The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself Paperback – Illustrated, October 3, 2007
by Michael A. Singer (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 11,947 ratings
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“In the book The Untethered Soul, Michael A. Singer takes you step-by-step through the process of Gyana, the yoga of the Intellect, to the Source. Moreover, he does it with elegant simplicity. Read this book carefully, and you will get more than a glimpse of eternity.”
―Deepak Chopra, author of Life After Death: The Burden of Proof
“In lucid, unadorned prose, Michael A. Singer delivers the essence of the great spiritual teachings of the Ages. Each chapter of The Untethered Soul is an instructive meditation on the binds of the human condition and how each and every knot can be gracefully untied so that our souls may fly. The accuracy and simplicity of this work is a measure of its pure mastery.”
―James O’Dea, past president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)
“The Untethered Soul is indeed one of the finest treatments of the nature and practice of the conscious use of consciousness that I have ever read…. It is the clearest statement I know of who we are and what we face in our emerging humanity.”
―Jean Houston, philosopher, psychologist, and author of A Mythic Life and Passion for the Possible
“Deep spirituality is within your reach in this book. In it you will find the mirror to see your unconditional, holy self. If you look for practical spirituality not encumbered by credo and ritual, read this book.”
―Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, coauthor of Jewish with Feeling and From Age-ing to Sage-ing
“This publication has released boundless joy for the hungry souls of the world.”
―Ma Yoga Shakti Saraswati, founder of Yogashakti International Mission and recipient of Hinduism Today’s Hindu of the Year 2000 award
“East is East and West is West, but Michael A. Singer bridges these two great traditions in a radiant treatise on how to succeed in life from our spiritual quest to our everyday tribulations. Freud said that life was composed of love and work. With great eloquence, wit, and compelling logic, Singer’s brilliant book completes this thought by showing them to be two poles of the same selfless devotion.”
—Ray Kurzweil, National Medal of Technology recipient and author of The Singularity Is Near
“The Untethered Soul is a brilliant treatment of the path of spiritual consciousness. It is clearly and powerfully written. Michael A. Singer provides a firm step for those on a spiritual journey.”
―Abdul Aziz Said, professor of peace studies and chair of Islamic Peace at American University
“Psalm 42:8 says, ‘Deep calls unto deep.’ Within each human soul there is a longing for more, and the thirst can be quenched only by God. In The Untethered Soul, Michael A. Singer helps the modern person who is seeking this experience to come to a better understanding of the action in their soul. I highly recommend this reflection of one soul to another on the journey.”
―Fr. Paul Wierichs, CP, director of the Passionist Monastery and Spiritual Center of Our Lady of Florida
“Michael A. Singer has opened my mind to an entirely new dimension of thought. Through The Untethered Soul, I have been challenged both psychologically and intellectually in a new and exciting way. It may take more than one reading and many hours of introspection, but The Untethered Soul is a must-read for anyone in search of greater understanding of themselves and of the truth.”
―Louis Chiavacci, senior vice-president of Merrill Lynch, ranked in Barron’s top fifteen US Investment Advisors
“This is a seminal book that quite frankly is in a class by itself. In a simple, yet paradoxically profound way, Michael A. Singer takes the reader on a journey that begins with consciousness tethered to the ego and ends having taken us beyond our myopic, contained self-image to a state of inner freedom and liberation. Michael A. Singer’s book is a priceless gift to all who have futilely searched and yearned for a richer, more meaningful, creative life.”
—Yogi Amrit Desai, internationally recognized pioneer of modern yoga
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About the Author
Michael A. Singer is the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Untethered Soul, which has also been published in Turkey, Brazil (in Portuguese), Switzerland (in German), Spain, Japan, China, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Italy.
Singer received a master's degree in economics from the University of Florida in 1971. During his doctoral work, he had a deep inner awakening and went into seclusion to focus on yoga and meditation. In 1975, he founded Temple of the Universe, a now long-established yoga and meditation center where people of any religion or set of beliefs can come together to experience inner peace. Through the years, Singer has made major contributions in the areas of business, the arts, education, healthcare, and environmental protection. He previously authored two books on the integration of Eastern and Western philosophy: The Search for Truth and Three Essays on Universal Law: Karma, Will and Love. Visit www.untetheredsoul.com for more information.
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Product details
Item Weight : 9.9 ounces
ISBN-10 : 1572245379
ISBN-13 : 978-1572245372
Dimensions : 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
Paperback : 200 pages
Customer reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
11,947 global ratings
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Top reviews from the United States
Eric
5.0 out of 5 stars You are stuck in an illusion, would you like to wake up?
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2017
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I give the first 37 pages a five star review. Michael Singer gives a wonderful example of how you are lost in a dream-like state. You are at the mercy of every thought that arises in your mind and you have no idea of what's happening. He wonderfully shines a light on the process that is happening to you and if you are paying attention, you could discover one of the most important ideas you could ever learn; you are not your thoughts. The first 37 pages are worth the price of admission and I have added this book to my personal lending library.
Unfortunately, everything after that is similar to explaining what a shadow looks like to a blind person. He will tell you about some pretty amazing stuff but he won't tell you how to get there. You should buy his book, it will give you one of the best explanations as to why you should meditate, but it won't tell you how to meditate or attain it's benefits.
I would recommend reading Mindfulness in plain English after reading this book. It will give you basic instructions on what to do next. As a warning though, it has some brief supernatural references, please just ignore them if they offend you, it really does contain a great instruction on how to meditate and loose the bonds that shackle you to anger, anxiety, depression and whatever else you are suffering from. Best of all.....You will do it by yourself.
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806 people found this helpful
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Reader
1.0 out of 5 stars Blather
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2017
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As other one star reviewers have noted, the book is disorganized, full of empty phrases, and lacking in any fundamental actions that a reader might take to achieve the bliss promised herein. Some pearls of wisdom: “It is actually possible to never have another problem for the rest of your life.” “Any time you’re having trouble with something, think of death.” “How you learn to stay open is up to you. The ultimate trick is to not close. If you don’t close, you will have learned to stay open.“ “For there to be manifest creation, energy must get in the dynamic of cycling around itself to create a stable unit.” I suspect that the overwhelming positive reviews of the book are influenced by adherents to the author’s philosophy and beliefs. To be clear: I’m not criticizing those beliefs, just the book.
487 people found this helpful
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Kate Cohen-Posey
3.0 out of 5 stars Long on Promises; Short on Strategies; and Full of Contradictions.
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2018
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Singer's message is well known: The way for the soul to become unteathered is for us to realize you are not your thoughts, sensations, or pain--you are the witness of these. You can look at events from the seat of awareness or the seat of disturbance. You keep your infinite soul in a house made of your model of the world and expectations of people. When you approach your walls, you will feel insecurity and fear, but if you stay in the witness position these tensions will pass through you. But then Singer becomes dogmatic: "At all times remain conscious in the face of pain; Don't allow events to leave residue inside of you; you must decide if you want to be happy and commit to being happy ALL the time because God doesn't want to be around people who are miserable. (?) Fortunately in the last chapter he corrects this egregious, error saying God is non judging and sees only beauty in us. I would hypothesize that God loves us in spite of our shortcomings.
249 people found this helpful
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thenumber9
1.0 out of 5 stars Untethered is an understatement
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2017
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If you have a Kindle, I'd recommend downloading the sample of this book, read the sample, stop there and take what you will from it. Then go buy "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle.
After the first few chapters, "The Untethered Soul" drones on and on covering the same material without any new insights or observations. It would be like if you and I smoked a bunch of weed and sat down for a deep convo on spirituality. Maybe fun for us, but anyone else who happened to be listening would not be impressed. By chapter 10, I was so tired of the condescending preaching I had to skip to the end. I read the last 2 chapters about death and God but neither revealed anything especially groundbreaking.
This is not marketed as a grief book (and I knew that going in) but if you've recently lost someone and are looking for answers, stay away from this one. It made me feel like I should marginalize the emotions I'm currently processing. In my opinion, dissociation from extreme pain is not an effective way to process it. If you're looking to rid yourself of "trivial anxiety" like road rage or fear of public speaking, maybe this book is for you. But if you're currently working on serious issues like losing a loved one, and your heart is shattered, simply being told ad nauseam to "let it go" will not help. I feel like I need to go cleanse and sanitize my consciousness after this doozy.
There were indeed a few bits and blurbs at the beginning that I think most of us could find helpful and if being spoken to like a child helps you understand concepts, (I'm not judging - sometimes I need it spelled out for me as well) you will probably appreciate Singer's writing style.
