Extreme Spirituality: Radical Approaches to Awakening

I am hardly the sort to be writing fan mail, and the truth is that I am a mature man who is more prone to scientific inquiry than to traversing a spiritual path. But the simple fact is, this book has shaken me to my roots. I have read many books that challenged my mind, but few (if any) have challenged the very foundation of who I believe that I am. The author of Extreme Spirituality (Tolly Burkan) did just that, and I am moved in a way that I did not believe possible. The title caught my attention in the book store and aroused my curiousity. EXTREME spirituality? How odd! As I started to read about the author's unique form of self exploration, a very strange thing started to happen to me. I started to question why MY world seemed small in comparison to the vibrant, alive world that Tolly described on every page. I couldn't simply READ this book ... I became INVOLVED in this book. Of course I have never walked on fire, or sky dived, or shaved my head. But I could relate to Burkan's words as he described a way of looking at the world that makes things feel new again. I started to explore some of the exercizes in the book, and became deeply moved. I can hardly explain what happened, but I began to feel excited about Life again, and knew that my actions make a difference. I began to question why I always reacted to situations in the same knee-jerk fashion. As I re-evaluated my thoughts and behaviours I felt a sense of freedom and excitement that I had not experienced in years. I finished reading Burkan's book for the first time, and am now about to go through it a second time ... slowly trying each exercize, trying to gain the maximum benifit. That part is up to me; but for your efforts Tolly Burkan, I applaud you. This was a truly amazing book.

How can individuals experience a more spiritually-oriented life? By accepting the author's challenge to an extreme spirituality which celebrates possibilities and worth. From overcoming false fears to living in the moment, this isn't about any one religion or movement so much as a changed way of perceiving the world, self, and belief. Extreme Spirituality presents intriguing and thought-provoking exercises.

"Extreme Spirituality: Radical Journeys for the Inward Bound" is an open, honest book that took me completely by surprise. I picked it up because it looked `interesting'. I assumed from the title that the book would focus on oddities of the spiritual world. It brought to mind images of fakirs laying on spikes, or yogis going into a mystic trance. I thought it would be the metaphysical equivalent of looking at the bizarre in a circus side show. Instead of simply gawking, however, I found Extreme Spirituality to be an interactive experience that challenged my long held beliefs. It is difficult (if not ridiculous) to read this book passively. Although many of the `extreme' techniques described in the book are out of the question for most of us to implement, the activities described are merely analogies for attitudes that are helpful to cultivate. The author ( Tolly Burkan) points out that walking on a hot bed of coals has little practical value - but the principles that allow someone to fire walk can be applied in gentle ways each day of our lives with powerful effects.In my own case, I realized that over the years I have developed a series of routines that are both comforting and mindless. I put my right shoe on before the left shoe. I take the same route to work each day. I assume that people will treat me today exactly as they did yesterday. Tolly's book showed me that my routines simply tricked me into believing that life is predictable and unchanging.As I read the pages of Extreme Spirituality I was struck with the sheer courage that Burkan showed as he faced his routines - and his fears. The ways that he dealt with them were creative and most definitely extreme. For example, if I had a fear of heights (as Burkan did), I would have dealt with it by getting a ground floor apartment and perhaps a bit of psychotherapy. Burkan stared his fear in the eye and went skydiving. Radical, but amazing. And it worked for him! He teaches that it is better to deal with your fears in the moment, instead of taking a lifetime trying to understand the nature of those fears.Reading Tolly Burkan's book left me both happy and hopeful. I am currently reading it for the second time. The first time was for the sheer enjoyment and amazement that I felt, marveling at the possibilities that it offers. The second time I rolled up my shirtsleeves and started the task of applying each concept into my own life. Extreme Spirituality is a must read book for anyone who wants to make a major enhancement in their own life. If Tolly Burkan was a character in a Dickens classic, he would definitely be the Ghost of Christmas Future. Scary, full of Possibility and Hope, offering the promise of change and growth. If you want a fun read that will both excite you and fire your spirit, Extreme Spirituality must find its way onto your bookshelf. If you are like me, you will compose a mental list of all the people you know who would benefit from reading it. Don't tell them about it - buy it

What a wonderful, fresh, powerful and right-on collection of stories, insights and exercises. Extreme spirituality is not so extreme as it is grounding, practical hands-on spiritual practice from a guy who has at least 30 years of experience in teaching and living his talk. I imagine that this book is going to generate a lot of buzz and lively discussion about what it means (in the way of positive consequences) to make spiritual life a 24/7 endeavor, quite apart from the inside scoop about firewalking, sky diving, and snapping arrows from the throat as a means to learning the difference between ego reality and soul reality, and between fear and love.I am happy this book has been printed -- that Tolly Burkan has added his voice and depth of experience to the increasingly global conversation about urgent spiritual lessons, while reminding us with precious, grounding and exotic examples and stories, that love is the greatest personal power of all. (Tolly Burkan is known as the father of the global firewalking movement, and one of Tony Robbins' early teachers) Oprah's likely to love Extreme Spirituality. I sure did. I ordered 5 copies to give to friends.

I first encountered Tolly when I watched a videotape of his work at a friend's house. I then saw him on TV and I must say he really opened my eyes on both occasions. Then I went to one of his presentations and bought his book on the spot. I stayed up all night and just could not put the book down for a minute. I have read a lot of self-improvement books, but never encountered ideas like this. Tolly's methods are radical and very different from anything else out there. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to develop their full potential. It is totally unbelievable. You will probably never read another book even remotely like this one.