The universe sent me another sign. Via Craig Fear again. And again, in the form of a book.
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield was a Christmas gift from Craig. I packed it for a three-week Florida vacation, from which I just returned. I was hoping for the Red Bull-kind of inspiration I got out of reading his birthday gift to me, Big Magic. But the experience was more like herbal tea instead—relaxing, hits the spot, but doesn’t energize.
After Craig read my last blog on my new business, he emailed me, reaching me in the second week of my vacation.
“Great blog,” he said, congratulating me on the creation of Janice Beetle Books and indicating he liked the intuitive and coincidental messages I’d acted on to get it off the ground.
“Read The Celestine Prophecy yet?” he asked, adding, “It’s got a similar message.”
“Next on my list,” I told him. I picked it up a few days later.
Redfield writes about a fictional, Peruvian manuscript that holds nine insights that can guide people into wide-spread, spiritual and cultural contentment.
The conflict in the book is that there is division in Peru over the finding of the ancient document. Some factions are working to destroy it; others, to rescue and disseminate it widely.
The book’s protagonist falls accidentally into the latter group. He learns the insights one by one from random manuscript supporters he meets along the way on a trip to Peru to investigate the rumor of the manuscript. Scientists and spiritual guides fall into his path as they try to rescue the copies that exist of the controversial document and enlighten him on their work.
The first few insights teach that:
- There are signs and coincidences all around us, and we should act on them.
- Every living thing throws energy into the universe.
- We must learn to identify and tap into the energy source that allows us to feel deep passion and love.
Together, all nine insights outline the way to have individual and collective spiritual peace and offer a way for that to be the cultural norm.
Of course these messages resonated with me. I live the concepts and found them deeply familiar. I felt the book and its message offered further validation that I’m on the right path with my new passion-based business.
But I didn’t care for Redfield’s choice to deliver the material in a fictional context. I would have preferred a nonfiction book that spelled them all out simply and clearly. A self-help book would have made me feel less manipulated.
Instead, we watch our protagonist wander around Peru, haphazardly meeting multiple “teachers,” who we must track in our minds. He is slow to learn about insight, intuition, and energy, and this is a device of the novel. He must be dense so that his spiritual guides can fully present the insights in depth, in dialogue.
I was always ahead of our fearless protagonist in grasping the insights, so I got bored and found myself mocking him as he asked questions I thought were obvious.
- After meeting a woman he was attracted to: “What should I do?” (Duh. Go introduce yourself. Act on your intuition.)
- After realizing a traveling companion was in a certain city in Peru and had important information? “What should I do?” (Duh. Go there!)
I don’t mean to downplay the meaning of the book in its entirety. It’s important. Learning to know and follow your heart is powerful. And Redfield certainly well-defined his insights, and they are meaningful. I do firmly believe they offer solid guidance for a balanced, loving, passion-filled existence for individuals and society as a whole.
So, check out his book if you haven’t read it and you’re looking inspiration or validation. I’d give you my copy, but Craig is reading it!
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