In Service To Love: Book 1, channeled by Darlene Green in co-creation with her guides, is revolutionary in the gentlest of ways. I was lucky enough to be offered a review copy of this book, as well as Book 2, and I had every intention of powering through it in order to get to the review. But that proved to be impossible. In fact, I am still working through it. This book cannot be eaten in one big bite, and isn’t intended to be. The book is written in short segments, allocated to you day-by-day—and in my humble opinion, this is exactly how you should read it. It preaches the virtues of living in the “immaculate Now moment”, and has softly illuminated the way I relate to my life.
As someone who considers herself to be task-oriented, and likes the feeling of having achieved something, the fact that this book isn’t something to be conquered and put in the read pile was a gift in itself. While frustrating at first, ultimately it has subtly changed the way I relate to getting things done. That perhaps a more authentic way of accomplishing something would be to enjoy the act of doing what I am doing. And to enjoy this book means to savor it.
This book is written for the spiritual seeker, who as such will probably be familiar with the concept of presence, the idea of occupying the moment you are in. What makes this book so valuable is its simple, yet nuanced way of conveying a concept that seems so straightforward but has been made convoluted in our scattered, habitual way of living. This is the concept of what is referred to as the “immaculate Now moment” in the book, and the freedom and potential existing within it. Because of this, if I were to teach a class on personal spirituality, this book would be required reading. The idea that we should all live in the Now moment and occupy a space of presence is not exactly a new concept. But to have it put so plainly and eloquently, without any pretense or judgement, is what makes this text so accessible.
Even as someone who considers herself an experienced spiritual seeker, I found myself having “aha!” moments on practically every page. I am only a fraction of the way through the book and have about 78 highlighted notes from it. What touches me most about these teachings is the way presence and divine consciousness are presented as commonplace and even expected. Given to us in In Service To Love: Book 1, is the idea that you do not have to be a monk in a cave, or a rich person on a silent yoga retreat to reach solidarity with the Now moment. As you have chosen your present moment (either habitually or consciously) you have the ability to be fully aware of it; whether this means standing in the middle of a room of screaming children or sitting down at a busy coffee shop. Our multidimensionality makes this deep consciousness possible.
But just as the concepts presented in these teachings start to seem complicated, the straightforward language used to explain them turns them from impossible to plainly achievable. To me, this is what makes this book so revolutionary. It's the idea that what has been considered possible only through intense study and deep dedication is something that can be done while waiting in the drop off line for your kid’s school. And not just that it can be done, but that it should be done. It seems that this is what is missing from modern spirituality: the idea that touching the divine should be done in the mundane moments, and not just during dedicated worship hours and spaces. Any place and time can contain the opportunity to commune with the divine if you allow it.
This review has only scratched the surface of what this book has to offer you. Once you clear the hurdle of the Now moment, you open yourself up to the possibility of potential within the moment. And by being present in the moment, you open yourself up to the possibility of authenticity. And through authenticity we give ourselves the opportunity to live in alignment with what calls to our most honest expression of ourselves—to live in alignment with our divine expression. And it just gets more exciting from here.
This book is perfect for the beginner, as it explains the basics in a concise way that makes it clear spirituality is for the Everyman. This book is perfect for the seasoned seeker, as it goes over familiar concepts and terms in a way that simplifies them, while also amplifying them. No matter what stage you find yourself at, you will find something illuminating and revolutionary in these words. Which is exactly what you would hope for from a book filled with spiritual teachings. This book is a fantastic reference for personal spirituality, and is worth having on your shelf.