Customer Reviews

Ordaining Reality: The Science Behind the Power of Positive Thinking

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After reading The Secret and several other books of the same genre, I was disappointed and underwhelmed. Wishing it were so won't make it so, neither will becoming a Pollyanna. However I was not deterred in my quest as I throughly believe that each of us has the power "to make it happen". But I felt I had to know the scientific principals behind it in order to inplement it into my life.

This book was recommended to me by someone who bought it from the publisher's site and so I did the same as this was before it was available at Borders. Knowing immediately that it was a life-altering book I held off on writing a review until I had fully digested it and implemented it into my daily life. I was not disappointed, Mr. Donlan is the one who finally "delivers the goods". After several years of "Murphy's Law" being the norm in my life, things are finally "falling into place". And I now live with the certainty that this will continue as I ordain it to be so.

Don't be intimidated by the above "Book Description" as no antecedent knowledge of Physics, Eastern/Western mind-set or Brain Physiology is needed to understand, enjoy and implement the process as set forth by the author. The book is highly approachable as is the author, himself, on his web-site at Ordaining Reality.com.

This book is a no-nonsense documentation of the scientific principles that not only allow you to take power over your own future but are actually waiting for you to take that power.

The only personal agenda I found in this book was the delightful sound of my own personal agenda finally falling into place. I now see myself as the active Protagonist of my own life and future events and so can you.

The author's style is as entertaining as it is enlightening. I couldn't put it down once I got into it. And I chose to buy a second copy rather than part with mine when a friend asked to borrow it. I highly recommend this read to anyone needing to create their own life as they want it to be. And who among us doesn't?

This is a much larger book than its 500+ pages would have you think. It opens your mind to areas you never guessed were there and allows depths of comprehension that have no limit. If this sounds like Zen, it is. It is an examination of Zen by way of wave-particle example so metaphysical and yet so committed to Quantum theory that it more than satisfies the physicist as well as the mystic in a search for their connection. It hits home through exploration of experiences I believe we have all had and never before understood. It's not a quick sell book and if you're not equiped with a probing mind you'll never get through the Foreword. So dig in. The reward is infinite.

I read many books, often several at the same time. I generally read non-fiction. This is the most informative and provocative book I've read in a long time. It gets into so many topics of interest and presents them in understandable language. There were parts I needed to read more than once to fully grasp them, but I think I followed everything, even the sections that the author said were optional. I'm wiser for my effort. The book reinforces a lot of the topics it presents and makes a lot of forward and backward references. That was very helpful.

This was obviously quite an effort to produce, and I think its title betrays its range of value. However, now that I am through with the last Chapter, I shall put it to the test of helping me to shape my future. I am confident that it will and I think others will gain this ability when they read this book.

This book, unlike any other that I've ever read, explains in clear terms how events and objects are connected through thoughts and how they either attract or repel each other. As its title states, it actually explains the science behind the power of positive thinking. I have a background in science, so I drank all of it in. Good stuff. However, I can see that readers with little or no background can read the first 100 pages or so 'all non-technical', jump to chapters Seven and Eight and then go to the last chapter and probably get just as much out of it in the end. Read what you can and then carefully follow Chapter Thirteen.

I just finished reading most of the new version. Some parts were a little over my head, but what I truly loved about this book, in addition to learning an awful lot about an awful lot, is that it's real. What I mean is that it isn't like some others (such as The Secret and Law of Attraction) that give you a lot of successful cases then tell you "you can do it too; it's simple". That may work for some, but, this book explains what's involved, exactly what you need to do, and why you need to do it that way. I'm into this stuff and it's the first book I've ever seen that's like this.

It took me a while to get through most of it, and I don't understand all of it, but I unqualifiedly recommend it to anyone who wants to know about the nature of life, how to cope with its ups and downs, how to make a positive impact, and how to make your future brighter...with no bull.

It is said that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. And so it was when I met Joe Donlan several years ago, as we chanced to sit next to one another on a flight from New Orleans to Atlanta. I was ready for his teaching! Before long our conversation drifted to his passion -- how to create a satisfying life utilizing the positive forces of the mind. Already on that path myself, Joe's message encouraged me to explore the field of positive thinking. Additionally, he invited me to become one of his "test readers."

