Interview With Barbara Berger

Interview With Barbara Berger

Barbara Berger is the internationally acclaimed author of 15 self-empowerment books. American born, she has lived and worked in Denmark for most of her adult life. Her work combines the fields of psychology, spirituality, and the science of the mind. She currently gives workshops and coaches clients in the art of controlling the power of their own mind to create the life that they want.

Mary Nale and I first interviewed Barbara many years ago on “Sessions – Attune Magazine Radio” (Blog Talk Radio). What came through then, and what comes through now, is Barbara’s dedication to helping people lead a fulfilling life that they feel in charge of. Let’s see what Barbara has to say!

BC: Barbara, you have 15 self-empowerment books to your credit, including “The Road To Power-Fast Food For The Soul”, “Are You Happy Now?”, “Find And Follow Your Inner Compass”, “The Awakening Human Being”, and “The Spiritual Pathway”. What led you to place your professional focus on self-empowerment?

BB: Suffering! Ha ha! Isn’t that what drives us all? We all want to be happy, we all want to experience peace of mind and joy, we all want to experience a sense of ease and flow in our lives. We all want to find a way out of suffering…  That is what has motivated me right from the beginning and since an early age I have been a seeker. All my work and my books are based on my search to find a way out of suffering. My quest has led me to explore many different pathways and approaches – mental, physical, metaphysical, psychological and spiritual. After leaving the US in the mid-60s in protest against the Vietnam War and settling in Scandinavia, I continued my quest in the 1970s with a passionate interest in the role of food in our mental and physical well-being. And then when I discovered in the early 1980s that health foods and diet were not enough to ensure true wellbeing, I began to study the science of the mind, the nature of consciousness, metaphysics, and finally traditional spirituality and psychology.

BC: How does the art of setting boundaries fit into your work?

BB: Well, I’ve also discovered in my quest that most of our problems are people problems! Most of our discomfort, confusion, and anguish arises in and because of our relationships with our partners, families, and friends. Which is something most of us have discovered. And as you know, I am a coach and a therapist so for many, many years now I have been talking to people from all around the world, listening to their problems and issues and challenges and trying to help them find practical and constructive ways of living together in harmony with the people in their lives. And this is where having what I call “healthy boundaries” is so important. Healthy boundaries are based on the principle that each one of us has a right to be here and to be who we are… but how does this play out in our interactions with other people? Is there a way to navigate wisely in a reality where everyone is different?

In my quest to find answers to this question, I discovered there is a lot of confusion about boundaries. As a result, I have also discovered that it is very helpful to be able to define and identify what healthy boundaries actually are. So to help people look at their own relationships, I have made a list of the most common boundary violations. You can see the list in my short article here:  https://bestselfmedia.com/how-to-avoid-common-boundary-violations/

For those who are interested, there is a lot more about constructive communications, being assertive, and having healthy boundaries in my books “Are You Happy Now? 10 Ways to Live a Happy Life” (Chapter 3) and “Find and Follow Your Inner Compass” (Part Two).

BC: How important is self-care in attaining our ideal life?

BB: Very important. See my answer to this question below for my thoughts about this.

BC: How does your work help people fit into the real world?

BB: Most of the people I work with are people who are interested in spirituality, alternative lifestyles, healthy living, etc. They are all people who have a high level of integrity and are evolving rapidly, but at the same time, they are often very challenged in their daily lives and in their relationships. And often also when it comes to making money and their career paths. So I have found that my coaching and therapy is most effective when it is an “enlightened” combination of the spiritual and the psychological. And this is because when it comes to finding a way out of suffering, there are strengths and weaknesses to both a spiritual approach and a psychological/therapeutic approach.

