Customer Reviews

The New Secrets of Charisma : How to Discover and Unleash your Hidden Powers

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm writing this review because I disagree strongly with the review of Darryl Porter, who says that this book is just filled with "silly exercises." He's missed the point entirely. I've had the book for several months now, and though I'm only half-way through it, I reap the benefits of the exercises everyday.

If you're looking for "insight" by just flipping through the pages, as Porter apparently did, you will be sadly disappointed by this book. To really get the full benefit of what this book has to offer, it's not enough to pass judgment on the exercises and call them "silly." Once you give them a try, and apply them to your daily life, the value of this book will become clear. The exercises might make you feel silly--at first. But if you can bring yourself get past that, you'll experience your true charisma beginning to break through.

This is a suberb book on a difficult topic. Personally, I believe that Charisma is a spiritual intangible, but Doe Lang does touch on how to bring out exactly that in your own life. The old axiom: "You either have it or you don't" about charisma doesn't apply with this book. Doe Lang gives example after example, and exercise after exercise, about how ordinary people can tap into that magic lantern of charisma that lies asleep within each of us. A scientist, she explains many of her techniques in modern scientific terms and examples; a creative artist, she demonstrates the process through many examples and exercises. I found her process to work. This book is like 'water in the desert.'

I thought that this book must be a "come on". I am not into self help books and the unleashing charisma seemed too good to be true. To prove how smart I was, I used one of her simple exercises. All it proved was that I can be dumb. By God the exercise worked. ALL OF THE EXERCISES IN THIS BOOK WORK.

I had the good fortune to take Dr. Lang's class in 1977. The other students included heads of businesses and others needing to speak regularly before small and large audiences.

At first the exercises, which are in the book, seemed strange or embarrasing in a group. But I learned that each of them was a way to teach the body and/or emotions to lose self-consciousness, old negative self-images, unfortunate mannerisms, etc. A number of the voice exercises really taught one to be free of the cultural inhibition to be quiet and then to say what you believe with confidence. Dr. Lang videotaped us before and after, and the improvements for each of us were amazing. The class helped me later as a lawyer in court to present my client's case and then as a political candidate.

It is not as easy to learn from a book as from a class, but if you are willing to free yourself up to your true inner self and gain confidence, I highly recommend doing the exercises in this book.

Filled with many mental and physical exercises to build charisma... primarily tips on how to modify your spirit and physical well being to be more self confident and physically calm. I thought it was very good... and not quite what I expected. Now... to try the exercises and see how they work!

A wonderful book filled with practical exercises to help relieve stress and build self-esteem. If you want to increase your success in business or personal life this book provides the tools to help you control your emotions and build your confidence. This book should be required reading in our schools.

This book will permanently improve your life. An enjoyable read and fun to dip into. All the exercises work and are fun to do.

Gaining or improving ones level of charisma is an exciting concept. I do believe that the author has a very high degree of charisma. Her writing style is impressive and compelling. Her overpowering use of metaphysical programming in order to achieve charisma seemed off-track, although intriguing. subjects such as proper breathing and speaking were highly pertinent and interesting, but I feel the same as I did after reading another book on the subject. The author pushes her seminar throughout this book. Perhaps one would become more charismatic after attending. Becoming charismatic is an elusive quality. Overcoming fear. Now that's the way to reach charisma. Again, this is a wonderful book, including--but not based on the virtue of charisma.

I tried reading this book, but then quickly found myself wishing the author would simply get too the point! Because the book consists mostly of anecdotal evidence and many tangents, I ended up skimming most of the book, only reading in-depth the sections where she actually discussed exercises and gave practical advice. It is mostly new-age/alternative medicine kind of thinking and I'm not sure how those with a more scientific or critical mind would take to it. Some ideas and advice the author presents as fact seems fairly silly to me. While there is some good information in this book, you'll have to weed it out from the various stories, quotes and questionable research studies presented to support the author's ideas on charisma. I guess if you find that the exercises work to better you, it doesn't matter how long-winded or far out her explainations are. I would recommend this book, but it does not consist entirely of the practical advice on improving communication and developing charisma that I had hoped it would.

The New Secrets of Charisma is, in addition to being a warm and reassuring hug, a truly masterful work. Have you ever watched a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood and wondered what elements and specific skills made the stars of that era so irresistibly radiant and appealing? The techniques that underlie that charisma can be learned, and this book will prove it to you one chapter at a time.

Some of my favorite charismacizes are The Magic Breath Exercise, The Great Wow, The Golden Light, The I Don't Care Swing, The Pleasure Checklist, and the Anti-Judgmental Notebook. That, of course, does not include the various visualizations, all of which are amazing. For an ongoing, unfair advantage over the rest of the world, I use The Big Balloon -- that is, breathing less than seven times per minute, which I've managed to get even lower with the help of The Magic Breath. Maybe it is the underlying philosophy of this book that is so appealing, which is that "The best work is accomplished in a spirit of eager play." I owe endless thanks to The New Charisma for introducing me to the human potential movement via its references to other works such as "Superlearning" and "Bodymind."

Although other authors and speakers have appeared on the landscape, such as Tony Robbins and whoever else has come and gone, none have had a message as authentic, holistic, and just plain spot-on as The New Charisma. The book is extremely enjoyable yet it equips an individual with tools to deal with the toughest, bare knuckle, real-life situations anyone is likely to confront, with unflappable grace. I discovered The New Charisma at a time when I was under tremendous stress at a miserable job, and reading it was like coming home. Life suddenly turned into a beautiful, sunny, perfect Saturday afternoon where all was right with the world -- and I could connect with people in a way that was natural, fun, mutually beneficial and extremely effective. Part of the secret of charisma is that your own enjoyment of life is infectious to others. Dr. Lang will add so much pleasure and dimension to your experience that the change will be akin to switching from an old black and white TV with an earplug, to a state of the art theater with stereo surround sound.

If you value living a rich, rewarding life, you simply cannot afford not to read this book.