Official Review: Spirituality for REAL by WakunDaMa

[EvaDar]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Spirituality for REAL" by WakunDaMa.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Matters of spirit can be complex and tricky to express with written or spoken language. Many a writer have attempted to provide a map of spirituality, with varying success. Author WakunDaMa’s Spirituality for Real: Beyond the Incense and Meditation makes an impressive effort to demystify the nature of spirituality and bring it into practical focus.

At age 14, the author started working with visualization meditations to improve his memory. He discovered the same practice seemed to help him recover from the flu much faster. After supporting his wife through a long, undiagnosed illness, he explored energy healing more deeply. WakunDaMa has come to believe illness and mortality are invitations to expand our experience of spirituality.

The author describes energy, in the form of chi or life-force, as being mapped in the human body through the chakra system: seven energy centers that connect body and soul. Many practices can support this energy and release blockages that cause illness. If you’ve had acupuncture, you’ve experienced an energetic modality for clearing energy pathways. WakunDaMa trademarked a yoga form that includes meditations and movement practices designed to facilitate the flow and balance of life-force energy. The book includes links to videos that clearly demonstrate these practices.

WakunDaMa’s artful interpretation of the relationship between body, mind, spirit, energy, soul, and religion was satisfying. Spirituality is not just an aspect of human experience—it is our human experience. It permeates all—the sacred and the mundane. “If you want to understand spirituality in tangible action,” says WakunDaMa, “don’t look to a temple, church, mosque or synagogue. Instead, look to everyday courageous acts in human life.” This is not meant to discount religion. Spirit is seen as the basis and purpose for all existence, and religion is an important manifestation of spirituality.

I thoroughly enjoyed Spirituality for Real. The author’s humanity is evident in the first sentence and permeates the narrative. His tone is loving, wise, and humble. He addresses the personal and the transcendent nature of human existence, acknowledging we are all on the path of life together. With a user-friendly tone, the author explains complex concepts using qualifiers such as “maybe” or “my intuition says,” rather than making declarations about concepts that are very abstract.

I practiced a bit of the meditation highlighted in the book. “Crying Meditation” is a progression of sounding and breathing, intended to increase mental function and energetic alignment. The author presents it as being useful to beginners because the mind is occupied with sounding and not as likely to drift.

I’m certainly not an expert, but having taught meditation, I do wonder if beginners will be attracted to this form. Humans are generally resistant to both meditation and crying. Both are uncomfortable. While there is a significant benefit in working with discomfort, I think it may be too advanced for beginners. I wonder if one of the author’s other meditations might be better for non-meditators.

Technically, the book is very solid. The well-organized chapters and sub-sections help make sense of the complex subject matter. The writing is very good, and the book appears to be professionally edited. I found only a couple of very minor errors.

Spirituality for Real: Beyond the Incense and Meditation is the first in a two-book series that speaks compassionately to believers and skeptics. I am happy to award the book 4 out of 4 stars for its accessibility, humility, and technical strength. I recommend the book to anyone who would enjoy a balanced, practical discussion of how body, mind, spirit, and energy are interconnected. Whether or not you practice a religion or spiritual path, you will likely find this author’s empathy and humanistic approach refreshing.

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Spirituality for REAL
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[La Cabra]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've been seeing a growing demand in books that talk about spirituality without religion at their center. Not my thing, personally, but this definitely is a topic that's been growing in popularity as of late. Thanks for your insightful review!

[Infinite I]

I do meditation sometimes. So i would like to read this book if it can help me progress further. Thanks for the review

[Alice Heritage]

That reminder to seek spirituality in everyday courageous actions is timely. I also wouldn't be sure about a meditation that involves making sounds, much as I would like to improve my mental function. I enjoyed your thorough and well-written review.

[Maríe Wamakima]

I have never gotten the gist of meditation. Either I am agitated or I get distracted easily. When I am able to calmly meditate, I might take a look at the novel. Great Review!

[CommMayo]

I like the concept of being spiritual without needing to be religious. I'm also one of those people who gets too distracted to succeed at meditation easily.

[gali]

A self-help book that teaches spirituality via meditation sounds original. Using meditations to improve memory is interesting. Connecting body, mind, and spirit isn't am original concept, but the method used sounds refreshing. That it was well-organized and well-edited is a plus. Not for me, but I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

I know I would benefit from meditation, but I have always been unable to do it correctly. I think this would be a great book for me because the author writes in a way that is easy to understand and he has years of experience. Thanks for the thorough review!

[tarafarah7]

Your review of today's BOTD was so well written. Bravo! I love the kind and humble tone the author has in this first-part series; the open, non- judgemental attitude pulls readers in making them feel comfortable right from the start. While this sounds inspirational and beneficial to all who pick it up, it is not one that interests me right now, but I've downloaded my copy for the future. Thank you so much!

[supraja_prasad]

I have tried quite a few different types and forms of meditation and so far, nothing has clicked. I just downloaded the book with the hope that maybe this will. Thanks for the review!

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

This is a non-fiction educative book on exploring spirituality through mind, body, and spirit qnd implimenting the Seven Chakras system. The book is temporarily free on Amazon Kindle and has a perfectly written OnlineBookClub review. Congrats @wakundama on the BOTD selection.

[Amy+++]

I'm not very spiritual, but I do enjoy yoga and it's health benefits everyday. I might this to my workout. Great review.

[Elizabeth Pass]

This is a book about spirituality. In it, the author shares his opinions and experiences. It also talks about meditation.

[Nikolas Farmakis]

Your review is well justified and explained. Your judgement is fair, while you have also included the basic summary of the book. Great job!

[Erin Dydek]

A short book about the mind, body, and spirit connection. A practical guide for believers and skeptics alike, this book sounds like it shares the author’s perspective in a simple and open-minded way. Thanks for the helpful review!