In brief, I’ve discovered the following. On the one hand, there are people who follow traditional spiritual teachings based on the old wisdom teachings and daily spiritual practice such as meditation. These people often make great strides in their understanding of the nature of reality and in raising their level of consciousness. But despite their spiritual growth, many continue to have great difficulties when it comes to taking care of themselves and dealing with the challenges of everyday life in the modern world. Often because they haven’t learned basic people skills like how to set limits, communicate skillfully and be assertive.  And then, on the other hand, there are the people who go the therapeutic/psychological route to learn to deal with suffering and the difficulties they meet in daily life (in terms of family, relationships, work, etc.). In their case, they often make great strides in dealing with the problems of everyday life but fail to find real, lasting satisfaction and a way out of suffering because the therapeutic approach does not take into consideration and deal with the basic existential nature of this thing called life. And without a deeper understanding of the eternal verities and the nature of existence, most psychological and therapeutic solutions (though effective in the short term) cannot provide real, long-term satisfaction when it comes to the great questions in life – and in the final analysis true liberation from suffering.

So this is why I believe in an enlightened combination of these two approaches – the spiritual/metaphysical and the therapeutic/psychological.

BC: In “Find And Follow Your Inner Compass” you talk about how to make good decisions, and how to navigate life. Can you talk a bit about that?

BB: Another one of the big challenges people are facing today is how to make wise decisions and navigate through life when we are being bombarded constantly from morning to evening with information and advice from all sides thanks to social media, etc. Because of this massive input, people are finding it more and more difficult to get in touch with the guidance, wisdom, and knowledge that lies within. So this book is an attempt to help people understand what’s going on and learn how to tune into their internal guidance system.

I know this is possible because I’ve discovered that every person alive has an Inner Compass! And by this, I mean that every person alive has his or her own unique, personal, internal guidance system – which is working at all times and which is each individual’s direct connection to the Great Universal Intelligence that created each one of us and all of Life. So I wrote this book to explain how we can find, understand and use this internal guidance system – which I call the “Inner Compass”– to live happier, more fulfilling, exciting and wonderful lives.

In the book, I explain that the key to using our Inner Compass is to understand the true significance of our emotions because our emotions are the way in which our Inner Compass guides us and gives us information. So in the book, I explain the mechanism in detail. And why our emotions are so important and such significant indicators of whether or not we are in alignment with who we really are and the Great Universal Intelligence that has created all of us.

BC: I recently finished reading your latest book, “The Road To Power-Fast Food For The Soul”. This is an updated version of a book that was originally published in 1995/1996. How did this update come about, and how does it fit in with the rest of your work?

BB: The thing about this book is that it never goes out of date because the message of the book is timeless and so important. In brief, “The Road to Power” is a book about how we can take our power back by understanding the way our minds work and by learning to use the amazing power of our minds to create better, happier and more fulfilling lives for ourselves right here and now. People just love this book because it’s so practical – every chapter is packed with concrete advice and exercises which people can start using and practicing right this very minute. It’s been so amazing and heart-warming how many people from all around the world (the book is published in 30 languages) have told me and are still telling me that this is the book which changed their lives. So if you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up and an easy to use reminder of how to take your power back right now – you will probably love this book.

BC: Barbara, do you have any last words that you would like to share?

BB: Yes – In my experience, nothing is more exciting than self-empowerment. Nothing is more thrilling, fun, or more rewarding than finding out that yes, we can do it for ourselves. That we – yes you and I – are truly the masters of our fate and that we can change our destiny by working with our minds and by doing the inner work. How do I know that working with our minds and doing inner work can change your life? I know because it has changed mine! But don’t believe me – try it for yourself and see what happens! Blessings to you wherever you are!

BC: I want to thank Barbara for taking the time to do this interview. Below is Barbara’s contact information, as well as a sample of some of the audio interviews and YouTube interviews that she has done. I also want to note that Barbara offers a free e-book, “The Mental Laws – Understanding How The Mind Works” on her site, http://beamteam.com/index_en.html.

