Customer Reviews

The Little Soul and the Sun: A Children's Parable Adapted from Conversations With God

5 star:		(76)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I cannot say enough about this *wonderful* book! It is a book for everyone. I read in a review here that they thought that this book may be difficult for a child to understand. I believe children understand these concepts far easier than we adults do. I love this story and have bought many of them for friends, big and small!

When I first read the book Conversations With God a few years ago, I was deeply touched. Much of the insights presented in this unusual conversation were a wonderfully fresh way of seeing All is One and that All is Love. A year or so later, I was browsing the children's section of the bookstore and came upon The Little Soul and the Sun: A Children's Parable Adapted From Conversations With God. I read it right there and it brought tears to my eyes.

Here it is some years later, and I've just bought this delightful book for my son as a Christmas present. This beautiful story is illustrated in lavish pastels by Frank Riccio, and features a parable about Little Soul--one who wants to experience itself as Who I Am. You see, Little Soul knows that it is Light--but feels that knowing isn't enough. So Little Soul asks God if it can actually feel what is means to be the Light. So God asks Little Soul how it can experience the Light when it is already as a candle in the Sun, along with the other billions of souls who make up the brilliance of the Sun? Little Soul entreats God to think of something--some way in which it can experience what it feels like to be Light.

God answers Little Soul "Since you cannot see yourself as the Light when you are in the Light, we'll surround you with darkness." Little Soul asks "What's darkness?" and God replies "It is that which you are not." Little Soul asks God if it will be afraid, but God says "only if you choose to be...there is nothing, really, to be afraid of, unless you decide that there is."

One of the central themes of Conversations With God is that in order for God to experience Itself, It had to be contrasted with something else--something "other". You cannot experience dark without light, up without down, now without then, fast without slow. The purpose of duality is to experience parts of the God-self in all Its glory. In a sense, we are all a part of God, and God exploded into a million Souls to experience Itself.

However, when We made the journey Earthward, We forgot where We came from--and Who we were. Little Soul and God continue the conversation, and talk about how everyone is special in their own way--each manifesting a different part of "special". Some parts of special include kindness, creativity, and patience. Little Soul decides that the part of "special" it wants to experience is the part of special known as forgiveness. A multitude of Souls gather around God and Little Soul to hear this extraordinary conversation, and God sweeps an arm towards them: "There is nothing to forgive" God says. Little Soul could hardly believe what God said. "Everything I have made is perfect. There is not a single soul in all of creation less perfect than you. Look around you."

Little Soul grumbles that this wasn't fun at all! How would it experience itself as One Who Forgives if there was noone to forgive? Just then, Friendly Soul offers to help him, volunteering to come into Little Soul's next lifetime so it can do something for Little Soul to forgive. Little Soul was incredulous, and aks why Friendly Soul, who was such a magnificent Being of perfect Light, would want to become dense and dark--slowing it's vibration in order to do this bad thing for Little Soul to forgive? "Simple", The Friendly Soul replies. "I would do it because I love you." Friendly Soul goes on to explain that both it and Little Soul have been male and femaile, good and bad, victim and villian--All of It. "Thus have we come together, you and I, many times before; each bringing to the other the exact and perfect opportunity to Express and to Experience Who We Really Are."

In being the "bad one" this time around, Friendly Soul will give Little Soul the opportunity to experience itself as One Who Forgives. Friendly Soul becomes serious and confirms that it will have to become dense and dark to do this act--and that both it and Little Soul may forget Who They Were. Friendly Soul asks Little Soul a favor: to remember, in the moment that it strikes and smites Little Soul--doing the worst that it can possibly imagine--that Little Soul will remember Who Friendly Soul Really Is.

An agreement was made, and Little Soul goes forth into a new lifetime, excited to be the Light--and to experience that part of "special" called Forgivness. "...whenever a new soul brought joy or sadness--and especially if it brought sadness--the Little Soul thought of what God had said. 'Always remember', God had smiled, 'I have sent you nothing but angels.'"

