Author and physician Brian Weiss first delved into the realm of past-life therapy in his highly successful and controversial book Many Lives, Many Masters. Although he has since developed a huge following in the field of "regression therapy" (in which clients are hypnotized in order to access previous lifetimes), Weiss has focused this latest book on the here and now. "Past lives are still a significant concept and value for me, but understanding and expressing love, joy, and inner peace in my everyday life have become more significant," Weiss explains.

Weiss, who is now an internationally sought-after lecturer, uses his teaching voice to address happiness and love in our current lifetimes. This is indeed a "how-to" book, packed with ambitious discussions on why we choose to "come back" to our current lives and the role of fate. He also devotes many chapters to spiritual self-help, showing readers why it's important to let go of anger, develop a loving spiritual family, and cultivate love and compassion. No, these are not new or original concepts. But those who liked the past-life visions and riveting anecdotes in Many Lives, Many Masters will find themselves equally riveted. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly
According to Weiss, the earth is like a "chaotic one-room schoolhouse" in which evolving souls reincarnate to learn faith, charity, compassion and the transcendence of fear and anger. The author, a psychiatrist and expert in psychopharmacology, was moved to learn more about reincarnation after patients under hypnosis described detailed, verifiable memories of past-life experiences. Meditation and work with mediums then brought him in contact with "master spirits," who helped him develop a psychoanalytic method grounded in spirituality. The spirits' messages, which Weiss first presented in Many Lives, Many Masters, appear here in condensed form and elucidate themes such as karma, obstacles to happiness and joy, the reunion of soul mates and love's capacity to connect souls across all dimensions. The author employs case studies, some involving celebrities like singer Gloria Estefan and bestselling author and medium James Van Praagh, to explain past-life regressions, near-death experiences and communication with deceased loved ones. While Weiss's points about the paranormal are provocative, his book would have benefited from the addition of case studies clarifying how the integration of spirituality into psychotherapy enhances the healing process. And his contention that contemporary psychotherapies lack spiritual roots and are "in their death throes" will be widely challenged in psychiatric circles. Still, his work sheds light on a controversial topic worthy of serious attention. Agent, Joni Evans. (May) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Gentle soundings from a spiritual physician.

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Publishers Weekly