However, Untethered is a perfect title for this book. It's quite literally, untethered. I think all of the great reviews it has gotten really speaks to how society as a whole is currently operating. We're damaged and confused and grasping. I think peace really does come from within but one has to do the hard work to get there. I can train my mind to not be annoyed by the sound of a leaking faucet, but the faucet still continues to leak regardless.
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362 people found this helpful-
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Faye 247
5.0 out of 5 stars A book to read again and again
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2018
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I bought this books some 6 years ago and it has been sitting on my bookshelf. The other day I was suddenly drawn to it and starting reading it. I couldn’t put it down. 6 years ago it would not have had the profound implication that it has had in my life today. The universe is truly magnificent.
100 people found this helpful
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Unido87
5.0 out of 5 stars Suffer with anxiety, racing and disturbing thoughts? This book will help.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2015
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I overcame a real bad batch of anxiety a few years ago and it raised its ugly head again recently, I have worked through everything but the final and worst symptom is just my constant racing mind with intrusive thoughts and all sorts of things. I have read A LOT of books that cover this subject matter and I feel this is the best overall book that just cuts to the chase. Michael doesn't speak about specific symptoms, more just topics as a whole and this is how you need to treat any anxiety, stress or worry. If your in a bit of a crap place, just try adopt some of his teachings, just for 24 hours and I am pretty confident you will see a difference, even the slightest but over time old habbits will die and new will be born.
This is a great book and comes close to touching other teachings from great people, there is no science here, just a path which I believe is the way and only way to follow, you can try many other things, medication etc and keep searching for that cure, but the cure is to stop searching! listen to what Michael says and you will see a difference.
Be patient, it will take time, weeks, months, years but you will all of a sudden find yourself in a powerful place of positivity and confidence.
180 people found this helpful
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Angel White
5.0 out of 5 stars The most life changing book I've read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2019
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I don't know where to start with this book.
As an avid spiritual learner I bought this from recommendation from my Dad and couldn't put it down. It incapsulates the way we should live our life perfectly, logically and with such ease.
I often find when I read books of this genre it initially sticks in my head but then fades with time, but there is something about Michael Stingers words that really resonates in my mind like magical words to refer to.
He goes through the journey of battling with ones inner dialogue, transcending to the power of energy and cultivating these skills to refine yourself and realising how simple life can be.
With these skills you can finally free yourself of your mind.
"You are the passenger of your body"
Thank you for writing this beautiful book. I've read it three times now. :)
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Lisa Maynard
5.0 out of 5 stars The Untethered Soul - yours is about to become free!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2015
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What I love most about this book is that the author actually does take you on a journey of discovery, being the interpreter and guide. You don't need to already be aware of spiritual concepts to read it. He starts by making us aware that the only thing 'we' are is the witness to whatever is going on in our minds, emotions, dramas, etc. We can notice and simply detach. We can drive the vehicle!
As someone who has to manage my anxiety constantly, I have found this a godsend. It's just a very simple message that I want to burn into my brain - it's a textbook really. I will be reading it over and over again till the knowledge is close to my heart.
It's awesome.
79 people found this helpful
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Jasmine
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, hugely insightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 8, 2018
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This book is pure fire!! Honestly, it puts a lot of things into perspective. Using some of the technics at times where I would have usually overreacted definitely sorted out a negative chain reaction. I am going to read it again so the info sticks. Great read, hugely insightful. Loved it! You will have several aaaahaaaa moments.
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Reader
1.0 out of 5 stars Blather
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2017
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As other one star reviewers have noted, the book is disorganized, full of empty phrases, and lacking in any fundamental actions that a reader might take to achieve the bliss promised herein. Some pearls of wisdom: “It is actually possible to never have another problem for the rest of your life.” “Any time you’re having trouble with something, think of death.” “How you learn to stay open is up to you. The ultimate trick is to not close. If you don’t close, you will have learned to stay open.“ “For there to be manifest creation, energy must get in the dynamic of cycling around itself to create a stable unit.” I suspect that the overwhelming positive reviews of the book are influenced by adherents to the author’s philosophy and beliefs. To be clear: I’m not criticizing those beliefs, just the book.
487 people found this helpful
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thenumber9
1.0 out of 5 stars Untethered is an understatement
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2017
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If you have a Kindle, I'd recommend downloading the sample of this book, read the sample, stop there and take what you will from it. Then go buy "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle.
After the first few chapters, "The Untethered Soul" drones on and on covering the same material without any new insights or observations. It would be like if you and I smoked a bunch of weed and sat down for a deep convo on spirituality. Maybe fun for us, but anyone else who happened to be listening would not be impressed. By chapter 10, I was so tired of the condescending preaching I had to skip to the end. I read the last 2 chapters about death and God but neither revealed anything especially groundbreaking.
This is not marketed as a grief book (and I knew that going in) but if you've recently lost someone and are looking for answers, stay away from this one. It made me feel like I should marginalize the emotions I'm currently processing. In my opinion, dissociation from extreme pain is not an effective way to process it. If you're looking to rid yourself of "trivial anxiety" like road rage or fear of public speaking, maybe this book is for you. But if you're currently working on serious issues like losing a loved one, and your heart is shattered, simply being told ad nauseam to "let it go" will not help. I feel like I need to go cleanse and sanitize my consciousness after this doozy.
There were indeed a few bits and blurbs at the beginning that I think most of us could find helpful and if being spoken to like a child helps you understand concepts, (I'm not judging - sometimes I need it spelled out for me as well) you will probably appreciate Singer's writing style.
However, Untethered is a perfect title for this book. It's quite literally, untethered. I think all of the great reviews it has gotten really speaks to how society as a whole is currently operating. We're damaged and confused and grasping. I think peace really does come from within but one has to do the hard work to get there. I can train my mind to not be annoyed by the sound of a leaking faucet, but the faucet still continues to leak regardless.
362 people found this helpful
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ElizabethTop Contributor: Pets
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1.0 out of 5 stars I was not impressed
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019
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This came highly recommended by my sister and her therapist, so I thought I would get it. I was disappointed because mostly it was the author telling you that if you just see things differently and recognize the reality of things, you'll be much happier and in fact will never have any problems ever again (?!). Maybe if you've never been in therapy or read a self-help book or been ever reflected on life, you might find a few ideas that are somewhat helpful. I mean, some of the ideas are not completely useless, if you decontextualize them from the overall book. But, the book/author does not appear to acknowledge any of the last 10-20 years of research on the ways that childhood trauma and neglect profoundly shape our capacity for self-love, healthy relationships, or psychological well-being, or how people do or should handle loss or grief or trauma.
To me, this book is the equivalent of your well-meaning uncle who tells you over Thanksgiving dinner, when he founds out that you are struggling with profound depression after you had a miscarriage and then your husband left you and you lost your job, that if you would just cheer up and realize things are not as bad as they seem and appreciate the good in your life then you will feel better. I mean, YOU'RE NOT DEAD, right?? Of course, if people could do this, probably they would have and probably would not need a book to tell them just to cheer up and look at things differently.
I think the overall concerns with the book can be summed up in this lovely little piece of wisdom: “It is actually possible to never have another problem for the rest of your life.” It just demonstrates that his take is, "If you just see things differently [as I am explaining them to you] things will be fine." Which ultimately has really concerning consequences for people who are struggling with depression, grief, loss, or trauma because the implication is that if you are still hurting or miserable, it is because YOU are not looking at things right.
Generally, I think this is an irresponsible book that does not acknowledge what we know about how people operate and how people heal. I am glad that it has worked for some people or helped them, but I think it is important to say that if you haven't already bought this you might consider other options (Tara Brach comes to mind, who is a therapist and Buddhist teacher), and if you have, you might consider that this is one relatively narrow way of understanding things by someone who does appear to have any training in addressing serious depression, grief, trauma, or loss, issues that are at the heart of what many people struggle with.
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Alfonso Mysterioso
1.0 out of 5 stars Could have been written in one sentence, "Be self aware."
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2018
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The same thing written over and over and over, "You are not your mind, be self aware.". This was a New York Times best seller? Unbelievable. I barely made it through the first chapter I was so bored. Nothing but a money grab as far as I could see.
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Tag JonesTop Contributor: Drawing
1.0 out of 5 stars Repetitive, Repetitive, Repetitive
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2018
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I agree with many of the other 1 star reviews - this book is just unbelievably repetitive.
