欧宝娱乐

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賲賵胤賳 丕賱乇賵丨

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賱賯丿 睾賷賾乇 賰鬲丕亘 芦賲賵胤賳 丕賱乇賵丨禄 胤乇賷賯鬲賷 賮賷 丕賱賳馗乇 廿賱賶 賳賮爻賷貙鈥� 鈥嬞堎佡� 丕賱賳馗乇 廿賱賶 丕賱毓丕賱賲. 賵睾賷賾乇 亘毓賲賯 兀爻賱賵亘賷 賮賷 丕賱鬲毓丕胤賷 賲毓 丕賱丌禺乇賷賳 毓賱賶 丕賱氐毓賷丿 丕賱卮禺氐賷貙鈥� 鈥嬞冑呚� 賮賷 賲噩丕賱 毓賲賱賷. 亘毓丿 賯乇丕亍鬲賴貙 賵賰賷賮賲丕 丕賱鬲賮鬲賾貙 亘鬲賾 兀丨賷丕 賵兀乇賶 丕賱兀賲賵乇 賲賳 丨賵賱賷 鬲丨鬲 囟賵亍賺鈥� 鈥嬝娯�.
賰賳鬲 兀丨爻 亘兀賳 賮賷 丕賱賵噩賵丿 賲丕 賴賵 兀亘毓丿 賲賳 丕賱鬲噩丕乇亘 丕賱賷賵賲賷丞鈥� 鈥嬝з勜� 賳毓賷卮賴丕貙 賵賲賳 卮乇賵胤 丕賱毓賲賱 賵丕賱毓賱丕賯丕鬲 亘賷賳 丕賱賳丕爻貨 賰賳鬲 兀卮毓乇 亘兀賳 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賲丕 賷鬲毓丿賾賶鈥� 鈥嬞傌必� 丨賵丕爻賳丕 丕賱禺賲爻 毓賱賶 丕爻鬲賷毓丕亘賴.
賱賯丿 丨賵賾賱 賰鬲丕亘 芦賲賵胤賳 丕賱乇賵丨禄 廿賱賶 賰賱賲丕鬲 賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 乇賵丨賷 鬲毓乇賮賴 賲賳 賯亘賱貙 賵賱胤丕賱賲丕 丨丕賵賱鬲鈥� 鈥嬝Y� 兀爻鬲賵囟丨賴 賲賳賴丕. 卮毓乇鬲 亘丕亘鬲賴丕噩 丕賱氐丨賵丞 毓賳丿賲丕 賮鬲丨鬲 毓賷賳賷賾 賱兀賯乇兀 爻胤賵乇賸丕 鬲丐賰賾丿 賲丕 賱賲 兀賰賳鈥� 鈥嬞傌� 鬲賵氐賾賱鬲 廿賱賶 丕賰鬲卮丕賮 賱睾丞 丕賱鬲毓亘賷乇 毓賳賴 亘賳賮爻賷. 賵毓賳丿賲丕 賯乇兀鬲 毓亘丕乇丞 芦丕賱丕丿乇丕賰 丕賱賲賵爻賾毓禄賱鈥� 鈥嬝Y堎� 賲乇丞貙 卮毓乇鬲 亘兀賳 睾丕乇賷 兀氐丕亘 丕賱賲乇賲賶. 賵兀丨爻爻鬲 亘兀賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘乇賲賾鬲賴 賷卮賰賾賱 丕賳賮噩丕乇賸丕 廿丿乇丕賰賷賸賾丕 囟禺賲賸丕.
毓卮鬲 賲毓 賰鬲丕亘 睾丕乇賷 爻賱爻賱丞 賲賳 賱丨馗丕鬲 丕賱乇賴亘丞 丕賱賲鬲鬲丕亘毓丞貙鈥� 鈥嬞堎佡� 賰賱賽 賱丨馗丞 賲賳賴丕 賰賳鬲 兀卮毓乇 亘鬲丨賵賾賱 兀賰亘乇 賮賷 丕鬲噩丕賴 芦丕賱亘賵氐賱丞禄 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賷貙 賳丨賵 丕賱丕鬲噩丕賴鈥� 鈥嬝з勜坟ㄙ娯官� 丕賱氐丨賷丨. 賵賲賳 亘賷賳 丕賱賲毓丕賳賷 賵丕賱毓亘丕乇丕鬲鈥� 鈥嬝з勝呝勝佖� 賵丕賱兀丨亘 廿賱賶 賯賱亘賷 毓亘丕乇丞 鬲賯賵賱: 芦毓賳丿賲丕 鬲鬲賵氐賾賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丞 廿賱賶 禺丿賲丞 胤丕賯丞 乇賵丨賴丕 亘卮賰賱鈥� 鈥嬝з呝懾� 鬲鬲賵賱賾丿 賮賷賴丕 丕賱賯賵賾丞 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷丞禄.
鈥�- 兀賵亘乇丕 賵賷賳賮乇賷

