A "Powerful" Map of Human Consciousness

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David Hawkins uses applied kinesiology as a research tool for developping a scale that goes from 0 to 1000 for calibrating levels of consciousness. Such an expanded use of kinesiology will probably be the most controversial part of his claims. The few expert practioners of kinesiology I have interviewed suggested this is an overextended use of the tool. One suggested that it is easy to get any answer one is inclined towards. It is also not clear what one is precisely measuring. I have yet to see a discussion on a detailed scientific protocol.

Having said this, I would still recommend the book for the following reasons. The book provides a framework for a comprehensive theory of consciousness, from the highest states to the lowest ones, and including everything in between. While it pulls in some contemporary ideas from chaos theory, such as the notion of attractors, and from physics, that of non-locality, it's real value lies in ratifying or informing one's intuition the placement and context of various religious and spiritual traditions on the evolution of consciousness. He states one purpose for writing the book is that most people cannot tell the difference between true and false. As a book on spiritual discrimination, this seems to be one of the finest and much in line with the highest traditions.

Dr.Hawkins philosophical and experiential "home base" seems to be a kind "Advaitic Christianity" as evidenced by the Course In Miracles. (In fact, he mentions the Course on a number of occassions.) He is not an Advaitic who has disappeared into the
realm of the formless, disregarding the world as an illusion, and unable to relate to it. Neither do we see the fruitless mental debates involving the traditional dichotomies such as between "form" and "formless", "nirvana" vs. "samsara", or talk about "paradoxes" (which oftentimes just reveals one's ignorance). His model provides a map of a continuum of consciousness whereby a level of truth for each has its place. For the most part, even in dealing with difficult subject matters, he is a very clear writer. On the side of Christianity (in it's best sense), neither does he forget the teachings pertaining to one's neighbor. His scale for the levels of consciousness provides a framework for an interpretation for what has traditionally been called "good and evil", not so much in the moralistic sense, or black and white Manichaean sense, but in it's life enhancing or life destructive tendencies. His framework provides a unified model of which incorporates the strengths of both the teachings of Non-Duality and Christianity at their best.

Overall, I would recommend Dr. Hawkin's books, "Power vs. Force", and the "Eye of the I", as a "consideration", as a "hypothesis" one evenutally needs to test out. I have had many an "aha" moments as I watched the pieces from disparate disciplines and traditions fall into place while reading the book. It has been a real pleasure to read for both it's clarity and comprehensiveness.

One of the 10 most important books you will ever read

Did you ever have the feeling that most of our culture is pure BS. Well, there is now a way to prove it, and David Hawkins is showing us how.

It is interesting to read the negative reviews of this book and test for the level of the author. They only confirm exactly what David Hawkins communicates so well. Only 20% of the population can use kinesiology for testing, and if you are not at that level you just won't get it without serious desire and effort on your part.

This book is not for everyone. If you are at the level necessary to benefit from this knowledge, it will be tremendously validating and quite uplifting. If not, it will be quite devastating to the ego and it will fight tooth and nail to invalidate the message. As Hawkins says in his third book, the ego will filter from perception all things that do not fit its reality.

I taught my teenagers to use this technique. They took to it like ducks to water. It not only helps them with the BS of peer and cultural pressure, but cuts down on arguments by my saying well, lets just test it.

Highly Recommended

Dr. Hawkins has presented the ultimate rendition of spiritual truth in this book. And it's no wonder we've never seen the truth presented in such clear language - our intellects are not geared toward understanding such things due to our social conditioning and the inherent fallibility of our power of perception. But don't fear, quiet reflection on the ideas presented in the book will open new windows of understanding to the reader.
This new understanding has had a powerful effect on my own life in the past 3 months. I now know that all is indeed well, and has always been so. Dr. Hawkins has opened the door for me, and I'm on my way to a new life. I highly recommend this book.