One of the most memorable books I have ever read is the topic of today's review. It is called Illusions, and it may affect you profoundly.
(NOTE: Friday is Book & Movie Day on the blog, when we take a look at texts and films – old and new -- that I highly recommend you not miss. This week’s recommendation: ILLUSIONS, by RICHARD BACH)
This is a book written back in the 70s, if I am right, and it is one of the most wonderful pieces of literature I have ever picked up. I love Richard Bach for writing this, al though I don't agree with every word in it.
Here, i an unforgettable follow-up to his phenomenal bestseller Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach takes to the air to discover the ageless truths that give our souls wings: that people don't need airplanes to soar...that even the darkest clouds have meaning once we lift ourselves above them... and that messiahs can be found in the unlikeliest places--like hay fields, one-traffic-light mid-western towns, and most of all, deep within ourselves.
The inside flap of this book says..."In the cloud-washed airspace between the cornfields of Illinois and blue infinity, a man puts his faith in the propeller of his biplane. For disillusioned writer and itinerant barnstormer Richard Bach, belief is as real as a full tank of gas and sparks firing in the cylinders...until he meets Donald Shimoda--former mechanic and self-described messiah who can make wrenches fly and Richard's imagination soar...."
This is a fantasy piece (or is it??) that has captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of readers. It will capture yours, too -- if it has not already done so. Even if you have read it, it is time to read it again.
I am not going to give away the plot here, nor any of its inner twists and turns. Just know that this is a book you want to read. It's a quick book -- just 144 pages.
I have just one disagreement with Richard's text. The book suggests that we are all disconnected, and that we have no spiritual or moral or even humane obligation toward each other. Well, I agree with the word "obligation" not applying here. Conversations with God tells us that there is no such thing as "obligation," only "opportunity." So that, I agree with. But in my own thought system, it feels as if we are all One. All interconnected.
That discussion aside, this book will fill you with warmth and wonder. I adore it.
NOW...on BOOK DAY...I would surely be remiss if I failed to mention that my own latest book has just been released. If you are a regular on this blog, you already know this, but allow me to drop in a quick mention if you have not heard about it.
The book is called Happier Than God and it is receiving wonderful reader reviews at Amazon. com. Perhaps you might find it interesting to simply bop over to Amazon and check it out. Just click on the book cover icon to the right of this blog.
And...make it a wonderful Friday!
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"KNOWLEDGE CAN BE COMMUNICATED, BUT NOT WISDOM. ONE CAN FIND IT, LIVE IT, BE FORTIFIED BY IT, DO WONNDERS THROUGH IT, BUT ONE CANNOT COMMUNICATE AND TEACH IT. I SUSPECTED THIS WHEN I WAS STILL A YOUTH AND IT WAS THIS THAT DROVE ME AWAY FROM TEACHERS. THERE IS ONE THOUGHT I HAVE HAD, GOVINDA, WHICH YOU WILL AGAIN THINK IS A JUST OR FOLLY: THAT IS, IN EVERY TRUTH THE OPPOSITE IS EQUALLY TRUE, FOR EXAMPLE, A TRUTH CAN ONLY BE EXPRESSED AND ENVELOPED IN WORDS IF IT IS ONE-SIDED. EVERYTHING THAT IS THOUGHT AND EXPRESSED IN WORDS IS ONE-SIDED, ONLY HALF THE TRUTH; IT ALL LACKS TOTALITY, COMPLETENESS, UNITY. WHEN THE ILLUSTRIOUS BUDDHA TAUGHT ABOUT THE WORLD, HE HAD TO DIVIDE IT INTO SAMSARA AND NIRVANA, INTO ILLUSION AND TRUTH, INTO SUFFERING AND SALVATION. ONE CANNOT DO OTHERWISE, THERE IS NO OTHER METHOD FOR THOSE WHO TEACH. BUT THE WORLD ITSELF, BEING IN AND AROUND US, IS NEVER ONE-SIDED. NEVER IS A MAN OR A DEED WHOLLY A SAINT OR A SINNER. THIS ONLY SEEMS SO BECAUSE WE SUFFER THE ILLUSION THAT TIME IS SOMETHING REAL. TIME IS NOT REAL, GOVINDA. I HAVE REALIZED THIS REPEATEDLY. AND IF TIME IS NOT REAL, THEN THE DIVIDING LINE THAT SEEMS TO LIE BETWEEN THIS WORLD AND ETERNITY, BETWEEN SUFFERING AND BLISS, BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, IS ALSO AN ILLUSION."
"HOW IS THAT?" ASKED GOVINDA, PUZZLED.
