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Radiance: Experiencing Divine Presence
This 50-page e-book shows you how to experience the Divine in the world in simple ways by being very present. It's possible to experience the mysterious truth that everything is an expression of the Divine by paying close attention to the many signs that reveal this great Mystery. Radiance points out these clues so that you can more easily recognize yourself as the Divine--that which is creating and has created this you that you think you are and all that this you is experiencing. It was given to Gina Lake by her inner teacher.
Gina Lake is a spiritual teacher who is devoted to helping others awaken and live in the moment through her books, online courses, and intensives. She is the author of eight books, including Loving in the Moment, Embracing the Now, Radical Happiness, Living in the Now, Return to Essence, What About Now? Anatomy of Desire, and Getting Free. The focus of her writing and teaching is on helping people be in the present moment and live the happy and fulfilled life that is possible and on shedding light on the programming that interferes with awakening to one's true nature. She is also a gifted intuitive with a master's degree in counseling psychology and over twenty years experience supporting people in their spiritual growth. Her website offers information about her books, free e-books, book excerpts, a monthly newsletter, a blog, and audio and video recordings.
Gina Lake is a spiritual teacher who is devoted to helping others awaken and live in the moment through her books, online courses, and intensives. She is the author of eight books, including Loving in the Moment, Embracing the Now, Radical Happiness, Living in the Now, Return to Essence, What About Now? Anatomy of Desire, and Getting Free. The focus of her writing and teaching is on helping people be in the present moment and live the happy and fulfilled life that is possible and on shedding light on the programming that interferes with awakening to one's true nature. She is also a gifted intuitive with a master's degree in counseling psychology and over twenty years experience supporting people in their spiritual growth. Her website offers information about her books, free e-books, book excerpts, a monthly newsletter, a blog, and audio and video recordings.
73 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2010
277 people are currently reading
636 people want to read
About the author
Gina Lake
74 books74 followersGina Lake is a nondual spiritual teacher and the author of over twenty books about awakening to one’s true nature. She is also a gifted intuitive and channel with a master's degree in Counseling Psychology and over thirty years’ experience supporting people in their spiritual growth. In 2012, Jesus began dictating books through her. These teachings from Jesus are based on universal truth, not on any religion. Then in 2017, at the request of Jesus, Gina and her husband, who is also a nondual spiritual teacher, began offering Christ Consciousness Transmissions to groups online in weekly meetings and monthly intensives. These energy transmissions are a direct current of love and healing that accelerate one’s spiritual evolution. Gina’s YouTube channel has over 175 messages from Jesus to listen to. Her website offers information about her books, online courses, transmissions, a free ebook, and audio and video recordings:
http://www.radicalhappiness.com
http://www.radicalhappiness.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 20, 2015
I'm still not sure what on earth this was about. Not only was it awful, but also confusing as hell and filled with ridiculous statements.
"This is why humans suffer, but you are not actually human, so it isn't necessary for you to suffer this way."
So...this is telling me I'm not a human being. Great. Great start. I should have stopped right there and mark this as DNF. In fact, I'm still trying to figure out why I didn't.
"Essence loves it all, even the chaos, messiness, and challenges."
'Kay, if i ever trusted Essence, whatever the hell it is, I don't anymore!
"The ego is not the only thing moving this body of yours."
You don't say! I wonder, do my legs have anything to do with moving my body?
"There is something else living this life that has been masquerading as the you that you think you are."
...*blinks*...I must have read that wrong.
There is something else.
Living this life.
That has been masquerading.
As the you that you think you are.
That has been masquerading as the you that you think you are .
Just what the hell.
This is NOT spiritual, will NOT help you in your faith and is NOT recommended. If I ever come across the words "Essence", "radiance", "oneness" & co., I will SCREAM.
"This is why humans suffer, but you are not actually human, so it isn't necessary for you to suffer this way."
So...this is telling me I'm not a human being. Great. Great start. I should have stopped right there and mark this as DNF. In fact, I'm still trying to figure out why I didn't.
