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The Road Less Traveled, 25th Anniversary Edition : A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth (平装)
by M. Scott Peck, M.D.
| Category:
Spirituality, Inspiraton, Self-help |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
MSL price:
¥ 158.00
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MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
Filled with case studies and personal antidotes that bring clarity to our understanding of discipline, love, growth, and grace, the book is worthy attempt in the integration of psychology and religion. |
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AllReviews |
1 2   | Total 2 pages 12 items |
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Phyllis Theroux, The Washington Post (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
Not just a book, but a spontaneous act of generosity. |
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Publishers Weekly (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
Psychotherapy is all things to all people in this mega-selling pop- psychology watershed, which features a new introduction by the author in this 25th anniversary edition. His agenda in this tome, which was first published in 1978 but didn't become a bestseller until 1983, is to reconcile the psychoanalytic tradition with the conflicting cultural currents roiling the 70s. In the spirit of Me-Decade individualism and libertinism, he celebrates self-actualization as life's highest purpose and flirts with the notions of open marriage and therapeutic sex between patient and analyst. But because he is attuned to the nascent conservative backlash against the therapeutic worldview, Peck also cites Gospel passages, recruits psychotherapy to the cause of traditional religion (he even convinces a patient to sign up for divinity school) and insists that problems must be overcome through suffering, discipline and hard work (with a therapist.) Often departing from the cerebral and rationalistic bent of Freudian discourse for a mystical, Jungian tone more compatible with New Age spirituality, Peck writes of psychotherapy as an exercise in "love" and "spiritual growth," asserts that "our unconscious is God" and affirms his belief in miracles, reincarnation and telepathy. Peck's synthesis of such clashing elements (he even throws in a little thermodynamics) is held together by a warm and lucid discussion of psychiatric principles and moving accounts of his own patients' struggles and breakthroughs. Harmonizing psychoanalysis and spirituality, Christ and Buddha, Calvinist work ethic and interminable talking cures, this book is a touchstone of our contemporary religio-therapeutic culture. |
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An Israeli reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
This book has helped many people. Its message is that 'Life is difficult' and that we make it more so by running away from our responsibilities and pretending that life cannot be difficult. Peck's prescription for a better life is realizing that life involves a constant effort to understand and improve ourselves. He supplies case- histories of people who seem to have given up or be lost, and then in psychotherapy with him find a way to make better lives. One especially moving story was of a young man who simply could not feel joy at anything in life. He simply had lost his enthusiasm. It turned out that not only had this young man lost a best friend, he had grown up in a world where his two elder brothers knocked down immediately any idea he might have. They tormented him continually and made fun of him. And the parents never paid attention. Peck in two years of psychotherapy was able to teach this young person to stop being fixated at what he was when he was ten years old. He taught the young man how to respect his own thoughts.
Peck's message again is of a new psychologyof love, traditional values and spiritual growth.He warns against our tendency to escape from freedom, and to rely on outdated maps of our situation.
My sense is that this book has helped so many people in part because so many of us need help. We are continually looking for a message, a word of wisdom or spiritual insight that will help us , and renew our faith in ourselves and life. We are continually looking for a spiritual teacher that will be able to help us.
I must admit that this book does not really provide me personally with the kind of message and help I feel a need for at the moment.
How I miss my teacher and friend the Holy Teacher Dovid Herzberg who taught by his example a love of people and joy in being with them which lifted up all those who knew him.
Scott Peck by this book probably helped thousands maybe even tens of thousands of people. Dovid Herzberg helped tens of people maybe even hundreds. But for me and all those who were blessed to know him, he was the highest of the highest.
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Charles Bector (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
Let me start by saying that The Road Less Travelled does not provide short cuts in the elusive road to happiness or self-satisfaction. It is a map, constructed from Peck's profesional opinions that assists in guiding those of us who are afraid to acknowledge challenge and pain. I've often found myself shut off from the world, but after reading it I came to discover that my isolation is a direct result of my choices. It gave me an outsiders perspective on the multiple excuses people make for themselves to avoid the loss of personal security.The Road Less Travelled is not for everyone, for there are portions of the book that seem misguided. Still, this is all part of the charm in Peck's philosphy on life. He isn't afraid of his imperfections, and he recognizes that in some areas his book is flawed. The Road Less Traveled is simply his educated opinion on life, nothing more, and nothing less. |
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Rephann (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
The way this book is written is at times light, nurturing, and joyous but often heavy, challenging, and confrontational. It is a metaphor for Scott Peck's perspective on life. The first sentence of the book, "life is difficult," reflects Scott Peck's idea that spiritual/mental growth must be worked towards, that human beings are generally lazy, and that growth of consciousness is a life-long process. Everything is generally working against our growth: laziness; defense mechanisms employed to maintain the status quo of mental illness over the struggle for accepting responsibility; confusion over the true nature of love; resistance to "grace" (the idea of being open to our unconscious and the symbolic language of God); lack of discipline; adults being mentally and spiritually immature; poor parenting resulting in nuerosis and character disorder; and a culture that generally defends, accepts, and nurtures sickness over health.