About “The Road to Power-Fast Food for the Soul” (radio):

http://prn.fm/energy-stew-learn-use-mind-become-powerful-life/

Same interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-vmmyN5tQ8&t=683s

About “Find and Follow Your Inner Compass – Instant Guidance in an Age of Information Overload”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=gvqmOt5LCzQ

About my life and “The Awakening Human Being” on Buddha at the Gas Pump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojd_HeRD33c

Other good radio shows:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/attunemagazineradio/2014/10/13/sessions-barbara-berger-listening-to-our-inner-guidance

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/attunemagazineradio/2014/05/26/sessions-the-secret-of-good-relationships-with-barbara-berger

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/attunemagazineradio/2014/02/12/the-adventures-of-pebble-beach-barbara-berger-on-sessions

© January 2019 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

Review: The Road To Power – Fast Food For the Soul

The Road To Power –
Fast Food For The Soul

Author: Barbara Berger
O-Books
2018
ISBN: 978-1-78535-814-2
Original Copyright 1995 & 1996 Barbara Weitzen Berger
BeamTeam Books

We are what we think.
We become what we believe.
Our life is what we visualize.
Our life is what we say it is.

We can change our lives
by changing our thoughts.
From Book 1, Chapter 1

I have followed Barbara Berger’s work for many years now. I have even had the pleasure of doing an audio interview with her. I am impressed with her authenticity, and with the fact that as a counsellor she gifts her readers with tools that they can use to take action in their lives.

“The Road To Power – Fast Food For The Soul” is two books in one. The power that she is talking about is the power of the mind, the power to take back our lives, and to create the life that we really want. Bottom line – we can change our lives by changing our thinking. We have the ability to change any area of our life that we want to – we just need to take responsibility, and put the effort in.

I feel that Barbara’s books, and her work, can benefit all people, from all walks of life. Included amongst her writing are “Are You Happy Now? 10 Ways to Live a Happy Life”, “The Awakening Human Being – A Guide to the Power of Mind”, and “Find and Follow Your Inner Compass – Instant Guidance in an Age of Information Overload”. Each book addresses something that we can do to live a better, more balanced life.

The focus in this book is on our mind, and how we create our lives through the power of thoughts and words. Negative thinking creates a negative life, positive thinking creates a positive life. (Apropos of nothing – 2019 is a number three year, which relates to creativity and personal power. What a great year to put the message this book carries to good use!)

Decide on the life you want, visualize it, affirm it, decree it, focus on it, believe it, have faith in it, and you will find yourself living this life much sooner and much faster than you ever dreamed possible.
From Book 1, Chapter 1

Barbara points out that we are victims of our own thinking, as if we are part of some cosmic joke. She make a very important point when she says that the outside world is simply a manifestation of what we choose to think about it. Power is an inside job! We need to do the work required on ourselves, the inner work. As our thoughts change, our outer world changes. Each chapter of this book presents specific techniques that the reader can use to control their life, and create the future that they want. Each chapter is a “stand alone”, so that the reader can go to whichever chapter they need most at any given time (for example – The Power of Focus, The Power of Money, The Power of Silence, The Power of Joy and Laughter, The Power of Vision).

The reader is presented with such concepts as a higher power, or force, and the need not to resist this force, releasing negativity on all levels, living in reality, the ability to make choices, and setting clear goals.

The reader is presented with tools such as affirmations, statements, the power of “no”, visualization, mental acceptance, entering the alpha state, guided meditation, the healing power of nature, the power of focus, working with lists, keeping things to yourself, the power of giving, the power of love, blessing people and situations, the power of silence, seeing auras, the gift of movement, living in reality, contemplation, connecting with our subconscious, and paying attention to thought patterns.

Each chapter is written in clear, straightforward language. Each tool is presented in a manner in which the reader will be able to implement it in their life. I loved the fact that Barbara mentions other well-known individuals in this book, and describes the work that they are doing. It is a “who’s who” of working on yourself! At the end of the book, there is a listing of these teachers, and their books.

This book is easy to read, and easy for the reader to implement in their life. I recommend it for all ages, and all backgrounds.

