Science and Spiritual Practices Lib/E: Transformative Experiences and Their Effects on Our Bodies, Brains, and Health

by Rupert Sheldrake

In this pioneering book Rupert Sheldrake shows how science helps validate seven practices on which all religions are built, and which are part of our common human heritage:

· Meditation
· Gratitude
· Connecting with nature
· Relating to plants
· Rituals
· Singing and chanting
· Pilgrimage and holy places.

The effects of spiritual practices are now being investigated scientifically as never before, and many studies have shown that religious and spiritual practices generally make people happier and healthier.
Rupert Sheldrake summarizes the latest scientific research on what happens when we take part in these practices, and suggests ways that readers can explore these fields for themselves. For those who are religious, Science and Spiritual Practices will illuminate the evolutionary origins of their own traditions and give a new appreciation of their power. For the non-religious, this book will show how the core practices of spirituality are accessible to all, even if they do not subscribe to a religious belief system.

This is a book for anyone who suspects that in the drive towards radical secularism, something valuable has been left behind. Rupert Sheldrake believes that by opening ourselves to the spiritual dimension we may find the strength to live more wholesome and fulfilling lives.

Genres: Spirituality, Science, Nonfiction, Religion, Philosophy, Psychology, Nature

Audio CD

Published August 27, 2019

About the author

Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of more than 80 scientific papers and ten books. A former Research Fellow of the Royal Society, he studied natural sciences at Cambridge University, where he was a Scholar of Clare College, took a double first class honours degree and was awarded the University Botany Prize. He then studied philosophy and history of science at Harvard University, where he was a Frank Knox Fellow, before returning to Cambridge, where he took a Ph.D. in biochemistry. He was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, where he was Director of Studies in biochemistry and cell biology. As the Rosenheim Research Fellow of the Royal Society, he carried out research on the development of plants and the ageing of cells in the Department of Biochemistry at Cambridge University.

Recently, drawing on the work of French philosopher Henri Bergson, he developed the theory of morphic resonance, which makes use of the older notion of morphogenetic fields. He has researched and written on topics such as animal and plant development and behaviour, telepathy, perception and metaphysics.

Reviews

[Fenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

-note that I am reviewing the audiobook version of this book-

I was disappointed in this one. When I saw the title and description several weeks ago I got very excited and waited for it to become available but I feel like the title of this book is misleading.

The title of this book is 'Science and Spiritual Practices: Transformative experiences and their effects on our bodies, brains and health' but the majority of the information in this book seems to be a history of different spiritual practices or the author's own experiences and opinions of those practices. A few sections fulfilled my expectations: The sections on Meditation and on Singing and Chanting mentions studies that I found really interesting and were great. Other parts of the book seem more spiritual than scientific. This would be fine if I weren't going into this book with an expectation based on the title. If this were instead advertised as the author's own belief on fulfilling spiritual practices and his application of his term 'morphic resonance' (I'll talk about that later) - then I would have listened to those sections with a different frame of mind.

Midway through the book I found myself listening to a section about if the Sun had consciousness or if atoms and smaller life forms had consciousness. Again, this would be fine if I were reading a book advertised as Spiritualism or Neo-Spiritualism but that's not what I came here for- what does the question of 'does the sun have consciousness?' have to do with spiritual practices and their shown effect on health? During the chapter on nature I found myself in an entire section where the author proposes (in great length) that orchard owners could rent out parts of their land for the use of families so those families can have access to the type of natural spots he had as a child. Again, cool thought, but what does that very detailed proposition have to do with the benefits of being in nature. It seems like the author gets off topic at times and then doesn't give enough information about the topic that was promised.

