Beyond Religion: A Personal Program for Building a Spiritual Life Outside the Walls of Traditional Religion

by David N. Elkins

Book Overview

Let David Elkins, psychologist and former minister, show you how to find authentic, soul-nurturing spirituality outside church or temple walls. Discover your personal path to the sacred and explore new ways to bring nonreligious spirituality into your life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 083560764X
• ISBN13: 9780835607643
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: Quest Books (IL)
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Clear, intimate, and significant

This book, which I've read twice through and refer to from time to time, gives the reader a clear explanation of spiritual paths. They are backed up by the author's experience and knowledge of the field. Being a southern boy from a conservative christian group, many of the concepts here are foreign to the heritage in which I was raised. I have attempted at times during the course of my life to understand and fathom this yet evolving alternative spiritual tradition. This book has been a help. The fact that it is authored by a person who comes from where I come from provides validation for me of the truths of this spiritual stream. David and I come from the same place in rural Arkansas. He is six years older than I and I can distinctly remember him on pitcher's mound throwing his roundhouse curveball to Pony league batters. We grew up in an intense, close knit christian group. Zealous and extremely rational, the rules are well set and little deviation allowed. But sincere, diligent, and devout beyond reproach. Therefore, I know where he is coming from. David was always a caring, thoughtful and feeling type person. Naturally, he went into the ministry originally but eventually found his way and home in the psychology profession (lucky for you dear reader). Even though I haven't seen or talked with him since I was a teenager in the sixties I can still hear his voice when I read the book. You can perceive that he made an impression on me. The book shows that he has read widely and he draws from resources back to the Greeks and before as well as spiritual writings up to the present. It is not New Age pap. I really admired him for self-disclosure and for his guts to say some of the things he did in the sections on the feminine and the erotic. The book is intended for those "outside the walls of traditional religion". But, it is my opinion that it is no less useful for those (like myself) who are within organized religion. So read it and try out some of the paths. It is good that he provides suggested structure and discipline. Didn't Jesus say something like "My yoga is easy my burden is light"?

Beyond Religion and Into My Soul

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is like I wrote it myself it is so near to my own philosophy. If you would to explore something outside what you have always been told is the truth, read this book!

This book will open your eyes, as it did mine!

As a spiritual teacher I have often been asked about spirituality and religion. David, however, deals with this topic better than anyone I have ever seen--Del Millers, author, Dancing with God

Insightful

This book expressed ideas that I have been feeling for a long time. This book was beautiful and spiritually insightful. I do believe in God and our lord and savior Jesus Christ, however traditional religion did not quench my hunger for spiritual knowledge. I strongly advise this book for the spiritual seeker

Highly recommended for the spiritual seeker.

A lucid, permission-giving approach to finding one's own spiritual path, written by a psychologist who realized that traditional religion no longer spoke to him and decided to search for "new wells" to drink from. Excellent.