Friday is Book Day on the blog, when we take a look at books – old and new — that I highly recommend you not miss. This week’s recommended reading: Big Mind – Big Heart: Finding Your Way, Dennis Genpo Merzel.
Is talking to your own Mind a “conversation with God”? I have often said that this is true, and now comes a book that backs up the thought. The book description of this text at Amazon.com tells us…
“This book presents a highly original and accessible pathway to self-discovery and personal liberation. Since 1999 the Big Mind process has been experienced by many thousands of people in seminars across America. Big Mind employs a Jungian voice dialogue technique that enables people to step out of limited self-concepts into awareness of their many different sub-selves (emotions/mental states).
“In addition to exploration of the more familiar sub-voices like anger and fear, author Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel uses this technique to help people access the ever-present Big Mind/Big Heart awareness – the clear, “just being” awareness and the unconditional compassion that we all can experience. The Big Mind process is now available in book form to bring readers of all backgrounds many benefits including: access to our innate wisdom, compassion and equanimity; openness of mind and ability to shift perspectives; greater presence and empowerment; and appreciation for the wisdom within all of our many sub-selves even ones we tend to dislike or disown, like fear and anger.”
I am intrigued by this title and I think that you will be, too. The review posted at Amazon.com by
Kamie Buddemeier of Marshfield, Wisconsin typifies what I think will be the reaction of most people of developing spiritual consciousness who encounter this book. Here is that commentary…
“This is my first on-line book review ever. I don’t normally take the time, but this particular book is so important that it needs to be shared. It would appear at first to be a self help book, which it also is, but that is only a part of the import here.
“Through this Big Mind process one gains insight first into aspects of the small self and, ultimately, to perspectives that not only transcend the small self but include it – imagine that! To be exposed to different perspectives or “both sides of the coin”, but able to operate from that place that transcends and includes both is life changing.
“The application to the individual is obvious but I believe in actuality goes far beyond the individual. This process can be used by multidisciplinary practitioners to enhance their specialties into more integral models of practice. Master teacher Dennis Genpo Merzel unfolds the process in such an enjoyable, accessible way that I do not think many will fail to see the creative applications that live in this process.
“Absorb the creative process in this book from the Master himself and apply it to your life, your relationships, your career and, most importantly, the world.”
Beliefnet
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posted November 16, 2007 at 5:05 am
Re -Talking to Yourself Can Be Good
Is talking to your own Mind a “conversation with God”?
** Sometimes it is and sometimes it ain’t ! There are all kinds of spirits that talk to you! !… Discernment!, discernment!, discernment!
Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel
** He might be a Zen Master, but he ain’t no God Master !
openness of mind and ability to shift perspectives; greater presence and empowerment; and appreciation for the wisdom within all of our many sub-selves even ones we tend to dislike or disown, like fear and anger.”
** Yeah ! It’s all perspective… and perspective is everything !… You can read all these books about enlightenment, and take mind expanding drugs, and meditate until you are blue in the face (and on the butt) … or you can simply just have conversations (or is the Proversations ?) with God …(that would be God directly, and not all these other people trying to make a buck and a good living at your expense and wealth) . . .”Capitalism” is the process of separating you from your money !
LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
posted November 16, 2007 at 9:55 am
Very interesting, even intriguing.
Yet, I tend to resonate much more when reviews of a book show how one actually applied the ideas in the book and helped their lives. Just saying the book is great or helpful is fine. It’s just way more effective and convincing when actual examples are given.
posted November 16, 2007 at 11:37 am
you know… i’m wondering… in light that the last two days were repeats of blogs in August and October, and now a book review straight from Amazon.com… Has something happend to Mr. Walsch?
posted November 16, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Has something happend to Mr. Walsch?
Yes, methinks too much work, too many projects, to many workshops, talks, travels etc., can make for inconsistency and lack of proper follow uP.
People who over extend themselves come back to balance (if that’s what they desire)usually only afterwards.
I see Neale as being so inspired that he just grabs on more than one can chew, and does it anyways. Perhaps What you are seeing, is the consequences of such inspiration?
posted November 16, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Maybe he’s too busy “Talking to himself!”
LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
posted November 16, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Yes, Wisdum, and by him talking to his GodSelf and having the courage to publish that ongoing dialogue, we learned that we are not merely talking to ourselves!
For this, we are eternally grateful.
Marko, I think you hit the nail on the head. I honestly don’t know how he finds the energy to do all that he does what with retreats, world wide tours, books, blogs, forums, conferences, and so on. In fact, I have never seen one so devoted to getting God’s lovely and peaceful messages out to the rest of us, so much so that one has to wonder how he can possibly create a moment of peace for himself.
We are indeed highly appreciative of all that you do for us, Neale.
