The Five Stages of the Soul: Charting the Spiritual Passages That Shape Our Lives (Paperback)

~ (Author), David Carroll (Author) "Time is running out," the little voice whispers..." (more)
Key Phrases: midlife workshops, spiritual summons, third seeker, Ram Dass, New York City, Brother Robert (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The quintessential baby-boom seeker of spiritual fulfillment, Harry Moody came of age in the late '60s, began his search for deeper meaning, gradually assimilated into professional life, married, and became "normal." The only difference is that Moody never stopped searching, and The Five Stages of the Soul is the culmination of his efforts. Everyone, especially in the middle years, he says, takes an interest in the spiritual life, and more or less goes through five stages of development: the call, the search, the struggle, the breakthrough, the return. In a colorful array of stories from contemporary America and legends and myths from religious traditions around the world, Moody unveils the varieties of spiritual paths and the common threads that bind them all together. As a mirror of our own search, The Five Stages of the Soul is as useful as it is informative. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Moody, cofounder of the Brookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College in New York City, has studied the field of aging for two decades. Through Sufi masters, Buddhist monks, and personal spiritual reflections, he illustrates five stages of spiritual development that play a part in every individual's life journey. The call comes first, then the search, struggle, and breakthrough. Finally, the return finishes the cycle. Moody moves beyond Jung, Erikson, or Maslow, whom he claims neglected the spiritual in their theories on human development. His work could be the counterpart to Gail Sheehy's Passages (LJ 5/15/76). An extensive bibliography demonstrates Moody's knowledge of his subject. Recommended for public and academic libraries.?Lisa S. Wise, Broome Cty. P.L., Binghamton,
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Anchor (July 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385486774
• ISBN-13: 978-0385486774
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #34,667 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've read it at least 4 times, January 7, 2005

By	Bill C. (Eastern Virginia) - See all my reviews

This book was seminal in describing to me and helping me to understand the extent to which my life has been and continues to be a spiritual journey, one that was originated by the God of the universe, and to which the journey leads. This is a book for all, but especially for those who have been brought up in a majority Christian culture, but who eschew the parochialism and often bigoted dogma and rigid theology of mainstream and particularly, right wing christian culture.

The authors use all the great spiritual traditions to describe their concepts of the spiritual journey, including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and others. This is a book that really emphasizes the individual relationship with the Holy One, the Great Lover, and so has an attractive mystical bent. Quotes from the writings of Rumi as well as St Theresa of Avila, John of the Cross and Julian of Norwich fit very comfortably together within the authors' spiritual paradigm.

If you would like a book that can explain to you how you and everyone else on earth might fit into God's plan, despite differences in dogma and theology, then this book is for you. After all, this is exactly what Christ taught, despite orthodox bigots' exclusionary proclamations.

It's an easy read the first time, and gives forth more richly on subsequent readings.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My vacation reading for 2000, July 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Five Stages of the Soul: Charting the Spiritual Passages (Hardcover)

I decided not to take any books on my (solo) vacation this year -- preferring instead to see what I would gravitate toward 'on the road' (my way of living dangerously -- such an exciting life I lead!). So it was, in one of the bookstores at Logan Airport in Boston that I came to be standing in front of the philosophy/self-improvement section. No -- PLEASE no self improvement (I said to myself). Aren't vacations supposed to be a respite from such relentless work?. But something (probably the link between my impending 37th birthday and the book's idea that a spiritual journey is natural in mid-life) intrigued me too much to let myself put this book back on the shelf.

When I reached my destination, I was still reluctant to start such a deep-sounding subject, but I picked it up anyway -- just to read a bit to get myself to sleep. Three hours later, I was still in the midst of this engrossingly descriptive guidepost to maturing spirituality. Reluctantly I put it aside to get some sleep, but the next morning I finished it -- somewhere between breakfast and lunch. Like another reviewer said, now I know what several friends will be getting for birthdays/Christmas presents!

I suppose the thing that touched me most was the inclusionary (rather than exclusionary) nature of the examples of different stages of 'the journey' -- tapping many different faith traditions rather than one particular dogma. Well, that and the idea that I have something 'new' ahead of me as I hit my forties and beyond, rather than more of the same old thing. I'd like to read it again soon (and I have a feeling I'll want to read it several times in the next couple of decades), but I'll have to get another copy -- my 'original' has been on loan since returning from my trip!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Modern Classic!!, October 25, 2006

By	Don Carlos D D (Dominican Republic) - See all my reviews

I'm a well educated, ie former attorney, American male, 65 years old. Born & raised a Roman Catholic, but not a practicing Catholic for decades; I enjoy exploring & reading @ spritual & religious topics; I consider myself, with a huge tongue in check, an amateur metaphysician. I've read 20 - 30 - 40 books in this area during the past 15 years. This is the best! Period. I think that @ age 40, I would not have been able to understand this book or what Moody was trying to teach; as I grew older, more intrsospective, & more torn by ambiguity, I found the subject matters of this book much more "pressing". If you read 1 book @ the spiritual aspects of maturity @ the 50+ stage of life, I suggest you start your explorations with this 1! A classic!