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27 of 39 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 starsSnake oil for the Soul
ByTony E.on February 8, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition
I can't believe I fell for this! It must have been the ad that said something about getting rid of migraines...

There are a few good points that feel to make sense, but the author makes many statements that are beyond intellect and common knowledge and more close to New Age-ish philosophical or religious-like statements. For example, he writes of the cause of migraines: "I hate myself to the point that I do not believe I have any worth whatsoever, I feel hopeless". Further quotes:

"Is there a human internet? - There exists a library of sublime magnitude, available to us all. It is called Energy. Everything is energy. Energy carries information. Information is therefore everywhere! Your brain perceives energy. Turn on that powerful antenna - your brain - and 'tune in' to information everywhere!"

"What are the root causes of eating disorders? Celiac disease- The belief I am not whole within myself or I believe something is missing from my life."

"How to remove Ego: Put your hands up in front of you, approximately six to eight inches apart... Ask in your thoughts and intentions: 'Please bring pure Consciousness between my hands.' Repeat this until you feel the energy build..."

My conclusion: As I've studied Buddhist and Taoist philosophies, I cannot help getting the idea, that the author is happily taking suitable concepts and ideas from Asian philosophies and mixing them with his own New Agish DIY philosophy. If this is not snake oil, I don't know what is.

One person commented

Posted on Nov 26, 2013 11:20:59 AM PST
Keith Williams says:
Tony E,

As a psychotherapist and having studied Buddhist & Taoist philosophies in China & Japan, I have to agree with you on most of what you have said. This guy talks about the human 'ego' and how it impacts on our behavior as though it was something he had himself come up with. It truly is an amalgam of Buddhist/Taoist philosophy with his own 'New Age' spin. On further reflection, it's not even his own spin. I've heard these flights of fancy before over my 70 years on the planet.

One thing Tony E. Don't knock 'snake oil,' there's a lot of cash to be made from it. Just visit the his website...

Author of Inner Path to Happiness How to be Happy - a Guide to Overcoming Depression and Embracing Inner Happiness (Warrior Series)

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Showing 1-6 of 6 reviews(critical).show all reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 starsUnfortunately Not the Real Deal
ByT. Collins Loganon July 8, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

"The All Knowing Diary" could have been a helpful introduction to a metaphysical philosophy and mystical practice that dates back several thousand years, but it fell short. For me the book became a counterproductive read - the opposite of what it could have been - and on some levels possibly even a deceptive marketing ploy.

Here are some reasons why I think this is the case:

1. The author presents his mystical instruction as new and innovative ("Take a glance at the material here. It is revolutionary, it is new in its nature, almost foreign in some ways..."). But even what seems - at least to my ear - to be accurate in the book has been written about by hundreds of mystics, gurus and teachers over thousands of years, from many different cultures around the globe. And much of that previous writing is more in-depth and thorough than what this author has written. Taking a look at the rich traditions of Neo-Platonism, hermeticism, kabbalah, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christian mysticism, etc. and you would find the original ideas in a much purer and, IMO, more helpful form. The only thing that seems truly original in this book is how some of the core mystical concepts from these traditions are misrepresented or distorted. At one point, when the author alludes directly to a famous Einstein quote, he doesn't give him credit, and this is really on par with the whole experience of "The All Knowing Diary."

2. The visualization methods taught in the book (the "Secret Pages") are - at least from the perspective of most mystical practice - quite basic, do not offer a well-rounded description of the mystical process, and will likely only appeal to some people. Even then, I suspect they may only produce temporary benefits due to their incompleteness.

3. The inaccuracies in the book are also counterproductive. Encounters with the True Self and the attenuation (or elimination) of ego as framed by the author will not provide "cures for all illnesses," "pain-free births," "the fountain of youth," or many of the other things the author claims - at least not according to the ancient systems from which he borrows all of his concepts. And I'm not saying this just because of how incompletely the metaphysics and practices in this book are packaged. It is also because such promises are generally not the aim of mystical practice - just as the practice of spiritual alchemy was not really about turning lead into gold - and such expectations will in fact disrupt the more real and substantive benefits that a more well-rounded mystical system provides. Further, when the author makes statements like "Seek self-belief in all areas and this clarity will return you your riches" or "money reflects your clarity - become clear to become wealthy," he is either advocating an outright falsehood or distorting the essence and purpose of mystical experience as I and countless other practitioners have come to understand it.

Apart from these issues, the book also appears to be a sophisticated advertisement for a predictable money-making scheme - a scheme that, like so many others of late, is based on commoditized self-help training and fuzzy spirituality. When I did a Google search on "The All Knowing Diary," I found training promoted by the author that costs, for example, $2,960 for a 12-module course, individual on-line courses for $150 to $250 each, and $200/hour mentoring. In addition, the language included in the marketing pitches for this training use phrases like "create a limitless business!" or "make huge performance breakthroughs" and are specifically targeted at the usual consumer base for such pitches: athletes, business professionals, parents, etc. Of course I don't know what the author's true intentions are, but such evidence seems pretty disconcerting.

With all of this said, I actually found one or two things in the book that were helpful reminders - such as the difference between "knowing" and "believing." But most of the concepts seemed so oversimplified and diluted that they really do more harm than good, so I felt that this review needed to be written.

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The Spezzanos work to silence their critics, including with legal threats. The Spezzanos want critics to stop saying that they use stage hypnotism, and that they use a type of affinity fraud to infiltrate First Nations communities in Canada.

Documents about the group can be found here http://psychologyofvision.blogspot.com/ These include copies of posts from past Spezzano websites that are now only accessible through the Internet Archives - Wayback Machine. also relevant legal documents can be found.

I highly recommend folks dealing with the Spezzanos read the book Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out, by Rick Alan Ross. http://www.amazon.com/Cults-Inside-Out-How-People/dp/149731660X Especially the chapters on Large Group Awareness Trainings and on Guru Groups. The whole book is very valuable and you will find much that relates directly to what Chuck and Lency Spezzano, and their trainers in Psychology of Vision (along with the various spin offs) do.