The Eye of The I

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Summary: empty pages?
Review: 21 rave reviews for this book so far and only one of them goes into the slightest detail on the book's contents. What is this book about? A trip to a bookstore that had this in stock might have satisfied my curiosity -- and I may have ended up buying the book -- but it was sealed in plastic, and even had an insert that hid the back of the jacket. Not so much as a jacket blurb to go on? Must be powerful stuff, if they're that afraid that it will get out before the customer puts up the $16.95.
For supporters of this book & author, rather than panning my review (feel free to if you want), how about someone writing a real review of this book that tells us what it is about? It's not some kind of secret, is it?

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Summary: The eye of the I
Review: A book that is receiving enormeous attention in the field of conciousness. Making this book a part of you, will certainly help to comprehend the mechanism and tools to help you transcend your own levels. It changes the perception of reality. Magnificently written and easy to comprehend. Thank you for bringing such a good work David.

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Summary: Review from a seeker on the leisurely path to enlightenment
Review: An immensely powerful book that holds in text, the huge attractor patterns emanating through Hawkins. This physical embodiment of these attractors will help, in time, the unfolding of peace and unity of all selves through the Self. It is my wish that all who seek to know their true Self, absorb and meditate upon its contents, after studying Hawkins' previous writing "Power vs. Force".

A truly wonderful and awesome book.

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Summary: Only for the brave of heart...
Review: Every book I've read up til now on spiritual growth seemed well within reach if one simply practiced some proven principles. David Hawkins material is different. This guy underwent some spiritual shockwave that left him with an entirely different view of reality. That's why I caution the potential buyer. This is not an easy read nor is it meant for people who simply want a more successful life. This is about Hawkins realization that the "self" that we all think we are, is really just an illusion, an abstact cluster of disjointed thoughts, memories, emotions, reactions, etc. and that the belief that our bodies and minds are us, is the root cause of all our pain. Again and again, he reiterates that our real "self" is actually a universal "Self" that is connected to everyone and everything. He argues that the small individual self, the ego, fights like crazy to protect this illusion that it's the real thing. It's really just an abstact. Our true nature, according to Hawkins, it based in a benevolent unifying God force that is all encompassing. It's everything and everywhere and only our ego based fears block our awareness of it. Once we let go of the beliefs that we are our thoughts and opinions, or that we are bodies, then we begin to experience a deeper, truer sense of who we are. This is accompanied by a profound sense of peace and a feeling of "coming home", as if this truth had been there the whole time and we are just remembering it. He makes the analogy that the universal Self/God/Source is much like the sun, in that it continually shines and the only reason we don't feel it and see it, is because it gets blocked by something.

In addition to his own radical reawakening, the premise to much of Hawkins work is based on kinesiology, the body's physical response to posed statements. In testing, when a statement is true, the body (usually an outstretched arm) stays strong. If not true, it dips and goes weak. The amazing part is that it works even if the person being tested does not know the answer. A toxic substance in a sealed envelop will make the person go "weak" even if they believe it to be something good inside. That implies a "universal mind" or cosmic consciousness that supercedes the individuals own predispositons and opinions. It's like we are being governed by a higher force but we are completely unaware of it. By becoming more aware, we can become more conciously aligned with it and live in a more intuitive and less "mental" way. Concisousness becomes our innate guide rather than mental logic.

Again, this is heavy lifting compared to other books I've read and it's not for everyone. Hawkins is big on spirituality and not so hot on religion, which he believes has watered down a lot of the truth. This read requires an open mind and the ability to suspend your entire belief system while you absorb the material. I would recommend it to those who are looking to push the limits and go beyond the traditional confines of successful living.

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Summary: Could Have Been Better
Review: I enjoyed Power vs Force, but this book got me worried.
In a post Holocaust world, even the staunchest Christian should be at least a little concerned about how Jews are portrayed.
...Mr. Hawkins lists the entirety of the Jewish Bible at a level between pride and courage by giving it a rating of 190. Then, with little explanation, he states his personal belief that the Bible would be far more truthful if the Jewish Scriptures were removed in their entirety. This statement is appalling. ...most leading biblical scholars rate the level of textural integrity of the Jewish Scriptures far higher then the integrity of the Christian Scriptures. If Hawkins other theories were not so intriguing I would have thrown my copy out long ago.
My only hope is that Mr. Hawkins will publish the research discoveries leading to his low ranking of such important spiritual documents along with more drawn out explanations of why he feels that these scriptures should be expunged in their entirety from the Bible.
Overall, his inclusion of such statements taints on otherwise enjoyable book.

