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135 of 141 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outrageous, preposterous, incredible science at its best, February 10, 2000
This review is from: The Living Energy Universe (Hardcover)
This book presents the idea that everything, at every level of existence, is alive, remembers, and evolves. Schwartz and Russek's systemic memory hypothesis is proposed to explain not only many puzzles in conventional science, but also major mysteries such as reflective self-awareness, homeopathy, survival after death, and psychic abilities. The authors' serious consideration of these latter topics, and their enthusiastic writing style, is guaranteed to provoke the disdain of mainstream scientists, and that's a pity. Heresy and orthodoxy don't mix, but bold ideas - as are admirably presented in this book - are essential to sustain a vibrant science. While Schwartz and Russek's hypothesis seems perfectly outrageous at first, the logic is reasonable and the evidence provided is intriguing. In fact, if you carefully read this book and think about the consequences of recursion at all levels of existence, then systemic memory and its broader implications seem quite plausible, maybe even probable. One may quibble over some of the details presented in the "Living Energy Universe," but like Rupert Sheldrake's "A New Science of Life," I believe that this book will stand the test of time as an important contribution to scientific thought.
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78 of 85 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Existential Home Coming / A User Friendly Universe, December 14, 1999
This review is from: The Living Energy Universe (Hardcover)
I find no more important topic than that which is tackled in "The Living Energy Universe" - the nature of the universe, God and survival of consciousness after death. Since fear and anxiety are ultimately linked to the fear of death, the "self" cannot find true peace in a universe where annihilation is always an eye blink away. Without the resolution of this existential anxiety, our entire psychology, lifestyles, attitudes and behaviors are affected (whether we know it or not). Generally, there are two places from which answers to this dilemma arise: Religion and science. Typically, they do not agree. Has this now changed? University of Arizona scientists Drs. Schwartz's and Russek's new book brings to us an amazing melding of science and spiritual insight and answers our most fundamental questions about the essential nature of life, death, consciousness and "who we are." And, it answers us in a way that has been much needed by those who consider themselves rational, logical thinkers, respectful of evidence and scientific inquiry. In doing this, Drs. Schwartz and Russek appeal to both our hearts and our minds. I appreciated the many examples, books, journals, names of other researchers and sources given for further reading and investigation. The theories, facts and conclusions posited by Drs. Schwartz and Russek have the potential to revolutionize our world from medicine to politics. Of course, they are not alone in this kind of research, but have put together a unique, well-conceived theoretical treatise worthy of rigorous scrutiny and serious contemplation. Their book is a must read for any thinking person desiring to be on the cutting edge of what is perhaps "the final debate" on the fundamental nature of no less than "all that exists." I highly recommend this book (though sometimes a challenge to understand) because it offers the real hope of being able to come home again to a universe that is not only logical, but benevolent, purposeful and yes, even loving and eternal. And if the Schwarz/Russek paradigm is accepted, the next question becomes, "What do we do with this information?" If the good news be true, what difference does it now make to our everyday lives? What will people be like in a universe where they are eternally accountable, personally responsible for the fate and well-being of themselves and each other, and profoundly connected in the most personal ways to life and all that exists? Can we go home again and do we have the stomach for it? And, finally, we find "The Living Energy Universe" to be... a love story. But "love" in its most challenging, profound and far-reaching sense. A love that is unexpectedly built upon science, logic and heart in the most literal as well as poetic manner. "The Living Energy Universe" not only makes us smile, but brings a tear to our eye in the ultimate comfort that it offers. And that may be a problem. "Comfort" can feel threatening when it offers hope... a hope long abandoned by those who have felt betrayed by parents, religion and government. Cynicism dies hard. And so it should. It was born of passionate expectations thrown asunder and replaced by a cold, hard foundation of complexly conceived, well-documented... bias. But, as a philosopher once asked, "Is it okay having stumbled over the truth, to then pick ourselves up and proceed on as if nothing happened?" This book will challenge you... wonderfully so. And comfort you down to your existential toes! - C. Paul Wanio, Ph.D., LMFT, LMHC, MFCC.