The author's solution to everything is - just let it go. He then presents another issue - repeating the same concepts and then offers the same solution - just let it go.
Don't waste your money or your time on this book - many, many, many better books out there!
I would suggest 2 of my favorites: Anthony DeMello "Awareness" or Barry Magid "Ending the Pursuit of Happiness".
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Ashley Artman
1.0 out of 5 stars Meh
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2018
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To be honest, this is an awful read. I have read self-help books and it's just not good. There are some one-liners that are helpful. The only one I remember being, "You cannot spend your life avoiding things that are not actually happening, or everything will become negative." Other than that I got nothing out of the book. None of it was stuff I hadn't already thought about. Each chapter could be boiled down to a paragraph and it would be an easier read. It says the same thing over and over in different phrases. I literally said to my friend about this book, "It's just complicated enough that it doesn't "draw you in" and just barely interesting enough to have to finish it." I don't understand why this book is taking the world by storm. Kudos to the author and those that love it though. It just wasn't for me.
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Christine Martinez
1.0 out of 5 stars Disorganized and unhelpful
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2019
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Here the book in a nutshell:
-You are not your emotions/problems;you are just the consciousness observing them.
-Be self-aware.
-Let stuff go.
I'll be honest and say that I couldn't make it more than halfway through the book. I tried hard. But I feel like that counts because I had to read most of it twice because my mind would wander when I realized it just restates the same three ideas in different ways and then gives more analogies. There aren't any actions or steps to take to help you do any of that. In the first couple chapters the book actually says that how you do it is up to you, but the ultimate trick is not close... Yeah... Thanks.
Honestly I might have been more accepting of a more concise, organized version even without actions/steps. But right now I just feel like my time was wasted when I could have spent it reading something more helpful and enlightening.
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john
1.0 out of 5 stars Buddhism lite. Old idea's and nothing new
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2018
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For the number of reviews on this book, i'm severely disappointed and was expecting something much better. The point is, if you're not used to some of these idea's of mindfulness and being conscious than a lot of this book will blow you away. It is a great introduction for someone that may just be beginning their spiritual walk. Or it can even be a good reminder of what the foundational principles look like. The problem is, all the idea's in this book are nothing new and they're smaller versions of bigger idea's. If you want to save time, go listen to a youtube video of the Dalai Lama talking about mindfulness for 20 minutes.
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Erika Tolson-Calloway
1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good choice.
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2017
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This is not my first time reading this genre, so i was prepared and familiar the concept. And i was hoping for something deeper considering the reviews. However I've never read a book so wordy, yet so vauge. Not relatable at all. Not a good choice...hugely disappointed.
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James R. Grant
1.0 out of 5 stars Let it go
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2019
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Wasted my money and time - regurgitated concepts, extremely repetitious, lacking in real depth and applicability.
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Jan 29, 2013John Woltjer rated it it was amazing
I know that there are some people who go to religious texts on a regular basis to glean wisdom about their lives. I have never been that person, raised in a decidedly secular home that was deeply suspicious of organized religion. I consider myself lucky to have been raised in a way that left me unshackled from religious dogma or tethered to a religious institution. But an inquisitive mind also puts one on what, for better or worse we call a spiritual path. Avoiding religion does not make the ultimate questions go away, it just allows the mind to wander more freely in search of truth. In my 57 years I have searched widely, sometimes earnestly to understand just what my niche is in the majestic mystery called life. i have read many books, sought out many gurus, talked to many people about what the meaning of life really is. And in that search, I think I have never read a wiser, more intuitively grounded book than The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer. Perhaps it is true that there is nothing new under the sun; that the same truths just get said in myriad ways that appeal to people at different places on the spiritual journey. If that is true, then what Singer does in this book is to synthesize those truths in a way that are direct, crystal clear, and uniquely graspable. In some regards, his book is a much shorter version of Eckhart Tolle's books; more concise, more accessible. Singer deals with the "two of us" that are within us--the experiencer of things, the monkey mind, the consciousness that is constantly feeding us information through our senses, our intellect--and the observer, buried deep behind the monkey mind that has the capacity to watch the parade in our heads--to step back behind and just watch, dispassionately all that is being projected onto the screen of our minds. That is the great wisdom that underlies much of the new thought about consciousness--that there are, in fact two of us in there-one, out of control, spinning its daily dramas-and one, timeless and immortal, the true river of consciousness from which each our lives flows as tributaries. The brilliance of Singer is that he makes the awareness of that very clear--he quite literally walks us through the question of, "who are we" in a step-by-step process. He calls the monkey mind our "inner roommate" that quite often borders on pure insanity. He invites us to imagine the monkey mind as a roommate, sitting next to us on the couch, and asking us to consider how long this roommate would be allowed to live with us when considering just how obnoxious and pestilent it can be. what becomes quite obvious is that we live with a crazy person in our head that torments us with persistent, meaningless, repetitive dialogues that ultimately blind us to what is truly real--the world behind all the stimulus in our heads. This is a brilliant book--just reading the praises written by many prominent people at the beginning of the book gives the reader a sense of just how profound the truths within are. One comment dares to suggest that this book can give the reader a glimpse of eternity. I have found this to be true. All of life is, of course process. It is my belief that our capacity for the development of consciousness is just like our capacity for physical development. Some people are uniquely suited for developing Olympic quality physiques, others of us capable of attaining transcendent awareness through spiritual development. Most of us are posted somewhere in the middle of those kinds of capacities--we can be physically healthy, and we can be spiritually aware. The concept of the archetype is helpful--the archetype of the spiritual teacher is represented by Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, etc. They are the exemplars of the ability to stand closest to the spiritual fire. Most of us will never attain their ability to feel the deepest levels of spiritual transcendence, but we can, though a lifetime of development, develop the capacity to have moments of transcendence that give us the wisdom to carry on in a life that, at times, can be maddeningly inscrutable. Singer is one of those people who can open the crack just a little wider to accessing that wisdom. I have returned to this book many times--it was a re-reading this morning that inspired me to write this review. This little, wise book has helped me incalculably on my own spiritual journey, and has helped me to glean just enough wisdom about this life I have been given to prevail through some very difficult transitions in my life. I am sorry that i can only give it 5 stars--it deserves multiples of that... (less)
Meh. The first couple of chapters were good. It's a super useful concept to see yourself as simply an observer of your thoughts rather than believing that they make you; not having to be jerked around by that nagging voice in your head sounds pretty good to me. The part about how people trap themselves by self-limiting thoughts and rigid views / perceptions of life, the world, people, success, etc. resonated. And the part where we build realities based upon those perceptions and struggle to preserve them, even though they are false attempts at control and security. Yeah, that part was interesting, too. While this book helps to peel some layers off the bullshit-self onion, the book doesn't deliver on its promise of helping you to find your true self (shocking). It's based on Buddhism, which I mostly respect, but my idea of "self" will never be based upon freeing myself from desires, needs, wants, goals, accomplishment, expansion. I can totally buy into eliminating negative thoughts, being compassionate toward everyone, limiting knee-jerk emotional responses, and so on, but this book makes like the goal in life is becoming the world's best amoeba - float around for a while, see some shit, view it all neutrally, don't steer,. Um, no thanks. After a few chapters the book became completely redundant and tedious. The last few chapters lost me when bible verses started appearing and "God" was dropped every other paragraph. (less)
Sep 23, 2012Barbara Campanelli rated it it was amazing
This may be the last and only book you need to read to truly understand who you really are and how to be truly free. The author makes it all very simple. That doesn't mean it's easy. The basic idea is that you are not your mind. Your mind has made up its own arbitrary list of likes and dislikes and preferences. The reason you suffer and are unhappy is because the outside world is not conforming to your idea of how you think it should be. The more time you (soul, spirit, observer you) can spend watching what your "monkey mind" is doing and saying, the more you can be free to enjoy life as it unfolds. The less you judge, the happier you are. Amazing! I am causing my own unhappiness and I can change it! This book is short and very easy to read. It's message is DEEP and requires some contemplation, experimentation and awareness to put into practice. But it works, folks, it WORKS! This practice of watching my mind do its thing is now my main spiritual practice (along with daily meditation). I have experienced a reduction of stress and a lessening of the overwhelmed state I can still sometimes get myself into. The less seriously I take my mind's likes, dislikes, must haves and mustn't allows, the happier and more relaxed I am. Michael Singer has done us all an incredible service by writing this book. I'm worrying less and less and enjoying myself more and more. What a tremendous gift this book has given me—the path to real freedom and happiness, a way to be in this world and experience all of life's ups and downs without letting the downs destroy me emotionally. That is the best gift anyone can receive. Want to be happier and freer? Then read this book! (less)
Jul 10, 2014Lisa rated it did not like it
I wanted to like this book! It is clearly one that has resonated with so many people and changed lives, but sadly it fell completely flat with me. I kept hoping that at one point it would start to resonate, but it did not. I believe these are some of the reasons why -
1. I'm suspicious of authors who claim it is possible to live life free of worries, problems, and unhappiness. This author makes such claims throughout the book and many times indicates that freedom from suffering should be the goal of the spiritual journey. I see life and the spiritual journey differently, and though I do believe we all should strive for a happier life and a more peaceful spirit, I don't believe it is desirable to live without some unhappiness, some worries, some fears. We need to experience and honor both the dark and the light in order to live in balance. That is my view at any rate, and this book did not make a strong enough case for me to change it.
