Power vs. Force

The following are my opinions, and thus not subject to lawsuit from Hawkins or his publisher*.My first surprise in Power vs. Force was to find L. Ron Hubbard's 1950's emotional tone scale (the main Scientology "scale" in use for judging people) slightly re-hashed as a scale of "levels of consciousness". To trust and be hugely taken in by a faulty belief system is devastatingly painful, and the recovery is slow. Now I know how all those ex-Scientologists felt, their lives ruined when their unworkable belief system finally failed them completely. Then there was the glaring error in Hawkins' explanation of his version of the scale being "logarithmic" where he shows "three-hundred to the tenth power" in figures as ten to the three hundredth power.In the spirit of seeking truth, I rationalised these and other things and forged ahead. But the fact is Applied Kinesiology is phenomenal as a diagnostic tool, but Hawkins' version is not really AK and does not work for finding universal truths. This is (in case you also wondered) why, in the sixteen years since Power vs. Force first appeared, the world has not adopted his method for use in science, law enforcement, justice, business, preventing wars, &c. His anecdotal examples of his method solving crimes, finding missing people, and ferreting out information that could prevent a war can all be better attributed to the latent psychic powers of his testing teams. Unfortunately, these are not available to everyone, although investigating muscle testing as a way to access them might be a worthwhile research project.If you find yourself thinking you're a little dense because you don't understand his science, it may be because his use of cutting-edge scientific terms is hardly more than dodgy analogy.Nevertheless, I opened myself trustingly, reasoning that my concept of truth might be entirely faulty. Just be wary that you don't open yourself to be programmed with a bogus belief system of which you will eventually have to labouriously divest yourself.If you must read a Hawkins book, go straight to Truth vs. Falsehood: How to Tell the Difference while you still have some discernment left. It will dissuade you on its own, and if you're already hooked on Hawkins, it will de-program you. It seems that his "trilogy" was intended to relieve you of whatever you believed in, and this book is meant to then reprogram you as a neo-con. Between its beginning and last token spiritual chapters you will find something surprisingly like the Pravda ploy, the old marketing trick of naming your product as that which it lacks the most ("Pravda" means "truth" in Russian).He pushes Yay America, the only worthwhile country the world has ever seen, all other countries are inferior and not worth mention except to denegrate and condemn. America is at its greatest only when the Conservative Republicans are in power. And G.W. Bush was one of the noblest, sanest, and most honest Presidents and world saviours the world has ever known; the [physically impossible] official story of the 9/11 attack is "integrous"; and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were the wisest possible courses of action, supposedly to prevent evil low-consciousness Islam from getting nuclear capabilities from Pakistan (which is itself an Islamic country, meaning the evil, sub-animal Muslims already have nuclear weapons of mass destruction). I should think if that were the real reason, it would have made more sense to infiltrate (or invade, if you must) Pakistan and take their nuclear capabilities away from them.Anyone who questions authority or thinks very far outside the conservative Republican box is very mentally ill, according to Hawkins. In fact, the whole thrust of the book is highly judgemental in the way that a psychiatrist-gone-mad would project all of the mental illnesses in the book upon anyone in the world who doesn't share his views.If you believe there was ever an object that moved through the air that was not identified (the definition of "UFO"), guess what, you're wrong. This one "calibration" is unequivocally erroneous (and was thrown into a chart of belief-system calibrations rather than being presented as a true/false, fact-or-fiction type of calibration). Beyond the supposedly delusional belief that "UFOs are real", he questions no further on the subject of intelligent life in the universe, let alone whether any of them might have visited us.There is plenty more of this sort of highly bias-producing selectivity and manipulation of his "data". Glaringly of note is the fact that he actually gives very few calibrations to support his commentary (his opinions). It even begins to appear that his commentary is the real content of the book (and there's lots and lots of it), with an occassional rating number he simply made up himself and called a "calibration". I should think he would make his database of calibrations (if there is one) available to the world in the interests of truth and let it speak for itself.And more glaringly, he completely omits even the slightest mention of the most pressing issues in life that would be truly illuminating and helpful. Probably none of the things you're really "dying to know" will be found in this book. And if you think there might be some truth to world conspiracies, you are a low-consciousness and sick person. He never calibrated whether there are any such conspiracies, but only the derogatory term "conspiracy theory" (again, calibrated as a belief system rather than fact or fiction).He never explains how a "logarithmic" scale of consciousness can be adequately used as a truth scale, nor does he add a column of levels of truth to the scale. Wouldn't a simple zero-to-100-percent scale be better, with 50% being the true/false delineation?He stresses the importance of context (though in his concept of what context is there is no context). And then he doesn't give any clues as to what different contexts his calibrations were made in.As his teachings slowly crumble away from me, leaving me feeling bereft but refreshingly released, I realise he never said anything about enlightenment that hasn't already been said by the true teachers and leading-edge researchers, some of whose works he has read and referenced. The great hope that kept me going was that someone who claims to be fully enlightened and who has had an infallible truth-detector for thirty-five years would have found the very best expression of spirituality that would shed all error and make it all enlighteningly clear in one simple and elegant statement, or book, or even three books. He didn't.Perhaps he had the enlightenment experience, but like many, it left him, or like some, it precipitated a psychotic break, or maybe he is only a fraud who was commissioned by the powers-that-be to attempt, under the banner of "infallible truth", to stem the tide of rising consciousness that can see through them.* Hawkins' publisher is reportedly very litigious and has apparently even used threats to get wikipedia's page on him removed - yet litigiousness calibrates at 140, as does narcissism (all on page 202 in this book). He diagnoses all the most evil people in the world (mostly Muslims) as having a malignant narcissistic messiah complex . . . but it seems like that's what he has. But his isn't malignant and he doesn't advocate killing Americans, only Muslims, so that must make it all right.I rated it five stars because the crisis these books precipitated provided me with a few valuable revelations.

