Active Consciousness
Full Reviews and Interviews
Vatsala Sperling, MS, PhD, PDHom, CCH
The following appeared as a review for the (North American Society of Homeopaths)
Having read Amy Lansky’s first book, Impossible Cure: The Promise of Homeopathy— a brilliant introduction to Homeopathy that includes a passionate account of the cure of her son’s autism by Homeopathy — I was naturally drawn to read her new book, Active Consciousness: Awakening the Power Within.
I see this book as the fruition of a personal quest Amy embarked upon while she was musing over the metaphysical aspects of Homeopathy that are beyond the ability of current science to prove or disprove. She describes this personal quest in Part I of Active Consciousness. Then, in Part II, Amy explores a rich and varied range of esoteric topics and suggests that we do not have to give up our rational mind, but only expand it so that we can come to grips with unexplained phenomena. These include psychic phenomena that have been tested scientifically, like remote viewing, telekinesis, and out-of-body experiences, the ideas of Ervin Laszlo about the Akashic field, and those of biologist Rupert Sheldrake about the morphic field. As Amy points out, the mechanism of many of these phenomena depend upon resonance or similarity in vibration. She also points out that principles of quantum physics are consistent with the principle of synchronicity — a phenomenon in which events within the similar fields of meaning occur simultaneously. Likewise, a fundamental principle of Homeopathy, the Law of Similars, operates on the basis of a synchronicity between the vibration of a medicinal substance and that of a patient. When these vibrations match, cure happens.
As the title indicates, an important topic of the book is the power of “active consciousness” — that is, the ability to use the power of human consciousness to create change in the outer world. In other words, consciousness is not only a passive phenomenon, but an active one. We are introduced to this notion on the first page of the book, which shows a sketch with a quote from Yogi Berra, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” On reading further, it becomes obvious that the book is intended to create a state of active consciousness so that a fork in the road can be taken with certitude and joy. Just as computers run on the basis of software, Amy — a former computer scientist and researcher of artificial intelligence — points out that our body, brain, emotions, and mind are run by the soul, the spirit, or the inner, higher Self. If we wish to stop marching like slaves to our ego or personality, we need to wake up from sleep, connect with our Self and become masters of our fate. Such mastery is not left to chance, but can be attained by mindful-meditation exercises that Amy has learned from her own teacher, Gary Sherman, and which she introduces to the reader with exercises scattered throughout the book. In Part III, Amy introduces a theory she has developed that our inner Selves are actually higher-dimensional entities that can affect our trajectory through three-dimensional space and time. In Part IV, she then relates this material to the esoteric wisdom of teachers like Rudolf Steiner, G.I. Gurdjieff, and the Kabbalah, with a particular focus on the higher energy bodies.
In her recommended meditation exercises, Amy encourages us to open up to a method for dissipating troublesome physical sensations and emotions, yielding the onset of clarity. In the state of “NOW+” — a state of being “in the Now” combined compassion and loving-kindness — Amy argues that we can most effectively use the subtle force that underlies the power of active consciousness. She describes a method for utilizing this power that enables us to tap into our inner consciousness, activate it, and realize for ourselves that we are multi-dimensional beings that can evolve. As we do so, the mystery that surrounds our incarnated being can become clear, the forces and fields that this consciousness traverses in its journeys through lifetimes and space can be demystified, and a heightened state of awareness can be achieved so that we can feel good, healthy and happy in spite of ourselves. Parts V and VI of Active Consciousness focus on developing this state of inner awareness and include additional exercises and experiments. We are called upon to make a commitment to feeling good by being proactive, calling up happy feelings, entering a situation with happiness, gratitude, appreciation and trusting, allowing a more expansive view of life, and opening our hearts to giving and receiving love.
When I finished reading Active Consciousness, it occurred to me that as practitioners of an energy medicine like Homeopathy, we encounter the complex issues our clients on a daily basis. More often than not, we come to a fork in the road as we contemplate how to help our clients or how to solve a case. We pause a moment, look left then look right, think and wonder. But we can’t stop. We must move on because life is but movement. And for some reason, sometimes known to us and sometimes not, we choose one arm of the fork over the other and take a step toward it. We take the fork, just as Yogi Berra said. After reading this book, it became obvious that in essence, we have found a way of tapping into active consciousness and that this power can help us make our decision about which arm of the fork to take. Moreover, we can do so in a wakeful, aware, joyful state — as if we know exactly what we are supposed to be doing. Uncertainty will be left by the wayside as you proceed in your chosen direction. You will walk on confidently by allowing yourself to be open to and accepting of the mysteries of life.
