3 out of 4 stars
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The Unbound Soul: A Spiritual Memoir for Personal Transformation and Enlightenment by Richard L. Haight, is more than just a personal summary of the author's own spiritual oddessy. It describes the author's experiences and his thoughts about them, but he also dedicates much of the book to assisting the reader in applying and making sense of the same knowledge for his or her own life.
Given the title of the book, it is beneficial for the reader to begin with an open mind. Even if the reader has a solid sense of their own religion, faith or spirituality, it is a much more interesting read if he or she is open to what the author is conveying. There are parts of the book when not only passages from the Christian Bible are quoted, but teachings from Buddhism are also referenced. Although the author visited many locations over the years of this journey, there is quite a strong Asian and martial arts influence to his practice and teachings as well.
The book is divided into four parts. The first part consists of the author's story and how he came to know and understand the current life he lives and teaches. He discusses his early experiences and understanding of religion from when he was a young boy. He refers to specific experiences in the subsequent parts, but the majority of how he came to his own enlightenment is in part one. Mr. Haight describes the details of traversing the globe in order to follow his path and that his new knowledge is not only life-changing for him, but for others he may teach.
The remaining three parts in the book are all dedicated to the reader understanding this new information (enlightenment) and how to take the steps to begin transforming and incorporating it into his or her life. Although the author breaks the enormity of the subject matter into three parts: "The Path", "Daily Unfoldment" and "Soul and Spirit", the ideas and changes he describes for his "students" to make are drastic and complex.
I rate The Unbound Soul: A Spiritual Memoir for Personal Transformation and Enlightenment 3 out of 4 stars . The story the author shares of his personal journey to enlightenment and learning to answer his calling to teach others about this same path and knowledge is interesting and unusual. I also give Mr. Haight credit for tackling such an immense and abstract lot of information that is so diverse from what most of us are familiar with in religious or spiritual teachings.. In fact, to do so, he uses his own terms to describe things, such as: "Isness", "Unfoldment", and "inspirience". I found all of it to be too much and too confusing at times. I also thought that it was much too complex and involved to be able to put most of it into practice in daily living for someone wanting to do so. The book seems to be better utilized as a starting guide while the reader then pursues in-person coaching/teaching.
Although this book is self-published, one would never know it. There are very few errors and it is very well organized, with no pacing issues. Overall, it's an interesting read.
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The Unbound Soul
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