2. Contradictions. The author contradicts himself many times, but more importantly doesn't indicate any awareness that he has contradicted himself. In one chapter he is claiming that God only likes to be around happy people, but in a later chapter he points out that God does not judge, that the sun shines equally on us all, etc. Confusing, right? Thus, while the author makes many statements throughout that I agree with, he also constantly is making other statements that contradict previous ones, giving me the impression that he is just writing a stream of consciousness of statements cherry-picked to resonate with a broad range of spiritual-enlightenment-seekers, without much regard to whether those statements gel together to form a cohesive whole. Which brings me to. . .
3. Structure. To me the book reads like a long-winded, disorganized, repetitive lecture on how the reader should be living his life. While there may be many helpful suggestions and kernels of wisdom sprinkled throughout, the lack of structure, evidence, and strategies for how to go about actually doing what the author is suggesting really rubbed me the wrong way. For me, these types of commands - "just open" or "just do it" or "let go of fear" - are never helpful. These types of life-suggestions happen on every single page, as if it just takes reading the words enough times to know how to actually go about doing things that take enormous amounts of courage and practice. I need help with the how, and I found this book was like a list of ingredients with no recipe, assuming that the reader was already an experienced chef.
Perhaps the book is simply not written in a way that speaks to me. As I said at the beginning, it has clearly resonated with many, and so I feel badly giving it such a poor review. If the book has helped you to find happiness and live a more peaceful life, then wonderful! I would not want to take that away from anyone, but sadly, it is not the book for me.
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1. I'm suspicious of authors who claim it is possible to live life free of worries, problems, and unhappiness. This author makes such claims throughout the book and many times indicates that freedom from suffering should be the goal of the spiritual journey. I see life and the spiritual journey differently, and though I do believe we all should strive for a happier life and a more peaceful spirit, I don't believe it is desirable to live without some unhappiness, some worries, some fears. We need to experience and honor both the dark and the light in order to live in balance. That is my view at any rate, and this book did not make a strong enough case for me to change it.
2. Contradictions. The author contradicts himself many times, but more importantly doesn't indicate any awareness that he has contradicted himself. In one chapter he is claiming that God only likes to be around happy people, but in a later chapter he points out that God does not judge, that the sun shines equally on us all, etc. Confusing, right? Thus, while the author makes many statements throughout that I agree with, he also constantly is making other statements that contradict previous ones, giving me the impression that he is just writing a stream of consciousness of statements cherry-picked to resonate with a broad range of spiritual-enlightenment-seekers, without much regard to whether those statements gel together to form a cohesive whole. Which brings me to. . .
3. Structure. To me the book reads like a long-winded, disorganized, repetitive lecture on how the reader should be living his life. While there may be many helpful suggestions and kernels of wisdom sprinkled throughout, the lack of structure, evidence, and strategies for how to go about actually doing what the author is suggesting really rubbed me the wrong way. For me, these types of commands - "just open" or "just do it" or "let go of fear" - are never helpful. These types of life-suggestions happen on every single page, as if it just takes reading the words enough times to know how to actually go about doing things that take enormous amounts of courage and practice. I need help with the how, and I found this book was like a list of ingredients with no recipe, assuming that the reader was already an experienced chef.
Perhaps the book is simply not written in a way that speaks to me. As I said at the beginning, it has clearly resonated with many, and so I feel badly giving it such a poor review. If the book has helped you to find happiness and live a more peaceful life, then wonderful! I would not want to take that away from anyone, but sadly, it is not the book for me.
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Aug 21, 2012Rsoeffker rated it it was ok
Just finished reading this book. While much of what the book says is true, much of it is soft soap and pleasantries that offer no real insight. Skip the book and read the following sentence that says the exact same thing in roughly 1/282,293,389 th of the time "Let go of things that are past and look forward to the future in a positive light".
Seriously... That's all the book says. If offers very little in "how". If you like the Buddhist/Hindu style of thinking, skip this book and go read Lao Tzu. At least he is a poet. (less)
Seriously... That's all the book says. If offers very little in "how". If you like the Buddhist/Hindu style of thinking, skip this book and go read Lao Tzu. At least he is a poet. (less)
I may have been a little stingy here with just two stars. I read this book because a friend wanted to use it in a book discussion group and asked if I'd give him my opinion of it.
I had not read it, so I took it on vacation. My bad. This is not a beach read and, fortunate or not, my soul untethers automatically when it nears salt water. (Actually everything I have sort of unravels around brine. I even have to use caution around big jars of dill pickles.)
When I read the table of contents and saw Chapter 15 "The Path of Unconditional Happiness," I eagerly shook the book expecting at least a handful of cannabis to fall from between the pages. Call me naive.
The first section topics: The Voice Inside Your Head, Your Inner Roommate and Who Are You, made the room spin for a moment and I heard my mother nagging me to cut my hair, but once I got past that, the book did contain some questions and viewpoints that I thought could quite nicely spur discussion in a group with varying viewpoints. I even thought about sending a copy to my congressman and would have if the vocabulary were less extensive. "Untethered," after all, has 10 letters.
"Just letting go" seems to be author Michael Singer's solution for handling life's problems. One can block his or her flow of energy by not letting go.
I can just let go if someone cuts me off in traffic, (deep breath, ooohhmmmm,) or when the kids forget I'm picking them up after the game and catch a ride home with a friend. High school can be a very peaceful place when you are the only one there at midnight.
But when my husband eyes my plate and says, "I thought you already had dessert," letting go ceases to be a deep cleansing breath, and instead looks more like a plate flying through the air.
When Tiffany down at the post office said she didn't think this color was flattering for my hair (I don't dye it), letting go gave our small town newspaper editor a new story for the front page. The feature on bunions had to be moved to page two.
I gave the Untethered Soul two stars because it has truly been an inspiration to me in finding creative ways to "let go." I have toned and strengthened my upper arms. I am able to throw my voice like a ventriloquist so that a soccer ref cannot determine from which side of the field the obscenities are coming and I feel more confident hearing the baseball bat rolling around in the back of the van.
I think everyone should read this book. You can never have too much untethered soul.
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I had not read it, so I took it on vacation. My bad. This is not a beach read and, fortunate or not, my soul untethers automatically when it nears salt water. (Actually everything I have sort of unravels around brine. I even have to use caution around big jars of dill pickles.)
When I read the table of contents and saw Chapter 15 "The Path of Unconditional Happiness," I eagerly shook the book expecting at least a handful of cannabis to fall from between the pages. Call me naive.
The first section topics: The Voice Inside Your Head, Your Inner Roommate and Who Are You, made the room spin for a moment and I heard my mother nagging me to cut my hair, but once I got past that, the book did contain some questions and viewpoints that I thought could quite nicely spur discussion in a group with varying viewpoints. I even thought about sending a copy to my congressman and would have if the vocabulary were less extensive. "Untethered," after all, has 10 letters.
"Just letting go" seems to be author Michael Singer's solution for handling life's problems. One can block his or her flow of energy by not letting go.
I can just let go if someone cuts me off in traffic, (deep breath, ooohhmmmm,) or when the kids forget I'm picking them up after the game and catch a ride home with a friend. High school can be a very peaceful place when you are the only one there at midnight.
But when my husband eyes my plate and says, "I thought you already had dessert," letting go ceases to be a deep cleansing breath, and instead looks more like a plate flying through the air.
When Tiffany down at the post office said she didn't think this color was flattering for my hair (I don't dye it), letting go gave our small town newspaper editor a new story for the front page. The feature on bunions had to be moved to page two.
