I’m currently reading Spiritual Balancing: A Guidebook for Living in the Light, which was just released February 16, 2016. It’s by Diana Burney, who is also the author of Spiritual Clearings (2009). Both books are published by North Atlantic Books, who also publishes my books. Spiritual Balancing falls into the category of New Age spirituality and alternative medicine. It explores energy healing and reads like a 21st century manifesto on self-engaged spirituality.

Spiritual Balancing, as it is packaged and presented, seems to diverge from my normal trajectory of metaphysical reading, but I couldn’t help but find this book to be well-written, organized, and most important of all, practical.

Burney opens her introduction with a statement about the current spiritual evolutionary process that humanity is undergoing, which began with the “influx of higher-vibrational energies that have been flooding the planet since December 12, 2012.” She talks about what spiritual awakening is, and connects it to many principles in microbiology and quantum physics, though in a rather tangential, non-scientific manner. A checklist is provided of common symptoms one experiences when coming to a spiritual awakening, and that structural style is found throughout Spiritual Balancing, positioning it as a book for spiritual self-diagnosis.

I found the memoir-esque passages in the book to be the most interesting. Burney talks about her own spiritual journey, which started back in 1983. She talks about how her spiritual awakening brought about significant improvements in her physical health and well-being, citing concrete personal examples.

The book is written for someone with a strong interest in New Age spirituality and one who is at a beginner or intermediate stage of a personal spiritual journey that is resonant with New Age consciousness. If that describes you, then this is going to be an instrumental book for helping you toward a consciousness that Burney describes as “ascension.” The book explores the concept of ascension in-depth and connects spiritual practices toward ascension with improved physical health.

On physical health, there is a lot of practical advice, and you see the strong influence of Burney’s professional education coming through. She is a registered nurse. There are useful tips on addressing insomnia, dealing with astral entities (demon/dark spirit possession, but worded in a less scary way), and exorcisms (Burney calls this “entity clearing”).

The book also covers emotional wellbeing and what has popularly become known as the power of attraction. She talks very candidly about how to release limitations so that you can move toward abundance and prosperity in your life. Burney addresses methods for eliminating fear and insecurity, and how to address chronic illness or pains in your life through spiritual work on the emotional plane. Spiritual protection is covered in great detail, both for a living space (energy clearing) and for yourself, and much of it blends magic invoking the archangels of Judeo-Christian mythos, Hindu devas, and Buddhist mantras.

One thing new to me is the concept of Violet Fire, which “vibrates at the highest ultraviolet spectrum of the color frequencies and can be evoked through visualization and the spoken word . . . under the sponsorship of Master St. Germain,” who is the “Lord of the Seventh Ray of Freedom and Transformation and the Violet Ray.” According to the book, the Violet Ray is the antitode to solving low-frequency energy, and a gift to humanity from Master St. Germain. The divine alchemy of the Violet Fire or Violet Transmuting Flame is discussed in great detail, with very concrete and practical instruction on how to harness Violet Fire for yourself. There’s also coverage of concepts like the Sword of Blue Flame and Circle of Blue Flame, which are spiritual visualization techniques.

Aromatherapy and gemstone correspondences are also covered here. English translations of mantras based on East Asian mystical concepts are worth highlighting in your copy of the book if and when you purchase it for yourself, and easy-to-follow instruction on connecting with the Divine present Spiritual Balancing as a highly informative and down-to-earth manual for anyone on a spiritual path that incorporates New Age and Higher Consciousness vocabulary.

I think one of my favorite sentences in the book is this: “The best that you can do to avoid acting as a channel for the mass consciousness is simply to be self-aware.” It sums up the whole point of Spiritual Balancing and why you might want to connect with your Higher Self. On the Higher Self: the Higher Self is a “reflection of your soul, and you have known it in every lifetime you have experienced. . . . Your Higher Self resides above your head, far enough away from the physical body to hear  Divine wisdom clearly.” Automatic writing, dream recall, and meditation are the three primary modes of connecting to Higher Self consciousness that Burney teaches.

The book unfolds beautifully and coherently to its conclusion: “If we can each take personal responsibility for raising our own consciousness, we can assist in raising the consciousness of humanity.”

At the end of the day, the practices and concepts that Burney presents in Spiritual Balancing parallel my own views in many significant ways, though she uses different vocabulary and a different presentation. She has a very soft and gentle approach to occult theory that will have mass appeal. If the works of Doreen Virtue, Marianne Williamson, or Gabrielle Bernstein speak to your spiritual path, then I strongly recommend that you get Burney’s book.

Rev. Diana Burney, R.N., B.S.N., M.Ed., D.Div. is the proprietor of Earth Release, a spiritual clearings service that performs space clearings for both businesses and individuals, and also individual energy clearing. You can also find out more about her first book, Spiritual Clearings at spiritualclearings.com.

FTC Disclosure: In accordance with Title 16 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 255, “Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising,” I received Spiritual Balancing: A Guidebook for Living in the Light from North Atlantic Books for prospective review. Everything I’ve said here is sincere and accurately reflects my opinion of the book.