Messiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul

by Richard Bach

In The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah , Richard Bach met Donald Shimoda, a fellow pilot with the keys to the universe who barnstormed the Midwest in a Travel Air biplane. Part of Shimoda’s secret was a small book, bound in what looked like Messiah’s Handbook, Reminders for the Advanced Soul . “Open it,” he said, “and whatever you need to know is there. ”Lost for decades and rediscovered, here it is in print at last—reminders for those who have outgrown cynicism and doubt.

Genres: Fiction, Spirituality, Philosophy, Self Help, Novels, Religion, Fantasy

216 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2004

About the author

Since Jonathan Livingston Seagull - which dominated the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List for two consecutive years - Richard Bach has touched millions of people through his humor, wisdom and insight.

With over 60 million copies of his books sold, Richard Bach remains one of the world's most beloved authors. A former USAF fighter pilot, Air Force captain and latter-day barnstorming pilot, Bach continues to be an avid aviator-author, exploring and chronicling the joys and freedom of flying, reporting his findings to readers.

His most recent works include Travels with Puff, which recounts Bach's journey from Florida to Washington state in his small seaplane, Puff, and Illusions II: The Adventures of a Reluctant Student, which incorporates Bach's real-life plane crash.

In October 2014, the never-before-published Part Four to Jonathan Livingston Seagull was published.

Readers can find more about Richard and his work at www.richardbach.com

Reviews

[Zohreh Samiei]

چهار و نيم و شايد پنج😊🖊

***
گاهي
تنها راه پيروزي
تسليم شدن است
(ص ٢١٣)

[Hanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

تقدير تو را به جايي كه خواهان رفتنش نيستي نميراند
تويي كه برميگزيني
سرنوشت در دستهاي توست .

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

تکه‌ای از کتاب:
تو قادری
بر انجامِ هر چه می‌خواهی
مگر
خلقِ واقعیت،
محو واقعیت.

پ.ن: بازخوانیِ این کتاب حسِ خوبی داشت.
کوتاهه اما دلنشین.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep this in my office and use it for daily inspirations. If you read illusions, this book will allow you to continue thinking outside of the box.

[Pouria · Rating 1 out of 5]

من کلا از این سبک کتاب ها که حالت فالگیری طور داره خوشم نمیاد و اعتقادی هم ندارم. چند باری هم امتحان کردم و به قول خودش پرسشی رو مطرح کردم و کتاب رو باز کردم ولی چیز مرتبطی دریافت نکردم. شاید شانسی یا اتفاقی چندباری مرتبط دربیاد ولی باز هم این نظرمو درباره این کتاب عوض نمی کنه.

[Heliya Naji · Rating 3 out of 5]

📕"آیا
فاصله‌ها را به راستی
توان جدایی افکندن بین یاران هست ؟
گر خواهی با آنی باشی که دوستش داری ،
آیا در کنارش نیستی؟ "

[MEH,D · Rating 5 out of 5]

نوستالژی :) بسی دوست داشتنی ، ۸ سال پیش با هم آشنا شدیم
خوشبختانه یا متاسفانه جلد و طراحی و صفحه ارایی تو کتاب خیلی تاثیرگذاره رو من :)

و این چنین این کتاب هم تاثیرشو گذاشت

[Ron Wroblewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book consisting of short statements from his other books. I have read most of his books & like/love him as an author.

[Pejman Hosseini · Rating 2 out of 5]

کتاب شامل حدود ۲۰۰ جمله‌ی قصاره که به زندگی نگاه میکنه و بیشتر توصیه میکنه که از دایره‌ی امنت خارج شو و یاد بگیر. این کتاب رو هدیه گرفته بودم و برام سوال بود که چرا اینقدر نمره‌ش بالاست ولی وقتی خوندم حس کردم این کتاب برای خوندن به این شکل نیست. این کتاب رو باید یه گوشه بذاری هر وقت نیاز داشتی تفألی به حافظ کنی یه تفأل هم به مرد فرزانه بزنی.

[Ashish Manik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book while I was searching in the library for just any book by Richard Bach.