"Ordaining Reality" is a book I've read several times in its initial stages, but have vastly enjoyed having the finished product in my hands. It requires time to read and digest, but it is worth every moment of time thus spent.

How many of us are rankled by the Doubting Thomases of this world who say, in response to matters of faith and the metaphysical, "Prove it to me and I'll believe it!" Joe Donlan's book does just that: he proves the existence of a universe that is both interactive and all-empowering.

There are many sections of "Ordaining Reality" that I have read and re-read. Thanks to Mr. Donlan, I have at least a basic understanding of the quantum world. Additionally, his history of man's search for knowledge about how things really work is fascinating. However, he also enlightens us that many ancient philosophers, as well as Eastern Mystics, have, for millennia, intuited the existence of this "cosmic soup" that surrounds us.

I smile when I read notices that researchers are narrowing their pursuit of the Akashic Records (as if they could be a "physical" find!). Mr. Donlan proves to us that the universe itself is the Akashic Record (although he does not call it such). The universe contains all that ever was, is, or will be, we are told in his grand book.

The message of Joe Donlan's work is very empowering. Although he does not discuss reincarnation or karmic cycles, his message of FOREVER is very comforting. In the metaphysical world, there is no linear sense of time. All exists simultaneously -- past, present, and future. And while many of us already sensed this, how delightful to have it proven to us!

Mr. Donlan's highly entertaining and very readable style is at its best as he enlightens us on his Harmonic Theory. Just the name itself sounds like something we should ALL read about. As I have praised "Ordaining Reality" to other readers, several have asked to borrow my copy. Just seeing the book on my office table reminds me that I, too, as other reviewers have stated, will re-read many sections lest I be tempted to slack off in my positive quest for a harmonic and positive life. And so I tell them to go get their own copy!

Thank you, Joe Donlan, for this wonderful book and all its knowledge and lessons. Please write another one soon.

Our actions are driven by our thoughts; it is therefore logical that our thoughts influence the actions of others. This book, unlike The Secret explains this link clearly. Although the science portions of the book may be more than some readers can tolerate, the author presents it in layers so that the uninitiated can pick and choose the parts they need. In converse, I found that The Secret confused this principle via the simplistic black and white world it paints and its unabashed advocacy of materialism and greed. I recognize that in the US, at least, materialism is the Holy Grail, and success in life is measured by the toys we have and the size of our portfolios. That is why people who are struggling financially are grist for this mill and led to the success of her book. While it is true that positive thought beget positive outcomes, The Secret suggests that people who are starving in parts of Indonesia and Africa are entirely responsible for their own circumstances. In contrast, Ordaining Reality fosters human compassion and empathy and makes the case that we are all in this world together, and one's own happiness and gain is brought about by helping others to gain. This book should be read by every member of our government so that they would understand nature and re-align their priorities.

I just finished it. Very good writing style for complex topics as the author presents the complex portions in a layered form and uses italics to give supporting details that most readers will just skip.
This book is just loaded with information about who we are, why we're here, and where we're going (or at least where we could be going). It addresses subjects that I've been thinking about my whole life. I would pass it on, but I want to reread parts of it and really get my money's worth. The last chapter is something that I plan to read every few months to refresh my ability to concentrate on what I want from deep inside me.

Last Christmas as with every Christmas our friend from California dropped by for a visit. During conversation he mentioned he was reading a book that he would not ordinarily pick up. He said it was called "Ordaining Reality." I was immediately curious. "Sounds like something I might like to read. Who is the author?" I said. He looked at me disbelievingly. "Are you sure? There's lots of science." He was right. Loads of science. But what my friend didn't know is that I love science. And Eastern metaphysics. This was the law of attraction at work. I was seeking and Joe Donlan delivered! Until this book, I couldn't see how these two disciplines could be brought together, although I had hoped. Joe Donlan has answered that hope in his insightful, well-organized, and surprising new book. This book is packed with facts, scientific theory, and metaphysical anecdotes, yet written in an accessible and entertaining style. (Take it from me, I'm a fantasy artist by trade, with an interest in science, but not a degree!) A gracious heart beats beneath these pages. One gets the feeling the author is really trying to show you the path to success. The last chapter brings it all together, and actually gives succinct instructions on how to implement the theories in the book. It's fascinating, and I'm beginning to see changes in my own life. In my opinion, the only book you will ever need on "mind creating matter." After reading "Ordaining Reality: The Science Behind the Power of Positive Thinking," all other books on the subject seem like brain-candy romances. For those who want less of the scientific theory, I recommend: Ordaining Reality Made Easy: A Guide for Creating the Future