For this and many other reasons, I recommend this book to homeopaths and all seekers of deeper awareness and consciousness. In fact, much of the content of Chapters V and VI can be useful tools to suggest to our patients. Another strong aspect of this book is the list of references tracing back the source material in connection with every chapter, as well as a useful index.
Many others in alternative medicine must have wondered, like Amy Lansky has, about the mysterious nature and dimension of the healing work they engage in. For all those wondering, thinking individuals, this book is gift — well written, coherent, purposeful and clear. It encourages us to continue to think and wonder albeit joyfully, and as the author commands in the very end, to “CHOOSE JOY”.
Peter Chappell
The following appeared in the June 2012 issue of LINKS, Volume 25 2/2012:
Amy L. Lansky is an American author, computer scientist, and homeopath, noted for having written Impossible Cure: the Promise of Homeopathy. At the core of Impossible Cure is the amazing story of her son’s cure from autism with homeopathy. Although Amy no longer practises as a homeopath, her new book Active Consciousness fits well into homeopathic thinking.
This is Amy’s journey of life touching on many of the sources that are cutting edge today, as well as cutting edge for centuries. If you are new to the field of consciousness, then Amy’s living story will take you through it, covering many rich sources, by extracting gems and moving on. For example she mentions Gurdjieff and the source, Abraham, Stuart Wilde and Eckhart Tolle, Lynn McTaggart, Goswami and many more. The content includes our false identity, Star Trek, UFOs, the field effect, our energising force and Harry Potter.
The advantage of this book is that it’s not just one person’s in depth idea, but an eclectic combination of ideas and exercises used to create a set of modern consciousness tools. The book’s sets of exercises gives easy access to the inner meaning of her subject. The major idea is to examine consciousness in us and to become active in this realm. To develop awareness by observation, to build our awareness muscle, an essential means to awaken us from the sleep of humanity. It digs into our thoughts, feelings and sensations, as well as offering ways to find our inner qualities in the here and now, the zone of stillness and peace, and reliable, contented, lasting happiness.
Amy writes well. It’s friendly, comprehensible and eminently practical. It’s a unique journey, much like many homeopaths make in manifold ways. In this it’s inspiring and confirming as well as enlightening of the possibilities life holds in these exciting times, and in the ways homeopathy can take you inwards.
The following interview of Amy appeared on superconsciousness.com in 2012.
Using the Now as the Key to the New Future
Achieving stillness of the mind has been at the core of most mystical traditions. Different methods of meditation have been created to help in this process and some of these practices have gained a wide acceptance and numerous adepts within western culture over the past decades. More recently successful documentaries such as The Secret or What the Bleep!, have popularized the concept that our thoughts have an affect on our reality and, thus, that we have the power to determine our destiny. Yet the connection between these two fundamental concepts of ancient and modern spiritual teachings has not been made readily accessible. Is it possible to still our minds and focus on a dream at the same time?
Active Consciousness: Awakening the Power Within is Amy Lansky’s brilliant attempt to bridge the connection between stilling the mind and influencing reality with our thoughts. Her most recent book can be considered an evolution from books such as The Field or The Intention Experiment, written by Lynne McTaggart. Lansky’s book is rich with evidence found during experimental research on consciousness and the paranormal, supported with the wisdom of different esoteric teachings. From her studies and personal experience, Lansky presents a model of reality that comprises the existence of higher dimensions that we can actively access and which would explain such phenomena as clairvoyance, remote-viewing or telekinesis. The book also contains some practical exercises to help people engage in their own experience of what is being presented there.
Sharing the motivation to help the world wake up and collectively change the course of human civilization, SuperConsciousness spoke with Amy about her personal journey to write Active Consciousness: Awakening the Power Within, and some of the key concepts presented in it.
SuperConsciousness: Can you tell us about yourself and how your interest in consciousness and personal growth began?
Amy Lansky: I’ve always been interested in spirituality and esoteric subjects. I think even as a small child I had an intuitive inclination in that realm, but I diverged from it completely as I went off and became a mathematician and computer scientist. That began to change after I finished my doctorate. I remember when I was working at my first job at SRI International — formerly called the “Stanford Research Institute” — in the mid 1980s. They do a lot of military contract research work and it’s not a very spiritual place. People would talk about the work of researchers Russell Targ and Hal Puthoff on remote-viewing, and everybody was teasing and laughing about it. But I actually thought there was something to it.
