The Instruction: Living the Life Your Soul Intended Paperback – May 1, 2009

I took some time and read some of the other reviews and yes, there is similar material out there...but this book brings a fresh, new, eye-opening twist to this work. Yes, there is similarity to the Michael Teachings, but only in the sense that this work is connected on a grander, more collective level. As I read it, I felt the similarities, but felt this work takes those concepts to another, more refined level. A level that is more applicable to today's world. Some of the phrasing of the Michael Teachings is a bit archaic and a "turn-off" to many people. Ainslie MacLeod brings this work into today's world. Plus, there is a bit more depth, in my opinion.I also appreciated that the author encourages you to do you own work (novel concept). Sure, he is available and more power to him for charging a living wage rate (I am saving for a consultation with him). But he repeatedly gives us the tools and encourages us to do the work with our own guides and find the answers for ourselves. THAT is the mark of a true teacher.Ok, on to the review! This book takes you through the different personality types, soul purpose levels, soul ages and much more. It leads you through how to determine for yourself where you fall into those levels and what your own various purposes, sub-purposes and more are. There are just enough client stories and personal anecdotes to make it personal without becoming "too much sharing."If you have any interest in this type of work, I implore you to buy this book, connect with your guides, and do the work! If you will just follow the author's instructions and gentle advice, you will reap enormous results from this book. On that note, I also urge you to buy his new book and the meditation download/cd. Yeah, I am loving this work and would love to see everyone benefit from the gift Ainslie MacLeod has shared!

Believe the author’s story about astral beings from another plane guiding him, or don’t. Either way it’s a great book on personality types and traits. And a captivating and quick read. I normally read a book and pass it along- I am keeping this to dive into it more and digest it deeper.

While I really enjoyed this book, and found much of it insightful, I also found it interesting how much of it overlaps a previous channeled system that I became only recently acquainted with. The "Michael Teachings" have been around for quite a while, and a Google search will yield many details about them. Several of the categories and some of the concepts in this book are identical: The concept of Soul Ages is present in both, and categories such as spiritualist, helper (servant), conceit (arrogance), obstinacy (stubbornness), insatiability (greed) will seem familiar to anyone who has investigated the Michael Teachings. While the Michael Teachings uses a system of seven categories, the Instruction uses a system of ten. While it could be derivative, I also entertain the possibility that on the Causal Plane Ainslie MacLeod's guides and the Michael entity do lunches to compare notes (or whatever one does on the Causal Plane.)Still there is much that's different here, and certainly much that's new and highly useful. My only lingering frustration is that--as multiple people channel Michael, while only Ainslie MacLeod has channelled this system--if you aren't quite sure by the end into exactly which categories you fall in the Instruction you currently have to pay a significant $540 for three sessions to find where exactly you fall in this system, whereas in the Michael Teachings you can have a chart made up for you for $35-$40. True, you get a lot of extra guidance and insight from those sessions--so they may be worth it overall--but some of us just want to know the categories and let our own self-insight take us the rest of the way. While there's a lot of talk in this book about the validity of using meditation to have your guides show you where you fall, it isn't as easy as it sounds, and many people will come away still scratching their heads as to what their mission really is.So if you feel you have enough clarity to know instinctively what categories you fall into I highly recommend this book, but if your sense about your life is still a little cloudy, if you buy this book be prepared to get out your credit card.For books with more information about the Michael Teachings I recommend:The Journey of Your Soul: A Channel Explores Channeling and the Michael TeachingsThe Michael Handbook: A Channeled System for Self UnderstandingThe World According to Michael: An Old Soul's Guide to the Universe (A Michael Book)

I loved this book! It really resonates with me and the fact that the author is just a "regular guy" makes it even more authentic. I will recommend this book to others!

A very interesting read. Ainslie can be perceived as a little "kooky" in interviews (where I first encountered him) but he presents an amazing point of view of life that is very logical and easy to understand.In general, the book will guide you through a reflection of yourself and will enlighten you as to why people, including yourself, behave the way they do. This in turn greatly helps you figure out more about your personality type and where your thought processes and ways "fit" in the world of very different people. It also makes the point that all humans are more alike than we know or are willing to accept (at this point).Ainslie does integrate some spiritual, meditative practices in the book before self-analysis sections to assist the reader in finding "center" so they may accurately reflect upon themselves. The book does not however include any kind of religious or overly-psychic practices aside from encouraging the seeking of assistance from "guides" - or what I perceive as "God" or a higher power.This is a great read for anyone, especially if you want to learn more about yourself or if you ever wonder what makes people act the way they do!