© January 2019 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

Review: Find and Follow Your Inner Compass

Find and Follow Your INNER COMPASS
Instant Guidance in an Age of Information Overload

Author: Barbara Berger
O-Books
2017
ISBN #1780995105

I have been an ardent fan of Barbara Berger for many years now. Her style is real, personal, and down to earth. She is there to help the reader help themselves, to define and lead a quality life. She cares. In “Find and Follow Your INNER COMPASS”, Berger addresses the fact that we are continually being bombarded with information on what we need to do, as well as what we shouldn’t be doing, to live a happy life. The bottom line here is that we need to decide what is right for us as individuals, and follow that path.

In her foreword Berger talks about how plugged in we are to each other, how we have constant online access to what everyone is thinking, saying, feeling, and doing. I read these words, and think about my younger years. Rotary dial phones (only came in black, and the repairman did come inside the house), typewriters (and the advent of erasable typing paper), and hand written, snail mail letters. (Loads of perfumed letters were sent through the mail!).

Berger states that we are continually bombarded by what we “should” and “should not” do to live a happy life. She posits that how can anyone know what is best for themselves in any given situation? Is there a way to take into consideration each individual’s wants, needs, and desires?  This book is all about finding one’s internal guidance system – one’s Inner Compass. We all have an Inner Compass, and it is always sharing information with us. How does it do this? Through our emotions. What a thought!

In this book Berger talks about our emotions, and why they are important. When we live a life aligned with our Inner Compass, and our emotions, we are aligned with who we truly are, and with what is most suitable for us. Part One talks about what our Inner Compass is, and how it works.  Part Two addresses the challenges of working with our Inner Compass, such as what sabotages our ability to listen to and follow our Inner Compass. What is the true significance of our emotions? Are we being selfish in doing so? How can we constructively deal with the fear of other people’s disapproval?

Throughout the book Berger presents, in terms that we can all  understand, what our emotions are, and how we can use them to guide our lives. What I really liked was when she connected our Inner Compass with the Great Universal Intelligence. Now we are rocking! When we are aligned with this very basic yes/no system, we are happy and content. When we are not aligned, we feel discomfort and uneasy. Bottom line – we feel better when we are aligned with ourselves, when we are being our true selves. Our Inner Compass basically tells us how we feel about life, how we feel about our decision, how we feel about what is going on around us.

Berger gives us two basic reasons why we may not be in contact with our Inner Compass: (1) a lack of awareness that our Inner Compass even exists, and (2) most of us have been trained from childhood to make most of our decisions with an eye to pleasing other people. Another biggie that Berger addresses is that we may have been taught that our feelings did not matter. (My immediate thought here was that as women enter various professions, they distance themselves from their emotions so as to appear to make “logical” decisions. A corollary to this is that most boys are taught from day one not to cry, not to express their emotions. No wonder we have not connected with our Inner Compass!)

There is an excellent exercise in Part One that helps the reader to connect with their Inner Compass. In doing this exercise, it is very evident that Berger relies not only on what she has studied, what she has been taught, but what she has learned in working with her clients. Win/win!

Berger advises her readers to check in with their Inner Compasses regularly. Life is ever evolving, we are always having to make decisions – so yes, connect with your Inner Compass as many times a day as you need to! In conjunction with connecting with our Inner Compass is the thought that we have to deal with our own personal fear of our emotions.  Berger suggests that we start slowly when connecting to our Inner Compass, so that we do not overload ourselves with anxiety. We are told that change will happen naturally and automatically. Whew!

One of the really nice little “add ins” that Berger gives the reader is an emotional scale, running from high, good feeling energy, to low, bad feeling energy. This is both an interesting and helpful scale.

I also loved the examples given in the book, such a dealing with a job offer, and a marriage crisis. Examples of what each of us can face in life at any point in time. Berger also addresses what can happen when we do not pay attention to our Inner Compass, and that negative emotions can actually be our friend. I love the breakdown of life activities into “Survival”, “In Between Stuff”, and “Your Passion”. A good way to give ourselves a heads up on where to put our energy.