鈥嬞呚з娯� 兀賳噩賱賵: 1928 - 2014 卮丕毓乇丞 兀賲乇賷賰賷丞 賵賰丕鬲亘丞 賲匕賰乇丕鬲貙鈥� 鈥嬞堎嗀ж簇坟� 賮賷 賲噩丕賱 丕賱丨賯賵賯 丕賱賲丿賳賷丞貙 賳卮乇鬲 爻亘毓 爻賷乇 匕丕鬲賷丞貙 賵孬賱丕孬丞 賰鬲亘 賱賲噩賲賵毓丕鬲 賲賳 賲賯丕賱丕鬲賴丕貙鈥� 鈥嬞堌з勜关娯� 賲賳 丕賱丿賵丕賵賷賳 丕賱卮毓乇賷丞. 賵鬲賲 丕賱丕丨鬲賮丕亍 亘賴丕 毓賱賶 賲丿賶 50 毓丕賲賸丕 賮賷 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱毓乇賵囟鈥� 鈥嬝з勝呚池必娯� 賵丕賱亘乇丕賲噩 丕賱鬲賱賮夭賷賵賳賷丞.

兀賵亘乇丕 睾丕賷賱 賵賷賳賮乇賷: 賲賳 賲賵丕賱賷丿 1954貙 賲賯丿賲丞 亘乇丕賲噩 賵賲賲孬賱丞鈥� 鈥嬞堎呝嗀� 賵賳丕卮胤丞 賮賷 丕賱賲噩丕賱 丕賱禺賷乇賷. 丕卮鬲購賴賽乇鬲 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱亘乇賳丕賲噩 丕賱丨賵丕乇賷 (亘乇賳丕賲噩 兀賵亘乇丕賵賷賳賮乇賷) 丕賱匕賷 丨丕夭 毓賱賶 兀毓賱賶 丕賱鬲賯賷賷賲丕鬲 賮賷 丕賱亘乇丕賲噩 丕賱鬲賱賮夭賷賵賳賷丞 賮賷 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺貙 賵丕爻鬲賲乇 毓乇囟賴鈥� 鈥嬞呝嗀� 毓丕賲 1986 賱睾丕賷丞 毓丕賲 2011.

睾丕乇賷 夭賵賰丕賮: 賲毓賱賲 乇賵丨賷貙 兀賲乇賷賰賷 丕賱噩賳爻賷丞貙 丨丕夭鬲 兀乇亘毓丞鈥� 鈥嬞呝� 賰鬲亘賴 毓賱賶 鬲氐賳賷賮 賳賷賵賷賵乇賰 鬲丕賷賲夭 賱賱賰鬲亘 丕賱兀賮囟賱 賲亘賷毓賸丕 毓賱賶 丕賱鬲賵丕賱賷 賲賳匕 毓丕賲 1998貙 賰賲丕鈥� 鈥嬝蒂� 賰鬲丕亘賴 The Dancing Wu Li Masters 毓賱賶 噩丕卅夭丞 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱賵胤賳賷 賮賷 兀賲乇賷賰丕 毓丕賲 1979.

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1989

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About the author

Gary Zukav

42books828followers
Gary 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.

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5 stars
20,158 (42%)
4 stars
14,059 (29%)
3 stars
9,207 (19%)
2 stars
2,828 (5%)
1 star
1,358 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,099 reviews
Profile Image for Ryan.
227 reviews53 followers
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?"
Profile Image for Marty Ritz.
12 reviews10 followers
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.
Profile Image for Anya.
4 reviews12 followers
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
Profile Image for Sheherazahde.
326 reviews24 followers
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.
Profile Image for Carol.
43 reviews
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.鈥�

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.
Profile Image for Alejandro Teruel.
1,297 reviews251 followers
September 11, 2013
I found 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 () to a wider ecological and psychological world view exploration ().

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麓s marvellous chapter in ) 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麓d be much better off reading Alan W. Watts.