"Essence loves it all, even the chaos, messiness, and challenges."
'Kay, if i ever trusted Essence, whatever the hell it is, I don't anymore!
"The ego is not the only thing moving this body of yours."
You don't say! I wonder, do my legs have anything to do with moving my body?
"There is something else living this life that has been masquerading as the you that you think you are."
...*blinks*...I must have read that wrong.
There is something else.
Living this life.
That has been masquerading.
As the you that you think you are.
That has been masquerading as the you that you think you are .
Just what the hell.
This is NOT spiritual, will NOT help you in your faith and is NOT recommended. If I ever come across the words "Essence", "radiance", "oneness" & co., I will SCREAM.
September 12, 2013
Absolutely outstanding. The writing style is very clear, and the author has the most important message to humanity that I have ever read. This book has helped me grow and I can apply everything that she has had to say. Anybody who is on a spiritual path would be very well advised to read this book.
February 11, 2013
All I can say about this book is what the hell was this woman smoking and where can I get some? It reads like the ramblings of a total nutjob with some serious problems with magical thinking and I'd advise her to seek therapeutic intervention immediately. There's such things as spirituality and then there's delusional. I want my 2 hours back.
February 11, 2015
I much preferred Eckhart Tolle's "New Earth" and Marianne Williamson's "Return to Love," which cover the same principles more lucidly. But this is a quick read.
February 17, 2015
Great for living in the moment and feeling oneness. If you are religious don't read books like this, you won't get it..
February 22, 2023
I passed this book to several friends of mine because I couldn't stomach more than the first chapter (SOMETHING about the book gave me massive heeby-jeebiez), wanting their opinions on it.
Three of those friends were heavily triggered by the book due specifically to personal experiences with abusive and psychologically damaging religious cultist communities... One of them had no such experiences and wasn't triggered by it, but even said it seems as if it's written for the gullible and easily manipulated / brainwashed, and very much seems like cultist propaganda.
And mind you, I didn't share my own opinions on the book with anyone before they read it. I simply gave it to them... They came to this conclusion themselves on all counts. And even within the first few pages I wholly agree with them.
I picked this book up expecting to find a book about divinity and connecting with it, how to expand your worship and practice, or something similar. Instead, I got a face full of almost incoherent ramblings bordering on cultist propaganda, emotional manipulation, and brainwashing.
This book is genuinely disturbing to me on all fundamental levels. And there are so many problems with it that I don't even know where to start explaining them. But let's talk about the cult thing, first. Because the entire thing absolutely reads like cultist propaganda for brainwashing recruits... More than simply reading like cultist propaganda, though, it fits both a portion of the model of manipulation, and cultist brainwashing techniques, as defined by actual experts, to a T.
From an expert guide on recognizing brainwashing:
From an article dealing with manipulation:
Excerpt from chapter 1 of the book:
Step one of manipulation and brainwashing: Inform the individual being brainwashed that they are nothing. Worthless. Have no real place in the world, are not what they think they are, etc. Invalidate all personal experiences in any way possible.
Step two: Inform them that it's ok. Assume the role of a guidance figure. It's ok, I'll get you through this.
Step three: Replace the self loathing and worthlessness you instilled in step 1 with new purpose. They are a divine vessel, they are a divine figure, etc. This is their whole point in life.
Step four: Set yourself up as some form of trusted guide, counselor, or other spiritual authority figure who can guide them through this change- and imply that you are the only one who can do so.
This book does all of that and more, and it creeps me the fuck out. And that's despite the fact that I could actually, truthfully, kinda get behind the divine vessel idea- if the author hadn't attempted to completely invalidate us as humans, individuals, and people, capable of experiencing our own emotions and pain, etc.
It's an absolute travesty that trees are being wasted to create paperback formats of this book- and I wish I could just burn every copy of this book that I could find; It's bad enough, in my eyes, that this thing is wasting internet space.
I honestly feel sorry for those who have actually found this spiritually "enlightening" in any capacity.
