Wholeliness by Carmen Harra Ph.D.

Before Hay House Publishing gave me this book to review, I was unfamiliar with the work of Carmen Harra, Ph.D. so starting this book was moving into unfamiliar territory for me, however I soon found myself on solid ground. I think the premise of this book can be summed up with a sentence in the introduction,

“Transformation of the external world must start within.”

Her title draws attention and comparison to the more commonly used word or spelling holiness. In essence she has drawn from the definition of holiness to bring us back to the original and yet a new understanding.

“The condition, state or quality of being healed, whole, and in harmony with the Divine and all that exists.”

From wikipedia: The English word holy dates back to at least the 11th Century with the Old English word hālig, an adjective derived from hāl meaning whole and used to mean 'uninjured, sound, healthy, entire, complete’.

The book moves back and forth within each chapter from personal to global reflecting the belief that transformation begins within each of us individually and moves outward. She blends together scientific and spiritual information working on the concept of “whole”liness. Each chapter concludes with three sections: “observe,” “pray,” and “act.”

What kept me focused on this book was the way she made the material accessible and personal. She included stories from her life that made the information come alive. There is also a prevailing sense of hope which provides relief from the current economic and political news. I have spent time going back through the book looking at the bits that I underlined. Near the end of the book she writes, “Note that every conflict offers a chance to create an experience of cooperation in which you and another person can further expand you thinking and experience wholeliness.” Imagine a world in which this thought process was commonplace. I hope this book becomes one of those books that is read by individuals so often that it becomes ragged in appearance in personal libraries.