Part Two deals with dealing with our fear of disapproval and other challenges to following our Inner Compass. Berger talks about our concern that if we follow our Inner Compass, we will make someone else unhappy. She talks about our thinking determining our experience, and that happiness is really an inside job. She also reminds us that different people react differently to the same situation. I love the section on taking our power back – that in reality we are the only ones that can make ourselves happy. Berger also references very real issues, such as other people being out of alignment, and wanting us to fix them, and arbitrary standards of behavior (standards of behavior set by people or groups outside of ourselves). Berger shares a wonderful map on assertive rights by Manuel J. Smith (from “When I Say No, I Feel Guilty).

I am not going to state what her experience was, because that would be a spoiler, but Berger shares what her Inner Compass told her at a significant time in her life, and how it changed her life.

This is a fantastic book! If you are willing to work with it, your life will flow freely, and you will experience anything that you have the ability to envision! Definitely a resource book for personal growth!

 © July 2017 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

Review – Starwarrior: A Spiritual Thriller

Starwarrior –
A Spiritual Thriller

 

Author: Tim Ray
Edited By: Barbara Berger
Findhorn Press
2002, 2004
ISBN #1-978-18440-9036-5

“Starwarrior” is the second book in the “Starbrow” series from Danish-American author Tim Ray. It is exactly what it says that it is … a spiritual thriller. In this series, Ray is seeking to connect the reader with his personal understanding of ancient spiritual wisdom and principles.  I would like to note here that the foundation of this series is on spirituality in general, and that it does not reflect a specific religion or belief.

I appreciate Dan Brown’s work, and find that Ray’s work shows the same care and research. The overall story is about an ancient prophecy concerning the movement of earth, and earth’s inhabitants, into the fifth dimension. We left off in book one (Starbrow), with the feeling that the three compatriots were going to have some down time. Not going to happen!

There is a CIA agent on a global manhunt, with the mission of stopping whatever is supposed to happen with the earth’s power spots. How did he know about this? A message was sent from the higher dimension through … a television channel! There are golden pyramids floating above all of the major cities of the world … until the power grid that has been activated is literally blown up!

The world is in chaos, the golden pyramids can no longer be seen, and there is a very short time in which Starbrow and his compatriots must raise the consciousness of the world. The three compatriots are coming into their own power, and their own understanding of the ancient prophecy.

Two of them appear to have been killed in the demolition of Glastonbury Tor, and Starbrow is taken into custody by the CIA agent and his men. Each of these individuals is struggling to become a Spiritual Warrior, and to apply the spiritual teachings of the Masters under their current circumstances.

This is an exciting, intense book on many levels. It is a delightful mystery, with in-depth characters and story-line. It presents spiritual concepts in a manner in which the reader can understand them, and apply them to their own life. It makes use of existing theories/concepts/physical places to create a plausible scenario for the reader. It is fast paced, and both serious and funny (or perhaps seriously funny!).

My wish is that the series will continue. I had a tremendously good time reading this book, and would like to see more of the same!

© 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

 

 

 

Review – The Spiritual Pathway

The Spiritual Pathway –
A guide to the joys of awakening
and soul evolution

 

Author: Barbara Berger
Findhorn Press
2003
ISBN #1-84409-022-1

Barbara Berger (Fast Food For the Soul, The Road To Power 2, Mental Technology, Gateway To Grace, Are You Happy Now?, The Adventures of Pebble Beach)has hit a home run with “The Spiritual Pathway: A guide to the joys of awakening and soul evolution”. It is a book to be read and enjoyed, filled with information to be used, and techniques the reader can use to place the wisdom in their life. It opens a door to the pathway between unconscious “personality based” existence to a fully conscious “soul-based” life.

Words are not enough … Berger has annotated the text throughout with her own drawing that give a visual picture of the energies she is discussing. The material in this book is channeled material … it came to Berger during the time period of 1997 – 2000. Most of the insights came to her after deep meditation, or an extended period of silence spent in nature.

