this subject first read books written by Dick Sutphen and then follow up with this book. Highly recommended.

This book will change your life., September 1, 2002
This book is so believable and has a lot of detail about the afterlife. Be sure to read this book first, then follow up by reading "Destiny of Souls" by the same author. I have read this book 3 times so far, and each time it changes me. It reminds me of why I'm here in this life, and there is a purpose for it, and that there is a reason for the pain and suffering. Reading this book is better than going to a shrink (for me.) Actually though, it makes me want to be regressed to learn what my blueprint for life is so that I can know for sure that I'm on the right track. "Journey of Souls", and especially "Destiny of Souls" have a lot of similarities to Robert Monroe's "Far Journeys" 3 book series. I also highly recommend Monroe's books if you are interested in the spirit world.

This book is not like those other "Life after Death" books, where a person goes through a tunnel, speaks to a guide or God or whomever and then has to come back. There is so much more detail here. It will trigger memories for most people about how it feels to be "home" again. Very comforting. ... Read more