Now, Morphic Resonance.
In the beginning of the book the author tells you his personal history in both the scientific and spiritual fields. (It was a good intro- my only ‘huh?’ moment being when he mentions telekinesis between people and between animals) Rupert Sheldrake talks about his past research into plants and introduces his idea of, what he terms, 'Morphic Resonance' which is the idea that plants can inherit memories from their predecessors and that this is how they know to act with certain similar habits or patterns. That's fine, I was intrigued. He brings it up later though- this time in reference to not just plants but also animals and humans. He compares this to spiritual rituals done across cultures and that these rituals do something similar- they create a resonance between the person consciously participating in the ritual to those who have done that ritual in the past. Now, before you think I'm being harsh just because I'm a nonbeliever: I consider myself pagan and a part of the whole neo-pagan movement so I'm used to hearing these kinds of ideas. Again, if this were a different type of book I'd be all over this kind of stuff. But Morphic Resonance really is a pseudoscience- even when he first talked about it I was thinking 'Ok, I bet you had a really hard time introducing this to your friends in the science community' because there's really no way to prove his theory. I find it a bit problematic that he introduces this and other more spiritualist ideas in a book that advertises itself as a hard science look at spiritual practices.

I just want to give a fair warning to people who may be considering this book: There's some interesting information here but this book is really about spiritual practices for the spiritual community (with some fun science studies referenced) rather than a scientific look at spiritual practices.

[Francis O'Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

We live in a strange world, and I envision a future where people will compare the present times to the Dark Ages.

But the deeper the night, the closer the dawn, they say. And I believe that too. How could I not, after reading Rupert Sheldrake's books?

Even though the scientific community, interestingly, doesn't seem to give Sheldrake due credit, it is indisputable that his method does indeed meet the tenets of science—along with being so fascinating and essential to would-be human beings like myself!
After reading The Presence of the Past and The Science Delusion, and watching many of his speeches on YouTube, I feel compelled to say that his teachings should be imparted in all educational institutions, from kindergarten to university. The world would be a much better place to be in, and our lives full of purpose.

What strikes me most from Science and Spiritual Practices is to learn how ironic it is that the scientific discoveries and the overall "progress" of the last few centuries, whose prominent actors have taken for granted that the spiritual plane is nothing but a fabrication of the human brain—whether done consciously or not—now seem to take us a step "back", to admit that perhaps our ancestors, with their primitive beliefs and habits, were not that wrong after all.


If I could sum up this book in a sentence, it would be with the following recommendation:

"If you don't want to become a spiritual person because your materialist upbringing insists there's nothing but unconscious matter in this purposeless machine-like universe, then do it because scientific studies say it's good for your health."


A few quotes from the book;

"As soon as we stop taking almost everything for granted, we begin to realise that we can be grateful for almost everything."

"Materialism is not solely a philosophical theory. Below the surface, it is an unconscious cult of the Great Mother."

"The ideology of progress is an all-pervasive, modern orthodoxy. But in traditional societies, there was no such ideology. The present repeated the past."

"All traditions have sacred sounds that are repeated as meditations to rescue us from our exile in the delusion of past and future, from our endless loop of regrets and dreads and bring us back into the now." ~Jill Purce.

"Atheism is a purifying fire. It burns up religious hypocrisy, corruption, laziness and pretension. But its scorched-earth policy can leave many people spiritually hungry, thirsty and isolated."

"Militant atheism should come with a health warning."

[Taveri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Towards the end of the book Sheldrake says not all the spiritual practices work for everyone.  I take them to be ways to appreciate life and will recount how i can relate (or not relate):

1) Meditation > is something i've tried and doesn't sit well with me.  Sheldrake does point out there can be different ways to meditate and use rock climbing as an example.  Perhaps my cycling, swimming and canoeing serve as mediatations along with reading books.

2) Gratitude > seemed to be the one most easily achieved.  Three groups were randomly formed into: those that expressed thanks for things; those that griped; and those that just kept track of things affecting things.  Those that made a point of being appreciative were the happiest and that happiness lasted a month after the experiment.  I have a friend who advised before one complained about something one had to say three things positive first.  The negatives didn't seem as significant after doing that.  I'm rich in friends and experiences.  I'm thankful for what i've been able to do, for the most part more than i ever set out to do.  I've been around the world; in my lifetime i've made over a million dollars (and spent it, a lot went to taxes); i have a patent; i've been published, i've made films; i've met famous people.  I've done a lot and some criticize me for not having ambition to do more, however i'm content > is that not enough?

