I am glad that i have had the oppurtunity to read such a beautiful book. Very inspiring and thought provoking. Beautiful and sincere analysis of reincarnation. Very very well written

Cerminara demonstrates the enormous reasonableness of the doctrine of reincarnation. In the process, she also makes a strong case for the existence of perfect justice in the world, despite appearances to the contrary. Her arguments are illustrated by excerpts from the Edgar Cayce readings, but one need not accept these readings to appreciate the force of Cerminara's argument. Read this book and learn to take the LONG view of things. You'll be glad you did.

Gina Cerminara begins this book with a very beautifully-written chapter about why the study of reincarnation is important to us in this day and age. It is not in spite of the leaps and bounds we have made in scientific research but because of them. We have penetrated the heart of the atom and have seen distant galaxies. It is time that we look into ourselves and uncover the mysteries of our souls.

This book was so well-written that I was shocked to discover, after reading it, that it had first been published decades ago. Its message is timely and significant, no matter when you are in time when you read it. What I like best about this book is that it answers little questions about reincarnation that other books do not. It is perhaps for this reason that it is so good and so convincing.

WARNING!!! Since Edgar Cayce's readings had many references to the Bible, especially to what is found in the Gospels, many of his readings are phrased in Christian terminology.

Chapter Two is about Edgar Cayce's life. Since Gina Cerminara's research is based on the Cayce readings, she had to give a good background of the man, which I have to say, from my knowledge of Cayce's life, is an accurate and sensitive portrayal of the man.

Chapter Three describes the first reactions to Cayce's life readings. Cayce himself was appalled by them--but he was soon convinced otherwise. The reasoning which Cayce used to convince himself that the readings were valid and not evil at all can be used to convince others who, like him, are not skeptical of the readings as much as they are afraid of believing in them.

Chapter Four gives information on PHYSICAL KARMA. Anyone who was born with a disease or defect--or anyone whose physical body has ever had to suffer--will find a reason for the madness of life in this chapter. Here, Cerminara also explains karmic spheres of operation (my term), which show how karma created in one life manifests in the next.

Chapter Five is about the Karma of Mockery. Though it is a very short chapter, is message is very clear: Do not laugh at the sufferings of others, for those sufferings may in turn fall upon you.

Chapter Six contains a very controversial argument about Jesus as the Savior of humankind. Christian dogma states that Jesus died to save us all from our sins, but reincarnation must prove this dogma wrong. Nobody can save us from our sins but ourselves. How did Jesus heal all those sick people then and forgive all those sinners? The answer comes later.

Chapter Seven is about Suspended Karma. It will explain why the karma begun in one life may take hundreds, even thousands of years, to come full circle. A person may have started the ball rolling in Ancient Rome but not have reaped the karma until the Crusades.

Chapter Eight discusses how karma affects health. People are sick so that they can live out their karma, but they can also heal themselves and erase the karma. Is this paradox? Not really. Cerminara points out a case in which a man asked Cayce for a cure, received one, tried it, found that it worked for several months, then experienced a relapse. When he wrote back to complain, another reading was done. Whoever spoke through Cayce about the man said, "What does the entity want to be healed for? That it may gratify its own physical appetites? That it may add to its own selfishness? Then, if so, it had better remain as it is." We cannot erase our karma if we have not learned our lesson. This chapter is full of other fascinating ideas about how sick people can be and are healed.

Chapter Nine brings psychology into the picture. How do our past lives affect our personalities, our talents, our characters, our beliefs, our likes and dislikes? Cerminara explains in her clear and readable style.

Chapter Ten takes the ideas in the previous chapter further. The soul is shown as an entity on the road to full consciousness. Cerminara shows how extroverts become introverts, and vice-versa, when enough lives are lived for them to have experiences that cause them to see things anew each birth.

Chapter Eleven shows how making judgements can also create karma. "Judge not that ye not be judged" takes on new meaning as case after case of entities who condemned faults in others only to be born tormented with those very faults is presented.

Chapter Twelve is about the past-life roots of mental abnormalities, such as phobias and fetishes. It also explains the strange dreams many people have that are really scenes from past lives. Here, Cerminara answers an often-asked question: "Why should we be tormented by things we have done in the past if we do not even remember them?" (The answer is that forgetfulness of detail does not invalidate memory of principle. A person may not remember being racist in a past life, but the racist feelings will remain unless he or she learns what should be learned.) The way Cerminara tackled that question is typical of the smooth and logical way she handles other objections to reincarnation found in this chapter and throughout the rest of the book.

Chapter Thirteen should be of interest to FEMINISTS as it is about women in particular. Not only does it show how a woman's karma works in a marriage, it also shows how karma keeps women from marrying at all. (Note: This book was written during the 1950's, when women were not as free as they are today.)

Chapter Fourteen is about those who do not get married, the "lonely ones." Yes, there are many different karmic reasons behind loneliness and aloneness.

Chapter Fifteen looks more deeply at the karmic problems in a marriage.

Chapter Sixteen explores separation, divorce and infidelity. It contains interesting information on what the Cayce readings advised about divorce.

Chapter Seventeen is about the karmic ties that connect parents and children. It answers questions about why children were born into their families: what we have to learn from our parents and what we have to learn from our children.

Chapter Eighteen is a continuation of the previous chapter. This time, it is about karmic entanglements in whole families. It answers the question: "Why was I thrown together with this group of souls at this point in time? What are we supposed to work out?"

