READER COMMENTS
“With Spirituality
Simplified, Jeff Maziarek has created the ideal guidebook for the
spiritual seeker. This book is a comprehensive guide that provides a
solid foundation of spiritual teachings supported with excerpts from
dozens of the most inspirational and enlightening books of our time.
Whether you are new to the spiritual path, or a seasoned traveler,
you will appreciate the information in this book -- and the fact
that you can pick it up and open to any page for a useful message.
Readers of The
Secret will appreciate Spirituality Simplified for its broader, more
complete look at the spiritual principles of The Law of Attraction
-- perhaps providing them with just the "key" understanding they
need to unlock "The Secret" and make it work for them. With
Spirituality Simplified, author Jeff Maziarek has tied together some
of the most useful and profound keys to advancing along the path --
in a very easy-to-read and easy-to-understand book. This book is a
definite must-read for any spiritual aspirant, or anyone interested
in understanding the nature of who they are and how their life
unfolds. Spirituality Simplified is one of the most practical
introductions to the spiritual path available today.”
- Pete Koerner,
author of “The
Belief Formula”
“If it were
possible to place the basic concepts of spirituality in a nutshell,
this book does it! Spirituality Simplified gives you all the
necessary tools to help you embark on a journey and/or path towards
a higher level of self-awareness and self-love. I have been on that
journey for almost ten years myself and it was good to go back to
the basics because during this journey your are constantly working
to stay in the moment, step outside yourself and look at what's
happening. This book reminded me of that! It's a great read!”
- Nicholas J.
Perri, Illinois
“I read and
circulate all of my spirituality books so that they continue living
and don't die on my bookshelf. Instead of circulating this one, I
bought a copy for me and for each of my dear friends (my sister
bought one for each of our family members). It's a "must have" for
those on a spiritual journey. The author does a fabulous job of
giving you a "taste" of all areas that you should be "sure to
explore" on your journey while giving you plenty to appease your
appetite if you choose to stop here. This would be a PERFECT first
book to start your spirituality journey, but it's about my 50th book
(at least) and I still had many awakenings in different areas of my
life.”
- Mary Beth Weber, New Jersey
"My sister and I have been reading Spiritual books for many years. In fact, it's
the only type of book we read. We have a "library" of books on this subject - many of
which were quoted in Jeff Maziarek's Spirituality Simplified. If any one were to ask
me which book they should read on Spirituality, I would highly recommend this one.
Spirituality Simplified is a great overview of the subject, whether you are just
beginning to ponder the subject or are further along on your spiritual journey. It is
perfect for those who are afraid to question their current religion, either because
of their family traditions and/or the beliefs that were instilled in them. Like Jeff,
we come from a Catholic family and went to Catholic school, so it was difficult at
first to share our beliefs with our family. But fortunately, over the years, our parents
have become open to hearing about our views and have even read some of the books we are
interested in!
We feel so strongly about this book that we purchased 20 copies of it and are giving
them to our family as gifts and are going to give out a few to our friends and ask them
to read it, sign their name, and pass it on to someone else who would like to read it...
kind of like "Pay it Forward". There are very few books that I feel strongly enough to
write a review on, and this is one of those "rare gems". Read it, you won't be disappointed!" - Margaret DeMeo, New Jersey "Spirituality Simplified is a wonderful book! I am relatively new to the "spiritual path"
and was excited to read about these basic spiritual principles in such an organized and
easy-to-understand format. Like the author, I was raised Catholic and have since left
traditional religion behind. Jeff Maziarek has done a superb job relaying information in
a down-to-earth manner. He uses examples of his personal challenges and successes to
reiterate important principles. He even references classic rock song lyrics to provoke
further thought.
This book is valuable to me because like the cover says, it is "A Handy Reference Guide". Before
reading this book, I was already familiar with authors such as Eckhart Tolle and Neale
Donald Walsch. Jeff Maziarek introduced me to many other authors and resources that I am
now going to explore. I like having Spirituality Simplified on my bookshelf because
I can turn to it to get a refresher on a specific principle.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone on a spiritual quest. Reading this book will provide
you with confidence that you are on the right path!" - J. Tumillo, Illinois "I soooo resonated with the contents of this book!
I’ve been on a ‘spiritual but not religious’ journey for the past 5-6 years, so nearly
everything Jeff wrote confirmed things I’ve come to believe and accept in my own life.