Three of those friends were heavily triggered by the book due specifically to personal experiences with abusive and psychologically damaging religious cultist communities... One of them had no such experiences and wasn't triggered by it, but even said it seems as if it's written for the gullible and easily manipulated / brainwashed, and very much seems like cultist propaganda.
And mind you, I didn't share my own opinions on the book with anyone before they read it. I simply gave it to them... They came to this conclusion themselves on all counts. And even within the first few pages I wholly agree with them.
I picked this book up expecting to find a book about divinity and connecting with it, how to expand your worship and practice, or something similar. Instead, I got a face full of almost incoherent ramblings bordering on cultist propaganda, emotional manipulation, and brainwashing.
This book is genuinely disturbing to me on all fundamental levels. And there are so many problems with it that I don't even know where to start explaining them. But let's talk about the cult thing, first. Because the entire thing absolutely reads like cultist propaganda for brainwashing recruits... More than simply reading like cultist propaganda, though, it fits both a portion of the model of manipulation, and cultist brainwashing techniques, as defined by actual experts, to a T.
From an expert guide on recognizing brainwashing:
"The way we feel about a concept and idea is influenced by our personal experiences. This has both good and bad consequences. The bad part of it is, emotions and feelings can't be defeated by reason even if these feelings are out of place and uncalled for. If you want to use logical reasoning, all you can do is explain your view and then let your opponent accept or reject it on his personal feelings. On the other hand it can be considered a good thing that you can't force someone into believing something simply by superior reasoning. This is also why in many religious debates you'll find that people resort to emotive arguments rather then logical ones. One of the most powerful ways to convey emotive arguments is by art. Poetry, books, music or even paintings can convey strong arguments that can't be defeated by logic. Whether or not that argument or message is realistic is of course a totally different matter. But important here, is that most people do not approach emotive messages from a skeptical, logical point of view."
From an article dealing with manipulation:
"The tactics manipulators use can make it seem like they're hurting, caring for you, defending you; almost anything but fighting. These tactics are hard to recognize as merely clever ploys. They always make just enough sense to make a person doubt their gut hunch that they're being taken advantage of or abused [...] These features make them highly effective psychological weapons to which anyone can be vulnerable. It's hard to think clearly when someone has you emotionally on the run [...] All of us have weaknesses and insecurities that a clever manipulator might exploit. Sometimes, we're aware of these weaknesses and how someone might use them to take advantage of us. For example, I hear parents say things like: "Yeah, I know I have a big guilt button." – But at the time their manipulative child is busily pushing that button, they can easily forget what's really going on. Besides, sometimes we're unaware of our biggest vulnerabilities. Manipulators often know us better than we know ourselves. They know what buttons to push, when and how hard. Our lack of self-knowledge sets us up to be exploited."
Excerpt from chapter 1 of the book:
"Nevertheless, you are not who you think you are. Thinking gives you the illusion of being someone, but you are not someone, but rather Oneness itself; the Divine masquerading as an individual. The masquerade is for the purpose of exploring the physical reality and for having unique experiences you are having as someone. The divine is enjoying the experiences it is having through all of creation, even experiences you would consider unenjoyable. What the Divine enjoys is experience- any experience. It created you just for that, or rather you created you just for that. [P] You may think you are not enjoying an experience, but if you touch deeply within yourself you will discover enjoyment in even the most unpleasant experiences. The joy of these experiences comes simply from the ability to have them, the ability to be alive and experience them. the Divine is enjoying life and celebrating in every moment through every creation, regardless of what is being experienced. Therefore it is possible for you to find joy in any experience as well when you align yourself with the divine Self in you, or essence, instead of the personal self, or the you that you think you are."
Step one of manipulation and brainwashing: Inform the individual being brainwashed that they are nothing. Worthless. Have no real place in the world, are not what they think they are, etc. Invalidate all personal experiences in any way possible.
Step two: Inform them that it's ok. Assume the role of a guidance figure. It's ok, I'll get you through this.
Step three: Replace the self loathing and worthlessness you instilled in step 1 with new purpose. They are a divine vessel, they are a divine figure, etc. This is their whole point in life.