The material in this book is divided into three sections: Part 1 – Soul Technology, Part 2 – Mind Management, and Part 3 – Peace Technology. She talk about things such as energetic signposts, the big and little mind, the Diamond Pathway, locking on target, and manifesting the Higher Self.

Several techniques are explained, including Locking On Target, the Next Best Version of You, the Rock Ceremony, Peace Is Your Nature, Love Is Kind. For group work, there is a section called Star Transmitter that is quite powerful. It is suggested that time be set aside three times a day – morning, noon, and night – to meditate, work with affirmations, or do some other form of personal growth.

I found this material easy to read, and easy to work with. When the reader does the work,they connect with spirit, and carry with them a living sense of peace/Peace.

I recommend this book for readers of all ages, and all backgrounds.

 

© 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

Review – The Adventures of Pebble Beach

The Adventures of Pebble Beach

Author: Barbara Berger
Roundfire Books
2014
ISBN #978-1-78099-779-7

I am definitely a fan of Barbara Berger’s work! In “The Adventures of Pebble Beach” (a book that she wrote in 1987), Berger moves into the genre of fiction … which happens to be a great way to get her point across! Her heroine is Pebble Beach, a newly divorced woman in her mid-40’s, trying to raise two teenage sons while struggling to forge a career for herself as a copywriter. She has a tendency to be attracted to the wrong man, is dealing with issues of insecurity and low self-confidence, is not at ease with the aging process, and is terrified that she will not be able to support herself and her two sons.

Both her professional and personal misadventures are issues that single women over forty can identify with. How Pebble handles these misadventures is presented in a realistic, yet humorous manner. Her rather distant father, her “from another generation” mother, and her quick on the uptake uncle form background while they help move the story forward.

Pebble grows personally and professionally in this book, with the help of her therapist. (A therapist who by the end of the book is making her own little life changes!). I love that Pebble has this running internal conversations … don‘t we all have them! I can see myself in her … and I have about twenty years on her!

This book hit me on all levels – mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. It made me laugh, it made me cry … and it brought back internal scenes that I have been able to move on from, but that I see as universal issues. It’s all good. Some of the things that we face in life are the same things that Pebble is facing – low self-esteem, relationships that do not work (but that we keep being drawn back to), poor communications (with self and others), and living up to the expectations of others. Life has a tendency to get complicated, after all!

The background of the book is Copenhagen, where Pebble lives. It was quite interesting to read the little tid bits about the city, and socializing within the city. Pebble’s professional life takes her into the sphere of some major players … where she goes from being ostracized to … well, you have to read the book to find that out!

A very good read on its own … and an excellent resource for figuring out how to deal with life!

© 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.

Review – 101 Relationship Myths

101 Relationship Myths –

How To Stop Them From Sabotaging Your Happiness

Author: Tim Ray
Findhorn Press
2010
ISBN #978-1-84409-584-1

Life is filled with myths … the area of relationship is one area where they abound!  In this book Tim Ray attempts to explode those myths, and offer tools that empower an individual to take responsibility for, and control of, their own life. One thing that we need to remember is that myths come from our collective unconscious … they apply to all of us.

In his prologue, Ray presents us with a tongue in cheek setting where relationships are the doing of the Devil himself. He has the Devil presenting the following lies about relationship: (1) The love I seek is outside of me. (2) The love I seek is dependent on another person. (3) I can only experience the love that I seek with one special person. (4) It’s only true love if the relationship lasts forever. This set the tone for the book … a tone that continued to be a bit over the edge. This was topped off at the end of the book where Ray does a take-off on “My Way”, by Frank Sinatra. The Devil is addressing Sinatra as “Frankie”, and referring to him as his most successful “ambassador” for telling lies about relationships. “Frankie” then gets the job of informing the Devil that God has sent the Archangel of Sanity to the earth. The content presented in this book is real and viable … the manner in which it is presented, not so much so.

