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The Seat of the Soul
A NOTE FROM THE This hardcover edition of The Seat of the Soul celebrates its tenth anniversary. The Seat of the Soul became a national bestseller when it was first published, but more people are buying it now than ever before. Why is this? It is because a new species is being born. The Seat of the Soul is about this birth. This new species longs for harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. It uses higher orders of logic and justice -- those of the heart. The number of people who are becoming aware of this birth is growing very fast, because the new species is being born inside all of us. The Seat of the Soul provides a vocabulary for this new species -- a vocabulary of authentic power, the alignment of the personality with the soul. Human experience is exploding beyond the five senses, and The Seat of the Soul is about that, too. This is the most exciting time to be on Earth, and The Seat of the Soul describes why. As we become aware of our new abilities and values, like a baby opening its eyes and stretching its arms and legs for the first time, we are also becoming aware of an entirely new potential that we have never had before. I have been writing a book about this new potential for nine years. I am looking forward to sharing that with you, too. The tremendous growth of interest in The Seat of the Soul is humbling to me. I dream of a world where people respect each other and the living Earth, and spiritual growth is the first priority. I work daily to develop the awareness, compassion, and intentions that are necessary to create it. The extraordinary reception of The Seat of the Soul shows me, among other things, how many fellow souls are doing the same. The more this happens, the more I see myself, with gratitude, as a traveler among travelers, an experimenter among experimenters, and a soul among souls. Gary Zukav 1999
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1989
About the author
Gary Zukav
46 books773 followersGary Zukav is the author of The Dancing Wu Li Masters, winner of The American Book Award for Science; Soul Stories, a New York Times bestseller; and The Seat of the Soul, a New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and Publishers Weekly #1 bestseller. His books have sold millions of copies and are published in sixteen languages. He is a graduate of Harvard and a former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) officer in Vietnam.
Gary's gentle humor, sensitivity, and deep insights have endeared him to millions of readers and listeners. Through Genesis: The Foundation for the Universal Human, he participates in retreates, programs, and other events supporting the creation of authentic power and the experience of spiritual partnership.
Gary's gentle humor, sensitivity, and deep insights have endeared him to millions of readers and listeners. Through Genesis: The Foundation for the Universal Human, he participates in retreates, programs, and other events supporting the creation of authentic power and the experience of spiritual partnership.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,052 reviews
July 30, 2007
This book is new-agey and written for an Oprah audience with no background in philosophy, religion (east or west), or science. The parts of the book that are good are the parts stolen (without citation or even a nod) from either Plato's Republic or Buddhism. Zukav makes many grandiose metaphysical claims but doesn't feel the need to once offer an argument as to how he has come about this knowledge he has about; for instance, Angels, Teachers, how dolphin souls become human souls, or why souls need to heal even though they have no beginning and no end (yet some souls are older than others). I'm not asking for empirical EVIDENCE for a metaphysical argument, I'm asking for an ARGUMENT of any kind. "My gosh," I thought "what did the good Lord do to these poor, incredibly powerful souls outside of time that they'd need to come down to earth and inhabit a physical body/personality and heal?" Some of his practical advice is alright, but there is especially nothing new about those parts: one should release his or her anger, one should forgive, etc, etc. I'm tempted to write Zukav a one sentence letter that says, "How, exactly, do you know all this stuff?"
August 17, 2012
I gave this book 5 stars not for what I found in the book, but for what I found within myself when reading it. I found the book to be a spark which ignited a realization within me of who I really was and the experience of being who I really was, within my body and within this reality. For those who already experience life as Neo did within the Matrix or as the programers did within the video game(as in the movie Tron), you'll appreciate his eye opening analogies and affirm your own self navigating intuitions as to how life really works.
January 15, 2013
Living a conscious life is the main thrust of this book -- be "awake" as you live your life to live a more meaningful life. As you become conscious of your actions you begin to become whole. One aspect of becoming whole is letting go of the mental baggage that keeps you chained to old bad habits, to fears and doubts that keep you from growing and realizing your own great potential.
I found this book to be very thought provoking. Several times throughout the book I found myself saying "YES" to the ideas being presented. This is one book that has masterfully combined psychology and "spiritual" psychology ("how our behaviors and activities affect the soul"). Your thoughts lead to actions and your actions lead to consequences and through this process your soul either suffers or is strengthened. Either way you are learning a lesson, a lesson that will help you grow mentally and spiritually. But you can choose to learn the lesson either through wisdom or through fear and doubt. At first God throws a pebble to get your attention, then a rock, then a brick, then a brick wall. It's better to learn the lesson through wisdom --earlier rather than later along this path. It all comes down to getting to the point of trusting yourself to make the right decision in different situations. "Trust yourself and you will know how to live" -- Goethe
I found this book to be very thought provoking. Several times throughout the book I found myself saying "YES" to the ideas being presented. This is one book that has masterfully combined psychology and "spiritual" psychology ("how our behaviors and activities affect the soul"). Your thoughts lead to actions and your actions lead to consequences and through this process your soul either suffers or is strengthened. Either way you are learning a lesson, a lesson that will help you grow mentally and spiritually. But you can choose to learn the lesson either through wisdom or through fear and doubt. At first God throws a pebble to get your attention, then a rock, then a brick, then a brick wall. It's better to learn the lesson through wisdom --earlier rather than later along this path. It all comes down to getting to the point of trusting yourself to make the right decision in different situations. "Trust yourself and you will know how to live" -- Goethe
April 7, 2014
The sole purpose of this book seems to be to set him up as a guru to sell his workshops. He constantly makes broad unsupported universal statements and asserts things without evidence. I felt quite manipulated and just wanted him to stop including me in his royal "we".
He got off on the wrong foot with me on the first chapter "Evolution". Everything he says about scientific evolution is wrong. His point is that "our" beliefs about evolution are wrong. Well, *his* beliefs about evolution certainly are wrong. I'm just glad they aren't *my* beliefs. Disproving a argument that no one is making is called a "straw man" fallacy.
I tried to keep reading but I just couldn't get past chapter five. You don't have to eat a whole dish to know if it is putrid, once you have had a bite of it. I tried several bites before I could no longer stomach his self-important manipulative horse crap.
