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The Search for Truth
This book is for those who, like the astronauts, cannot look at this view of our planet without asking "WHY?" The search conducted within these pages is a logical journey into the fields of biology, psychology, physics, parapsychology, yogic science, and Eastern and Western religious philosophies. Are they merely viewing different aspects of the same Truth?
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1974
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1496 people want to read
About the author
Michael A. Singer
49 books2,792 followersMichael A. Singer is the author of the highly successful The Untethered Soul, which has also been published in Turkey, Brazil (in Portuguese), Switzerland (in German), Spain, Japan, China, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Italy.
Singer received a master's degree in economics from the University of Florida in 1971. During his doctoral work, he had a deep inner awakening and went into seclusion to focus on yoga and meditation. In 1975, he founded Temple of the Universe, a now long-established yoga and meditation center where people of any religion or set of beliefs can come together to experience inner peace. Through the years, Singer has made major contributions in the areas of business, the arts, education, healthcare, and environmental protection. He previously authored two books on the integration of Eastern and Western philosophy: The Search for Truth and Three Essays on Universal Law: Karma, Will and Love.
Singer received a master's degree in economics from the University of Florida in 1971. During his doctoral work, he had a deep inner awakening and went into seclusion to focus on yoga and meditation. In 1975, he founded Temple of the Universe, a now long-established yoga and meditation center where people of any religion or set of beliefs can come together to experience inner peace. Through the years, Singer has made major contributions in the areas of business, the arts, education, healthcare, and environmental protection. He previously authored two books on the integration of Eastern and Western philosophy: The Search for Truth and Three Essays on Universal Law: Karma, Will and Love.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 17, 2016
A book that will either have you thinking very deeply about life itself or rejecting everything as woo woo. The Search for truth aims to create a model for man and search for the truth of our existence on earth. Singer does a good job of structuring such a complex topics and guiding the reader through the tools, definitions, and context used to make deductions and find answers for the foundation of his argument which is towards Universal Consciousness.
Singer divides man between the Animal, Psychical and Spiritual Self, each of these can be represented as a panel, The Physical Plane, Astral (Emotional) and mental plane. Using Science Singer explains the physical planes and makes the case for finding out methods to explain the Emotional and Mental Planes which Science hasn't invested enough resources in explaining, but older collectivist cultures have. He uses Eastern philosophies and Religions to explain things which have been known for hundreds of years in the east.
He uses some western knowledge, in Freudian concepts of Id, Superego, Ego to explain the mental planes which tie into the both the spiritual and physical. Energy is the primary link between all these concepts. The book ends exploring the relationship between energy and consciousness and how when our energy is moved up the planes man can truly progress.
Not everything in this book can be scientifically proven which Singer himself calls out as being the fault of tools which are optimized for solving problems in a purely physical world. I was impressed with how he took a very rational approach blending together biology, psychology, physics, parapsychology, yogic science, and Eastern and Western religious philosophies to create a robust model for man. Even if you don't believe his argument, I think there are at least some truths to his search for the truth.
Singer divides man between the Animal, Psychical and Spiritual Self, each of these can be represented as a panel, The Physical Plane, Astral (Emotional) and mental plane. Using Science Singer explains the physical planes and makes the case for finding out methods to explain the Emotional and Mental Planes which Science hasn't invested enough resources in explaining, but older collectivist cultures have. He uses Eastern philosophies and Religions to explain things which have been known for hundreds of years in the east.
He uses some western knowledge, in Freudian concepts of Id, Superego, Ego to explain the mental planes which tie into the both the spiritual and physical. Energy is the primary link between all these concepts. The book ends exploring the relationship between energy and consciousness and how when our energy is moved up the planes man can truly progress.
Not everything in this book can be scientifically proven which Singer himself calls out as being the fault of tools which are optimized for solving problems in a purely physical world. I was impressed with how he took a very rational approach blending together biology, psychology, physics, parapsychology, yogic science, and Eastern and Western religious philosophies to create a robust model for man. Even if you don't believe his argument, I think there are at least some truths to his search for the truth.
September 14, 2015
Fantastic book that I'd recommend to anyone. It bogged down substantially for me near the end and because of that I almost gave it four stars, but... when this book is good, it's REALLY good, so - five stars it is. I read both of Michael Singer's more recent books (Untethered Soul & Surrender Experiment) before getting this book which was written in the 70s and is his first. Fans of his recent works would also enjoy this I believe, much as I did. I've always felt his message is very similar to that of Eckhart Tolle, but I find Singer's books a much easier, less "heavy" read.
