Robert Schwartz presents a variety of case studies where, with the help of mediums, he helps clients explore the reasons his clients have experienced challenges in their lives. There are some underlying assumptions (based on evidence) such as reincarnation and that our souls plan the objectives to achieve in each incarnation. That doesn't mean we don't have free will and can change the "life script".

From a strictly human perspective the question arises - why would anyone plan to come into this life to experience challenges (physical handicaps, illness and drug addiction, for example). To understand the answer, one has to think more broadly from a spiritual point of view. Perhaps we live multiple lives as part of a process for spiritual evolution. Maybe we agree to experience difficulties to help other souls in their evolution.

This book helps one see life from a different perspective - from a spiritual and not solely human view.

Jim Fisher. ( )

This is an important book.

By means of communication through mediums and channels, Robert Schwartz examines the subject of pre-birth planning by having these interview angels, spirit guides and the souls of selected persons exposed to severe life challenges. We are given access to pre-birth conversations and thus gain “direct” information regarding how we arrange difficult life events beforehand with all the involved persons.

Six types of challenges are dealt with, a chapter being devoted to each. These are physical illness, parenting handicapped children, deafness and blindness, drug addiction and alcoholism, death of a loved one and, finally, accidents.

I was previously aware of the concept of pre-birth planning, but this well-written book has illuminated the matter clearly for me and I have been much comforted by reading it. Partly, I have myself considerable health challenges and have been aware of the fact that they had meaning, but have now been confirmed of this. The book has comforted me. Also, the book has taught me to respect brave persons I encounter who I understand have chosen their hard lot in life for purposes of growth.

In the first chapter about physical illness, we meet Jon, who chose both to have AIDS and be gay. Jon planned the experience of having AIDS, not just for his own learning, but for the growth of his entire soul group. The progress we as personalities make on the Earth plane expands both our individual souls and every soul in our group. “The disease of AIDS is about splitting a desire for unconditional love with the belief that one does not deserve it.” Jon came down to his life to heal shame – the belief that he is not deserving of unconditional love.

The author asks an angel what it would say to someone with AIDS who is trying to understand the deeper spiritual meaning. The angel replies “Remain very open in your heart. Follow that which comes only from the heart, and in this way many healings will occur on levels that are beyond your understanding.” I feel this is valuable advice.

Of the souls in Jon’s soul group, Jon agreed to be the one with AIDS, while the others were incarnating around him to judge him, reject him and refrain from providing him with unconditional love.

AIDS “points to a pattern of self-hatred among humankind … movement away from light, and a belief in the Self as the body and separate from All That Is.” AIDS is healing humanity.

We also hear about Doris, who suffered from self-loathing and had a toxic self-image. She developed breast cancer. Through her illness Doris learnt the correct use of sexual energy, acceptance of the female form and self-love.

Doris’s cancer is neither a failure nor a punishment. It is a form of healing, not illness,

“As Jon and Doris released shame and self-loathing and chose instead to love themselves, they made it easier for every person on Earth to replace self-judgement with self-love.” They created a vibration or resonance of love that radiated well beyond their immediate sphere. “By surmounting the challenges we planned before birth, we create a resonance that heals humanity.”

In the chapter about parenting handicapped children, we hear the story of Jennifer, who has two handicapped boys, one with Asperger’s Syndrome, bipolar disorder and ADD, the other one with severe autism and who is blind.

The two boys were brothers in a previous life, where they also were Nazis. They chose to come back “communicationally disabled” to learn what it is like to have the truth and be unable to communicate it, since before “they had the truth and deliberately buried it.”

In the chapter about deafness and blindness we are given the story of Penelope, who has been completely deaf since birth, She knew she was meant to be deaf “to better understand the neglected”. The medium, Staci, finds out that being deaf gives Penelope the opportunity to be more in touch with her “inner experience, intuition, thoughts, even the physical symptoms and feedback” her body gives her. It helps her to know herself.

We also learn about Bob, who is blind. His life plan was designed to give him a deeper understanding of self-love through both its lack and the experience of its subsequent creation.

The chapter on drug addiction and alcoholism is particularly illuminating, since this is a group whom we often judge, wondering why they don’t just pull themselves together and refrain from submitting to their addiction. The persons involved planned not only their addiction, but the specific addictive substance. We are told that for those addicted to drugs it is “essential to honour your past, know yourself, learn about who you are, and then love yourself”.

We learn to see drug addicts not as such but as courageous souls who undertook the life challenge of drug addiction to learn self-nurturing.

Pat, the alcoholic, had carried into this life the energy of fear. His plan was that fear would cause alcoholism, which in turn could lead to a healing of fear. He planned not only his alcoholism but the surmounting of that addiction. He had lost his connection with the All That Is, with God, with his own divine nature and spirituality. The return to seeking and achieving spiritual connection is motivated by the total lack of it, which the alcoholism causes. This was a classic learning-through-opposites life plan.

The chapters on the death of a loved one and accidents are equally instructive.

I found the book as a whole to be thoroughly illuminating, insightful, informative, satisfying, comforting and perfectly expressed. I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone. It is one of the most important books I have read this year, in fact, ever. ( )

This book could not have come to me at a better time, and entirely with the same amount of chance as winning the lottery. I liked the way it was put together by life challenge type. I did find the introduction a bit hard to follow the first time I read it because the material was a bit foreign to me. After I finished the book I went back through it to high-light some areas I thought worked wonderfully to lift me up, realize what I am thankful for, and that I need to work a little harder at times to sustain a peaceful auric field. After reading this book I've really been able to look at my life and appreciate what the good and "bad" has brought me. Parts of it vaguely reminded me of The Secret, in the sense of always looking for that positive notion to continue forward with. I thank the author, Robert Schwartz, for the opportunity to find more positive meaning in my life. ( )

Courageous Souls
Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth?
by Robert Schwartz

This 327 page beauty really validated things I have been feeling and believing for years when it comes to the Akashic Records and soul lessons and agreements. I really enjoyed the way the author explained the different concepts and then methodically went through different case histories and was able through awesome examples to show us the way our Guides can actually come through to inform us.

I also liked the use of mediums and other gifted people to help with the verification and the special way Robert gives credit to the whole process. The interviewee's addressed different life challenges, like deafness, addiction, accidents and more. I would recommend this loving and gentle teacher to anyone who is interested in the ways of spirit and exceptional examples of how we use our gifts. Thanks Robert, for the present of your generous heart and foresight. Robert can be reached at http://CourageousSouls.com.

Love & Light,

Riki Frahmann ( )

Your Souls Plan By Robert Schwartz was without a doubt one of the best books I have read on the subject matter of pre birth life planning. It completely explains why one would choose to be born into a difficult home life, with difficult parents, or circumstances, or why one would choose to have bad things happen to you during your life time.
I have read many books by different authors and this book I was not able to put it down until I finished it. I do hope there will be more books forth coming by this amazing author. I reccommend it highly and can not say enough about it. ( )