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Celestine Prophecy
Celestine Vision: Living the New Spiritual Awareness
Based on his personal experiences, the author of"The Celestine Prophecy" and "The Tenth Insight" shares his vision for--and explains how to achieve--a new era of global peace and understanding.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1997
183 people are currently reading
2847 people want to read
About the author
James Redfield
79 books1,633 followersJames Redfield is the author of The Celestine Prophecy and The Tenth Insight. He writes widely on the topic of human spiritual awareness and is active in the worldwide effort to save our last remaining wilderness areas. James lives with his wife, Salle, and cat, Meredith, in Alabama and Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
September 26, 2022
I realized this book had sat on my shelf for over 20 years, and decided to see how it’s aged. It brought back the ‘90s, when me and my friends were belatedly discovering the New Age, and we were feeling excited about the possibilities of spiritual transformation. That was back before before I got cynical, feeling that some of my friends took their spiritual missions too seriously for my toleration. Still, I liked the book more than I expected. Some parts seemed a touch flaky, but mostly it was decent, helpful insight into how people grow and mature. I felt it was encouraging, compassionate, and realistically hopeful. When I finished the book on the subway, I went off through the crowds feeling more connected to all the people around.
Still, I have a question. Redfield says that one of the main signs of change in our awareness concerns “synchronicity.” I’ll give his claim:
“Increasingly more of us, it seems, are becoming aware of the meaningful coincidences that occur every day. Some of these events are large and provocative. Others are small, almost imperceptible. But all of them give us evidence that we are not alone, that some mysterious process is influencing our lives. Once we experience the sense of inspiration and aliveness that these perceptions evoke, it is almost impossible not to pay attention. We begin to watch for these events, to expect them, and to actively seek a higher philosophical understanding of their appearance.” (p. xviii)
I’m sure we all have our moments, suddenly seeing patterns, making connections, or realizing next steps forward. And maybe we feel like we’re being guided rather than just growing a bit more aware. But at this point, what can we say about “noticing synchronicity” as a path toward our future? After all the recent blizzard of conspiracy theories, with people seeing “signs” on every side? What’s an intelligent response to having intuitions? I don’t have a good answer, but I think it’s easy to bullshit ourselves. Maybe we should take our intuitions as raising good questions more than as providing right answers.
Still, I have a question. Redfield says that one of the main signs of change in our awareness concerns “synchronicity.” I’ll give his claim:
“Increasingly more of us, it seems, are becoming aware of the meaningful coincidences that occur every day. Some of these events are large and provocative. Others are small, almost imperceptible. But all of them give us evidence that we are not alone, that some mysterious process is influencing our lives. Once we experience the sense of inspiration and aliveness that these perceptions evoke, it is almost impossible not to pay attention. We begin to watch for these events, to expect them, and to actively seek a higher philosophical understanding of their appearance.” (p. xviii)
I’m sure we all have our moments, suddenly seeing patterns, making connections, or realizing next steps forward. And maybe we feel like we’re being guided rather than just growing a bit more aware. But at this point, what can we say about “noticing synchronicity” as a path toward our future? After all the recent blizzard of conspiracy theories, with people seeing “signs” on every side? What’s an intelligent response to having intuitions? I don’t have a good answer, but I think it’s easy to bullshit ourselves. Maybe we should take our intuitions as raising good questions more than as providing right answers.
January 6, 2011
This book delves into the emerging approach to spirituality that humankind is currently living and proves that those mystical experiences that were once laughed at can now be explained by science and are more ubiquitous than before. Synchronicity, the power of being in the present, premonitions, gut-feelings and intuitive behavior are just one of the few spiritual experiences Redfield explores. Not only science has been able to testify these are not the happenings of fools or dishonest hawkers but are real episodes that are becoming more and more common. Years ago, it was impossible to talk about spirituality without being called a crazy misfit. Now, with the surge of technology, persons from all around the world are able to share their experiences as well as draw reoccurring similarities and what triggered them. Therefore, we're reaching a new spiritual awareness as we finally understand that the materialistic overview of life is no longer valid in the times we're living.
This book discusses synchronistical events (living two or more events that are apparently causally unrelated occurring together in a meaningful way) and it's funny that I came to have it in my own hands exactly through a series of acausal events: I landed on a blog containing a list of the 10 most influential spiritual books of our times according to the writer. I noticed quickly that I had read most of them. Nonetheless, the cover of one particular book struck me in the eye. It was almost as if it was more luminous than any other (luminosity is another topic Redfield explores throughout "The Celestine Vision"): it was "The Celestine Prophecy". I was magnetically attracted to it. I quickly called my local bookstore and was told that the novel wasn't available but that they had gotten just that day "The Celestine Vision" which condenses the philosophy in "TCP" without its plot and fictional elements. Clearly, this string of events was no coincidence at all… Then, I later read about synchronicity on Redfield's publication and came to find out it's not a myth and it's actually an idea that has been explored by several psychologists such as Carl Jung.
I took "The Celestine Vision" to my end of the year beachtrip and I have to say it was the best companion I could find out. Not only it helped me analyze 2010 but also gave me so much insight about what my goals should be and how to pursue them. Most importantly, it made me realize I sometimes gather my energy from other individuals by engaging into control dramas. It was a truly revealing read. I totally recommend this book to any person willing to improve his life through spirituality.
