Interfaith Reader Recommends...

Ten Spiritual Lessons for a Balanced Life, by Robert D. Balmes

You look stressed. Or maybe you don't. How should I know? Thing is, though, the odds are very good that you feel stressed. And why not? The war in Iraq in now in its fifth year. Global Warming threatens the very existence of the human race. The middle class is squeezed by tax breaks for the very rich and evaporating social aid programs for the very poor. Gas costs over $3 a gallon. Your boss is probably a jerk (at least sometimes). Argh! How can anyone get any peace of mind these days?

If stress has ever driven you to ask a question like this, author Rob Balmes may have someof the answers you are looking for. His slender volume, Ten Spiritual Lessons for a Balanced Life, provides simple, yet provocative insights into the reality behind everyday reality and the shape of the path our life's journey is intended to take. Ten Spiritual Lessons offers unique perspectives on reality, the meaning of life, and attaining peace and contentment in this life as we travel to the next. (FULL DISCLOSURE: Rob Balmes is a friend of mine. FULLER DISCLOSURE: I won't get one red cent for any sales of Rob's book.)

The beauty for interfaith households is that this book is non-denominational. Mr. Balmes does not specifically identify or otherwise refer to any established religion or faith tradition throughout any of his discourses. One potential downside to this book is the fact that, while it is not representative of any specific faith, it is predicated upon the existence of God and the eternal nature of the human soul. Therefore its value to atheist readers out there may be limited.

The author divides the book into ten succinct chapters devoted to the following topics: Eternal Life; Reality; Love; Dimensionality; Perfection; Thought; Health; Care; Action; Realization. Each chapter concludes with a short lesson, or exercise, to reinforce its particular theme. The chapters build upon each other, with the themes woven thoughtfully as they culminate in the final chapter on Realization. Here, the book's final message is that harmony can be attained only once we have made peace with the reality of our existence and when we direct our actions to pursue those things our souls desire. The ability to behave this way calls for trust (in God, or the Universe), which in turn enables us to make counter-intuitive moves that look risky or foolish but which actually advance our interests. If Mr. Balmes' work can be compared to any faith tradition or religion, the philosophy and practices he espouse compare favorably with both Buddhism and Taoism.

Ten Spiritual Lessons isn't The Confessions of St. Augustine or the Bhagavad-Gita, but neither does it pretend to be. Rather, it is simply a collection of thought-provoking reflections and exercises that may be profound enough to positively alter the way that you view and experience the world. As Mr. Balmes writes in the introduction, "The Ten Spiritual Lessons for a Balanced Life seem simplistic in nature. Yet if read and accepted into your heart, they can be instrumental in helping you to create a more balanced and satisfying life."

-Doug L.

FOR FURTHER REFERENCE:

Ten Spiritual Lessons for a Balanced Life (Amazon.com)

Bhagavad-Gita.org

Dharma-Haven.org

Taoist Arts.net

Confessions of St. Augustine (Online Edition, Stoa Consortium)