God on Your Own: Finding A Spiritual Path Outside Religion

by Joseph Dispenza, Thomas Moore (Foreword)

In this spiritual self-help memoir, a former Roman Catholic monk recounts his journey away from religion toward his own personal spirituality.

After spending eight years in a monastery, Joseph Dispenza walked away from his life as a monk—and the religion of his youth—in search of a different kind of spiritual path. Outside the confines of organized religion, Dispenza was able to create a spiritual life that gives direction and meaning to all he does and all he is.

God on Your Own is a book for anyone who has left (or is thinking of leaving) organized religion but wants to continue on a spiritual path. Dispenza, a noted author and retreat leader, provides a spiritual road map for those who want to make the transition from conventional religion toward a richer and more satisfying direct relationship with the Source, without rules, dogmas, or doctrines.

Throughout the book, Dispenza offers wise, compassionate guidance, speaking as one seeker to another. He has made this journey himself, gleaning spiritual truth from across traditions and practices.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Memoir, Religion

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2006

About the author

https://de.slideshare.net/mobile/shar...

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like I'm reacting really strongly, but I wasn't quite prepared for the mishmash of half baked New Agism. I really expected a book that tells me to adopt sacred skepticism to be skeptical, which I guess shows what I know. Summary: be wary of organized religion and throw yourself into disorganized religion. It wasn't horrible or anything, just lacking in real substance.

[Jacqi · Rating 2 out of 5]

More memoir than spiritual guidance, and deals heavily with parapsychology, paranormal and occult type information.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the personal stories illustrating concepts and paths. I also liked how he reformed chastity, obedience, and poverty into innocence, responsibility, and detachment. The chapter on Innocence was particularly helpful in showing the various of aspects of innocence applied to life situations.

[rumbledethumps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part spiritual memoir, part spiritual guide, this book was written by a man who was a Catholic monk for several years as a young adult. He left the monastery and embarked upon his own spiritual journey to try to find his connection with what he used to call God.

He tries to teach the reader how to pursue a path to spirituality outside of organized religion. The problem is, he seems to want to lead you down his path, not have you discover your own path. Much of the book is about leaving a religion, mainly Christianity. For those readers who have never belonged to an organized religion, this isn't really helpful.

In one section early on, he writes, "The Seeker questions everything. A skeptical viewpoint is the best resource for starting to create a personal spiritual way of life." (p. 52) But he must only mean questioning and being skeptical of the things the Christian church taught you, because on the very next page he is accepting without any skepticism whatsoever Shirley Maclaine's past life visions, and then extols the wonders of psychic surgeons.

Overall, not really for me. But he does have a few interesting points to make, especially about prayer/meditation. He writes, "There is only one prayer: the prayer of thanksgiving." (p. 94)

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph Dispenza writes with a clear and kind hand on figuring out a personal spirituality regardless of whether or not it's part of an "official" church body. With bits that are autobiographical he gives just enough of an illustration for ideas, but gives you the responsibility for discovering what works for you.

[Sheri]

This book interested me because I was curious to understand what would compel a teenager to dedicate his entire life to God by living as a monk in a monastery, yet 8 years later walk away from not just the monastery, but organized religion entirely. I found some parts of the book quite insightful - particularly the truths he took away from his time as a monk - his take on the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. However, other parts were a stretch for me - for example, drug-induced spiritual experiences and past-life dreams/experiences. I found the book to be rather meandering. It seemed to start out following some sort of outline of purpose, yet about halfway through the book, became somewhat more random. I felt it was more of a story about one person's experience & revelations than it was a guide to follow, as the title and sub-title suggests.

[terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a view of life on the other side of the monastery...and because Thomas Moore wrote the introduction. I was not disappointed, and it was one of the first books I read when I stepped onto my current path that walks between Christian experience and Taoist philosophy. Dispenza's views are informed and clear, and his thoughts paralleled my own often enough that I was able to find secure handholds along the way to leaving the unnecessary aspects of religious faith and belief for a more mature experience of spiritual renewal and grace.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out interesting, with helpful ideas about finding your own way spiritually. But I got totally turned off when he started talking about how in a past life he was a German girl who met Hitler, etc. Who knows, maybe all that's true, maybe it's not. But I just felt like rolling my eyes, so I knew it was time to put the book down.

I tried, I really did.

[Jo Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, it will be an amazing read. I've been a fan of Joseph's for a number of years.

I've just returned from several months in Joseph's beloved historical Mexican city, San Miguel d'Allende. Now that I've returned to my
ranch, I'll be savoring each and every word after I've prepared all the documents for the IRS. It will be a great treat!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book, well written and very interesting. It gives you a place to start when looking for a personal spirituality. The author did seem to have a round about way of making his point, but the stories were interesting, sometimes a little strange, but not too far beyond my own spiritual history. I enjoyed it, well done.

[Debbie Lindsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe the timing of reading must be right for the reader in order to grasp the information presented by the author. For me, the timing was just right. I have been frustrated with organized religion for the last several years and have been seeking something more but didn't really know what. I now know!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This guy grew up Catholic--even went to the monastery and lived as a monk for a few years. Eventually his thinking moved away from structured religion and more toward personal connectedness, which I relate to a lot.

[Celia Trout · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh. I didn't finish it, mostly because it was so uniquely his own experience and I felt I had very little in common with his view of God and spirituality.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is very intelligent and as I thoroughly enjoy engaging with smart people, I liked this book. As for my spiritual journey, it's a good place to start a conscious seeking.

[Victor De witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent experience of a person who transitioned from religion of man to Spiritual experience with the Divine Source Spirit.

Every facet of the transition is told.

[R. Bruce Magee · Rating 2 out of 5]

rbmagee@hotmail.com

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, a breath of fresh air. Nice to hear a voice who's walked a familiar path.