This book discusses synchronistical events (living two or more events that are apparently causally unrelated occurring together in a meaningful way) and it's funny that I came to have it in my own hands exactly through a series of acausal events: I landed on a blog containing a list of the 10 most influential spiritual books of our times according to the writer. I noticed quickly that I had read most of them. Nonetheless, the cover of one particular book struck me in the eye. It was almost as if it was more luminous than any other (luminosity is another topic Redfield explores throughout "The Celestine Vision"): it was "The Celestine Prophecy". I was magnetically attracted to it. I quickly called my local bookstore and was told that the novel wasn't available but that they had gotten just that day "The Celestine Vision" which condenses the philosophy in "TCP" without its plot and fictional elements. Clearly, this string of events was no coincidence at all… Then, I later read about synchronicity on Redfield's publication and came to find out it's not a myth and it's actually an idea that has been explored by several psychologists such as Carl Jung.
I took "The Celestine Vision" to my end of the year beachtrip and I have to say it was the best companion I could find out. Not only it helped me analyze 2010 but also gave me so much insight about what my goals should be and how to pursue them. Most importantly, it made me realize I sometimes gather my energy from other individuals by engaging into control dramas. It was a truly revealing read. I totally recommend this book to any person willing to improve his life through spirituality.
April 15, 2012
I just finished reading this book today. It was given to me by a good friend of mine at just the right time, when I needed spiritual guidance the most. This book went with me wherever I went for a week. Any free time I had I was reading. Listening. Learning. Highlighting. Applying. It has truly changed my life and made me learn more about myself than I ever thought I could in such a short amount of time. James Redfield gave me the back the knowledge of what I already knew, but forgotten along this journey of life. I feel more awake than I have ever felt in a long time.
December 29, 2014
The author wrote about what's happening in this world now and the direction its shifting, so accurately that too 15 years ago. If that's not vision, I don't know what is. Also none of the concepts were super imposing although quite a lot to take in, so best if read in breaks rather than at a single setting. As they say, the teacher appears when the student is ready & nothing is ever just a coincidence, nor is reading this book. Amazing experience, truly!
March 14, 2008
i read this book on the big montana road trip and what a great companion book on a trip like that. basically they take the celestine prophecy book and turn it into a guide for how to live. may sound strange for it to be from a fiction book but i got so much out of it. it asks you tons of questions and forces you to look at your life, childhood and future and all in a totally fresh perspective. for example it asks you at one point to pretend that you are a fetus about to pick parents and to list all of the reasons that you would pick your parents out of all of the people on earth. what did they have to offer you what could you and your unique personality offer them? what an amazing way to look at it. for me this was a real eye opener. i remember reading and dawson saying every now and then you are missing all these views... and be me saying i'm almost done i promise..well it was a good book, i'm sure y'all know how that is.
October 3, 2020
Redfield, "Living the new spiritual awareness is a matter of passing through a series of steps or revelations. Each step broadens our perspective. But each step also presents its own set of challenges. It is not enough to merely glimpse each level of expanded awareness. We must intend to live it, to integrate each increased degree of awareness into our daily routine. It only takes one negative interpretation to stop everything...."
July 5, 2014
To me this is the book you should read if you're interested in what Redfield is getting at with the whole "Insight" series. Redfield gives you the reasons behind his writings, deeper understandings of the Insights, and excercises. Worth the read for those wanting to deepen their experiences.
October 14, 2011
The historic and scientific background of our current planetary awakening and how we can grow in it.
August 29, 2018
Some interesting information on higher spirituality and living your best emotional life. I like how the book was organized and divided into chapters then subtopics, as this allows the reader to skip parts that don't necessarily apply to them. Thanks to my best friend, I received this book at the perfect time in my life.
If you enjoyed this book, I also recommend Chopra's The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire.
If you enjoyed this book, I also recommend Chopra's The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire.
December 27, 2013
This book was exactly what I was looking for: it explains what the insights of the Celestine Prophecy is in more detail. His vision of the future is amazing and how I wish it would all come true! However I wish he had a section on the changing roles of males and females in the new world vision. Since we are actually moving into the feminine now, it would help to have some discussion and guidance on this. He touches on this a little on his section of romantic relationships but not nearly enough.
May 30, 2012
Very good...but The Celestine Prophecy is still by far the best!
May 5, 2024
I am inspired to read the celestial vision by James Redfield. I read the Celestine prophecy years ago and I enjoyed it. Redfield speaks about synchronicity. That is things happening in a certain way to allow us to fill our destiny. This is real life. I know that so many synchronistic occurrences have happened to me. I also know that I’ve missed a lot of them. We may squander mini synchronistic opportunities and miss that conversation or that connection that we’re supposed to have.
When I was hospitalized, I was treated so well and such love and kindness by so many medical professionals and I remember many of the names but some people are forgotten to me right now. I want to remember them all. And pray for them. And make them part of my life going forward as well.
I like Redfield’s vision. I’m sorry that he kind of ventures into the fringes of politics and probably his political leanings are somewhat different than mine. However, I do share his great concern for the environment and for human life, and that the government be fair and just, and not corrupt. He tries to give when he ventures into politics equal regard for what you might call a conservative view that people need to be responsible and. and that we don’t want what I’ll call secular government - government divorced from spiritual values to be trying to control things.
