The Journey Home By Simon Parke

 

The Journey Home, The New Ten Commandments for discovering your true self by Simon Parke

I got given this book from a friend Bob after I'd finished a discussion with him on a book I'd previously read, The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle.

Parke gives his Ten Commandments for the search for true self, they are::

1. Be present
2. Observe yourself
3. Be nothing
4. Flee attachment
5. Transcend suffering
6. Drop your illusions
7. Prepare for truth
8. Cease separation
9. Know your soul
10. Fear Nothing

Certainly the first commandment was the most similar to Tolle, be "present". Most of the examples were for the nurture of the soul. It was something that I've sort of missed spiritually with the denominations that I'd been apart of. Or maybe I'd deliberately tried to avoid this area in my life?

Parke gives each little commandment a couple of illustrations, some of which were quite tangible. (One of my criticism of Tolle was examples where too generalised, at least for me.) Parke's examples were more generalised. Although I would have liked more examples to be more about experiences that Simon Parke had regarding the commandments. I was rather interested in his life once been a priest and then becoming a shop steward! I sure there would have been a few good examples with this sort of life and transition.

 

Overall 3/5

 

The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle

This book when I think of it is the first of the "New Age" genre. It had been given to me and had been sitting on my book shelf for quite a while. From what I can gather it became a best seller after Oprah got her hands on it.

On good reads I gave the book 2/5. Not so much for the content. Rather I just think it could have been written better. I'm not a great fan of short question answers. It seems a bit lazy to me. The other thing is I didn't find his examples all that detailed. To be fair I was comparing this to Christian authors. Not on the content but rather the ease of reading, the giving of examples use of language. So If I look at Christian authors that I read such as Rob Bell, some of Brian Mclaren, Marcus Borg, it just wasn't as good.

Now if I looked at content; well I think he is onto something. The whole idea of been present now, I think this is spot on.

It reminded me of one of my favourite ideas that of, 'Celtic Christianity's thin places' God been present in the here and now, stopping and looking for him.

Also what Tolle has to say about surrender I first really 'seen' was in Palliative care.

'Yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life'.

I was reminded of what Paul had to say about dying to the old self. (Romans 8:11 one of a few examples. I supose you could paraphrase it giving your life to Jesus in the resurrection, dying with Him.)

I also appreciated the attempts to often bridge theologies; they were mainly Christian but some times eastern.

Rating 2/5