The Finders

My son suggested I take the Finders Course to learn how to meditate since I was retiring as a clinical psychologist. I used to say I had an anxiety gene inherited from my mother because anxiety was a part of me. Worry, too. Despite those feelings I’ve led a great life full of sorrow, pain, happiness and joy. I began the Finders Course on January 10, 2015, expecting to learn how to meditate. Never a Seeker, had no idea what a Finder or awakening might be, I was completely surprised when I had a shift in consciousness on March 6, 2015 (will never forget that date!). At 68 my anxiety, worry, and existential loneliness simply STOPPED – something psychotherapy, medication, yoga, etc. had never managed to accomplish.Dr. Jeffery Martin created his protocol after 10 years of researching people with high fundamental wellbeing. The Finders describes some of his search, and lots about what he found. Jeffery and the Finders Course have changed my life. The Finders is for people like me (or who I used to be) – not on a spiritual path, as well as those who’ve been seeking for many years. And especially for the Finders out there who got to awakening in all kinds of random ways and have no idea what happened (which might have made them delighted or feeling crazy…).It’s great to read a book that describes your experience, and then backs it up with empirical validation. Thank you, Jeffery Martin, for your tireless research, for shepherding so many of us through the course, for continuing to be of service to Finders, and for finally getting it all into a really enjoyable and fascinating read for anyone interested in wellbeing (who isn’t??)!

Every so often someone comes along that re-writes the narrative on a certain topic and Jeffery has done just that. As an entrepreneur and engineer by background, I deeply appreciate people who do real research and base their work on that. This research based book provides a comprehensive, relatable prospective on what it is like to be a Finder and experience fundamental wellbeing on a persistent basis.If you are a Seeker this book will show you what life is like when you become a Finder and awaken. And whether or not you are a member any particular religion or spiritual tradition, after reading this book you'll have a deeper understanding of the historical texts.If you are a Finder and have already experienced an awakening, you will find yourself reading this book and repeatedly going "This is me", "I experience life just like this", and on and on like I did. It is a beautiful experience when you can so deeply relate to something like you will with this book.If you are a Finder already, this will likely become the book that you get in the hands of all of the people closest to you. It will give them a glimpse of how you experience reality (and do it in a way that doesn't make you seem crazy to them). And it may just encourage them to join you in becoming a Finder.

This book is for Finders who are curious about their state, and the psychological profiles of nearby states of consciousness. It has clean, secular language, devoid of religious dogma. Its a useful complement to any path, and what excites me the most is that it allows people in different traditions, or indie's, to discuss their sense of self, cognition, emotion, perception, and memory with one another. I like that because the world is too filled with walls instead of bridges, and of ways for people to not understand one another. Also really useful in this book for many is the info on how Finders have handled their relationships when they are in a different state than their partner. Often, without understanding where they are, or how the state flows, Finders can be unskillful in communicating with loved ones about what's happening to them. I'm thrilled that this book is out now for all the people I believe it will help. I work with Dr. Martin on several projects.

Based on the lessons learned from the revolutionary Finders Course, this well-researched and scientifically tested book offers a step-by-step guide to helping anyone attain a greater sense of wellbeing. This is a must read.

This book goes on and on and on describing a state of fundamental well being according to locations on a continuum. It is in no way useful in describing any practical method of getting the reader from a state of discontentment to one of fundamental wellbeing. Yhy would you read this book? It neither entertains nor educates. It is a complete waste of time. Do not be seduced as I was by the accolades that preface the contents. You could of course learn more by signing up to one of the authors courses though that will cost you much more than this book. Of all the books I have ever read in 60+ years of reading, this is the one I would cheerfully consign to the flames with no regrets

What I found interesting about the book is:(a) The description of the way the average person’s life is dominated by the narrative-self and its associated self-referential thoughts, largely feeding on a diet of fear, worry, and anxiety (Search also for “nafs” and “commanding self”).(b) The way the narrative-self gives the constant switching of our many mini selves the appearance of unity (Search for “ornstein multimind”).(c) The possibility – as the narrative-self recedes and becomes diminished – of going beyond that to become a finder experiencing higher levels of awareness and consciousness and the deep and abiding peace that lay hidden behind the veils of the narrative-self.And (d) the mention of the dark night of the soul and the possibility for the finder’s narrative-self to “die before you die”.The author’s long and extensive research led to a smart model which enables such finders to be sorted along a continuum into buckets or, as he prefers, locations; and he goes on at great length to describe his findings on the characteristics and other details of these locations.What left me feeling a little flat was that the locations are merely numbered rather than carrying memorable descriptive names; and numbered buckets simply cannot contain or do justice to the wonderful and unique individual seekers, nor to the rich and varied culture, knowledge, and wisdom of mystical paths such as Sufism (be it Islamic, Universal, or Western). I would suggest that many mystical teachers and guides actually do know how to deal with the intermediate location 4, its difficulties, the paths of freedom and of humanity, and locations beyond 4 which the author feels are areas of ongoing research and beyond the scope of the book.Also, the book doesn’t provide more detailed context about the sort of tried-and-tested paths that might lead the seeker to become a finder, such as Zen, Buddhism and the Sufi Way (as projected in the West). Nor does the author provide much detail about exemplary individuals who have become finders, to whom readers might be able to relate. I guess that had the author gone into more detail in some cases, then he would have filled a fat volume or two with details of the many other examples, in order to maintain an overall balance.Nor is The Finders a cookbook – ie something of practical application. The book certainly provides a detailed description of the kitchen environment, the utensils to be used, the ingredients, the menu, adverts, and testimonials. But as for the recipe, the first course (seeker to finder), and dessert (finder to explorer), there is a link to a web page (unpromisingly titled “Email Capture”) to download a free how-to book, and that in turn leads you to visit two more of the author’s web sites, sign up to one or both courses, and pay rather more. It may, however, help set would-be seekers off on their search, or take more seasoned seekers off in new directions.Full marks for the many years of dedicated, painstaking, thoughtful, and outstanding scientific research. However, unlike many mystical texts, teaching stories, humour, poetry, musical pieces, and often indirect teaching methods, reading The Finders is unlikely – in itself – to impart baraka (grace, “gifts”, or “honey”) or bring about lasting and transformative change by design.Having said that, with a 70% success rate advertised for the finders course, and given the unarguable benefits that becoming a finder has to offer, that may well prove to be of inestimable value.Slight niggles: In the Kindle edition, the image of the locations does not display correctly and is unviewable.

...for a $2500 course; that I paid £13 for the privilege to waste my time reading. I found the format muddled and confusing; sort of jargon without many points of reference. It’s like I should have read something to introduce the whole concept first. I think I've been conned.

This book has the potential to be life changing. I have been able to begin to make sense of my experience of the world through reading this book. It’s a relief to know that what I have been experienced has happened to other people. Thank you Dr Martin and team for taking the time to study this area of human experience. This work, in my opinion is probably going to be one of the most important studies humankind has pursued.The human experience studied is quite possibility our next evolutionary step.

A very valuable study of those who have achieved the first stage of the spiritual journey but Martin's explanation of the data is surprisingly disappointing -- I write as one of his 'finders' but still regard myself as a 'seeker'.He gives us a monochrome account of an extraordinarily rich experience, which is not surprising as he takes great pride in writing as a scientific materialist. But trying to apply scientific materialism to a field that does not lie in the material/ physical plane is a category error made by most materialists of his ilk. Martin stays on the surface of the ocean and thus misses the extraordinary wonders that lurk in the depths.