Step four: Set yourself up as some form of trusted guide, counselor, or other spiritual authority figure who can guide them through this change- and imply that you are the only one who can do so.
This book does all of that and more, and it creeps me the fuck out. And that's despite the fact that I could actually, truthfully, kinda get behind the divine vessel idea- if the author hadn't attempted to completely invalidate us as humans, individuals, and people, capable of experiencing our own emotions and pain, etc.
It's an absolute travesty that trees are being wasted to create paperback formats of this book- and I wish I could just burn every copy of this book that I could find; It's bad enough, in my eyes, that this thing is wasting internet space.
I honestly feel sorry for those who have actually found this spiritually "enlightening" in any capacity.
November 12, 2017
I got this book well over a year ago and I don’t even remember buying it (but I found the receipt in my email so that’s how I know when). It came to my attention when I was looking through my Kindle library recently and I felt led to read it. I kept putting it off because I’ve read plenty of books of this genre and I didn’t think it would really be anything new. But I kept feeling compelled to read it so I finally did (thank you Essence). It’s a wonderful book, perhaps not new information for me but presented in such a way that I got a lot out of it and it has benefited me greatly already. I highly recommend it.
August 15, 2021
Hard to "get"
Its too esoteric, it needs to be "humanised" so as to be easily understood. I find that none of Gina's books speak in plain enough language! Whilst I understand that its a difficult subject and ideas to translate, I feel that it needs to be less metaphysical and more down to earth, and if it was it would reach many, many more people, which is surely the point?
Its too esoteric, it needs to be "humanised" so as to be easily understood. I find that none of Gina's books speak in plain enough language! Whilst I understand that its a difficult subject and ideas to translate, I feel that it needs to be less metaphysical and more down to earth, and if it was it would reach many, many more people, which is surely the point?
March 24, 2018
Short and simple and sweet.
Some good insights, and exercises to help center on her theme. More clear exercises would be helpful for those new to the ideas of essence and divine. Short enough for a nice one sitting read.
Some good insights, and exercises to help center on her theme. More clear exercises would be helpful for those new to the ideas of essence and divine. Short enough for a nice one sitting read.
May 12, 2018
Good Points
Good points to ponder, think about and use on a daily bases. This book was a good reminder of how we think affects everything about our being! Thank you Gina Lake for your time and effort to create this book to assist many in many different ways they may need.
Good points to ponder, think about and use on a daily bases. This book was a good reminder of how we think affects everything about our being! Thank you Gina Lake for your time and effort to create this book to assist many in many different ways they may need.
August 31, 2018
Inspiring words to meditate on.
This wisdom is presented in a flowing and east-to-understand way. Taken to heart, the information here is practical as well as inspirational, useful as well as uplifting.
This wisdom is presented in a flowing and east-to-understand way. Taken to heart, the information here is practical as well as inspirational, useful as well as uplifting.
October 22, 2022
Radiance
I liked the practicality of this book. The book’s goal is to teach us to live a more balanced and peaceful life. It also explains in laymen’s terms, our relationship toGod. Loved these teachings.
I liked the practicality of this book. The book’s goal is to teach us to live a more balanced and peaceful life. It also explains in laymen’s terms, our relationship toGod. Loved these teachings.
July 26, 2020
A different perspective on Eckhart Tolle's books. It is a good companion book for Tolle fans.
October 22, 2023
Wonderful
Great book. It taught me a lot. Reminded me about Presence and taught me much about Essence. Essential teachings for life in this world and beyond.
Great book. It taught me a lot. Reminded me about Presence and taught me much about Essence. Essential teachings for life in this world and beyond.
April 19, 2025
Spiritualistic refreshments
It...talks about matters of the divine. Not much to be said. Might be a nice form or medium for meditation.
It...talks about matters of the divine. Not much to be said. Might be a nice form or medium for meditation.
February 21, 2016
Gina Lake is a rare modern day author, in that, not only does Gina recognize an internal spiritual side that exists in all of us, Gina tells us how to see it and feel it.