What I especially liked is that there was no ‘new age fluff.’ It was not about astrology,
psychics, moon phases, etc., etc. It was down-to-earth principles about gaining a better
understanding of the essential nature of the God-Force/Spirit and how we can experience
this wonderful Force in our lives (without having to adhere to numerous ‘religious’
doctrines).
Jeff's first chapter is titled “Open-Mindedness” and truly, this is what it’s going to
take to explore principles that may not fit with one’s long-held beliefs and ideas about
religion. But if you have the courage to espouse yourself to new concepts, I think you
will find this book an exciting and exhilarating read." - N. Yielding, Oregon "Jeff Maziarek has written an incredibly simple, yet all-encompassing,
book about spirituality. Spirituality Simplified is easy to read and extremely
well organized. It touches upon a number of major components of spirituality,
and not only addresses them in the book, but recommends other sources for further
reading about each of these topics. Each chapter ends with a summary which is
very helpful in pulling together all of the basic information in one chapter
before moving onto the next.
Spirituality Simplified is simply written yet contains a
wealth of information that is usually impossible to find in a book so
easy to read. Maziarek interweaves his personal thoughts and experiences
with quotes from a variety of sources, as well as friendly narrative
that is never once condescending or intimidating. I personally found it
enlightening, and never once felt “preached to”. Maziarek has found a
way to tackle what could be a sensitive topic with grace and respect,
and has written a book that is appropriate for everyone. This book is a
wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in exploring
spirituality, and I would highly recommend it, whether you are a novice
to the idea of spirituality, or have been exploring spirituality for
some time."
- Danielle Feliciano for
"Jeff you have most certainly inspired me to make sure all my friends and family
have a copy of your book. I am constantly hearing stories about have your book has
changed - transformed their lives. I caught my daughter saying, "Hey mom this guy has
the same opinions as you....look he is saying the same thing you have said for years."
(Thanks Jeff for the validation!) :) Thank you for making it simple enough for my daughter
to understand it…Interesting enough so she didn't want to put it down. You are making
my life easier!" - Debbie Robinson, Yorkville, IL "Spirituality Simplified is the most understandable and uplifting book that I have
read regarding my spiritual search. I couldn't put it down, but when I did I went
right to the website to find a lecture or series to sign up for. Imagine my disappointment
that nothing was listed. In an e-mail to Jeff, which I was certain would receive an automatic
response, if any, I asked about 2007 plans for speaking. To my amazement Jeff e-mailed me
the next day, and in a personal and polite manner, answered my questions and offered a
couple more authors to read! Jeff is certainly on a spiritual path of his own; one that
encourages me to continue my studies also. Thank you Jeff. Your book is most certainly a
"must read" for anyone seeking a spiritual path. Can't wait to hear you speak!"
- J.B. Naylor, South Jersey "I came across this book about a year and a half ago and bought two copies for my store. I perused
the detailed Table of Contents and was amazed at what I saw. Then I looked at the bibliography
and discography and was completely floored. I teach a spiritual awareness classes to my clients
and almost all of the topics from various books that I recommend are in this one, easy to read format.
I recommended it to some of my students right away and I haven't been able to keep it on
the shelf since. Now I have all of my students read it first, then get the other books if
needed for more detail on specific subjects. I think my favorite feedback from a student was,
"My husband doesn't believe in this spiritual stuff, so I read one chapter on forgiveness and
we discussed it. Now I need to get another copy because he won't give it back!"
We now have a discussion group that is loosely based off Spirituality Simplified. I called
Jeff Maziarek one day to find out about some copyright issues for these classes and he
answered the phone and talked to me for about an hour. How many authors really walk their
talk? I don't know, but Mr. Maziarek is the real thing. I thank him for this book and urge
everyone to read it! Following these simple Universal Laws make a huge difference in ones life,
no matter the religion." - Rev. Rainy Broms, Rainy's Mystics Books & Gifts, San Diego, CA "What the book does best is the author’s succinct presentation of his own
thoughts, as well as others, that permit his readers to digest and make
sense of them in any way they wish. It is not merely a collection of the
author’s sayings and anecdotes, but rather a penetration of our lifestyle
and how we can deepen our knowledge in improving it as we embark upon the
path to spiritual growth. Each chapter is framed around fundamental concepts
that are carefully analyzed and shored up by powerful passages taken from
the teachings of some prominent spiritual growth authors…
As the author concludes, there is no easy path to spiritual growth, as
there are no set of rules that will provide you with all of the answers.
It is up to you to discover your inner truth and to formulate your own
spiritual philosophy.