Profile Image for Kristi.
60 reviews9 followers
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.
Profile Image for Odai Al-Saeed.
930 reviews2,825 followers
March 14, 2020
鬲鬲噩賱賶侔 賮賰乇丞 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘賮賰乇丞 賮賱爻賮賷丞 賳賵乇丕賳賷丞 鬲丨丕賵賱 賲賳 禺賱丕賱賴丕 丕賳 鬲賲鬲氐 賯賵丕賰 丕賱賰丕賲賳丞 賮賷 丨賵丕爻賰 賱廿毓丕丿丞 鬲賵噩賷賴 丕賮賰丕乇賰 亘兀賮賰丕乇 匕丕鬲 賲賳胤賵賯 賷丿毓賲 丕賱丨丕賱丞 丕賱廿賷噩丕亘賷丞 賱賱鬲毓丕賲賱 賲毓 丕賱賳賮爻 賵丕賱亘卮乇 賵丕賱賵賯丕卅毓
賷丨丕賵賱 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 兀賳 賷鬲毓丕賲賱 賮賷 鬲噩丕乇亘賴 丕賱賷賵賲賷丞 賲毓 丕賱賴丕賱丞 丕賱賲卮毓丞 賱賱廿賳爻丕賳 賵賴賷 丕賱乇賵丨 亘賲賮賴賵賲 丕賵爻毓 鬲爻丕亘賯賴 兀賮賰丕乇賴 廿賱賶 賳亘匕 丕賱賲丨鬲賵賶 丕賱禺丕乇噩賷 丕賵 廿賴賲丕賱賴 賰賷 賳爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賳 賳氐賱 廿賱賶 賮賰乇丞 丕賱丕賳爻賱丕禺 丕賱賲賳胤賯賷 賱賲賵胤賳 丕賱乇賵丨 毓賳 賲睾賱賮賴丕 丕賱賲丕丿賷 賵亘丕賱鬲丕賱賷 賲賳 丕賱爻賴賱 賱賳丕 丕賳 賳丐賲賳 亘賲亘丿兀 丕賱鬲賯賲氐 賵丕賱賰丕乇賲丕 賱丕丨賯丕賸
賰鬲丕亘 噩賷丿
Profile Image for Ange.
301 reviews
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!
Profile Image for Holly Dietor.
14 reviews2 followers
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.
Profile Image for Stephen Gallup.
Author听1 book72 followers
June 7, 2010
I remembered having read this book when rereading Alan Watts' , 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.
Profile Image for hellaD.
10 reviews1 follower
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.
Profile Image for Chloe Kian.
15 reviews2,561 followers
November 14, 2020
Loved this book, hit me at the right time in my life. The words of guidance I needed.
42 reviews
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!
Profile Image for Steward.
9 reviews2 followers
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.
Profile Image for Jenny.
5 reviews38 followers
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!
Profile Image for Paganalexandria .
1,464 reviews
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.
Profile Image for Frederick Jackson.
31 reviews9 followers
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.
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*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.
Profile Image for Donald Powell.
567 reviews44 followers
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.
421 reviews83 followers
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.
Profile Image for Farnoosh Brock.
Author听17 books223 followers
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. :)
Profile Image for Stacey.
194 reviews29 followers
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.
Profile Image for Doug Dillon.
Author听7 books139 followers
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 鈥淩everence鈥�, 鈥淎ddiction鈥�, and 鈥淚llusion鈥�.

This book is highly useful for anyone wanting to explore themselves and their place in a multidimensional universe.
Profile Image for Vani Kaushal.
Author听4 books275 followers
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.
Profile Image for Vui L锚n.
Author听1 book2,756 followers
August 17, 2018
K岷縯 h峄 gi峄痑 nh峄痭g tri岷縯 l铆 c峄 c岷� ph瓢啤ng 膼么ng v脿 ph瓢啤ng T芒y, cu峄憂 s谩ch n脿y l脿 m峄檛 l峄盿 ch峄峮 v么 c霉ng th铆ch h峄 cho nh峄痭g ai quan t芒m 膽岷縩 l末nh v峄眂 t芒m linh. 膼茫 膽瓢峄 chuy峄僴 ng峄� qua 24 th峄� ti岷縩g, 5 n膬m li峄乶 n岷眒 trong b岷g x岷縫 h岷g s谩ch b谩n ch岷 nh岷 c峄 New York Times, ri锚ng t岷 M峄� 膽茫 b谩n 膽瓢峄 5 tri峄噓 b岷 l脿 nh峄痭g con s峄� 岷 t瓢峄g th峄� hi峄噉 s峄� lan t峄廰 v脿 膽贸n 膽峄峜 cu峄憂 s谩ch n脿y.

S峄� c芒n b岷眓g, h瓢峄沶g th瓢峄g l脿 膽i峄乽 b岷 s岷� nh岷璶 ra 峄� b岷 th芒n sau khi 膽峄峜 xong cu峄憂 s谩ch n脿y. Ch瓢a h岷縯, n贸 c农ng 膽茫 thay 膽峄昳 cu峄檆 s峄憂g v脿 c峄﹗ 膽瓢峄 r岷 nhi峄乽 ng瓢峄漣 峄� kh岷痯 n啤i tr锚n th岷� gi峄沬. Cu峄憂 s谩ch n脿y l脿 m峄檛 ngu峄搉 膽峄檔g l峄眂 s峄憂g b岷 t岷璶 cho b岷 k矛 ai. 膼峄玭g b峄� qua cu峄憂 s谩ch n脿y nha.

M矛nh vi岷縯 review nh峄痭g cu峄憂 s谩ch kh谩c t岷 blog nh峄� n脿y
Profile Image for Jacqueline.
6 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2012
I found this book to be really mind opening. I agree with some of the other reviews in that the author does come across as relaying hard evidence... but without the evidence. However, I feel that his approach is effective for the purpose. He does a fantastic job at allowing the reader to look at life from a much deeper perspective than we are normally used to. The information and theories presented have really resonated with me. I truly enjoyed this book and will definitely read it again.
Profile Image for Martine.
255 reviews20 followers
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.
Profile Image for David Lentz.
Author听17 books336 followers
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.
Profile Image for Claudine K.
3 reviews
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....
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