I gave the Untethered Soul two stars because it has truly been an inspiration to me in finding creative ways to "let go." I have toned and strengthened my upper arms. I am able to throw my voice like a ventriloquist so that a soccer ref cannot determine from which side of the field the obscenities are coming and I feel more confident hearing the baseball bat rolling around in the back of the van.
I think everyone should read this book. You can never have too much untethered soul.
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Aug 29, 2013Emily Alp rated it it was amazing
This book is absolutely incredible. I'm a Yoga teacher and have read a lot of philosophical texts and spiritual books and have been working on this self-help stuff for a while. When my friend left this book on my table a couple weeks ago, and she was raving about it, I couldn't figure out how such a small book could be so life-changing. Well, it is.
It's kind of the foundation upon which all other self-help and philosophy rests, actually--in my opinion. If I read this book twice a year, I'll have a better life experience, no doubt, already do. And if the house burns down my cat will be under one arm and this book in the other hand.
It is so simple, and Michael Singer is saying the same things over and over again. You have to choose happiness and choose a larger perspective on reality than the narrow focus on problems ... you have to allow everything in life to take place and be a part of life but not get hung up on things and let them clog your heart center.
I'm particularly stunned at the descriptive eloquence around the concept of Chakras. It's absolutely genius what he is saying--that stuff can get gummed up around the heart and we build a protective reality to add to this state of congestion ... we start becoming more and more rigid in our minds in order to protect ourselves ... and it's absolutely draining and sucking our lives away!!!
Since I started reading the book, I have had trouble sleeping but have NOT been upset about it. It's strange. I mean, I feel as if a ton of energy is starting to release into my body from the place it was locked around my thought patterns--so many of which have been useless!!
I feel that sensation of back diving into an ocean of bliss and true reality. It's really edgy to get to this point and so I'm adapting all of this into daily life carefully. Nonetheless, I am sure I'll look back on this read as one that was pivotal in changing my life for the better.
Read this. You have nothing to lose--it's so short, just like life!!! (less)
It's kind of the foundation upon which all other self-help and philosophy rests, actually--in my opinion. If I read this book twice a year, I'll have a better life experience, no doubt, already do. And if the house burns down my cat will be under one arm and this book in the other hand.
It is so simple, and Michael Singer is saying the same things over and over again. You have to choose happiness and choose a larger perspective on reality than the narrow focus on problems ... you have to allow everything in life to take place and be a part of life but not get hung up on things and let them clog your heart center.
I'm particularly stunned at the descriptive eloquence around the concept of Chakras. It's absolutely genius what he is saying--that stuff can get gummed up around the heart and we build a protective reality to add to this state of congestion ... we start becoming more and more rigid in our minds in order to protect ourselves ... and it's absolutely draining and sucking our lives away!!!
Since I started reading the book, I have had trouble sleeping but have NOT been upset about it. It's strange. I mean, I feel as if a ton of energy is starting to release into my body from the place it was locked around my thought patterns--so many of which have been useless!!
I feel that sensation of back diving into an ocean of bliss and true reality. It's really edgy to get to this point and so I'm adapting all of this into daily life carefully. Nonetheless, I am sure I'll look back on this read as one that was pivotal in changing my life for the better.
Read this. You have nothing to lose--it's so short, just like life!!! (less)
Jan 09, 2013Jason , etc. rated it really liked it
Usually books whose cover shows a horse (or unicorn) galloping through the surf of a random shore are not my cup of tea. However, whenever I find myself in a bookstore coffee shop with a day to kill, I grab something from the self-help section for old-time's sake just to remind myself either 1) How I ever gained so much comfort from books like these or 2) Why I tend to no longer read them. Occasionally you find a diamond in the rough that strikes all the right chords despite the cover. This is one of those books.
I won't get into specifics about the book's themes since the synopsis does a better and more succinct job than I could. I'll simply say that the overall message resonated with me, reminded me in many ways of what is and isn't essential to our inner and outer well being, and, possibly most important of all, how full of shit our inner voice is most of the time. An excellent example and a handy exercise: Given some of the outlandish scenarios that your inner monologue/critic/confidant/crack dealer can come up with regarding your past, present, and/or future, if you anthropomorphized this voice into a dude, would this be someone whose advice you'd actually take seriously if they were sitting on your couch and telling you how you were going to fail at everything? I've learned over the years that the perpetual answer to this question, with or without having given the voice a body, is 'No', but there's something to be said for being reminded occasionally of how absurd our mental narrator can be in relating observations and expectations to reality.
Having become well-versed in how astonishingly self-defeating one's thoughts can be, I flew through the book in a couple of hours because it's quite well-written. And yes, there's a great deal of spirituality involved, but no proselytizing or any sort of do-this-or-burn style of dogmatic head slapping. It's relatively neutral in its treatment of the 'soul', placing the book squarely in the 'Switzerland' category of self-help tracts (IMHO). (less)
I won't get into specifics about the book's themes since the synopsis does a better and more succinct job than I could. I'll simply say that the overall message resonated with me, reminded me in many ways of what is and isn't essential to our inner and outer well being, and, possibly most important of all, how full of shit our inner voice is most of the time. An excellent example and a handy exercise: Given some of the outlandish scenarios that your inner monologue/critic/confidant/crack dealer can come up with regarding your past, present, and/or future, if you anthropomorphized this voice into a dude, would this be someone whose advice you'd actually take seriously if they were sitting on your couch and telling you how you were going to fail at everything? I've learned over the years that the perpetual answer to this question, with or without having given the voice a body, is 'No', but there's something to be said for being reminded occasionally of how absurd our mental narrator can be in relating observations and expectations to reality.
Having become well-versed in how astonishingly self-defeating one's thoughts can be, I flew through the book in a couple of hours because it's quite well-written. And yes, there's a great deal of spirituality involved, but no proselytizing or any sort of do-this-or-burn style of dogmatic head slapping. It's relatively neutral in its treatment of the 'soul', placing the book squarely in the 'Switzerland' category of self-help tracts (IMHO). (less)
Wasn't doing it for me. I remain tethered.
Jan 27, 2010Brittney rated it did not like it
This book actually changed me for what I once thought was the better. Recently I have realized that it wasn't for the better at all. It made me believe that emotions were optional, and that we can actually be happy all the time. Not true. I thought it possible for awhile, until I eventually realized that I was just suppressing all of the "unhappy" feelings and was building up negative feelings inside me. I would not recommend this book to anyone who wants to be happily in touch with their emotions, because this book will manipulate your mind and make you believe you are "free" when really, you're confined. (less)
Feb 06, 2018Lisa rated it it was amazing
This gem of a book was transformational for me. It offers insights for developing an awareness of negative, limiting thoughts and energy, for realizing that we don’t have to absorb or cling to them. We can let them go; they are not who we are. This is the book I most often give to others. (less)
Mar 03, 2018Rita rated it did not like it
I'm going to start by saying that I agree with the philosophy of this book. He's all about living the theme song to Frozen, whereas I've always been more about the imagery of being made of chain link -- instead of letting the issues be a gust that topples me as I try to fight it, I let it blow through me. Same idea, different metaphors. So, of course I think the concept is good, but it's not new and it's not his. He didn't invent or discover it. He's only trying to explain it. And, that's where I have the issues.
First off, this book is presented with such an overwhelming privileged white, cis, hetero male perspective. Every example (but one, which I'll elaborate on later) is from a man's perspective. And nothing even relatable to my experience, either. He's super hung up on girlfriends dumping the reader or girlfriends cheating on the reader or being jealous because the reader suspects his girlfriend is cheating: Think about that time after your girlfriend dumped you and you were so depressed that you couldn't get out of bed for days and the only evidence that you had eaten was the empty pizza boxes littering your room. Seriously? SERIOUSLY??? Nope. Cannot relate. I've never had the personal luxury of being Bella from Twilight and crumpling into a ball of "depression" (pssst, that's not depression) because someone dumped me. I have, however, had the experience of initiating a divorce to leave an abusive marriage after 20 years, supporting my three kids and myself emotionally and financially through it, which presented some very real hardships, and is the second issue I have with this book...
He never addresses any real trauma or legitimate hardships in the book. His examples, being from such a place of privilege, are trivial and superficial. He doesn't talk about the Muslim woman who endures hate slurs as she walks her daughter to school every day, or the man who works three minimum wage jobs to pay for his disabled son's medical care and is functioning on 3 hours of sleep every night, or the girl with the chemical imbalance in her brain that causes debilitating depression. The lack of even pitting these philosophies against serious problems comes off as offensive.
