Forever A Bookworm…Book Review

TITLE = “Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah”

So, last month I talked about one of my favorite childhood books when I was a kid. This month, I want to share a little bit about one of my most favorite books I stumbled upon in my late teens, a book written by the same author who wrote Jonathon Livingston Seagull.

This book, Illusions, was an incredibly delightful story about reality and the illusions that we cling to in our interpretation of what reality is for each one of us. At the time, I didn’t quite have these words to describe the overall intention of the book, I just knew that I really enjoyed the story. In fact, enjoyed it so much and knew it was such an important story for me, that I re-read it immediately upon finishing it the first time.

What I didn’t know at the time, was that this book challenged all of my fundamental ways that I had been considering what reality was for me, as well as the overall construction of reality.

Growing up in a very small town in the country, there was not a lot of variety to life. Not a lot of “alternative ways” of being alive or conducting tasks, putting together a home or even creating a family. On top of this, my family adhered to a very strict religious upbringing, so there was a very heavy emphasis on good/bad, right/wrong, moral/immoral.

Being young and strongly influenced by all these dynamics, I was pretty married to what I thought was a “standard” way to be alive, a “right” and “wrong” way to do things. I suppose in some ways, it provided a measure of safety for me, a barometer from which to live my life. I didn’t know any differently.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I stumbled across this book that began to pull about the construction of reality in a light-hearted and simultaneously complex way…. Wowsa!!!

Mind blowing!!!

The book covered topics such as subconsciousness and how we all learn many beliefs about our lives, far beneath the radar of unconsciousness and how this can sometimes get in the way of us living authentically each day. I especially loved how Bach spoke about the idea that our subconscious beliefs, if left unchallenged, follow us throughout our whole entire lives, often constricting our spirits into a very tiny microscopic version of what we were intended to be in this lifetime.

The story also spoke to the idea that difficulties in life are actually the portals through which we deepen into more of who we are; they are growth opportunities through which we step into more of our essence, our spirit.

What an unusual and yet enlightening way to consider AFGO’s, right?

This delightful story also covered the notion that reality is not universal, that everyone’s experiences are reflective of their interpretation of events, and that perception determines reality.

And perhaps, one of the most delightful lessons of all in this book?

The idea that our teachers come from the most unexpected places sometimes and in order to receive them, we have to cultivate an open heart and willingness to get out of our comfort zone.

All this in 191 short pages. Densely packed, delightfully intuitive, Illusions is a heart-warming mind-bending parable that will challenge the limits of your reality as you know it.

Enjoy!