He got off on the wrong foot with me on the first chapter "Evolution". Everything he says about scientific evolution is wrong. His point is that "our" beliefs about evolution are wrong. Well, *his* beliefs about evolution certainly are wrong. I'm just glad they aren't *my* beliefs. Disproving a argument that no one is making is called a "straw man" fallacy.
I tried to keep reading but I just couldn't get past chapter five. You don't have to eat a whole dish to know if it is putrid, once you have had a bite of it. I tried several bites before I could no longer stomach his self-important manipulative horse crap.
February 14, 2020
I read this book years ago after Oprah had the author on her show. I've never forgotten how much I detested this book. God help us there is now a 25th anniversary edition! This book is a complete load of horse puckies. I remember reading in disbelief the complete doo-doo that Gary Zukav had to say about dolphins beaching themselves (like he personally knows what dolphins are thinking). I did a search on the internet and was able to find the excerpt. Here it is:
"The dolphin soul is leaving the Earth, that is, the dolphin species is becoming extinct. The dolphins are beaching themselves. They are creating diseases within themselves. This is their way of refusing to continue to live upon the Earth. They feel that they cannot fulfill the purpose for which they are born. Therefore, they are leaving. Their deaths are not suicides because they are not frightened. They are exhausted.”
Um, okay. Whatever you say Gary. This book is rambling, repetitive, and just plain weird. I think Gary Zukav may be off his rocker.
I do not get all the great reviews for this book. I threw it in the trash can when I was done because I didn't want anyone else to waste their life reading this book.
"The dolphin soul is leaving the Earth, that is, the dolphin species is becoming extinct. The dolphins are beaching themselves. They are creating diseases within themselves. This is their way of refusing to continue to live upon the Earth. They feel that they cannot fulfill the purpose for which they are born. Therefore, they are leaving. Their deaths are not suicides because they are not frightened. They are exhausted.”
Um, okay. Whatever you say Gary. This book is rambling, repetitive, and just plain weird. I think Gary Zukav may be off his rocker.
I do not get all the great reviews for this book. I threw it in the trash can when I was done because I didn't want anyone else to waste their life reading this book.
September 11, 2013
I found The Dancing Wu Li Masters interesting when I read it way back when, so I picked this book up expecting to find Gary Zukav moving, like Fritjof Capra from Physics (The Tao of Physics) to a wider ecological and psychological world view exploration (The Turning Point).
The Seat of the Soul was very disappointing and I abandoned it after a couple of chapters and some fast skimming. As expected, Zukav starts by talking about biological evolution, but, unexpectedly, he completely misunderstands it, to the point that what he does is resurrect the idea of the chain of being, an idea which was old and hoary even by Elizabethan times (see E. M. W. Tillyard´s marvellous chapter in The Elizabethan World Picture) and which has nothing to do with evolution as expounded by Darwin. As far as I could tell, Zukav only goes downhill from them on.
If you have any feel or respect for science, steer well clear of this book. If you want to dip into an interesting perspective on scientific knowledge and the teachings of Eastern and Western religion and philosophy, you´d be much better off reading Alan W. Watts.
The Seat of the Soul was very disappointing and I abandoned it after a couple of chapters and some fast skimming. As expected, Zukav starts by talking about biological evolution, but, unexpectedly, he completely misunderstands it, to the point that what he does is resurrect the idea of the chain of being, an idea which was old and hoary even by Elizabethan times (see E. M. W. Tillyard´s marvellous chapter in The Elizabethan World Picture) and which has nothing to do with evolution as expounded by Darwin. As far as I could tell, Zukav only goes downhill from them on.
If you have any feel or respect for science, steer well clear of this book. If you want to dip into an interesting perspective on scientific knowledge and the teachings of Eastern and Western religion and philosophy, you´d be much better off reading Alan W. Watts.
March 14, 2020
تتجلىٰ فكرة الكتاب بفكرة فلسفية نورانية تحاول من خلالها ان تمتص قواك الكامنة في حواسك لإعادة توجيه افكارك بأفكار ذات منطوق يدعم الحالة الإيجابية للتعامل مع النفس والبشر والوقائع
يحاول الكاتب أن يتعامل في تجاربه اليومية مع الهالة المشعة للإنسان وهي الروح بمفهوم اوسع تسابقه أفكاره إلى نبذ المحتوى الخارجي او إهماله كي نستطيع ان نصل إلى فكرة الانسلاخ المنطقي لموطن الروح عن مغلفها المادي وبالتالي من السهل لنا ان نؤمن بمبدأ التقمص والكارما لاحقاً
كتاب جيد
يحاول الكاتب أن يتعامل في تجاربه اليومية مع الهالة المشعة للإنسان وهي الروح بمفهوم اوسع تسابقه أفكاره إلى نبذ المحتوى الخارجي او إهماله كي نستطيع ان نصل إلى فكرة الانسلاخ المنطقي لموطن الروح عن مغلفها المادي وبالتالي من السهل لنا ان نؤمن بمبدأ التقمص والكارما لاحقاً
كتاب جيد
March 4, 2015
I'm not a quitter but in the case of this book I couldn't get through it. I'm a spiritual person. I believe in soul and much of what the author discusses, yet I just couldn't buy into much of what he says. His lack of references and authority combined with confusing, convoluted sentences made for a totally unenjoyable read. I'm surprised I stuck it out to chapter 5.
Here was the final straw: "All of the energy of the soul does not incarnate. To incarnate, the soul creates a personality from those parts of itself that it wants to heal in the physical environment, and from those parts of itself that it lends to the process of healing in that lifetime. So powerful is the energy of the soul that it could not advance into physical form without, literally, exploding that form."
Hey Gary, I'd like to know more about that time you witnessed bodies exploding by the force of too much soul.
I'm glad I only paid $2 for this book at a book sale.
Here was the final straw: "All of the energy of the soul does not incarnate. To incarnate, the soul creates a personality from those parts of itself that it wants to heal in the physical environment, and from those parts of itself that it lends to the process of healing in that lifetime. So powerful is the energy of the soul that it could not advance into physical form without, literally, exploding that form."
Hey Gary, I'd like to know more about that time you witnessed bodies exploding by the force of too much soul.
I'm glad I only paid $2 for this book at a book sale.
