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by Gregg Braden
Radio Bookstore Press
ISBN: 1889071056
 At
some point in our collective history, did the human race accept
certain limitations to our potential for growth and evolution
– limitations that we have now outgrown? Is it possible
that we are now in the process of breaking out of the shell
of that old collective self-image, experiencing both the pain
and the exhilaration of new birth? Could this be why the process
of change is accelerated today far beyond that of any other
point in recorded human history? And if this unprecedented
change does signal a new birth for our species and our world,
how do we live our lives in such a way as to facilitate this
great cosmic process?
These are among the vital
questions that are addressed in Gregg Braden’s remarkable
book Walking Between the Worlds. Much of his message
is based on the teachings of The Essene Gospel of Peace.
According to that ancient spiritual text, human compassion
is more than just an admirable attribute – it is a power
within us. Citing that work, as well as other ancient sources
and recent scientific discoveries, Braden writes that the
degree to which we can access and apply that power at this
time will determine the qualities of our lives and the well-being
of our planet.
He contends that today there
is a general awakening to the power of compassion -- and that
this awakening is an event that is genetically programmed
in our species, in order to bring about important and pervasive
changes to our lives and our world. This is an essential part
of the "Grand Cycle" of energy shifts which, he
says, is taking us to the next level of our evolution. These
shifts are not only involved with the patterns of nature,
but with our family, social and political systems – as
well as with our bodies, our immune systems and our very genetic
makeup. While we often experience them in ways that we characterize
as "negative," Braden assures us that these shifts
are merely a catalyst for new growth and a reviewed consciousness:
"The laws of creation
assure us that to the degree change is judged and discouraged,
to that degree is change experienced in life as challenge.
Though change is occurring within our families, societies,
planet and relationships, there is nothing wrong or broken
in these systems of energy. They are simply in change …
Almost universally, ancient calendars, written codices and
verbal prophecies point to now, these days, as being a time
of unprecedented change in human and earth history referenced
as The Shift of the Ages. Additionally, we are told that the
changes yield a world within our earthly reality that mirrors
a familiar place in our collective memory; a time before time
began."
The
Essene Gospel of Peace The Essene Gospel of Peace says,
"The earth, and all that dwells therein, is but a reflection
of the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father."
Less apocalyptic in tone
and more relaxed in its pace than his previous work –
the best-selling Awakening to Zero Point -- this book
moves in a smooth and even manner between spiritual wisdom
and scientific information, and shows us the connection between
them. For example, he informs us of recent data which demonstrates
that compassion is like an emotional switch with the ability
to "turn on" powerful codes of genetic options.
This is related to the Jesus Christ teachings on compassion
in the Bible, and to his message in The Essene Gospel of
Peace: "Three are the dwellings of the Son of Man,
and no one may come before the face of the (One) who knows
not the angel of peace in each of the three. These are body,
thoughts and feelings."
The book’s subtitle
may put off those readers who would apply a highly stringent
standard to works purporting to be "science." After
all, the Cartesian paradigm doesn’t make any provisions
for scientific inquiry into anything as subjective and "soft"
as compassion. Yet Braden’s employment of the
term is very much in the tradition of metaphysical literature,
and his careers as an earth scientist and aerospace engineer
give him more credence than many of the New Thought and Theosophical
writers who have used it in the past.
For all the talk of science,
Braden is highly skilled at anchoring his message for the
reader at the personal level, by recounting examples of how
the spiritual and scientific principles he writes about have
been applied in his own life and in the lives of individuals
that he has known and counseled. That is why, as compelling
and enlightening as much of the extensive background material
may be, the heart of this book is the section entitled "The
Journey of Initiation," a step-by-step guide to the Essene
mysteries -- the "ancient science of compassion."
In his words: "The
‘Mystery of the Seven Mirrors of Relationship’ will
be presented to each person, regardless of age, sex or culture,
throughout the relationships of their lifetime. In all probability,
you are living these mirrors." He reveals the nature
of these mirrors to us through a series of seven stages of
initiation—each insightful unveiling made all the more
relevant through the sharing of a personal story from the
author’s own journey, or that of one of his clients or
associates.
The mirrors are explained
as that which we can see of ourselves through relationship
with others. On various levels, we are presented such mirrors
of our beliefs, our greatest fears, what we expect to be true
in our lives, and those events, behaviors and things that
hold an emotional charge for us. Through these mirrors, certain
patterns of consciousness may be discerned. When the more
subtle expressions of these patterns are not recognized, they
are repeated in increasingly less subtle ways, until they
finally manifest in intense conflict or some other form which
it is impossible to ignore. The initiate comes to recognize
these patterns, learns the underlying message behind their
sequence, and seeks to understand why similar patterns are
repeated with different people. This process, according to
Braden, is the key to mastery.
Walking
Between the Worlds Walking Between the Worlds is a work
of great insight and wisdom, written by a teacher who is truly
coming into his own. It presents a vital teaching with the
potential to transform countless lives. In showing us the
true power of compassion, and imparting the sure understanding
that we must first learn to have compassion for ourselves,
Gregg Braden performs a great and lasting service. The essence
of this wonderful work is summed up, simply and profoundly,
by this quote which he offers from the Dead Sea Scriptures:
"That which you have
will save you, if you bring it forth from yourselves."
Review
by BOZ MARTYN
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