During my lunchtimes at SRI, I used to go and take walks, and I would often visit a nearby esoteric bookstore as well as a meditation center a block away. I always thought, “Hmm, this is more where I belong.” My more recent entryway into spirituality was through alternative medicine. At first I was attracted to chi gong and I also did a therapy called, “network chiropractic”, an esoteric form of chiropractic that is more energy-based.
One day I was watching an episode of “Star Trek” and they were talking about these creatures in the fourth dimension. It got me thinking about the fourth dimension from a mathematical point of view and what it would mean as far as paranormal abilities. A couple of years later, I began studying homeopathy because my son was cured of autism with it. That experience really changed my life. Then, in 1996, all of my ideas in this realm sort of converged in a paper I wrote called, “Consciousness As an Active Force.” The idea behind it was that consciousness could affect our trajectory through three-dimensional space — that is, how our lives unfold — because it operates within the context of four-dimensional space. I guess that might sound very complicated, but I explain it very simply in my new book, Active Consciousness: Awakening the Power Within, which grew out of that initial paper.
SC: Your book is very broad and composed of many different elements. Why did you decide to make it so comprehensive? What value did you see in writing it this way?
The first reason is that I do have an inclination to write that way. I did the same with my first book, an introductory book on homeopathy, Impossible Cure: The Promise of Homeopathy; It is also very broad and comprehensive. Somehow, I have found that I’m able to explain really complicated information in a way that people can easily understand. The response to my homeopathy book has been incredible. It has become pretty much the best-selling book on homeopathy worldwide and has been translated into many languages.
Another reason for my writing a very broad and comprehensive book about consciousness is that, by weaving all of this information into one framework, I believe it creates a kind of coherence or credibility for the reader. If science and esoteric traditions and personal experience all point to the same concepts, I think it lends credibility to the argument that these things are truly real, that this is the way nature actually works.
What Active Consciousness is about, at a fundamental level, is that there is a much deeper and more complete way of viewing ourselves as human beings. There’s much more to us than just our physical bodies. The book talks about how to access and operate from this deeper or more complete conception of ourselves, so that we can evolve as human beings and make use of everything that we actually are.
I wove into all of this various forms of evidence, both from a scientific point of view and from an esoteric point of view, because there are so many wisdom traditions saying the same thing. By putting it all together in one context, I hoped that people would say to themselves, “Wow, this really is true. We really are more than just our physical bodies. We really do have these abilities.” Readers will see that it all makes sense and works in a single coherent way. I also give exercises and experiments that readers can try out to see if what I’m saying is really true for them.
SC: Like you just mentioned there are some scientists that have been doing research on the paranormal for years now, and there are certainly many ancient traditions that talk about our innate and extraordinary abilities, but when it comes to the use of some terms, there is still room for confusion and lack of clarity. Based on your experience and research, how do you define consciousness, mind, and what role does our brain play in all of this?
AL: I think that we can understand all of this by realizing that there are many layers to ourselves. We have a brain, we have a physical body, and the brain is part of our physical mechanism. From my viewpoint, the brain is just a machine that’s working for us, and it probably does a lot of operations that a computer could do. But there’s a lot more to us as well. There are many layers, energy levels or whatever you want to call them, many higher energy bodies that also comprise us. So, in fact, some aspects of our mind aren’t just in the brain. Some parts are operating outside the brain in these higher levels of our being.
What Active Consciousness is about, at a fundamental level, is that there is a much deeper and more complete way of viewing ourselves as human beings. There’s much more to us than just our physical bodies.
One piece of evidence for this is that the mind can have remote effects. For example, scientific studies show that the mind can affect physical objects like random event generators through telekinetic effects and can also successfully perform remote-viewing. So there must be some aspect of ourselves that is connected to our physical bodies and brains, but is also beyond our physical bodies and able to do these things.
What is consciousness? Is consciousness just what our brain is doing? I call that “shallow consciousness.” Are we awake, are our ears hearing, are our eyes seeing, are all our faculties registering information? From this standpoint, a robot is conscious, because robots have sensors and they can be “aware” of the information that’s going into them. And then there’s also the things we consciously do — a shallow but active form of consciousness — like the actions we consciously perform or things we consciously say.