February 18, 2013
If you know me at all, you'll see that spirituality is extremely important to me. I've never been one for religion or labels, but I have been extremely intrigued by sources of truth and wisdom for as long as I can remember. This book was in my Nook library for years before I got around to reading it. It came at the precise time in my life when I needed it most and offered up its words as a sweet benediction.
Have you ever experienced a dark night of the soul? Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Why are we all faced with various addictions? Why do we have the experiences and relationships with others that we do? What is a soul? What happens when we die? Where did we all come from? If any of these questions have ever wandered through your mind, this is a great non-denominational resource.
What I like best about this book is that I can envision just about any person reading it, from any walk of life, from any religion, faith or indifference, in any given situation and finding something of value. Maybe it's just a key phrase that resonates or a concept, a chapter or the entire book, but the wisdom contained in this book is universal and inspiring.
Like fresh trade winds blowing into my sagging sails, I am refreshed and ready to resume my soul journey. This book was not just a great read; it was an answer to a prayer, a turning point and a challenge to ferry on. For me, it's a favorite, but I can't really recommend this book to anyone in particular. I feel that everyone who is meant to read it will find her/his way to this book on her/his own, when the time is right. And so it is!
Have you ever experienced a dark night of the soul? Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Why are we all faced with various addictions? Why do we have the experiences and relationships with others that we do? What is a soul? What happens when we die? Where did we all come from? If any of these questions have ever wandered through your mind, this is a great non-denominational resource.
What I like best about this book is that I can envision just about any person reading it, from any walk of life, from any religion, faith or indifference, in any given situation and finding something of value. Maybe it's just a key phrase that resonates or a concept, a chapter or the entire book, but the wisdom contained in this book is universal and inspiring.
Like fresh trade winds blowing into my sagging sails, I am refreshed and ready to resume my soul journey. This book was not just a great read; it was an answer to a prayer, a turning point and a challenge to ferry on. For me, it's a favorite, but I can't really recommend this book to anyone in particular. I feel that everyone who is meant to read it will find her/his way to this book on her/his own, when the time is right. And so it is!
October 29, 2012
This book, along with Emotional Alchemy, is worth every moment I have spent reading it, studying and pondering it. It really stretches one past the Judeo-Christian ethic of good and evil, light and dark, reward and punishment.
It helps to solidify the niggling wonders you have about where we come from and where we will return. More importantly, it helps you to consider why you are here, why you wished to be here now, and what your mission could be.
While it's gotten a bad wrap as one of the myriad 'navel gazing' books that have cropped up, it's so not that at all.
If you've ever wondered about the energy that makes you, uniquely you, and if you are more than you are lead to believe based on your five senses, this book will delight you, occasionally make you angry, but mostly it will give you confirmation that you are truly remarkable and worthy.
It helps to solidify the niggling wonders you have about where we come from and where we will return. More importantly, it helps you to consider why you are here, why you wished to be here now, and what your mission could be.
While it's gotten a bad wrap as one of the myriad 'navel gazing' books that have cropped up, it's so not that at all.
If you've ever wondered about the energy that makes you, uniquely you, and if you are more than you are lead to believe based on your five senses, this book will delight you, occasionally make you angry, but mostly it will give you confirmation that you are truly remarkable and worthy.
June 7, 2010
I remembered having read this book when rereading Alan Watts'
The Wisdom of Insecurity
, not that the two are comparable. Watts is carefully reasoning his way through the most profound questions of life, and Zukav simply makes bold claims without any indication of how he arrived at them. I got about two-thirds of the way through The Seat of the Soul before the accumulating weight of these claims (e.g., animals can be reincarnated as humans, but only in primitive settings where the transition isn't too big a shock for them) brought me to a stop.
February 4, 2009
This book has been really helpful. I had some trouble getting into it because some of the writing is a bit cyclical and hard to read. But I think this is mostly because the subject being dealt with doesn't really have a good language to express the ideas. Therefore reading it from this perspective it is a really well written book that deals with concepts that don't fit into the English language so well.
He gave a really good explanation of how humanity is evolving and goes in depth into what is going on in the world at present. It is a very exciting book and very necessary in this age of change when we can no longer rely on the maps that our father's have followed. We can no longer rely on external power and hording and greed, and it is time to develop our own inner authentic power so that we can heal ourselves and our world.
It has made me see parts of myself much more clearly and honestly. It also explains some things that I had experienced in a really understandable way.
He gave a really good explanation of how humanity is evolving and goes in depth into what is going on in the world at present. It is a very exciting book and very necessary in this age of change when we can no longer rely on the maps that our father's have followed. We can no longer rely on external power and hording and greed, and it is time to develop our own inner authentic power so that we can heal ourselves and our world.
It has made me see parts of myself much more clearly and honestly. It also explains some things that I had experienced in a really understandable way.
October 4, 2019
I don't think i'll ever be into that kind of books.
November 14, 2020
Loved this book, hit me at the right time in my life. The words of guidance I needed.
February 6, 2008
To review the titles of the chapters-there is Evolution, Karma, Reverence, Heart, Intuition, Light, Intention, Choice, Addiction, Relationships, Souls, Psychology, Illusion, Power, and Trust. I found Reverence and Intention to be the most enlightening. Most self-help/self-awareness books do not approach the subject of respect, honor, and reverence within the karmic framework of actions and reactions. I think a great deal of this book could be supported with biblical scripture and I would love for a strong Christian author to write a supporting text for this book. If anyone knows of a scripture study based on this book out there, let me know!
January 9, 2013
Let me explain my rating of 3 stars first. I am required to put a rating on, but do not want to do so on this book. So the 3 stars are my attempt not to rate the book, rather than a rating so disregard it totally. Since the book argues that judging is harmful to the soul and I agree with that, I will try to avoid being judgmental as much as I am able, in order to be fair to the spirit of this book.
Let me share with you my reactions to the book. The author has written a series of 16 interrelated essays that take you as a starting point from the perspective of the potential for humans to evolve from being limited by their five senses and personalities to a more authentic existence using more senses and soul-based decisions. The ending is well captured by the concept of becoming a body in a soul, rather than just the opposite.
As you read each section, you are encouraged to feel whether the assertion works for you or not. I found that some did and some did not. You would probably have a different experience. I also found that I have had some spiritual experiences that the book did not seem to describe. That left me a little unsettled. You may find that also.
