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''Conversations with God'' (''CWG'') is a sequence of books written by Neale Donald Walsch. It was written as a dialogue in which Walsch asks questions and
God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
answers. The first book of the ''Conversations with God'' series, ''Conversations with God, Book 1: An Uncommon Dialogue'', was published in 1995 and became a publishing phenomenon, staying on ''
The New York Times Best Sellers List ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times ...
'' for 137 weeks. In an interview with
Larry King Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American television and radio host, whose awards included 2 Peabodys, an Emmy and 10 Cable ACE Awards. Over his career, he hosted over 50,000 interviews. ...
, Walsch described the inception of the books as follows: at a low period in his life, Walsch wrote an angry letter to God asking questions about why his life wasn't working. After writing down all of his questions, he heard a voice over his right shoulder say: "Do you really want an answer to all these questions or are you just venting?" When Walsch turned around, he saw no one there, yet Walsch felt answers to his questions filling his mind and decided to write them down. The ensuing
automatic writing Automatic writing, also called psychography, is a claimed psychic ability allowing a person to produce written words without consciously writing. Practitioners engage in automatic writing by holding a writing instrument and allowing alleged spir ...
became the ''Conversations with God'' books. When asked in a recent interview how he opens up to God, Neale stated, "I am reaching out to touch others with this information. When I reach out and touch others with this information, I reconnect immediately with the divine presence."


Basis of the dialogue

The series contains nearly three thousand pages of material. The second and third books in the trilogy deal with political and social issues.


Themes

In ''Friendship with God'', Walsch writes that God presents four concepts that are central to the entire dialogue: # We are all one. # There's enough. # There's nothing we have to do. # Ours is not a better way, ours is merely another way.
Existence Existence is the ability of an entity to interact with reality. In philosophy, it refers to the ontological property of being. Etymology The term ''existence'' comes from Old French ''existence'', from Medieval Latin ''existentia/exsistentia' ...
is essentially non-dual in nature. At the highest level, there is no separation between anything, and there is only one of us; there is only God, and everything is God. The second statement, following from the first, means that we, in this seeming existence, lack nothing, and if we choose to realize it, we have enough of whatever we think we need (or the means to create it) within us. The third statement combines the first two to conclude that God, being all there is and is thus always sufficient unto itself, has no need for anything and therefore has no requirements of
humanity Humanity most commonly refers to: * Humankind the total population of humans * Humanity (virtue) Humanity may also refer to: Literature * ''Humanity'' (journal), an academic journal that focuses on human rights * ''Humanity: A Moral History of t ...
. The final concept puts an end to our need always to be correct. Given that we have and are everything, and there's nothing we ''have'' to do, there is an ''infinite'' number of ways to experience this, not just the ''one'' way we may have chosen so far. According to the books, God recommends many
economic An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with th ...
and
social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...
changes if people want to make a more functional, adaptable, and sustainable world. The books recommend that more attention should focus on the environment. The conversations also speak of
reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrectio ...
and the existence of life on other planets.


God's motive for creation

In Walsch's first dialogue, God notes that "knowing" and "experiencing" oneself are different things. Before creation, there was only That-Which-Is, which cannot know or experience itself fully without something it is not. It cannot know itself as love since nothing exists but love. It cannot know itself as giving since nothing else exists to give to. It cannot experience itself in
myriad A myriad (from Ancient Greek grc, μυριάς, translit=myrias, label=none) is technically the number 10,000 (ten thousand); in that sense, the term is used in English almost exclusively for literal translations from Greek, Latin or Sinospher ...
ways because everything is one. In Walsch's viewpoint, this present creation is established by and within God so that
sentience Sentience is the capacity to experience feelings and sensations. The word was first coined by philosophers in the 1630s for the concept of an ability to feel, derived from Latin '' sentientem'' (a feeling), to distinguish it from the ability to ...
can exist, which does not directly remember its true nature as God. Split into infinite forms, all life can live, experience, and recreate its nature as God, rather than "know" itself as the creator in theory. It is essentially a game, entered into by agreement, to remember who and what we are and enjoy and create, knowing that ultimately there is no finish line that some will not reach, no understanding that is not without value, no act that does not add meaning to the future or for others. Walsch claims that God says that we have a common interest in keeping the game going. There is nothing else to do except to experience our existence and then experience more of it, to uncover deeper layers of truth and understanding. There are no external rules because all experience is subjective and chosen. But within this, there are ways that people will gradually come to see their thoughts, words, and actions are either working or not working. A thing is either functional or dysfunctional, not right or wrong. These rememberings take place over "time" and can take hundreds and thousands of lifetimes.