Although many of the book’s themes have been explored elsewhere, Maziarek’s
strength lies in his passion and intensity as he examines several enlightening
principles that are highly relevant to our daily lives, and that will aid us
in arriving at a more comprehensible awareness of our true identity." - Norman Goldman, Editor, (5/06)
"How often have you wished that life came with an instruction manual
just like electronic equipment does? Well, this is the book I had
been longing for. I was so excited to read it, and apply it in my
life to further my spiritual understanding. Jeff really does make
it seem so simple, clear and inspirational."
- Nancy Fleming-Walsch, President & Co-founder, Conversations
with God Foundation
"Excellent book! You've done a wonderful job synthesizing
many important principles, with the unique touch of your own experience."
- Allen Cohen, best-selling author of "The Dragon Doesn't
Live Here Anymore"
"Recently our Unity Church minister passed your book on to
me to preview as a possible purchase for our bookstore. I am almost
finished reading it and don't want to put it down! I have been reading
New Thought/Metaphysical books for about 10 years now...so I've
been introduced to many of the ideas presented in the book. But,
I love the framework and clarity the book is providing for me. It
is helping me to put some order to the chaos of thoughts...and most
importantly I am finally realizing the supreme importance of not
just reading about ideas, but applying them."
- Linda Gettle, Mt. Gretna, PA
“Jeff has the wonderful gift of untangling the complexity
of various spiritual concepts and metaphysical laws. He artfully
categorized basic spiritual concepts, creating chapters for each
one, and skillfully presented the information. This book is truly
a gift. Each chapter relates profound knowledge, feeding information
to the spiritual seeker while honoring the sacredness of all sentient
life. I would have devoured this novel seven years ago when I was
“waking up.” I was on information overload. Jeff’s
book would have grounded me and provided a simple foundation during
that period of overwhelm. Reading the book in 2005, I found validation
and support for the personal work I have accomplished during my
spiritual journey. I also found gentle reminders, wonderful resources
for increased research. This book is a “must” for anyone,
at anytime, in their spiritual journey.”
- Bobbi Thompson, Palmyra, PA
"Spirituality Simplified is a very well-written book
that truly is what it claims to be—a great 'spirituality starter',
as well as a really nice reminder and refresher for the experienced
spiritual student. I can think of heaps of people who I would like
to give it to as an entry level book."
- Stuart Bayliss, Sydney, Australia
"What a wonderful book. Jeff Maziarek has performed an excellent
service for all people interested in the Spiritual Path; whether
they be just setting out or, like myself, are more seasoned travelers.
So what makes this book so good? Well, like the title says –
it's all really quite simple. Jeff Maziarek has successfully given
us the reader an outline of basic spiritual principles in a very
readable and very succinct manner. He illustrates the principles
with gems from the works of many of today's most esteemed writers
in this field (Messrs Chopra, Dyer, Cohen, Hay, Grabhorn and so
on) adding what he believes are the 'Must Reads' and 'Recommended'
books by these and other writers. In addition, and for me what makes
the book so approachable, the author uses illustrations from his
own life often with a great degree of candor and honesty.
Lastly I can think of no higher praise than to say, that this
book joins the pantheon of 'Must Reads' and, I firmly believe, is
destined to become a classic of its kind."
- Neil Story, Toronto, Canada
"Spirituality Simplified is an excellent and invaluable
resource for anyone whose heart no longer resonates with the "tribal"
view to life. Jeff Maziarek has done a wonderful job of distilling
the essence of a wide variety of spiritual principles into a well
organized, easy to understand text that is truly a powerful guide
for changing one's life. I highly recommend this book for anyone
who is seeking an alternative approach to life that is freeing,
while bringing peace of mind and fulfillment as you travel your
soul's path!
"If you have been on the path for a while as I have been,
then I am sure you will find Spirituality Simplified to
be an excellent refresher. I gained additional valuable insights
from the well thought out approach and unique perspective Jeff brings
to the subject. This book will set within easy reach on my reference
shelf!”
- Clarence Deigel, Prairie View, IL
“One's spiritual journey is not simple, however Jeff makes
you believe it can be. I think what makes this book so easy to understand
such a complex topic is Jeff's clear, concise discussion of spiritual
concepts supported by very personal experiences of his spiritual
journey that help the reader to not only understand but believe.
The best part is he has done all the research for you, and gives
you the tools and direction to continue your own journey of self-discovery.
This book will open your mind to life's possibilities you never
dreamed of.”