On the whole, I found more truth in my own experiences than disconnection in reading the book. Also, it was a peaceful experience, which is always a good sign for me when I read a book.
If you are interested in having another perspective on the meaning of existence than the one that your religion, your spiritual advisor, or your family may have taught you or helped you understand, you will probably like this book. If you are not seeking out another perspective, you may find it hard to relate some of the book to what you know and believe. That could be a helpful experience for you.
You should decide if you want to read this book or not. I have no recommendation for you. It is an individual thing. If you are unsure, please write me and I will answer any questions you have about the book.
Let me share with you my reactions to the book. The author has written a series of 16 interrelated essays that take you as a starting point from the perspective of the potential for humans to evolve from being limited by their five senses and personalities to a more authentic existence using more senses and soul-based decisions. The ending is well captured by the concept of becoming a body in a soul, rather than just the opposite.
As you read each section, you are encouraged to feel whether the assertion works for you or not. I found that some did and some did not. You would probably have a different experience. I also found that I have had some spiritual experiences that the book did not seem to describe. That left me a little unsettled. You may find that also.
On the whole, I found more truth in my own experiences than disconnection in reading the book. Also, it was a peaceful experience, which is always a good sign for me when I read a book.
If you are interested in having another perspective on the meaning of existence than the one that your religion, your spiritual advisor, or your family may have taught you or helped you understand, you will probably like this book. If you are not seeking out another perspective, you may find it hard to relate some of the book to what you know and believe. That could be a helpful experience for you.
You should decide if you want to read this book or not. I have no recommendation for you. It is an individual thing. If you are unsure, please write me and I will answer any questions you have about the book.
June 17, 2015
It's been a while but this was the book that made me promise never let Oprah trick me into another book. There was a definite disconnect between what was said on the couch and what this book was about. I could not relate to this.
July 28, 2011
I heard his "Dancing Wu Li Masters" was an interesting read so I picked up this one as the title seemed interesting to me. I thought I might get into something deep in the way of the relation of matter to energy and information. Nope. This guy has gone off the deep end (as a sufi friend of mine so generously put it). This gem of a book contains not only (really stupid) unsupported speculation without so much as a reference or footnote, but to add to the reader's frustration, the book does not even address the subject matter contained in the title. Nothing is said about the "seat" of the soul. So, unless I missed something, this book is a con job from the start. The book, which I suppose is meant to be be "spiritual" is, to me, anything but. It is that same old anthropocentric world view now wrapped up in New Age* clothes. Like, animals do not have souls. Really, who told you that Gary? OK, pardon me, PETS do. OK , like I do not want to be (or I should say I CAN'T be) an eagle or a tiger. But in the world view of Mr. Zukav I AM permitted to be (for example) Mrs. Lasonga's pet dog Fifi (which in at least one real world scenario she fries in the microwave). Give your miind and your spirit a break and trash this one. It is neither scientific nor spiritual. You will be better off going to church and getting some of that good Old Time Religion. At least, if you are lucky, you will get some fire and brimstone for your money.
_________________
*I should have judged this book by its cover. The choice of colors is a dead give-away (as to its being New Age). Funny, I usually do judge a book by its cover. Pity the Kindle generation.
_________________
*I should have judged this book by its cover. The choice of colors is a dead give-away (as to its being New Age). Funny, I usually do judge a book by its cover. Pity the Kindle generation.
January 15, 2013
I couldn't put this book down. I even read some chapters over and over, again, before moving on to the next. I'm a Christain who loves being a Christain; who loves God, the Light; and who loves Jesus, my Savior. Reading this book not only enlightened me, but gave me clarity to things that I could not quite understand. This book gave me a more in-depth understanding to the Word. During my reading I laughed, cried and rejoiced. I can related so much to Mr. Zukav's concepts. Passages and scriptures continuously flowed through ever part of me. I now have a more precise understanding to the Word. It's just bibical principles in another form. If you understand the principles and laws of the bible, you'll understand the concept of this book. Thank you, Gary, for helping me get more in touch with my soul. Thank you for helping understand that I already have the authentic power I've been looking for; and thank you so much for such an awesome keepsake. Job well done, well done! I applaud you!
November 16, 2021
A comprehensive view of the human soul. This very intelligent author has constructed a view of life and love that is very compelling. It shares many themes with similar works, including religions. There is a lot here to think through and constantly challenge one's life and relationships. The overarching message of the importance of Love is one to which I easily ascribe. Dealing with fear and self doubt are much more difficult but he lays out a system, especially with his exercises, worthy of employment.
February 13, 2017
This book is full of ridiculous new age, pseudoscience, psychobabble. It almost sounds like a new age parody. It was so silly that I had to keep reminding myself that the author actually believes this stuff, that a lot of people do. It was the book that convinced Oprah Winfrey to transform her business from tabloid talk shows into a clearinghouse for spirituality and woo-woo philosophy.
Much of this book is a meaningless stream of new age, and occasionally scientific-sounding, language. It takes credulity to a new level. Zukav seems to believe in every mystical speculation throughout the cultures and ages--gods, angels, demons, Jesus, garden of Eden, souls, reincarnation, karma, pantheism, law of attraction, aliens, chakras, astrology, ghosts. There is no silly idea he won't take seriously, treating them as not only compatible with each other and with science, but treats science as if it provides evidence for it all.
I'll try to set my feelings aside and explain, with a straight face, what I think is the premise of this book: up until now, our evolution has been oriented around the five sensory experience. We tried to gain power by hurting others, but that was not authentic power. Now, with modern physics, we are entering into the multi-sensory experience of non-physical reality. We are becoming aware of the Lightness of our souls. We are choosing our experience, through our intentions. When we become multi-sensory beings, we can bring more Light to our souls, and become One with the Universe.
Or something like that. That's the best impression I can do. But I can't do it justice. It's better to provide a snippet out of the book:
"We are evolving into a species of whole individuals, individuals who are aware of their nature as beings of Light, and who shape their Light consciously, wisely, and with compassion. Therefore, the physical phenomenon of phase coherent Light, Light that does not struggle with itself so to speak, has now come into being. It is a new phenomenon to the human experience, and it reflects the new energy dynamic of the whole human. The achievements of science, in other words, do not reflect the laboratory capabilities of individuals or nations, but the spiritual capabilities of our species."