3) Connecting with nature > the author points out that children who grow up outdoors are better off than those that are city dwellers and that walks in natural areas are more soothing and comforting (rejuvenating) than equal length walks in downtown areas.  I'm lucky I grew up in a small town close to mountains and rivers and had a passion for wilderness hikes.

4) Relating to plants > appreciating that plants are different from us or simply realizing flowers are beautiful.  Although Sheldrake doesn't go into it, there is also an interconnectivity among plants that we are only begining to understand.


5) Rituals > Sheldrake says these (eg religious) are important such as coming of age initiations.  I wonder what mine were > graduating from high school or university perhaps?  In my age group we resisted joining fraternities and sororities - it was a coming of age thing of a different sort > not succumbing to the lure of having to belong.  It was unspoken rebellion, almost as if harmonic resonance was at work.

6) Singing/Chanting > doing songs together in a group is bond forming.  At first i couldn't relate (not being in a choir or singing hymns) but then i thought of rock concerts i attended (The Who in Edmonton, Led Zepplin in Seattle, the Beach Boys in Montreal, and Rolling Stones in Buffalo).  The ones i enjoyed the most were the ones i i could sing along to.  I stopped going once ticket prices were more than the cost to buy a record (or CD), but i wonder if that might be the attraction for concert goers now > not only hearing one's favourite songs but being able to sing along with 20-50,000 others.

7) Pilgramages > although Sheldrake uses axamples of religious pilgramages i believe my spiritual journeys to Stonehenge, Machu Piccu, Great Zimbabwe, Great Eygptian Pyramids, Valley of Kings, Karnak, Kilimanjaro, Taranaki, Denali, Mount Fiero, Olduvai Gorge, the Grand Canyon, The Dalai Lllama Winter Palace, swimming in six oceans, The Great Wall of China, Elantra Caves, Taj Mahal, the Terracotta Warriors, Eiffel Tower, the Vatican, the Great Mosques of Istanbul, Uluru and the Sydney Opera House qualifies.  

I have been blessed.

[Greg Gauthier · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was confusing and disappointing. The meditation tips were unenlightening. It was interesting to hear about the various scientific theories explaining the physiological effects of meditation, and entertaining to listen to Rupert's anecdotes about his early school days, and his personal transformation from materialist to spiritualist. But the book didn't really make any effort to bridge the gap between the "science" and the "spiritual practice". It was just: "here's some science over here", and "here's some spiritual practices over here", and "do with it all, what you will". But, being a philosopher, I at least expected Rupert to offer some speculative possibilities for how the material and the spiritual could be conjoined. Alas, two stars.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for open minded thinkers who struggle to find the balance between scientific realities and spiritual phenomena. At times it seemed more instructive than academic, but perhaps he's not writing this for the scientific community.

[Erin McGarry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty spot on (but much more thoroughly and eloquently expressed) exploration on the connection and spirit I seek.

[Gregg Sapp · Rating 2 out of 5]

News flash – scientists can be spiritual, too. Who knew? Rupert Sheldrake, author of “Science and Spiritual Practices,” that’s who.

Actually, there is nothing about practicing rigorous scientific methodology that prevents a person from simultaneously cultivating an inner, subjective spirituality. That’s hardly a bombshell revelation. True, many scientists may by their nature be skeptical of certain types or methods of attaining spiritual bliss, but that doesn’t require them to be rigid materialists about everything.

So far, there’s nothing remotely contentious in Sheldrake’s observation that “Open minded scientific studies enhance our understanding of spiritual and religious practices.” There are two types of studies that apply – one which examines the physiological events that take place in a body during a spiritual exercise, such as meditation, and the second documenting the effects upon the practitioners. There is a relatively small, but still representative body of literature regarding both.

