The Heart of the Soul : Emotional Awareness (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Linda Francis (Creator) "OUR ADOPTED SIOUX UNCLE ONCE TOLD ME, "Nephew, the longest journey that you will make in your life is from your head to your heart,..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

We are all students in the "Earth school," according to authors Gary Zukav and Linda Francis in The Heart of the Soul. And the time has come to create a whole new lesson plan. For thousands of years we were outwardly focused, as we mastered the tasks of cultivating food and building shelter. Unfortunately, we are still outwardly fixated, obsessively accumulating more wealth, material objects, and power. "What enabled our species to survive so long is now bad medicine. In fact, it is poison," according to Zukav and Francis. What we need now is an inward focus, in which we cultivate the heart and live in alignment with our souls.

As it turns out, The Heart of the Soul is a timely guidebook, with a release date exactly three months after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. "The pursuit of external power produces physical violence and destruction between nations. You can see this in every newscast," the authors write:

Billions of people live in poverty, are hungry, and suffer oppression, and brutality. Changing these circumstances requires our hearts. It requires the ability to feel the pain and joy of others, and to take their needs as seriously as we take our own.

And here is where the heart lessons come in. "As long as there are parts of yourself that reach outward to make you feel safe, valuable, and loved, you need to identify them and heal them." The authors include numerous exercises and activities to help readers feel and understand their emotions in order to "empower the soul" and live a more rewarding and joyful life. The words and intentions are indeed poignant and worthwhile. The numerous boxes, diagrams, and passages in bold print create a self-help structure that some will find simplistic and others will find inviting. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

Asserting that "our species is undergoing an unprecedented transformation," Zukav (The Seat of the Soul; Soul Stories) urges people to focus not on "external power" but on "authentic power," and to seek to align their personalities with their souls. People should learn to read emotional pain (manifested in physical symptoms) as energy being released in "fear and doubt" rather than "love and trust," Zukav says. He includes a diagram of "your energy system," which he doesn't acknowledge as the seven chakras common in ancient Eastern religions. In fact, while drawing on Hindu and Buddhist thought, Taoism, Christianity, psychology and many other sources, Zukav credits no previous study or tradition. Reincarnation, detachment, present-moment living and bringing unconscious emotions to the surface are not original concepts, but the author's lack of references implies that they are. Questionable claims "a new human species is being born," for example, or "energy continually flows into the top of your head" are also offered as indisputable facts. Zukav's abundance of vague metaphors and lack of specific personal stories leaves the reader wondering how (or if) the concepts he presents might be applied to everyday issues and events. This book could be another adequate tool in the pursuit of New Age spirituality, but it is hardly the complete and final word the author suggests. Still, with Zukav's track record and Oprah-readiness, expect hefty sales.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; 1st edition (December 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743205677
• ISBN-13: 978-0743205672
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #342,710 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guidebook for Traveling Through our Emotional Landscape, June 20, 2003

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: The Heart of the Soul : Emotional Awareness (Paperback)

"You are a soul that is temporarily utilizing your body." ~Gary Zukav

Is the world changing? Have we suddenly discovered a lack of fulfillment in our materialistic endeavors or have we always felt this way but have only recently decided to talk about it?

I have recently met more Multisensory individuals who believe we have a soul and who are striving for spiritual fulfillment. They see more than a world where we experience pleasure from our five senses. They also seem very aware that there is more to life than the American Dream. I myself have found out about the American Nightmare.

We are looking for a deeper life, a life where people care about one another, where we all feel valuable, safe and loved. Compassionate and wise individuals are heaven to meet and can be teachers who present stunning insight and convincing arguments to lead us to believe in our own ability to find authentic power.

To me, the American Nightmare is reaching the American Dream and realizing it is not everything you hoped for and your life becoming a whirlwind of things to do which just don't satisfy the cravings of your soul. Just because you have the big house, the car, the huge kitchen doesn't mean you will be happy. In fact, having too much can detract from your spiritual goals. Materialism can be a heavy burden for the soul who desires a world of freedom, love and joy.

After downsizing my life so I could spend more time washing my soul with encouraging words, I decided it was time to go back to where I first started on this journey and read another book by Gary Zukav.

I like his idea about viewing life as a school and that has become tightly woven into my own earth experience. If Earth is a School and teachers appear when we need them most, then Gary has been one of my teachers when I most needed the information he has to present to this student of life.

