Even though I don’t agree with everything that Michael Bernard Beckwith espouses, his compassionate and gentle but firm approach to self-help makes him truly inspiring for those who want to improve their lives. If you can’t go to one of his uplifting lectures, and don’t want to spend time watching his youtube vids, the Life Visioning audiobook is the way to go. Beckwith’s gentle yet expressive voice is comforting and motivating, and he explains and reiterates his concepts and methods enough for them to sink in, even in audiobook form. If you’ve never heard him speak, and are into self-help, go ahead and treat yourself.
There are many opportunities in the audiobook to examine your own life through meditation and journaling. Depending on what “stage” you’re at (as described in the book), you can choose whether or not to do the preliminary exercises. The method itself consists of 7 steps, and you will want to refer to the book for directions and guidance: (1) heart/love-based meditation, (2) present your question, (3) ask what you must become, (4) ask what must you release, (5) ask what resources you already possess, (6) say YES, (7) give thanks. The key is to repeat the method at regular intervals to learn more about your question; as you progress along the path the answers might change, become clearer, or fill in with details.
So what don’t I agree with in Beckwith’s philosophy? Personally, I don’t think that a “dark night of the soul” is ever beneficial, though sometimes it is unavoidable, for example as a result of losing a loved one. I do appreciate Beckwith’s support of those who experience such “dark nights.” I also don’t believe that we have one predestined life purpose, something that “God” or “source” wants us to do with our lives. Though his use of the method is to find people’s life purposes, this does not at all invalidate his method for me. The method also works for such questions as, “what is the best thing to do with my life right now,” or “how can I approach this situation/collaboration/challenge successfully.” I’ve found that even if I get just one answer from one of the steps, that answer is exactly what I need to move forward.
If you’re a spiritual seeker, or want to use an easy method to answer a life path or other burning question that your mind keeps asking without fully answering, check out Michael Beckwith’s Life Visioning.