Unfolding: The Perpetual Science of Your Soul's Work (Paperback)

~ (Author) "When I think of Work, I think of something that is much larger than the jobs we happen to hold..." (more)
Key Phrases: splintered paths, resonant environment, healing creation, Unfolding Notebook, Repair Experiment, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...I found it refreshing to read a book that openly allows and encourages spirituality in everyday life." -- The New Times, Fall 2002

"...without jargon and woo-woo, we find wisdom and exercises to bring forth [unfolding] within ourselves." -- Marriage Magazine Sep./Oct. 2002

...Julia Mossbridge delivers a highly creative contribution to the field of self-improvement...The result is a deceptively straightforward book." -- Conscious Choice, April 2002

Product Description

UNFOLDING approaches personal transformation from the perspective of science and with a sense of the unique qualities of each individual. Rather than presenting a 'formula' for success, Mossbridge provides guidelines for 'experiments' designed to be adapted based on the 'results'. Each reader takes the journey of self-discovery through the process outlined by Mossbridge, but each reader will use the process to review and fine-tune the results.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: New World Library; 1st edition (March 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577311930
• ISBN-13: 978-1577311935
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #857,764 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loaded with new ideas and ways of looking at life., April 1, 2003

By	"jubidee" (Libertyville, IL USA) - See all my reviews

The author believes that healing the world is a perpetual process that is supported by three continuously-evolving points of focus. Together, she calls these the steps of "unfolding":

(1) discovering exactly what your work is,

(2) mastering your work by nurturing your partnership with God,

and

(3) sharing your work with the world and, in so doing, sharing the work of world repair with others.

The book is split into three parts that each discuss one of these steps in detail. Each section is written in easy-to-digest pieces with lots of examples, experiments, and "sound bites" taken out of the text and highlighted for the impatient reader. Each of the three parts also ends with a "Soul Map" -- synthesizing exercises that make the work quite practical. The book also includes a "Laboratory Tool Kit," an appendix of experimental tools that beautifully allows for the reality that everyone is different and will resonate with different pratices, mediations, and rituals.

I truly enjoyed the unique way the author looked at the world, and the way she revealed her mistakes and confusion to me. I loved that the book wasn't trying to sell anything -- it seemed open and full of love. I received insights that I could use in my life, right now, and that was satisfying and useful. It's quite rich, full of unusual ideas, not to mention the real-world approach to spirituality that seems to be unique among self-help books.

The biggest blessing (and curse) of the book is that it is not "light" reading. The author is clearly serious about this work, and that makes me want to do it­ -- as I read, I get excited (and frightened) by it. Having done the work on my own, and having seen others do it through my workshop series, I am convinced that the true power of the book comes not from the book itself, but how it can be uniquely used by each person as a transformational catalyst.

For these reasons, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is willing to take the radical step of discovering their purpose and the even more radical step of fulfilling it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique and helpful book, March 18, 2002

By A Customer

Julia Mossbridge has written a beautiful, exceedingly helpful book. What I like most is her view of life and spiritual growth as an experiment. As she says in her intro, there's a reason it's not called "Your Soul's Work in 7 Easy Steps." We are always growing and changing - no one can hand us a prescription we can take to be "done" with our personal/spiritual growth.

Julia provides a road map of sorts, a way to approach an investigation into who we are, what we need, and what we have to offer others.

The author has a great knack for mixing the inspirational and the nitty-gritty. Throughout the book, she elevates the reader, then brings us back to earth with real-life tales of real-life people with real-life problems. For example, the first chapter is about the importance of being Who We Really Are. Her initial words inspired me to think about what this phrase means on a new level. But the exercises she offers here and in later chapters involve getting in touch with your body, trusting your physical reactions rather than just intellectualizing everything.

I found her explanation of seeking your purpose to again be refreshingly grounded in reality. She talks about the myth that your purpose must be "something remarkable and different from anything you've done before." and warns against "the Mother Theresa" urge. I also found her discussion of group interactions and group goals to be helpful, as this can be the trickiest aspect of self-growth - moving beyond our own needs to looking at how to interact with others to solve problems together.

Each chapter grows naturally from the one before, building on ideas and lessons. It is not a book to be skimmed, but to be used, as she recommends, in conjunction with your own notebook and scrapbook. I like the idea of making my way through this book at various times in my life. Not "OK, learned that, what's next," but thinking always of how to take myself to a deeper (or higher) level, to see what I wasn't ready for before, but can now focus on now.

I appreciate Ms. Mossbridge's positive worldview, and highly recommend the book as a hands-on approach to self-work.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding Your Best Life Path, January 30, 2003

By	Cynthia Sue Larson "www.realityshifters.com" (San Francisco bay area, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

If you've ever felt like, "Some day, I'll know what I want to be when I grow up," and now you're beginning to wonder when (or if) that day will ever arrive, UNFOLDING is the book for you! Written by a spiritual scientist who believes in the wisdom of consciously working in collaboration with God, this excellent book provides you with tools you can use right now to find your best possible life path. When you learn the art of unfolding, you will remember how to be who you are, discover your purpose, develop your partnership with God, choose your soul's path, share your soul's gifts with others, and create healing in the world.

Julia Mossbridge is an award-winning neuroscientist who was inspired to become a life coach when she felt a need to find a more fulfilling life for herself. She knew that there was a lot of untapped potential inside of her, and when she set out to discover how to rebuild her life around who she really was, she was amazed at how much better that felt! UNFOLDING describes the process Mossbridge successfully teaches and uses to do the inner work required for living an outwardly successful life. Each section contains wonderful exercises that will help you see immediate results.

UNFOLDING is a friendly book that stimulates my imagination and delights my intellect, and I love it so much that I've been carrying it with me everywhere I go. I especially like the sections on "Creating Goal Communities," "Recognizing Splintered Paths," and the "Fear-Facing Practice." Another unexpected gem in this book is Mossbridge's amazingly clear explanation of how to integrate the seemingly opposite and unreconcilable philosophies of "Let Go, Let God," and "100 Percent Responsibility" when you create your partnership with God. For that section alone, this book is worth the purchase price!