Nature of the dialogue

* Book 1 (PG.4) argues that words are not the ultimate truth; instead, words are symbols and are open to interpretations. Thus the readers are advised to consult their inner knowing or intuition to determine their truth while reading the book or any other book. Though the books bear the title ''Conversations with God'' and the author states in book one that he is "taking dictation" from God, the dialogue is said to be between God and all people at all times. The question, according to Neale, is not to who does God talk, but who listens. This is clarified by the statement that God can communicate with people in many ways (the next song you hear, the next sunset you experience, the next time you hear laughter, the next movie that moves you), and not necessarily through words 'spoken' by God to a person. "All these devices are mine. All these avenues are open to me. I will speak to you if you invite me." (Book 1, PG 58). *
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
is said to have sought to lead by example, which is why he said, "I am the way and the life, follow me". Follow me meant that we should follow his example and become one with God. Jesus and other living things are/were not one with God presently (everything is happening right now with no space/time difference) - rather than become his followers. Jesus is supposed to have said, "The Father (God) and I are one, and you are my brethren". This means that living things are all one (particles of the collective God) (Book 3, Chapter 20, PG. 329-330). * Jesus is said to have said, "without the Father (God), I am nothing". The Father of all is pure thought, the energy of life (Book 3, Chapter 11, PG. 180). * In Book 3 of ''Conversations with God'' (1998), by Neale Donald Walsch, it is mentioned that Mahavatar Babaji may at one time have resurrected himself from the dead, just like Lazarus, Jesus and other humans. When Neale asks God if reincarnation is a false doctrine, God replies that it is not. Neale then asks why some religions do not know the truth about something so basic. In response, God says that we must understand that humans have many fear-based religions whose teachings surround the doctrine of a God who is to be worshipped and feared. It was through fear that the entire Earth society reformed itself from a matriarchy into patriarchy. * Through fear, the holy priests got people to mend their wicked ways and heed the word of the Lord. It was through fear that the churches gained and controlled their membership. Churches even insisted that God will punish you if you did not go to church every Sunday. Not going to church was declared a sin - and not just any church, it had to be a particular one. * One had to attend one particular church. If you went to a church of a different denomination, that too was a sin. That was an attempt at control using fear. It worked. People will always believe in hell and a God who would send them there as long as we believe that God is like man — ruthless, self-serving, unforgiving, and vengeful.