To know what it was about, I flipped open some page in the middle, and found the whole page blank, except just one line written in the center. It read: ‘Your depth of intimacy with another is inversely proportional to the number of others in your life.' I gave this a thought, and I found it impressive – it was really true!

And on the back cover, the line that caught my eyes was: ‘Open it, and whatever you need to know is there.’

So, this book is not one of those you just read in one go. It says that you are supposed to ask any question you have in life, open just some random page, and you’ll get the answer!

I tried with two vital questions that I had in my life, and to my surprise, honestly, both of them were appositely answered!

I’d decided that very moment that I want to own it. But I can’t express what was going through my mind after reading those three lines that I’d already had. But yes, it was something so exceptionally powerful, that I couldn’t refrain myself from reading it all up. And I did what I was compelled to.

Unlike some who might feel so, I did not feel that it is anything like a run-of-the-mill, dull self-help book. All that’s written in this book, I felt to be true (including the line on the last page).

However, I did find apt answers to my questions, I can’t say yet, if everyone would really find the answers to their questions. Do test the book before you buy it.

But one thing I can certainly say – reading the whole book, I’m a much more confident and happier person, as the main thing that the book instills in you is the fact (and not the belief) that everything is in your hands.

And yes, the drawings are fun …

[strangrthanfiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

:) Now by rights I should go back and slide everything I've rated back one star. [Edit: Ha. That was dramatic. ;)

Actually, no. Not true.

This book introduced me to (what I thought was) the fundamentals of stoicism, and reminded me in a timely fashion about the importance of believing in your own visions. And self. And personal power and responsibility and stuff...

:) Liked a lot.]

[Laura Butkāne · Rating 5 out of 5]

We usually do such a game with this book : you imagine a question in your head, to whom you want to have answer. Than you say the number of page witch other person is opening, you read it and there's answer to the question. It is always right!

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book will always live in my bag, just in case I need a reminder.

[Sabina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My current handbok.

[Chantae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great thoughts and message. Excellent to read first thing in the morning or before bed, to keep your mind in check. Favorite author.

[Bahar B]

هر چه را دلیلی است
براین گونه بودن
خرده نان روی میز
یادآور شگفت نان صبحانه نیست
آنجاست ،
چون
تو نخواسته ای میز را پاک کنی
هیچ استثنایی نیست.

[Vahid Salehi · Rating 4 out of 5]

به آنچه چشمانت میگویند
باور نداشته باش.
همه ی آنچه نشان میدهند، محدودیت است.
با ادراکت بنگر
برای درک آنچه میدانی
و آنگاه
راه پرواز گشوده خواهد شد.

[Bahman Bahman · Rating 2 out of 5]

ریچارد دیوید باخ ، خلبان و نویسنده آمریکایی در سال ۱۹۳۶ در اوک پارک ایلینوی به دنیا آمد. او فرزند رولند روبرت و روت هلن شاو باخ و همچنین از نوادگان یوهان سباستین باخ، آهنگساز بزرگ و مشهور آلمانی بود. او در سال ۱۹۵۵ وارد کالج لانگ بیچ استیت شد که در حال حاضر به عنوان دانشگاه ایالتی کالیفرنیا، لانگ بیچ شناخته می‌شود.او از ازدواج با همسر اولش صاحب ۶ فرزند شد و چون اعتقادی به ازدواج نداشت از آن‌ها جدا شد و رهایشان کرد. یکی از فرزندانش، جاناتان، کتابی بنام «بر فراز ابرها» در مورد روابطش با پدری که هیچ وقت او را نشناخت، نوشته است.در باب فعالیت های زندگی او می توان چنین گفت که او در هر زمینه‌ای که مربوط به خلبانی بشود کار کرد، از جمله ساخت تصاویر متحرک در آسمان توسط نمایش هوایی خلبان تاکتیکی جنگنده‌های نیروی هوایی، نویسندگی و آموزگاری فنی هوانوردی. او حتی به عنوان راوی نمایش های های هوایی و همچنین خلبان نمایش‌های هوایی، در فیلمی که از روی کتابش ساخته شده بود حضور داشت. نام این فیلم ” هیچ چیز اتفاقی نیست”، می باشد.گرچه او به هوانوردی علاقه فراوانی داشت با این حال همواره دوست داشت که بنویسد. در دوران دبیرستانش یکی از معلم‌های ورزش به ریچارد باخ کمک کرد تا به توانایی‌های بالقوه‌اش پی ببرد.