But I believe that there’s also a deeper form of consciousness that is operating at the higher levels of our energy bodies. This deeper form of consciousness can also be passive or active. A deep form of passive consciousness enables us to receive information from these other realms. For example, we can perceive information about the future or at a distant location by using this deeper form of awareness. We might also receive various forms of information from our higher or deeper selves during meditation.
Finally, there is a deeper form of active consciousness or what I simply call, “active consciousness” in my book. Active consciousness is the ability to act using our higher or deeper selves, to affect the world from this deeper level of awareness.
SC: When you talk about active consciousness you make a distinction between manifesting and creating. Can you explain why are they different?
AL: At a fundamental level they may actually be the same thing, but they may differ from each other based on likelihood or probability. To me, they somehow seem intuitively different. What I call manifesting is when we use active consciousness to set into motion an ordinary sequence of things that could happen easily in our daily reality, but are unlikely to happen in that particular way. A typical example might be when you get a good parking spot or when you somehow choose a route to work where you have the best traffic flow. Nobody’s going to say a miracle occurred in order for those things to happen, even if they are unlikely for some reason. You just somehow perform, or perhaps the environment works with you, to create the perfect sequence of events.
So there must be some aspect of ourselves that is connected to our physical bodies and brains, but is also beyond our physical bodies and able to do these things.
What I call creation is when a much more unlikely thing happens. A typical example is when you have a spontaneous healing. In essence, your body chooses a future in which something is healed that normally wouldn’t be healed. So the difference between manifestation and creation is actually a matter of probability. In my view, when you create, you’re enabling a very low probability path to emerge that wouldn’t have emerged unless you had used active consciousness. For example, you create a possible reality in which your body heals instead of recreating itself as diseased.
SC: An important part of the book has to do with exercises that lead people into active consciousness. What are the four steps that you describe?
AL: From a pop culture point of view, these four steps of active consciousness are similar to ideas in the “The Secret,” or to the many other methods for manifesting or creating that have been proposed. But in my book I do try to explain, from a deeper level, why these four steps are essential. There is a reason why people are using these steps.
The first step is to be in the most optimal frame of mind so that you can be effective. Basically, this involves using meditation to be in the Now, because that’s the point from which the future emanates. The future branches from the Now. So if you are in the Now, you’re going to be able to affect that branching better, and you’re also going to be able to perceive information from your inner self better, too.
Actually, I call the first step “Now Plus” (Now+). I think it is even more effective than just being in the Now. Now+ is being in the Now, but also in a state of love and compassion, and I give exercises to help people do this. In fact, a lot of the exercises in my book are based on the teachings of my own teacher, Gary Sherman. Most people don’t know of him, but he’s a teacher here in Northern California. He’s not of any particular lineage, but has been studying and teaching for decades.
Step two is what I call, “Pure Goal”. Assuming that you’re trying to achieve something with active consciousness, Pure Goal is essentially being in the state of vibration of your goal — without any doubts. Because if you have doubts, you’re mixing up your state of vibration with more fearful or doubtful information. Of course, Pure Goal is easier to achieve when you’re in a state of meditation because you’re less affected by the chatter of the mind and all of the ego stories and fears you might have.
Actually, a big part of my book is explaining why similarity in vibration is important and how it has turned up in lots of different contexts that have been studied scientifically. For example, Sheldrake’s morphic field is based on it. Homeopathic medicine is essentially the medical system that is based on similar vibrations, the power of similar vibrations to heal. A person is given a remedy derived from a substance that can create symptoms similar to their own disease symptoms. In other words, a curative remedy substance has a vibratory state similar to the state of the patient. I think resonance or similar vibration is a key universal mechanism of the unified field, which I believe is, likely, the same as the field of consciousness. There’s definitely something fundamental going on with similar vibrations. I believe it is how synchronicities work as well.
The future branches from the Now. So if you are in the Now, you’re going to be able to affect that branching better, and you’re also going to be able to perceive information from your inner self better, too.
Getting back to the steps of active consciousness. In step three, you return to your everyday reality, and you have to “Let Go”. In the Abraham teachings, channeled by Esther Hicks, they call it “leaving it up to the universal manager.” You just have to trust that you’ve done your job and things are going to start happening. If you focus on doubts, you’re muddying things up again. But then you also have to help; you actually have to participate in this process. Your goal will not be achieved by some miracle. The question is: how are you going to get from here to the goal? The answer is that you have to navigate your world in a particular way, you need to pay attention to information that’s coming to you. That’s where step four comes in. The way you do it is by tuning in more closely.