Parallels in other belief systems

The dialogue presents many philosophical ideas that prominent Eastern and Western thinkers had already advanced earlier. Still, Walsch explains the information in language for modern readers and does not explicitly cite these philosophers. Walsch claims that he had never known most of these ideas before his revelatory experiences. Since the beginning of the series, and especially in the later volumes, Walsch and "God" acknowledge that most of the concepts presented are previously known to humanity but are profound enough to warrant being explored repeatedly and put into this cohesive, unified form. Since humanity is still mired in strife and conflict, there is value in their restatement. Fundamental parts of Walsch's writings are also mirrored within other well-known spiritual writings and traditions: * All things are one, there is no polarity, no right or wrong, no disharmony, but only identity. All is one, and that one is love/light, light/love, the Infinite Creator. (
Advaita ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...
/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
) * Souls reincarnate to eventually experience God-realization (
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
/''
Bhagavad-Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic '' Mahabharata'' (c ...
''/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
). * Feelings are more important as a source of guidance than intellect (
Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...
/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
). * We are not here to learn anything new but to remember what we already know (
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
/
Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...
/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
). * Physical reality is an illusion (
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
/
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
's concept of ''
maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a popul ...
''/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
). * One cannot understand one thing unless he or she understands its opposite (''
Tao Te Ching The ''Tao Te Ching'' (, ; ) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion ...
''). * God is everything. (
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
/
Spinoza Baruch (de) Spinoza (born Bento de Espinosa; later as an author and a correspondent ''Benedictus de Spinoza'', anglicized to ''Benedict de Spinoza''; 24 November 1632 – 21 February 1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese-Jewish origin, ...
/
Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
/
Pandeism Pandeism (or pan-deism), is a theological doctrine that combines aspects of pantheism with aspects of deism. Unlike classical deism, which holds that God does not interfere with the universe after its creation, pandeism holds that a creator ...
/
Pantheism Pantheism is the belief that reality, the universe and the cosmos are identical with divinity and a supreme supernatural being or entity, pointing to the universe as being an immanent creator deity still expanding and creating, which has ...
) * God is self-experiential, in that it is the nature of the Universe to experience itself. (
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
/
Hegel Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (; ; 27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher. He is one of the most important figures in German idealism and one of the founding figures of modern Western philosophy. His influence extends a ...
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Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
/
Pandeism Pandeism (or pan-deism), is a theological doctrine that combines aspects of pantheism with aspects of deism. Unlike classical deism, which holds that God does not interfere with the universe after its creation, pandeism holds that a creator ...
, and process theology as first outlined by
Alfred North Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead (15 February 1861 – 30 December 1947) was an English mathematician and philosopher. He is best known as the defining figure of the philosophical school known as process philosophy, which today has found applica ...
) * God is not fear-inducing or vengeful, only our parental projections onto God are. (
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
) * Fear or love are the two basic alternative perspectives on life. ( Drewermann) * Good and evil do not exist (as absolutes, but can exist in a different context and for different reasons). (
Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (; or ; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philosopher, prose poet, cultural critic, philologist, and composer whose work has exerted a profound influence on contemporary philosophy. He began his car ...
/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
) * Reality is a representation created by will. (
Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer ( , ; 22 February 1788 – 21 September 1860) was a German philosopher. He is best known for his 1818 work ''The World as Will and Representation'' (expanded in 1844), which characterizes the phenomenal world as the pr ...
/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
) * Nobody knowingly desires evil. (
Socrates Socrates (; ; –399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. An enigmatic figure, Socrates authored no t ...
/
Stoicism Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BCE. It is a philosophy of personal virtue ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world, asserting tha ...
/
Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
) (see: Moral intellectualism )


Bibliography


Complete Title List of All CWG Books


Dialogue Books series

The following are the ten books in the ''Conversations With God'' Dialogue Books series. Each of these books is a claimed transcript of dialogue between two beings, Neale Donald Walsch and "God", with the exception of ''Communion with God'', which is written only by "God". # ''Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)'' (1995) # ''Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 2)'' (1997) # ''Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 3)'' (1998) # ''Friendship with God: An Uncommon Dialogue'' (1999) # ''Communion With God: An Uncommon Dialogue'' (2000) # ''Conversations with God for Teens'' (2001) # ''The New Revelations: A Conversation with God'' (2002) # ''Tomorrow's God: Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge'' (2004) # ''Home with God: In a Life That Never Ends'' (2006) # ''Conversations with God: Awaken the Species (Book 4)'' (2017) ''Home With God'', we are told, is the final book in this series of two-way written communication . In August 2016, however, Neale stumbled upon a "new and unexpected dialogue" continuing the original trilogy with a fourth installment released on March 27, 2017. The first three books in the series are often called the CwG trilogy. In 2005, the trilogy was re-released as one combined 'Gift Edition' book. This edition contains the entire text of the first three books with 'God's words in blue ink and Neale's in black ink, and features a combined 3-in-1 index at the back. # ''The Complete Conversations with God'' (October 20, 2005)


