Comments by Jane Burden

With Humor, Wisdom and Joy

The Gift of Gabe by Brian Joseph, speaks about the process of awakening to the Truth of Life. It reminds me of my favorite book – Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. It is also about a seemingly chance encounter between two men, in this case Brian and Gabe, that blooms into a friendship and leads to an epiphany.

Gabe is a mystic and a teacher. He loves to share the perennial philosophy of the fundamental Oneness within all Creation, thereby awakening the sleeping masses who are unaware that Creator and Created are One. All major religions have Oneness as their mystical foundation, regardless of what has muddled it through the years.

Brian’s initial assessment of Gabe is that he’s a little off his rocker. Yet he is a kind person and willing to humor the man. After a few visits, he becomes aware that something really amazing and life changing is taking place.

Gabe calls efforts to discuss and share this paradigm of Oneness “the language,” because learning it is similar in some ways to learning a new language. But it is so different from our native tongue that it’s a better metaphor if you add the fact that you’re just about deaf and so is almost everyone you have ever met. Also, this language belongs to a tribe that you didn’t know existed, living in a forest that nobody’s ever heard of. That’s how remote this idea is to most people. So even though the idea is simple, it is by no means easy to get.

Phrases to Live By

Gabe has awakened and enjoys helping others do the same. In the book there are some wonderful phrases that explain his point of view. The Creator and the created together comprise ‘What Is.’ Interesting enough, in Illusions It’s called ‘The Is.’ This is in contrast to ‘God’ as viewed by most organized religions or ‘the cosmic boogyman,’ a separate entity who is all about judging and controlling. Jesus, Buddha, Pantanjali and some other people that you might have heard of are quoted frequently, giving the reader a sense of the universality of this philosophy. It turns out ‘What Is’ loves the part of Itself that is us, just the way that we are and wants us to be happy because It’s happy.

Gabe uses music and poetry to explain to students that this other way of looking at life exists and that there are a few popular musicians, poets and scientists who are in touch with this language. Over the course of the book, Gabe and his new student explore dozens of songs, books and poems together, in effect a ‘Who’s Who’ of illuminated artists.

Levels of Meaning

Some examples used are The Beatles, William Blake and Jimi Hendrix. These artists sometimes channel ‘What Is’ because It likes to talk to Itself. This really blows Brian’s mind because he didn’t think the Creator talks to creation––through creation.  He highlights artists who speak about what the path to illumination looks like, how to walk it and what the experience feels like.

While reading this book, I listened to some of the songs mentioned. What I experienced reminded me of looking at one of those Magic Eye posters. If you hold the right focus you can see a 3D-image. The deeper meaning kind of pops out at you after awhile. But if you haven’t got the focus right, it is impossible to see the image even though it’s right there.

Check this out. The song is “Across the Universe” by The Beatles from Let It Be, 1970:

Sounds of laughter shades of life

are ringing through my opened ears

inciting and inviting me

Limitless undying love which

shines around me like a million suns

It calls me on and on across the universe

See what I mean? Wow.

I strongly invite you to check out this book. The Beatles have become a part of my spiritual practice because of it. I can’t think of a more appropriate book to buy someone who just doesn’t get why you meditate or chant or pick up Spirit in the Smokies every month.

I’ll leave you with my favorite quote from Gabe:

“Do you know why I’m in love right now at this very minute?”

“No, not really.”

“There isn’t anything else to be in!”

A passerby saw this book on my desk a few minutes ago and said, “I’ve heard that’s a good book.” Aahh, synchronicity… It’s about to be a phenomenon, I tell ya!

For more information, visit http://www.giftofgabe.com. Mr. Joseph includes a useful list of the songs mentioned in the book for readers who would like to further explore his theory.

The Gift of Gabe: A Novel Experience by Brian Joseph, Aventine Press, San Diego, CA, April 30, 2005, ISBN: 1-59330-266-5.