Sometimes Scott Peck's language is a little heavy, but it's only because he packs so much valuable information and insight into each page. The first chapter on Discipline (a tool to solve our problems. Another great Peck idea: see problems as challenges, and it is in our response to problems that life takes on its meaning and color) was a bit dry to me, but contains excellent information on delaying gratification, balancing and bracketing (attempting to listen to others/view situations with objectivity), dedication to the truth, and a key to anyone seeking to grow: Accepting responsibility.
The second section on Love was fascinating to me. Scott Peck does a great job debunking the myth of romantic love, but perhaps most valuable is the idea that real loving is about nurturing your own or another's spiritual growth. Love is an action and a decision, not just a feeling. It's so easy in our culture to imagine love as a feeling, red roses, wine, dinners, etc. That is the illusion of romance but has nothing to do with the work and courage of real active loving (Scott Peck says if an action doesn't involve courage or work, it's not loving!). Also in this chapter are a few controversial ideas, namely open marriage (Scott Peck's extension of the idea that loving involves encouraging an individual's total development... hmmm... sort of vague extension to me to involve plural relationships. what happened to discipline?) and even Scott Peck's suggestion that he would have sex with a patient if he felt it would further both their spiritual development! (do not agree with this at all. any person in treatment is not in a position to navigate such power dynamics)
The final section on Grace reminds us to look to our unconscious for information and guidance. Dreams, nagging thoughts, sudden insights, etc. from our unconscious, which Scott Peck says knows more than our conscious ever could, are signs that there is a God, and he/she/it is a loving God interested in our spiritual development (reflection of Scott Peck's idea of love, and a good idea if you ask me). These signs are meant to prod us into action.
In general, although at times you will be re-reading pages to make sure you got the meaning, and sometimes Scott Peck's language will seem heavy and plodding, this book will help you see where you can expand the boundaries of your spirit, your mind, and your life, how you can love bigger and better (and make it mean more to everyone), how your life can have meaning and consistency, and how to be a loving, conscious person, parent, lover, mate, and friend. I underlined a LOT in this book, and going back to read just my underlines I am amazed at the amount of loving, valuable insight in this book. Growing and truly accepting responsibility for the quality of our lives is not as easy as it sounds. Scott Peck is very aware of this and gives a lot of support to keep on journeying this road less traveled.
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Steve (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
This book is not just a self-help book; it is primarily the author's spiritual philosophy. M. Scott Peck, a psychiatrist, wrote this book in 1978, and it's as fresh today as it was then. The format is such that the book can be used as a reference. It is filled with stories of Peck's personal struggles and case studies from his practice, all of which serve to clarify points and to help readers overcome problems. Peck, however, has provided us with the best merger of psychology and spirituality I have ever read. He makes it clear that mental health and spiritual growth are the same thing, which is unusual considering most in his field try to condemn anything related to God. As for style and content, Peck is obviously building towards the fourth and last section titled "Grace." The first three sections are written in a simplistic yet thorough manner so that Peck can reach a wide audience and to ensure that all readers are on the same page. He talks about discipline, love, religion, and the tunnel vision of the scientific community. The concepts developed in these sections prepare the layman for the section on grace, which by itself is worth the price of the book. It is also where Peck gets a bit controversial. Notwithstanding, you have to admire Peck's honesty and forthrightness. He has produced a special book that should be required reading for every teenager and anyone else looking for a better understanding of life and how to live it. |
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Messick (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
I first read M. Scott Peck's The Road Less Travelled over 20 years ago, but it is a text to which I return again and again, as Peck's insights and observations remain a constant source of inspiration and guidance in my life. It still finds a ready home in the hands of therapists, counselors, ministers, teachers, career planners, and others as part of their resources, and is not out of place in the home of anyone who cares about the directions of her or his life.
Peck is a clinical psychiatrist - the material for this book came largely from his experiences with clients and others, seeing what worked and what didn't, what was missing and what was mis-understood. Often cases involved psychotherapy (talk therapy), but the processes here are not confined to therapists' offices. The same kinds of problem solving, processing and relationship building that takes place in psychotherapy can be used as life-long tools.
