The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for a Radically New Life by Marianne Williamson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for a Radically New Life
Book Review: The more things change the more they stay the same
Summary: 2 Stars
This latest installment from Williamson's interpretations on A Course in Miracles offers insights into the evolution of the soul as people get older. So the shift is an embracement of wisdom that comes with calendar years. There are updated elements in Williamson's writings but overall, it's the same old concepts she has presented since 1983. The author delves deepers and addresses new dimensions but overall, this is the same old Marianne - older, wiser maybe ... but still her. If you are an avid Course in Miracles student and/or Williamson fan ... add this to your collection. Everyone else, borrow it from the library.Book Review: The Gift of Confusion
Summary: 1 Stars
In "The Gift of Change", Marianne Williamson, as always, gives us a nice book. But this nice book demonstrates, even to the intermediate student, Ms. Williamson's poor understanding of the modern spiritual masterpiece (a real masterpiece, as opposed to this book) called "A Course in Miracles", which her book purports to be about. It should not be a mystery, considering the content of A Course in Miracles (usually just referrred to as "the Course"), that it is not about changing the world but is instead about changing one's mind about the world. The Gift of Change at times says it's about changing your thoughts, but then always compromises on the Course's teachings and brings the reader right back to politics and the idea of improving the world. Yet the Course says, "....seek not to change the world, but choose to change your mind about the world." (Text, p.445) It is not about outer peace, it's about inner peace. This inner peace is brought about by forgiving what appears to be on the outside. That brings one's attention to where the problem really is, in the mind, (cause) instead of in the world (effect). The Course says, "This is a course in cause and not effect," (Text, p.463) and it's about, "...giving back to cause the function of causation..." (Text, p.595) Yet time and time again, in The Gift of Change, Ms. Williamson talks about fixing the outer picture, thus dwelling on the effect, which is futile and can have no lasting impact, instead of on the cause, which is the focus of the Course. Marianne, on page 59 of "Change" talks about how the Course says, "the world must become a happy dream before we can awaken from it", ignoring that the happy dream is brought about by how one looks at the world, not about ending famine and war first as a pre-requisite to waking up, as Ms. Williamson clearly contends in her misguided interpretation. She says, "the world must be transformed before it can be transcended". Once again the focus is on effects (the world) rather than on the cause of the problem (the way of looking at it in the mind). There is much more, but suffice here to say that after reading "The Gift of Change" the student will not understand, but instead will misunderstand, A Course in Miracles if he or she trys to read it on their own later. This leads to confusion, frustration and an eventual lack of interest. On the other hand, there has been a reinvigoration of interest in A Course in Miracles by another book in the last year or so. That book COMPLETELY explains the Course and doesn't compromise on its vital and radical message. Nor does the author sell out in order to be more popular. One can only hope that "The Gift of Change" doesn't distract people from the progress that is being made through the excitement that is generated when seekers are genuinely empowered to understand and apply A Course in Miracles for themselves. No doubt Marianne's apologists will label anyone a "Course fundamentalist" if they call her on her poor understanding of the Course and the confusion she perpetuates. So let's make one thing very clear: calling people names like "fundamentalist" because they think you should not compromise and actually go by what the Course says is bull. False name calling is not an answer to the questions raised in this revue. There are a lot of sincere people who know it makes common sense to go by what the Course really teaches, instead of going by what people like Ms. Williamson make up. That's not fundamentalism; it's a love for a genuine spiritual masterpiece that deserves to be quoted accurately and reported on with respect for the material, not an ignoring of it. Book Review: This "Gift" Is For Those Who Are Ashamed of Their Past.
Summary: 3 Stars
It is suggested that we recreate our lives from negative thinking to positive love. The only problem is that some people will not accept your love, acting as if your status as a decent human being is beneath them because you are poor in finances, not abilities nor intelligence. They are afraid of you because of social status, or lack of. Only the rich and powerful are worth anything in America.
She states that God will help us to change the world. What if parts of the world don't want to be changed? Spiritual giants have humility in abundance, minus the ego. According to a verse in the Bible, ICor. 15-51, "we shall all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound..." She obviously is talking about the end of the earth, or as some call it the Rapture. Most of us won't be around to hear that trumpet. Custer heard his! And what good did it do -- he still died.
When you are upset or in pain over a larger social reality (a public agency), it's impossible to know who you should trust. So many gloss over the problem (which is very real to the person harmed or abused), and try to suppress it. They ignore what is happening, hoping it will go away, but it never does. It continues to fester until the boil it causes bursts open and a 'can of worms' is opened for all to see. That way, no one ever wins.
Remember how your mom always told you not to gulp your food or you'd choke? That's great advice to apply to all areas of your life right now. You might be in such a rush that you're missing all the things that actually make life worth living: good conversations, long walks outside, seeing the funny faces people make when they're waiting for the bus, and, yes, good food. Learn to appreciate all the wonders, big and small, that make up your everyday life.
One of her 'key bridges of transformation' is to live in the present, not the past or future (who knows if we or our world will have a future), to go from forgetting who we are to remembering who we are. I say, we should never forget who we were, as our experiences have made us who we are now.
She preaches that we should go from "who we were" to "who we are becoming." When she ages twenty more years, she will hold onto the good memories of who she was as opposed to being old, isolated, ignored, abused mentally, and be glad that she still has the wits left to remember that 'once upon a time' she was somebody. Like we all are at certain periods in our lives. It is not good to bury that in your subconscious.
Other books, Ms. Williamson has had published include A WOMAN'S WORTH, EVERYDAY GRACE, and HEALING THE SOUL OF AMERICA. As far as my reading goes, I feel that America has no soul.
Book Review: Please Note - This is everything Christianity is NOT
Summary: 1 Stars
I understand that a world in which only Love is real and hate, anger, and anything else that is not "good" does not exist, sounds wonderful. But the teachings contained in this book are not Christian teachings.
This is a separate new Religion called "The Course" and it's teachings attempt to combine many different religious principles. Unfortunately, most religious thought is exclusive to itself. Some examples are the Muslim belief "There is only one God, and his messenger is Mohammed". Any statements or philosophies that differ from this statement would no longer be Muslim. For Example, if someone states that Mohammed is not really a prophet, but a great teacher of values. This is a perfectly fine statement to make, but disqualifies as encompassing Muslim beliefs. The same is said for Christianity John 14:6 states that "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'.
By releasing a book which claims that followers of this new religion should be OK with a belief system that does not coincide with what Jesus, Mohammed, or Buddha taught, we should then realize that this book is not for Christians, Muslims, or true followers of other religions. For Christians, I would recommend reading The Bible to get a good understanding of Jesus Christ and what he taught.
I rate this Book with 1 star because I feel it is misleading to trick readers into thinking they are following a certain religion, when in fact, they are following something completely NOT of that religion. I don't appreciate literature that misleads people this way.
Book Review: Probably Better off with the Text Version
Summary: 3 Stars
My review is truly biased toward my personal needs-first off. With subject matter in regards to change, I would rather prefer cold hard facts.
Williamson's voice in this recording is soothing as she addresses the audience. However, the over-flowery content in this book leads me to sleep rather than pay attention. Williamson sounds more like a meditation instructor than an expert of metaphysical studies. However, the text probably has better meaning if you read the book instead.
This book is more for the emotive idealist. Sounds soothing but not enough hard facts for people with harder hearts like myself.