At this time, I’m also reading and studying through the great courses the communist ideology. And I’m fascinated by the revolutionary zeal that it inspired in a lot of people. They were dreaming of the ideal world. Unfortunately, they bought into a worldview based on destruction. Is a simple as that. Progress comes through cooperation through harmony through giving and receiving together. Revolution doesn’t bring progress. If that revolution is destructive.
I really do like this book. And there’s something special about Mr. Redfield. I hope I can meet him someday synchronistically. And I hope that I can understand my own truth and the message I need to bring into the world. And what I need to do before I pass away from this lifetime.
At the end of last year, I had four medical conditions, any one of which could’ve ended my life. But I’m still here. This Celestine vision reminds me that I have a reason for being here. I have a purpose and I want see it clearly and fulfill it.
When I was hospitalized, I was treated so well and such love and kindness by so many medical professionals and I remember many of the names but some people are forgotten to me right now. I want to remember them all. And pray for them. And make them part of my life going forward as well.
I like Redfield’s vision. I’m sorry that he kind of ventures into the fringes of politics and probably his political leanings are somewhat different than mine. However, I do share his great concern for the environment and for human life, and that the government be fair and just, and not corrupt. He tries to give when he ventures into politics equal regard for what you might call a conservative view that people need to be responsible and. and that we don’t want what I’ll call secular government - government divorced from spiritual values to be trying to control things.
At this time, I’m also reading and studying through the great courses the communist ideology. And I’m fascinated by the revolutionary zeal that it inspired in a lot of people. They were dreaming of the ideal world. Unfortunately, they bought into a worldview based on destruction. Is a simple as that. Progress comes through cooperation through harmony through giving and receiving together. Revolution doesn’t bring progress. If that revolution is destructive.
I really do like this book. And there’s something special about Mr. Redfield. I hope I can meet him someday synchronistically. And I hope that I can understand my own truth and the message I need to bring into the world. And what I need to do before I pass away from this lifetime.
At the end of last year, I had four medical conditions, any one of which could’ve ended my life. But I’m still here. This Celestine vision reminds me that I have a reason for being here. I have a purpose and I want see it clearly and fulfill it.
September 4, 2023
Een schrijver met veel wijsheid. Dit boek bespreekt veel aspecten van ons leven en de maatschappij. Hoe wij spiritueel kunnen groeien en onze levensopdracht vinden. Synchroniciteit en machtsspel komt aan bod met duidelijke voorbeelden. Het mannelijke en vrouwelijke energie in ons en het innerlijk kind. Zeer compleet en nog actueel in 2023👍
October 21, 2017
This book represents an overview recap of the saga played out in the Celestine Prophecy, Tenth Insight, The Secret of Shambhala, and The Twelfth Insight : The Hour of Decision, but without the respective stories of the aforementioned books.
For me it was a nice recap of the process by which social awareness is obtained with the realization of one’s Birth Vision, and then, the overall mission of humanity, which is to reach spiritual awareness in tandem with our physical environment and in conjunction with the Afterlife as well as other dimensions.
Social awareness is realized via in honesty, facing our own respective control dramas (Interrogator, Poor Me; Intimidator and Aloof): seeing what they are for, exploring (again in honesty) where they come from, and why they exist. Then, the interpersonal task it to observe when we replay or fall back into the control dramas and then, to respectively stop ourselves from replaying the dramas or continuing them.
The Birth Vision is realized in one’s contemplation and realization of one’s mission on Earth. Throughout Redfield’s sagas, it is clear that each person is here on Earth to provide a facet of truth that all can benefit from. However and once again, we respectively do not learn this until we take a moment (meditation) and actually come to learn what our own mission is. Our respective Birth Visions provide what our mission is; what is our core interest? What is it that we are most passionate about? What situations in our lives indicated what our respective Birth Vision is? After that assessment, then comes the real test: are we in honestly, willing to commit to that vision? What are we willing to actually do to fulfill that mission?
Beyond these two, the bigger task it to integrate with people who can help with one’s mission integrated with their own respective Birth Visions, which can in turn power and create a spiritual evolution, and peaceful, but profound revolution on Earth, which is the overall mission of humanity, and the next potential phase in our evolution. Yes, the book seems fantastic and idealistic. However, a lot of what we now take for granted once upon a time, was once deemed foolish, backward and impossible even one hundred years ago. The point of the book is how much farther can we go if we progressed, this time, with respect for other people, our environment, cultures different from our own and always striving to work for the greater good, i.e., basic human needs met and therefore no need for war nor strife? With this willing commitment, there is no limit as to where humanity could go; we all have to be on the same page and want to evolve past the superficial and what is best/advantageous – only for me, but at your expense … if you really knew what was really going on.
The re-capped crucial component toward this personal, interpersonal and ultimately global evolution is to honestly look within and willing, in honesty, first fix what is within us respectively to be fixed! Again, one has to look within and want to fix our own respective control dramas before we can evolve inter-personally, and subsequently globally. It’s what many religious sages have outlined to humanity for a long time, beyond the strict controlling dogmas, and it’s time at this moment for us in this present time to finally get it!