The whole book reads like that, from beginning to end. What does this stuff even mean? What is a multi-sensory experience, and why is five (which is more than one and therefore multiple) not also called multi-sensory? By "multi-sensory," do you mean "more than five?" How many more than five, exactly? Six? Nine? Thirty four? 30,292,934.20399? What instruments did you use to discover them? If this is all science, as you claim, then why didn't you submit your research to a reputable science journal rather than just sell books and workshops about it?
What could a non-physical reality possibly mean? That's like talking about a non-circular circle. To be real means to exist. To exist means to have some measurable, physical effect. Otherwise it is indistinguishable from nothing at all. And what does "spiritual" mean? The dictionary gives a circular definition: "of the spirit." What is a spirit? Is it just something you made up, or is it something that can be measured and used in actual everyday life? And if it's not useful in our lives, then what good is it?
That's what I find myself doing with a lot of "spiritual" jibberish. I have to sift through the nonsense and try to figure out what, specific effects they hope to achieve through all of this. They use a ton of words that have no meaning, like soul and reincarnation and spirit, and yet it does seem to have some physical ramifications in people's lives. People like Oprah swear by it. So, exactly what specific changes do they speak of? How are they a better person because of it? And why is all the spiritualspeak necessary for them to get there?
When you strip away all the meaningless words, you don't end up with very much. Basically, the message is "be nice to people and stuff." Whenever someone gets religion, that's ultimately what it tends to boil down to: they've found some way to be nicer to people. And that's fine, if they needed all that nonsense in order to be nicer to people. I just can't understand why they couldn't just skip all the nonsense and go straight to the point, and just be nicer to people. Why do we need to dress it up? Why isn't it enough to just be kind and compassionate?
If this was just a fancy way of inspiring people to be nicer to each other, none of this would bother me. It would just be harmless nonsense. But that's not all this is, and it is not harmless. For one thing, people are paying a lot of money for psychological snake oil. Oprah Winfrey has built her multi-billion dollar empire on it. There's also the Seat of the Soul Institute. And when all is said and done, they have nothing useful to teach people except that they should be nicer to each other. And I know they make all this money not because they teach people to be nicer, but because they dress it up in a way that presses people's god buttons.
I also know there's something very gratifying, and potentially dangerous, about painting people as "highly evolved beings," with a "multi-sensory consciousness" or whatever, and portraying their credulity as superiority. This doesn't just press our god buttons, but our righteousness buttons. That's when people will shell out the serious cash. People ingest righteousness like a drug.
What's also harmful is that this book advocates "spiritual psychology" instead of traditional psychology, in treating psychosis, i.e. treating all psychosis as a "spiritual sickness" rather than a mental one. But if there's no such thing as a "soul" or "spirit," and this is all just some shit people made up, then this irresponsible advice means mental illness would remain untreated. People would not get the help they need, leading to serious problems and suicide.
Compassion, full stop, is really the only path worth pursuing. Honest "spiritual" teachers will say this plainly. They won't dress it up with nonsense, and they won't have anything to sell you. That might not sound quite so grandiose or inspiring, but it's the only legitimate game in town. Everything else is fraud.
Much of this book is a meaningless stream of new age, and occasionally scientific-sounding, language. It takes credulity to a new level. Zukav seems to believe in every mystical speculation throughout the cultures and ages--gods, angels, demons, Jesus, garden of Eden, souls, reincarnation, karma, pantheism, law of attraction, aliens, chakras, astrology, ghosts. There is no silly idea he won't take seriously, treating them as not only compatible with each other and with science, but treats science as if it provides evidence for it all.
I'll try to set my feelings aside and explain, with a straight face, what I think is the premise of this book: up until now, our evolution has been oriented around the five sensory experience. We tried to gain power by hurting others, but that was not authentic power. Now, with modern physics, we are entering into the multi-sensory experience of non-physical reality. We are becoming aware of the Lightness of our souls. We are choosing our experience, through our intentions. When we become multi-sensory beings, we can bring more Light to our souls, and become One with the Universe.
Or something like that. That's the best impression I can do. But I can't do it justice. It's better to provide a snippet out of the book:
"We are evolving into a species of whole individuals, individuals who are aware of their nature as beings of Light, and who shape their Light consciously, wisely, and with compassion. Therefore, the physical phenomenon of phase coherent Light, Light that does not struggle with itself so to speak, has now come into being. It is a new phenomenon to the human experience, and it reflects the new energy dynamic of the whole human. The achievements of science, in other words, do not reflect the laboratory capabilities of individuals or nations, but the spiritual capabilities of our species."
The whole book reads like that, from beginning to end. What does this stuff even mean? What is a multi-sensory experience, and why is five (which is more than one and therefore multiple) not also called multi-sensory? By "multi-sensory," do you mean "more than five?" How many more than five, exactly? Six? Nine? Thirty four? 30,292,934.20399? What instruments did you use to discover them? If this is all science, as you claim, then why didn't you submit your research to a reputable science journal rather than just sell books and workshops about it?
What could a non-physical reality possibly mean? That's like talking about a non-circular circle. To be real means to exist. To exist means to have some measurable, physical effect. Otherwise it is indistinguishable from nothing at all. And what does "spiritual" mean? The dictionary gives a circular definition: "of the spirit." What is a spirit? Is it just something you made up, or is it something that can be measured and used in actual everyday life? And if it's not useful in our lives, then what good is it?
That's what I find myself doing with a lot of "spiritual" jibberish. I have to sift through the nonsense and try to figure out what, specific effects they hope to achieve through all of this. They use a ton of words that have no meaning, like soul and reincarnation and spirit, and yet it does seem to have some physical ramifications in people's lives. People like Oprah swear by it. So, exactly what specific changes do they speak of? How are they a better person because of it? And why is all the spiritualspeak necessary for them to get there?
When you strip away all the meaningless words, you don't end up with very much. Basically, the message is "be nice to people and stuff." Whenever someone gets religion, that's ultimately what it tends to boil down to: they've found some way to be nicer to people. And that's fine, if they needed all that nonsense in order to be nicer to people. I just can't understand why they couldn't just skip all the nonsense and go straight to the point, and just be nicer to people. Why do we need to dress it up? Why isn't it enough to just be kind and compassionate?
