The Heart of the Soul

December 10, 2001
Asserting that "our species is undergoing an unprecedented transformation," Zukav (The Seat of the Soul; Soul Stories) urges people to focus not on "external power" but on "authentic power," and to seek to align their personalities with their souls. People should learn to read emotional pain (manifested in physical symptoms) as energy being released in "fear and doubt" rather than "love and trust," Zukav says. He includes a diagram of "your energy system," which he doesn't acknowledge as the seven chakras common in ancient Eastern religions. In fact, while drawing on Hindu and Buddhist thought, Taoism, Christianity, psychology and many other sources, Zukav credits no previous study or tradition. Reincarnation, detachment, present-moment living and bringing unconscious emotions to the surface are not original concepts, but the author's lack of references implies that they are. Questionable claims—"a new human species is being born," for example, or "energy continually flows into the top of your head"—are also offered as indisputable facts. Zukav's abundance of vague metaphors and lack of specific personal stories leaves the reader wondering how (or if) the concepts he presents might be applied to everyday issues and events. This book could be another adequate tool in the pursuit of New Age spirituality, but it is hardly the complete and final word the author suggests. Still, with Zukav's track record and Oprah-readiness, expect hefty sales.