The crux beyond the personal fix is that people around us have to also want to be on the same page; to see what the looming problems before us are, and be just as willing collectively, to fix them! One person can only do but so much. However, collectively, we CAN do so much more! The central question is do we prevail together, or perish together? Optimism is a key, but it is not the solution. Collective and honest action toward our survival and evolution is!
For me it was a nice recap of the process by which social awareness is obtained with the realization of one’s Birth Vision, and then, the overall mission of humanity, which is to reach spiritual awareness in tandem with our physical environment and in conjunction with the Afterlife as well as other dimensions.
Social awareness is realized via in honesty, facing our own respective control dramas (Interrogator, Poor Me; Intimidator and Aloof): seeing what they are for, exploring (again in honesty) where they come from, and why they exist. Then, the interpersonal task it to observe when we replay or fall back into the control dramas and then, to respectively stop ourselves from replaying the dramas or continuing them.
The Birth Vision is realized in one’s contemplation and realization of one’s mission on Earth. Throughout Redfield’s sagas, it is clear that each person is here on Earth to provide a facet of truth that all can benefit from. However and once again, we respectively do not learn this until we take a moment (meditation) and actually come to learn what our own mission is. Our respective Birth Visions provide what our mission is; what is our core interest? What is it that we are most passionate about? What situations in our lives indicated what our respective Birth Vision is? After that assessment, then comes the real test: are we in honestly, willing to commit to that vision? What are we willing to actually do to fulfill that mission?
Beyond these two, the bigger task it to integrate with people who can help with one’s mission integrated with their own respective Birth Visions, which can in turn power and create a spiritual evolution, and peaceful, but profound revolution on Earth, which is the overall mission of humanity, and the next potential phase in our evolution. Yes, the book seems fantastic and idealistic. However, a lot of what we now take for granted once upon a time, was once deemed foolish, backward and impossible even one hundred years ago. The point of the book is how much farther can we go if we progressed, this time, with respect for other people, our environment, cultures different from our own and always striving to work for the greater good, i.e., basic human needs met and therefore no need for war nor strife? With this willing commitment, there is no limit as to where humanity could go; we all have to be on the same page and want to evolve past the superficial and what is best/advantageous – only for me, but at your expense … if you really knew what was really going on.
The re-capped crucial component toward this personal, interpersonal and ultimately global evolution is to honestly look within and willing, in honesty, first fix what is within us respectively to be fixed! Again, one has to look within and want to fix our own respective control dramas before we can evolve inter-personally, and subsequently globally. It’s what many religious sages have outlined to humanity for a long time, beyond the strict controlling dogmas, and it’s time at this moment for us in this present time to finally get it!
The crux beyond the personal fix is that people around us have to also want to be on the same page; to see what the looming problems before us are, and be just as willing collectively, to fix them! One person can only do but so much. However, collectively, we CAN do so much more! The central question is do we prevail together, or perish together? Optimism is a key, but it is not the solution. Collective and honest action toward our survival and evolution is!
May 12, 2023
THE AUTHOR OF ‘THE CELESTINE PROPHECY’ TURNS TO NONFICTION
Author James Redfield wrote in the Preface to this 1997 book, “It does not take the mystery of a new millennium to convince us that something is shifting in human consciousness… Most important, we can sense something changing in the quality of our own experience. Our focus seems to be shifting away from abstract arguments about spiritual theory or dogma and reaching out for something deeper: the real perception of the spiritual as it occurs in daily life… Both of my novels are what I call adventure parables. They were my way of illustrating what I believe is a new spiritual awareness sweeping humanity… I’ve chosen a nonfiction format for this book because I think, as human beings, we are in a very special place in relationship to this growing awareness… In this book we will see that this old mechanistic worldview has been discredited since the early decades of the twentieth century… But the prejudices of the mechanistic worldview linger in our consciousness, guarded by an extreme skepticism that serves to screen out the more subtle spiritual perceptions that would challenge its assumptions.” (Pg. xvi-xx)
He continues, “The social change we are talking about is not a revolution, where the structures of society are torn down and rebuilt as one ideology overcomes another. What is occurring now is an internal shift in which the individual changes first, and the institutions of human culture more or less look the same but are rejuvenated and transformed IN PLACE, because of a new outlook by those who maintain them… My observation … is that this transformation in awareness is sweeping across human culture through a kind of positive social contagion. Once enough people begin to live this awareness in an open way, discussing it freely, then others see this modeled awareness and immediately realize that it allows them to live outwardly more of what they already intuitively know inside.” (Pg. xxi-xxiii)
He recounts, “The actual writing of ‘The Celestial Prophecy occurred from January 1989 through April 1991… The signal that the book was near completion came when many of these people began to ask for copies of the manuscript for friends. My first search for a publisher met with no success… I was interpreting the complete lack of publishing opportunities as a failure, a negative event, and that was the interpretation that had stopped the coincidences that I felt had been leading me forward. When I realized what was happening, I … made more revisions in the book, emphasizing this point… Within days, a friend mentioned that she had met an individual who … had worked in publishing for many years… [He] wanted to work with individuals who were planning to self-publish… and since my manuscript was getting a high number of world-of-mouth referrals, he felt this approach could be successful… In six months, the book had over 100,000 copies in print… It sold so many copies … because others also began to give it away to their friends everywhere.” (Pg. 8-10)
He suggests, “Perhaps the biggest challenges to those of us beginning to live the new spiritual awareness is relating to skeptics… The skeptics we run into seem to fall into two broad categories. The largest group is those who take a skeptical position not because they have thoroughly investigated the wide rant of mystical encounters they are hearing about, but because they haven’t… Usually, these skeptics live and work among lots of doubters… The other type of skeptic … is the true adherent to scientific materialism. This is a person who might research to some extent the arena of mystical experience but who always falls back to the barricades of materialism, demanding objective proof of such claims… In dealing with skeptics… we must remember that a degree of skepticism is, in fact, important. All of us must avoid taking a faddish idea at face value and must look at any assertion about the nature of reality with a critical eye. Yet we must not forget that … [we should] stay open-minded enough to consider the phenomenon in question. Maintaining this balance between skepticism and openness is especially difficult when the phenomenon involves our inner psychology or spirituality.” (Pg. 28-30)
He states, “We can see… that science has not completely failed us. There has always been an underlying current in science that was silently moving past the material obsession. Beginning in the first decades of the twentieth century, a new wave of thinking began to fashion a more complete description of the universe and of ourselves---a description that is finally making its way into popular consciousness.” (Pg.