Peck resists labels such as Freudian and Jungian; he doesn't look for, nor does he offer, quick fixes or the psychotherapeutic variety of the get-rich-quick schemes. This book is not a therapy manual, but rather a guide to spiritual growth that incorporates therapeutic and psychological principles. Peck echoes the sentiments of many spiritual directors and leaders through the millennia that spiritual and personal growth are long journeys, not short leaps. It involves dedication and intention, and a willingness to accept risk and change.
Perhaps it is ironic that, given this, the first topic Peck focuses upon is Discipline. However, without discipline, change can go unchecked and uncharted, growth can become problematic, and the human soul becomes susceptible to a host of difficulties. Dedication and application to problem-solving and long-term building (whether it be of retirement funds or of one's own spirit) requires a disciplined approach that recognises that life is difficulty (the first of Buddha's Four Noble Truths, cited by Peck), gratification sometimes needs to be delayed for greater goods, and reality needs to be approached and dealt with responsibly.
Peck calls here for a life to be totally dedicated to the truth. This is hard, because we as human beings are so accustomed to rationalisation and reinterpretation. This kind of dedication also requires a balance in life, and an ability to be flexible as the truths of our lives change - few of us are in possession of timeless and eternal truths governing every aspect of our lives, and often those who feel they are end up disappointed in the end. The continuing creativity of God in our lives requires flexibility, but this is best achieved in a disciplined and balanced context.
Peck then turns to love, a mysterious thing even in the best of times. He identifies some of the myths of `falling in love' and romantic love that our culture through various means idealises, leading to great dissatisfaction when we do not achieve the desired feelings or situations. Peck makes the assertion that love is not really a feeling, but rather an action or activity, that involves a lot of risk-taking (Peck talks about risks of independence, of commitment, of confrontation, and of loss). True love requires discipline and recognition of the needs of the self and others.
The final two sections of the text deal with aspects of religion on the spiritual and psychological development of persons. The first section looks at religion and growth processes. He does a short survey of some attitudes toward religions and denominations, as well as a look at how the modern scientific mindset colours the worldview of modern people, particularly with ideas of verification and skepticism. Some psychologists and theorists have wondered if religion were mass delusions, mass psychosis, or some other kind of sickness. Peck uses interesting extended case studies here to examine the role of various aspects of religion in the developmental lives of several people. Peck asks the question, `Is belief in God a psychopathology?' In some aspects, and for some people, the way they approach and `use' religion, the answer may well be yes. However, Peck also takes the psychotherapeutic community to task for often being too narrow or too dismissive of the value of religious sentiment and institutions in the lives of their charges.
The final section looks at the role of grace in the spiritual growth process. Grace is another mysterious force, like love, that is difficult to pin down and explain. It is also something uncontrollable. Why do some with artistic talent end up being successful and celebrated, and others not? Why do some use their talent, when others don't? In cases of ultimate despair, Peck makes the observation that while it is often clear why some people commit suicide, it is not often clear why others in the same situations don't. Some of this has to do with the unconscious mind that guides us, and some of it has to do with the miracle of serendipity, as Peck describes it.
Peck describes in some detail his concept of what grace is and how it works, in very general terms that relate to no denomination or religion in particular, but has wide applicability. He talks both about resistance to grace and the welcoming of grace. Grace is not easy, and often comes with responsibilities (Bonhoeffer talks about cheap grace; the requirements of grace are noted through scriptures of many religions). Welcoming grace welcomes often more than we bargained for, but also often more than we hoped.
In his afterword, Peck discusses the difficulties of writing in an organised and linear fashion about something so fundamentally disorganised as spiritual growth and therapeutic processes. He also talks about the need for finding competent help when required - ability is not measured by degrees, he states (something true in many professions). This is useful for those seeking a first therapeutic relationship, or needing a change. |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
Upon finishing this book (and during the duration of reading it), I found myself even more disconnected and lonely than I have become accustomed to over the years. It was a strange experience because in retrospect of what I just read the night before of the first three sections, I could not pinpoint what it was that had so drastically changed my outlook and demeanor on the present night. People noticed a difference in me, asked if I was tired or feeling okay. Then, as if it all came together, I realized that I was mirroring exactly what it is Dr. Peck explains in his musings on discipline and love. I had encountered a truth in my life (and in life as a whole for that matter), and responded to it with a sense of solace and lack of drive. I was reading something my consciousness did not want to address and thereby it left the world as I had known it just the day before starting this book forever changed and lost to me. It was only when I moved into the forth and final section of the book which addresses the nature of God that the redeeming quality of the inevitability of life's suffering, which is the general theme of the work, became palpable to my sensibility.