If this was just a fancy way of inspiring people to be nicer to each other, none of this would bother me. It would just be harmless nonsense. But that's not all this is, and it is not harmless. For one thing, people are paying a lot of money for psychological snake oil. Oprah Winfrey has built her multi-billion dollar empire on it. There's also the Seat of the Soul Institute. And when all is said and done, they have nothing useful to teach people except that they should be nicer to each other. And I know they make all this money not because they teach people to be nicer, but because they dress it up in a way that presses people's god buttons.
I also know there's something very gratifying, and potentially dangerous, about painting people as "highly evolved beings," with a "multi-sensory consciousness" or whatever, and portraying their credulity as superiority. This doesn't just press our god buttons, but our righteousness buttons. That's when people will shell out the serious cash. People ingest righteousness like a drug.
What's also harmful is that this book advocates "spiritual psychology" instead of traditional psychology, in treating psychosis, i.e. treating all psychosis as a "spiritual sickness" rather than a mental one. But if there's no such thing as a "soul" or "spirit," and this is all just some shit people made up, then this irresponsible advice means mental illness would remain untreated. People would not get the help they need, leading to serious problems and suicide.
Compassion, full stop, is really the only path worth pursuing. Honest "spiritual" teachers will say this plainly. They won't dress it up with nonsense, and they won't have anything to sell you. That might not sound quite so grandiose or inspiring, but it's the only legitimate game in town. Everything else is fraud.
March 21, 2017
I had heard about this book for years. I started it at a dentist's office while waiting and read the first few pages. Didn't care for it at the time and forgot all about it. After reading The Untethered Soul, which I ABSOLUTELY ADORED!, I wanted another book that talked about 'the seat of the soul' and well, this book has the NAME on the cover so it was a no-brainer. I listened to the audio version, narrated by none other than Gary Zukav.
Struggled between giving it a 3- and 4- star. It's a great book, and spirituality is a beautiful topic. I think it was the approach to the breakdown - the story-telling style - that sometimes lost me and other times carried me along. Maybe I just could not appreciate the depth of the topics that Zukav was covering. That's very likely ;)!
Zukav loves his phrases: "the 5-sensory human" and the "multi-sensory human" and uses this all over the book. He also is very interested in the topic of addictions - sexual, food, alcohol, substance abuse - and takes you through the mental and physical and emotional processes that happen to one when addicted and how to stop them, all with the perspective of the ... ready for it? that's right: the "multi-sensory human"!.
But there are some gems, some very beautiful pieces in this book, some deep truths, some hard facts to come to terms with, and some good takeaways.
Here's one of my favorite passages:
"Are you comfortable with the thought that the universe is alien and dead I know more than your five senses can detect?
How does your hearts respond to the thought that the universe is alive and compassionate?
Allow yourself to become aware of what you feel.
Give yourself permission to choose the most positive behavior in each moment.
As you discharge negative energy consciously and set your intention on what your heart tells you, as you challenge and release your fears, and choose to heal, you align your personality with your soul and choose to be a being of the light and empowered and inwardly secure. Humbleness, forgiveness, clarity and love, all the gifts of the Spirit take root and Bloom and you draw to yourself the universe's greatest gift: human beings with open hearts. Rather than a soul in a body, become a body in a soul. Reach for your soul. Reach even further, the impulse of creation and power authentic, the hourglass point between energy and matter, that is the seat of the soul. What does it mean to touch that place? It is exciting to come of age spiritually."
I am glad I read it - or rather, listened to it. There is no doubt that we all want to experience the seat of the soul. :)
Struggled between giving it a 3- and 4- star. It's a great book, and spirituality is a beautiful topic. I think it was the approach to the breakdown - the story-telling style - that sometimes lost me and other times carried me along. Maybe I just could not appreciate the depth of the topics that Zukav was covering. That's very likely ;)!
Zukav loves his phrases: "the 5-sensory human" and the "multi-sensory human" and uses this all over the book. He also is very interested in the topic of addictions - sexual, food, alcohol, substance abuse - and takes you through the mental and physical and emotional processes that happen to one when addicted and how to stop them, all with the perspective of the ... ready for it? that's right: the "multi-sensory human"!.
But there are some gems, some very beautiful pieces in this book, some deep truths, some hard facts to come to terms with, and some good takeaways.
Here's one of my favorite passages:
"Are you comfortable with the thought that the universe is alien and dead I know more than your five senses can detect?
How does your hearts respond to the thought that the universe is alive and compassionate?
Allow yourself to become aware of what you feel.
Give yourself permission to choose the most positive behavior in each moment.
As you discharge negative energy consciously and set your intention on what your heart tells you, as you challenge and release your fears, and choose to heal, you align your personality with your soul and choose to be a being of the light and empowered and inwardly secure. Humbleness, forgiveness, clarity and love, all the gifts of the Spirit take root and Bloom and you draw to yourself the universe's greatest gift: human beings with open hearts. Rather than a soul in a body, become a body in a soul. Reach for your soul. Reach even further, the impulse of creation and power authentic, the hourglass point between energy and matter, that is the seat of the soul. What does it mean to touch that place? It is exciting to come of age spiritually."
I am glad I read it - or rather, listened to it. There is no doubt that we all want to experience the seat of the soul. :)
February 1, 2010
Maybe if the author's writing style was different I could have finished it, but I couldn't make it through a whole page without my mind starting to wander to other things.
On top of that, the author doesn't give any rhyme or reason why he thinks these things. I could get past that, if the majority of what he suggested resonated with me, but some of it just seemed so arbitrary. Teachers, Guides, Souls, Personalities, something imbetween Personalities and souls. I agree with the general idea he is suggesting, but it is the details I find a little, well, random. I am a very open minded person when it comes to this topic so it isn't that I think the guy is a quack, or what he is teaching is quackery, I just couldn't really get anything new or meaningful from the book. A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle is somewhat similar, but that book I thought was fantastic. So I suggest that book instead.
