Although it has been around since October 2007, it contains so many valuable life lessons, that I feel it’s a good idea to take another close look at the message of The untethered Soul.
If you have been wondering what this #1 New York Times bestseller is actually about, you came to the right place!
Because in this article I’ll show you everything you need to know.
So let’s jump in!
Table of Contents
Michael Singer's Message
Michael Singer’s book The Untethered Soul is divided into 5 sections. These are Awakening Consciousness, Experiencing Energy, Freeing Yourself, Going Beyond and Living Life. Each section is further divided into several different chapters.
The message of the untethered soul – in a nutshell – is actually quite simple. In his book, Michael wants to help you re-examine who/what you actually are and how to step into the flow of the universe by letting go of your resistance to life.
By doing so, you’ll be able to liberate yourself from the negative thoughts and emotions that are holding you back and experience true inner peace and joy.
Perhaps the most important concept he wants you to grasp is the fact that you are the indwelling consciousness that is witnessing all. The fact that humans tend to identify themselves with material things such as houses, cars, friends, and even your own mind and body, is the cause of human suffering.
By being identified with our bodies and especially our thoughts and emotions, we tend to perceive a warped version of life, instead of reality. Our mind is constantly complaining and drawing negative conclusions based on the little data it has gathered over the years.
As he explains in both his book and his online training course, constantly being exposed to this – the negative voice in your head a.k.a. the bad roommate – is bound to have a negative influence on your (mental) health.
The truth is, our body is simply a collection of food while our minds are simply a collection of stored impressions. This is something that has been taught in Buddhist cultures for a very long time.
Michael goes to great lengths to show you that your mind and body are merely objects which your consciousness (the subject) is illuminating.
By creating a distance between yourself and your mind, you’ll be able to let go of “how your mind has decided things should be for you to be okay” and simply enjoy the moment that is unfolding in front of you to the fullest.
If you want to read more about his book, I recommend reading my review of the untethered soul.
What Does It Mean To Be Tethered
To be tethered to someone or something simply means to be attached. In The Untethered Soul, it means to be attached to the alternative reality created by the mind.
Our minds are constantly thinking of ways to make us feel safe and okay. For this reason, the mind has created a very long list of likes and dislikes. However, by living with such an extensive and detailed list, you’re automatically setting yourself up for conditional happiness.
Only if things happen to go exactly the way you want them to go (according to your made-up list) will you feel joy and happiness. The problem is, life does not always happen the way you want and everything is constantly changing. Being tethered to such a list (a.k.a. being tethered to your mind) is, therefore, a very bad idea.
The goal of The Untethered Soul is to… Well, untether yourself from the whole thing!
How Do You Free Yourself In The Deepest Sense And Find Yourself?
You can free yourself in the deepest sense by fully understanding who you are – the indwelling consciousness that witnesses all – and seperating it from everything else.
With everything else, I mean your house, car, friends, family, and even your own body, mind, and emotions. However, in his book, Michael repeatedly explains that it has nothing to do with renunciation. You can still enjoy all of those things, but you should simply realize that these things are not you.
You are the subject, and everything else is the object.
How Do you Relax And Release Like Michael Singer Teaches?
Michael Singer explains that you should relax and release whenever you feel a disturbing thought or emotion come up. Simply relax your whole body – and especially your stomach, buttocks and the area around your heart – and simply let the thought or emotion come up.
Don’t try to push it away or try to cling to it, but simply let the body do its thing without interfering. Just relax and do nothing. Repeat this every time when you feel a disturbance come up, even if the same thing comes up multiple times.
Just relax back in the seat of self that you have created within the distance between your mind and your consciousness. Fully surrender to life.
Is The Untethered Soul A Religious Book?
No, The Untethered Soul is not a religious book, although it does have to do with spirituality. People often assume that spirituality en religion are the same thing, but it’s actually all about the journey inwards and coming into touch with the real you.
Who Published Untethered Soul?
The Untethered Soul was written by Michael Singer and published by New Harbinger Publications on the 3rd of October in 2007. In the meantime of a million copies have been sold and the book became a #1 New York Times Bestseller.
