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I both disliked AND liked this book! Here's why ...

I have to admit, I have a love-hate relationship with this book.

I've had similar experiences listening to the author being interviewed. Sometimes I enjoy it immensely and other times I'm completely turned off.

Whereas often when I read a book, my final evaluation averages out to one spot on the scale, with this one I disliked/hated some things and liked/loved others.

I decided it can remain a both-and instead of an either-or (or even an average), and I'll tell you all about it. ;-)

What I Didn't Like

For about the first one third of the book, I was really turned off by the "voice" of the author.

I can understand that he is likely using his teaching tone, but to me it felt like he was talking down to me. Especially because most of the topics are quite elementary and he states them like they are the most profound ideas in the world and I'm in kindergarten or something. It just bothered me right off the bat.

Along with (or a part of) that is that he capitalized Important Phrases. Those that he wants to Call Out, or Wants You to Notice. And he did it A Lot. This got old really fast and in some ways even gets confusing. It reminds me of copy you read where the IMPORTANT THINGS are in ALL CAPS and you feel like you're BEING SOLD A BILL OF GOODS. I really think he could do without that.

At some point I just accepted it and then it didn't bother me so much. But essentially, I could have done with a different tone and writing style. It could easily overshadow his message.

As to the content, I think it is so-so. It really depends what you've been exposed to already, but his ideas range from elementary to quite enlightened (IMHO). I also disagree with some of the things he says. I think this is fine and even to be expected, but it happened quite a lot. So I personally enjoyed the reminders but don't recommend this for learning new concepts.

I also think he sort of contradicts himself. As much as he emphasizes the importance of who we are in essence, most of the tools he shares are in many ways mental ideas. So, although he wants you to experience who you are, he gives you tools to apply at a mental level. That doesn't quite cut it. I think he complicates what I've experienced as a very simple and natural process that's quite the opposite of mentalizing.

And finally, even if you're not familiar with the ideas he presents, I don't feel he organized or presented most of them in a very clear, uncluttered manner. It all felt a bit like a hodge-podge when I'd finished.

What I Did Like

About half-way through (or so), he gets to one of his more unusual points. I won't reiterate the point itself and how he explains it, but essentially it ends up that you are presenting yourself with this book and its ideas.

I do agree with that concept -- I think it is fundamental -- and was happy to see him emphasize it as much as he did. Of course, I have to wonder why I gave myself such a mixed bag here! ;-)

But what I loved about it was the way he then uses the contents to give you a real feel for that - it's quite creative of him and was fun to experience.

I liked that there really are some great ideas presented here. It was rather nice to pick and choose and highlight them as reminders.

He also offers ways to implement them in your life.

He did present a few ideas I hadn't heard, that I will enjoy experimenting with and have already seen some benefit from.

And I'm glad I read through the Addendum where he details 4 meditation techniques, all of them a bit different in specifics than those you commonly hear about, and although I've been a meditator for-like-ever ;-) , I will probably try these out at some point just for fun.

I also like that toward the end, he invites you to participate in ongoing conversations and community around this topic (and others) at his website. It's one thing to read a book, put it away, and never apply the concepts. It's completely another to keep it alive within you and to actually make it work in your life. I think he offers a perfect opportunity to do that easily and enjoyably.

Conclusions

So in the end? I guess I'd have to say I'm glad I read it. But I really did have to treat it as a lark and simply enjoy it rather than consider it an important passage into whatever's next for me.

As to the writing style and the contents, I think it depends completely on the individual as to what kind of tone you prefer and what you've been exposed to already as to whether you'll find this a worthwhile (or even enjoyable) read.

I won't be recommending it to my own friends and readers, though I won't discourage them if they feel called to it.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes.

Well, the book had me from the beginning. Saying that 98% of us spend 98% of our time on things that don’t matter. And I want to spend 98% of my time doing things that do matter. And you probably do, also.

That’s a very strong statement, and of course I wanted to know more. I wanted the answer to the question – then what does matter? What matters is not what I do, but how and why I do it, Neale says.