44-45)
He explains, “physicist John Bell constructed his now famous law… which stipulates that once connected, atomic entities are always connected… What’s more, the latest superstring and hyperspace theories … see a universe that includes multidimensions, although incredibly small, and reduce both matter and energy to pure stringlike vibrations. As one might expect, this new description of the universe by the physicists has begun to affect the other disciplines as well… No longer can we think of ourselves as living in a simple world of solid, material stuff… everything around us is a mysterious vibrating pattern of energy, the stuff of light… and that includes us.” (Pg. 53, 55)
He continues, “researchers in psychology have begun to seriously study the effect of our intentions on the physical universal. Recent research… has shown that our connectedness and influence go much further than that. Our intentions can also affect other people’s bodies, their minds, and the shape of events in the world. The new physics has shown us that we are connected in a way that transcends the limits of space and time. Bell’s theorem seems to apply just as well to our thoughts a to the operation of elementary particles.” (Pg. 64-65)
He suggests, “I believe that we have finally reached a point where the idea of a personal transcendent experience---variously called enlightenment, nirvana, satori, transcendence, and cosmic consciousness---has reached a significant level of acceptance; it has become an integral part of out new spiritual awareness. We have, as a culture, begun to accept mystical encounters as something real and available to all human beings.” (Pg. 87-88)
\
He summarizes, “We began with the reality of coincidences… [which] seem to be pulling us toward some special destiny. The second step was to overcome the inertia of the old worldview by understanding the psychology of why we denied the mysteries of existence for so long… We integrate the third step when we truly begin to grasp, every day, that we live in a mysterious, energy-dynamic universe that responds to our intentions and assumptions. This sets the stage for the fourth step, which is to learn to negotiate the spiritual world… discovering for ourselves the transcendent experience described by mystics of all ages, which is the fifth step. This … gives us a glimpse of higher consciousness and opens an inner connection that we can remember and go back to… we can enter the sixth step and experience the spiritual catharsis of dropping out control drama and discovering who we really are… At this point, we can live with a fuller awareness within which we are ever more alert to synchronicity and engage more fully in our destiny.” (Pg. 123-124)
He asserts, “the scope of the new interpersonal ethic is very large. Once we reach the level of awareness in which we know that most of our synchronicity arrives through other people, we begin to use the energy dynamics we’ve learned to uplift all the people in our lives.” (Pg. 171)
He concludes, “Our overriding purpose has been to raise our energy level to the point where we can walk into the Afterlife dimension, essentially merging the two dimensions into one… The power of faith is real. Every thought is a prayer, and if the vision of the new spiritual awareness resides in the back of our minds every day, very minute, as we interact in the world, the magic of synchronicity will accelerate for everyone, and the destiny we intuit in our hearts will become a reality.” (Pg. 232-234)
This book will be of keen interest for those studying ‘New Age’ ideas.
