The Lost Secret of Death: Our Divided Souls and the Afterlife [Paperback]

Peter Novak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2003

Novak investigates a belief called the Binary Soul Doctrine (BSD) which states simply that humans possess two souls which split at death, the conscious going on to reincarnate again and again, while the unconscious ends up in a type of limbo judging itself for all eternity.

He goes on to explain that long ago the BSD was the primary belief of a single world religion, which since has been broken into more and more fragments. However, he claims that twentieth-century findings, including the work of Freud and Jung, as well as findings of modern neuroscience and Near-Death research, has marked a resurgence of belief in the veracity of the BSD.

Novak argues—just as those long ago did—that it is essential for humans to integrate these two souls together before death to avoid the nightmare of being split in two at death. He even offers a few steps to help readers start the process of integration.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...as provocative as it is controversial, reconciling traditions both East and West with the findings of parapsychology. -- The Journal of Religion and Psychical Research

This enlightening and well-researched book offers a new perspective on this oldest of questions. --Napra Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Hampton Roads Pub Co (August 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571743243
• ISBN-13: 978-1571743244
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great book ... until the last few pages, August 13, 2006

By 

Kamran Pasha (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lost Secret of Death: Our Divided Souls and the Afterlife (Paperback)

This a fascinating book that argues quite convincingly the existence of a "dual soul" theory to explain the different claims about the afterlife. It attempts to unite both those who believe (or through an NDE actually experienced) a Heaven/Hell afterlife with those who believe in reincarnation. Novak argues that the human mind fragments at death, with the objective conscious mind going on to reincarnate, while the subjective unconscious mind with its memories, conscience and self-judgment experiences a Heaven or Hell scenario. He offers compelling evidence from traditional religious texts and modern NDE accounts, wile putting them in the context of current scholarship on the right-left brain dichotomy.

I was with him for the entire intellectual journey, until the last few chapters, where he takes this fascinating theory and makes a leap too far based on his own personal religious convictions. Novak argues that the only way for the human soul to achieve true peace and fulfillment is for the two halves of consciousness to be reunited after death. That sounds perfectly reasonable. And then Novak leaves behind his analytical hat and becomes an evangelist -- literally. The final pages of the book become a rather tortured effort to convince the reader that this reunification of the soul can only happen through accepting Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection reunited the binary souls for us. All you have to do is believe in Jesus, and the spiritual work of reuniting your own inner dualities is no longer necessary.

As a Muslim and a Sufi mystic, I had to smile. As Novak acknowledges, all of the world's spiritual traditions contain the idea that there are several layers of souls and dualities within the human condition, and that the goal of spiritual life is to reunite them. I have learned this from Sufi teachings about the Ruh (spirit) and Nafs (ego) and and have found similiar ideas in Taoism, Jewish Kabbalah, Buddhism and other mystical paths. The methods each of these traditions have developed rely on individual spiritual work and progress on the path. Unfortunately for Novak, these tried and true methods that have helped human beings transcend duality are too "uncertain." So he decides, based on nothing except his own personal conviction, that believing in Christ is a shortcut to healing the mind rift at death, removing the need to do the spiritual work that these "Old Path" traditions require.

For those of us who value human free will and the joy of the personal journey to God, the idea that we should just believe and let "Jesus do the big lifting" is not only erroneous, but it is dangerously self-deceptive. This delusion of vicarious atonement removes individual responsibility for the spiritual journey, which is the central purpose of life. Novak does such a wonderful job of explaining the ancient mystical truth that the human soul is bifurcated and must be reunited, it is a tragedy that he then tells his readers to skip the hard work of spiritual discipline because he believes someone else already did the work for everyone. I feel as if Novak brought his readers to the verge of truth, only to hoodwink them at the last minute. They see the destination, and then are told they don't need to walk to get there. This delusion of vicarious atonement leads to a loss of personal moral responsibility and causes people to take the spiritual life for granted. It is a cruel joke, and I am saddened that a man of such great intellect and passion can't see that his rejection of the very ancient wisdom he uses to buttress his theory dooms his efforts to help humanity at the end. Novak helps people see that they need to overcome their inner duality and achieve unity, and then tells them they don't need to bother to actually do it, because its already been done for them by someone else. If he is wrong, and my heart tells me he is deeply wrong, he has misled his readers and cursed them to spiritual stagnation. His conclusion covers up what he has himself discovered about the purpose of the human condition -- to take one step at a time toward the Infinite, which is One and beyond duality.

Thank you Mr. Novak for showing how the Binary Soul Doctrine is an ancient belief in the human condition. The Sufis, the Taoists and all other mystics new this already. Now if you'll excuse us, those of us "Old Path" followers who believe in individual responsibility and choice will put our knowledge into action through spiritual practice, while the delusional wait for someone else to do the work for them.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Synthesis !, October 25, 2003

By 

Sharon E. Williams Ph.D (Griffith, In. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Secret of Death: Our Divided Souls and the Afterlife (Paperback)

The Lost Secret of Death by Peter Novak should be read by every soul searching person.
For far too long people have been mislead in believing that soul and spirit were synonymous.
Peter has done an excellent example of research on the subject. The Binary Soul Doctrine Theory is an outstanding synthesis!
Every Metaphysician should add this book to their library.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!!, October 24, 2003

By 

Ross Blaine - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Lost Secret of Death: Our Divided Souls and the Afterlife (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I must say that the proposition of being annihilated at death is disturbing at best and terrifying at worst. After having read and studied much spiritual and new age literature, I find this work to be most satisfying and compelling- though it is not "new Age". Rather it is a well researched and well presented accounting of how ancient religions, near death experiences, out of body experiences, past life regression therapy, and modern science & psychology all point to and support the theory of the Binary Soul Doctrine. A must read for all seekers of forgotten knowledge- maybe the most important read of your life!