Sheldrake considers scientific knowledge as it pertains to seven common aspects of religious expression – meditation, gratitude, connecting with nature, relating to plants, rituals, music, and pilgrimages. Some of these practices lend themselves to the analysis of the first kind. For example, the neurological effects of meditation can be studied using brain scanning technology. The second category of study is where the researcher looks for correlations between a religious practice, such as prayer, and general traits or experiences, as reported by the subjects themselves. Among the findings of this kind are that respondents who have levels of gratitude are happier than those who don’t, or that nature can inspire transformative experiences in young people. Hardly a revelation.

The bulk of this book discusses how the materialistic presumptions of science fail to capture the innate human feelings that make these religious practices so valuable. Sheldrake provides lots of historical and philosophical examples of how this is so. I think he is wrong, though, for it is entirely possible to be in awe of a beautiful sunset and still appreciate that the sun is just another main sequence star.

It is at this point, however, that Sheldrake makes a bigger theoretical leap. These rituals provide glimpses of a reality greater than they physical universe in which we dwell. There are connections between animate and inanimate objects, past and present, and supernatural phenomena, governed by a force he calls “morphic resonance.” To the best of my understanding, morphic resonance is a kind of telepathic connection between organisms and objects, which raises the possibility that even inanimate objects possess something akin to memories. Whatever it is, I think that the default should be to be skeptical.

I agree with Sheldrake’s main argument the experiences evoked by religious rituals are important facets of human psychology. I also agree that science can and should study the effects of those experiences. But science, too, can generate similar feelings, and when it does I consider them to be spiritual experiences. Does it really matter if the explanations are materialistic, or morphic?

[Mary Karpel-Jergic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously science and spiritual practice are worlds apart in the materialist culture that we find ourselves in. This book goes some way in explaining why this is but also suggests that science is impoverished because it has become too dogmatic in its approach and is reluctant (to put it mildly) to explore phenomena which may be described as supernatural.


I find Rupert Sheldrake's ideas fascinating. As a respected scientist he has gone out on a limb somewhat to criticise the way science now dominates our thinking, so much so, that it has become a model of reality and belief system; 'scientism'.


Sheldrake was also a humanist originally but he began to find them dull, and his curiosity took him elsewhere. I for one am glad it did. The results of his research have convinced him tjat our minds extend far beyond our brains, as do the minds of other animals.


The book explains a number of spiritual practices and provides examples of activities you can do independently to experience the effects if any. A short book and easily accessible it will open your mind, if you are willing, to a different way of looking at the world.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straightforward description of 7 key spiritual practices -- meditation, gratitude, relating to the "more-than-human" world, communing with plants, ritual, singing, and pilgrimage -- that are rooted in our shared humanness and need for connections. Leaving theology and doctrine largely aside -- and acknowledging the views and experiences of atheists and agnostics, as well as religious practitioners -- the author describes what scientific researchers have discovered about these practices, where they fit in the history of humanity, and how we might claim them as our own, either inside or outside a spiritual tradition. Each chapter ends with two gentle ways in which the reader might experiment with a particular practice. Seekers likely will find new threads to follow on their own, through the notes and bibliography, while spiritual directors and counselors will find much to share with their clients in a non-dogmatic way.

[Jon Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I resonated with the message of this book. After a crisis of faith (mostly a crisis of belief), I decided that I would tend to my spiritual side by focusing on practices rather than belief: prayer, chant, meditation, journaling, etc. It has had a good affect on my life and mental health and therefore I heartily recommend the practices outlined in the book.
One way in which the book expanded my consciousness, was by calling attention to such spiritual practices as time with non-humans, time in the non-human world, and pilgrimage. This encourages me to get out of my office and away from my keyboard. I look forward to finding ways to incorporate these into my repertoire of spiritual practices.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

The beginning of this book had such promise for being educational but also putting spiritual practices in a scientific light. Unfortunately, Sheldrake instead towards the middle of the book begins making sweeping statements about atheists and not just jumps, but leaps, to conclusions about their beliefs. His statements about morphic resonance are beyond absurd and despite citing very specific passages, making it seem as though his beliefs are backed up by science, he again makes huge leaps to conclusions without justification. Beyond that, the majority of this book has only minor connections to science and is written from a distinctly Christian perspective with a consistent disdain for anyone who does not practice this faith.

