In My Past Life I was Cleopatra: A sceptical believer's journey through the New Age

by Amal Awad

For as long as humans have existed, we have consulted everything from the stars to stones with symbols on them. Growing up in an Arab Muslim family, SBS journalist and TEDx presenter Amal Awad was keenly aware of the unseen forces at play in her life - superstition, fatalism and magical jinn were more real to her than any Hollywood fantasy.

From fundy (aka fundamentalist) Muslim to New Age luvvie, Amal has tried ... a lot. While this doesn't make her an expert in healing your life, it does makes her a well-versed one, fluent in the boundless healing modalities on offer in our ever-expanding retail universe. From psychic mediums and spirit guides to Paleo diets and empowerment, there are questionable (and downright fraudulent) solutions being sold to the masses. Yet, arguably, there is still a lot of good to be found in these offerings.

In this funny and shrewdly observed book, Awal Awad shares her personal journey to peace and empowerment via a wide array of psychics, healers and witches, considering the smorgasbord of spiritual thinking on offer for people wanting to #livetheirbestlife and exploring whether these practices can help, harm or both in the quest for spiritual enlightenment.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Memoir

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2021

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book disjointed and confusing. I realize the author was talking about her journey through many New Age practices, but the lines were always blurred between them. It seemed very stream of consciousness as she would talk about a practitioner and then talk about herself. I think she basically said mindfulness or self improvement and maybe seeking her inner self or God was what it came down to, but I'm really not quite sure. I learned some things I didn't know, but the book was very muddled.

[Emily Rainsford · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

In this book, Amal Awad takes a journey. It's her own journey from a Muslim upbringing through to a life long search for meaning and a spirituality that will sit comfortably next to her tendency to scepticism. It's also a journey through the modern New Age movement, exploring its modalities, its problems (such as over commercialision and cultural apropriation), its full spectrum from woo-lite personal development to full blown dance-naked-with-the-pixies woo-extreme.

Although Awad is by nature somewhat sceptical, there's another big part of her that is clearly drawn to the spiritual, and I got the sense that she hasn't found a way for these to sit comfortably together. She seems almost self conscious of her spirituality - a kind of "look I know this is silly haha but I believe in energies and weird shit" coupled with a self effacing shrug.

And look, I get it, I very much get it, because I'm exactly the same. I'm intelligent, educated, a critical thinker. And I also light incense, draw an angel card, and feel connected with... something. Something that feels important, but sounds utterly ridiculous to even my own ears if I venture to tell anyone about it. Well, anyone non-woo that is :-P There's something incredibly freeing about talking to truly, unabashedly woo people. Not the charlatans but the authentic ones - whether you believe in it or not, you can acknowledge that there are those who are genuine in their beliefs, even if you don't share them. The people who won't judge you for seeking something else from life, for believing in things that aren't "logical" or provable.

All this to say that I did feel truly seen by this book - I related a lot to Awad's perspective. The "believer who wants to believe", even as they argue with their own brain about it. I think my main issue was that this book couldn't quite decide if it was the memoir of a personal journey or a guide to the New Age, and so it ended up being a bit of both but never really going deep enough on either for my satisfaction. Awad's personal journey is there and yet still held somewhat at arm's length - various New Age topics are discussed but never truly delved into deeply. So in the end I just wasn't really sure what I was supposed to take away from this book. So it's hard to figure out how I feel about it, because I did quite enjoy reading it and yet I found myself wanting... just something more. I think the person who is already woo will not find anything new here, the curious will not find enough information to satisfy, and the sceptic may be off put by the depth of the author's own buy in to the New Age. Rather than being an objective examination, the text feels at times almost a bit defensive, particularly when it skims right over the issues of commercialision and apropriation that I would have loved to see explored in more depth.

I appreciate knowing that "it's not just me" who struggles to balance scepticism with belief, and if anything the book made me want to connect more with my own spiritual practice and to do so with more self confidence - to own my woo. In the words of Mary Oliver: "only if there are angels in your head, will you ever possibly see one."

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you, like me, are interested in learning more about spirituality in an accessible way (but don’t know where to start), this is the book for you. I recommend this book for a foray into light non-fiction reading about spirituality

Awad takes the reader on a journey along the spectrum what she calls ‘woo-woo’. As an open-minded sceptic, Awad delves into various spiritual practices and explores the pursuit of a peaceful inner life.

I am not religious or spiritual, but had a curiosity to learn more about these underlying concepts and the growing commercialised industry of spirituality. Awad delivered with this book. It reads like a Spirituality for Dummies and gave me the 101 about ‘mind, body, soul’ and concepts such as self-help, mindfulness, tarot readings, ascendancy, chakras and inner healing.

This book is incredibly well researched and would guide a more curious reader to a plethora of other resources on each topic covered. I took away a number of comforting musings.

[Jay-Dee Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

My pick for the 2021 Popsugar reading challenge prompt “A book by a Muslim American author”.*

I’ve been gravitating to a lot of new-agey stuff lately, so this book really fit in to my mood. I really enjoyed the authors perspective coming from a minority background in Australia, and I felt like she dealt with some of the less than fun and non-woke parts of new-age culture (i.e. the rampant cultural appropriation) very well.

For the record, I’m roughly at the “Getting woo-mer” stage of the authors woo scale.