This book is transformative. I just finished reading & will probably read again soon. If you wonder about universal connection, this book will have you wondering no more! This is icing on the cake!

The new science of kinesiology ushered in a powerful diagnostic tool called "muscle testing". (Muscle testing is a simple procedure for testing strong/weak responses, such as that of an outstretched arm, in response to questioning). Despite the revolutionary nature of these discoveries, most people are willing to rationalize that something other than the "conscious mind" is at play, something whose function it is to oversee the well-being of the individual and manage the body's myriad complex subsystems. It could then be extrapolated that this benign functionality - "subconscious mind", "field" or whatever - would be willing to communicate with the "outside world" when matters regarding the well-being of its charge were concerned.Dr. Hawkins, however, has taken a quantum leap with the idea of muscle testing. Rather than simply regarding the field or subconscious mind as the governing mechanism of the individual's body, he applied muscle testing in the context of traditional metaphysical paradigms stating that all things are connected, that all events, actions, thoughts and emotions are written into the unlimited Database of Consciousness, and that as participants in this universe, we all have access to that Database. Thus through muscle testing we have the ability to get the answer to any question we can formulate (except pertaining to the future, which has not yet been written into the record). The implications of this are staggering. Did O.J. do it? Is the government telling the truth about thus-and-such? We now have the means for direct knowledge.Most authors would be content to base an entire book solely on these revelations, but surprisingly this is merely the groundwork laid out by Dr. Hawkins for the rest of the book! Based on thousands of studies using these methods, striving for 100% repeatability on the tests, he explains many aspects of human experience including a Spectrum of Consciousness. Based on a logarithmic scale of 1 to 1000, all ideas, emotions, concepts, thoughts, works of art, literature and science, resonate at some level. Above the level of 200 these energies are considered nurturing, positive and "good" (Power). Below 200 are energies that are destructive, negative and "evil" (Force).Dr. Hawkins explores how "attractor" energies (mathematics from chaos theory) influence art, science, medicine and sports and examines the specific mechanisms leading to health and disease. He examines the quality of our institutions and discusses the nature of Consciousness and the path to enlightenment. All concepts are presented with exceptional clarity and lucidity, without any sign of pedantry. Finally, as the title of the book suggests, one may attain a quantitative understanding of the difference between Power and Force. (Examine the handling of the Elian Gonzales case based on these criteria).This book is an absolute must for anyone searching for a better understanding of "how reality works". And so we thank those who calibrate high on the Scale Of Consciousness, who lead the rest of us forward, kicking and screaming, on the path of enlightenment...