And, his solutions are shallow. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. But, he never explains exactly how to let it go, and he proceeds with the assumption that once you choose to let it go, the one time will fix everything, always. That it doesn't take way more practice and coming at it from many different angles to try to find the visualization and the inner mind-space that works for you. He ties it into how easy it is to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is harder than quitting heroin. It's so much more involved that just not putting a cigarette in your mouth. But, the fact that he devoted two paragraphs to how to quit smoking and then tied it to this philosophy was telling. He perceives them both as easy. If you just take ONE STEP, it'll solve it forever. Anyone who has quit smoking (I have, using mindfulness!) or has tried to achieve this kind of consciousness knows that it requires real effort. It's not a switch you flip on and off and then it's all fixed.
Which brings me to my last issue -- he completely left out any sort of introspection. His presentation of this idea seemed to actually oppose introspection, which is very flawed. Here's a scenario to ponder from two perspectives:
Perspective one-- Michael is driving a car and pulls up to a stop sign. On the sidewalk next to the stop sign, a cyclist shakes her fist at him and shouts at him, then rides away on her bike. Michael's heart chakra is momentarily clogged by the repressed memory of a bike-riding girl in third grade who he had a crush on, but she didn't like him back and yelled at him to stop following her home every day, so he has to practice his let it go mantra and it works immediately. He's free forever now.
Next day, he drives his car to the stop sign. The same cyclist is on the sidewalk and she shakes her fist and shouts at him. He doesn't react because he is fixed and he has let it go. The same thing happens day after day until one day, the cyclist stops yelling at him for no apparent reason.
Perspective two -- Rita is driving a car and pulls up to a stop sign. On the sidewalk next to the stop sign, a cyclist shakes her fist at her and shouts at her, then rides away on her bike. Rita's heart chakra is momentarily clogged by a repressed memory of someone else yelling at her at another time, but she also engages in some introspection and asks, "I wonder why THIS cyclist yelled at me," and then notices that the front of her car is over the line for the crosswalk and the cyclist was about to cross the street but became afraid when the car didn't stop where it was supposed to.
The next day, Rita approaches the stop-sign in her car and is careful to stop before the lines for the crosswalk. The cyclist rides her bike across the street and smiles and waves at Rita.
Granted, in the Rita situation, she doesn't get to unclog her chakra by practicing letting it go when she's yelled at, however, she also stops endangering a cyclist with her bad driving, because she considered the cyclist's perspective, matched it to the situation and corrected her behavior. Maybe Michael's psyche is a little bit better in his way of doing things, but he also continues to be a jerk. Introspection is imperative. I know that this philosophy does not oppose introspection, however THIS presentation of the philosophy completely left it out.
Oh, I forgot to bring up the one example he used that wasn't from a male perspective -- once at the beginning and once at the end, he asked the reader to describe who they are, and both times he said, "You might tell me you're a 45 year-old woman..." and I completely believe that he had something else written at first but his editor told him to change it to being a 45-year-old woman because that's the demographic most likely to read this kind of book. Nothing else he says ever matches up to anything a middle-aged woman would have experienced.
I'd have really liked this more if it had been delivered by someone else, in a different way. But, it was this book I read, so it's this book I have to review. (less)
First off, this book is presented with such an overwhelming privileged white, cis, hetero male perspective. Every example (but one, which I'll elaborate on later) is from a man's perspective. And nothing even relatable to my experience, either. He's super hung up on girlfriends dumping the reader or girlfriends cheating on the reader or being jealous because the reader suspects his girlfriend is cheating: Think about that time after your girlfriend dumped you and you were so depressed that you couldn't get out of bed for days and the only evidence that you had eaten was the empty pizza boxes littering your room. Seriously? SERIOUSLY??? Nope. Cannot relate. I've never had the personal luxury of being Bella from Twilight and crumpling into a ball of "depression" (pssst, that's not depression) because someone dumped me. I have, however, had the experience of initiating a divorce to leave an abusive marriage after 20 years, supporting my three kids and myself emotionally and financially through it, which presented some very real hardships, and is the second issue I have with this book...
He never addresses any real trauma or legitimate hardships in the book. His examples, being from such a place of privilege, are trivial and superficial. He doesn't talk about the Muslim woman who endures hate slurs as she walks her daughter to school every day, or the man who works three minimum wage jobs to pay for his disabled son's medical care and is functioning on 3 hours of sleep every night, or the girl with the chemical imbalance in her brain that causes debilitating depression. The lack of even pitting these philosophies against serious problems comes off as offensive.
And, his solutions are shallow. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. But, he never explains exactly how to let it go, and he proceeds with the assumption that once you choose to let it go, the one time will fix everything, always. That it doesn't take way more practice and coming at it from many different angles to try to find the visualization and the inner mind-space that works for you. He ties it into how easy it is to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is harder than quitting heroin. It's so much more involved that just not putting a cigarette in your mouth. But, the fact that he devoted two paragraphs to how to quit smoking and then tied it to this philosophy was telling. He perceives them both as easy. If you just take ONE STEP, it'll solve it forever. Anyone who has quit smoking (I have, using mindfulness!) or has tried to achieve this kind of consciousness knows that it requires real effort. It's not a switch you flip on and off and then it's all fixed.
Which brings me to my last issue -- he completely left out any sort of introspection. His presentation of this idea seemed to actually oppose introspection, which is very flawed. Here's a scenario to ponder from two perspectives:
Perspective one-- Michael is driving a car and pulls up to a stop sign. On the sidewalk next to the stop sign, a cyclist shakes her fist at him and shouts at him, then rides away on her bike. Michael's heart chakra is momentarily clogged by the repressed memory of a bike-riding girl in third grade who he had a crush on, but she didn't like him back and yelled at him to stop following her home every day, so he has to practice his let it go mantra and it works immediately. He's free forever now.
Next day, he drives his car to the stop sign. The same cyclist is on the sidewalk and she shakes her fist and shouts at him. He doesn't react because he is fixed and he has let it go. The same thing happens day after day until one day, the cyclist stops yelling at him for no apparent reason.
Perspective two -- Rita is driving a car and pulls up to a stop sign. On the sidewalk next to the stop sign, a cyclist shakes her fist at her and shouts at her, then rides away on her bike. Rita's heart chakra is momentarily clogged by a repressed memory of someone else yelling at her at another time, but she also engages in some introspection and asks, "I wonder why THIS cyclist yelled at me," and then notices that the front of her car is over the line for the crosswalk and the cyclist was about to cross the street but became afraid when the car didn't stop where it was supposed to.
The next day, Rita approaches the stop-sign in her car and is careful to stop before the lines for the crosswalk. The cyclist rides her bike across the street and smiles and waves at Rita.
Granted, in the Rita situation, she doesn't get to unclog her chakra by practicing letting it go when she's yelled at, however, she also stops endangering a cyclist with her bad driving, because she considered the cyclist's perspective, matched it to the situation and corrected her behavior. Maybe Michael's psyche is a little bit better in his way of doing things, but he also continues to be a jerk. Introspection is imperative. I know that this philosophy does not oppose introspection, however THIS presentation of the philosophy completely left it out.
Oh, I forgot to bring up the one example he used that wasn't from a male perspective -- once at the beginning and once at the end, he asked the reader to describe who they are, and both times he said, "You might tell me you're a 45 year-old woman..." and I completely believe that he had something else written at first but his editor told him to change it to being a 45-year-old woman because that's the demographic most likely to read this kind of book. Nothing else he says ever matches up to anything a middle-aged woman would have experienced.
I'd have really liked this more if it had been delivered by someone else, in a different way. But, it was this book I read, so it's this book I have to review. (less)
Oct 25, 2012Jennifer Campaniolo rated it really liked it
On the back cover of this New York Times Bestseller is the question "who are you really?" Before I read this book, I would have answered, "I am my thoughts, opinions, actions, experiences, and memories" or "I am a 39-year old wife, daughter, aunt, and friend."
After reading The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself I realize that the answer is more philosophical and complex than all that. Basically who I am and who you are exists in the seat of our consciousness. We are the person who observes our thoughts, emotions, actions.
Why is this distinction of self important? Because, according to author Michael A. Singer, "you not only have the ability to find yourself, you have the ability to free yourself."