I have not found a book that has done this until now, this is the search for physical enlightenment.
This being the core reason for my high review. You will like this book.
As they say never look a gift horse in the mouth.
This book is a great gift.
There are some dark patches in this book, one I will highlight.
You have victims of crime and therefor you will have parents of criminals.
Gina says the most henious of criminals will be given a second chance in life. This comment no doubt will irk a lot of victims.
Be assured if we are to have a better world these henious criminals will be judged spiritualy for their actions as it is written in the Word (Bible) and disclosed in the book The Angelic Realm:
1CAnd the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home 1D, these He has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day 1D (Jude 1:6).
The Bible says to those born physical:
1CThen He will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' 1D (Mathew 25:41).
We only need to heal, someone much higher will do the judging.
I have not found a book that has done this until now, this is the search for physical enlightenment.
This being the core reason for my high review. You will like this book.
As they say never look a gift horse in the mouth.
This book is a great gift.
There are some dark patches in this book, one I will highlight.
You have victims of crime and therefor you will have parents of criminals.
Gina says the most henious of criminals will be given a second chance in life. This comment no doubt will irk a lot of victims.
Be assured if we are to have a better world these henious criminals will be judged spiritualy for their actions as it is written in the Word (Bible) and disclosed in the book The Angelic Realm:
1CAnd the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home 1D, these He has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day 1D (Jude 1:6).
The Bible says to those born physical:
1CThen He will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' 1D (Mathew 25:41).
We only need to heal, someone much higher will do the judging.
March 5, 2014
I struggled to read this one. I was hard for me to get into and I am sorry to say that I couldn't even finish it.
She rambled far too much about, I don't even know what. It was complete nonsense from the beginning. It was a free book so I didn't lose anything other than my time from reading this, but I would not recommend this book at all.
She rambled far too much about, I don't even know what. It was complete nonsense from the beginning. It was a free book so I didn't lose anything other than my time from reading this, but I would not recommend this book at all.
September 24, 2017
Very good discussion about the ego versus the higher self or "essence." I Imagine some low in ego might not take this book well. Yes readers, this author mixes theology with New Age spirituality and it is evident in this book. If you don't like it then please be respectful and not suggest the author needs a shrink. You didn't have to pick up this book. Sending you love and light.
January 7, 2015
Good read to start a great year. I left my A New Earth book by Eckhart Tolle on the plane right after New Years returning from holiday. I had this on my Kindle and decided to give it a try. It was a quick read that calmed my mind.
April 8, 2015
I'm sure this book is liked by somebody, somewhere, but it wasn't for me. It seems to be more appealing to the fundamentalist Christian. But since it was free, I guess I should not complain too much.
November 10, 2015
Easy read!
This was an easy read that just felt "right" the whole way through. There were many times where I found myself smiling and taking a screenshot because I was able to identify with what was being said.
This was an easy read that just felt "right" the whole way through. There were many times where I found myself smiling and taking a screenshot because I was able to identify with what was being said.
July 9, 2016
I love Gina Lake books, she writes with eloquence and great insight. In Radiance she explains how we can choose love instead of fear, guidance from our Divine selves instead of ego and how by surrendering our outdated thoughts we can contact and live from a greater consciousness.
March 12, 2011
Everything in life offers an opportunity for awakening in Truth. This little book is a clear reminder of that.
September 27, 2011
Great, great, great!!!!!!!
August 21, 2012
To know yourself and inner beauty should read this. I believe in spirituality then being religious .
June 12, 2013
I found this book really hard going.
September 8, 2014
I was hoping for something to bring me to a more religious place and instead I got something more incoherent and rambling.
March 21, 2014
Poppycock.
March 22, 2015
Hard to put down
I have been reading self help books. I felt this book hit on the spiritual aspect of what I had already been reading.
I have been reading self help books. I felt this book hit on the spiritual aspect of what I had already been reading.
January 21, 2016
I feel that this book is very reliable and wonderful on helping focus on relationships, communication, religion, and mindfulness.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews