The Call: Discovering Why You Are Here

Rating:
Summary: A Spiritual Workbook
Review: Even more than its two excellent predecessors ("The Invitation" and "The Dance") the third book of Oriah's trilogy is a handbook on how to live. While influences of both the Sufis and Lao-Tze (Taoist) are present, the voice is clearly unique and powerfully original. Grounding her teachings in stories from her life, Oriah marshalls a persuasive argument that the core issue in our lives and our relation to Spirit is not that we need to do more, but that we need to accept who we are. The meditations offer clear and practical steps towards accomplishing that.

This is a practical book, that can be enjoyed whatever the reader's religious views are. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Call to be at peace
Review: I have read two of Oriah's earlier books, the invitation and the dance, and the third in the trilogy i like even better than the other two. Oriah speaks to the reader with absolute honesty - on her relationships, her family, work, fears and hopes of everyday life - and how she deals with it. I particularly liked what she said about finding your 'word' or the one word around which inner dynamics evolve. And her clarity/differentiation between ego and essence is incredible, a noteworthy approach to practical spirituality needed for modern times.
This is definitely not for the average self help person or someone who just wants to 'make it work' with ten points on how-to- it is more for those of us who struggle with finding inner peace and authenticity in all that we do. Also the author has a very verbose style of writing that may not appeal to many - particularly those who are not very word-oriented and that might be something to watch for.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing to say the least
Review: I read the first two books by the same author "The Invitation" and "The Dance" and very much enjoyed them. I had been looking forward to the this book but when I read it I must say I was completely disappointed!!! The first two books had encouraged one to look within oneself for answers but this I found deeply religious as it encouraged worship of a god which does not resonate with me at all.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing to say the least
Review: I read the first two books by the same author "The Invitation" and "The Dance" and very much enjoyed them. I had been looking forward to the this book but when I read it I must say I was completely disappointed!!! The first two books had encouraged one to look within oneself for answers but this I found deeply religious as it encouraged worship of a god which does not resonate with me at all.

Rating:
Summary: A waste of time and money
Review: I've read quite a lot of esoteric, spiritual literature and have usually managed to glean something useful from most of it. This is the exception and seems to be a case of some pseudo-guru making easy money out of a 'spiritual' nom-de-plume. There is no real insight into what exactly 'the Call' might be, just a lot of mystical mumbo-jumbo of the vaguest kind.

For example:
"What comes and goes is our ability to hear it [the 'Call'], our willingness to let go of what we think we are so we can open ourselves to hearing that which calls us back to what we always have been. When we open to this constant call, we remember why we are here and allow this knowledge to create a new and fluid story colored with that knowledge and never mistaken for all of who we are".

Got that? Isn't that a gem? And there's a lot more where that came from. In fact the whole book is a stunning example of how to say absolutely nothing of use, repeatedly, in as many words as humanly possible.

Don't waste your money. If I could get mine back, I would. I begrudge every penny I spent on this vague and boring tosh.

Rating:
Summary: The Call: Discovering Why You Are Here
Review: Stunned by two negative reviews, I feel compelled to add my thoughts about this book--a book which I have heavily highligthted and found to be thoroughly honest. The author deals with the not-so-easy aspects of the spiritual journey with a direct 21st century awareness, using her own life as example. Anyone on a genuine spiritual journey of their own will understand what she means when she writes: "Create a gap in your story and sit within the gap, sit in the emptiness of not knowing who or what you are until an awareness of your essential nature fills you." This is one more book to add to my library of hundreds of volumes of spiritual literature, many of which I gathered while in seminary working towards a master's degree in Spritual Direction. Along with The Cloud of Unknowing, works by the Desert Fathers, Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Evelyn Underhill, Joseph Campbell and others I add Oriah Mountain Dreamer for speaking bravely to our time and, more specifically, to my life.