Tara Springett

I wanted to like this book. I was going to read it from cover to cover in one sitting, and be amazed, and change my life, and then write the most wondrous review. But, it didn't work out that way. It took three months of hard slog to get two thirds of the way into this book, and it's less than 150 pages. I just can't bring myself to read this bilge for any longer. It's like being counseled by a Care Bear!

The concept is simple enough. Use loosely adapted Tibetan Buddhist visualisation techniques to receive symbols from your higher consciousness that represent your problems. Then, work with these symbols as a way to work on and overcome your problems. Ok, I get it. Lots of meditative practices use similar visualisation techniques, and there's even some crossover here with the use of Sigils in magick. But, is it any great secret that changing the way you think or feel about your problems can help you to overcome them?

Her description of the process is muddy at best. Practically every page is punctuated with the repeated phrase "Higher Consciousness Healing," which is her patented miraculous unique formulation of a well known visualistation technique. And The 'Five-Minute Miracle' is actually four to six weeks of using this visualisation at least twice a day. None of this drives me quite so crazy as the fuzzy, cloying, saccharine, woo-woo that it's all wrapped up in:

"Susan was married to a man who was verbally abusive to her on a regular basis. I helped her receive a healing symbol from her higher consciousness and showed her how to send love to herself and to her husband by enveloping them both in bubbles of loving joyful light."

If phrases like that don't set alarm bells ringing or have you reaching for the sick bucket, then enjoy. This is your book of the year. For anyone else, save yourself the money, and consider learning any sort of meditative practice from the original source material instead.… (meer)

As a meditator myself, I was attracted to the idea of a short, powerful practice. I did find lots of little ideas that are interesting and applicable to life. And the author used plenty of examples from clients to illustrate her points. Yet, in the end, I didn't see the practice she suggests as something I would incorporate into my life. As another reviewer suggested, maybe this book is too simple for experienced practitioners and too much for beginners. Having said that, I do think it's a worthwhile read and potentially effective for many people.… (meer)