Review by hanmajo -- The Unbound Soul by Richard L. Haight

[hanmajo]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Unbound Soul" by Richard L. Haight.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Richard L. Haight met Jesus Christ in a childhood dream. He was splayed onto Haight’s bedroom floor and without any bones probably resembled a puddle more than a person. He asked Haight to find the essence of his teachings—to return his bones. This request inspired Haight’s spiritual journey and, consequently, became like the backbone to his self-help book: The Unbound Soul: A Visionary Guide to Spiritual Transformation and Enlightenment.

With nearly three-hundred pages and more content than just spiritual dogma, it’s a bit difficult to summarize The Unbound Soul. A good place to start is with the way Haight organizes his material. This publication is essentially broken into two parts: Haight’s past followed by his teachings. The first part of The Unbound Soul reads more like a memoir than a self-help book. Haight takes his audience on a guided tour of his spiritual journey, stopping to explain all the must-see spots along the way. He was seeking the ultimate truth—a hefty subject for anyone—so having direct access to the origin of Haight’s spiritual awakening comes in handy.

The second half of The Unbound Soul is filled with tips, tricks, hints, and instructions about how to start leaving behind the mind in favor of consciousness. This is the true meat of Haight’s work because he addresses the toxicity embedded in human nature and the ways to overcome it. He delves into the importance of meditation, dietary changes, martial arts, and Isness just to name a few things. All of these solutions are not meant to be treated like pain pills. Instead, they are intended to be lifestyle changes that, when made and kept, can help to enlighten the individual. It’s worth noting how often Haight stresses the difficulty of making these changes. It’s also important to note how Haight never expects readers to successfully make the switch on the first (or even the fiftieth) try.

If I could separate the content from the written word this work would be receiving a 4 out of 4 stars. Haight has not only experienced a lot but he has put his heart and soul into his teachings. Personal passion aside, the narrative voice of The Unbound Soul makes it incredibly easy to get lost in for all of the wrong reasons. To be frank, Haight’s narrative style is rather lackluster. Writing in this way can unconsciously encourage readers to tune in and out while reading. For this reason, I am giving The Unbound Soul a 3 out of 4 stars.

Overall, Haight’s heart is in the right place. He genuinely hopes that his audience is able to take his findings and implement them into their own lives. Moreover, if Haight truly managed to find the essence of Jesus’ teachings... they’re fascinating. This book brings a new perspective to the table that promotes a positive, healthy lifestyle. Still, The Unbound Soul: A Visionary Guide to Spiritual Transformation and Enlightenment is a simply written work. Instead of getting lost in captivating rhetoric, readers may feel lost in Haight’s discussion about the ultimate truth. I would recommend this book to those who are fascinated by spirituality and don’t need sentences to sparkle.

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The Unbound Soul
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