How You Can Achieve a Consciousness Shift: Inspirational Book Review

When The Secret became a viral marketing phenomenon several years ago the world seemed to be on the verge of a new dynamic. Even though the “secrets” in the book of that name have been openly talked about for hundreds if not thousands of years our emerging planetary society seemed ready to accept the idea of the Law of Attraction on a massive scale.

Not long after that, Oprah Winfrey went on the airwaves with a brand new broadcasting concept where she interview Eckhart Tolle about his new book “A New Earth” using the latest in interactive technology to connect live to people all over the world. She conducted what I consider the first global classroom where the world came together for ten lessons to work together through Tolle’s book, to ask question of the author Tolle live on TV, and to relate with each other around the frame work of the book. His work followed the theme of an arising planetary consciousness taking hold and changing the world in unimaginable ways. Eckhart and Oprah did just that before our eyes.

Since then we have seen the cell phone revolution engulfing one Arab state after another where one man taking his own life in a protest sparked people revolutions in several Arab countries. Out new mobile technology played and continues to play a leading role in the scenes that cross our sights every day. Facebook pages, endless video uploading to YouTube, and the instant access to a cell phone network that simply can’t be taken down by anyone government.

Our world is definitely changing before our eyes.

Paul Lenda’s book “The Creation of a Consciousness Shift” carries this theme forward and talks about the creation of a consciousness shift not just on a planetary scale but on the very personal scale of your own transformation to a higher state of awareness.

On many levels this book completely mystifies me but not in a negative way. Paul’s style is scholarly rather than the more chatty personal style adopted by many self-development writers currently in vogue. Yet in saying that, Paul manages to fascinate as he follows his theme from what a consciousness shift is to the higher realms of being within our grasp.

The language he uses is clinical, precise, and methodical, yet at the same time inspiring and moving, leading you all the while deep into his amazing world of expanded and expanding consciousness.

His chapters are so well delineated that he takes you effortlessly into some very difficult concepts. His chapter on “Everything is Connected” is broken down into easy steps: Interconnectedness in History, Interconnectedness Today, Independent Co-Creation, Full Consciousness, All is One, The Reality of Non-duality.

His chapter on meditation is a great primer for anyone interested in beginning a practice and is worth the price of the book alone.

Yet it is not until Paul gets to the talking about   transcending the lower states to outlining the higher state of consciousness does the book begin to take flight. The chapter entitled The Splendor of Self-Realization is a beautiful piece of writing that will hold you spellbound in splendor as you read.

You need to bring all your mental faculties to this book. This is not some sugar coated brush off of important and critical concepts; it is a very thoughtful book exploring the depths of difficult concepts.

Yet the book is strangely easy to read.

I would love to have had Paul sitting across from me while I read his book…there are so  many taking off points crying out for more discussion. As an example Paul seems to give some overall progression to the higher states with out really explaining how that order was arrived at. Maybe I am misreading and he didn’t intend to do that. [Oh for a Manhattan Bar or Coffee Shop (Paul lives in New York City) and an endless supply of napkins to scribble on, and loud conversation about the higher state of consciousness.]

I stay up late turning pages (Paul sent me an advance copy of his book) like I was reading a really good mystery…and in a way that is just what this book is.

Now be prepared for some new words and concepts: they were at least to me. One is Transpersonal. I had to write Paul to ask him to give me a little more detail. He obliged by sending me this link which I am passing on to you. Paul’s intention which he expressed to me in an email was to get the reader interested enough that they would go out and seek more information. Here is the article courtesy of Paul Lenda:

Transpersonal Psychology 

Paul also mentions empathogens which is not in most dictionaries but came up when I Google it. I’m quoting now “The terms empathogen and entactogen are used to describe a class of psychoactive drugs that produce distinctive emotional and social effects similar to those of MDMA (“Ecstasy”). These drugs can induce states similar to the higher states reached in a consciousness shift. Paul is quick to point out he is not advocating using drugs to reach those state. I quote Paul here:

“[my] reason for my mentioning them is not in advocating their use in order to achieve those higher states but like you said, to show that they have the ability to help induce those higher mind-states like serenity, bliss, and joy…all states that are possible to achieve naturally.”

If you want to read something with real substance that will make you think, make you question, make you wonder, make you seek…then this is a book for you. Like me, you will learn, love, argue and disagree, yet in the end you will have been transformed, enriched, and inspired to reach for that which is inside of you, that which is already there , a shift in your consciousness to a higher state of being.

I leave you with these words from the book:

“Let nobody dictate what you ought and ought not to do, based on whatever social norms or constructs there may be. Allow yourself to experience the acts of giving and receiving love, no matter what anyone may think. Express this consciousness of love in whatever way you feel promotes the positive social transformation of humanity as a whole. Whatever your medium through which you transmit love, as long as you are pouring out this high energy from within, you are not only helping yourself, but the whole of humanity and the world as it exists.”

You can per-order  by clicking on this link.  The Creation of a Consciousness Shift

"It is a helpful compilation of wisdom from across the ages, and a compact, to-the-point set of guidelines that will serve people looking for a path to fuller humanity." ~ Dr. Roger Nelson, director of the Global Consciousness Project

"If you want to read something with real substance that will make you think, make you question, make you wonder, make you seek...then this is a book for you." ~ Nick Grimshawe, Beautiful Summer Morning

"A practical, in-depth guide to realizing higher states of consciousness and experiencing a deeper sense of personal well-being." ~ Jim Dreaver, author of End Your Story. Begin Your Life...

"Very erudite and scholarly...I like the aphorism section best. You have wonderful insights and possess a keen intellect". ~ Chuck Hillig, spiritual teacher, psychotherapist, & author of Enlighenment for Beginners