Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives by Brian Weiss Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives
Book Review: Past Lives... true?
Summary: 4 Stars
I read this book when I was having a very stressful time in my life and itgave me inspiration. I have always believed in reincarnation and thisbook is inspiring. How exciting to find out the lives you livedpreviously, be them good or bad? If only we could all have sessions withDr Weiss, I'm sure the world would be a better place to live in. It's agreat read and well written. Dr Weiss does not bombard you withpsychological theories or technical descriptions. It's simple and givesout the messages that the masters have stated. Well done.Book Review: Re-incarnation, reality or fantasy?
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a most intriguing book, it whilst telling the story of Dr. Weiss and his patient, Catherine, poses so many questions it is difficult to know where to start. There are no answers given in this narrative, the reader will have to seek them out for him or herself. That said if you have no knowledge about re-incarnation this book will whet your appetite to learn more. It is written in the most accessible language possible, I devoured it in two late night readings and was loth to put it down. It does have a most attractive hypothesis, after all who would not be attracted by the thought of a type of immortality, but that is only a minor part of the whole. The book is essentially reinforcing the idea that the individual is responsible for the choices he/she has made in life, if the wrong choices are made and lessons are not learnt from them, then any future existence will have to revisit those issues until the appropriate lessons have been learnt. This is not new-age mumbo jumbo but a serious look at the nature of existence and personal responsibility, why we are here, lead the lives we do, make the choices we make.
I used the word intriguing at the beginning of this review quite deliberately. I have read this book once and am just about to re-read it and I will almost certainly get more out of it the second time around. I will equally certainly go to to read other books on the same/similar subjects.
Book Review: For those open to the concept of reincarnation
Summary: 5 Stars
Weiss, Chief of Psychiatry at a large university-affiliated hospital in Miami, first met 27 year old Catherine in 1980 when seeking help for her anxiety, panic attacks and phobias. For 18 months he used conventional methods without success but then in a series of hypnotic trance states Catherine recalled past-life memories that proved to be the causative factors of her symptoms leading to her cure within a few months. She did not believe in reincarnation but acted as a conduit for secrets of life and death from highly evolved spirit entities, some of which were specifically for him. Weiss's life would never be the same again.When the guide described artifacts at an Egyptian exhibit she found herself correcting him and at the next treatment Weiss regressed her, asking her to recall earlier ages; "Go back to the time from which your symptoms arise." "We live in a valley; there is no water; the year is 1863 B.C. The area is barren, hot and sandy. There is a well, no rivers. Water comes into the valley from the mountains. There are big waves knocking down trees. There's no place to run. It's cold; the water is cold. I have to save my baby, but I cannot; just have to hold her tight. I drown; the water chokes me." In later sessions he found that her experience of death in her many lives was similar each time. A conscious part of her would leave the body around the moment of death, floating above and then being drawn to a wonderful, energizing light. She would then wait for someone to come and help her. The soul automatically passed on. Weiss investigated references to reincarnation. "In A.D. 325 the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, along with his mother, Helena, had deleted references to reincarnation contained in the New Testament. The Second Council of Constantinople, meeting in A.D. 553, confirmed this action and declared the concept of reincarnation a heresy. Apparently, they thought this concept would weaken the growing power of the Church by giving humans too much time to seek their salvation. Yet the original references had been there; the early Church fathers had accepted the concept of reincarnation. The early Gnostics - Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Saint Jerome, and many others - believed they had lived before and would again."
Between sessions Catherine became more psychic, having intuitions about people and events that proved to be true. Her father, expressing doubt about what was happening, was amazed when she picked the winner of every race, although she gave the winnings to a poor person as she knew that her new spiritual powers should not be used for financial gain. She recalled periods between lives. "I am aware of a bright light. It's wonderful; you get energy from this light." She then spoke in a different voice. "Our task is to learn, to become God-like through knowledge. We know so little. You are here to be my teacher. I have so much to learn. By knowledge we approach God, and then we can rest. Then we can come back to teach and help others." "They tell me there are many gods, for God is in each of us." She later identified the masters, highly evolved souls not presently in body, as the source. They could speak to him through her. Although he had kept a strictly professional distance, telling nothing about his personal life, Catherine explained the deeper meaning - payment of karmic debts and teaching lessons - of the one-in-ten million heart defect that caused the death of his first born child when 23 days old. "Catherine could not possible know this information. There was no place even to look it up." "Who tells you these things?" "The Master Spirits tell me. They tell me that I have lived eighty-six times in physical state." He pondered the miraculous messages and the implications. " The light after death and the life after death; our choosing when we are born and when we will die; the sure and unerring guidance of the masters; lifetimes measured in lessons learned and tasks fulfilled, not in years; charity, hope, faith, and love; doing without expectation of return - this knowledge was for me. But for what purpose? What was I sent here to accomplish?" He realized that faults are not important - love is. He did not need to try to be perfect or in control all the time. There was no need to impress anyone.
Psychiatrists use high doses of tranquilizers and antidepressant medicines to treat people with Catherine's symptoms whereas under Weiss's hypnosis treatment she became radiant, serene, and happy beyond his wildest hopes. This book will be of interest to anyone open to the concept of reincarnation and the thought that each of us may have lived multiple lives. Could it be that we never die but pass through different phases? Could it be that time is not as we see time, but rather in lessons learned. Could it be that guardian angels want to help us, especially to overcome the fear of death? Could it be that acts of violence and injustice will have to be repaid in kind in other lifetimes? Could it be that greed, manipulation and self-centeredness retard the progress of the soul? Could it be that our body is just a vehicle while our souls and spirit last for ever?
Book Review: Buy it! Read it!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was given this book for Christmas. I am not a book worm, just not very interested in reading. However, I started reading this book and could not put it down! For someone who does not like reading and reads very slow and I mean very very slow, I finished the book within 2 days. It's great book with no-nonsense. Highly recommended!Book Review: Mind Blowing
Summary: 5 Stars
I was lent this book to read by a Reiki Master while on holiday in Portugal when I was 16. I spent one whole day reading it from front to back, drove my parents mad! I couldn't put it down. It's such a powerful book, sent constant shivers down my spine. If you're still a bit sceptical about past lives, as I was, you won't be once you've read this book! A definite must read!