ARA Review by MardiL of The Unbound Soul

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MardiL
Posts: 7
Joined: 25 Feb 2021, 11:59
Favorite Book: A Gentleman in Moscow
Currently Reading: The Downstaris Girl
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ARA Review by MardiL of The Unbound Soul

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[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, The Unbound Soul.]
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5 out of 5 stars
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This book jumped out at me as this is an area I am interested in and I like to exam different approaches. This book did not disappoint. The author, Richard L. Haight, takes the approach that I think good authors do when writing on these topics. He chronicles his own journey and experiences including both his successes and failures. He describes in detail what he has discovered to be the right path for him as well as how others can take steps to follow.

His first encounter was with Christianity and it did not fully satisfy what he knew he was searching for. Yet, throughout the book, he continues to refer to Christian ideas and quotes the Bible and Jesus. What I like about this is the fact that he did not dismiss the entire philosophy out of hand. He kept the gems that he found there and moved forward. He felt inspired to search for what he calls “the bones of Christ.” Even as he engaged and grew in other philosophies, he kept that goal in mind and heart.

At age 17, after having gone in all the wrong places, he had an experience where he felt inspired to change his life and focus on purpose. He was energized in a new way and felt a power that allowed him to overcome his self-doubt. But the journey was not a straight path to all of the answers. I feel that the way he walks us through his journey is encouraging. This kind of honesty helps others who are going through similar self discovery to be reassured that moments of doubts and even outright failures are a normal part of such a journey. Richard’s honest and detailed description of these aspects of his journey reinforce this truth.

One of my favorite quotes in this book is found on page 25 of 219 pages (in the Kindle version of the book that I read). “All I wanted was understanding, and I was going to do whatever it took, go wherever I had to go, in order to get it, so long as it was right by my conscience and led by spirit.” That is exactly the type of determination that is required and through out entire book he displays this firmness of purpose. I also found it refreshing that when all else failed, he created his own words. The one I think is most germane to the entire focus of the book is “Isness.” I won’t ruin that concept by trying to explain it. But I will share that I find it useful in my own discovery process.

Much of his journey takes place in eastern traditions from marital arts to Tao. To be fair, I admit these are not something I am deeply familiar with. But clearly it was pivotal to his experience. He became an instructor and shared his knowledge with others. It seems to me that his core approach is found on page 46: “Each individual needs to walk their own path with the intent of opening to Isness at their very core.” His key message is in the title of the book, The Unbound Soul and the process he presents he calls “unfoldment.” He emphasizes the importance of awareness, and describes practices that include meditation as well as some other detailed methods to break through to “unfoldment,” harmony, balance, and motivation as well as how to avoid pitfalls like complacency, ego, discouragement, expectations and even how we regard and use food. And, yes, he does identify “the bones of Christ” at the end of the book.

One reason I like Kindle is because I can highlight things that spark my interest as I read and it is easy to go back and find them all. I did this many times while reading this book. No, I do not find everything this author says to be something that I totally agree with. Yet, as I thumb back through the pages, I am surprised by the number of things I did find that I will revisit to makes sure I did not miss out on something that will indeed add to the meaning and strength of my own journey.

Yes, I give this a 5 out of 5. While I was reading the book there were times when I felt that Richard needlessly expanded on certain experiences. But, by the time I finished the book, I could see how each of those fit into the final picture. If you are at all interested in enlightenment, I definitely can recommend this book.

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