The Great Field: Soul at Play in the Conscious Universe

by John James

Science has proven that vast domains of energy exist within the material world of our senses. In this book, therapeutic experience is combined with scientific evidence to create a general theory of how this Great Field is the foundation of everything in the universe, including the personal energy we call soul.

292 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Dr. John James is an Australian architect, builder, farmer, transpersonal therapist and medieval historian with a passion for discovery. For 30 years he has been searching to understand the workings of the human psyche, and for the origins of the Gothic style. In the latter pursuit he became a world authority on Chartres cathedral, and is currently producing a nine-volume thesaurus on early gothic in France. He has received many awards for this. In therapy he founded the Crucible Centre in the mountains west of Sydney described in his book "The Great Field."

Reviews

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Great Field: Soul at Play in the Conscious Universe”
John James, PhD

This book is timeless, but never more right for our world than now. James writes a compelling, complex, argument for the nature of natural forces to be. I loved this book because it was very, very, deep, yet easy to understand. It is profound, yet simple in the same vein. I found his explanations propelling. Many of us feel that we understand spirituality and the concepts of spiritual growth, letting go, and finding our soul. The essence of life is that Holy Grail- the true meaning of life. James covers many, many aspects of this “great field.” Learn about morphic fields, the Vishnu paradox, and what constitutes the great field. He correlates how energy is relevant to biology and physics, the human brain (the heart brain and cerebral brain). James discusses therapy as transformation on a much more meaningful level than you can imagine. Is in depth transformation possible without the energy of the psyche changing? I particularly liked his comments on conventional psychology in respect to time and space.
Deeper self investigation is an invaluable tool. The soul is described as the personal aspect of the great field. It is present in the womb. It is and always will be. You will be touched by the photo and story of the newborn twins. One puts his arm around the other to reassure him, he will be fine; that he will survive. What drives this intelligence as newborns…while in the incubator?
The soul incarnates and Karma accumulates in the soul. He describes Karma as “the imprints of life experiences and actions onto the energy field of each soul.” This book thrusts you into your own personal journey and transformation. It will educate you on deep aspects of soul work and spiritual progression. A fantastic contribution to the world of soul searching, of finding inner peace; and ways of uncovering explanations of how the psychics of energy are spiritually applied. This book helps you find your soul. It gives you the information and understanding to pursue how such a great field works. It explains its existence. It bewilders you in a profound and wonderful way. More importantly it explains it relevance to each and every one of us. This just isn’t a philosophy book; it is an encyclopedia to help you on your journey to your soul. It touches humanity bridging science and the energy worlds. It reminds us of the tender sides of humanity and how to reach within ourselves for more of the goodness in life here and beyond. I received a complimentary review copy.

[Iona Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult book for me to review. The author is an Australian psychologst working with transpersonal therapy and the book deals mostly with the nature of the "Great Field", therapy in relation to the Field and the nature of soul.

As regards the "Great Field", I can't find that he provides us with an exact definition of this, but it appears to be what might otherwise be termed "God" or "Brahma", or that which constitutes the Universe, or all universes.

We are all part of the Field, each have our own field, and we, and everything, are/is interonnected. There is no such thing as empty space, even in the emptiest space possible there is "an all-pervasive field or energy".

Much of the text is somewhat difficult to comprehend, mostly due to the "abstract" nature of the "matter" being discussed. (It is precisely NOT matter but energy or energetic matter that is under discussion.) However, the author states that the separation of matter and spirit is an abstraction - "The ground is always one."

There seems to be an innate contradiction in the author's contention that the higher levels of the Field are "essentially not interested in humanity's needs or moral values" and his citing of the "overwhelming power of love and compassion" that meets those having near-death ecperiences: He says nothing in the Field can have purpose or attitude, plan or morality. "Humanity is not uppermost in its mind, as it should be were it our concept of a loving god."

It is hard for me to understand the author's concept of the soul which he perceives through the experiences of his clients, this differing somewhat from the usual views. "The soul is a personalized aspect of the Field ---" So far so good. "As the soul has neither an agenda nor any longing to be, either more, or less in the Field, it is completely unconcerned with its own path." This is not what I previously have understood.

This book, though difficult, is quite fascinating, especially the final chapters about the soul and therapy.

I haven't read anything quite like this before, and I strongly recommend the book to anyone interested in the subject.