Author James Redfield wrote in the Preface to this 1997 book, “It does not take the mystery of a new millennium to convince us that something is shifting in human consciousness… Most important, we can sense something changing in the quality of our own experience. Our focus seems to be shifting away from abstract arguments about spiritual theory or dogma and reaching out for something deeper: the real perception of the spiritual as it occurs in daily life… Both of my novels are what I call adventure parables. They were my way of illustrating what I believe is a new spiritual awareness sweeping humanity… I’ve chosen a nonfiction format for this book because I think, as human beings, we are in a very special place in relationship to this growing awareness… In this book we will see that this old mechanistic worldview has been discredited since the early decades of the twentieth century… But the prejudices of the mechanistic worldview linger in our consciousness, guarded by an extreme skepticism that serves to screen out the more subtle spiritual perceptions that would challenge its assumptions.” (Pg. xvi-xx)
He continues, “The social change we are talking about is not a revolution, where the structures of society are torn down and rebuilt as one ideology overcomes another. What is occurring now is an internal shift in which the individual changes first, and the institutions of human culture more or less look the same but are rejuvenated and transformed IN PLACE, because of a new outlook by those who maintain them… My observation … is that this transformation in awareness is sweeping across human culture through a kind of positive social contagion. Once enough people begin to live this awareness in an open way, discussing it freely, then others see this modeled awareness and immediately realize that it allows them to live outwardly more of what they already intuitively know inside.” (Pg. xxi-xxiii)
He recounts, “The actual writing of ‘The Celestial Prophecy occurred from January 1989 through April 1991… The signal that the book was near completion came when many of these people began to ask for copies of the manuscript for friends. My first search for a publisher met with no success… I was interpreting the complete lack of publishing opportunities as a failure, a negative event, and that was the interpretation that had stopped the coincidences that I felt had been leading me forward. When I realized what was happening, I … made more revisions in the book, emphasizing this point… Within days, a friend mentioned that she had met an individual who … had worked in publishing for many years… [He] wanted to work with individuals who were planning to self-publish… and since my manuscript was getting a high number of world-of-mouth referrals, he felt this approach could be successful… In six months, the book had over 100,000 copies in print… It sold so many copies … because others also began to give it away to their friends everywhere.” (Pg. 8-10)
He suggests, “Perhaps the biggest challenges to those of us beginning to live the new spiritual awareness is relating to skeptics… The skeptics we run into seem to fall into two broad categories. The largest group is those who take a skeptical position not because they have thoroughly investigated the wide rant of mystical encounters they are hearing about, but because they haven’t… Usually, these skeptics live and work among lots of doubters… The other type of skeptic … is the true adherent to scientific materialism. This is a person who might research to some extent the arena of mystical experience but who always falls back to the barricades of materialism, demanding objective proof of such claims… In dealing with skeptics… we must remember that a degree of skepticism is, in fact, important. All of us must avoid taking a faddish idea at face value and must look at any assertion about the nature of reality with a critical eye. Yet we must not forget that … [we should] stay open-minded enough to consider the phenomenon in question. Maintaining this balance between skepticism and openness is especially difficult when the phenomenon involves our inner psychology or spirituality.” (Pg. 28-30)
He states, “We can see… that science has not completely failed us. There has always been an underlying current in science that was silently moving past the material obsession. Beginning in the first decades of the twentieth century, a new wave of thinking began to fashion a more complete description of the universe and of ourselves---a description that is finally making its way into popular consciousness.” (Pg.
44-45)
He explains, “physicist John Bell constructed his now famous law… which stipulates that once connected, atomic entities are always connected… What’s more, the latest superstring and hyperspace theories … see a universe that includes multidimensions, although incredibly small, and reduce both matter and energy to pure stringlike vibrations. As one might expect, this new description of the universe by the physicists has begun to affect the other disciplines as well… No longer can we think of ourselves as living in a simple world of solid, material stuff… everything around us is a mysterious vibrating pattern of energy, the stuff of light… and that includes us.” (Pg. 53, 55)
He continues, “researchers in psychology have begun to seriously study the effect of our intentions on the physical universal. Recent research… has shown that our connectedness and influence go much further than that. Our intentions can also affect other people’s bodies, their minds, and the shape of events in the world. The new physics has shown us that we are connected in a way that transcends the limits of space and time. Bell’s theorem seems to apply just as well to our thoughts a to the operation of elementary particles.” (Pg. 64-65)
He suggests, “I believe that we have finally reached a point where the idea of a personal transcendent experience---variously called enlightenment, nirvana, satori, transcendence, and cosmic consciousness---has reached a significant level of acceptance; it has become an integral part of out new spiritual awareness. We have, as a culture, begun to accept mystical encounters as something real and available to all human beings.” (Pg. 87-88)
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He summarizes, “We began with the reality of coincidences… [which] seem to be pulling us toward some special destiny. The second step was to overcome the inertia of the old worldview by understanding the psychology of why we denied the mysteries of existence for so long… We integrate the third step when we truly begin to grasp, every day, that we live in a mysterious, energy-dynamic universe that responds to our intentions and assumptions. This sets the stage for the fourth step, which is to learn to negotiate the spiritual world… discovering for ourselves the transcendent experience described by mystics of all ages, which is the fifth step. This … gives us a glimpse of higher consciousness and opens an inner connection that we can remember and go back to… we can enter the sixth step and experience the spiritual catharsis of dropping out control drama and discovering who we really are… At this point, we can live with a fuller awareness within which we are ever more alert to synchronicity and engage more fully in our destiny.” (Pg. 123-124)
He asserts, “the scope of the new interpersonal ethic is very large. Once we reach the level of awareness in which we know that most of our synchronicity arrives through other people, we begin to use the energy dynamics we’ve learned to uplift all the people in our lives.” (Pg. 171)
He concludes, “Our overriding purpose has been to raise our energy level to the point where we can walk into the Afterlife dimension, essentially merging the two dimensions into one… The power of faith is real. Every thought is a prayer, and if the vision of the new spiritual awareness resides in the back of our minds every day, very minute, as we interact in the world, the magic of synchronicity will accelerate for everyone, and the destiny we intuit in our hearts will become a reality.” (Pg. 232-234)
This book will be of keen interest for those studying ‘New Age’ ideas.
