Jennifer M. (js1997) reviewed Where Am I Going? Moving From Religious Tourist to Spiritual Explorer on + 13 more book reviews
Whatever has happened in your life up until now, whatever you have believed in, hoped for, or dreamed of, is in the past. A new meaningful life awaits you. You have the opportunity to clearly see it. I have written this book as if the two of us are about to walk through a gate into a deeper experience of lifes meaning. All you have to do is open the gate. pgs. 15-16
In her book Where Am I Going? Moving From Religious Tourist to Spiritual Explorer, Michelle Cromer provides a roadmap of her own individual spiritual journey and what she has learned while passing through seven distinct stages of inner transformation:
The Wake-Up Call
Denial and Fear
The Search for Deeper Spiritual Meaning
The Dark Night of the Soul
Spiritual Surrender
The Clarity Moment
Where Am I Going?
Although Cromer admits in the book that she was raised a Christian and there are moments throughout the book where this comes out, this book does not strongly follow any one religious faction. There is mention of God many times; but there is also reference to the Higher Power as well. Cromers book isnt about what you call this supreme being; rather it focuses on an individuals journey to understanding their own spirituality and how one can find this sense in oneself. Personally, there are some things in this book that sounded a bit New Age-y to me (mysticism for one) and some things that seemed a bit contradictory, but there were a lot more things that made a lot of sense (prayer, meditation) and made me stop to ponder my own spiritual transformation.
There was one thing that the author revealed at the end of the book that perplexed me and is probably due to our differing theology. I am a Christian. I believe that there is one path to God and that is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Based on what the author wrote through the course of her book, I was led to believe that the author is also a Christian (pg. 130, specifically I am a woman, I am a mother, and I am a Christian.).
Yet, at the very end of the book, she writes: I understand now that there are many paths to God and enlightenment. (pg. 156, emphasis mine). Perhaps on her spiritual quest, she came to a new understanding of her Christianity. If thats the case, I would have liked to have seen that development through through the book. Instead, I am left wondering.
For those who do not identify with any known religion, this is a fantastic book to help you get started with your spiritual journey (or at least getting you started thinking about it!). For many people, just thinking about it raises the stress level. But, Cromer has written a book that will appeal to everyone. For those who shy away from texts that are specific to one denomination or another, this one is universal. It is not specific to Christians or Buddhists or Hindus or anyone else (although all are mentioned in some fashion or another). It can be of help to those who do identify with a religion and those who dont. For me, I would have liked something geared more toward the Christian perspective, but I still got some great things from this book. There is a lot here that will make you stop and think. It is definitely a book that can and should be read more than once.
Check out some of my favorite quotes from the book below.
I will never forget waking up in Kathmandu and not having any idea who I was. None. Zero. Zip. I dont mean like Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity or one of those soap opera stars who gets bumped on the head and cant figure out who she is. No, Im talking about something far worse; waking up to the horrible reality that I had no idea who I was or what my life meant. I was stuck in the middle of a meaningless existence. And I wanted out. pgs. 8-9
Shouldnt life be about more than just working, trying to make money, buying stuff, and traveling? What if theres more to life than what we experience with our five senses? pg. 9
because once you begin to ask deep questions of yourself, you activate and open a dormant part of your brain, and like Pandoras box, it is a part that may never be closed again. pgs. 14-15
I discovered I was entering a period in my life that I call the Age of Meaningit is the time in your life when you finally wake up and ask questions that propel you to discover who you were born to be, leading you to an understanding of your lifes deeper purpose. pg. 15
You dont have to be a person of a particular faith to know that there is more going on in the world than just the activities we can experience with the five senses. pgs. 25-26
If we could order up a life like we do food in a diner, I am sure most of us would request, One good life, please, and hold the pain. pg. 41
Trusting your feelings is the first step to processing them. Your feelings are trying to communicate with you, trying to tell you something. Accept them, own them, and try not to judge them. Feelings may simply be our souls way of getting our attention. pg. 48
When I pray, I dont ask of plead for things, I surrender the need to control the outcome of events. pg. 51
Praying gives me a chance to talk to God, and meditating gives God the chance to talk to me. pg. 51
We search everywhere except for the one place we need to go, deeper into ourselves. Perhaps because deep down we are afraid of who we really are. pg. 55
I think most people try to worship a God that they can define so that God then behaves in a way they can expect, but God is a complete mystery. pg. 147
In her book Where Am I Going? Moving From Religious Tourist to Spiritual Explorer, Michelle Cromer provides a roadmap of her own individual spiritual journey and what she has learned while passing through seven distinct stages of inner transformation:
The Wake-Up Call
Denial and Fear
The Search for Deeper Spiritual Meaning
The Dark Night of the Soul
Spiritual Surrender
The Clarity Moment
Where Am I Going?