Yet I've noticed a common theme of those who lack a set religion lambasting this book due to its obvious spirituality. Perhaps my own story can diversify the response. I myself follow no set institution of religion. I have no concept of one religious philosophy as being superior to another yet still, the one thing that I will never be able to accept is the notion of the lack of a higher power. Atheists like to fancy themselves intellectually superior, believing that by accepting only what they can see they somehow rise above the ranks, whereby in my opinion they meet the very contradiction of their philosophy. The evidence of Spirit is all around us, echoed most poetically in the fact that we exist. How is it possibly for us simple to be? No purpose, no endgame, just here we are, nothing exists outside of this reality. For my own humble perspective, that's more ludicrous than the notion that something outside of this reality has brought us forth and that this something has done so with benevolent intentions so that we may reflect on what it is to be and to know what it knows. Having always struggled with issues of cosmic-inferiority, whereby I could not fathom how in a universe that knows no bounds where we are merely tiny little animals that inhabit a tiny little planet that orbits a star within a galaxy of billions we could be seen as something more than utterly unimportant and lost in the mass of all that is, this book's final section provided musings I've longed for for a very long time. Of particular impact was Dr. Peck's assumption that if the universe is infact so vast and never-ending, then should we not by the mere fact that we exist and in a single lifetime may experience a million miracles, both small and large, that bring us ever closer to oneness with the Spirit, thereby see ourselves as the center of the universe, as somehow chosen and given as a gift the universe in all her mystery to use as our stepping- stone for personal growth and ultimately the assumption of the role of God Him(or Her/Its)self. Its borderline Ayn Rand Individualism, but from a much more humble and spiritual approach. Obviously this book can't be everything for everyone, and there are for my taste minor missteps in the discussion of love (thus the missing star), yet still I will brave stepping right into the line of cliché by admitting that I can honestly say that this book has changed my life.
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
When this book entered the general marketplace 25 years ago, it served as an excellent reality check against the "Just be positive and it will all work out fine" and "Fake it until you make it" flawed positive thinking model which had swept through Western society. Scott Peck's message that "life is difficult" reached people who were ready to face the truth and tackle life head on. Through many interactions with patients, he shows us that we can overcome our past failures and limiting perceptions, to increase our self esteem and the quality of our lives. I recommend this classic book together with another superb book, Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self. Optimal Thinking is the road along which we all make the most of the everpresent moment, any situation, business and life. Read both books! |
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El Lagarto (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-05 00:00>
Pound for pound, this book contains more practical wisdom than 99.9% of what's out there. It's a very special gift from Peck to all of us that is worth revisiting when the going gets rough, or even confusing. In its own quiet way it's a radical work, calling into question the basic assumptions of our daily life.
The famous first sentence, "Life is difficult," appears to be intuitive and obvious. In fact it is not. We seem to believe that life is designed with our comfort and convenience in mind, and that the potholes we encounter are irritating aberrations. Obstacles are the norm, Peck would say, and offer opportunities for growth.
His complete deconstruction of romantic love is also welcome, and almost heretical. This fantastically successful myth has fueled the furnaces of art, culture, and mercantile existence for centuries. The definition of love he offers in its place, "The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth," is both workable and profoundly challenging, inviting us to view spiritual growth as a lifelong project of daring generosity.
Our culture loves the rose but hates the thorn, making Peck's message of hard work, action rather than talk, and commitment refreshing and vital. He points out, quite accurately, that the process of talk therapy is a bold venture with no certain outcome, and that while therapists provide a safe environment it is patients who must venture into the coalmine with only a small flashlight and a big heart.
Most uplifting of all is the connection between emotional health and spiritual evolution. In the final section, devoted to Grace, Peck tracks a connection between inner serenity, where the ego is aligned harmoniously with the subconscious and the larger force it swims in, and a desire to be selfless and useful to others.
The perfectly actualized human, he maintains, has a very small footprint indeed and would devote as much time and energy as possible to doing the work of God, to being like God. (The challenge of accurately determining what is God's will versus what is human vanity is consciously highlighted.) In a society like ours, so staggeringly self-centered, super- ficial, and devoted to the cheap intoxicants of materialism, it is easy to see why a book like this is revolutionary and desperately needed. Thank you, Dr. Peck.
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