I'm attracted to books on mindfulness because in the last few years I've realized that, like so many people, I'm in danger of losing myself in my thoughts. It occurred to me that I was missing most of my life because my inner thoughts were loud and ceaseless, like some annoying passenger on a five-hour train ride who decides to pass the time by calling everyone she has ever known on her cell phone (which is why I try to get a seat in the Quiet Car as often as possible). I want to put these inner thoughts on mute so I don't miss the experience of being alive.
The Untethered Soul struck a chord in me because it encourages detachment from this never-ending feedback inside our brains. "The best way to free yourself from this incessant chatter is to step back and view it objectively," Singer writes. "There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind--you are the one who hears it."
Singer goes on to say,
If you watch it objectively, you will come to see that much of what the voice says is meaningless. The truth is that most of life will unfold in accordance with forces far outside your control, regardless of what your mind says about it. In fact, your thoughts have far less impact on this world than you would like to think. Eventually you will see that the real cause of problems is not life itself. It's the commotion the mind makes about life that really causes problems.
The idea that we are not our thoughts is sometimes a difficult concept to get one's head around. But if you can understand this you are poised to enjoy your life much more than you ever could when you were viewing life through the filter of your inner thoughts and perceptions.
I did take issue with some of the sweeping proclamations in the book, such as "Once you reach this state [of letting go] you will never have to worry about anything ever again." That may be true, but if it is human to suffer, then are we really meant to transcend all our worries all the time? Wouldn't that make us more like automatons than real people?
Singer goes on to write, "No matter what happens, you can choose to enjoy the experience. If they starve you and put you in solitary confinement, just have fun being like Gandhi." This seems oversimplified and, frankly, kind of ridiculous. There are certain situations where having fun with adversity would be a baffling response (Can you imagine the Staten Island woman who lost her two sons in Hurricane Sandy "having fun with it?")
But then even the concept of Death is given a positive spin in the book. If it were not for Death, Singer reasons, we would not appreciate our life and the lives of others. If you thought that this week was your last week on Earth (or the last time you would talk to your mother or best friend), wouldn't you want to enjoy it (and reach out to that loved one?) If Death did not exist we would squander our time because there would be no end of it. So in this regard Death -- or our knowledge of it coming at any time -- becomes a gift.
Overall I responded to Singer's words and how he is able to boil life down to one choice: do you want to be happy or do you not want to be happy? I don't think he's asking readers to wholly discard our difficult thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Instead he encourages us to transcend them, to see that who we are is in fact larger than all that. Depending on your religious beliefs, we are all existing on this constantly-changing, spinning Earth for a short time. Do you want to give up your one chance to fully appreciate the ride?
The Untethered Soul was not a quick read for me because there were many ideas I wanted to digest slowly. Like with life I wanted to pay close attention to this book.
Recommended for anyone interested in books on happiness and/or personal/spiritual growth.
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After reading The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself I realize that the answer is more philosophical and complex than all that. Basically who I am and who you are exists in the seat of our consciousness. We are the person who observes our thoughts, emotions, actions.
Why is this distinction of self important? Because, according to author Michael A. Singer, "you not only have the ability to find yourself, you have the ability to free yourself."
I'm attracted to books on mindfulness because in the last few years I've realized that, like so many people, I'm in danger of losing myself in my thoughts. It occurred to me that I was missing most of my life because my inner thoughts were loud and ceaseless, like some annoying passenger on a five-hour train ride who decides to pass the time by calling everyone she has ever known on her cell phone (which is why I try to get a seat in the Quiet Car as often as possible). I want to put these inner thoughts on mute so I don't miss the experience of being alive.
The Untethered Soul struck a chord in me because it encourages detachment from this never-ending feedback inside our brains. "The best way to free yourself from this incessant chatter is to step back and view it objectively," Singer writes. "There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind--you are the one who hears it."
Singer goes on to say,
If you watch it objectively, you will come to see that much of what the voice says is meaningless. The truth is that most of life will unfold in accordance with forces far outside your control, regardless of what your mind says about it. In fact, your thoughts have far less impact on this world than you would like to think. Eventually you will see that the real cause of problems is not life itself. It's the commotion the mind makes about life that really causes problems.
The idea that we are not our thoughts is sometimes a difficult concept to get one's head around. But if you can understand this you are poised to enjoy your life much more than you ever could when you were viewing life through the filter of your inner thoughts and perceptions.
I did take issue with some of the sweeping proclamations in the book, such as "Once you reach this state [of letting go] you will never have to worry about anything ever again." That may be true, but if it is human to suffer, then are we really meant to transcend all our worries all the time? Wouldn't that make us more like automatons than real people?
Singer goes on to write, "No matter what happens, you can choose to enjoy the experience. If they starve you and put you in solitary confinement, just have fun being like Gandhi." This seems oversimplified and, frankly, kind of ridiculous. There are certain situations where having fun with adversity would be a baffling response (Can you imagine the Staten Island woman who lost her two sons in Hurricane Sandy "having fun with it?")
But then even the concept of Death is given a positive spin in the book. If it were not for Death, Singer reasons, we would not appreciate our life and the lives of others. If you thought that this week was your last week on Earth (or the last time you would talk to your mother or best friend), wouldn't you want to enjoy it (and reach out to that loved one?) If Death did not exist we would squander our time because there would be no end of it. So in this regard Death -- or our knowledge of it coming at any time -- becomes a gift.
Overall I responded to Singer's words and how he is able to boil life down to one choice: do you want to be happy or do you not want to be happy? I don't think he's asking readers to wholly discard our difficult thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Instead he encourages us to transcend them, to see that who we are is in fact larger than all that. Depending on your religious beliefs, we are all existing on this constantly-changing, spinning Earth for a short time. Do you want to give up your one chance to fully appreciate the ride?
The Untethered Soul was not a quick read for me because there were many ideas I wanted to digest slowly. Like with life I wanted to pay close attention to this book.
Recommended for anyone interested in books on happiness and/or personal/spiritual growth.
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Nov 22, 2014Bharath rated it really liked it
This is a much referred book, and it is not difficult to understand why. Michael Singer does extremely well in summarizing and dwelling on key aspects of our mind and human happiness. While he does not delve deep into religion, the book is still very spiritual with insights into the human mind. The book starts off especially well on how we need to watch our thoughts in a non-judgemental manner. The subsequent chapters move into living in the moment, letting go and being free of pain and suffering.
I felt at the minimum a chapter on meditation would have been good and would have brought further depth to the book.
This is a book I would certainly refer positively to any one. In fact I wish I had read it a long time back.. (less)
I felt at the minimum a chapter on meditation would have been good and would have brought further depth to the book.
This is a book I would certainly refer positively to any one. In fact I wish I had read it a long time back.. (less)
Mar 07, 2013Bette rated it it was amazing
I still milk on this book. I read this book and a second highlighted reading last year, shortly after its release. I didn't really need to highlight anything, because it is not full of cliches, or complexities. Actually, I would be more inclined to highlight every sentence. Singer succinctly states what all the other New Thought and Spiritual leaders/writers have written volumes on. He's very economical in his style, but he does a very straightforward job (for me) of progressing his thoughts in a textured, conversational way. Singer totally simplified age-old profound ideas, some of which had come to make me believe a little that, gosh, I, my ego and spirit, were just too profound to understand. This book taught me differently. I am a great fan of Tolle, Jean Houston, Chopra, Butterworth, Dyer, Zukav, et al, but Singer delivered the normal big thoughts with such brevity and determined direction, and simplicity and lightness. He doesn't presuppose that we don't know what he's talking about, or that his thinking is unique. The doors that he opened for me didn't creak with philosophy or dogma behind it, or slam shut with frustration of "getting it".
I saw his interview on the Super Soul Sunday series, after my first reading (2012) and that reinforced what I had thought about him - he is the human we all are. He doesn't pretend to know more than what the rest of us know about spirit and soul and beingness. He just seemed to me to be walking the walk -- blue collar zeitgeist. A mind catcher thought of his was:: Just lean back and let whatever it is flow by. (less)
I saw his interview on the Super Soul Sunday series, after my first reading (2012) and that reinforced what I had thought about him - he is the human we all are. He doesn't pretend to know more than what the rest of us know about spirit and soul and beingness. He just seemed to me to be walking the walk -- blue collar zeitgeist. A mind catcher thought of his was:: Just lean back and let whatever it is flow by. (less)
Jul 30, 2013Kaylee Sakellar rated it it was amazing
I love this book, it is easily one of my favorite self-help books. It is so different than any book I've ever read, and even though I'm picky in expanding the types of books I read, I'm so glad I decided to go with something different and choose this book. I love reading it in the morning or afternoon because it actually gives me energy and puts me in a good mood. This is not a religious book, although it might look like it would be from the cover, it's not what so ever. It's not exactly a "how to" meditation book, which is what I like about it. It tells you how to find your center and how to keep the energy flowing throughout your body. If your like me, your probably thinking that this book sounds cheesy by what I said in the last sentence, but the way it is written makes it not cheesy what so ever. It's a book that's hard to put down, and you fly through the pages. But sometimes I like to go back and re-read some pages because you really need to absorb what you're reading in order to get the most out of it. Long story short, LOVE this book and recommend it to EVERYONE. (less)
Apr 12, 2013Rebekah rated it did not like it · review of another edition
A whole lot of dumbed-down, Eastern-themed chatter that can be summarized thusly: 1) you are not your thoughts, and 2) cultivate a mindfulness practice.