Synchronicity? Having no idea of the content, I loaded this book into my Kindle just before an epiphany-rendering journey through northern Thailand... Right up front, I will admit that Donlan is essentially "preaching to the converted" to me with his overall message, but I will attempt to review this book objectively.

Joseph E. Donlan is clearly a brilliant thinker with some genuinely new ideas worthy of serious consideration, but I was initially somewhat dismayed by his choice of rarefied vocabulary and repetitive writing style. However, to be fair, it must be considered that Donlan has taken upon himself the staggering task of explaining virtually "everything" in this book (the full version). Furthermore, he has sought to do so in a reasonably accessible and essentially non-technical manner, necessitating a certain amount of repetition and clarification.

Having a scientific and mathematical background, I appreciate rational inquiry. And in that vein, I found Donlan's cogent and logical approach to his own conclusions about the underlying nature of the universe to be most gratifying. I fully agree with him that theoretical physics is presently lingering in a dead-end, and that scientists in the field perhaps need to back up, re-evaluate some strongly-held convictions, and find a new perspective through which to move forward.

Accordingly, the new model that Donlan sets forth is at once impressively complete...and per most currently accepted tenets of the scientific mainstream, almost completely heretical. Even so, Donlan's framework is logical, resolves many of the conflicts arising from currently accepted models (including the first convincing explanation for the non-existence of EM radiation from its own perspective that I have EVER heard), and agrees with some emerging lines of rational inquiry. It furthermore suggests several verifiable results from observations of nature or the outcomes of experimentation, a firm requirement of any serious scientific construct. This portion of the full book, which is about eighty-percent of its content, represents some truly brilliant thinking.

However, I am rather less convinced by some of Donlan's ideas about the workings of the human brain and the nature of consciousness. He makes a few assertions that would not appear to be justified by current evidence, particularly with regard to the functioning of the cerebral hemispheres and the pineal gland, and their associations with "consciousness." These ideas, I feel, he has forced into a form to match some more esoteric aspects of Eastern philosophies, such as "Yin-Yang," "chakras," and the "third eye."

This is not to say that I disagree with his position that a universe such as he describes is both logically consistent, and could account for, or even arise from that which we consider "metaphysical." Nor do I disagree that Eastern traditions can offer meaningful insights, and perhaps even access to the workings of the universe itself. Rather, my disappointment stems simply from Donlan's apparent reluctance to look at these subjects with the same "Beginner's Mind" that he has so well applied to physics. Perhaps this is just too much to ask of any one person.

Consequently, Donlan's stated goal of convincing me that I can ordain my own reality is only partially achieved. Though subjective experience suggests to me that it is possible, I remain a bit skeptical of some of Donlan's ideas about exactly how the mind, so to speak, "pulls the levers." Regardless of any misgiving, however, I am giving this book "five stars." This is in part because I think Donlan's ideas about the workings of the universe stand on their own as a worthwhile read for anyone interested in a new "theory of everything." And since I essentially agree with Donlan's overall conclusion, my criticisms would seem relatively inconsequential.

I also think the focusing technique Donlan describes later in his book is a good approach for affecting a positive and constructive state-of-mind, and more importantly, for getting to the root of what one truly desires. And therein lies the real magic of his suggested meditation, looking past the superficial, psychological vestures that everyday life encourages us to hide our real selves behind. There is a true source of joy in life, and at our deepest level it connects everything. Donlan tries gently to direct us toward this truth in the waning pages of his book, though he seems to understand that his readers must each have their own epiphanies. Synchronicity.