[Holly]

(indexing job)

[Danielle Shroyer]

This was not what I expected but I still liked it. (I’m not at all interested in proving or explaining religious or spiritual practices to skeptics or as a way of justifying them.) But I enjoyed Sheldrake’s descriptions of how these things connect to his idea of morphic resonance.

[Sarah Monsees · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great springboard for further exploration.

[Daniele Monterotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

non 5 stelle perché alcune volte un po prolisso

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it's just because I was expecting more science and studies to be included, but I felt like this was a bit repetitive and long-winded regarding some pretty basic knowledge. For example, it has been well-documented about the power of meditation, gratitude, nature and music. I have read many other works citing numerous studies regarding these areas, but this book did not include some of the more interesting studies I've read about. If you haven't explored these topics yet, it could be very interesting to you!
My expectations set me up to be disappointed without a lot of science being included in a book that has "science" in the title?

[Matthew C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was somewhat shallow on its delivery of the "science" of spiritual practices. Only a very cursory look is given to scientific studies done on the benefits of various spiritual practices such as gratitude, communal singing, and rituals. That being said, the tangible life benefits of these practices are not well known, and Sheldrake provides a basic introduction that will be beneficial for the unfamiliar.

Most of the book consisted of personal observations and speculations as to the nature of the universe through the lens of spiritual practices that the author has experimented with throughout his lifetime. Personally, I found the first chapter on meditation the most interesting in this regard. He draws from several spiritual traditions across Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist lines. He encourages atheists to take part in spiritual practices for the noted improvements in well-being, claiming that the spiritual practices can be separated from their associated belief systems (an idea of which I am not quite persuaded).

The remainder of this review is geared toward practicing Christians. Those who do not identify as Christian or who have no regard for the Holy Scriptures will not find much insight in my following conclusions.

Though he is a practicing Anglican, Sheldrake advocates for several practices that--from the perspective of an orthodox Christian--range from dubious to borderline idolatry. Beyond his support of praying to deceased saints (something deemed acceptable in Roman Catholic and Orthodox circles), he encourages readers to physically embrace aged trees and converse with them to gain a greater sense of the flow and connection of history. And while he never advocates classic sun-worship, he suggests that that reader greet the sun by name each morning, saluting it for its blessings.

Perhaps most surprising in this regard is his hearty approval of the pagan sites of worship (known as the "high places" in the Hebrew Scriptures). He observes, with approbation, that the Jewish peoples continued to worship at these sites established by the pagan Canaanites after settling in the Holy Land. He laments that these "high places" were demolished by King Josiah, an act that Sheldrake seems to consider narrow-minded (my words, not his) rather than zealously righteous. While the Old Testament authors condemn the high places and praise Josiah, Sheldrake unabashedly disagrees!

Much of his ideas come from his belief in panpsycism, wherein all things down to the level of atoms have some level of consciousness about them. While I appreciate some of his thoughts regarding the barrenness of a materialist worldview and his distinction between consciousness and mere brain activity, he goes too far in the direction of pantheism for my convictions. For any Christian who believes the writers of Scripture have anything relevant to say in our contemporary lives, we know that Almighty God is a jealous God, who will tolerate nothing smelling of idolatry of the creatures of the earth (Romans 1:22-23) or the "host of heaven" (2 Kings 23:4-25).

[Imaginal Box · Rating 5 out of 5]

SCIENCE AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES is an ambitious book. On the one hand, the book is essentially a secular manifesto presenting several spiritual practices which, by being found in many of the world’s religions and spiritual belief systems, could be argued to be the common heritage of humanity.

One of the amazing things about the book is just how much information and how many ideas are crammed into a modestly sized book. Each chapter presents a broad overview of the historical and cultural context of the practice under review. Where relevant this is followed by insights into how the practice has been shown to benefit those who undertake it either through recourse to hard scientific fact (e.g. medical research showing the observable health benefits found in those who practice meditation, or gratitude, or communal singing) or else through anecdotes (both personal and collected), such as in the chapter about pilgrimage. In writing in this way, the book strikes a perfect balance between personal testimony and objective presentation; between the sincerity of a genuine seeker and the probing questions of a sceptic; between the integrated Self we aspire to be and the limited ego we have to navigate each day. Each chapter is rounded off with a couple of practical suggestions for exploring the practice in your daily life.