In his introduction, Ray lists four observations: (1) There is a difference between reality and your thinking. (2) There is a cause and effect relationship between your thinking and your experience. Thought is cause, experience is effect. (3) When your thoughts are out of harmony with reality, you experience discomfort, stress, and unhappiness. (4) You can end your discomfort, stress, and unhappiness (and experience more happiness and peace) by bringing your thinking into harmony with your reality.

In Part One (101 Relationship Myths) we see a series of short (1 – 3 page) observations on myths, such as “Stay away from women in their 30’s”, “Are women to blame for all the porn?”.  “Your partner isn’t a mind reader.”, “You’re selfish if you don’t do what I want.”, “Does strong sexual attraction mean you are a good match?”, and “Club “Shouldsville”, the hottest club in town.”  At the end of each section is a short list of relationship myths pertaining to that section.

In Part Two (How To Stop Them From Sabotaging Your Happiness) Ray addresses myth busting, expectations versus reality, introduces the work of Byron Katie, talks about being in silence together, presents three ways to cultivate love in your life (and relationship), and lists ten observations about the nature of relationship.

In his epilogue (Before & After), Ray lists how an individual might have felt about themselves before and after reading this book. Essentially, the thoughts are the same, but in the before version they were difficult to accept, while in the after version the individual was accepting and happy. He also lists a compendium of the techniques that he has presented throughout the book, such as fogging and negative inquiry.

As irritated as I was with the presentation style, I appreciated the techniques that Ray offered, and the references to two of my favorite authors – Barbara Berger and Byron Katie.

The tagline for this book might be “Happiness is our responsibility, and comes from within us.” There is truth here, and this is what we need to take away from this material. Keep an open mind, and an open heart, while reading this book. It may get on your last nerve, as it did mine, but I was able to honor the content, while letting go of the presentation style. Truth comes from the perception of each individual.

© 2000 – 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in all venues without the written permission of the author

Review – The Awakening Human Being

The Awakening Human Being –

A Guide to the Power of Mind

Author: Barbara Berger, with Tim Ray
O Books
2011
ISBN #978-1-84894-835-0

“The Awakening Human Being” is a tap on the shoulder from universe to not only remain in the present, but to remain aware in the present. Her focus is on waking up the nature of mind, through the use of what she terms “Mental Laws”. I dearly love the “toolbox” of effective techniques that she offers her readers to help them live a happy, harmonious life. That in itself makes this book worth its weight in gold!

The book is divided into three parts: Part 1 – Principle (The Mental Laws/the Way the Mind Works), Part 2 – Practice (Using the Power of Mind Wisely, and Part 3 – In Your Life (Putting It All Into Practice). There is also a bonus section where Bollum talks to Barbara – a take-off on Smeagol/Gollum in “The Lord of the Rings”, where two parts of Barbara converse with each other – the part that is waking up to reality, and the part that is still confused. This is absolutely hysterical … and yes, I for one did see echoes of conversations that I have had/continue to have in my head!

In her introduction, Berger starts out by asking the question “What are you seeking?” No matter what response is given, when broken down to its essence, we are all seeking happiness. Rather, we are all seeking a way out of suffering, and a way into happiness. Where do we make our mistake? We are looking for happiness outside of ourselves, rather than through connecting with reality. That would be the reality that is, not the reality that we create with our thoughts. She goes on to talk about the nature of laws – both physical laws and mental laws. She presents a beautiful list of what laws are, which includes: “Laws are invisible principles”, “Laws are impersonal”, ”Laws are always operating”, and “Laws are scientific”. The last definition is key to this book – “Laws are scientific”. This book takes a scientific look at the mind, our conscious self, and how they relate to reality and the search for happiness.

Each mental law builds on the one before it, beginning with how thoughts arise and disappear. The tone of this book is user friendly – the facts are presented with a dose of humor, and ways, in which the reader can check them out for themselves, as they operate in their own life, are presented. A simple statement in this book can be quite profound … such as “There is a difference between you and your thoughts, “, which Berger calls the key to freedom.

