This book focuses on exploring consciousness, what it is, how it manifests in our lives, and whether it's the same as energy or something else entirely. The author does a good job of exploring different models of consciousness, as well as showing what the strengths and weaknesses of those models are. He presents fairly thorough and detailed discussions and arguments about consciousness and makes some very interesting points. The reading can be a bit challenging, especially if you don't have a background of philosophy, but the author does his best to make it approachable, while also referring readers onto source texts they can draw on to further their own explorations of what he's discussing. The question and answer segments of the book are also useful. He presents questions asked by some of his students and answers he's come up with, which provides a more personal touch to the book.
All that said, I do have a few issues with this book. The author spends a lot of time debunking other models of consciousness, but doesn't present his own model of consciousness. It would be good to get a sense of what he thinks, beyond what he thinks is wrong with other models. I'd guess, from his many referrals to his other book (Radical Knowing), that he presumes the reader is already familiar with his perspective on consciousness. He also doesn't explain what the seven steps to greater self-awareness are, nor does he provide anything in the way of techniques that the reader could use to increase his/her self-awareness.
This is an interesting book to read, which will challenge you. At the same time, take it with a grain of salt, as the above mentioned issues do, to my mind, effect the overall value of the book.
3 out 5
~review by Taylor Ellwood
Author: Christian De Quincy
Park Street Press, 2008
pp. 303, $18.95
