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

(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.

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.

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!