I see Gary Zukav evolving himself as I read each new book. "The Heart of the Soul" is his most organized work to date. Theory and heart are balanced fully. Linda and Gary balance one another fully and together they have created a beautiful work.

While "Seat of the Soul" and "Soul Stories" explained the basic principles, this is specifically a guidebook to the emotional world we experience on a daily basis but might have difficulty categorizing.

This is really a book for everyone who wants to figure out where our emotions come from and where they can take us on our spiritual journey. To grow spiritually and act from a place of authentic power, we often have to step back and observe those emotions that are evolving from fear. This can feel like an ocean is pulling you under and you are fighting to swim to the surface.

Gary almost suggests that we should allow ourselves to enter this ocean of emotions and observe the way the waves are moving until we can control the ocean with our own minds instead of letting the ocean control our bodies and minds.

You start to realize how powerful your mind really is. Instead of running off into life and only seeking your own pleasure, you start to think more about how your actions would cause other people to feel.

You become more aware of your intentions. You wait for your emotions to subside before making rash decisions that could change people's lives. Who has not made a poor decision when in a state of extreme anxiety, fear or anger? Waiting out the tidal waves of pain can leave you resting on a peaceful beach, observing the destruction yet knowing you survived.

Gary focuses on some real-life issues which can make your life hell. These include perfectionism, addiction to drugs and alcohol, overeating, obsessive compulsive behaviors, idol worship, power struggles, searching for salvation, judging others, anger, workaholism and even sexual addiction.

Either you can learn how to avoid the hell through your own personal experience, or you can be made aware of how to avoid painful situations in your life through a deeper awareness of what causes that pain. This book also contains illustrations, diagrams, empowering thoughts and authentic power practices to encourage emotional awareness.

I do not think one person has all the answers, but Gary?s thoughts are definitely pieces of the puzzle I need to make my life more complete. This book would not mean as much to me if I was not already on a spiritual path and had a belief in a God who sent Jesus Christ to take the burden of my sins, provide me genuine salvation for my soul and who can take my actions from stray emotions and toss them into a sea of absolute forgiveness. I am freed from my guilt and can rest in the knowledge of a loving God who put me on this earth to learn how to love. Failing only means I have to try again. God is always willing to forgive. Learning from our past mistakes is just part of life. Not making new mistakes might be very connected to becoming more emotionally aware.

To be interested in spirituality can at times only heighten the tests, create immense spiritual struggles and cause you to analyze your entire life so that you can then start to figure out was is eternally important rather than what is momentarily significant.

You don't always have to act on all your desires or be swayed by all your emotions. This book will teach you how to create a better life for yourself by listening to your emotions who become teachers in themselves or at least are classes you can either pass or take repeatedly through life.

~The Rebecca Review

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A POWERFUL BOOK!, December 13, 2001

By	Sandra D. Peters "Seagull Books" (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As a counsellor, I have witnessed more aspects of life over the past thiry years than some people see in a lifetime - poverty, sickness, loneliness, hopelessness, extreme violence, greed, intimidation, the need for power and the relentless quest for a materialistic world at any cost. With that in mind, I can relate strongly to Gary Zukav's latest book, "The Heart of the Soul."

Wealth and power seem like a blessing to some, but unchained and left to run amok, those same desires can also lead to physical violence and the ultimate destruction of nations. When wealth and power control who and what we are, they are no longer blessings but a driven caustic obsession that eats and destroys the core of our being - the human soul.

Of all Gary's books, in my opinion this one is the most poignant, meaningful and impressive, especially when one recalls the tragic events of September 11th. It has come at a critical and appropriate time in our lives. Gary ofers suggestions on healing the soul, recognizing what is truly important in life, and finding peace and happiness within. That is a life lesson not everyone in the world has learned...and, unfortunately, some never will. We all know there is none so blind as those who will not see. This book is highly recommended and there are not enough stars in the rating for this one.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness, September 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Heart of the Soul : Emotional Awareness (Paperback)

While not as insightful and useful as "Seat of the Soul", this book does help one to get in touch with his emotions, especially fear and emotional pain. Interestingly, it doesn't offer much help in knowing what to do with those emotions, but being aware of them is the first step toward personality/soul integration. For example, using Gary's guidelines, I am now frequently aware of my disguised "fear and doubt" and therefore have the option of changing those emotions to "love and trust".

This book is an excellent companion to Gary's revolutionary book, "Seat of the Soul".