*She’s actually Muslim Australian (or at least, grew up as a Muslim, not sure of her current status) - I actively sought out a Muslim Australian for this prompt as I felt it still kept the spirit of the prompt, while cooling my annoyance at how US-centric this prompt is :).

[Brooke Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. I thought it would be more about her journey through different “woo woo” practices instead I got her reflection about them. I found the interviews to be repetitive and predicable. There were rare glimpses into a more personal account which I enjoyed, but would I read again: no

[ValTheBookEater]

a semi memoir/book on New Age, spirituality, superstitions, beliefs and scepticism it was at times interesting and then less so. I was drawn to read this based on the title and the author, and was determined to get to the end. still unsure as to what to feel or get out of this.

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well. I have a feeling this is going to be another negative review. Sorry. The problem here could simply be that I just wasn't the right person for this book. We did not really vibe all the time. I liked the non-fiction exploration of (mostly) new age religious or spiritual practices and the memoir-y parts, but honestly, I just feel like the book didn't really attain what it was aiming for with either part. However, if you are interested in different forms of spirituality and are maybe on a spiritual journey yourself, this could be perfect for you. It was mostly very down-to-earth, accessible, and kind.

Why I think I am the wrong person for this book is that a lot of the stuff she writes about is not relatable to me. I do not feel the presence of a higher power or the need for one. That said, after years of forcing myself to wrap my head around it, I do understand. Also, one of the biggest issues of religious or spiritual people, especially the non-mainstream ones, is the sneering and ridicule they get from so-called sceptics and "science believers". I get that. It's very ugly and unnecessary sometimes. However, while the ridicule might not be called for, the fact-checking is.

Anyway, sneering at the very same sceptics and just regular people who do not have the same spiritual life as the author felt just as unnecessary and uncalled for. Another person might not read the book the same way I did in this regard, but that's what it felt like for me. Again, this might just be me, but I don't appreciate what felt like trying to define for everyone else how the world and people's inner lives work. I feel like there were some poorly constructed, highly subjective arguments in the book, but I don't remember them well enough to critique them, and I don't want to go through it again just to find things to whine about.

The book felt a bit shallow both as a memoir and as a look at religion and spirituality. This is just the general feeling I was left with. Also, I just don't think it was that good as a book, although I like the author's writing and style in general.

[Travis Berketa · Rating 3 out of 5]

In My Past Life I Was Cleopatra: A Sceptical Believer's Journey Through The New Age was an interesting read, in that Amal Awad dove into many different aspects of what is classed as New Age.

As someone who has dabbled in New Age areas, it was good to get the various perspectives of different people who practise New Age ideas; however I must say that the book reviews found in the book dragged on too much and I felt like I was scrolling through Goodreads reviews with people trying to sway me one way or another on the types of New Age books I might want to read - whether I wanted to read one or not. I don't believe book reviews should be found in books, but rather keep them on Goodreads and other sites that focus on such matters.

Overall, an interesting overview, but it hasn't stirred me into moving one way or the other with New Age ideologies.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated by the mystical side of life, there are so many intriguing ways of experiencing and living. That said, it’s reassuring to know that I’m not the only sceptical believer out there...some things feel right, others I’m not so sure...but who am I to say what is and what isn’t?
I enjoyed listening to this journey, (read in the author’s lovely voice), into the so called esoteric world or woo woo. It has helped me reflect on my own journey and inspired me to continue despite what others may think. The world is full of mysteries and it is only by diving into them that we can discover our own truths.

[Sonia ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like it was a pretty surface level exploration of spiritual beliefs and I had a hard time figuring out what was the purpose of the book. Oscillating between an introduction to spirituality and a recounting of one's journey with New Age and religion, this book fails to commit to either of those fully, staying a hybrid that doesn't seem to say anything beyond surface level stuff and advice about spirituality.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting semi memoir dive into the world of woo woo and its mythological and religious roots. I liked learning about the author's life and engagement with different treatments & practices. I think I needed a 1+1 explanation of a few of the different types of treatments, which made it feel like I'd missed the required reading for the interviews she conducted with experts.

[H Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing funnier than Awad constantly describing herself as skeptical, a middle ground between those who believe in science and the New Age, and then immediately fall in line with some ludicrously ‘woo woo’ ways of thinking, her words not mine. This book was interesting but do imbalanced. It felt like Awads effort to claim her spending on alternative medicine as a tax write off.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author and I was really impressed with her approach and honesty. Very good dive in to the effects capitalism has on spirituality and the the creation of the spirituality industry.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author was upfront about her background, her bias, and honest opinions of her thoughts. It was overall a great way to get the facts and some reactions of someone skeptical of a lot of these practices.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Bree Pollard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / 5 stars

[Mohammed Morsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny read. Informative. As a reader I was contemplating my life experiences and through Ama's writing encouraged to think about the ways I find meaning. A poignant read in the times we're in.

[Susan Ovans]

This was a DNF for me. I think I'm just too old to be beguiled by the author's encounters with what she describes as "woo-woo."

[Maddison Gillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s written well and is an easy listening. The lack of logic of some of the things or people mentioned made me angry and frustrated at times.

[Meags · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNFed - this book wasn’t for me and I doubt I’ll be going back to finish it. It has some potential but the writing style felt odd to me and, for lack of a better word, clunky. This book may very well work for someone, just wasn’t me.