Chapter Nineteen is the least-frightening part of the book, as it is about how our skills, abilities and talents are karmic rewards from hard work done in past lives.

Chapter Twenty gives advice on how to choose one's vocation. Cerminara presents three concepts that show up over and over again in Cayce readings about vocational choice: 1)"Determine your ideal, your inner life goal, and seek to accomplish it." 2)"Strive to be of service to others" 3)"Use that in hand; start where you are."

Chapter Twenty-One is another wonderfully-worded chapter of commentary. Here, Cerminara advises people not to be frustrated or depressed at what life has handed them, because what goes around does come around. The poor shall be rich; and the rich shall be poor. The key is to create good karma and try to erase the bad.

Chapter Twenty-Two explores the inner contradictions people may notice within themselves. One minute they are determined leaders; the next they are shy followers. One secret of karma is learning how to balance the many parts of yourself so that all the lives you have ever lived can come full-circle within you.

Chapter Twenty-Three answers many random questions about reincarnation.

Chapter Twenty-Four shows how a belief in reincarnation can be useful in giving people workable philosophies for their lives. It isn't just conceptual, fascinating and intriguing: knowledge of reincarnation is also useful.

Finally, Chapter Twenty-Five presents the conclusion, which is a summary of why Edgar Cayce's readings are valid evidence of the reality of reincarnation. It is not a heavy chapter. Cerminara's argument is written down in short sentences that anyone can quickly understand and repeat in defense, if necessary.

While any story about Edgar Cayce is fascinating, this falls short for me. It is interesting, but when the author (Hugh Cayce) quotes his father, I can't understand a word he's saying. Most of the book is done in a question and answer format between Edgar Cayce and his client, in quotations (his own words). For instance : "(Q) What form of consciousness does the spirit entity assume?" He is asked by the client.
"(A) That of the subconscious consciousness, as known in the material plane, or the acts and deeds, and thoughts, done in the body, are ever present before that being. Then consider what a hell digged by some, and what a haven and heaven builded by many." HUH ??? The whole book is like this......impossible to decipher and understand. Reading this was more frustrating than enjoyable. I didn't finish it.

This revision of Hugh Lynn's 1958 48-page booklet, "God's Other Door," is brimming with a wondrous collection of readings and stories. The original material is there, but Graham has added masses of new research. As the preface indicates, Hugh Lynn, when he wrote it, didn't have much time for research. He was on the road constantly, speaking in any state on any Cayce topic, trying to build and keep alive the A.R.E., which then had only a few thousand members. Graham's dream of a conversation with Hugh Lynn is the first choice gem in a book full of Cayce wisdom, insight, and comfort. The 22 chapters range widely around the central fact, as Cayce put it, "you are a soul, you have a body." And the soul does not die. Out-of-body travel, the finer body, the silver cord, the light, the inter-between, soul communication, angels, reincarnation, love, wonderful and awesome aspects of being -- all of these and more -- are arranged and presented with skill by a master sotryteller. The final chapter is Edgar Cayce's 1934 lecture, "The Continuity of Life."

Having completed my thesis on the function of sleep and dreaming, I have read extensively on the subject. While I tend to lean more toward physiological neuroscience perspectives on the functions of our dreams, I am very open-minded and believe that our dreams surely serve a psychological purpose as well. I picked up this book expecting something more than I got. I was presented with a poorly written and gender biased first chapter(for example, when talking of one of Cayce's clients "She turned to the woman's world of family and relationships..." Granted it was written several decades ago, but still...) Honestly, I'm avoiding finishing the book. I am sure Cayce himself was a very talented dream interpreter and helped many people but Harmon Bro does not do him justice here.

I can't say enough about this book: it's detailed, balanced, scholarly yet a pleasure to read, penetrating...

I've had vivid dreams all my life, but was stumped when it came to interpretation. This book (a GREAT read if ever there was one) gave me the skills needed to accurately interpret not only my dreams but those of my family and friends, too. I can't say enough good things about this book, and the author's knack for economy in expression. Once you've read this book, you'll have the skills to immediately sort out dream images. An unexpected side benefit was a dream interpretation that enabled me to increase my personal net worth by 500% in less than three months!

I found this book to be disappointing.. hardly any Edgar Cayce's readings in it.
In addition, the book doesn't explain how dreams can be analyzed, what kind of dreams exist (1, 2, 3, of 4 dimensional (related to future, present, past?)).

I have used this book for many years to interpret some very strange dreams. This book is one of the most accurate and definitive books on dreams I have ever used. No matter what the subject I have always been able to find an answer to my question. I have reccommended this book to a lot of people over the years. In fact I eventually lost my original copy that had a lot of dreams that I had recorded . I have used it to analyze dreams for my friends and family many times with uncanny accuracy as a result. In my opinion, if you are curious or desperately in need of dream interpretation, use this book. It will help you to sort thru your confusion' as to what your dreams mean.i

This is a book that unlocks secrets of your own self- hence the title: Secret of the Golden Flower. YOU are the flower, and the secret? You must work that out for yourself... to allow yourself (the flower) to bloom( through finding spiritual answers). This book really intends its readers to dig deep... some may find that deterring (which is why I gave the book a 3 star rating but if you want to dig deep into your soul... this is the book for you.