The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief [Hardcover]

I was highly disappointed with this book. I was looking forward to reading more works from this popular author but will now explore elsewhere.

The first thing that the author does is to take a well known scientific term, that of the zero-point or aksaic field, and redefine it in his own unique terminology. He now calls it "The Divine Matrix". The only purpose that can be served in this redefinition is to use it as a mechanism to promote his own views on the field rather than continuing with the studies and work that has already been done.

The major fallacy that Braden enacts, however, is one that is commonly done to a naive, yet answer-seeking, public. Braden takes the conclusions from three very credible scientific experiments and generalizes their conclusions in ways that stretches their fabric of credibility far past its limits. To say that because human DNA still reacts to a person's emotions after being taken from them and removed to a far-reaching site 'proves' that the zero-point field is fully controlled by our emotions stretches the original conclusion far beyond an acceptable level. He then states that if we literally wish for something 'pure enough', the matrix will make it happen. Braden continues with his "the part equals the whole" sense of illogic as he continues with his writings. I am not going to say that the poorly drawn conclusions are not exciting, alluring and even possible. What I am saying is that if you are going to lead your readers to such conclusions you must have your arguments and your proofs be totally sound and reliable. Otherwise you are doing nothing more than leading your readers to follow the white rabbit down his hole to Wonderland where everything may appear to be enticing but nothing is based on reality.

Also, having worked most of my career in the role of a psychotherapist with persons experiencing mental health issues, I find his 'counseling examples' to be quite troubling. He appears to have spent all of his time with his clients dealing with how he felt the 'divine matrix' is driving them to deal with certain issues but spending no time dealing with how previous psychosocial factors, such as childhood and adolescence, as being the causal factors for their existing problems. Professionally speaking, if you do not successfully deal with the actual causal factors for your maladaptive behavior, you are cursed to repeat the same actions over and over again. When these problems again resurface, it is not the 'divine matrix' pulling you back into an issue, it is simply a case of basic psychological practices not being enacted in the first place.

Lastly, I am concerned with the author's lack of training and/or experiences in life areas that he is now claiming to have knowledge of. References are made in his writing about a military career and a number of other commercial enterprises but no reference is made to formal education, former spiritual guides and teachers or even the conduction of any scientific experimentation on his part. Both he and I can have grand thoughts sitting under an apple tree on a balmy summer day. But, neither one of us, however, can claim that these thoughts are a true representation of how the metaphysical world operates unless we not only have the necessary professional background but the immediate proofs from recent data to back it up. Anything less than that is little more than what world religions have done throughout history; tell people to have faith in something simply because it may sound believable at the time.

I'm basing this review on the DVD of the Divine Matrix (which doesn't seem to be available here). To me this explains how Michelle Longo O'Donnell's "When the wolf is at the door" works ... how spiritual healing works. It actually is very much simpler, than spending time and energy investigating one's "story" endlessly, if one can truly connect, in one's heart, with true feeling, and believe that God gives us only total unconditional love, abundance, perfection, we too can see ourselves as God does, our body must listen. The body is neutral, it acts as we believe (consciously and subconsciously). This may seem like fantasy, and I'm still at the embryonic stage of exploring this, but, i am very encouraged, by my own experience of putting this into practice successfully. I am also a new student of the Course in Miracles, and i can see how this ALL ties together.

p.s. Clay Aiken rules :)

Everyone should read this book! It is extremely inspirational and spiritual; I was not able to sleep - it got me so excited! I plan to read it again and again; makes you forget about reading the classics and any other type of literature.