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99 of 115 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A marriage of scientific wisdom and spiritual magic, February 6, 2000
This review is from: The Living Energy Universe (Hardcover)
It has been over three months since I first read and fully intended to review this book, so the art of procrastination has finally worked in my favor, for it has allowed me to hold THE LIVING ENERGY UNIVERSE up to the light of my own standards of what it takes to transform the gifts of a beautifully written and fascinating book into something much more expansive...into an actual thriving resource of enlightenment and wonder which then becomes reality based and usefully practical in my own personal and professional life. I don't normally buy or not buy a book based on any book review, but anyone interested in turning theory into practical application might take a clue from my words and find it well worth their time to explore THE LIVING ENERGY UNIVERSE. Isn't that the true value of any book...the extent to which it invites us to explore our own inquisitiveness? This book will offer you that and more, for even if you don't believe in or understand the science-based theories, you might believe in the mysteries they represent. You get both sides of the coin with this book. This book offers us the opportunity to expand any rigid beliefs, be they scientific or spiritual. As the saying goes, "take what you like and leave the rest." Use the concepts, theories, and gifts this book offers and turn them into the gold of your own curiosity. Test the theories out for yourself. Start with something simple. Talk to a person who has received an organ transplant. If this book makes you wonder about the ability of a heart to transplant its own memories or preferences within another person's body, then allow yourself to go even deeper and wonder what happens to thousands of people every day who receive blood transfusions. Are we transfusing memory along with life? What are the ramifications of that? If every thought you have experienced still exists in time and space, then allow yourself to marvel at your own responsibility of this never-ending self-creation. It's like shining a flashlight filled with thoughts into the night sky. Where does the light end? Does it end? Think of how an echo holds the memory of your own voice. How long does it hold this memory after your ears have ceased to hear it? Gain peace in exploring not only the possibility of the conscious survival of crossed-over loved ones, but the possibility of their continued evolution. Talk to someone you trust who has experienced an after-death communication with someone they loved. Explore the theories for yourself. Not being a scientist, I surrendered any confusion about the authors' experiments and found a passageway to wonder. Call it alchemy, but something as simple as thinking about the vibration of tuning forks to demonstrate memory theory in water awakened a whole new field of wonder in me. Does the rain remember the rainstorm? I allowed my curiosity to ignite in me the desire to discover more about the power of tuning forks. I don't think the authors intended that I would derive this desire from their experiment, but I was willing to find something of value for myself even when the science got a bit thick for me. Call it some ancient memory theory calling me to the basics of Pythagorean harmonics, but I found myself on a discovery path to study and use a healing art based on the sound intervals of tuning forks. The way this book is written can awaken the Universal Living Memory in each of us, and when this happens it becomes much more than a theory. It becomes a practical application of the work of these two researchers, and the proof of the theory then becomes a personal adventure. What I discovered for myself was not written upon the pages of this book, but woven into its energy field. An already well-documented arena became available to me because of the way a quasi-related concept was expressed within the pages. This resource of sound healing was already out there waiting for me, but I wonder how much longer it would have taken me to find my way to it without awakening my own Universal Living Memory ignited by a non-related experiment. I am not a book critic, I am a sincere seeker of scientific wisdom and spiritual magic. I have countless books on my shelves which hold the hints and echoes of similar concepts which these two wise researchers have so skillfully and respectfully spun together in order to offer us the Univeral Living Memory theory; but unlike so many other works, Schwartz and Russek offer something extra to their readers. They offer us their respect and their hearts, their enthusiasm and expansive curiosity. They even offer us an inter-active website so we can tell them what we think of their efforts. Obviously, they care what we think of their work. They have captured the ability to speak to the mystic within the scientist and the scientist within the mystic, for the voice of their language creates an invitation to right-and-left brainers, alike. What they are truly exploring and offering to any reader is a hint of the infiniteness of creation. This book surpasses even my own standards for what makes a good book great, for within its scientific and far-reaching challenges it has created its own energy of practical application and spiritual wonder, and this commotion of fascination is a wake-up call for anyone's Universal Living Memory.
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