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Alexandra Hopkins

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Instruction manual for non-violent resistance

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-07-25

This book lays out the keys to success for civil resistance movements. Very well written. Engaging listening with an excellent quality of narration. This is an instruction manual for anyone interested in resisting creeping dictatorship and Fascism. Highly recommended!

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An encyclopedia of Kundalini

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-22-25

"Serpent Rising" is an encyclopedia of (almost) everything but were afraid to ask about Kundalini. I very much appreciate that the author presents such detailed and comprehensive explanations as to the physical and "light body" aspects of the workings of Kundalini. He presents a huge variety of techniques for raising Kundalini. Of course, this book is not perfect: The author displays a lack of compassion towards people who do harm. And he fails to mention completely mental and emotional approaches for preparing for a Kundalini Awakening. It's not that the author should necessarily cover mental and emotional approaches, but it should be noted that these are possible and can be found elsewhere. I'm thinking here of past-life regression, talk therapy, forgiveness, etc.—which dissolve emotional charge and pave the way for Kundalini rising so that it becomes more possible and less likely to cause anxiety and depression.

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Helping me to rise above societal disintegration

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-22-25

In the U.S., it is difficult in 2025 to feel hopeful about our future. The slashing of our governmental institutions, the fires in Los Angeles and Hawaii, floods in North Carolina, foreign wars, the collapse of our traditional alliances with democracies....You know the list. "The Wisdom of the Council" is the antidote that I needed. I listened to it once through, and now listen to a chapter each day, as the book suggests. Gradually, the wisdom is becoming part of me. I'm looking at the world around me with a long-term optimism and a lighter heart. I am not ignoring the on-going destruction of American institutions, but I'm hopeful and feeling energized about next steps that we citizens can take. At the same time that I'm listening to "The Wisdom of the Council," I'm also studying non-violent action with which we can create a freer and more humane society. I'm jazzed that we can take action towards the future that "The Wisdom of the Council" urges us to imagine and keep top of mind. Thank you, Sara Landon, for this wonderful book. It is helping me sooooo much!

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Extremely important book for the spiritual path

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-13-24

This book provides a map of Earth in its relationship to Heaven, the world of ghosts, and other spiritual realms. It is easy and enjoyable listening but so profound that it took me a while to really get it. Robert Monroe made this map as he explored by Out of Body Experiences.

I listened to "The Ultimate Journey" about a decade ago and enjoyed it but didn't fully understand it. Now, I've just finished listening to it again three times in a row. And I think now, I (almost) fully understand it. It is one of the most important books that I've come across in 60 years of following spiritual paths. I'm indebted to Robert Monroe.

Robert Monroe is a gifted writer, telling an exciting story of exploration and spiritual adventure. He does tend to omit definitions of his terms, however. I had to work them out and research on-line. The narrator, Kevin Pierce, is terrific. It feels like one is listening to Robert Monroe, himself. GREAT BOOK!!!

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Fascinating and uplifting!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-17-24

I could hardly stop listening — I wanted to know what would happen next. Reverend Rob Schenck's story, when he was a fervent leader of the anti-abortion movement, gives insight into the motivations and thought-processes of those in the movement. And, it also gives insight into how Christians can believe that it's the moral high ground to support Trump. At the same time, Schenck leads the reader to an understanding the destruction which Christians have brought on themselves by abandoning the words of Christ and allying themselves with a political party, the Republicans. Schenck is a terrific story teller, and I wish it was longer so that I could have kept listening! While I disagree with Schenck on many political issues, I admire the gusto with which he has approached life and the honesty and humility which he developed later in life. This man is courageous!

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MOST IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL BOOK that I've read

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-18-24

This book taught me things about the path to Enlightenment that I've seen nowhere else. I've gotten an understanding of what Enlightenment is and how to walk its path. I've read LOTS of spiritual books, and I think that this is the most important of them. (Actually, I listened to it rather than read it.)

I had read (listened to) three of Hawkins's earlier books first. If this one seems difficult, perhaps starting with his earlier ones would be helpful.

At the same time, David Hawkins is an enigmatic figure to me. While I've never seen him in person, he does not seem, in his videos, like someone who is Enlightened. Mooji and Rupert Spira seem like they're Enlightened. Not David Hawkins. Despite this oddity, I highly recommend "Advancing Spiritual Awareness." It has cleared up many confusions that I've had about Enlightenment and is helping me feel more certain as I walk the path.

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Easily understandable & Learned a lot!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-18-24

I learned a lot from this book: I got a deeper understanding of the mind. I have criticisms of "The Untethered Soul," but I highly recommend it. It brings attention to the chatter of the inner voice, if one has one. And it makes clear that experiencing the pain of emotional charge rather than managing to dull it or stuff it away is the road to spiritual progress. These are much needed understandings in today’s world. Singer has done us a great service.

