Reply #19: Intro, Chapters One, Two Comments

[cassiepriam]

I would like to start the group read by first discussing JOS introduction. I really like Newton’s style. He doesn't seem to be proselytizing, that is, trying to convert anyone to his way of thinking. He is simply reporting his experiences as a hypnotherapist and letting the reader come to his or her own conclusions.

I particularly appreciate his left brain approach to the spirit world. His systematic and careful examination and investigation is intriguing.

His model of mind consciousness is very interesting. The three concentric circle model he describes on p. 3. First layer is conscious mind, second layer is the subconscious mind, the third is the superconscious mind which may be the highest Self, or even the soul itself. These are beta, alpha, and delta brain waves respectively.

I thought the accounts in Chapter One of how a soul leaves a body of interest. And then in Chapter Two the gateway into the spirit world. The process seems to be a fairly standard one. The sense one gets is that the spirit world is highly organized and efficient.

As always I am a skeptic about everything I read and I was looking for any evidence that Newton is leading his subjects and suggesting what they are to say next. On the contrary I was struck through out his book with the fact that often the subjects will disagree with him, refusing to go in the direction that Newton is leading them.

I am wondering what ideas or responses other people had? I am also interested in any criticisms of Newton’s work, weak areas, etc.