Sixty Seconds: One Moment Changes Everything

'It's a Quiet Thing':
In a gentle, quiet Foreword Caroline Myss serves as a guide to the reader who may pick up this small but significant book with her thoughts that 'the most meaningful events that have shaped our lives have, by far, been the smallest and the subtlest.' That introduction serves Phil Bolsta's SIXTY SECONDS: ONE MOMENT CHANGES EVERYTHING well for it provides the thread that ties these 45 collected moments shared by a wide variety of thinking people into a memorable, valuable reminder that life as we are living it is precious, that no matter how raw times become or challenging events can be, there is that single moment that can change our vision if only we are vulnerable and sensitive to notice. Bolsta introduces each section of this book (1. Glimpses into the Unknown: life-and-death moments; mysterious moments 2. Living Life: heartbreaking moments; sacred moments 3. Insightful Incidents: life-altering moments, moments of enlightenment) with brief synopses of his own philosophy and then gives a brief background for each of the highly regarded people who agreed to share their particular moments that changed their lives. As the section divisions suggest these 'moments' can be the result of encountering trauma, fear, near death episodes, or simply those happenstance frozen moments in time where the words or deeds of strangely appropriate individuals arrested the attention of the writer and quietly but inexplicably altered the path or journey through this life. For some readers this collection of moments may feel too grounded in Western religious explanations. But the experiences shared by these 45 'changed people' cannot help but raise our awareness of the 'spiritual' presence that accompanies these changes - and that 'spiritual presence' can be called by any name for any preference. The messages are still poignant and reassuring in our lives that at times seem to lack meaning. Grady Harp, July 08

Change someone's life and your own in the space of a minute:
This is a book of stories, rather like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" where people share their personal experiences who their lives or the lives of people around them changed in literally the blink of an eye. Authors include Wayne Dyer, Dean Ornish, Marilyn Diamond, and Deepak Chopra. But my favorite story was from a hairdresser that had a client come in between her usual times for a styling. When the hair stylist asked about any special occasion, the client said "Oh, I just want to look and feel good tonight." After a scalp massage, a haircut and a lot of laughing and sharing, the client left. And then had her sister check her into a mental health facility, because the reason she was getting her hair done was because she was going to commit suicide that night, and she wanted to look good at her funeral. How sobering! By being fun, entertaining, caring and "there" for his client, the stylist actually saved her life. The other story I loved is one of a doctor who volunteered for a spate in Nigeria. While there, he did a risky procedure to remove fluid around the heart of a young farmer. After some touch-and-go moments, the procedure was a success. When the doctor came back later to see his patient, the farmer said the most extraordinary thing: "I get the sense you are wondering why you came here." --How did he know, thought the doctor. "I have an answer for you" went on the farmer, "You came here for one reason. You came here for me." The doctor realized he was there, anywhere, to help ONE PERSON AT A TIME. After he had gotten over a very grandiose viewpoint of his own importance, the farmer set down the significance of what he was doing. Helping one other person, one at a time. Very profound. This is a terrific book about life's purpose and our place in it. A very inspiring book to read and I recommend it highly.

Sixty Seconds:
Very simply "Sixty Seconds" is an excellent book and a must read. Why? Read it and find out.

Linder review:
This book gives insight into the many different ways in which there is hope and inspiration where you may not see...being more aware of our connection to others and to the earth. It is an honor to read from those at a higher level...we can all gain something by reading this book...Joan Linder

Interesting collection of life-changing experiences:
In this book, author Phil Bolsta has assembled an amazing collection of people--from well-known names such as spiritual medium James Van Praagh, bestselling author Dr. Dean Ornish, and alternative medicine guru Dr. Deepak Chopra to lesser-known mystics, sports figures, authors, and entertainers--to share stories of moments that changed their lives. The idea behind Sixty Seconds is that these moments, which may consume only mere seconds of our lives, are not only sacred but often transformative. In his introduction, Bolsta suggests that these transformative experiences lead to dramatic changes in how people view themselves, the world, and the meaning and purpose of life. Bolsta has organized the book into three parts. Part I, Glimpses into the the Unknown, includes both "Life-and-Death Moments" and "Mysterious Moments." This section contains some of the most "out there" stories of the book, as it includes tales of visions, spirits, and angels. Part II is entitled Living Life, and it is broken down into "Heartbreaking Moments" and "Sacred Moments." As the title of the first subsection would suggest, these are some of the saddest stories of the book, but they are also some of the most moving; much of the second subsection involves transitions between life and death. The final part of the book is Insightful Incidents, which includes "Life-Altering Moments" and "Moments of Enlightenment." I definitely found these stories to be both interesting and thought-provoking. Most are short, from only 2-3 pages to a bit longer. However, the title "Sixty Seconds" is a bit misleading, as some of the transformative "moments" actually took place over the course of days or weeks. Still, this is definitely a worthwhile read, especially for someone who is exploring personal/spiritual growth and who enjoys reading about the journeys of others.