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Summary: Opened the Eye of My I
Review: I have been a serious spiritual seeker for 12 years and have not come across a work as clearly written as 'The Eye of the I' (except 'Power vs. Force'). I come from an orthodox background, but have had some highly unorthodox experiences without a context to place them in my mind and spirit. This book has opened entire realms of experience that I never knew existed, allowing the paranormal to exist right along side the normal, the orthodox next to the unorthodox.

If you also come from an orthodox religious background and have been raised with blinders on your eyes, be prepared for full vision! Many of the laws, tenents, dogmas, and prejudices that we take for granted are examined with microscopic precision. Many of the 'granteds' I took were only out of necessity because I could not reconcile their incongruencies in my own mind and heart. Dr. Hawkins shows clearly the true nature of God, while at the same time, he does not favor one religious view, denomination, cult, or sect over another; nor does he preclude them.

My only reservation comes from the use of Kinesiology as a tool to test intention. Many factors affect the yes/no test result that have nothing to do with Consciousness. These include, but are not limited to, apolaria (the body not being electrical), general adaptive syndrome (by Hans Selye which we call stress or burnout, from prolonged adrenal gland overuse), dehydration (water is the #1 nutrient Americans do not get enough of), and even the thoughts of the people participating in the test. He claims to have overcome these problems which may be evident in the sheer numbers of trials he has run, and that he has done this research cross-culturally.

Technical points of Kinesiology aside, the spiritual insights are profound. In his first book, Dr. Hawkins stated that just by reading it consciousness could be raised 35 points on his scale. Seekers' consciousnesses will be affected by at least that much again upon completion of this second work. I eagerly anticipate the final volume of the trilogy in November 2002: 'I'.

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Summary: Profound, spirit -transforming truth
Review: I have been a spiritual seeker for some time, reading very widely, attending workshops, praying, meditating, yearning for 'truth.' More than any other book I have ever read, this book speaks to me. It confirms what has always been in my heart. It is accelerating my spiritual progress. If you are a serious spiritual seeker, this book will transform you. Your life will be permanently changed. I am not sure how someone who is confined/bounded by dogma, anxieties and fears will respond to it. Hopefully, it will be freeing to him or her. This book has the power to profoundly alter people's perceptions of reality in extraordinarily positive ways.

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Summary: In search of truth
Review: I have been told that it's good to listen to those who are searching for truth and to avoid those who have found it. In the case of this book and its follow-up "I", I would say that these are a good example of such a saying. I read Power VS force, and enjoyed the thoughts it provoked. I love the effect of provocative literature as it expands my awareness, and widens the view of my subjective conscious world. The more convinced the author is of the matter at hand the better I like it. Although there are several yellow sticky flags poking out from the page edges of both "Eye" and "I", which will draw me again to a particular thoughtful point, my impression after reading these books is that Mr. Hawkins would rather not have been born a human. Do you remember how the Data character of Star trek and the Andrew character of The Millennium Man were an "android that would be man"? Then you will understand what I mean when I say that this author is a "man that would be android". It bothers me that he has something so strongly against being human. This makes me doubt his agenda toward me as a human. It also bothers me that he so completely surrenders his analytical abilities to an unseen entity. God's TRUTH, as read through the muscle spasms of only the most innocent among us--Ask a question, push against someone's outstretched arm, get the truth! I don't know about you, but this... making me doubt my own decision-making ability bothers me a whole lot. If Kinesiology becomes the next religion, I hope I'm not around when it happens. These unseen forces, if they're mostly malevolent, will have a field day tricking us with half-truths just as other religions do. Pass these two up, but enjoy Power VS Force as the real gem of this trilogy.

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Summary: Wow.
Review: I hesitate to review this book becuase I don't know if I am able to adaquately describe it's impact. I will say that you have to give it about 100 pages before you start to really comprehend a lot of what Hawkins is saying. The first half of the book is challanging in parts.

I have an undergraduate degree in religion, and half of a masters degree in psychology. I've had the priviledge of studying numerous mystical, philosophical and religious texts over the past few years. I also studied in a monastary for a month. www.mro.org has more info if you have some time on your hands.

This book was, for me, a begining and an end. It was the end of my search for a comprehensible, non-sectarian description of the mystic experience that I've read pieces of elsewhere but never been able to fully wrap my mind around. It was the begining of something entirely different. Where before I have sought to know about god, after reading the book I seek to know God.

I write this review with the sincere hope that others will see it and choose to purchase the book. I cannot adaquetly describe how rewarding the experience of reading it can be.

Rating:
Summary: In a word, WOW!
Review: I thought Power vs. Force was terrific, but Eye of the I is even better! A down-to-earth, understandable map of the path to Enlightenment -- no small feat! And, having just attended one of his seminars, I must say he's even more impressive (and funny!) in person than on the printed page. A MUST READ for all spiritual seekers.