I really felt good when Neale said that art is trying to fill the gap in information about our journey. You see, I’m an artist. That’s pretty amazing. It’s not amazing that I’m an artist, but that what I consider fun actually has a purpose beyond that. It’s not just art, but culture in general that we desperately need to help us fill in the gap.

Neale says we are remembering three things: the purpose, path, and destination.

Two kinds of memory: Mind memory (finite), and Soul memory (infinite) are discussed. Getting the Soul, Mind, and Body going in the same direction is discussed. These are important topics, ones we don’t usually stop to think about in the business of our day to day existence.

Some people feel they have taken a long time to “get it”. I’ve spoken to such people. A reply to this very remorse is in this book is the statement by Neale, “going the long way is not the same as going the wrong way”. How comforting is that? Thanks, Neale!

The way I understand it, when you get in touch with your Soul, and what it desires, that is what matters. Your soul desires oneness.

The one mind-blowing concept in this book is that the person reading the book actually wrote it. That it is the soul, from within the person reading, that is remembering what the soul knew all along. That the person reading the book called the book forth. And of course this makes sense from a Law of Attraction perspective. However, Neale talks about another law – the Law of Retraction, combined with Gratitude, and this is truly life changing.

Neale talks about suffering, and the reasons for it. He talks about Soul Knowing. This is what you know, deep down. The purpose for suffering is awakening our “compassion, caring, understanding, patience, love, and, most of all, the Unity and Oneness of life”. This is very timely in light of recent tragedies. And Neale goes on to address a way for the struggle and suffering to end – to transform the suffering into joy.

Neale also talks about how we choose our emotions, which is good news since when you can choose you have power.

Other things covered in the book are tools we can use:

Recontextualization (a new way of looking at things, and the freedom it brings).
Compassion that helps you move forward on your journey, and the freedom it brings. There is a beautiful and moving poem related to this, in the book.
The freedom that Gratitude and Forgiveness brings. And Neale has a very unique way of looking at Forgiveness.
Meditation. There are meditation instructions in the back of the book.

At the beginning of the book, Neale said your soul has called this book to you, at this time. And he is right. As I am writing this review, I am on the eve of major surgery. This book has been a tremendous comfort to me at this time, and has brought a smile to my face. Neale states “every event is a blessing”. Thank you, Neale, from the bottom of my heart. We never know what comfort we bring others in the kind things that we do in our day to day existence, just by having that intention to be kind. A book we write, a word we say, a letter or email…..

There was a video recommended, called SoulLogic, which was just beautiful, which Neale provided the link to. And Neale left us with one final gift, to tie it all together. That is Willingness.

I highly recommend this book, and I will look forward to reading more of Neale’s books in the future. I felt like I was sitting with a very compassionate and loving person, talking just to me, as I read his words. I signed up for his daily email on his web site.

FTC Disclosure I received this book free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are unbiased and reflect my honest judgment of the product.

When I read Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch in the early 1990's, my understanding of God changed forever. I went from being uncertain there was anything greater than our humanness to believing in the interconnectedness of all living things. While I was reading The Only Thing That Matters, I had a similar shift in understanding about life and my role in it. This is another book that I will refer to as one that changed my perception of life.

You might be asking why this book had such a profound effect on me. As I write this I am posing the same question to myself. What Walsch presents here is nothing significantly different from what I have heard from other teachers. As with CWG, Walsch presents the information in an accessible and readable way. Even when he is offering complex ideas, his delivery is immediately absorbable.

While I was reading this book, I understood exactly what I needed to do to make the shift from conceptualizing the unique time we are living into actionable behaviors. I have already begun to see my life going in the direction I envisioned and trust that things will continue to flow for me. Even though there has been moments of discord in my life recently, I continue to feel the steady and peaceful effects of the steps Walsch presents. I am truly changed forever by this book and continue to be a devoted fan of Neale Donald Walsch.

If you are looking for answers in this time of change, I highly recommend this book. The tools offered are easy to understand and implement. Most importantly, you will see the immediate effects of using them and how essential they are to living the life you dream of.

