Book review - The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer

Today we are reviewing a book that changed our lives and has really inspired us as we've been traveling this journey. Today we review ‘The Untethered Soul’ by Michael Singer.

Firstly, it is a real yoga book.

We loved it to the extent that every time we read or listen to a chapter it seems like we've got a whole bunch of new information for transformation.

Kristina - Even as I was listening to it, it was having an impact on the way I was in the world. It had an impact in the past and it's having an impact right now today.

How did it impact me while reading it? Something happened in my life, and I was struggling with it, I had a reaction to what was happening. The Untethered Soul told me to not express my reaction, instead I was guided to sit with it, hold it and let it work its way through you.

Basically, he was suggesting as the emotions or feelings bubbled away, I didn’t have to eat, or run, or talk, or yell at someone and tell everyone how I was really feeling. Which is interesting because when something's coming up for me, I try to distract myself from going deeper into the feeling that is coming up.  I try to move the energy without going into it. In the book I was told to just sit with the energy and allow it to process work its way through me. The theory being that through the process of holding the energy it works its way through you, releases and then it never triggers you again in your life.

So, I said OKAY I’m just going to sit with this because i know it's the right thing to do, life's giving me the perfect opportunity.  Because that’s what life does. I’m going to practice what I need to learn and do exactly what I need to do.  So, I sat with it for two weeks. I really did sit with it for two weeks. Then there was that moment where I realised something shifted and then I was willing to make the apology and move forward. What happened afterwards was nothing short of a miracle.

It is interesting in terms of sitting like that for two weeks, because that is a long time to hold something, do nothing and let it process through you.  

So that was what resonated with me this time, whereas when I read it another time it might be something else.

Audrie - From the first time I read it, I noticed it was about how we try to make the world not trigger us.

He describes it in the book as you build yourself this house, in this beautiful paddock, the sun's shining, it's a glorious day. But you are worried things are going to be triggering, so you go inside, and you think right I better protect myself a little bit. So, you pull the blinds down, it's all dark, so you've got to switch the lights on, then the lights stop working because you're not actually earning any money, so you haven't paid your electricity bills, so then you use up a few candles that you have left. Then, oh my goodness the candles have all burnt out, but luckily the housekeeper that happens to be in the house with you finds a box of torches that work, but you must shake them all the time - suddenly, you're living in this dark house. Living a constricted life.  Because you don't want anything to upset you. Because you're trying to withdraw yourself and not be triggered by anything suddenly you don't even have a life, you are living in this fortress.

The fortress is constructed by your thoughts, the house was a metaphor. You do leave the house, but in real life you don't leave the fortress of your own thinking.

You might find someone to marry you, or find a partnership or friends and the agreement that you have

with these people is do not trigger me. You are just carrying on with those solid walls around you wherever you go and with who whomever you're with. Some of us have these out of bounds topics and there's things that people know are going to upset some people, so we avoid talking about those things with those people.

It circles back round to the beginning of the book. Who's the person that's being triggered?

As you read The Untethered Soul you will begin thinking about who's noticing and whose thoughts are

these? You’ll think, well they're mine. Then you’ll ask, who are you?

It's a very spiritual practice to understand that consciousness, the internal consciousness, is the one who notices, the one who is noticing the thoughts, or the one who is noticing the emotions and that’s the real you.

The practice of yoga is becoming the witness and becoming the observer of yourself in the moment, so you can be detached and able to notice something's happening that's upsetting.

In the book he recommended just let it go straight away. As soon as you start to notice that your body temperature's rising, that you're getting a bit frustrated, or you feel like picking up the phone and telling someone how you’re feeling; just take a deep breath and let it go.

Who would you be if you would be willing to let it go and keep peeling back the layers of the onion of yourself?  

It is such a big part of the book, answering the question who are you; really?

There are eight limbs of yoga, the practice on the mat, the movements are what many people think of as yoga.

Asana (the physical poses) literally translates as comfortable seat, we're doing the asana practice to create a comfortable seat for us to sit, meditate, to self-reflect, to hold, witness and observe those emotions and feelings that are coming up. The asana practice is the process where you create the seat to come to know yourself.

The physical practice is the time to settle into yourself ready for noticing and transforming, with the power of letting it.

Audrie’s key take out - who is the real me?

I reflected on this and wondered am I the same person as I was when I was seven or when I was 27 or 57? I wondered who is this person beyond the life story and facts?  I’m a divine being having a human experience.

He recommends giving yourself a point of perspective. If you're starting to get wound up just remind yourself that you are a human being standing on a planet that's spinning around the sun in some random solar system. Remember life is so much bigger than you and that problem that you think you have right now.

Kristina’s key take out - at the end of the book he says the whole point of life is to be happy.

One of my fundamental beliefs is our purpose is joy, how we find joy is different for each one of us. When you make the decision to truly be happy, above all else. He means beyond seeking happiness in a pair of shoes, or a handbag, or a bottle of wine, or a title and a business employment situation. He describes happiness as more than that.

You've got to be willing to get to the point where your happiness is something that comes from inside of you and is unwavering irrespective of what life might be throwing at you from moment to moment. At some point in your life if you really want to be happy you must decide that's what you want. So, ask yourself, do you really want to let go of all the things that are not making you happy, or to face all the things that you're holding on to that are keeping you tethered to an unhappy life?

The point of yoga is bliss. So, when you decide I just want to be happy, that is a transformational moment.  

For the youtube episode on the books that have changed our lives follow this link - https://youtu.be/vOEcX7qQsg4