I advocate using a method that I call, “Choose Joy”. Let’s say that you need to make some kind of choice. The idea behind Choose Joy is that your deeper self has access to useful information and it’s going to provide it to you in some way. What you need to do is get into the Now as much as possible, or at least into a settled state in which you’re less prone to be affected by fears and other kinds of ego information or rational thought. Then, you bring your choice into your Now state of awareness and see which one feels better, which one creates more joy. That’s the one you choose.
Actually, you also have to learn discernment, whether it’s your ego making the choice, perhaps based on fear, whether it is your rational mind making the choice or is really coming from your inner self. That’s why being in a meditative state helps. Many times a choice based on Choose Joy doesn’t make sense at all. You’ll logically think you should choose something else. But if you just pay attention to this information coming from your inner self and your internal sensation of joy, it will lead you in the right direction.
SC: From the four steps for active consciousness, in some way they all require that you reach that place of Now. When we engage in any practice or discipline and we try to reach that place, that’s when we really start to learn who we are.
AL: That’s right.
SC: We begin to notice all the different voices that are in our head, our fears, limitations, judgments and emotional reactions that accompany them, and they’re the ones who are creating our reality. As the analogy you use in your book from Gurdjieff, they’re the ones who are leading the carriage. What I would like for you to talk about is how these exercises are not only about creating something for you but they also lead you in a process of knowing one’s self, and tell us why is that important?
AL: A whole section of my book is about this process of internal self-examination. A good place to start is with the metaphor that Gurdjieff used for the self. They didn’t have cars in his time, so he used the analogy of the horse and carriage. Imagine a carriage is being driven by a driver on the outside — there’s a horse, the carriage, the driver, and a person inside.
The carriage is like the physical body and the horse is the emotions. Really, your emotions are part of the physical mechanism of your being, just like the horse is part of the propelling force of the carriage. The carriage driver is like the ego or the lower brain mind that has all the stories and ideas going round and round. It also thinks it’s in complete control of the whole carriage, the horse and everything — that’s what most people think, that their ego is themselves, their identity. Part of developing deeper awareness is realizing that there’s somebody inside the carriage, your inner self. Or I might call it “your more complete self”, because it’s both inner and it’s also expansive, all around you, in a way.
This inner self, I believe, is the part of you that accompanies you from life to life, and it is more aware of things because it has access to higher dimensions that allow it to see the bigger picture. Your inner self also has your best interest in mind. It’s working to help you develop. If you can access this inner self, then you will have access to a lot more information and a lot more wisdom. That’s much of what meditation is about. Getting in the Now is like telling the carriage driver to shut up, stop, and let the person inside the carriage lead the way.
In essence, you’re stripping away all of this outer stuff and getting to the real heart of the matter, which is the inner self that has a lot more information for you. You just need to listen to it, and this information is always coming at you all the time. It’s amazing. One of the exercises that I’m personally doing right now is just trying to pay attention to the ideas that spontaneously come to me during the day and recording them in a notebook. Inspirations come to each of us all day — we just usually ignore them. You have to pay attention. You have to realize that if you use something like active consciousness, the universe and your inner self will respond. It’s an interactive process.
There’s somebody inside the carriage, your inner self. Or I might call it “your more complete self”, because it’s both inner and it’s also expansive, all around you, in a way.
SC: One of the things that you talk about in the book and it seems very original to me is to have the mindset of a scientist, recording all your observations, setting goals and keeping track of your achievements. Why is that so important?
AL: I think it’s an exercise in paying attention to what’s really happening. It’s just like keeping a dream journal. People who do dream-work know that if you keep a journal, write in it every day and intend to have a dream or lucid dreaming, you actually increase your memory of dreams. So it’s the same principle. By keeping track of what you’re doing, recording your observations, you’re getting feedback and you’re paying more attention, and it will also increase your confidence in the whole endeavor.
For myself as a scientist, as a scientifically minded person, keeping a journal is also like engaging in a test or experiment. I can’t say that I’m a superhuman being who achieves everything I want using active consciousness, because I’m flawed and have my doubts and stories, too, just like everyone else. But I have found that over time, my state of mind has dramatically improved through this process of self-examination and meditation. I have also found that if you start recording things about your active consciousness experiments, you will notice that other amazing things like synchronicities begin to happen more and more, too. Increased synchronicities are a sign that you are on the right track. It’s like the universe is creating opportunities for you.