On top of that, the author doesn't give any rhyme or reason why he thinks these things. I could get past that, if the majority of what he suggested resonated with me, but some of it just seemed so arbitrary. Teachers, Guides, Souls, Personalities, something imbetween Personalities and souls. I agree with the general idea he is suggesting, but it is the details I find a little, well, random. I am a very open minded person when it comes to this topic so it isn't that I think the guy is a quack, or what he is teaching is quackery, I just couldn't really get anything new or meaningful from the book. A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle is somewhat similar, but that book I thought was fantastic. So I suggest that book instead.
June 20, 2012
Gary Zukov's easy to understand book goes right to the essence of who we are under the surface of our exterior selves. In simple terms, he explores the nonphysical aspects of our beings and shows how we can perceive existence using more than just our usual bodily sense mechanisms.
Our soul is there to be understood and explored, Zukov maintains. The more we recognize it and how it functions, he says, the better able we will be to make effective course corrections in our lives. The following quote from the book sums it up perfectly:
"Rather than a soul in a body, become a body in the soul. Reach for your soul."
To help readers effectively align themselves with their souls, the author uses simplicity of expression to drive his point home. Even in his chapter titles he use only one of two words such as “Reverence”, “Addiction”, and “Illusion”.
This book is highly useful for anyone wanting to explore themselves and their place in a multidimensional universe.
Our soul is there to be understood and explored, Zukov maintains. The more we recognize it and how it functions, he says, the better able we will be to make effective course corrections in our lives. The following quote from the book sums it up perfectly:
"Rather than a soul in a body, become a body in the soul. Reach for your soul."
To help readers effectively align themselves with their souls, the author uses simplicity of expression to drive his point home. Even in his chapter titles he use only one of two words such as “Reverence”, “Addiction”, and “Illusion”.
This book is highly useful for anyone wanting to explore themselves and their place in a multidimensional universe.
August 17, 2018
Kết hợp giữa những triết lí của cả phương Đông và phương Tây, cuốn sách này là một lựa chọn vô cùng thích hợp cho những ai quan tâm đến lĩnh vực tâm linh. Đã được chuyển ngữ qua 24 thứ tiếng, 5 năm liền nằm trong bảng xếp hạng sách bán chạy nhất của New York Times, riêng tại Mỹ đã bán được 5 triệu bản là những con số ấn tượng thể hiện sự lan tỏa và đón đọc cuốn sách này.
Sự cân bằng, hướng thượng là điều bạn sẽ nhận ra ở bản thân sau khi đọc xong cuốn sách này. Chưa hết, nó cũng đã thay đổi cuộc sống và cứu được rất nhiều người ở khắp nơi trên thế giới. Cuốn sách này là một nguồn động lực sống bất tận cho bất kì ai. Đừng bỏ qua cuốn sách này nha.
Mình viết review những cuốn sách khác tại blog nhỏ này http://ahapyman.com
Sự cân bằng, hướng thượng là điều bạn sẽ nhận ra ở bản thân sau khi đọc xong cuốn sách này. Chưa hết, nó cũng đã thay đổi cuộc sống và cứu được rất nhiều người ở khắp nơi trên thế giới. Cuốn sách này là một nguồn động lực sống bất tận cho bất kì ai. Đừng bỏ qua cuốn sách này nha.
Mình viết review những cuốn sách khác tại blog nhỏ này http://ahapyman.com
March 17, 2023
"When the personality comes fully to serve the energy of its soul, that is authentic empowerment. "
5+*
I love this book so much. I've read Seat of the Soul several times over the years. Every time I read it, I underline something new and my book is now pretty much all underlined. So many beautiful and powerful insights. One of my top 5 spiritual books.
5+*
I love this book so much. I've read Seat of the Soul several times over the years. Every time I read it, I underline something new and my book is now pretty much all underlined. So many beautiful and powerful insights. One of my top 5 spiritual books.
September 8, 2016
I read this book with a group of friends and it was chosen by another member of the group as we wanted to gain a better sense of the nature of our souls in a common faith journey. The amorphous concept of a soul is one that we hear much about over the course of one's spiritual life. But what is it, really? How can it be shaped by our own conduct for better or worse while we live? And what happens when life ends? How could the concept of sculpting a soul over a lifetime and beyond improve the way in which someone behaves? Quickly Zukav takes us far beyond traditional and more simplistic conceptions of the soul and how it operates. Many of the concepts offered by Zukav are Eastern in tradition and the spiritual impact of positive and negative karma are explored intelligently. I was impressed by his description of the real nature of authentic power, which embeds love deeply within it. Power which does not manifest love is simply shallow manipulation and is inauthentic insofar as it creates negative karma and leaves a soul ultimately less powerful. Political power which is so obviously grounded in self-interest in Congress is clearly inauthentic despite its trappings of wealth, fame and position. It's no wonder that Congress is so widely viewed with disdain as a governing body despite many exceptional, individual souls who actually seem to have the best interests of the nation at heart. So if you want to explore the nature of your soul -- which does strike me as a worthwhile venture -- then this book can walk you through the nether regions of the soul and take you on a guided tour that helps you better understand yourself. I'm glad I undertook this exploratory journey and give Zukav high praise for his insight and wisdom as a tour guide.
November 2, 2023
هذا الكتاب ساعدني على التفكير بشكل اوسع في النمو الروحي خلال الحياة على الأرض في العالم المادي.
كل روح انبعثت بشكل مادي معين على هذه الأرض لتخدم اغراض معينة لسمو الروح وتسخيرها لعبادة الخالق. كل شئ نمر خلاله هو لخدمة هذا الغرض وبالتالي لا يستحق الحسرة عليه اذا زال لأن زواله يعني انتهاء دوره الذي وجد من اجله.
احياناً الانسان ينسى ان ينظر لكل شئ على انه وسيلة لنمونا وسمونا لنرتقي لحياة أخرى لأن كثير من الأحيان رؤيتنا مقيدة بقيود الشخصية والجسد والعالم المادي. لذلك يجب ان لا نربط الأذى النفسي والجسدي بأذى الروح وانما نتخذه وسيلة لسلامة الروح.
وسبحان الله الذي يمنح لنا طرق لندرك من خلالها زوال ووقتية الدنيا ونسمو عن ان نستمد قيمة الروح من أمر مادي وأن لا يقتصر تخطيطنا واحلامنا على هذه الحياة.