September 23, 2015
I'd been experiencing a lot of synchronicity in my life, most of it without much apparent meaning beyond the novelty that the synchronicity itself was notable. Things lining up in certain ways or one event leading to another with similar coincidences. As synchronicity would have it, the Celestine Vision caught my attention during this period of time and I came to find that it focuses a lot on those synchronistic moments of life and provides examples of how to take them one step further to find or create meaning beyond pure happenstance or novelty. In that regard, this book does a great job of inspiring those who are having a lot of synchronicity show up, to take it to another level.
Unlike The Celestine Prophecy or The Tenth Insight- this is not a novel with an adventure plot. This is more of a spiritual guide and part spiritual manifesto, or "vision" for what things could be like if everyone could live in a greater awareness. In the pursuit of exploring this synchronicity further, Redfield seems to also spend a lot of time identifying and trying to outline group dynamics and energetic exchanges or power struggles as they relate to the individual ego- which seemed like a tone departure from the rest of the book- but had me considering how I fit into that dynamic and whether any of those descriptions applied to me or anyone that I'm in regular conversation with. Tuning into the subtle changes of group dynamic or conversational flow are always helpful, and for people who don't do it naturally, this provides some considerations to bring to the table and explore.
If you go into the book considering it as a set of ideas to explore and a perspective to consider, rather than a set of expectations or judgements, you'll enjoy it much more.
Unlike The Celestine Prophecy or The Tenth Insight- this is not a novel with an adventure plot. This is more of a spiritual guide and part spiritual manifesto, or "vision" for what things could be like if everyone could live in a greater awareness. In the pursuit of exploring this synchronicity further, Redfield seems to also spend a lot of time identifying and trying to outline group dynamics and energetic exchanges or power struggles as they relate to the individual ego- which seemed like a tone departure from the rest of the book- but had me considering how I fit into that dynamic and whether any of those descriptions applied to me or anyone that I'm in regular conversation with. Tuning into the subtle changes of group dynamic or conversational flow are always helpful, and for people who don't do it naturally, this provides some considerations to bring to the table and explore.
If you go into the book considering it as a set of ideas to explore and a perspective to consider, rather than a set of expectations or judgements, you'll enjoy it much more.
May 27, 2018
I enjoyed this book.
January 15, 2012
Another leftover from my bookshelf of the 20th century. A companion book to some fiction that I have never read, I still enjoyed it thoroughly at the time. But the boundless optimism and the feeling that we were about to enter a bright new future came to a screeching halt on 9/11 2001, and I think anyone reading it today will feel a little wistful. That said, it is less superstitious than most New Age books, and the pseudoscience is mixed with portions of useful wisdom. Compared to the "get rich quick by wishing" books that make up so much of New Age, this one is remarkably sober and contain stretches that reminded me of the old-fashioned Christian teachings I have listened to, only translated into New Age language. Given how unpleasant old-time religion is for the flesh, one can understand the author sugar-coating it a bit. But as I said, I fear the last decade has not been merciful to optimists like Redfield.
August 30, 2010
so far, I am obsessed with this book. my mom has been pushing me to read it for YEARS now, and I thought I wouldn't be into it since it sounded wishy-washy spiritual-ish. However, it has given me great insight into the energies of others, as well as myself. This book also talks about "coincidences" and how positive thinking really controls your health, like blood pressure. Pretty fascinating stuff.
Now that I finished, there are definitely parts you can scan/skip based on your interest and needs... it can get slightly hokey.... but overall, an enlightening read.
Now that I finished, there are definitely parts you can scan/skip based on your interest and needs... it can get slightly hokey.... but overall, an enlightening read.
July 26, 2007
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it just compliments the original celestine prophecy. That is my all time favorite. If you are looking for more after that book I highly recommend this along with the 10th insight.
April 4, 2009
Great inspiration book about why we are here and our own individual purpose.
September 13, 2009
This book was one of the main factors that helped me realize that I am an atheist and not an anti-christian. I just couldn't wait to be done with it.
Read
September 6, 2012It tickled my imagination, just like James Redfield's 2 other books before it. Hope I would continue to be inspired.
December 4, 2017
Important book. Truth, for seekers but enjoyable as a read as well.
January 20, 2023
Damn, I wish I could remember who recommended this to me so I can kick their ass.
The book started off promising, and actually captivating. Exploring the nature and ethics of synchronicities and laying out the cultural changes and discussing landmark books along the way.
One thing I found interesting was how Redfield believes that explicitly acknowledging the spiritual currents' synchronicity and talking about it will further entrench you in the world of synchronicity. My intuition has been that the spiritual currents are best fostered when not spoken of, as it feels like you’re taking advantage of it, which is immoral and thus reduces "its" generosity to you.
The book however was a major disappointment when I realized Redfield was not a serious thinker nor did not go into any topic deeply. More, he treats the reader as gullible, and frankly stupid, an instance of this is when he warns that the "internet may be a place of misinformation as anyone can edit it," and says that yogis can levitate, without expecting the reader to want any proof.
