Original Self: Living with Paradox and Originality

by Thomas Moore

book data

46 ratings, 3.85 average rating, 4 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		26%
4		43%
3		21%
2		6%
1		2%

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published

2001 (first published 2000) by Harper Perennial

binding

Paperback, 160 pages

isbn

0060953721 (isbn13: 9780060953720)

description

The original self is the person "who came into this world full of possibility and destined for joyful unveiling and manifestation," accordin...more

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01/26/09

Cheryl rated it:

Read in January, 2008

A lovely, to the point, direct, here it is version of Moore’s philosophy and how glorious it is! I have never been able to get into his “care of the soul”, but I may now. There was so much wisdom and echoes of my own soul. He talks about the poetry of every day life, of every day actions; he talks about looking into your soul and figuring it all out, and then letting it be since its beauty cannot be altered in any way. He incorporates every wisdom tradition I have ever learned about, a...more A lovely, to the point, direct, here it is version of Moore’s philosophy and how glorious it is! I have never been able to get into his “care of the soul”, but I may now. There was so much wisdom and echoes of my own soul. He talks about the poetry of every day life, of every day actions; he talks about looking into your soul and figuring it all out, and then letting it be since its beauty cannot be altered in any way. He incorporates every wisdom tradition I have ever learned about, and some I haven’t. He illuminates the world! What a powerful voice and poet. He states that we are “chronically trying to be someone other than the original self, persuaded that we are not adequate and should fit some norm of health or correctness, we may find a cool distance may gradually separate us from the deep and eternal person, that god-given personality, and we may forget both who we were and who we might be.” This is a therapist who sees value in our depressions and neuroses as an expression of creativity of our unique person. Inflammatory words sometimes, but very powerful and inspired and inspiring:

"drifting into reverie might bring us to the full immediacy of the moment, which may be properly focused on invisible things."

"Gnostic tales tell of the homesickness of the soul, its yearning for its own milieu…its odyssey is a drifting at sea, a floating toward home…"

"We forget that out physical and emotional life is musical, with all sorts of sensations, fantasies, and feelings coming and going like the flighty motifs of fugues, sonatas, and canons."

"the secret of a soul-based life is to allow someone or something other than the usual self (ego) to be in charge."

"anxiety is nothing but fear inspired by an imagined future collapse. it is a failure of trust."

"life needs a point of entry, a crack in our defenses."

"it may be more important to be awake than to be successful, balanced, or healthy. what does it mean to be awake? perhaps to be living with a lively imagination, responding honestly and courageously to opportunity and avoiding the temptation to follow mere habit or collective values. it means to be an individual, in every instance manifesting the originality of who we are. this is the ultimate form of creativity- following the lead of the deep soul as we make a life. we all fall asleep and allow life to rush by without reflection and consideration. when we are shocked in to awareness by a tragedy or failure, this is the time…to choose to live an awakened life."

"we are the educators of our own personalities. certainly we have great influence in the crafting of our children. if we brought half the intelligence to the making of souls that we bring to the making of machines, we would be people of character and imagination….we would know where to find the deep pleasures, so we would be less desperate for shallow entertainments and the ephemeral gratifications of gadgets."
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03/13/09

John rated it:

Read in March, 2009

Sometimes inspired. Mostly insipid.

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01/29/08

Betsy rated it:

bookshelves: spirituality

Read in February, 2008

Moore has some refreshing insights on modern psychotherapy and our constant need to "fix" ourselves. He suggests embracing the original self, allowing room for and learning to live well with our neuroses (rather than trying to eliminate them). He draws broadly from theology, mythology and philosophy - and makes a case for living with more soul. Questioning less, embracing more of what already is.

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