I was not financially compensated for this post. I received the book from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

I don't know about you, but I became a big fan of Neale Donald Walsch's Conversations With God series a number of years ago. These books have reached a wide audience, and I hope you have also been lucky enough to have been exposed to them. I still have all the books in the series on my bookshelf complete with highlights that I continue to go back to several years later. I highly recommend the books in this series!

The Conversations With Humanity Series is different in that the content of these books are not channeled like the Conversations With God books. They have a different flavor - they are based on Walsch's viewpoint about the massive changes happening in our world today.

Included in Walsch's insights are metaphors such as this one which I found very powerful and reassuring: " .... as the drop of water is to the ocean, so are you to God. This means that you have Divine Power proportionate to your size. And that means that you have Divine Power proportionate to your problem." As a consultant who works with individuals in transition, I found these words very meaningful for both myself as well as for my clients. I find in my workshops that most people are in some kind of major transition. How gratifying to see those challenges within the context of our Divine Power and its ability to get us to the other side safely!

Rather than read the book from beginning to end in order, I found myself jumping around and reading the highlighted quotes in the text. Amidst these conclusions, Walsh answers our question about "the only thing that matters": what one desires. The book is peppered with em claire's poetry which beautifully complements the text and allows both sides of the readers' mind to be engaged in the process.

Although I found this book to be straight-forward and simple, it has great depth about the changes occurring in the world at this time and its implications for the individual!

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

I was sitting in a restaurant waiting for my friend Amy and her husband Ed to show up when I cracked open the book The Only Thing That Matters by Neale Donald Walsch. I started reading....

“Dear Companion on the Journey: It is wonderful that you have come here. There is something you wish to know and something you wish to do, and Life understands this. That is why you are reading this. Here is what you wish to know…98% of the world’s people are spending 98% of their time on things that don’t matter.

You have been part of that 98%. Now, you are no longer. From this day forward you choose to spend your time on The Only Thing that Matters. The question is, what is that? Find your answer to that question.

This requires a deep exploration of the Self. You are in the right place for such an important and remarkable undertaking. Trust that. If you weren’t in the right place to find your answer, you would not be here. Do not think you have come to this book by chance.”

My friend Amy calls my cell phone, "We're on Middle Road. Where are you?"

"You're going to my house not the restaurant. I'm at the restaurant," I said.

"Oh, you're right. I set the GPS for your house address in error."

I gave her directions to the restaurant and kept reading...

“That inner voice is correct. Your life does not have to be a series of worrisome and challenging crisis involving finances, or relationships or health or family—or all of the above. Or, for that matter, on some days, nothing particular…just a nagging sense of out-of-orderness. Neither does the world at large have to be a container of constant calamity engulfing its governance and politics, its commerce and economics, its environment and ecology, its cultures and religions. Listen to that voice…IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. That is not wishful thinking. That is your Awareness speaking.”

I received a second call from my friends, "I think we're almost there."

I kept reading, having a sense there was a message in this book for me. It seemed that my friends were sent on a wild goose chase so I could read.

After moving through three chapters, my friends walked into the restaurant as I turned the page and saw Chapter 4: You’re About to Become an Author.

This felt like a similar message I received just before writing Portsmouth A Love Story. I was trying to figure out what to write about when the book Writing Spirit by LynnAndrews came to me in an unusual way. The book was in the wrong section of Barnes and Noble and it stuck out at me on the shelf. I thought, Writing Spirit? What’s this about? I turned the book around to find a message: “You are a writer. Your act of power is the book or the story that you are creating. It is now time for you to bloom.” After I saw that quote, the idea for a novel started to download on me.

My friends came into the restaurant and apologized for being late. I told them it wasn't there fault. It was the book. It wanted to sidetrack them so I could read. They laughed and understood exactly what I was talking about. That's the fun of having friends who get it.

