Forgiving the Unforgivable by Master Charles Cannon

A Review by Colin Whitby

In this book Master Charles Cannon explores how he and his companions reacted during the Mumbai terrorist attacks as they took part in ‘An Experience Whose Time Had Come’.

“Most books explain things. Some also tell you how to apply what you learn in daily life, to gain what you do not have. This book is different. Experience comes first; concepts follow. Yes, this means that you can experience what you long for as you read, rather than waiting until later.... This book is a map to Now.”

In a very unique way Master Charles introduces us to his “Holistic Lifestyle” which is based on what he calls “Technologies of Now”. This reminded me of the books by Eckhart Tolle which many of us will be familiar (The Power of Now for example) and so it will be no surprise to find Eckhart has written the foreword to this book.

As we are drawn further into the book we are taken through the various stages of the attack and the way each member of the party dealt with the situation. I did not get the feeling that the attack was central to the book however, rather it was a technique for dipping deeper into the holistic lifestyle approach, and how it can be applied even in the most stressful situations.

During the process we are invited to slow down our reading, to be with the moment and to observe our thoughts and feelings.

“A truthful perception of reality is only accessible in the present, the ‘here and now’ moment. Most individuals, most of the time, are not here and now. Why? Primarily because of the mind and its incessant judgments that what is happening should somehow be other than it is. As result, they are not fully experiencing the reality of the uninterrupted present moment just as it is. It they were, the gateway to a truthful perception of reality would open and they would instantly know who they are, not as a belief but as an experience.

This is the opportunity that we had in Mumbai: to be fully present for a peak learning experience, to process and integrate into an expanded sense of self. This is also the opportunity that opens before you now in the pages ahead, to develop a truthful perception of reality through experience of being fully here and now in the moments you are reading.

Remember the words and the spaces between the words. Slow down, breathe, and be aware. The words are consciousness. All and everything is consciousness. There is only one. Be wakeful and present... Within the here and now of truthful reality ... And enjoy this experience whose time has come for you.”

Even now as I write these words I am taken back into the moment, I feel the energy of them and I begin to feel the bliss of the moment – this is a very powerful way to experience rather than read a book, and I am so grateful to Master Charles for this opportunity to share his teachings.

One phrase used a lot in this book is ‘where your feet are’. This is a great way of describing what is going on ‘right now’.

“Your feet rest on the ground. They ground you in the earth, the here and now natural world. This is not theoretical, it’s real. So much of our activity is ‘head bound’; we’re in our heads, thinking about things. But where our feet are is our connection with nature, with reality. So, I like to advise people to pay attention to where their feet are, in order to make a conscious connection with their environment. It helps to get them out of their heads and relating to the actual circumstance they are in, which is always full of lessons to learn and service to offer”. An Interview with Master Charles Cannon

At the end of each chapter there is a link to the online resources that accompany the book, so once you have bought the book they are there to help further assimilate the information. I found it easier to print them off in one go and carry them with the book.

Master Charles CannonAs I reflect on the learnings within the pages I seem to refresh the energy and vitality that the words bring. Master Charles has written from the heart and that energy is present in each moment, very tangibly.

I recommend Forgiving the Unforgivable by Master Charles Cannon, it brings a new level of understanding that will stay with you.

With Love,

Colin.