Love and peace,
michelle
posted November 16, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Re – michelle | November 16, 2007 7:30 PM
For this, we are eternally grateful.
Yes, Wisdum, and by him talking to his GodSelf and having the courage to publish that ongoing dialogue, we learned that we are not merely talking to ourselves!
** I don’t know if I am gratefull to Neale about anything more than accepting the fact that being bi-polar may not be a dis-ease, as we are labled as, by the medical/psyche profession, but a direct communication by God to and for,ALL of us. It was the realization that perhaps it really was God speaking to me, and not some psychosis, that I should be taking meds for or be locked up. That acceptance changed my entire Life (although all my friends still think I’m crazy, and running “free”) Thank God I have witnesses and hard copy of my experiences (some of which is on a Belief Community page under Wisdum). I tell you this, it is a Hell of a lot better than being abused, tortuted and crucified ! Neale on the other hand …”Be careful what you ask or pray for, you just might get it!”
LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
posted November 17, 2007 at 1:50 am
Gang of One,
Concepts can and have been embraced in a variety of contexts for purposes of appreciation. The ‘Big Mind’ concept is a variant on Two Point Meditation. In two point meditation, One appreciates the point of One’s owned awareness in contact with the point of Absolute Awareness, the Buddha. One then welcomes awareness of the Buddha into One’s awareness.
In this contemplation, One perceives that One has differentiated from the whole for the purpose of being who One is being. When One graciously acknowledges that the individuated experience has been chosen for observing all that makes it feel different than the whole, One might understand that the individuated experience, all of it, has arisen by choice. In that unifying moment, One glimpses the enlightening truth that One is One with the whole. We are all One.One simply chose to imagine otherwise for purposes that would be appreciated by the whole.
I use these questions to achieve this state of awareness:
What if awareness is all there is? What does one know without awareness? What if information is simply awareness bundled for purposes of shared appreciation? What if the only thing individual about any One of Us is One’s individuated unawareness of being God? If everything else is God being expressed about One individuated unawareness, might that unawareness have arisen by choice? If One chose that, who and what am I?
It’s not so hard to imagine. People imagining themselves talking to the ‘Big Mind’ do it all the time. Occasionally, I am sure some of them follow a similar line of questioning. It can be an enlightening experience.
The important thing One appreciates in this meditation is that One chose One’s experiences for purposes of appreciation. Why else bother?
We are all One. One designed it this way with the Graciously Organized Design of One’s Absolute Awareness. I observe that those who play with the ‘Big Mind- Big Heart’ awareness, acknowledge something those who willfully ignore might benefit from appreciating. Namaste.
posted November 17, 2007 at 2:42 am
There’s nothing here to indicate Neale even read this book. All he has done here is quote the Amazon review page.
posted November 17, 2007 at 11:54 am
re: “I have never seen one so devoted to getting God’s lovely and peaceful messages out to the rest of us, so much so that one has to wonder how he can possibly create a moment of peace for himself.”
Posted by: michelle | November 16, 2007 7:30 PM
Michelle,
just a question (no flame intended)… did you not know most of God’s messages before you started reading Neale’s books? when you read some of Neale’s personal insights do you say, “wow I didn’t know that” or do you nod your head and say, “right, right – that’s right”?
Also, the peace is in the doing.
hugz,
Cully
posted November 17, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Hi Cully,
no flame taken. As my encounter with true conscious awareness of God’s existence within One came apriori knowledge of Neale Donald Walsch, the person, and apriori The Conversation With God, the books, I would have to say that it was more like the latter. And because of my own experience, which took me years to declare in any real sense to anyone other than my closest, closest family members, I can appreciate exactly how much courage it took to publish such books.
Thanks for asking.
Have a lovely day.
Love and peace,
michelle
posted November 17, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Cully,
I meant to say “…and apriori knowledge of Conversations With God, the books” as his books started coming out a couple of years before my first encouner with a Holy Experience. After my experience, I happened upon his books in a Barnes and Noble bookstore and was immediately struck by the title which I had also previously “thought” of.
Love and peace,
michelle
posted November 17, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Thanks Michelle… another question: what do you mean by the word “apriori”? I only know this in relation to the probability of something, which doesn’t seem to make sense in your context (but I could be wrong).
and re: “And because of my own experience, which took me years to declare in any real sense to anyone other than my closest, closest family members,..”
I fully understand
posted November 17, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Hi Cully,
I am using apriori in the sense “formed or conceived beforehand” meaning I was totally unaware of Neale’s name even and his books and my awareness of God within was formed and conceived before having come into physical contact wth his books.
Thanks for understanding.
love and peace,
michelle
posted November 17, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Michelle,
re “I am using apriori in the sense ‘formed or conceived beforehand’”
Thanks! I love learning new words
Blessings!