As for the narrator, he was OK, but in the slightest way, annoying. He spoke like he was selling the views of the book rather than just narrating.

I have three criticisms of the book itself:

1.Singer talks a lot about the “inner voice.” In spiritual circles, "inner voice" often means one’s intuition or Higher Self. But these days, there’s a new definition, the one used in this book: negative self-talk. This is a stream of judgements and criticisms that many people seem to automatically run in their mind.

While reading the book, I repeatedly looked for this self-talking inner voice. After a few weeks, I realized that I do have an inner voice. Apparently, it’s like a fish looking for this thing called “water.” It’s always there, so it’s not noticeable. But mine wasn’t negative self-talk.

While Singer assumes that everyone has an inner voice of the negative self-talking type, there are probably some people who don’t have any self-talking inner voice and some who have a different kind of self-talk—like me. Interestingly, now that I’ve become aware of this voice and decided to dismiss it, it’s mostly gone.

2. Singer writes as if dealing with big emotional reactions is a simple matter of gaining perspective and relaxing and “releasing.” Gaining perspective may be helpful. But if someone is terribly angry or scared—yeah, good idea, gain perspective, relax, and release—but not a very helpful suggestion.

"Shadow work" like therapy or a spiritual practice is likely needed to address what got triggered. It’s not that Singer needs to come up with techniques. But it seems misleading to say that the way out is “relaxing and releasing.” And to leave it at that.

One method that I'm currently using is a Tibetan Buddhist technique that I call "Soothing the Baby." If I'm agitated or upset, I imagine myself as a baby or holding a baby who has this upset. I imagine another version of myself as an angel enfolding the baby in its wings and engulfing it with love and soothing it. Just as in sitting meditation, my attention will frequently drift away from this scenario onto other thoughts. And just as in sitting meditation, repeatedly, I bring my thoughts back to the baby and angel scenario. Eventually, the agitation/upset dissipates, sometimes with an "Ah hah" realization. Sometimes, there’s a sense of sudden evaporation of energy. One of these things has to happen for me to feel it’s OK to end off.

As a note, it also works to just think of oneself as the person afflicted with the upset AND as the loving angel. No baby need be involved.

The agitation due to the same source may return later, but more weakly. In which case, I repeat Soothing the Baby. Eventually, that source of agitation doesn’t recur.

When doing Soothing the Baby, the emotion can get very intense. As Singer says, the price of releasing these kinds of emotional reactions is pain. To make this work, you have to be willing to deliberately experience the upset/agitation without dulling it out (like with alcohol) or “compartmentalizing” and pushing it away or down into the subconscious (like by watching TV).

3. Singer repeatedly suggests relaxing by putting attention "behind the emotion"—something like that. He seems to be suggesting that, as a spiritual being, one is behind the body in space. I think of this as my “Higher Self.” But Singer doesn't say explicitly what he means. Perhaps, he personally experiences a sense of his Higher Self behind him in space?

I don't know that everyone has this sense for the physical location of the Higher Self. I don’t. I didn't used to have any sense of a location of my Higher Self. Now, I don't experience it as behind my body, but rather above and to the right of my body. This may well vary by individual. And I'm not even sure that this is what Singer is talking about.

Despite these criticisms, I think that “The Untethered Soul” is well worth reading. It's not just another common sense self-help book.

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I learned soooo much!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-19-24

This is a real "page-turner" (although I listened to it). I raced through listening to the whole thing. I'm now re-listening and will probably run through it a 3rd time. I don't want to miss anything. This book fits a lot of what I thought Jesus's life was about, why he lived it. But I learned A LOT about enlightenment and spirituality. I've been studying A Course in Miracles. The autobiography helps me with understanding the course. If I hadn't started the course before listening to the autobiography, I'm sure the autobiography would have influenced me to start it.

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Important, Life-Changing Book

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-22-23

Listening to "Transcending the Levels of Consciousness," I had many realizations. I gained a new understanding of other people and myself. It helped me to make advances in my spirituality. I'm more optimistic than ever about the spiritual advances that I will be able to make. I've already listened to a second book by Hawkins and now am starting a third. Thank you, Mr. Hawkins!

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Comprehensive How-To Book on Lucid Dreaming

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-24-22

This is the Bible of Lucid Dreaming. It covers the scientific verification of Lucid Dreaming and describes in clear detail the many methods. It also explains how to use Lucid Dreaming to improve your life. Well-written, clear, and specific. Excellent book!

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