February 26, 2016
The brief about the book really turned my curiosity to the highest level: "This book is for those who, like the astronauts, cannot look at this view of our planet without asking "WHY?" The search conducted within these pages is a logical journey into the fields of biology, psychology, physics....."
And I have really enjoyed such journey, the writer has a gift for thoughtfulness and talked about details that we easily miss in our daily lives. The book is also only 140 pages, so you can imagine how heavy each page can be trying to explain such a huge topic!
I understand that this book might not be everyone's cup of tea, it may not answer all the questions but will make you think deeper.
For me, it really helped me to zoom out and I loved it.
And I have really enjoyed such journey, the writer has a gift for thoughtfulness and talked about details that we easily miss in our daily lives. The book is also only 140 pages, so you can imagine how heavy each page can be trying to explain such a huge topic!
I understand that this book might not be everyone's cup of tea, it may not answer all the questions but will make you think deeper.
For me, it really helped me to zoom out and I loved it.
March 28, 2024
I’ve come to understand more about myself and the world around me from this book more than any other book thus far… and to think that it wasn’t even meant to be a published book in the first place (it was Singer’s doctoral thesis) makes it all the more special
November 22, 2024
I had read Michael Singer's more recent books (Untethered Soul & Surrender Experiment) and liked them a lot. I currently listen to his podcasts and like his approach and philosophy of life. This book 'The Search for Truth' was his first and written in the 70s and I was only curious to know how he has evolved from then to now in his thought process. Truth be told, he had a scientific mindset then and now and the process of inquiry has remained the same ever since.
This is a very unique and interesting book in that the 'search' for the one common truth is taken up from various streams of science (psychology, physics, biology and spirituality) to only come to the conclusion that they all lead to the same end point of the one universal truth.
This is a very unique and interesting book in that the 'search' for the one common truth is taken up from various streams of science (psychology, physics, biology and spirituality) to only come to the conclusion that they all lead to the same end point of the one universal truth.
April 27, 2016
This is an excellent scientific description of the spiritual dimension of man. I equate it to "The Spiritual Man" three books series by Watchman Nee. Lots to chew on here.
March 21, 2018
I don't really know where to start with this book. It contains a lot of stuff in a small package. There are some things that tingle my spidey-sense, and make me feel like I am reading some hokey pokey bologna but when you group that in with the entire content it fits, somehow. If your in to books like this, I think this book will be right up your alley, but it is old enough to where you have already read the books mentioned in this novel. I may have to sleep on this review, it will not go up but it could go down.
May 9, 2023
This is one of my new favorite authors. He did not disappoint. He explains different religions and how they go about defining what it means to find purpose in life. He explains the word energy and how this infinite source is manifested in our lives, economy, drive of mankind and the different stages of reaching higher levels in our lives! I enjoyed the quest to search for truth in my own life 🦾🦾🦾
February 3, 2019
I love his book, “Untethered Soul”. This book was a let down in comparison. Although it had some interesting parts, he made some big leaps in his “thought experiments” and I felt his conclusion was anticlimactic.
March 20, 2015
The technical predecessor of The Untethered Soul that explains through science how we humans work.
May 12, 2021
Favorite excerpts.
Quoting Besant and Leadbeater:
“When a sudden wave of some emotion sweeps over a man… This change is only temporary; it passes off in a few second, and the astral body rapidly resumes its usual condition. Yet every such rush of feelings produces a permanent effect: it always adds a little of its hue to the normal coloring of the astral body, so that every time the man yields himself to a certain emotion it becomes easier for him to yield himself to it again, because his astral body is getting into the habit of vibrating at that especial rate.”
… “Each man travels through space enclosed within a case of his own building, surrounded by a mass of the forms created by his habitual thoughts. Through this medium he looks out upon the world, and naturally he sees everything tinged with its predominant colors, and all rates of vibration which reach him from without are more or less modified by its rate. Thus, until the man learns complete control of thought and feelings, he sees nothing as it really is, since all his observations must be made through this medium, which distorts and colors everything like a badly made glass.” - Page 52
“Freud argued that there are three main types of dreams:
(1) fulfilment of a consciously recognized wish,
(2) undisguised fulfilment of a repressed wish, and
(3) disguised fulfillment of a suppressed wish.” – Page 76
“Seeking the Ox: Here, the man is fully identified with his lower self (animal and psychical man). But he has an inner feeling that there must be something more than everyday worldly affairs, and he has begun to ask of himself, “Who am I? What am I doing on this Earth? What is the purpose of life?” The search for the Ox (Higher Self) has begun.
Finding the Tracks: His questions on life’s meaning naturally lead him to the religious teachings. He becomes aware that others have trod this path before and have managed to attain Realization. Their teachings are the tracks which give definite evidence to that which he feels inwardly – that there is more.
