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I am choosing to write the first of my “spiritual” book reviews on one of my all-time favorite books – Conversations with God – Book 1 by Neale Donald Walsch
I first came across this book in the early 2000s. Somehow, I could not get down to reading it for years. The only way I can explain not reading it is that I was not ready for it. I had read a bit of it, but could not keep interested enough to read it and absorb it. It seemed to have no impact on me at the time.
I finally found it again, all dusty and speckled yellow with age and moisture somewhere in 2009 or 2010. This time I was clearly ready for it for I once I started, could not put it down. It was enthralling, and seemed to be talking directly to me at every moment. It was answering all the questions that I had in my head at the point, and every answer was filled with such beauty and grace, my heart just filled with joy.
The book, which is really a dialogue between the author and God, is a true masterpiece. The author was inspired to write it as he felt a desperate need to pen down an internal dialogue which is supposedly God talking to him. It starts with him being a little incredulous about the possibility but as the book goes on, you cant help but feel like this is God speaking. Every word in that book resonates with me as the truth. Further God is everything I imagine him to be – He/ She has a great sense of humour, is greatly uplifting, deeply inspiring, and from time to time brings out tears of gratitude and joy.
The dialogue covers most topics which are on top of mind for most people such as – Love, money, relationships, work, health and sex! It also serves as an introduction to many new age concepts such as the power of manifestation, affirmations and abundance.
It seeks to break down the traditional view of the tyrannical God and carefully makes a point about frameworks and values that society has created and how most of us follow them without checking if they resonate true to us. It scoffs at the concept of Obedience and Fear of God and empowers us to be like and of him instead.
Every time I read this book, and I have read it many many times, I feel the presence of God . I feel like he is talking to me, and the feeling that I associate with the presence of God is joy and lightness. While lots of books have uplifted and inspired me, there is something a little different with this book. I feel this incredible desire to kiss or hug it from time to time. I believe the desire is to kiss the God, who is talking through the book, but since I do not see him, I reach for the book instead.
Below are some of my favourite quotes on various topics from this book.
On Desires:
Desire is the beginning of all Creation. It is first thought. It is a grand feeling within the soul. It is God choosing what to create next.
On the five attitudes of God:
In the moment of your total knowing (which moment could upon you anytime), you too will feel as I always do: totally joyful, loving, accepting, blessing and grateful
On Creating our Reality:
Thought is the first level of creation. Next comes word. Everything you say is Thought Expressed, it is creative and sends forth energy into the universe.
Life is not a process of discovery, Life is a process of creation.
On Relationships:
The purpose of a relationship is not to have another who might complete you; but to have another with whom you might share your completeness.
On Self-love :
You must first see your Self as worthy before you can see another as worthy. You must first see your Self as blessed before you can see another as blessed. You must first know your Self to be holy before you can acknowledge the holiness in another.
On Truth:
Thats the problem with truth. The truth is relentless. It wont leave you alone. It keeps creeping up on you from every side, showing you whats really so. That can be annoying.
On Obedience:
Obedience is not creation, and therefore can never produce salvation. Obedience is a response while creation is pure choice, undictated and unrequited. Pure choice produce salvation through the pure creations of the highest idea in this moment now. The function of the soul is to indicate its desire, not impose it.
If this review of the book does not tantalize you enough to give this book a shot, then maybe it is a question about readiness, like it was with me. If it does tempt you, then well you are on your way to a most enthralling journey. Enjoy!