Then, the broader narrative of the book – running throughout each of the chapters - is an ambitious attempt to reconcile the arch-foes of science and spirituality. This is done through fascinating expositions on the philosophical underpinnings of scientific thought as it emerged through the Enlightenment period and how these underpinnings calcified into “scientism”; the evangelical adherence to certain assumptions about the reality and methodological approaches which served humanity well in the 18th and 19th centuries but seem to strain under the weight of science’s horizons in the 21st century. One example of this is the so-called “hard problem of consciousness”, a problem posing questions so fundamental to contemporary scientists that it motivated two atheists to propose the radical theory of panpsychism – a theory which heretically resurrects the animism of our ancestors in proposing that all matter possesses consciousness.

For some reason, Rupert Sheldrake divides opinion. I find this hard to understand as he attempts to be neutral and objective in his approach as much as possible…and, where that is NOT possible, he is open and transparent about his own biases. And this book does a great job of introducing people to the thought of this true visionary / heretic (delete as appropriate) and is why we chose to summarise this book for our sample book summary as it presents a model for the balance between different modes of inquiry required to be spiritual in a scientific age and, further, shows that the two need not be antagonistic. It is a valuable book and as such we have summarised it as a FREE sample audiobook/ebook on our website.

[Kaja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okej, miejscami było bardzo ciekawie, ale miejscami było mocno problematycznie. Sama tematyka według mnie bardzo interesująca i plusem jest to, że książka zapoznaje z całkiem dużą ilością informacji o różnych religiach, społeczeństwie, historii itp. Tu muszę dodać, że autor niestety często się rozpędzał i miałam wrażenie, jakbym czytała podręcznik do historii.
Poza tym widać, że autor, jako człowiek religijny, starał się zachować obiektywny punkt widzenia co do przedstawianych tematów, ale miejscami zdecydowanie było widać, że uważa, jego racja jest najlepsza i nikt, kto myśli inaczej, nigdy nie będzie szczęśliwy; no, coś w tym stylu. Czasem naprawdę widać było jak się przebija u niego agresja o to, jak ktoś w ogóle może myśleć inaczej.
Część tematów była bardzo interesująca, część mocno naciągana, argumenty jak w rozprawce licealisty pisanej o drugiej w nocy.
Mimo wszystko cieszę się, że to przeczytałam, zdecydowanie zmusza do myślenia.

[Marcas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book by Rupert Sheldrake and the fruit of his well worn wisdom in spiritual practices and the study of science. He shares a bit about his love for plants, meditates on the marvels of gardening, and more in a diverse array of chapters.

At times, he'll highlight the mistaken assumptions of someone like Sam Harris, and others regale us on the resplendent liturgies of his High Church Anglican tradition. This book is like the man himself - eclectic, eccentric, and brilliant.

I appreciate the big picture view of the book but would like to see a more conscientious focus on the differences between different worldviews and their practical applications - aside from secularism that is, which he does helpfully contrast with other traditions and which he does rightly condemn for a number of reasons. All in all though, I thought it was very good and would juxtapose well with one of Dr Jeff Myers's books.

[Frankie Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must read for anyone who feels that their atheism is becoming cynical!

Initially this book felt safe, like an introduction to the intersection of science and spirituality. (i feared the whole book would have this introductory feel) I was thrilled that it ventured further in later chapters making new and exciting connections.
This book provides a great theoretical framework, backed with science and research, as well as new and exciting connections that I haven’t yet encountered.
I often consider myself spiritual but have steered clear of “religion” in recent years- this book absolutely refreshed my view of tradition, and its potential to be something other than a destructive force!!


