Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Gem
Review: One of the things that makes this book great is that it can disentangle a lot of confusion that many anxious seekers out there are going through to 'fix' themselves. It's a book that can help bring you out of the trap of always working on yourself or to 'improve' yourself. This book gets you to look at your wholeness HERE & NOW. To see all of your mental resistance from a place of nonjudgmental awarness that naturally resolves mental anguish.
The tricky thing about this book is that while I'm deeply impressed with the premise and agree 100% with it, I feel that the book doesn't do the author's illuminative principals full justice. I think that because people are so DEEPLY conditioned to try to fix themselves all the time, the authors could have explained themselves a bit better. The book is a tad bit too short and I felt the design of the book (inside & out)was very poor: the whole design, layout, fonts, artwork which might create some resistance into buying into its teachings for some(let's get real, people do judge a book by its cover! The book looks kind of like a book created for a young female teen).
Even though it's great they kept it short, it may have been just a bit too short, if it hadn't been for also reading 'The Unborn teachings of Zen Master Bankei' and 'The Power of Now' and purchasing one of the Kanes' tapes, I never would have been able to fully grasp their premise just based on this book. That's why I think they got some of those negative reviews. Because what they're saying is kind of radical even though I know it's very simple,(and true) people are naturally going to disagree (How the Hell am I supposed to get better by doing nothin'?)I think it would have helped to write a bit more. My advice would be that for the next printing they should totally redesign the book and add a bit more text (perhaps some Q & A)and they would have a treasure on their hands.
Nevertheless, as it stands, this book is a GEM and I strongly reccomend reading it. It can get you to begin to surrender to your Higher Nature more and not fall into trying to manipulate yourself with all these popular self improvement techniques that only set you back in many ways.
Rating: 
Summary: Falls Flat
Review: I received my copy of "Working On Yourself..." around 6 o'clock this evening. Two hours later I've now finished the book...Seriously. This book has no follow through. Once I read the theory I wanted to know how others USED this book. It never happened. This is a book with style and no substance.Comments such as "What I resist, persists and goes stronger" are not new. I kept waiting for some great insight to be presented but it never was. If you had goals and wanted to improve your life -create more prosperity and health in your life- this book would not be helpful. One final comment. The size of the type is almost painfully small. The Kanes need a better book designer.
Rating:
Summary: Instantaneous Transformation
Review: I have read and reread this book many times since purchasing it last year and every time I 'hear' something new.
Their approach to living life in the moment is described with such simplicity and accuracy that I didn't actually put the book down until I was finished reading it. It's clear that the authors, Ariel and Shya Kane, want to unveil an old philosophy that has alluded so many 'seekers' throughout time, by describing 'Instantaneous Transformation" in such a way that everyone can benefit.
Rating: 
Summary: Entirely Not Lifechanging
Review: This was hardly worthwhile, and certainly you can do better with alternative selections in the category.
Rating: 
Summary: Waste of paper -- and your money
Review: This book is filled with stuff you already know. Don't believe the hype -- it seems the many positive reviews about his book were written by the same person or people. And I don't know what book they were reading but it wasn't this one. Pass.
Rating:
Summary: Haven't I heard this somewhere else???
Review: Many of the ideas presented in this book, while they are radical, inspiring and potentially life-changing, seem to have been lifted straight out of the Landmark Forum, a 3-day workshop that is a modern incarnation of Est. While I support the dissemination of the philosophy outlined in this book, I am deeply skeptical of the authors, who apparently lack the integrity/humility to give credit for these ideas where it's due. In truth, I'm not certain the original source of these concepts was est/Landmark either - but at least, in my experience of the Landmark Forum, they are presented there in an original, inspiring and highly effective manner. While I don't necessarily fault the authors for recycling old material, I would respect and trust them more if they made an effort to put an original spin on this old-but-good material. If they passed through my town, I wouldn't give them my time or my money.
Rating:
Summary: Dharma for sale?
Review: It appears these authors may have a decent working knowledge of technologies & perspectives related to present-centered awareness and the path toward enlightenment, but you won't get much information on how to actually practice such things by reading this book. It's heavy on personal anecdotes & inspirational teasers, but very short on advice regarding how to live in a way that's consistent with the points of these anecdotes and teasers. And it's disturbing to see that they've put a copyright on their method of training (Instantaneous Transformation, if I may be allowed to use that term without taking any legal risks) when their method of training appears to consist of 2500 year-old perspectives & principles, and more recent embodiments of such teachings that have filtered through 60's and 70's encounter groups like EST. This book strikes me more like an advertisement for their other products and their workshops ... than anything substantial. I'm not saying these people don't have something of value to teach, and I'm not saying they don't care about their work or the positive effects their work may have on others. I doubt you can do what they do without caring about others and about the principles they teach. I am saying be skeptical about about those who apparently have a strong enough financial stake in what they're teaching to put a copyright on the name of their "revolutionary new technology", and to charge such high prices for their takes on teachings & practices that have been around for 2500 years. There is nothing revolutionary about present-centered awareness, englightenment, and even more subtle aspects of their training (e.g., they did not "invent" the distinctions between choice and decision they discuss in this book--these distinctions have been around for a while). You can work toward enlightenment, happiness, & contentment for alot cheaper elsewhere, folks ...
Rating:
Summary: Muddled and Boring
Review: I bought this book because of some of the good reviews on Amazon.com. What a mistake! The book is muddled, boring, and virtually unreadable. Don't waste your money.
Rating:
Summary: "Increase Your Productivity & Have More Time"
Review: I feel really good about myself and the magical things that have been happening since re-reading "Working On Yourself Doesn't Work". As recommended in the book, I simply noticed how often I complain about things in my head and then got back to what needed to be done. An amazing thing has happened...I am more productive at work and tasks that had taken me days are now only taking hours. I am certain that the success I have in my career, is a direct result out of reading their book... Much thanks to Ariel & Shya for writing such a great book!
Rating:
Summary: An invitation to enjoy rather than endure life!
Review: Ariel and Shya Kane have written a lovely, clear gift of a book that gave me insight and permission to stop being so hard on myself and others. I was able to relax and embrace my life just as it is after reading their book. I wasn't really expecting to transform instantaneously and yet the simple act of "noticing my actions rather than judging them" as they suggest, invited me to not try so hard and therefore easily, effortlessly look at each day each moment as the gift that it is. I began to notice even before finishing the book that I was indeed living a more smooth life. Meetings with people that had formerly caused me stress flowed with laughter and productive conversation. It was remarkable to me that after years of feeling like struggling and fighting real hard to get my goals and whip my life into shape
that cutting myself a break would be the thing that would release my grace and creativity. Ariel and Shya have generously shared examples from their own experiences as well as those of friends and family. Those stories show that in real life, in the real world, one can have ease and satisfaction moment to moment. After all that's just what life is: moments. I'm grateful that I read it and I plan to read it again and again. I've even given it as gifts to friends who'd wondered why after getting exactly what they said they wanted, they still weren't content. They've thanked me and I feel like my friendships with them are fresh and new.
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