طول هذه الطرق وصعوبتها تتباين من روح لأخرى على حسب حاجتها وعلى حسب خطة إلهية نجهلها. لذلك نرى بعض الأشخاص لديهم اكتفاء من الدنيا وقيمة روحية عالية وترقب للقادم واستعداد للتخلي عن الدنيا وما فيها في اي وقت بينما نرى اشخاص آخرين متمسكين بالحياة الدنيا ويرى ان من العدالة ان يجرب كل شئ ويعيش كل شئ وان يعيش كل مراحله العمرية وغير مستعد للتخلي عن الدنيا في اي وقت يستوجب.
والمسألة بأكملها غير متعلقة بالعمر لأن الأصل هو نمو الروح وسموها وتوقيتها للوصول والمغادرة.
والله اعلم بتقسيم الارزاق في هذه الدنيا ويعرف ما تحتاج له هذه الروح لتسمو اليه. نحتاج الي التسليم لهذا القضاء وان نسخر العالم المادي لخدمة الروح وليس العكس ونحن على يقين بأن كله في خدمة الروح التي ستعود لخالقها.
الكتاب ملأني برغبة الاستغناء عن كل ما هو مادي زائل..
كل روح انبعثت بشكل مادي معين على هذه الأرض لتخدم اغراض معينة لسمو الروح وتسخيرها لعبادة الخالق. كل شئ نمر خلاله هو لخدمة هذا الغرض وبالتالي لا يستحق الحسرة عليه اذا زال لأن زواله يعني انتهاء دوره الذي وجد من اجله.
احياناً الانسان ينسى ان ينظر لكل شئ على انه وسيلة لنمونا وسمونا لنرتقي لحياة أخرى لأن كثير من الأحيان رؤيتنا مقيدة بقيود الشخصية والجسد والعالم المادي. لذلك يجب ان لا نربط الأذى النفسي والجسدي بأذى الروح وانما نتخذه وسيلة لسلامة الروح.
وسبحان الله الذي يمنح لنا طرق لندرك من خلالها زوال ووقتية الدنيا ونسمو عن ان نستمد قيمة الروح من أمر مادي وأن لا يقتصر تخطيطنا واحلامنا على هذه الحياة.
طول هذه الطرق وصعوبتها تتباين من روح لأخرى على حسب حاجتها وعلى حسب خطة إلهية نجهلها. لذلك نرى بعض الأشخاص لديهم اكتفاء من الدنيا وقيمة روحية عالية وترقب للقادم واستعداد للتخلي عن الدنيا وما فيها في اي وقت بينما نرى اشخاص آخرين متمسكين بالحياة الدنيا ويرى ان من العدالة ان يجرب كل شئ ويعيش كل شئ وان يعيش كل مراحله العمرية وغير مستعد للتخلي عن الدنيا في اي وقت يستوجب.
والمسألة بأكملها غير متعلقة بالعمر لأن الأصل هو نمو الروح وسموها وتوقيتها للوصول والمغادرة.
والله اعلم بتقسيم الارزاق في هذه الدنيا ويعرف ما تحتاج له هذه الروح لتسمو اليه. نحتاج الي التسليم لهذا القضاء وان نسخر العالم المادي لخدمة الروح وليس العكس ونحن على يقين بأن كله في خدمة الروح التي ستعود لخالقها.
الكتاب ملأني برغبة الاستغناء عن كل ما هو مادي زائل..
September 30, 2015
Disappointing. I usually really enjoy books by authors featured on Super Soul Sunday. This book started with promise. I loved the idea of soul variety and unfinished karma. However, he lost me at animals don't have individual souls. Here we go again with an author that features humans as the top soul host. Really? How is the conclusion reached? He gives not one shred of thought to back up any of his claims.
It's a book that is pulled straight out of a body part. I wasn't looking for science law, but at least a theory as to how the conclusions were reached. Any reasoning as to how his theories are supported would have been nice. I don't see how anyone can read it without wondering how he figured his ideas and that's my issue. The content is unsupported. Again, I'm not asking for scientific fact (as in the law of gravity) just a simple reason as to how he reached is viewpoint. Just one reason...
I give it two stars for the edition with a study guide. They are helpful exercises. If you're looking for a deeper path for life enrichment The 4 Agreements and the Power of Now are two excellent books. This book is more suited for those that don't need a how or why and can just accept a persons word (not bad or good, just a type of person). I need some kind of supportive statement to back up thoughts, and this book didn't have any....
It's a book that is pulled straight out of a body part. I wasn't looking for science law, but at least a theory as to how the conclusions were reached. Any reasoning as to how his theories are supported would have been nice. I don't see how anyone can read it without wondering how he figured his ideas and that's my issue. The content is unsupported. Again, I'm not asking for scientific fact (as in the law of gravity) just a simple reason as to how he reached is viewpoint. Just one reason...
I give it two stars for the edition with a study guide. They are helpful exercises. If you're looking for a deeper path for life enrichment The 4 Agreements and the Power of Now are two excellent books. This book is more suited for those that don't need a how or why and can just accept a persons word (not bad or good, just a type of person). I need some kind of supportive statement to back up thoughts, and this book didn't have any....
December 6, 2018
I absolutely adore this book. So many times I felt that the author was speaking to me. My copy is all underlined, nearly all of it, every page. This book really helped me understand so many things about my authentic self, about the difference between five-sensory and multi-sensory humans, about the difference between a personality and a soul, about LOVE and LIGHT and WISDOM, and it taught me how to live my life as a centered human being, rather than being a spinning top, which I used to be, listening to a whole lot of people around me. Some of my fav quotes from the book are:
An authentically empowered person lives in LOVE.
As you shine brighter, as your light and power increases with each responsible choice, so does your world.
The illusion has no power over a personality that is aligned with its soul.
Love is of the soul. Fear is of the personality.
Divine intelligence is in the heart. You will not find God in your intellect.
An authentically empowered person lives in LOVE.
As you shine brighter, as your light and power increases with each responsible choice, so does your world.
The illusion has no power over a personality that is aligned with its soul.
Love is of the soul. Fear is of the personality.
Divine intelligence is in the heart. You will not find God in your intellect.
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