Reaching True Peace: Universal Realms of Spiritual Development

Written by an expert in East-West psychology, Reaching True Peace: 7 Universal Realms Of Spiritual Development is a remarkable work that integrates spirituality and psychology into an instructional whole. Chapters teach the reader about Kundalini Yoga and the 7 "chakras" along the spinal column; Interior Castle and the 7 "dwelling places" of the aspiring soul, as told in the famous work by Christian mystic Teresa of Avila; depth psychology that integrates the conscious and unconscious, as discussed by Carl Jung; and much more. Written to be accessible to the lay reader, Reaching True Peace offers resonant guidelines to one's inner journey of individual evolution of consciousness, drawing upon ancient wisdom and teachings as well as modern schools of thought.

I appreciated this book because it points to the truth of the realized state of being -- something very difficult to do, since it is really beyond words -- from 3 very different perspectives. Yet clearly they are each saying the same thing and pointing us toward the same goal. Whenever something shows up all over the world and continues to be sought after through the ages, thus transcending time and space, we know it's something important. These truths are the ones I personally listen to. However, being human, we can only see these great truths through the filters of our cultures and historical perspectives. Rod has taken 3 different traditions and pointed toward that truth in a tone that makes it personal and perenniel at the same time. He points us toward recognizing the terrain we're in as we journey toward a realized state of being, and because he's able to do this so fluidly from 3 very different perspectives, it gave me calm and delight to recognize myself on this journey that others have walked to arrive at the goal of the Peace that Passeth Understanding we yearn for so much. This book is a fine contribution to our shared humanity and shared divinity.

This is the first book I've found that is able to bridge the gap between East and West effectivley and illuminate the similarities in spiritual foundations. The structure and explanation makes it easy to understand complex and subtle topics of depth psychology.

"I really enjoyed this book. As I read through it, I found myself soaking it in and rereading parts over more than once. I think it is an incredible book. Its my favorite of the books I've been reading about meditation and spiritual development. I can't put my finger on exactly why it seems so powerful for me. Perhaps because it seems to have a personal quality, perhaps because of its synthesizing nature. Probably because its an inspired, carefully written book. It has far excceded my expectations - its exciting to find a book that touches home so directly. Its a reassuring map, that I think will be really helpful for people trying to get their bearings...."