Supplementary Titles

# ''What God Wants: A Compelling Answer to Humanity's Biggest Question'' (March 21, 2005) # ''Bringers of the Light'' (May 31, 2000) # ''Recreating Your Self'' (June 1, 2000) # ''Questions and Answers on Conversations With God'' (October 1, 1999) # ''Moments of Grace: When God Touches Our Lives Unexpectedly'' (July 2001) # ''Neale Donald Walsch on Relationships'' (September 29, 1999) # ''Neale Donald Walsch on Holistic Living'' (September 30, 1999) # ''Neale Donald Walsch on Abundance and Right Livelihood'' (October 1, 1999) # ''Happier Than God: Turn Ordinary Life into an Extraordinary Experience'' (February 28, 2008) # ''The Holy Experience''
free eBook
# ''The Conversations with God Companion: The Essential Tool for Individual and Group Study'' (May 21, 2009) # ''When Everything Changes, Change Everything: In a Time of Turmoil, a Pathway to Peace'' (May 7, 2009) # ''When Everything Changes, Change Everything: Workbook & Study Guide'' (March 10, 2011) # ''The Storm Before the Calm (Book 1 in the Conversations with Humanity Series)'' (September 27, 2011) # ''The Only Thing That Matters (Book 2 in the Conversations with Humanity Series)'' (October 16, 2012) # ''What God Said: The 25 Core Messages of Conversations With God That Will Change Your Life and the World'' (October 2013) # ''Gods Message To The World: You've Got Me All Wrong'' (October 2014) # ''Conversations With God for Parents: Sharing the Messages with Children (Book 3 in the Conversations with Humanity Series)'' (October 2015) # ''Where God and Medicine Meet: A conversation between a doctor and a spiritual messenger'' (November 2016) # ''The Little Soul and the Sun: A Children's Parable Adapted from Conversations With God'' (April 1, 1998) # ''The Little Soul And the Earth: A Children's Parable Adapted From Conversations With God'' (August 1, 2005) (with Frank Riccio) # ''Santa's God: A Children's Fable About the Biggest Question Ever'' (October 2, 2009)


Additional Texts

#Guidebook to Conversations with God #* ''Conversations with God for Teens Guidebook'' (by Jeanne Webster and Emily Welch) (June 20, 2008) #* ''Conversations with God – Guidebook, Book 1'' (July 1, 1997) #* ''Conversations with God – Guidebook, Book 1'' (by Nancy Ways) (November 10, 2008) #* ''Conversations with God – Guidebook, Book 2'' (by Anne-Marie Barbier) (November 10, 2008) #* ''Conversations with God – Guidebook, Book 3'' (by Alissa Goefron) (December 1, 2008) #Meditations from Conversations with God #* ''Meditations from Conversations With God'' (December 31, 2005) #* ''Meditations from Conversations With God: Book 1'' (September 2, 1999) #* ''Meditations from Conversations With God, Book 2: A Personal Journal'' (December 1, 1997) # ''The Wedding Vows from Conversations With God'' (with Nancy Fleming-Walsch) (April 1, 2000) # ''The Little Book of Life: A User's Manual'' (October 1, 2010) # ''Conversations with God in a Nutshell: A Pocket Guide to the Dialogue'' (2014)


Supplemental material

Please see the Writings at Neale Donald Walsch.


Movie (2006)

A ''Conversations with God'' movie shows the author's experience and opened in theatres across the United States on October 27, 2006. Walsch is played by Henry Czerny in the film directed by Stephen Deutsch. The DVD version of the film was released on February 27, 2007.


Audiobook

Conversations with God books 1 and 2, and Communion with God, narrated by
Ed Asner Eddie Asner (; November 15, 1929 – August 29, 2021) was an American actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild. He is best remembered for portraying Lou Grant during the 1970s and early 1980s, on both ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' a ...
.


See also

*
Alien hand syndrome Alien hand syndrome (AHS) or Dr. Strangelove syndrome is a category of conditions in which a person experiences their limbs acting seemingly on their own, without conscious control over the actions. There are a variety of clinical conditions that ...
*
Split-brain Split-brain or callosal syndrome is a type of disconnection syndrome when the corpus callosum connecting the two hemispheres of the brain is severed to some degree. It is an association of symptoms produced by disruption of, or interference wit ...


References


External links


Official website
*
''Conversations with God'' movie Web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conversations With God Channelled texts Dialogues New Thought literature New Age books Books about spirituality Book series introduced in 1995