Throughout the book are insets entitled reality checks that highlight important information in each chapter. We might read about “Reality checks: Content versus context”, or “Reality check: Quantum mechanics”, or “Reality check: The mind-emotion-body connection”.

“Be the love you want to experience.”

from the book

The material in this book echo’s like material elsewhere, but much expanded, and with a focus on Oneness … not just wholeness, but Oneness. We are here to be part of a functioning whole, not just to be the best individual that we can be,

Berger provides her readers with two different types of tools of empowerment: focus tools and investigative tools. Focus tools include gratitude lists, power questions, noticing the support around you, meditation, contemplating the nature of reality, and letting everything be. Investigative tools include no comparisons, doing the work, focusing on the real, and expectations versus reality.

Confused about how to put it all together? Berger presents sample daily programs, with elements that the reader can tailor to their own lifestyle and needs. It all comes together in one neat package! More than just a book to read, here the reader is given ways to effect changes into their life that will bring them the harmony and happiness that they desire.

© 2000 – 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited in any venue without the written permission of the author.

Review – Are You Happy Now?

Are You Happy Now?

10 Ways To Live A Happy Life

Author: Barbara Berger
O Books
2013
ISBN #978-1-78279-201-7

What a question! Are you happy now? We want to put a nice face on … smile … and say yes. But so many times that is a mask that we put on to cover the fact that we are not happy … that we are perhaps even unhappy. “Are You Happy Now?” is a book of wisdom to be worked with, to be placed in our lives, to be made part of ourselves. Each of the ten ways  is part of the path to a happy life.

The ten ways are:

1. Accept what is
2. Want what you have
3. Be honest with yourself
4. Investigate your stories
5. Mind your own business
6. Follow your passion and accept the consequences
7. Do the right thing and accept the consequences
8. Deal with what is in front of you and forget the rest
9.  Know what is what
10. Learn to see beyond impermanence

That is a lot to digest! The message? Be authentic, and take responsibility for yourself. Not a bad message at all! In her introduction Berger tells us how this book came about – as an offshoot of her personal writing about what she needed to know to live her life in a better way. She was doing this to clear her own mind – the end result with her sharing this is that her readers have a way to clear their minds and lead a happier life!

We all worry, we all have insecurities. The deal is to get past that and lead a full life … a happy life. Each chapter deals with one of the ten ways to live a happy life. I love the very personal manner in which this book is written. Berger speaks from her own life experiences, with more than a touch of humor. When we can look at what we see going on in our own lives through the lens of another person’s life, we gain perspective. That is what this book is all about – perspective. One of the phrases that I find to be so true, referencing how we deal with life: “We muck it up by fighting the way of it.” In other words, we do not allow life to flow.

From the book:

“… when we drop our interpretation of events, we find that happiness is our nature.”

 

Unhappiness is only a thought in out mind. What a concept … and a true one! Berger presents a great caveat here – “Live in the present, do not project into the future” . She is specifically referencing dealing with pain, but this could be referencing anything that we are dealing with.

Berger talks about the stories that we tell ourselves, and the expectation that we put upon ourselves. The “What if …” and “I’ll be a success when …” that we run through our minds. Happiness is an internal thing, not an external thing. We are the only people that can make us happy or unhappy.

I found  that each chapter in this book was very well written, and brought it’s point home in a manner that the reader could accept, and that allowed them to take a look at themselves in a non-judgmental manner. This book acts as a mirror to who we are at the soul level.

I love the epilogue – “Don’t believe what you think.” We suffer because we believe what we think … and what we think is our own perception of what is. Let go of that perception, and we see the “what is’ for what it really is.

At the end of the book is an exercise in writing down what you feel about each of the ten ways. This is a beginning … a beginning into moving your life into happiness. This book, and these exercises, are excellent tools of empowerment!

© 2000 – 2013 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction in any venue prohibited without the written permission of the author.