My favorite passage of the book, which is the major theme of the New Age, is "And so", God concluded, "when you are surrounded with darkness, do not shake your fist and raise your voice and curse the darkness. Rather, be a Light unto the darkness, and don't be mad about it. Then you will know Who You Really Are, and all others will know, too. Let your Light so shine that everyone will know how special you are!"

This highly inteligent book was written for adults who understand the specialness and uniqueness of children and the bright light they show to us. To teach our young ones, we must first understand the story. This book should be read by every ADULT, and lovingly passed on to our children. I've had this book for sometime, and have waited for a grandchild to give it to. But now I feel that I am "hoarding" it. There are so many who need to hear its message! (Guess I'll have to get more copies!)

Simply and beautifully written. Everyone who reads this soul touching book can remember who they are and that, God doesn't send anything but Angels into our lives. I personally feel that if everyone were to read this story at the same, time our world would instantly change.

Although I love the "Conversation With God" books and agree with them, I have to agree with the reviewer who thought the book too complex for younger children. My 7-year old needed much additional explanation from me after I finished reading the book to him, and even then I wasn't sure he completely understood the concepts. I do know of a great book that is more appropriate for young children. "Emma and Mommy Talk to God," by Marianne Williamson, is an excellent book for children of all ages, and very easy to understand and follow.

In this world of stress and kaos comes a CD that is gentle, spiritual, and relaxing. We play it almost every night in our house as a going to bed routine. After baths, and nightclothes, we turn off the lights and play the little soul and the sun. My daughter loves this CD, she sings the songs even when the CD is not playing. And recently she has started to imitate the conversation with God when she is in her room alone. If she had things her way it would be the only thing we would listen to. As for adults, It has taken me to places inside myself i thought were lost. It has brought a person to the surface i thought no longer existed. And as you listen it to it time and time again, you notice the conversation is never the same, and you are always picking up on something new that you never heard the time before. This CD is a wonderful addition to anyone's collection. Even if you only listen to it once, it will enrich your life, and renew your spirit.

It so wonderful to read children's book like this one. It made a lot of sense why we are all different. Thank you Neil for this awesome story with great illustration too. My nephews and nieces wants to hear this story over and over again. I believe they have been touch also by the message of this book.
I can wait till there will be another children's book that can enlighten the little ones too. This book is not just for children it is also for adults. This is the kind of book you would love to read when you are facing with critism and redicule from others. It helps you overcome the feeling of despair and rise above it.Thank you NEIL for writing this book. Godblessing will be with and your family. Thank you for your contribution to this world. YOU helped very many to find themselves again.

Okay, I admit it, I cried when I first read it. The messages are simple, yet deep and long-lasting. In the most gentle of ways, this writing teaches understanding, hence tolerance of differences, which is somehting our "civilization" desperately needs. So, in light of the many school shootings across the country, I believe that this book should be read by every "child", parent, and teacher EVERYWHERE!

As the mother of a special needs child I find the message in this book delightful. Granted I haven't gotten to the point of having to explain the book, or its message to him yet. But I think that for any child, on any subject a book that inspires conversation and discussion with a loved one, is to be treasured. And in many ways I think that it answers many of the questions about God that frequently arise.

I think that in addition to using this book to teach about god, it will also be a tool to teach my child about others who may do unkind things and how to respond to them. ALso I really appreciat the focus on the emotional and personality ways that people are special instead of the focus of so many books on being special because of actions and sports- things that my son may never be able to do- but he will be able to be kind and loving and sharing and forgiving.

This wonderful story has drastically changed the way I had viewed life and my relationships, both good and "bad". The idea that souls plan how they are going to help each other accomplish whatever they wish to accomplish in their next lifetime on Earth is simply mind-boggling! I now feel that I can better understand and forgive those who have harmed me in the past. It is now believable to me what God says in the book, "Remember, I have sent you nothing but angels."

This story stirred my mind and touched my heart and soul.