[Momo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well it was a book and I read it, but I have absolutely no feelings towards it.

[Shikha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not to keep it open for any mockery, I really feel the divine lets you buy books like this that is its gift to yourself. If you believe in signs of the universe, grab a copy for yourself.

[ZaRi]

اگر خواهان دیدار کسی هستی که
می تواند هر موقعیت ناممکنی را فراهم کند،
و دور از حرف ها و باورهای مردم،
به تو شادی بخشد،
در آینه بنگر،
و
این واژه ی جادویی را بر زبان آور:
"سلام"

[Kosar Hossinie]

اونجایی که میگه مهم ترین دلیلی که به جواب هایت نمی رسی این است که اصلا سوالی نپرسیده ای

[Mahsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

درک پرواز بایدت ...

[Afruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

امیداگاه است به حضور رویدادهای نیک
پیش از انکه در استانه در ظاهر شوند

[Rob Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most happy, successful people at one time have considered suicide. They decided against it.

The less you know about the game, and the less you remember you’re a player, the more senseless living becomes.

Reality has nothing to do with appearances, with your narrow way of seeing. Reality is love expressed, pure perfect love, unbrushed by space and time.

To love someone unconditionally is not to care who they are or what they do. Unconditional love, on the surface, looks the same as indifference.

You have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way.

The only thing that shatters dreams is compromise.

You wait a lifetime to meet Someone who understands you, accepts you as you are. At the end, you find that Someone, all along, has been you.

No one forces you to learn. You’ll learn when you want to.

Why bother to live an unhappy life?

You can tell a lot about a person when you know what gives them comfort.

No heavens, no hells, just these endless worlds you create till you think you’ve got it right.

If you want to meet someone who can fix any situation you don’t like, who can bring you happiness in spite of what other people say or believe, look in a mirror, then say this magic word: “Hello.”

There’s no room left for feeling bad.

Do unto others as you truly feel like doing unto others.

Any God who requires worship doesn’t exist.

The only way to win, sometimes, is to surrender.

[Ram · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a slim collection of aphoristic wisdom that first appeared as fragments within his 1977 novel Illusions. Designed as a spiritual oracle to be opened at random for guidance, the book offers compact philosophical observations about reality and personal power. For readers encountering these New Age concepts for the first time, particularly younger audiences, the format makes complex ideas accessible and digestible. However, the book's brevity is also its limitation. The aphorisms lack the depth and supporting framework needed for serious philosophical inquiry, and readers unfamiliar with Illusions may find its purpose unclear or its messages too abstract. While elegant as a literary curiosity and occasionally effective as inspirational reading, it offers simplistic answers that more experienced spiritual seekers will likely find unsatisfying.

[Özlem · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was intrigued by some quotes from this book that I saw online, so I went ahead to read the whole thing, and I kind of wish I hadn't. A few of these... ideas are impressive, but there were way more that downright infuriated me. I came here expecting good philosophy and found shitty self improvement poetry with a few keywords.
However, if you enjoyed this, you'll also probably enjoy "Your Soul is A River" by Nikita Gill.

[Shaili · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't "read" this book per say, but I have opened it several occasions where I needed a word and this book (more often than not) gave me exactly what I wanted to hear.

I remember Illusions where the Don Shimoda tells Richard to take this book, open any page and it'll be the advice he needed. He called it the "magic book" aka the Messiah's Handbook.

And I love magic.

[Winnie Pagora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is referred to in my all-time favorite book 'Illusions' by the same author. What I love about this book is that, no matter which page I open, it makes sense for my situation at a given time. This book is magical.

[Eamonn James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this little book. Little reminders that will help you choose your path. For half a year, I let this book guide every major decision and I was pleasantly surprised by the results and the places i saw and people I met. Highly recommend.