I had one amazing synchronicity occur while I was writing this book. I was editing the chapter about Rupert Sheldrake and morphic fields. I had never met him, I had just read his books. He lives in England and as far as I was concerned, he was a distant illustrious scientist who I admired. I was editing the very chapter of my book that talked about his work, and my husband comes home and says, “You won’t believe this, but we’re having lunch with Rupert Sheldrake tomorrow.” I just couldn’t believe it! Through an amazing series of “coincidences”, Sheldrake was visiting my husband’s computer research lab and we did indeed have lunch together the following day.
SC: And the greater your confidence is, then the easier it becomes to engage in this process.
AL: I think by having confidence and by trusting, it’s like you’re telling the universe, “Yeah, I’m listening. I believe it. It’s happening.” It is like showing gratitude or thanking the universe for this, and I think the universe responds by saying, “Okay. Here’s some more.”
SC: You recommend to start small, to start with things that are not way out of your acceptance level in order to build confidence.
AL: Again, it’s about probability as well. If your first goal is to levitate a spoon, it may not be possible at all; it’s highly improbable, anyway. Start with things that are specific and things that are not highly improbable, but improbable enough so that you’ll be convinced that something’s going on, and it will build your confidence. As you start trying it more, listening to information that’s coming to you, you may also learn to discern better what’s information coming from the inner self and what’s coming from the ego.
SC: Why do you think this is a crucial moment in our lives, and engaging in a process like this is perhaps very important?
AL: I think that an inherent part of this work is sensing and understanding the interconnectivity between all of humanity, in fact between everything in our universe. The way that all of this is operating is in the field of consciousness, which I believe is the unified field. We’re interacting with it and we’re all interconnected to it.
I believe that the only way the human species is going to survive on this planet is by acknowledging how interconnected we all are, and the effects that we have on each other. We need to get out of the ego and its stories of greed, fear, and suffering. We really need to operate more from the perspective of our higher selves. This is not just for our own personal benefit and growth, but for the greater good of humanity and of the planet. I don’t see how we’re going to make the sacrifices that we will need to make — dealing with scarce resources and everything else — if each of us is operating from the perspective of our ego and our personal needs and not seeing the bigger picture.
Luckily, I do think that a shift is happening. People are beginning to learn more about meditation and about concepts like active consciousness. Superconsciousness.com is a perfect example of this. Hopefully this shift will trigger a kind of positive feedback-loop and changes will happen more and more quickly. The people who are shifting now are creating what Gurdjieff called a “conscious nucleus.” I think expanding this nucleus is the only way humanity is going to survive. Even scientific studies show that collective forms of meditation and intention are more powerful than individual efforts. I believe that if we work together, we can collectively change the course of human civilization and create a future that is even better and brighter than the one we are experiencing now. We just need to wake up, use active consciousness, and Choose Joy!
I believe that the only way the human species is going to survive on this planet is by acknowledging how interconnected we all are, and the effects that we have on each other.
Judy Kitt
The following was published in the October 2011 issue of the Foundation for Mind Being Research Newsletter (www.fmbr.org)
FMBR was founded over thirty years ago as an interdisciplinary quest for integrated models of consciousness. Since that time, a great deal of solid scientific research has been done, and continues to be done, which sheds light on the nature of the universe we inhabit and the effect of human consciousness on that universe. It is becoming increasingly clear that the state of our consciousness, individual and collective, is intricately linked to the quality of our lives and our physical environment.
In her new book, Active Consciousness: Awakening the Power Within, Amy Lansky — artificial intelligence researcher, and later, homeopath and author of the best-selling Impossible Cure: The Promise of Homeopathy — puts forth a model of consciousness based on her description of higher dimensions in space. Citing research from a number of scientific disciplines, she demonstrates that there is much more going on below the surface of what we call reality than we are currently aware of. She does not, however, limit herself to the outer world of western scientific discoveries. Citing millennia of Eastern esoteric sciences and the teachings of mystics, both ancient and modern, Amy creates a coherent and expansive map of the terrain for the reader to explore. She proposes that we can — and indeed, must — develop our own powers to perceive the forces that underlie the universe and then use those powers to consciously create a much better world. To that end, Amy provides exercises and tools for the readers to use in order to facilitate the process of transformation in their own lives.
