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Summary: Contradiction, Paradox, Mystery and Soulfulness
Review: As I sat on a plane returning from a conference in San Francisco, I saw an advertisement for the Fairmont hotels - where the conference had been held. It read, "Some say we're the heart of these cities - we prefer to think of ourselves as their soul." I did not leave my heart in San Francisco, and I cannot say that I found my soul (or the city's) at the Fairmont either. Such confusion may explain why one might write or read a book titled Care of the Soul. This New York Times bestseller is by a well-known lecturer and writer. Thomas Moore, as a former Roman Catholic monk and psychotherapist for many years, asserts, "The greatest malady of the twentieth century, implicated in all of our troubles and affecting us individually and socially, is 'loss of soul." Moore hopes to encourage us to "give voice to our souls." He believes that care for the soul takes place in ways fundamentally different from how we usually approach our quests for happiness. He uses insightful connections to archetypal psychology and mythology. Moore makes the case for a "continuous process that concerns itself not so much with 'fixing' a central flaw as with attending to the small details of everyday life, as well as to major decisions and changes." As a therapist, Moore endeavors to give back to a person what is problematical in ways that reveal the problem's necessity and value. As a theologian, Moore sees the mystery of the soul within this same context of embracing contradiction and paradox. Human history records generations that have studied the soul. Yet, that which we claim animates and embodies what is the essence of life and of the individual continues to bewilder us. We seem to sense the dangers of losing soulfulness, but less able to speak clearly about how we could nurture and care for our souls. Is the secret to be found it what we tend to reject? Are we meant to be more at ease with the idiosyncrasies and unexpected things of life? Such is Moore's premise, as he attempts to take his reader on a journey to the "unfathomable mystery that is the very seed and heart of each individual." Since my days in college as a struggling English major, I have found books like this one helpfully digested in a seminar or discussion group. That is why I chose it for a Lenten study. It will challenge you to find some way of giving your soul the attention you give your body, mind, and emotions. If spirituality is about how we connect faith and everyday life, then Moore is on the right track wondering about how we cultivate "depth and sacredness in everyday life."
Rating: 
Summary: A timeless classic.
Review: Care of the Soul contains exactly what is missing in psychology/counseling/psychotherapy; soul. Most of the counseling books I have had to read have been about as rich and as captivating as a Chilton's car repair manual. Sometimes I feel that as counselors, we are out own worst enemy. Like a previous reviewer noted, this book is all about mystery, paradox, wonder, and living authentically and mindfully. This is the type of book that you have to let speak to you, as opposed to reading it and trying to figure out what the author is talking about, which is how most people, undoubtedly, have read this book. To do so destroys the magic of the soul. Early on in the book Moore establishes that in order to cultivate depth, sacredness, truth,simplicity, profundity, and reality in our inner lives, we must become curators of our own soul; he traces the etymology of the word "care," in a way that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Get this right away, and the book will be a life transforming experience. Read it intellectually like most people read psychology/counseling/and psychotherapy books, and Care of the Soul will just seem like a lot of "new age" ..., which it is definately not.
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Summary: Wonderful, Thoughtful Book On The Sacred
Review: Evidently the author is a neighbor of mine, given the fact that he lives less than a dozen miles away in another local rural hamlet. Yet I knew virtually nothing about him or his masterwork until a friend gave it to me as a present, telling me with a chuckle and a knowing look that I needed some work on my soul. Indeed. For anyone attempting to take amore spiritual path, this book certainly provides some essential grist for grinding away on the eternal issues facing each of us, the battle for good against evil within our own hearts. The narrative of the book reminds me of no one more than Thomas Merton, and in this fashion, Moore, also once a monk, as was Merton retraces some familiar pathways for those of us who were earlier exposed to a dollop of his thought in undergraduate or graduate school. Yet it would be grossly unfair to Moore to simply dismiss him as being nothing more than a revisionist of Merton's weighty and somewhat puzzling observations and prognostications about the world and our place in it. Moore does much more than that in this thin yet provocative and thought-stirring tome; what he winds up offering the reader is nothing less than a life-embracing philosophy. Moore encourages the reader to cultivate his or her own peace, dignity, and depth of character by grounding ourselves in meaningful and eventful daily rituals, things that firmly plant us in our natural surroundings. In times such as these, when the media and the outside world tries to overwhelm us with all they want to sell us and convince us we need from them to live more meaningful and more fulfilled lives. It is hard to do justice to the benefit one can derive from reading about the simple virtues or the provocative truths he offers in this book. Enjoy!
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Summary: A Light in the Universal Darkness
Review: In a time when the communications in writing and on the radio and television waves all appear to be proclaiming Armageddon, when crime is mounting not only in the terrorist activities throughout the globe but also on our hometown sidewalks, streets, neighborhoods and schools, and when lasting relationships and friendships seem to be taking on the semblance of extinction - in these perilous and sad times Thomas Moore's CARE OF THE SOUL glows with particular meaning. In this wondrously simple book Moore reacquaints us with the self and the sacredness of our individual being (or soul). He encourages us to be introspective, find the core of our being, honor the beauty of our uniqueness, love our human frailty, and in doing so we can grow to be a whole person, capable of loving our self and extending that love to all of mankind. Does that sound banal in the year 2002? Well, perhaps that is our universal failing. Would that we could broadcast this book's message in place of all the media blitz of war and death and terror and gloom! And perhaps if we individually read and absorb Moore's thoughtful teachings then the sharing of this new self respect could alter the course of current events. A beautifully written, incredibly valuable book, and a worthy gift to ones you love!
