Customer Reviews

The Disappearance Of the Universe: Straight Talk About Illusions, Past Lives, Religion, Sex, Politics, and Miracles Of Forgiveness

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As a long time student of "A Course in Miracles" I've read most of the books that purport to teach the Course. This is the only one I've ever read that makes the Course totally understandable. There is a reinvigoration of energy going on around the Course because of this book. But you don't have to be a student of the Course to get a lot out of "The Disappearance of the Universe." It's a great read, it's full of fascinating and useful spiritual information, and in many cases people who I"ve talked to consider it to be the most significant book in their lives. I agree.

The "Disappearance of the Universe", does just that. It is the modern day portal, between the world of multiplicity and form to the symbolic-less meaningful reality of formlessness. Pursah and Arten are fun, I would like to meet up with them for a few beers and maybe some Guinness. They are in contrast, to Jesus's somewhat fatherly and directive tone in ACIM, where he emphasizes alot of work to be done and no time to be lost. He wants to hasten our empty and meaningless misadventures in the horizontal pathway of time through the vertical pathway to Truth, always available to us in the Holy Instant. During the apparent timeframe that "A disappearance of the universe", was written, and before , I got around to reading, "A Course in Miracles", I entered enlightenment through the spiritual superfluidity, of Osho and Atisha, most particularly, through, Osho's tapes, expounding "The book of wisdom" , but I have to say, "A Course in Miracles", offers the most practical course and direct approach to enlightenment, that I have come by, or expect to come by. It's central message of forgiveness re-inforces, the true reality, which is one of non-differentiation, and which follows naturally, from the seemingly altrusitic practice that it propounds. The cental contribution of "The disappearance of the universe", is to package ACIM in a more readable form suitable for a majority. It bridges both the worlds, while still holding out a bridge to the real world.

"The Disappearance of the Universe" is an amazing and startling book. The author, who as far as I can see is just a regular guy with no academic background, has managed to do what the other popular books about "A Course in Miracles" definitely did not do: make it truly understandable! Not only that, but this book does it in a way that's fun to read. Not that it isn't challenging; on the contrary, this book is substantial, formidable and if one wants to follow this path - demanding. But if you're ready for it (and not everybody is) this book actually tells you how to apply advanced spiritual teachings to your everyday life in a practical way. Oh by the way, it also manages to completely explain the universe at the same time in a way that I've never seen done before. Because of these many facts, I certainly have to give the author the benefit of the doubt when he says that these in-the-flesh appearances and conversations with two ascended masters (Saint Thomas and Saint Thaddaeus) actually took place. Indeed, who can judge that they didn't if they weren't there? The conversations in the book are so realistic, the timeline they follow so authentic, and the author so unlikely to write this book that I now believe him when he says at the beginning in his Author's Note: "...I can vouch for the extreme unlikeliness of this book being written by an uneducated layman such as myself without inspiration by these masters." Personally, I think Gary Renard has given the world a book that succeeds on so many levels it is perfectly appropriate to describe it as amazing and startling. It deserves both success and appreciation.

If you have any interest at all in "A Course In Miracles", get this book. It is very helpful, with some background explanations of terms and principles in the Course. And very readable too, much easier than the Course - (but this book also cautions that nothing is a substitute for the Course itself). Renard also ties in selections from the Nag Hammadi scrolls, specifically the Gospel of Thomas. Read the book to see what the connection is.
Altogether, a wonderful read. I have bought copies for a number of friends.

I love this book for many reasons. First of all, it has a good sense of humor, second, it has more useful spiritual information in it than any other book I've ever seen, thirdly, it explains why the world and the people in it are the way that they are, and fourth, how to solve the problem of human existence. All this is put in the framework of discussions the author has with two "ascended masters" who he says appeared to him in the flesh from out of nowhere. Whether you're ready to believe that or not doesn't matter. The content of this book is awesome.

Gary Renard is a regular guy who has had some amazing experiences, and they are presented in this fascinating book through his narration as well as throughout the 17 chapters that mostly consist of conversations he had over a period of nine years with an enlightened couple who appeared to him "in the flesh" from "out of nowhere." Disciples at the time of Jesus, yet enlightened in our future, Arten and Pursah, as they are named, explain why time must be viewed as holographic rather than linear, cover numerous spiritual topics and eventually explain in detail the until now difficult to grasp teachings of A Course in Miracles. This is a great book!

The fact that this book has taken on a life of its own and is being read several times by those who buy it, as well as given away by so many of them, doesn't come as a surprise to me. I couldn't put it down. A spiritual book doesn't get any better than this, that is, if you're ready for it and don't expect your spirituality to always be sugar coated. The Disappearance of the Universe is funny, even a little racy at times, but perhaps that's because Renard is a real guy, and his teachers talk to him in a way he can accept and understand. The result is the clearest explanations of advanced spiritual principles I've ever seen, and it doesn't stop there, but leads the reader into the practical application of what is described as "advanced forgiveness." This in turn leads to the removal of unconscious guilt from the mind which is an absolute necessity in order for true enlightenment to be achieved. Only then can we break the cycle of birth and death. The book very clearly explains why most spiritual paths, while necessary for those who practice them, do not accomplish this unconscious guilt removal that is so essential for true enlightenment.

"Disappearance" is a "must read." It's not always saying the same thing as everything else, but it is saying something of GREAT importance, and does so with humor, clarity and brilliance. The entertainment value alone would make this book worth reading! But it is much, much more than just entertainment. It is the way home.

This book will change how you approach everything and answer all of the unanswerable questions that you have about yourself and life. This is the most important book that has entered my life.

I had a difficult time getting into it at first and put it away for a little while; however, when I started reading it again a few weeks later, I couldn't put it down and read the 408 pages within a week. Although it is a complex subject, it reads like a story once you get into it. I did a quick read this time so I am planning to re-read at least once more, but most probably a few more times so definitely worth buying.

Besides the repetitive nature of this book, and the antics of the author towards these beings that were there to provide insight, made for an extremely difficult read. I found the nature of the child's play between them to be very uncharacteristic of highly developed beings. Very difficult to take it all in. I also found the author repeating himself way too often, almost like he was just filling up space. Pass this one up.

I started reading "The Disappearance of the Universe" believing I was reading another 'conversations' book, and was wonderfully surprised and gratefully mis-informed.
My experience of Gary's delightful book was that of Gratitude. Grateful that a book has been written that addresses so deeply and seriously the one and only message of "A Course in Miracles". FORGIVENESS. As a Course Group facilitator, I encourage others to read it....be vigilent and attentive to the message!
Gary's book "The Disappearance of the Universe" has assisted in deepening my awareness of the simplicity and importance of Forgiveness. Not only at a deep inner personal level, but also one of seeing my brother as the messenger of my salvation by acknowledging his innocence and visioning him as forgiveness. Then forgive the mind that projected anything other than perfect innocence.
In the end, it really doesn't matter. This is a dream, after all, in which we think we're here. Since we believe we're here, why not have some fun. Read Gary's book, take what you want and leave the rest.....and don't miss the message....Forgiveness is the way of return, through the thin veils of darkness into the Real Dream, where God waits our return to where we never left. Thank you God is...thank you.

Blessings......