I have had a wonderful opportunity in life with my association with Author Eric Maisel. Eric is not only the foremost creativity coach in the United States, but also a psychotherapist, philosopher and cultural observer. I've gotten to know Eric through this blog, interviewing him for his books Van Gogh Blues and Ten Zen Seconds.
I find Eric to be both interesting and inspiring so when the opportunity came to read and blog/review his newest book,
The Atheist's Way, I jumped at the chance. I've always been extremely open-minded and was interested in witnessing a view foreign to my own. The book arrived in the mail, I tore open the package, held the book in my hands and felt a wave of panic pour through me. Would reading this cause me to question my own spirituality? Would I lose blog readers in droves due to the subject matter? Would discussing this with my friends and family as I am often want to do cause strife in my life?
I found much of this to be untrue (we'll have to see how you, the reader respond). Eric's exuberance for his lifestyle could be considered a sales pitch for atheism by those so against that which is against their own mores, however, I found the book to be a very well written and a beautiful treatise in Universal ethics and morals. What I got from the book was simply a call to be the best person I can be, responsible for my actions and how I treat those around me. Did it cause me to question my spirituality? It caused me to examine and re-affirm it, knowing the path I have taken is right for me.
Eric's book, The Atheist's Way, is a must read both for those who are firm in their beliefs and open minded enough to learn about the full spectrum of religion and non-religion and those who are struggling with their belief system. While sometimes a hard read as I examined who I am and what I believe, I do feel that it is a book that has helped me to grow, and that is always a good thing.