Maybe I should renew my license and start charging people for terse, grumpy talk therapy. "Yep, that constant narration in your head is a real bummer. Why don't you concentrate on existing solely as a being constantly perceiving rather than narrating the present? Doesn't that make you feel better? Don't answer that; it's narrative."
Maybe I should renew my license and start charging people for terse, grumpy talk therapy. "Yep, that constant narration in your head is a real bummer. Why don't you concentrate on existing solely as a being constantly perceiving rather than narrating the present? Doesn't that make you feel better? Don't answer that; it's narrative."
Aug 07, 2012Laurie rated it it was amazing
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time and will be added to my stack of all time favorites. Michael Singer reminds us that the voice inside that is always chattering away is not us. He encourages us to get to the place where we can be the "observer" and watch that voice.
It sounds easy, but it is not. It is very easy to as my friend Maryann Pomegranate said "to get caught up in our own movie". Singer says:
"When a problem is disturbing you, don't ask "What should I do about it?" Ask, "What part of me is bring disturbed by this?"
When I let go and observe the situation, rather than losing myself in it,my life changes.
"The only real solution is to take the seat of witness consciousness and completely change your frame of reference...Stand firm in the seat of the witness and release the hold the habitual mind has on you. This is your life--reclaim it."
I love the part about keeping your heart open and not closing down.
"Remember if you love life, nothing is worth closing over. Nothing, ever, is worth closing your heart over."
I have to be willing to feel the pain of whatever is happening and not close down. That takes courage. I need to let it pass through me and not hang on to it.
"You just make a game out of relaxing in the face of melodrama...and no matter how many times you're pulled, that's how many times you relax and release."
It is challenging to change my own patterns, but I have tried his strategies and it is a completely different way to live. I love it.
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It sounds easy, but it is not. It is very easy to as my friend Maryann Pomegranate said "to get caught up in our own movie". Singer says:
"When a problem is disturbing you, don't ask "What should I do about it?" Ask, "What part of me is bring disturbed by this?"
When I let go and observe the situation, rather than losing myself in it,my life changes.
"The only real solution is to take the seat of witness consciousness and completely change your frame of reference...Stand firm in the seat of the witness and release the hold the habitual mind has on you. This is your life--reclaim it."
I love the part about keeping your heart open and not closing down.
"Remember if you love life, nothing is worth closing over. Nothing, ever, is worth closing your heart over."
I have to be willing to feel the pain of whatever is happening and not close down. That takes courage. I need to let it pass through me and not hang on to it.
"You just make a game out of relaxing in the face of melodrama...and no matter how many times you're pulled, that's how many times you relax and release."
It is challenging to change my own patterns, but I have tried his strategies and it is a completely different way to live. I love it.
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I couldn't put this book down. And it couldn't have come to me at a better time & I will often refer back to it for guidance. This books has helped me realize how much destruction I am creating for myself by the walls I have built around me and the resistance I have for obstacles in life. In addition to learning about the barriers I have created for myself, I feel so equipped to deal with all future road blocks. The author helps you work through pain, both past, present, & future. Ultimately this book is a guide in finding and living with peace & happiness in your life, all the time. And who doesn't want that? (less)
Oct 29, 2019da AL rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: audio-books, non-fiction
Engaging, thoughtful, and intelligent discussion of life and living. Audiobook performer Peter Berkrot does a great job.
Jul 01, 2013Esterina Ganija rated it it was amazing
I didn't expect to find such a compelling and illuminating read when I first picked up this book. The whole mindfulness and awareness thing seems to have been flogged almost to death in recent years with everyone pontificating their views and their tales of enlightenment. So it was with a degree of trepidation and reserved cynicism that I began to read, needless to say my negativity was dissolved in the first chapter and this book has had a profound impact on my psyche.
Would you like to be free of the incessant self talk inside your head, criticising every waking thought and action ? Who are you ? No, not your name or your job or even your ambition, who are YOU ? Singer is the guide as we explore these questions. We rediscover the heart and see it as much more than a muscle for pumping blood around the body, it's a sponge soaking up the pain of past transgressions but it's also an endless well of love. We are introduced to the spiritual path of non resistance and unconditional happiness, paths which should be walked regularly by everyone.
Every page of this book is a joy to read, Singer's compassion and peacefullness abounds. There is an accessability to these words that I have not found in other books of the same nature, in fact I felt drawn to it time and time again. I have read this book twice and each time gained a different insight into both my own true nature and the absolute inanity of the world we live in. To me this has been a gift gratefully received. (less)
Would you like to be free of the incessant self talk inside your head, criticising every waking thought and action ? Who are you ? No, not your name or your job or even your ambition, who are YOU ? Singer is the guide as we explore these questions. We rediscover the heart and see it as much more than a muscle for pumping blood around the body, it's a sponge soaking up the pain of past transgressions but it's also an endless well of love. We are introduced to the spiritual path of non resistance and unconditional happiness, paths which should be walked regularly by everyone.
Every page of this book is a joy to read, Singer's compassion and peacefullness abounds. There is an accessability to these words that I have not found in other books of the same nature, in fact I felt drawn to it time and time again. I have read this book twice and each time gained a different insight into both my own true nature and the absolute inanity of the world we live in. To me this has been a gift gratefully received. (less)
Mar 16, 2009Mary rated it it was amazing
Excellent book. I read it at about the same time as I read The New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and I found to have very similar themes - so if you enjoyed The New Earth you will enjoy this one too. Very deeply spirtual book with very heavy Buddhist leanings but I think that they are principles that could be applied within any religion. I think it's one of those books you would want to keep on hand and it could have different meanings for you each time you read and depending on where you are in your life. (less)
Dec 09, 2012Jennifer rated it really liked it
This book is psychological bootcamp. Its purpose is quite literally to eradicate you. If the principles of this piece are bought and practiced for a person's lifetime, then this book does have the power to change who you think you are and even where you are. To go into great detail on anything spiritual would be difficult for any review. Instead I'll bring up the parts of this work that I found relevant in hopes of you reading further into it beyond this review.
Singer's main premise is what our ...more
Singer's main premise is what our ...more
Singer's Untethered Soul carries with it an insight into our spirituality and relationship with God. I found it a greatly inspirational read. While Singer does not spout Bible verses, he draws from the words of Christ as well as other great religious leaders from all cultures. The similarities of our world's religions have always intrigued me, and I believe Singer put his finger on the largest one: love. "You can't offend the Divine One; its very nature is light, love, compassion, protection, ...more
Sep 17, 2012Deone rated it it was amazing
The most enlightening book on spirituality I've EVER read in MY LIFE! It completely opened me up to a new way of looking at EVERYTHING... Including, myself. It gave me a new outlook on purpose and assisted me in beginning to understand this on-growing hunger I have to learn more about who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose and how will I achieve that life mission?
Michael A. Singer made this a incredibly simple read, on what seems to be a very complex and opinionated topic. He teaches us how to stay open to life and to God, but more importantly how to RELEASE what isn't serving our lives purposefully.
If you're on a self-discovery journey, yourself; I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read this book. (less)
Michael A. Singer made this a incredibly simple read, on what seems to be a very complex and opinionated topic. He teaches us how to stay open to life and to God, but more importantly how to RELEASE what isn't serving our lives purposefully.
If you're on a self-discovery journey, yourself; I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read this book. (less)
Nov 08, 2010Judith Symonds rated it it was amazing
I had several of my biggest breakthroughs ever while I was studying this book. I found the true meaning of meditation and self and I learnt the significance of opening the heart and living life as a wonderful experience. If you seek true freedom and happiness, then this book is worth the read. I borrowed my copy, and I am putting this book on my list of purchases for my bookshelf.
