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Defy Gravity

Defy Gravity

Healing Beyond the Bounds of Reason
by Caroline Myss 2009 264 pages
4.22
500+ ratings
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Key Takeaways

1. Embrace the Mystical Nature of Healing

Healing is, by definition, taking a process of disintegration of life and transforming it into a process of return to life.

Holistic healing transcends reason. Traditional approaches to healing often focus on finding logical explanations for illness or crisis. However, true healing requires embracing the mystical aspects of transformation that go beyond rational understanding. This involves:

  • Recognizing that the mind alone cannot accomplish healing
  • Acknowledging the soul's power to bring the body back to life
  • Accepting that grace and prayer play crucial roles in the healing process

The mystical nature of healing challenges our conventional wisdom and demands a shift in perspective. It invites us to explore the deeper, often inexplicable aspects of our existence and tap into the transformative power of the soul.

2. Surrender the Need to Know "Why"

Until you surrender the need to know why things happened to you as they did, you will hold on to your wounds with intense emotional fire.

Release the burden of explanation. The human instinct to seek reasons for our experiences, especially painful ones, can keep us trapped in cycles of suffering. Surrendering this need is a powerful act of liberation that involves:

  • Letting go of the desire for logical explanations for life events
  • Accepting that some experiences are beyond rational understanding
  • Embracing a greater cosmic perspective on life's unfolding

This surrender is not about ignoring or dismissing our experiences, but rather about freeing ourselves from the emotional weight of needing to know why. It allows us to move forward with greater ease and openness to life's possibilities.

3. Connect with Meaning and Purpose

The quest for meaning and purpose is much more than a midlife crisis, in which one sets about finding a second career or another romantic partner.

Discover your soul's calling. Finding meaning and purpose is a fundamental human need that goes beyond superficial life changes. It's about aligning with our deepest essence and contributing to the world in a meaningful way. This process involves:

  • Exploring our innermost desires and values
  • Recognizing our unique gifts and how they can serve others
  • Cultivating a sense of connection to something greater than ourselves

Connecting with meaning and purpose often requires courage to step out of our comfort zones and embrace uncertainty. It's a journey of self-discovery that can lead to profound personal transformation and a more fulfilling life.

4. Navigate the Dark Night of the Soul

The dark night of the soul is a journey into light, a journey from your darkness into the strength and hidden resources of your soul.

Embrace spiritual transformation. The "dark night of the soul" is a profound spiritual experience that involves confronting our deepest fears, doubts, and shadows. This challenging process is essential for spiritual growth and self-realization. Key aspects include:

  • Recognizing the dark night as a natural part of spiritual evolution
  • Facing and integrating our shadow aspects
  • Developing inner strength and resilience through adversity

While the dark night can be deeply uncomfortable, it ultimately leads to greater self-awareness, compassion, and spiritual maturity. It's a crucial phase in the journey towards wholeness and enlightenment.

5. Harness the Power of Grace

Grace is a subtle force that is, once again, beyond the grasp of reason.

Cultivate divine assistance. Grace is a powerful, yet often misunderstood, force in our lives. It's the subtle, divine support that can guide us through challenges and facilitate transformation. To harness the power of grace:

  • Develop an awareness of grace's presence in everyday life
  • Cultivate receptivity through practices like prayer and meditation
  • Trust in the benevolent support of the universe

Grace operates beyond our logical understanding, offering unexpected solutions and opportunities. By opening ourselves to its influence, we can experience profound healing and personal growth.

6. Cultivate Forgiveness as a Mystical Practice

Forgiveness is a mystical directive, not a rational one.

Transform through letting go. Forgiveness is not just a moral imperative but a powerful mystical practice that can lead to profound personal transformation. True forgiveness involves:

  • Releasing the need for vengeance or retribution
  • Transcending the ego's desire for justice
  • Embracing a higher perspective on human relationships and experiences

Forgiveness is often challenging because it defies our rational mind's need for fairness. However, as a mystical practice, it has the power to liberate us from emotional burdens and open us to greater love and compassion.

7. Live in the Present Moment

There is only Now.

Embrace the eternal present. Living fully in the present moment is a fundamental spiritual practice that can profoundly transform our experience of life. It involves:

  • Releasing attachment to past regrets and future anxieties
  • Cultivating mindfulness and awareness in everyday activities
  • Recognizing the illusion of time and embracing the eternal now

By anchoring ourselves in the present, we access a deeper level of peace, clarity, and aliveness. This practice allows us to engage more fully with life and tap into our innate wisdom and creativity.

8. Recognize the Illusion of Perceived Reality

All is illusion.

See beyond appearances. The mystical truth that "all is illusion" challenges our fundamental understanding of reality. It invites us to question our perceptions and beliefs about the world. Key aspects include:

  • Recognizing the limitations of our sensory perceptions
  • Understanding the role of our mind in constructing reality
  • Cultivating a more flexible and open perspective on life events

By acknowledging the illusory nature of our perceived reality, we can free ourselves from rigid beliefs and expectations. This opens us to a more expansive and compassionate way of engaging with the world.

9. Develop Spiritual Senses Beyond Reason

You do not learn the mystical laws for only one specific purpose, such as the need to heal, because that assumes that once your goal is met, all the discipline and learning poured into your healing can be discarded.

Cultivate intuitive wisdom. Developing our spiritual senses allows us to perceive and interact with reality in a more profound way. This involves:

  • Trusting and developing our intuition
  • Cultivating sensitivity to subtle energies and impressions
  • Integrating spiritual insights into everyday life

By developing these senses, we gain access to deeper wisdom and guidance that can enrich all aspects of our lives. This is an ongoing process of growth and refinement that extends far beyond any single goal or purpose.

10. Apply Mystical Laws for Personal Transformation

Mystical laws do not exist as independent rules that order the structure of our external life. Instead, these are the laws that influence our interior or spiritual life, like a parallel universe that contains all the same information, except that it lacks the influence of time, weight, space, and gravity.

Live in harmony with cosmic principles. Mystical laws offer a framework for understanding and navigating our spiritual journey. By aligning with these laws, we can facilitate profound personal transformation. Key practices include:

  • Understanding and applying the law of forgiveness
  • Recognizing the power of living in the present moment
  • Embracing the truth of interconnectedness

Applying mystical laws in our lives requires dedication and practice. It involves shifting our perspective from a purely rational approach to one that embraces the mystical dimensions of existence. This shift can lead to greater peace, wisdom, and fulfillment in all areas of life.

Last updated:

Review Summary

4.22 out of 5
Average of 500+ ratings from Goodreads and Amazon.

Defy Gravity receives mostly positive reviews, with readers praising its insights on healing, forgiveness, and spiritual growth. Many find Myss's approach thought-provoking and transformative, appreciating her ability to synthesize complex concepts into actionable advice. Some readers note the book's challenging nature, emphasizing its suitability for those ready for deep self-reflection. A few criticisms mention the author's assertive style and concerns about potential victim-blaming. Overall, readers value the book's emphasis on compassion, living in the present, and embracing mystical perspectives for personal growth.

Your rating:

About the Author

Caroline Myss is an American author and speaker born in 1952 in Chicago. She began her career in journalism before pursuing theology and claiming a Ph.D. in intuition and energy medicine. Myss started giving medical intuitive readings in 1982 and co-founded a New Age publishing company. She collaborated with Dr. Norman Shealy and authored several New York Times bestsellers on energy medicine and healing. Myss has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and conducts workshops and seminars internationally. In 2003, she established the Caroline Myss Educational Institute. Her work often draws upon spiritual and mystical concepts, incorporating various religious traditions into her teachings on personal growth and healing.

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