Science of Mind magazine

A Guide for Spiritual Living

June 2009

"When the Soul Awakens presents a meaningful perspective on today's world.  It makes sense of events in the world and in our own lives that seem perplexing, even though we know that all is God.  What is happening, say the authors, is that the soul is awakening.  A great dawning of consciousness is underway.  Collective spiritual growth is seeding a new civilization.

Elaborating on this idea, authors Seifer and Vieweg say that so many people have now reached the threshold of this awakening that in our evolving world the spiritual principles of oneness, love, and compassion are now evident around the globe.  One sign of the new world era of open-hearted concern for others is the proliferation of humanitarian agencies like the Red Cross and other organizations dedicated to the relief of suffering everywhere.  Other signs include an expanding recognition that universal principles are common to all religions, the growing numbers of people who study spiritual teachings, and an increasing emphasis on integrity and self-responsibility.

Seifer and Vieweg derive their knowledge primarily from the esoteric writings of Alice Bailey, and their book unveils the fascinating ideas found in her many books.  It offers compelling insights from diverse saints, mystics, and sages as well, from Teresa of Avila to Dostoevsky and from Rumi to Eckhart Tolle.  The authors foster a profound awareness of the meaning and purpose of life when they explain the stages of spiritual transformation--the path of the soul as it awakens.  They shine a light on the spiritual evolution each of us is undergoing, regardless of where we currently are on that journey.  A tremendously affirming and uplifting book, When the Soul Awakens moves us forward on the journey of life, from fear and suffering to love and oneness."

v

New Thought magazine

Dedicated to the Spiritual Enlightenment and Transformation of the Individual and the World

Spring 2009

"This book depicts the coming new age as a higher stage in consciousness that will flower into a new civilization.  It explores the significance of the millions of people around the globe who are awakening spiritually and taking part in a collective passage to higher awareness.

The authors state, 'With every year of the new millennium, there are growing indications that a cycle of history is ending.  Unfathomable thought it may seem, we are actually in the midst of the Great Turning of the Ages that many religious and esoteric teachings have long predicted:  the much anticipated moment when humanity will move out of an age of spiritual darkness and into an age of light.'

When the Soul Awakens was written for seekers in this time of transition.  It is based on a body of modern esoteric teachings known as the Ageless Wisdom, whose essential truths are ancient and universal.  However, the modern teachings point the way toward the next stage in human evolution, offering the vision that informs this book.  Citing thinkers from Plato to Emerson, William James to Dostoyevsky, Rumi to Teilhard de Chardin and the Dalai Lama, the book reveals the true nature of the soul.  Through the wisdom teachings, it explains the process of spiritual evolution and depicts the journey ahead.

What marks the uniqueness of this moment in history, the authors state, is the number of people who are awakening to the soul’s reality.  In earlier times, such individuals were extremely rare.  The book explores several prominent manifestations of soul awareness, defined as the recognition of the essential unity of life:  the growing numbers of people who feel called to mitigate human suffering and create a more humane world; the remarkable growth of interest in collective wisdom and consciousness, and the notable increase of young people with old souls.

Seifer and Vieweg view the book as appropriate for readers new to the spiritual path, as well as for those who have been longtime students of spiritual and esoteric knowledge."

v

Kirkus Discoveries

November 2008

"An intense exploration of the mystical concept of “ageless wisdom,” which Seifer and Vieweg describe as a body of ideas, laws and truths that have guided seekers throughout time in finding and reveling in the world’s spirituality.

The [book]…opens with a well-written and thought-provoking introduction that quickly lays out the authors’ hypothesis—mankind is now, more than ever, ready and willing to embark upon a spiritual quest.  The authors point to tragedies such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina as catalysts for this movement.  Seifer and Vieweg support this theory with a series of 10 dense chapters, each of which opens with a thought-provoking quotation from a saint, poet, writer or prophet that logically guides the chapter.  Although the book provides ample coverage of the history of ageless wisdom, the authors also focus on illuminating its role in the world’s current state, and make predictions about its future.  Seifer and Vieweg thoroughly cover reincarnation, the qualities and existence of the human soul, the experience of spiritual awakening and the history of ageless wisdom.  Woven throughout the text is a fine balance of description and quotations from spiritual leaders from around the world and across time—this provides this text with a global and timeless perspective…. A useful text for readers curious about New Age spirituality."

v

The Beacon
A magazine of esoteric philosophy

July-September 2008

"Intended as a bridge to the Ageless Wisdom for those whom the Tibetan described as “the intelligentsia” and “advanced humanity,” the authors state that When the Soul Awakens “was written for thinking people who are reaching for higher understanding but who need a stepping stone to approach the inner core of esoteric knowledge.”

In Chapters on such topics as The Real Human Being, Awakening, The Path, The Fruits of Suffering, and The Soul’s Religion, some of the timeless conditions and requirements of the spiritual Path are addressed with fresh understanding, common sense and considerable insight.  Written with clarity, and with quotations drawn from many time-honored sources to help augment the text, When the Soul Awakens will expand the reader’s understanding of the conditions by which the Way can be followed.  It is particularly suited to the intelligent, searching inquirer but even those who consider themselves well-read in esotericism will find illumination in the many insights expressed with precision and thoughtful understanding of the joys and challenges of the spiritual Path."

∞