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Summary: Exploring Spiritual Potentialities Within
Review: We already know that it is possible to "feed" the brain as well as the body. Moore explains why and how it is also possible to "feed" the soul. For me, that is the core concept in his book. He sees this book as a "fiction" of self-help because "no one can tell you how to live your life. No one knows the secrets of the heart sufficiently to tell others all about them authoritatively." Hence Moore's focus on the care of the soul which, if sufficient to the soul's needs, enables us to achieve spiritual health at a time when "the mind is separated from body and spirituality is at odds with materialism." In Part IV, he shifts his and his reader's attention to "Care of the World's Soul," an obligation which the world's great religions require of those who profess to be devout Muslims, Jews, or Buddhists as well as Christians. This book will not be of substantial value to everyone because many people are unwilling and/or unable to absorb and then digest what may seem to them to be a simplistic invitation: To feed the soul with at least as much care as they now feed their minds and/or their bodies. Nonetheless, I hope at least a few of them allow Moore the full opportunity to share what he offers by reading his book with an open mind.
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Summary: Neocons and New Age Types Don't Get It!
Review: As I read through the bad reviews of this book, it became clear to me that each bad reviewer was a Neocon or something close to that. These people want a black and white world devoid of paradox. They write and speak in buzz words and catch phrases ("psychobabble" "moral authority", etc.) and otherwise engage in a group regurgitation of moralistic cliches. Too bad. They just don't get it. I will agree that Care of The Soul could easily be misinterpreted by New Age types. They seem to want to live in a world that has easy and fixed answers, too. They, like the Neocons, miss the point altogether: Literalism harms the soul. And this is Moore's premise, I believe. Literalism might make you feel secure in your beliefs, but it will cause you problems in your life. What to do then? Keep exploring. How? Unless you are a Neocon or a New Age type and don't have one, use your imagination. And realize this: none of us ever knows all there is to know about anything. I know that sounds simplistic, but I am astonished at how often people (including me) speak as though they have forgotten that simple truth. If you need the Dr. Lauras, Rush Limbaughs, and Bill Bennetts of the world to validate or invalidate your life according to their edicts (which they themselves have hypocritically violated so very often)then this book is not for you. But if you have sufficient psychological strength and an imagination nurtured by love and intellectual curiosity, Care of The Soul will help you to look deep inside your self (selves)where every imaginable joy and sorrow, pain and ecstasy, and everything in between exists (Where else could they? Again, how easily we forget). If you can endure all the paradox you find (no easy answers remember), you will grow (sometimes painfully, sometimes joyfully, sometimes imperceptibly) towards greater consciousness of all that is important in life while knowing always that the journey doesn't end until death (or possibly beyond - who knows?). And one last thing: Please don't take everything I say literally. Use YOUR imagination and intellect to have an exciting journey toward deeper self/other understanding and realization.
Rating: 
Summary: What Claptrap
Review: "Soul" turns out to be something like "pornography": Moore cannot define it, but he knows it when he sees it. Everybody knows he or she has one (do they?), and all of the world's troubles can be attributed to sick souls...whatever they are. Since Moore never really pins down what "soul" is, he does not have to worry about being consistant or inteligible. He is free to intrepret dreams, Greek myth, and Jung in whatever way fits his thesis--which seems to be that people are complex and they should accept their complexity. Do we need a book for that? Moore talks about the troubled people he has seen in his theraputic practice, but I am not sure he ever talks about helping them in any meaningful way. (I have to admit that I gave up halfway through the book; life is too short to waste on New Age claptrap like this.) Since he is only "caring" for souls, not "curing" them, I guess it does not make any difference, but I ache for those people who found this book a help and a guide.
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Summary: A Must Have and Must Give
Review: I remember sitting by my fireplace reading "Care of the Soul" years ago. Little did I know, this one book would transform my life. Care of the Soul is my favorite book. It is written in a narrative style that not only enables the reader to embrace their soul, but has the ability to teach how to create a more meaningful life. From the smallest daily endeavor to lifes larger moments, applying the underlying principles in Care of the Soul gives readers the ability to find true happiness in everyday life. I have only read this book once. I had to give it to someone immediately and share what I had learned. Needless to say, I have purchased and given this book to others more times than I remember. Of course, this is not the type of thing you keep to yourself if you truly understand the meaning within the words. Nor do you need to re-read the book. By reading this book once, I became more fulfilled in my everyday life, more intent on pursuing my dreams, and more successful in my endeavors. I highly recommend this book, although many may not understand that this is not a book to "read" but to "apply."
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Summary: Who Am I?
Review: From beginning to end this book on tape accompanied me through my day, highlighting the routine activities of gardening and housework. As I listened to Moore's words, I felt more and more aware of the importance of each thing I did, decision I made, person I talked to, smile I sent another's way. Thomas Moore's intelligence and education is only surpassed by his human understanding, compassion and ability to relate the Soul's needs to the common person, making them feel unique and important in their endeavor to do their best in this life. This is truly an all encompassing book for anyone who seeks fulfillment out of life. It can be done!
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Summary: Spirituality for white men
Review: I bought this book because I had been led to believe that it challenged existing beliefs--it was supposed to be something spiritual, not religious. But Moore's work is a continuation of a tradition in which god is male, the truly spiritual are those who use rationality to overcome emotionality, and all is right in the world because white men are in charge. ...
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