Though the topic is vast, Amy has created a work that is accessible and engaging. Using examples from her own life and experiences, she offers a narrative that deftly guides the reader through the worlds of unexplained phenomena, alternative medicine and meditative practice. Grounded both in science and mystic tradition, her book is an inspiring invitation to explore the portals to higher consciousness for yourself.
Our world is currently confronted by challenges unlike any we have faced before, and we do not know what lies ahead. As Amy writes, “I believe that the best strategy for meeting these challenges is for each one of us to move forward into a new way of being.” Active Consciousness is a handbook for doing just that. For more information go to www.activeconsciousness.com.
Dr. Kenneth Silvestri
The following appears on Amazon:
What is delightful about Amy Lansky’s new book is that she compiles and explains with clarity, the essence of what is now being called “Energy Psychology and Healing.” Active Consciousness covers complex themes that were previously thought to be incredulous and on the edge. Recent works by authors such as Lynn McTaggart, who brings to light solid research on energy fields, and Bruce Lipton’s findings about the paramount importance of environmental factors on our evolving self and its untapped potential, have opened the door to practical and attainable advances in self development. Previous writings and narratives from all the major spiritual heritages have articulated the mystical interconnections to our reality as well as the healing legacies of many native indigenous cultures that have unfortunately been encapsulated as unfounded by westernizations’ linear minded framework. However now a tipping point is occurring that supports the paradigm of holistic meaning and unlimited human potential and Dr. Lansky’s book is definitely part of this movement.
She uses her own personal experiences and inquiries, from the impetus emanating during a Star Trek episode to the depth of scientific experiments and research-based provings of new possibilities to define reality. Drawing on the works of Rudolf Steiner, Carl Jung, Rupert Sheldrake, Gurdjieff and others, as well as contemporary research scientists, she explores her own personal transformation to create a means for others to do so. The book is written so as to have the reader share in the experience and shift to being in the present or “now” as her well founded explorations bring new insights to our personal development. The theme of how we are all connected, and need be at this point in our human evolution to literally save our world, is a thread that permeates Lansky’s ultimate message.
Using the sources mentioned above, and many others, she takes us on a journey to discover new dimensions of how reality is constructed and its relevance to our very evolution as a species. She illuminates the depth of how we communicate and construct our world-view and challenges the prevailing limitations imposed on us by cultural constraints and ego minded agendas. Within this explicative vision she invites us through simple and profound exercises, many of which are derived from her mentors Gary Sherman and Ellen Miller, to experience for ourselves the implications of her points of interest. The many mysteries that we encounter are brought to light as being fully credible, be it the gift of homeopathy – which she explains in clear detail – or the paranormal means of communication that we have all witnessed yet may have been leery to share with others.
The insights into quantum physics and biology are not only mind-opening but useful in looking at emotional and physical development. The book is full of positive energy, encouraging the reader to use attainable affirmations and a practice of gratitude to push the envelope to achieve the loving self that we are all capable of being. It is without a doubt a must read by anyone contemplating how to make their life work in a more meaningful manner with confidence, not only for one’s self but for all of us in this very interconnected reality that we share.
Dr. Kenneth Silvestri is a psychotherapist and certified classical homeopath (CCH). He is in private practice (Montclair, N.J. and Nyack, N.Y.) and offers a unique integrative and mindful approach to improving one’s immune system by resolving emotional and physical problems. His doctorate is in anthropology and psychology from Columbia University. Dr. Silvestri has published over sixty articles and conducted hundreds of workshops in the area of interpersonal communication, forgiveness, stress management, homeopathy and is currently working on a book about navigating the paradoxes of life. He is also an active black belt student of Aikido, a martial art based on peace and harmony. Contact and information can be found at: www.drkennethsilvestri.com
Julian Sirian
The following article appeared on www-huge-relief-fast.com in 2012.
Top 5 Books That Will Change How You Think!
Self education is vastly underrated!
I came across this concept back in my early twenties, and got curious. I figured out that there was nothing that was stopping me more from learning apart from me. And the good news is that when you begin to use self-education to your advantage, you learn on your terms.
There are many benefits to self education. Primarily, the freedom of learning at your own pace. Secondly, you get to hear somebody else s angle. And thirdly (and sometimes crucially) you will hear it said and articulated in such a way, that it drives deep into your soul.