First a bit about me. I have been on a growth quest for as long as I can remember. I have gone through many books and programs, finding some useful and others to be a waste of time. I am now very picky about what I will go fully into and what I will skim and discard. This is a book I went into fully.I consider this to be a life changing book for me. While he emphasizes Applied Kinesiology at the beginning of the book it is only so the reader can understand its use as he uses it.as a 'tape measure' for the points he makes throughout the remainder of the book. On one hand he talks about how AK can be used to find the truth of a situation through giving Yes or No responses to specific questions. On the other hand he also talks about truth being fluid. If you live in Canada, the statement "January is a cold month" would be true, but if you live in Australia it would be false. A parent would teach a young child that [playing with] fire is bad, but as the child grows that same parent could teach the child the benefits of building a bonfire and how different woods will cause the flames to change color [playing with fire] is good.I found the importance of the book to be less about kinesiology and more about the nature of consciousness, and to that end this book is filled with wonderful information, whether you agree with what is being said or not, you will grow just by reading it.At this point I will say that I did not read this in isolation but was also reading other books on personal growth. It was an amazing experience that my three different books by three different authors on what could be considered three different subjects (though all fell under the umbrella of "personal growth") rather than offering points of contradiction all seemed to line up together to form a complete picture. My analogy would be, one book was a fine lawn, another was a beautiful shade tree, and the third a comfortable bench. Each is complete on its own but when put together they make a wonderful place to sit on a sunny day.

Since I am likely to be the 700th odd reviewer of this book (with a 72% 5 Star rating), “Power vs. Force” by David Hawkins has many positive elements and aspects that may be useful. Like some I was a little put off by its “spiritual” aspects, however despite these reservations, this book remains a significant resource in plotting human attitudes and emotions.I first learned of the book from someone close to me involved in therapy and seeking a better understanding of emotions, their origin and meaning. Upon looking it over, I was surprised to review the author’s “Map of Consciousness” (see pages 90-91) and the extensive testing and research involved in its development.More specifically, as indicated in the new forward to this revised edition, “Power vs Force” presents a logically compelling anatomy of human consciousness . . . “It conveys years of study using kinesiology, a science based on the testing of an all-or-none muscle response stimulus, and claims that the techniques described can provide people with the means for calibrating levels of truth and their presence in any situation. The book with its 24 chapters (400+ pages) are divided into three major parts, Part One – Tools, Part Two – Work, and Part Three – Meaning, to present its case and applications. There are also meaty and helpful appendices as well as references, end notes, glossary and information about the author.As I read through the book, I was fascinated to recall the incorporation of a similar kinesiology test in the demonstrating the benefit from developing a shared vision in workshops with executives and managers and described by Peter Senge (see “The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization”). It was also edifying to see the similarity of Hawkin’s “Map” with Jack Gibb’s “Environmental Quality/Trust Levels” and their implications in organizations (see Gibb’s "Improving Organizational Effectiveness Through Focus on Environmental Quality", in Warner Burke’s “The Cutting Edge: Current Theory and Practice in Organization Development”). It also occurred to me the ways that Hawkin’s calibrated scale of emotions could be helpful in plotting positive and negative responses during a series of events or story (see my review of “The Best Seller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel”). Furthermore, I was curious how this material would line up with other books such as Daniel J. Siegel’s “Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation” (see my review) and Lisa Feldman Barrett’s “How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain” that also delve into these areas with more current research approaches.For all such reasons, “Power vs. Force” continues to be an important source for examining the efficacy of such ideas and the kind of evidence required to support them.

