An inspiring, timely read!

One Mind: How Our Individual Mind Is Part Of A Greater Consciousness And Why It Matters

by Larry Dossey, M.D.

One Mind by Larry Dossey, M.D. is a timely book that offers hope for humanity and illuminates a path for inspired living while attesting the gathering groundswell and paradigm shift toward the concept of a universal consciousness, or "One Mind" as Dossey phrases it.

Employing such controversial, and arguably fascinating, topics as Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), Extrasensory Perception (ESP), Reincarnation, Telepathy, Twin Connections, Remote Viewing and Clairvoyance (to note just a few) to explain that we are all part of a greater consciousness that connects us across time and space, Dossey provides anecdotal and scientific evidence to buttress his stunning claims.

Dossey bravely purports to be presenting his ideas to "general readers", whilst attempting, or so it would seem, to supply sufficient scientific evidence to lay a foundation of truth and proof for the scientific community and convince those with even minor doubts of the veracity of his work. Indeed, Dossey spends a relatively significant portion of the book in a defensive stance, battling against a critical onslaught it appears he expects to come from fellow physicians, scientists, skeptics and naysayers alike. Dossey's protective instinct may not be unwarranted considering that the main thread of the book tests the status quo of modern science, however this proactive shield is an unfortunate distraction that runs counter to the central theme of the book and somehow dilutes the very essence of Dossey's message.

This attempt to cover all bases is also reflected in Dossey's writing style, which is at times fantastically fluid making for an easy read, but at others somewhat dense to accommodate his theoretic and philosophical explorations, rendering it an uphill march, even for a readers well-versed in the subject. To be fair, however, Dossey does make a disclaimer in his introductory chapter, advising readers that some sections they encounter will be more complex than others. His prescribed remedy: "if some sections are not your cup of tea, skip them." You would be wise to heed the author's advice in this regard.

The above criticisms notwithstanding, I found One Mind to be a thoroughly engaging and inspiring read. I found myself moved to tears (of joy) by some of the personal stories that were shared, had several synchronous "aha!" moments and experienced numerous serendipitous events while reading the book (e.g. intentionally thinking of my Dad who lives on another continent, in another hemisphere, and having him call me at that exact moment, when we usually communicate by email rather than by telephone). Although the general concepts in the book were not new to me, I still turned to Google regularly and on one occasion to YouTube, to satisfy my curiosity, which Dossey never failed to raise. I also found myself wondering about whom I could gift the book to, who could benefit from the message it contains and how it might be great material for a Book Club as most of the chapters can be read as standalone vignettes and could be chatted about individually.

There is one thing about this book of which I am certain and that is that it will have a profound effect on you and arouse a response from you, one way or another. As to whether you will wholeheartedly concur with the concepts presented in it and delight in the opportunity to learn from them; find validation and solace in the idea that we are all connected and you are not alone in your weird and wonderful, happy and sad experiences (as well as everything in between); vehemently oppose, reject or refute Dossey's notions; or arrive at a point somewhere else entirely along this spectrum - well that remains entirely up to you!

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.