The Whole Elephant Revealed

Circle Network Book Review: The Whole Elephant Revealed - Insights into the existence and operation of Universal Laws and the Golden Ratio by Marja De Vries Publisher: Axis MundiPaperback: £18.99 ebook £6.99  403 Pages.Authors website: www.marjadevries.nl/

The title ‘The Whole Elephant Revealed’ is taken from a twelfth century Sufi story of a village where all the inhabitants were blind. When the King brought one to the village one day, each person was allowed to feel a part of the creature. One felt the trunk and thought it was a hollow pipe, another the ear and thought it was a large rug, another the tail and his extraordinary impressions of this and so on. Each part created confusion and no-one could agree to its purpose because the entire animal could not be envisaged.

Many readers who are beginning a spiritual journey might be overwhelmed by the complexity of the vast subjects covered by this book. However, Marja De Vries, has simplified it and provided a clear understanding so that we can make a valuable contribution to our relationships, our society and our world. The path of self-discovery, the development of an inner knowing and the ability to make conscious choices are explained and she provides an insightful connection between the nature of consciousness, ancient wisdom and modern sciences. For life and environments to improve, the author shows us we must work in harmony with nature, that it is our responsibility to become more aware.

Marja De Vries is a teacher, workshop facilitator, shaman, writer and artist and a specialist in Universal Laws which she presents as seven interconnected principles upon which the universe is dependent; these are oneness; correspondence; vibration; polarity; rhythm; cause and effect; and dynamic balance, each laid out in chapters. She also is a specialist on the Golden Ratio, a universal mechanism for shaping form, creation and spatial patterns of growth which also include the development of consciousness. Both provide the harmony and balance of the cosmos. With the wisdom of ancient traditions and recent scientific study, we are guided to an understanding of how we can achieve personal and societal wellbeing.

The book has pieced together many components, using the words of sages and scientists to enable a worldview to be presented in a concise and compact style. We are informed of spirit energies and of the way in which we can work with these energies. The author has turned the key to the door of knowledge which leads to multidimensional understanding. From philosophy to astrophysics, from psychology to anthropology, from mythology to spirituality, from physiology to epigenics, the entire world of knowledge is woven into a fascinating tapestry.

Marja De Vries is from the Netherlands and this book is an English translation. She studied biology and ecology at University. For many years she was a fabric artist where, amongst her many skills, she intuitively linked to individuals who commissioned her art-work. She designed unique individual wall hangings for her buyers. Marja exudes a love of the natural world and has spent many years living closely with nature and with indigenous people in Southern Sudan, Montana and the Andes, and these travels created a deep level of attunement and awareness. She is seeking new forms of education for children which enable the development of skills and potentials. Maria De Vries has a second book already in the pipe-line titled 'Societies in Balance'. Book reviewer: Doreen Renphrey www.lotusflame.co.uk

Other reviews:

"A veritable tour de force, "The Whole Elephant Revealed" by Marja de Vries is a treasure consisting of the intimate blending of ancient wisdom with mostly internally self-consistent experimental and theoretical findings by present-day scientists, journalists, mystics and lay public. It is a strongly recommended read by anyone who wishes to expand their consciousness and grow in their own evolutionary beingness." William A. Tiller, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Stanford University, Department of Materials Science.