Power vs ForceThis book, Power vs. Force, can’t be praised highly enough. Any praise will be far beneath the mark in terms of its value. This book will quite literally change one’s life. Its subject is consciousness, with both a capital and a small “C”. Fortunately we no longer hang or burn people at the stake for revolutionary insights because this certainly would have been David Hawkin’s fate. He introduces us to a new paradigm, a greater context with which to look at life. The book by itself might be viewed as simply interesting but not really grabbing because its insights are so new and unique. We have nothing with which to compare it, so it remains an oddity. But this is not true. For serious students of the Bhagavad Gita we may be lucky enough to see that what David Hawkins is making clear here is really a validation of a basic concept of the Gita, that is, the gunas. This is all about consciousness, all about moods and mental states, three basic levels of consciousness, called tamas, rajas, and sattva, and mental states beyond the gunas. Hawkins is validating what the Gita is presenting, and the Gita is validating what Hawkins is presenting as a new paradigm. Each is enforcing the other. It’s a bombshell when you get this. The subject of the gunas is these three levels of consciousness and how these levels manifest in our lives. Implicit is the understanding that we can raise ourselves through these levels and reach enlightenment, the major theme with David Hawkins. This is what our lives are all about.David Hawkins is what we call a Realized Soul, Self Realized, one who has broken the limitations of human consciousness and become a spiritual being, the whole project we are discovering in Eastern thought . So what we are getting here is the fruit of Hawkin’s breakthrough combined with the value of his past as a well recognized psychiatrist, a life time student of the mind and abnormal psychology. It is a unique gift and blend of insights. He says, reading this book with understanding will raise our level of consciousness considerably. I do not doubt this a bit. It has made a great difference in how I think and see the world.

Exelent condition!

This is an extraordinary book. So valuable in this window when "Force" seems to be on the rise and true "Power" - the power of wisdom, compassion, truth, empathy and true spiritual authority appears to be hard to discern in the chaos of politics and mass media. It is an excellent book for the next generation - one that can offer real guidance to Millennials as well as their parents and grandparents.I literally knew nothing of Dr. Hawkins when I purchased this - it was recommended at a retreat I had the luxury to attend. So he appears to be a legitimate American sage who is a gifted teacher as well as a doctor. Very helpful in navigating a vastly changed America from the one I was born into. This new America is one where the original underlying principles of our Declaration of Independence are undermined by materialism and "Greed" run amok. So Power vs Force brings us back to a health center - clear, positive and celebrating shining values. A compass in a storm.

I did not start this book so I can’t not tell if I like it but anyway I readed to other book of Hawkings so I confident that this book falls also in my taste

The book describes a key overview over emotions and how people think that are on different levels. Extremely helpful daily life. I can only recommend it!

Chegou bem antes do prazo

Power vs. Force is more than just a book; it is a fundamental shift in how you perceive human behavior and the energy of the world around you. David Hawkins manages to take abstract spiritual concepts and organize them into a logical, usable framework that has stayed with me long after finishing the final page.The "Aha!" MomentThe brilliance of this book lies in the distinction between Power and Force. We live in a world that often rewards "Force" (aggression, control, and ego), but Hawkins beautifully demonstrates how "Power" (truth, integrity, and alignment) is the only sustainable way to live. The Map of Consciousness provided in the book is, in my opinion, one of the most useful tools ever written for personal development.What Makes This a Must-Read:Depth of Insight: Every chapter offers a "deep dive" into why we feel the way we do. Understanding that emotions like Courage, Reason, and Love exist on a higher frequency than Shame or Fear is incredibly liberating.Universal Application: Whether you are a business leader trying to improve company culture, a parent, or someone on a spiritual journey, these principles apply to every facet of life.Intellectual Rigor: While the concepts are spiritual, Hawkins approaches them with a clinical, analytical mind that makes the information feel grounded and authoritative.How to Approach This Book:This isn't a book you skim in a single sitting. To get the full value, I recommend taking it slowly. I found myself highlighting dozens of passages and stopping to reflect on how my own "calibrations" were showing up in my daily interactions.Final Verdict:If you feel stuck or like you are constantly "pushing" against life with little result, read this book. It teaches you how to stop struggling and start flowing. It is easily one of the top five most influential books I have ever read. An absolute masterpiece.

A profound book that reveals the deeper truth behind human behavior. It offers a powerful way to understand the difference between force and true power, helping you see the world and yourself with greater clarity. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of truth and consciousness.