I look forward to reading morphic resonance next!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are ideas of life, the universe and everything that are worth pursuing, if anything because it’s often how I feel myself and just articulated poorly as a kind of connectedness across people and other organic things, and what we might do to acknowledge and celebrate it. And f I spend the rest of my life challenging the enlightened, materialistic principles of my earlier days, the health benefits from doing so might provide a longer time to do it in. As per the Sunday Times quote, Sheldrake is prophetic. He is even more interesting when I contrast what I learn about AI and where we may be headed.
The upshot, annoying or not, is that alongside a growing list of nonfiction - by Sheldrake and a few others - I have a renewed interest in elves amd outer space. Bring on Hitchhikers’!

[Roger Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I'm not a great fan of Sheldrake's "Morphic Resonance" fantasies, I really quite enjoyed this book. I agree with Sheldrake that many or most of these time-honoured spiritual practices and cultural observances have been shown to have positive biological, psychological and social effects on individuals and communities, regardless of the ultimate truth of the beliefs underpinning them.

The book is well written, engaging and well narrated by Sheldrake's smooth, soothing Oxford/Cambridge English accent in the audiobook version. Sheldrake seems the kind of fellow that I'd like to go on a spiritual/historical pilgrimage with. I'm sure it would be fascinating and I'd learn a lot.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheldrake is a scientist but also a Christian, which is probably the issue some of the reviewers seem to be having - I'm guessing it would be "safer" to read a book like this by a staunch atheist so there would be no risk of contaminating the science with religious thought. It was a bit dry but overall it was inspiring to reconsider some of these practices that people have left by the wayside. The whole thing had a tone sort of like, "These things are beneficial and could connect you to a higher power but hey if you need to tell yourself that stress reduction is the reason you're chanting or saying grace before a meal then here's some studies to make yourself feel better about it."

[Powell · Rating 1 out of 5]

So disappointing.

I guess my first clue should have been the quote from Deepak Chopra so prominently displayed on the front cover. Or had I researched the author, I would have seen his previous title "The Science Delusion" - an obvious retort aimed at Dawkins.

This is little more than a Christian (or perhaps more broadly Deist) Apologetic trope, filled with the same hackneyed and fallacious arguments for religion, an anti-materialist rant, and a primer for his bizarre ideas on 'morphic resonance' - whatever that is.

Please don't waste your time on this one.

[Almachius · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read, I primarily read this for the chapter on singing, but enjoyed it all. I have an heretical fondness for Sheldrake as I do for so many post-atheist, postmodern traditionalists, Peterson being another heroic example, and any scientist who has been excommunicated by the establishment is always worth paying close attention to. Naturally, I hope Sheldrake's ideas can be synthesised with orthodox Christian thought one day. Morphic resonance makes so much sense to me and always has long before I knew it had this name.

[Jeanne Lambrianou · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good representation of religious tools and their effects

I liked the consideration of the 7 elements examined here, and put to scientific scrutiny. My trouble with it is, Mr. Sheldrake had to assume that religious experiences had to be scientifically analyze-able to be made legitimate. Is he trying to win over materialists? Still, it was a good read, worth the time and note-taking.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out very strong with his work on morphic resonance - which is truly incredible and mind-expanding. I could read a book just on that subject alone forever.

It took an unfortunate turn when the second half of the book focused primarily on religion and the need to observe and believe – felt like it was selling something versus being more objective – which I think might be alienating to some readers.

[Cristián Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prácticas espirituales un libro para ateos y creyentes

Para mi ha sido un libro de gran ayuda, ya que en algún momento de mi vida transite brevemente por el ateismo. Por fin a mis 40 años, he logrado entender, la importancia de conectarnos con todo lo que nos rodea, de volver a prácticas espirituales que han sido Banalizadas, en un contexto donde se valora más nuestra capacidad de consumir...

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Just what I need right now

I feel so familiar with Rupert’s material as I have always felt the same way he describes things but he is so encompassing with his knowledge and explains things so well that he takes what has never been explained and explains it! I am very interested in learning more about his work with bio morphism and how learning is speeded up the more people that have learned something. Cool!