book review: Defy Gravity by Caroline Myss

I was surprised to find a package from Hay House in my mailbox a few weeks ago. I had not ordered anything, so I had no idea what was inside.

As some of you already know, I hope to be published by Hay House someday. So I held the hefty envelope in my hand without opening it, and indulged in a brief but very satisfying fantasy that it contained the first copy of my very own book.

When my curiosity finally reached critical mass, I tore the package open and extracted a copy of Caroline Myss's new book, Defy Gravity: Healing Beyond the Bounds of Reason. Also included was a letter from the Hay House marketing folks inviting me to read it and post a review on my blog.

What a delightful surprise! I felt honored that my opinion had been solicited, and grateful to receive a free copy of a book by such a well-known and respected author.

I'm familiar with some of Myss's earlier books. I read Anatomy of the Spirit years ago when it first came out. I skimmed Why People Don't Heal, and thumbed through Sacred Contracts.

And I have to be completely honest -- I don't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning, much less what I thought about those books. All I know is that I haven't felt inspired to read anything of hers for quite some time.

Could be that I seamlessly integrated the concepts and now they've become so much a part of me that I don't feel the need to review them. Could be that other authors package these ideas in ways that feel more accessible to me. Could be neither, or both.

In any case, this book was a gift from the people that I hope will one day be promoting my own book, and I felt honored that they sent me a review copy. So, although I would not have picked this title up on my own, I decided to check it out.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Myss has neatly compiled in one book many of the esoteric and mystical principles that it took me years of study to gather from a variety of sources. If you resonate with her writing style, and are interested in exploring some of the deeper dynamics underlying illness, you may enjoy Defy Gravity.

I suspect it may be an especially satisfying read for folks who feel they have 'outgrown' the confines of their religious upbringing, yet still take comfort in some of the concepts, such as grace and forgiveness. She frequently references Christian figures such as St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, and reframes the Seven Deadly Sins. She also sprinkles in some figures from other religions and traditions, such as the Dalai Lama and Sai Baba.

Her writing style is a bit too complex and left-brainy for me personally. (Abraham is more my style these days.) If I'd cracked this book open ten years ago, I probably would have dropped everything to devour it from cover to cover. Now, however, I tend to gravitate more toward the short, sweet, simple stuff.

I don't require a lot of scientific proof or stories to convince me - if a concept feels right in my gut, that's grounds enough for me to close the book and go experiment with it. She periodically offers questions to help the reader explore his or her own beliefs, which makes for an interactive and personal experience of the material.

Basically, I suspect you'll know right away when you thumb through this book on amazon.com or at your book store if it's a good fit for you. I plan to donate this copy to my local public library. I imagine it will inspire new insight and awareness in those who read it, and maybe even some some 'miraculous' healings.