I truly enjoyed the first part of the book. Walsch asks questions that make you look at the big picture of your life –where you are and where you want to go. Walsch plays the part of Omniscient narrator, addressing you, the reader, directly as if you’re having a conversation with God. His technique is engaging and holds the reader’s interest. It’s a great book to snuggle up with on a cold winter day and ponder your life direction.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book, which is true about most of Walsch’s books after Conversations with God was that he takes ideas from other authors in the spiritual metaphysical space and doesn’t give them credit. For example, he talks about recognizing that all your problems have been solved. This is straight out of A Course in Miracles Lesson 80: Let Me Recognized that My Problems Have Been Solved. Other concepts in Walsch’s book he takes from A Course in Miracles, is my Will and God’s Will are one, and all it takes is a Little Willingness to name a few. There are also sections that sound a lot like The Secret.

What is The Only Thing That Matters? You’ll have to read the book!

The Only Thing That Matters is a self published book distributed by Hay House Publishing.

Disclosure: I am a Hay House Book Reviewer which means I may receive a book free of charge for review. My credibility is extremely important to me. This site is independently owned and the opinions expressed here are my own. Sometimes that's very obvious. I am also an affiliate of Hay House Publishing and Amazon. This means I receive a commission if you purchase Hay House or Amazon products linked from this website.

Neale Donald Walsch does a great job in his latest book, “ The Only Thing That Matters”, of reminding readers again and again that the answers we seek are inside of us, not somewhere out there. There is not a page in this book that does not somehow aim to remind us of that point as the author shares all that he has to bring that truth home, in a way that will allow the reader to fully connect with it once and for all.

It was most interesting to follow the suggestion that we are both the reader and the author of this very book—because in essence, we are all connected. We are all co-creating and for anyone who has been led to this book, the obvious assumption is that you are seeking for ways to connect more consistently to your souls purpose instead of the constant pull of the mind and body that sometimes chooses the difficult, well-worn paths that are very common in our society. The author prompts us to experiment with the idea of not just being the reader of the book but to fully connect with the idea that we are in fact co-creators, and to change from reading the text as an observer to the first-person point of view. It makes quite a difference, reading the words as if you yourself have taken part in writing them, instead of some other person--disconnected from ourselves, who is supposedly trying to lead us back home.
The information in this book is based on universal, metaphysical laws. For that reason, it is not new. What is different is the author’s unique ability for leaving no stone unturned in reminding readers how to consciously re-connect with the only thing that matters.

I received this book from Hay House Publishing for my honest and sincere review.

The author’s statement ‘98% of the people are spending 98% of
their time doing things that don’t matter’, caught my attention straight
off. If you find yourself pondering “What really does matter?
And how do we find our truth”? This captivating book is a roadmap of sorts to help you discover just what the purpose of the soul is and reminds you to be aware of the fact that in reality of you already know. It helps bring to awareness that when you are following your true path there are no real obstacles, and events and situations fall naturally into place. Without going into a full-fledged, multi-paged book report, I can’t even scratch the surface of what Neale Donald Walsh has to share with you in his Book 2, Conversations With Humanity Series. It was complicated for me to read in the beginning, yet so simple and logical when the 'Ah Ha" moment showed itself.. I encourage you to take some quiet time, a soothing cup of tea, and an open mind if you want to really get the most out of this enlightening book.

I received this e-book from Hay House and this my personal review.

Neal Walsch writes an inspiring book that encourages, reassures and inspires anyone on a spiritual path.

The book begins by affirming that unusual events are occurring on this planet and you may find your life busier, challenging, and perplexing and may be asking if there is something you are doing wrong but he affirms
“You're doing nothing wrong”

Chapters 1 thru 10 deals more on the subject matter of universal cosmology and I think the points made in these chapters would be very comforting to anyone struggling with the what happens after death and how we as individuals are a part of the universe today and forever.
Our souls and fundamental essence of life continue even after death. We may differ in form but maintain our true essence we have evolved to in our life.
Our body, mind and soul are traveling companions on this amazing journey for those that have accepted the invitation to life.

The later chapters expand into observations and thoughts of the only things that matter and I’m sure most of us know it is not money and material possessions. The book suggests some simple yet effective prayers to keep on the path to living a life devoted to things that matter.