"LISTEN, MY FRIEND! I AM A SINNER AND YOU ARE A SINNER, BUT SOMEDAY THE SINNER WILL BE BRAHMA AGAIN, WILL SOMEDAY ATTAIN NIRVANA, WILL SOMEDAY BECOME A BUDDHA. NOW THIS 'SOMEDAY' IS ILLUSION; IT IS ONLY A CAMPARISON. THE SINNER IS NOT ON THE WAY TO A BUDDHA-LIKE STATE; HE IS NOT EVOLVING, ALTHOUGH OUR THINKING CANNOT CONCEIVE THINGS OTHERWISE. NO, THE POTENTIAL BUDDHA ALREADY EXISTS IN THE SINNER; HIS FUTURE IS ALREADY THERE. THE POTENTIAL HIDDEN BUDDHA MUST BE RECOGNIZED IN HIM, IN YOU IN EVERYBODY. THE WORLD IS NOT IMPERFECT OR SLOWLY EVOLVING ALONG A LONG PATH TO PERFECTION. NO, IT IS PERFECT AT EVERY MOMENT; EVERY SIN ALREADY CARRIES GRACE WITHIN IT, ALL SMALL CHILDREN ARE POTENTIAL OLD MEN, ALL SUCKLINGS HAVE DEATH WITHIN THEM, ALL DYING PEOPLE--ETERNAL LIFE. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ONE PERSON TO SEE HOW FAR ANOTHER IS ON THE WAY; THE BUDDHA EXISTS IN THE ROBBER AND DICE PLAYER; THE ROBBER EXISTS IN THE BRAHMIN. DURING DEEP MEDITATION IT IS POSSIBLE TO DISPEL TIME, TO SEE SIMULTANEOUSLY ALL THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, AND THEN EVERYTHING IS GOOD, EVERYTHING IS PERFECT, EVERYTHING IS BRAHMAN. THEREFORE, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS IS GOOD--DEATH AS WELL AS LIFE, SIN AS WELL AS HOLINESS, WISDOM AS WELL AS FOLLY. EVERYTHING IS NECESSARY, EVERYTHING NEEDS ONLY MY AGREEMENT, MY ASSENT, MY LOVING UNDERSTANDING; THEN ALL IS WELL WITH ME AND NOTHING CAN HARM ME. I LEARNED THROUGH MY BODY AND SOUL THAT IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO SIN, THAT I NEEDED LUST, THAT I HAD TO STRIVE FOR PROPERTY AND EXPERIENCE NAUSEA AND THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR IN ORDER TO LEARN NOT TO RESIST THEM, IN ORDER TO LEARN TO LOVE THE WORLD, AND NO LONGER COMPARE IT WITH SOME KIND OF DESIRED IMAGINARY WORLD, SOME INARINARY VISION OF PERFECTION, BUT TO LEAVE IT AS IT IS, TO LOVE IT AND BE GLAD TO BELONG TO IT."
THESE ARE WORDS OF SIDDHARTHA TO HIS FRIEND GOVINDA IN THE BOOK,"SIDDHARTHA" BY HERMANN HESSE.
IT IS A LING QUOTE, BUT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ILLUSION!!!
Wow, I found this review very interesting and enlightening. I also enjoyed reading the blogs. I'm a little bit of a skeptic when it comes to beliefs. I am particularly unsure about having such confidence that a 'messiah' can be found within ourselves. I think we each know we have our limitations. How would Richard Bach define 'messiah?' Hope is attached to that word. How can we find hope within ourselves? I think if we are really honest, we know deep down that we are not our own messiah because we question if even that is true. If hope is found within ourselves, then why do we keep trying to fill that emptiness? If hope is found within ourselves, why do we lack confidence in our beliefs? Everything's not okay. This world's a mess. How messy is it? Here's a word picture: We are all drowning in an ocean. Can a drowning person save him or herself? No, but some have been saved.
The lifeguard (namely, Jesus Christ), has rescued millions from the hopeless sea of uncertainty. This review on Illusions says the book will capture your heart, that it will fill you with warmth and wonder. Being filled with warmth and wonder over a false sense of security differs quite significantly with wonder over a confidence of truth that can be known. We (readers, authors, business people, teachers, Buddha, etc) don't have the authority to make a truth claim. But somebody who did and does have authority has made a truth claim. And He would not say sin is holy. Sin is wrong, horribly wrong. We know sin is wrong when someone cheated on us. We know sin is wrong when someone suffers mistreatment. The Bible teaches that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). That's what's wrong with us. That's why we can't save ourselves. That's why we can't be our own "messiahs." We are in that ocean telling ourselves that with just one more stroke, we'll make it to shore. We only grow weary in the process. The news only gets worse: "For the wages of sin is death..."(Romans 6:23). Each one who sins has earned death. But here is where GOOD NEWS comes in. Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." He had done nothing wrong, having never sinned. But because of His love for us, He became our substitute. He took upon Himself what we had earned -- death. But He did not stay dead. He rose from the dead. He is a living, breathing, existing God.
Our response for salvation? It is not to look within ourselves, but at someone who can actually perform the rescue: "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3). Also, Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
This is real hope!
I am a major Richard Bach fan. "Illusions" was the first book of his that I read in the early 80s. His books, Ruth Montgomery's and the CWG books have paved the road on which I walk today and have enabled me to see more Life along the way. God-inspired writings--ALL of them!
Having just read the text in reference to "the signs are everywhere"..
i then chose to click immediately onto the text on "illusions"..
as a synchronistic aspect of this experience..
less than two full days prior to this reading today..
i held in my hand Richard Bach's ILLUSIONS..
skimmed the cover text..and placed it back on the shelf..
today..i will return and read ILLUSIONS..
thank you NDW for the affirmation that the signs that are occuring now..are..
Leora
a poete and a seeker
Dear Friends,
I am Jagan Mohan, from India. I have read Four books regarding meditation what are converted into the telugu language which one of the following languages in India.
1. Jonathan Livingston Seaghull.
2. Illusitions
3. Master Ramtha
4. Mirdad.
I can't express the depth of the theme. and i could easily understood as it is there in out language Translated from English to Telugu.
And i am decided to choose my master is Richard Bach. I have seen his photograph but i would like to speak him, atleast i would like to send a mail to him. This is my desire of course i have been searching for his phone or email. could any body help me to speak with out master.
Thanking you.
Jagan ( Meditator)
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