Although Cromer admits in the book that she was raised a Christian and there are moments throughout the book where this comes out, this book does not strongly follow any one religious faction. There is mention of God many times; but there is also reference to the Higher Power as well. Cromers book isnt about what you call this supreme being; rather it focuses on an individuals journey to understanding their own spirituality and how one can find this sense in oneself. Personally, there are some things in this book that sounded a bit New Age-y to me (mysticism for one) and some things that seemed a bit contradictory, but there were a lot more things that made a lot of sense (prayer, meditation) and made me stop to ponder my own spiritual transformation.
There was one thing that the author revealed at the end of the book that perplexed me and is probably due to our differing theology. I am a Christian. I believe that there is one path to God and that is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Based on what the author wrote through the course of her book, I was led to believe that the author is also a Christian (pg. 130, specifically I am a woman, I am a mother, and I am a Christian.).
Yet, at the very end of the book, she writes: I understand now that there are many paths to God and enlightenment. (pg. 156, emphasis mine). Perhaps on her spiritual quest, she came to a new understanding of her Christianity. If thats the case, I would have liked to have seen that development through through the book. Instead, I am left wondering.
For those who do not identify with any known religion, this is a fantastic book to help you get started with your spiritual journey (or at least getting you started thinking about it!). For many people, just thinking about it raises the stress level. But, Cromer has written a book that will appeal to everyone. For those who shy away from texts that are specific to one denomination or another, this one is universal. It is not specific to Christians or Buddhists or Hindus or anyone else (although all are mentioned in some fashion or another). It can be of help to those who do identify with a religion and those who dont. For me, I would have liked something geared more toward the Christian perspective, but I still got some great things from this book. There is a lot here that will make you stop and think. It is definitely a book that can and should be read more than once.
Check out some of my favorite quotes from the book below.
I will never forget waking up in Kathmandu and not having any idea who I was. None. Zero. Zip. I dont mean like Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity or one of those soap opera stars who gets bumped on the head and cant figure out who she is. No, Im talking about something far worse; waking up to the horrible reality that I had no idea who I was or what my life meant. I was stuck in the middle of a meaningless existence. And I wanted out. pgs. 8-9
Shouldnt life be about more than just working, trying to make money, buying stuff, and traveling? What if theres more to life than what we experience with our five senses? pg. 9
because once you begin to ask deep questions of yourself, you activate and open a dormant part of your brain, and like Pandoras box, it is a part that may never be closed again. pgs. 14-15
I discovered I was entering a period in my life that I call the Age of Meaningit is the time in your life when you finally wake up and ask questions that propel you to discover who you were born to be, leading you to an understanding of your lifes deeper purpose. pg. 15
You dont have to be a person of a particular faith to know that there is more going on in the world than just the activities we can experience with the five senses. pgs. 25-26
If we could order up a life like we do food in a diner, I am sure most of us would request, One good life, please, and hold the pain. pg. 41
Trusting your feelings is the first step to processing them. Your feelings are trying to communicate with you, trying to tell you something. Accept them, own them, and try not to judge them. Feelings may simply be our souls way of getting our attention. pg. 48
When I pray, I dont ask of plead for things, I surrender the need to control the outcome of events. pg. 51
Praying gives me a chance to talk to God, and meditating gives God the chance to talk to me. pg. 51
We search everywhere except for the one place we need to go, deeper into ourselves. Perhaps because deep down we are afraid of who we really are. pg. 55
I think most people try to worship a God that they can define so that God then behaves in a way they can expect, but God is a complete mystery. pg. 147