This book would be enjoyed and welcomed by anyone on a spiritual journey and have been called to read this book. I found the book to produce thought provoking ideas and kindled inspiration and new thoughts on my place in the collective body that makes up the universe and found the story of snowflakes a great analogy of how we as humans are just one piece in God’s life size jigsaw puzzle of the universe.

One thing I really like to give at Christmas every years is books. Gary, my kids, my parents, and my friends can count on at least one book wrapped up under the tree from me every year, and The Only Thing The Matters by Neale Donald Walsch is definitely on my gift-giving list this year.

Recently released as Book 2 in the Conversations with Humanity Series, The Only Thing That Matters touches on what seems to be happening in my life, and the lives of many of my friends a clients, an increased sense of challenge and disjointedness, and yes, even a few major upsets and upheavals. And I know in my life I have navigated each day's mounting challenges with a sense of determination, but would be lying if I didn't also wonder what was happening, and exactly what I've been doing wrong. Have I not been getting enough sleep? Or maybe I'm spread a little too thin? Do I need to unplug for a few days? What could I do to make things EASIER? Well the good news is, according to Walsh, what's happening is not a result of anything I've done wrong, these things are happening all over.

Walsch describes the way I have been feeling, as well as I'm sure many others, as an inner knowing that it's time to wake up. Life isn't supposed to be a series of crisis surrounding finances or relationships or health or family, and recognizing that is a direct result of paying attention to our awareness. Walsch contends that, “98% of the world's people are spending 98% of their time on things that don't matter.” and the reason so many of life's events seem to be in the way is that many people have no idea where they are going, and that when we walk the path we were intended to take, there are no obstacles.

So where's the path? How do we get off of the crisis collision course? Well I honestly have to say that it starts with reading this book. It's through the pages that we learn not to pay attention to what we've been spending 98% of our time on. And no, that doesn't mean we all head for the hills and live under a rock, it simply means we refocus our life's intention, and when we do, change happens.

Leading us through a series of steps we need to take to move into clarity and into a deep self investigation of why we are here, what we are doing, and what life's purpose is, Walsch pulls the words together that so many of us need to navigate this phase of our lives, and the next. From eliminating life’s complexities, to putting it all together, Walsch takes the reader to the simple truth that “Taking the Path of the Soul” changes everything. “It will change how you think, how you feel, how you speak, how you act, how you interact, how you love, how you work, how you play, how you eat, and yes, even how you sleep.”

With each page, chapter, and section of the book providing a deeper look into the self and life’s purpose, the hours spent reading this book can equal light years of change and self-understanding. Bottom line, this book gave me HOPE. A concept I've been to busy trying to survive to visit lately. A feeling that we must have in order to navigate through this difficult time, and the foundation upon which we build our future. Through this book, I found hope for the future, and developed a concept of what I need to do to navigate this period in time. I've been a fan of Walsch for years and years, and read and re-read his Conversations with God Series numerous times. While this is the first book I have read in his Conversations with Humanity Series, it won’t be the last.

I am a Hay House Book Reviewer, and received this book free of charge for review. My credibility, and the credibility of Zen Life Solutions, LLC, is extremely important to me, and I only review or promote products that personally resonate with my journey and our work. Hay House did not request a positive review of the book. This site is independently owned and the opinions expressed here are my own. Well, mine and sometimes Gary’s

What to say about this book or how to even start reviewing it? It took me a while to sit down and try to put into words what I experienced while reading the words from Mr. Walsch. Not in a bad way at all. The message is meaningful yet puzzling, common sense yet Utopian, matter of fact yet an illusion. And it sticks. And you know it's true and you believe it.

There will be no spoil alert here. I won't describe what is the only thing that matters. You need to read it to find out, which is a message you probably already know and just need to be re-minded of. The content is different than that of any other authors who ignites in us the passion about the one subject: the law of attraction. Here, the message is being delivered in a totally casual way, as if the author is your friend and is talking to you, and in some instances, as the text implies and suggests, you feel like you are the one writing the book. It gets convoluted at times, because there's an overload of information being revealed almost all at once. But it's not discouraging. It's refreshing. It's needed. It's a spiritual voyage. You need time to absorb this message, by going back to some of the chapters and digesting it again and again. And it will make sense. And it will be the only thing that matters.

