Reviewed by Hazel M. Denning, Ph.D.
In JRT Issue 13, 1995

 

Dr. Daunter’s sub-title, “Where Two World Meet,” says it all in one succinct phrase. This book is an exploration, done with unusual clarity, of the spiritual nature of human beings and how this spirituality manifests in a physical world.

The central statement of the book is well expressed in the Foreword: “…The cause of any mental and physical malfunction is derived from previous lives lived by the individual,” and “…all disease is a reflection of one’s mental attitude, which, as a result, creates the distress that is experienced in one’s present life.”

With a major emphasis on love as the greatest power available to us as human beings, Dr. Daunter addresses the many common everyday issues we all face, including physical and emotional well-being or illness, difficult relationships, and choices of spiritual philosophies.

Throughout the book, Dr. Daunter examines the question “Who am I and why am I here?” in such a definitive way that it is like reading a collection of the wisdom of the great minds throughout centuries of accumulated knowledge. Yet it is presented with a straightforward clarity that any serious reader can follow. It is extensive in scope, examining the intricacies of humankind and our place in the universe.

In the “Introduction,” Dr. Daunter presents a brief historical background on the status of reincarnation in the early Christian church, and describes how it was expunged from the tenets of the church. She also explains her own position on reincarnation and past-life therapy. While her own experiences of recalling past lives has convinced her of the reality of reincarnation, she nevertheless acknowledges that others may have a different explanation for these experiences. She points out, however, that even if one prefers to believe that past-life stories stem from other sources, such as ancestral memories or the collective unconscious, it is the individual’s own mind that draws these images to the surface, and for a purpose. So it may be the distilled essence of an experience rather than the exactness of a recall that is therapeutically valid. This objective approach on her part allows individuals to interpret their experience from whatever philosophical orientation they prefer.

The book is written in five parts with an excellent bibliography and six appendices. Part One is subdivided into three sections. The first deals with the principles of past-life recall. Dr. Daunter holds that the physical self is merely the vehicle for the psychic self, and the psychic self learns and grows from the difficulties which the physical self experiences. Accepting both the positive and negative polarities of our being is the process of evolution.

The second section of Part One deals with healing and the physics of energy. She presents a theory that all life experiences are changed into intelligent information wave forms called sine waves. “A sine wave is an electromagnetic energy field and it is the sum and substance of all thought.”

The third section of Part One states that meditation is a technique that aids in bringing about harmony between the physical and the psychic body; it promotes integration. “Mind” is a part of the infinite microcosm, without any limitations, and we are the finite expressions of the Infinite Intelligence. Meditation is a method for relaxing into your deepest natural state; it is like a microscope to assist in your inner exploration. She then outlines ten steps for a successful meditation.

Section One of Part Two deals with the psychology of consciousness, which she calls the creative principle of the universe, with thought as the universal energy. Section Two addresses polarity, the duality principle of life, the positive and negative. The polarity of man and woman within each of us is the basis of all creativity. She points out that the negative component of the personality is just as important as the positive; they are complementary components of the spiritual life. Section Three of Part Two deals with dreams, which she considers tools for learning about your spiritual purpose and aids in keeping yourself aligned with your higher self.

Part Three introduces death as the end of a cycle and she discusses the metamorphosis of the soul, pointing out that the soul retains its individualization in the other dimension. Part Three closes with a lengthy exposition on love as the primary expression of the soul’s spiritual evolution. She states emphatically that we must learn to love our True Self, which is Spirit incarnate.

Part Four presents case histories and provides an excellent comparison of past-life therapy and psychoanalysis, between which she finds many parallels. She reminds us that at the end of his life Freud stated that if he had his life to live over he would devote his energies to the study of the psychic world rather than psychoanalysis. The major difference between past-life therapy and psychoanalysis, according to Dr. Daunter, is that psychoanalysis stops short of a full explanation of the mind: It is painfully narrow and limited to postnatal biography. Part Four closes with a brief but excellent explanation of karma, which she calls the moral law of the universe.

The paranormal nature of consciousness is the single subject of Part Five. Dr. Daunter calls the paranormal the doorway to a higher dimension which provides important information to enable us to function more adequately in our daily lives. The paranormal, she says, is the non-sensory, non-physical way of communicating with our fellow beings.

In addition to an excellent bibliography, Dr. Daunter has provided an Epilogue and six appendices. In the Epilogue she states: “I only wish to make people aware of a wider, more expansive reality so that their lives are not squandered and dissipated.”

The Appendices present much useful information. Appendix 1 presents a diagram of the cycles of life; most of the other appendices present helpful techniques for individuals. Appendix 2 describes a method to edit one’s thoughts; Appendix 3 outlines ten steps to begin a process of life improvement; Appendix 4 provides a check list to help raise awareness through self analysis. In Appendix 5 she describes past-life therapy as a new science of life, and in Appendix 6 she presents some meditation and daily centering exercises. Her focus in meditation is the well-known poem from St. Francis of Assisi, “Lord Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace.”

The Spiritual Dance of Life will inspire you to take charge of your life and apply the spiritual and at the same time practical principles Dr. Daunter has so well described. Although some may argue with some of her assertions, and although for those well-read in our field there may seem nothing absolutely new in the book, Dr. Daunter presents her material skillfully and with an enthusiasm that makes reading her book a transforming experience.