So, forgive the proselytizing, but I’m a huge advocate of self-education. That’s not to say that college is meaningless. Some people thrive under such conditions. But for others, self-education is a path that is greatly under-used, and can reap great benefits.
Over the years, thanks to self-education, I have learn’t how the cosmology of the multi-verse works (from a spiritual standpoint), how the mind operates (from a psychological standpoint) and why the world is like it is (to a certain degree, anyway;-).
Below are the top 5 books that can help you make a similar journey, and books that have not only altered my way of thinking, but got me living more from love and peace than ever before. I hope this list inspires you;-)
1. The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
The book that got being present into the mainstream, and brought being mindful to the masses. In truth, mindfulness meditation has been going on for millenia, but it wasn’t until this book came along that this form of meditation got a re-vamp in image. Now, thanks to scientific research and the popularity of this book, more and more people are learning to reduce their egos, feel more peace and feel a lot more better with themselves.
And the law of attraction followers are loving this as well, as presence helps reduce ego resistance and helps the manifestation process happen more smoothly. Quite simply, in more spiritual terms, ‘the now’ is the junction point where your ego meets the higher self (which is everything) So essentially you are using the higher self for maximum effect. Food for thought;-)
2. Conversations with God -Neale Donald Walsch
This trilogy helped some Christians understand the divinity better (including myself). I say some, because the hardcore niche probably wouldn’t like the truths that the books were talking about. Unfortunately, there are many people that regard unconditional love as a fearful, ego driven god, that needs to be worshiped. While I respect these opinions (or at least try to;-) science is starting to prove otherwise. And now thanks to these books, we can now live more healthily and more peaceful then ever before.
That isn’t to say that these books are easy reading. There is a lot of information to digest here, and some of the truths are radical. But if you ever had an intuitive nudge that divinity was not completely what the church was saying, this book should help you lift your eyes from the foggy shadows. Highly recommended to wake you up to your true powers, and allows you to realize why society can act the way it does.
3. Repeatlessness – Dr. Joe Marshalla
The book that expands on the art of being present, but has the added bonus of also including the human conditions and how the mind works. It’s quite simply a neat and tidy guide on how the mind operates, and how you can use this to better yourself and your lifestyle. It was the book that first opened my eyes to why we feel the way we do when it comes to trying to achieve our goals (it does this by highlighting 3 unrelated experiments, that together form a startling realization).
It’s also has an exercise on how to reduce negativity (hint: this involves the bathroom…) and also shows you ways on how to keep being focused, which is vastly underrated (and will be the subject of a future article). The book isn’t long, and can be read in just one weekend.
4. Active Consciousness – Amy L.Lansky, PhD
This is a book that I stumbled upon only recently, and I’m glad I did. This is a book that every teenager leaving college should have, as it gives you good cases on how the law of attraction works, as well as give you simple exercise to achieve being present and feeling love (which incidentally helps the law of attraction for you).
After reading this book, you will never want to loose you personal power again, as it guides you into a new understand on the power of making a choice, and how that can create a new reality. It also includes quotes from famous spiritualists and philosophers that demonstrates the point that your mind can influence the consciousness around you, so you can better your life. A must read!
5. The Secret of the Soul -William Buhlman
There will come a time, where you will want to explore the very nature of reality itself. Maybe you have tried out the law of attraction, but haven’t seen many results as yet. Maybe you still don’t believe that your thoughts do create your reality. This is all understandable Regrettably, we still live in a society where most people think they are separate from everything else (maybe due to the left-hemisphere of the brain receiving more attention…who knows?). This means that the very notion of a single thought creating a big change is the most ridiculous notion of the highest order.
This also means that to really understand how thought operates, you need to essentially leave your body so you can expand your mind and go inwards (temporarily, or course;-). This means that you will eventually have to have an out-of-body experience. Now, this isn’t a bad thing, but a good thing, as you get to experience the law of attraction first hand, experience how divinity really operates, and increase your natural connection to source (or soul if you prefer).
This book helps you achieve out-of-body experiences, as well as explain the mechanics on how the thought-responsive environment works. After reading this book, you will begin to understand why a single thought is so powerful and how it affects the ether, which gives rise to the physical matter we see with our eyes.
Out-of-body experiences are so incredibly under-rated, and yet we have them ever night, when we dream. And the good thing is, not only can you heal yourself (to some degree) using an out-of-body experience you can also increase your intuitive abilities as well.
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