This is a book to be kept by your bedside table. And read and re-read many times until the message is clear and infused in your mind and soul like you're supposed to know. Good luck and good reading!

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Re-Membering Your Soul’s Knowledge – Stop Getting to Where you are Going the Long Way

“Know who you really are – and that all those whose lives you touch might
know who they are as well, by the light of your example.”

So says Neale Donald Walsch, author of The Only Thing That Matters.

Walsch gave me a “get out of prison” pass. The pass provided me the ability to learn how to bypass my pain and suffering. It’s a pass that can stop the unending supply of negative energy in life. It’s all about re-membering (Walsch’s play on words) my mind to my soul’s knowledge.

What I’ve learned from The Only Thing That Matters is that re-membering my soul’s knowledge is easier than I thought.

By re-membering (reconnecting) my body and mind to my soul with tools he provides, I can tap into solving problems that my soul has already solved for me. It’s a matter of bringing forth and remembering my soul’s knowledge.

This was a remarkable book reminding me that my soul has a path and a journey. The only problem I’m having with following my path is that I keep taking another route. My route is always a harder one because I keep deviating from the path my soul already knows.

Walsch explains that everything happening to me right now is to give me the opportunity to connect with my soul’s agenda. His tools are to free me from suffering, anger, resentment, self-blame, lack of self-worth, hurt and even injury.

An eye-opener was when Walsch asked me to agree that anger, hatred, and violence are a distorted form of love? It was an “aha” moment for me; one that Walsch spends a great deal of time explaining so eloquently in this book.

He explains that this distortion disrupts our ability to connect our body, mind and soul and, therefore, takes us off course.

When the choice in life is to make a living or make a life, Walsch proves there is only one answer; it’s simple, yet very complex. It will shock you into a full-blown consciousness you never thought possible. It will get you going where you were always meant to go.

As always, I send you my blessings and wishes for a prosperous and abundant life!

(I received this book for free from Hay House publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.)

This is my review of The Only Thing That Matters by Neale Donald Walsch. I acknowledge that I received this book free from Hay House Publishing to review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment.

First and most importantly, I have never read a book quite like this. Although I am familiar with Neale Donald Walsch, I have not read his Conversation series books before. I think that for many, myself included, The Only Thing That Matters conveys a lot of concepts that could be considered mind-blowing, yet the content itself is really nothing new. At least not for a person who reads self-help and is familiar with gratititude, forgiveness, etcetera.

The book itself is very easy to read and written in a stream of consciousness type style. In fact, I read the entirety of it in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. The chapters are short, though, meaning a person could take their time reading The Only Thing That Matters to full absorb everything that it has said. I did find myself needing to pause every so often to really take in what was written.

Again, while the content itself isn't exactly new information, Neale Donald Walsch presents it in a way that is new and innovative. For such deep topics, The Only Thing That Matters is actually an incredibly easy read.

Wow! I can honestly say, I have never read a book like this one. Ever. And I've read most of the Conversations With God series. I've gotten a lot out of the works of Neale Donald Walsch over the years, though I did find Happier Than God a bit confusing on the first read. That said, The Only Thing That Matters really, and I mean really, stands out from the pack. There's some mind blowing stuff in this sucker. A couple times, I just put the bookmark in, closed it, and stared at the back cover while I assimilated what was just communicated. This is Book 2 in the Conversations With Humanity series, I haven't yet read Book 1, but I didn't find that to be any hindrance whatsoever. You know, it's really great when a self-help book actually helps you better understand your self, your place in the grand scheme of things, and how to improve your experience of both. The Only Thing That Matters lays it all out in a way that is easy to understand (once you get past startled). It also contains five powerful gifts that will change your life if you let them. It's ironic that a book on spirituality and oneness can be so unique, the author truly outdid himself on this one. I swear, I'm not just saying that.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.