I don't regret buying this book, as I received quite a lot of value from it, but at the same time I strongly disagree with some of his fundamental premises.
This book is difficult to summarise adequately, but basically he is saying - we create our reality (including our financial reality) with our minds. Our life experience is a illusory game created by what he calls our 'Expanded Self' - a larger, omnipotent creative intelligence, of which we are just a small aspect. This 'Human Game' is divided into 2 phases: Phase 1, which most people are stuck in, and Phase 2, which is the object of the processes in this book. Phase 1 appears to have rigid rules, and was purposely designed by our Expanded Self to convince us of our limitations and lack of power. When we are ready, we enter Phase 2, in which our Expanded Self leads us through the process of reclaiming our personal power and then 'busting loose' of the game. After busting loose, our desires & goals (including money) will fall into place with little effort, and we might even experience seemingly 'impossible' events, as the illusory nature of reality becomes apparent, and life no longer has to follow the usual rules.
What I liked about the book:
*I found it to be well written & some parts are very interesting & thought-provoking.
* The idea that our consciousness creates our reality is nothing new to me, and I'm already familiar with the holographic model of reality creation that he discusses. I've read many books on similar topics, most of which haven't really given me anything new. This book did at least take an approach I haven't encountered before, so I give it some credit for originality, even if there is much I disagree with. I can see how it could be a bit `far out' for some of those who are totally new to this kind of material.
*Scheinfeld offers four techniques which we can use to enter & progress through Phase 2, and even though I don't accept his notion of what Phase 2 should be like, I have found all of these techniques to be useful, and perhaps worth the price of book alone.
*I like his `no limit' thinking - he proposes a vision of what life could be like unencumbered by all the rules & regulations that most people accept as normal or just `how life is'. I do agree with him that our potential as conscious creators of our own realities is unlimited, and that so called `supernatural' or 'magical' events could be commonplace if only we could allow them, and it's good to see a writer who is unafraid to stick his neck out & make claims that probably sound preposterous to the average person (Star Trek's Q as a role model? - sounds good to me!)
* I also like his debunking of traditional ways of thinking about money, which I've always thought were rather unnecessary & limited too.
What I didn't like
*While the holographic model in general makes sense to me, I don't accept that the other people (or animals etc) in my life are purely my creation. I see them more as independent consciousnesses who are also creating their own holographic realities, some aspects of which intersect with my own (based on the law of attraction), thus contributing to our shared experiences. I do agree that no-one else can create in our experience however, and tend to think that people will show whatever side of themselves that we attract from them, so in that sense we do have control over the type of behaviours we attract from others.
*I don't agree that we're just pawns in a game set up by our Expanded Self for its own amusement. I don't really see any distinction between that Expanded Self & the `me' that is here experiencing this life - its power is mine, and my experiences from this self-created perspective are of value to it. We are on the leading edge, and we (the `expanded you' plus the personality you know as `you') are in control - together.
*I don't agree that the `busting loose' process has to be painful & traumatic. Nor do I agree we have to just passively wait for our Expanded Self to pop unpleasant events into our experience for us to react to. It's perfectly possible to reclaim our power & release inner resistance without all the trauma & drama. The journey to freedom & personal power can be a pleasant one.
*Scheinfeld says that what we experience doesn't matter - it's no better to be wealthy than to be poor, or to have good relationships rather than bad ones. While I agree that it's unhealthy to be inflexible & to get overly attached to specific outcomes, and that any event can be a valuable learning experience, I can't accept that our desires and preferences have no value (just the opposite in fact - what's the point of being a deliberate creator without a personally defined, constantly evolving purpose towards which we can direct our energies?). Life may be an illusion, but some aspects of that illusion are undoubtedly more pleasant than others, so why not focus on attracting/creating the pleasant experiences that we prefer?
I would also add - this is not a 'mainstream' financial advice book (which you've probably guessed from the above comments!). You won't find advice about what actions to take to make money (there are plenty of other books on how to manage your money, choose investments etc), nor is it about the psychology of wealth in the usual sense (I like the Rich Dad Poor Dad series for that aspect of wealth building). It presents a metaphysical approach that requires an open-minded willingness to suspend disbelief and the need for 'proof', so if you're just looking for advice on how to get rich in the traditional ways, or are someone who isn't willing to consider a new idea unless it has been scientifically validated, this isn't the book for you!
I could go on, but won't! Scheinfeld is presenting his model of reality here, which is apparently working for him, and which seems to work well for many others too, but his model might not be the best approach for everyone. He's not saying - this is absolutely how it is & you must agree. It's just one perspective on the purpose & mechanics of this physical life experience. All in all, I can't give this book a terrible review, or a glowing one. As with any book or other information source, the best approach is to take what resonates with you, and discard the rest.
Personally, I like to forge my own path, but in terms of external teachings I strongly recommend the Abraham-Hicks material to anyone who is open-minded enough to accept that they are capable of creating an unlimited reality (including unlimited wealth), but who also prefers an easy-going, joyous path, in which they are in control and which is not fraught with trauma and unpleasant `learning' experiences!
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