- Julia Smith, Bloomington, IL
“I found Spirituality Simplified to be a hard book
to put down! Jeff Maziarek’s work is brilliant and illuminating…I
especially liked the way he organized the subject matters, provided
a good amount of thought and clear explanation, and then summarized
the most important aspects at the end of each chapter. Thanks to
Spirituality Simplified, I have learned new concepts that
I only briefly touched on before and didn't give much thought to.
And now, because of the “related reading” listed at
the end of each chapter, I know where to go if I want to delve further.
My thanks to Jeff for creating such a useful, informative guide
to exploring the Higher Self. I will definitely be recommending
this book to others and ordering more myself to give as gifts.”
- Norma Juel, San Antonio, TX
“Being a spiritual seeker myself, I was interested when I
saw Spirituality Simplified. In my experience spirituality
is anything but simple! But once I started reading Jeff Maziarek's
book I was impressed by:
1. A lot of information and ways we can incorporate a new way of
living in each chapter. And, he put fitting quotations in each chapter
from authors I had never read before. They are thought-provoking,
well-chosen and I wanted to read more.
2. He uses his own experiences in following the suggestions and
advice given. I find that very valuable. His voice is quiet and
very honest. This gives us a glimpse of how we can grow if we open
our minds, drop our preconceptions and follow the path.
3. I liked the many authors listed at the end of the book whose
work had been quoted. Although I was familiar with some, he included
many I hadn't read before. They all looked worthy of investigating.
Jeff Maziarek has done a wonderful job of organizing and compiling
a difficult subject, and I recommend this book to anyone seeking
a way to a deeper, more spiritual way of life."
- Mary Bosman, Sturgeon Bay, WI
“In the last decade, I have been committed to pursuing answers to
spiritual questions. I have read books by several of the authors
Jeff presents in his book and although I believe I have grown and
have developed a deeper understanding of myself and of universal
laws, I find this book to be a valuable asset to my journey. The
author presents simple, yet profound, insights in an easy-to-follow
format, designed for those just getting started in their spiritual
journey, but also is an excellent resource for someone who considers
themselves a "seasoned" spiritual seeker, as I do. It definitely has
become a handy reference for me, providing me with countless
reminders and deeper insights."
- Anna Vogt, Chicago, IL
“Finally...a book that puts spirituality into words and concepts
I can understand. The other books on the market are difficult to
follow. I am now able to put this information to use in my every
day life.”
- Kris Griffith, Long Beach, CA
“Jeff Maziarek has truly simplified a route for new and reviewing
travelers. I was impressed with his first chapter advising starting
with an open mind! All the text was simple and straightforward without
any ambiguity. The content is a solid basis for a strong spiritual
foundation.”
- Kay Andriss, Chicago, IL
“The book presents concepts in a clear and concise format.
Jeff Maziarek’s ability to compile his book from the numerous
books he has read, makes Spirituality Simplified a relevant,
realistic and important work. Anyone interested in spiritual growth
should have this on their must read list.”
- Steven Damolaris, Elgin, IL
"Spirituality Simplified provides an insightful,
thought-provoking and inspirational introduction to a variety of
topics, and the principles outlined are directly applicable to one’s
day-to-day interaction with oneself and others. In addition, the
inclusion of the author’s own personal experiences helps to
make the work less intimidating and more intimate, with an, 'If
he can do it, so can I' vibe throughout. I highly recommend it to
anyone interested in the subject of spiritual growth."
- Chris Hansen, Chicago, IL
"The book is superb! It's intellectually and emotionally challenging, and makes for thought-provoking reading. It's definitely a must read for anyone embarking on the path of spiritual growth."
- Jean Moriki, Phoenix, AZ
"Spirituality Simplified is a concise read for busy
people needing an introduction to the subject of spirituality. The
author not only presents core concepts from many of the best writers
on spiritual growth, but does so in a friendly, neighborly manner,
while revealing some of the most important insights to be gained.
I keep this book on my nightstand and use it as a quick reference
whenever I feel myself backsliding."
- Gary Madden, Riverhead, NY
"Eight years ago when I was in the very early stages of my spiritual journey, I met Jeff Maziarek. Not long after that meeting he took time away from a busy work effort to send me audio tapes of a Father Anthony DeMello seminar. Father DeMello's words and guidance completely transformed my spiritual outlook, and now, after reading Spirituality Simplified, I realize that Jeff was destined to become the catalyst for this joyous awakening and to be my dear friend throughout time."
- Mike Kapel, Pompano Beach, FL
|