There isn't really any substance here. I wish Redfield could stick to just a summarization of cultural change as he has a fairly good grip on it. But hearing Redfield's own ideas was uncompelling. Who is this guy, anyway? He's not a serious thinker. He writes as if he and the reader are not very intelligent, isn't very coherent, and has a very simple answer to every major world challenge: "to live synchronistically," which, by the way, is an interesting idea in itself, the idea that you build an ethic of meaningful coincidences, and I wish the book was a serious discussion about, rather it was just superficial.
This is a feel-good book and it is intellectually hiding behind the vagueness of overused concepts such as "energy" and "synchronicity." This is the type of book that see no problems deriving personal ethics from a simple understanding of quantum physics.
From his writing, Redfield didn't gain any authority from me - and I was wondering, who is this guy anyway? Seems like he doesn't feel the need to qualify himself as he's written a successful fictional book.
The book started off promising, and actually captivating. Exploring the nature and ethics of synchronicities and laying out the cultural changes and discussing landmark books along the way.
One thing I found interesting was how Redfield believes that explicitly acknowledging the spiritual currents' synchronicity and talking about it will further entrench you in the world of synchronicity. My intuition has been that the spiritual currents are best fostered when not spoken of, as it feels like you’re taking advantage of it, which is immoral and thus reduces "its" generosity to you.
The book however was a major disappointment when I realized Redfield was not a serious thinker nor did not go into any topic deeply. More, he treats the reader as gullible, and frankly stupid, an instance of this is when he warns that the "internet may be a place of misinformation as anyone can edit it," and says that yogis can levitate, without expecting the reader to want any proof.
There isn't really any substance here. I wish Redfield could stick to just a summarization of cultural change as he has a fairly good grip on it. But hearing Redfield's own ideas was uncompelling. Who is this guy, anyway? He's not a serious thinker. He writes as if he and the reader are not very intelligent, isn't very coherent, and has a very simple answer to every major world challenge: "to live synchronistically," which, by the way, is an interesting idea in itself, the idea that you build an ethic of meaningful coincidences, and I wish the book was a serious discussion about, rather it was just superficial.
This is a feel-good book and it is intellectually hiding behind the vagueness of overused concepts such as "energy" and "synchronicity." This is the type of book that see no problems deriving personal ethics from a simple understanding of quantum physics.
From his writing, Redfield didn't gain any authority from me - and I was wondering, who is this guy anyway? Seems like he doesn't feel the need to qualify himself as he's written a successful fictional book.
January 8, 2024
BOOK REVIEW 📚
What is our mission on this planet? That's the question that's explored in this non-fiction book that James Redfield wrote! Using his own personal experiences, coupled with the stories of others, Redfield has created an incredible resource for connecting deeply with yourself and others.
This is one that I'll revisit a lot!!! This is a must have on your spiritual reads shelf! Fair warning though, you will totally add quite a few other books to your wishlist from this one!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#thecelestinevision
#jamesredfield
#book
#bookphotography
#books
#readingtime📖
#reading
#reader
#readingislife
What is our mission on this planet? That's the question that's explored in this non-fiction book that James Redfield wrote! Using his own personal experiences, coupled with the stories of others, Redfield has created an incredible resource for connecting deeply with yourself and others.
This is one that I'll revisit a lot!!! This is a must have on your spiritual reads shelf! Fair warning though, you will totally add quite a few other books to your wishlist from this one!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#thecelestinevision
#jamesredfield
#book
#bookphotography
#books
#readingtime📖
#reading
#reader
#readingislife
Read
July 19, 2022Em seus livros anteriores, 'A Profecia Celestina' e 'A Décima Profecia', James Redfield criou parábolas de aventura que nos levaram a pensar em questões fundamentais da existência. Neste novo livro, Redfield aprofunda sua análise inspirada, num texto não-ficcional. Com a clareza de estilo que o leva a fazer grandes revelações em linguagem acessível, ele mostra como lidar com os grandes desafios do mundo contemporâneo.
December 28, 2022
La verdad no es un libro que de primera me haya atrapado, pero mientras me fui adentrando un poco más en el me fui dando cuenta que tenias varias cosas que para mi eran interesantes, es un libro que a mi parecer te hace ser mas consiente de tu entorno, por lo que como lo es este genero de libros te deja una enseñanza que obviamente cambiara de persona a persona, dependiendo de lo que tu necesitas en ese momento. Pero lo recomiendo, es el primer libro que leo de este autor.
November 24, 2018
I started the book agreeing and feeling like it was good to acknowledge our spiritual lives. We are longing for the eternal.
But the book kept making leaps into assumptions of how things must be, reincarnations, choosing our parents, the afterlife. Things that don’t make sense and can’t be observed. I just couldn’t follow all the “conclusions”.
But the book kept making leaps into assumptions of how things must be, reincarnations, choosing our parents, the afterlife. Things that don’t make sense and can’t be observed. I just couldn’t follow all the “conclusions”.
June 3, 2017
An interesting viewpoint
This book is a look into how the concepts in Redfield's fictitious writing are inspired and what inspires them. I believe the concepts he raises in this book are attainable once humanity evolves to higher ways of living.
This book is a look into how the concepts in Redfield's fictitious writing are inspired and what inspires them. I believe the concepts he raises in this book are attainable once humanity evolves to higher ways of living.
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