…Catching the Ox: The man has now managed to see that he is not an identity with the lower self. He is able, at least briefly, to observe the body, emotions, and thoughts as distinct from the “he” who is doing the observing. From this moment on he sees the animal and psychical selves as the Ox. The senses are spoiled and emotions freely flow from elation to depression as quickly as different thoughts enter the mind. He must now train the body and the mind if he is to be free to move on to higher states.
Taming the Ox: Training the mind is most difficult. It helps to realize that even thoughts are just Energy, the same as is all else. But he must break his identification and emotional ties with them if he is to view them objectively. The important point here is that the lower self can be trained.
Riding the Ox Home: Once the lower self is brought under control, consciousness is centered in the Spiritual Self, and a state of profound tranquility exits. Always remembering that all is the same Energy, concepts such as gain and loss lose their significance. He is free of the constant demands of the senses, be they physical, emotional, or mental.
…Entering the Market Place with Helping Hands: He goes forth to spread the Truth. His life now serves as “footprints” for others who are seeking knowledge.” – Pages 108-117
Quoting Besant and Leadbeater:
“When a sudden wave of some emotion sweeps over a man… This change is only temporary; it passes off in a few second, and the astral body rapidly resumes its usual condition. Yet every such rush of feelings produces a permanent effect: it always adds a little of its hue to the normal coloring of the astral body, so that every time the man yields himself to a certain emotion it becomes easier for him to yield himself to it again, because his astral body is getting into the habit of vibrating at that especial rate.”
… “Each man travels through space enclosed within a case of his own building, surrounded by a mass of the forms created by his habitual thoughts. Through this medium he looks out upon the world, and naturally he sees everything tinged with its predominant colors, and all rates of vibration which reach him from without are more or less modified by its rate. Thus, until the man learns complete control of thought and feelings, he sees nothing as it really is, since all his observations must be made through this medium, which distorts and colors everything like a badly made glass.” - Page 52
“Freud argued that there are three main types of dreams:
(1) fulfilment of a consciously recognized wish,
(2) undisguised fulfilment of a repressed wish, and
(3) disguised fulfillment of a suppressed wish.” – Page 76
“Seeking the Ox: Here, the man is fully identified with his lower self (animal and psychical man). But he has an inner feeling that there must be something more than everyday worldly affairs, and he has begun to ask of himself, “Who am I? What am I doing on this Earth? What is the purpose of life?” The search for the Ox (Higher Self) has begun.
Finding the Tracks: His questions on life’s meaning naturally lead him to the religious teachings. He becomes aware that others have trod this path before and have managed to attain Realization. Their teachings are the tracks which give definite evidence to that which he feels inwardly – that there is more.
…Catching the Ox: The man has now managed to see that he is not an identity with the lower self. He is able, at least briefly, to observe the body, emotions, and thoughts as distinct from the “he” who is doing the observing. From this moment on he sees the animal and psychical selves as the Ox. The senses are spoiled and emotions freely flow from elation to depression as quickly as different thoughts enter the mind. He must now train the body and the mind if he is to be free to move on to higher states.
Taming the Ox: Training the mind is most difficult. It helps to realize that even thoughts are just Energy, the same as is all else. But he must break his identification and emotional ties with them if he is to view them objectively. The important point here is that the lower self can be trained.
Riding the Ox Home: Once the lower self is brought under control, consciousness is centered in the Spiritual Self, and a state of profound tranquility exits. Always remembering that all is the same Energy, concepts such as gain and loss lose their significance. He is free of the constant demands of the senses, be they physical, emotional, or mental.
…Entering the Market Place with Helping Hands: He goes forth to spread the Truth. His life now serves as “footprints” for others who are seeking knowledge.” – Pages 108-117
December 9, 2021
Singer in a extraordinary way broke down “man” and brought out “you” that is deeply behind the shadows of ID, Ego and SuperEgo. The heart of the matter is to live in Truth not feelings, emotions, or societal views.
May 30, 2023
An interesting perspective against being unaware. It's fascinating enough for a person to enable themselves to learn about things that exist invisibly. As well as the standard so I conclude that this book is an example of education, and recommended to people who love science.
April 8, 2024
This felt like I was reading a manual of human life. It was so good and felt so true it was almost scary.
There's a little lull towards the end where the author "pays homage" to his economic "background" and goes into a discussion of capitalism, otherwise I loved it!
There's a little lull towards the end where the author "pays homage" to his economic "background" and goes into a discussion of capitalism, otherwise I loved it!
September 16, 2024
An excellent read with plenty of valuable information.
March 5, 2025
Excellent
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews