Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Amazon Ascending Spiral Category:  Action/Thriller Publisher: Marvelous Spirit Press Pages: 248 Copyright: March, 2013 ISBN-13: 9781615991860 Price: $6.83 (eBook) Pip's restitution for an ancient crime is to be witness to the destruction of humanity -- or to be part of saving us. Follow his progress through many lifetimes.     Ascending Spiral already has a long list of 5 star reviews. It is the journey of a person through many lifetimes, in order to make amends for a terrible ancient crime: destroying all life on a planet like Earth. Right now, this person is Pip, who knows he is here either to witness the destruction of humanity, or be an agent in saving us.    To do his work, he needed to recall a few of his many past lives, and the majority of the book covers exciting times full of challenges, going round and round from life to life, but always learning and growing.    Would you like to join Pip in saving a future for our children, and their children and grandchildren in perpetuity?    Bob chose to present his call to action as an exciting novel rather than as a lecture or sermon. However, the message is just as valid. Excerpt Prologue Pip 2011 AD In 2008, a young woman came to me as a victim of crime. I'd been warned that she was suicidal. She started to cry when I asked her to tell me her story. For five minutes, every time she tried to speak, tears ran down her face, sobs shook her body and she needed to wipe her nose. Hunched forward, hugging herself, all she could do was to feel her despair. "Come on, Alison," I said, "we're going for a walk." I led her outside. Speaking gently, calmly, and just loud enough to be heard over the noise of the traffic, I said, "Alison, look at the sky. See the color. Don't put a name on it, just see it. The clouds. They're just shapes." A truck went by. "Hear that sound. It's just a sound. And now the smell. Don't judge it, don't name it, just experience it. And look at this wall, that pattern on it." We walked a few steps. "Feel the pressure of the ground on your feet. Just feel it. And how your legs work. And your breath: chest rising and falling. That tree. Look, every leaf is different." Slowly we walked around the block. Waving blades of grass... the pressure of her T-shirt on her back... the look of a rose... the crunch of gravel under our feet... the pattern a butterfly wove in the air... I focused her on Now. This moment. This instant. This. In ten minutes, we were back in our chairs. She could now tell me of her tragedy. She'd been pregnant. While tidying, she found the tools for shooting up heroin. When her guy came home, she confronted him: drugs or me. He bashed her up, so severely that she lost the baby. We needed two more sessions. Then she left my area, back to her family. Last week, I met her again. Health and contentment shone out of her. She carried a two-year-old girlie. "Hi Pip, remember me?" "Alison. Of course I do." "Claire, sweetheart, say hello to Dr Lipkin." Kids are my joy. I made friends with little Claire. "I'm so glad to see you! I now have a lovely husband, and this little darling, and life is terrific!" To my delight, she blamed me for her great improvement. Then there are the emails, from all around the planet. Mostly they're from kids. So, I have hundreds of grandchildren, most of whom I'll never meet. Here is one I'll call Maria Rodriguez: Dear Dr. Pip, I don't really know how to do this because I never ask for help but I typed "I hate myself" in google and you came up first so I clicked it. I saw what you've done for other people and I was hoping that maybe you could help me. I just turned 16. Ever since I was 14 I've thought about suicide. My mom found out a few months ago and she yelled at me, said I was disappointing her, and to be honest I don't think she understands how serious I am about it. I hate myself because I'm ugly, stupid, fat, can't be loved, and I'm a liar. Kids made fun of me, so I made up stories about myself so that someone would talk to me and have even the slightest interest in me. However, I've been thinking that if something happened to these people, they'd die not knowing that I lied. So, I told my two best friends. One was completely understanding and is helping me. The other hates me and won't talk to me which is a constant reminder of what a terrible person I am. I can't tell some people because I have no idea how to find them and I feel terrible because I can never take back what I did. And there's one person I want to tell but I'm afraid of her hating me too. My friend said to tell her when we get older but I can't guarantee how long I'll live. Then she said just to tell her. I can't because she has been my role model since I was 5 and now she talks to me and I don't want to lose that. I hate what I've become, and I want to change. I've tried really hard but I couldn't do it. No matter what I did something always kept me back whether it was the kids at school calling me fat, whore, lesbian, and retarded or my parents just making me feel inadequate to my other siblings, something always messed me up. I feel like suicide is my only way out. I don't have money to pay you but I was hoping that you could help me despite that. Please help...I don't want to live another day where I wish I was dead. With love, Maria We have now exchanged eight emails. The second-last was: Dear Pip, I'm sorry this has taken me so long but I've been meaning to thank you. You really changed the way I look at life. I just have one last question: How can I forgive myself for all the mistakes I've made? Love, Maria And my answer: Maria my darling, thank you for cheering me up. I've been very tired after work all day, and dropped my bundle a bit. Then you picked me up. There is no such thing as a mistake, a fault, or a defect. This is my view of everyone: You are perfect. Some of the things you do are excellent. Most of the things you do are OK. The rest are the growing opportunities. If you find that a past act was a mistake, that's proof that you've gained in wisdom. If you could do it again, you'd do it better. So, congratulate yourself. If a past mistake has caused harm to yourself or someone else, then apologize within your heart. If it's possible and appropriate, apologize to the other people affected. If possible and appropriate, make restitution. But there is no need for guilt or shame. Celebrate the fact that now you know better. Work out how to do the same kind of thing if the situation arises. Maria, only two things matter in this life: what you take with you when you die, and what you leave behind in the hearts of others. Everything else is Monopoly money. What can you take with you: Lessons learnt, gained wisdom -- or the opposite: hate, bitterness, blame and the like. So, you either advance in spiritual development, or go backward, or of course a bit of each. Look after the heart, the Love, and you can let go of everything else. Thank you for sharing the planet with me. Love, Pip And finally, for now: That helped so much. Thank you so much. Love, Maria I have this ability to heal hurt, to lead people from despair and helplessness to strength and Love. This gives me joy, so, whatever may go wrong in my life, I am content. I am content despite seeing all the terrible things on our world. I see the craziness, the suffering, the way people hurt themselves, each other, and the wonderful natural environment we're a part of. But it's all right. I hate it but accept it, both at the same time. What craziness am I talking about? When people ask me to introduce myself, I often say I'm a visitor from a faraway galaxy. At home, I'm an Historian of Horror, so Earth is my favorite place in all the Universe. Where else do you find an organized game (called war) in which intelligent beings kill each other? Where else are child-raising practices designed to damage children? And best of all, where else do you see the entire economy of a species designed to destroy the life support system of their planet? For an Historian of Horror, that's delicious. Well, one day I learned that this joke is based on truth. Indeed, I am a visitor to your planet. Don't believe me? I'm just an old guy with a gray beard, right? A professional grandfather children love, a fellow whose sense of humor keeps getting away from him... not so. I really am a visitor from off planet, and I'm here to do a job. I was not always content with life. For much of my existence (which, as you'll read, has lasted over 12,000 years), I was hurting. But, you see, a person is like a diamond. Put some coal into a place of great pressure and heat, and it becomes the hardest jewel known. A person is like steel. Put iron in red-hot coke and blast it with oxygen for nine hours, then drop it, red hot, into cold liquid, then heat it again, and you have hardened and tempered steel. I needed all that suffering to turn me into a tool designed for my job. That job is to help you save your life, and the lives of those you love. Like everyone on this planet, you're in great danger, and my reason for being here, being a human for now, is to be part of the effort to save us. When it was time, I was shown what I had to know for my task. This book is the account of what I learnt. Let me tell you my story, and you can judge for yourself. I'll start with the earliest recall of living on your planet I've been given, on an island off Ireland.

Liana Hammersley
It's not very often that you read a book that can speak directly to your heart but you can find them. And It's a rarity when you find one that can speak straight to your soul, which is what this book does. It's like a old friend coming to speak to you. A friend who makes you feel warm, protected and loved. It's a one in a million story (or in this case stories) that makes you recognise that this life is more than just a life - it's a life made up of many lives and many lessons: there is a reason...a purpose for us being here, today, yesterday and tomorrow. We're here to learn and appreciate what this life has to give for a greater purpose - not just to live, but to experience, feel and be.

The first couple of pages of 'Ascending Spiral' made me feel like crying. THE FIRST PAGES! I couldn't believe it. Never has a book made me want to cry at the very beginning of the book. But it did. Mainly because it spoke about a little girl who felt lost, worthless and unloved. It was part of my teenage life he (Pip/ Bob Rich) spoke of. Although mine didn't make me want to die or feel so badly that I really didn't cope because I had friends, a small group of friends but enough to help me through the "popular crowd's" teasing and constant cruelness. Pip's words to Maria were so beautiful and precious that I couldn't help but feel lighter just thinking about them. He helped her through a tough time in her life, made her feel special and taught her that there are no mistakes in life, but lessons, opportunity's that help us grow into the person we want to be. And if we fail, we fail...but it is also a success because we learned and we survived.

That's what this book is mostly about - learning and surviving the best way we possibly can. Dermot was my favourite character/life experience I liked reading about. He was a survivor. He suffered such terrible tragedy's that you can almost understand why he turned out the way he did - I do say almost because in this life (my life) I would never go down the same path at the end and find it confusing and shocking that he would do something so horrible to someone who least deserved it. But in his mind everyone was at fault. His situation was bad, he lost his whole family, was made into an example on a convict boat that could have destroyed him, became a slave, could've had freedom but was blackmailed into staying and in the end he was trapped. he was helpless and kept suffering throughout his life. He was an injured animal, one who had been beaten too many times. He held in all the resentment, anger and frustration at being in a life that wronged him so much that he finally exploded and the way it came out was a terrible action. He suffered again because of it...his soul suffered. But when you look back on everything that had happened you couldn't say what he did was wrong. Part of his family and his soon to be wife was murdered, other family members imprisoned. He fought back because there was nothing else he could do.

Through this book you learn that every action has a ripple effect. It doesn't just affect you or your family but it effects everyone that it comes in contact with. And when you look back on Dermot's life you realise why everything is happening. The English had been bullied by their own people (as I'm sure many countries and societies have) - their own kings and queens ruled over them year after year, dictating how they should feel, act and think. If they acted any differently to what was expected of them they were punished for it - be it jail, maimed or killed. So they were victims: left powerless by the people that should have protected them. So those people through generations became bitter, resentful and angry. And those that came into a certain power (the army's, etc) followed orders and took all those negative emotions out on whoever they were to hurt. They got their revenge, just on the wrong people. And in turn Dermot got his revenge on those people. You can see how one person's wrong doing creates another ones and it just keeps going and going until people are hurt or worse. If one were to forgive then they would either be trampled over or were forgiven themselves. In Dermot's case, he had no choice. If he forgave the English he would only have become a slave himself (which he ultimately did anyway) or killed. There was no middle ground. There was no forgiveness or compassion from the other side. Once anger is involved, everything goes out the window. So Dermot stood and fought for what he believed in - to free his people from such a grievous act. No one would have been free if he didn't do anything. So in a way he helped those people to find hope, at the cost to himself.

Amelia's story had me on the edge of my seat. Her husband horrified me. I was along for the ride (emotionally) for this story because I was terrified for her children having such an abusive father. Her story was tragic in a different way to Dermot's but it had a beautiful ending in a way because she got to live out her life in the end and see her children grow and have their own children. But in the meantime she had a lot of hardship and loss. But she SURVIVED and she lived.

The two other stories about the space flower and the walking flowers didn't appeal to me as much. They were short and the story's were good, but the hardships and emotional connection wasn't there for me as much.

And finally with Pip's life I had to have a little chuckle to myself when my name "Liana" turned up in the story. It's not every day you read your own name in a book - especially when it's as rare as mine! But I loved Pip's journey - his success at reaching peace within himself and finding that "living" this life and experiencing everything that was to be learned is what life is about, not just the material things as most live for - the house, the car, the other objects we consider to be considered to be important that most people rate above all else. This life is about LIVING it, ENJOYING it but most all experiencing it.

This book just makes you rethink about your own life, the situation your in and everything that you have learned up until now. It (most importantly) also makes you ask yourself "what is your purpose for living?" It has helped me appreciate what had been given to me and not take things for granted anymore. I want to enjoy my life now and not bicker about the silly little things because this life is an important one, for my soul and for my family.

If you are of spiritual mind (as I have been my entire life, growing up with the knowledge of past lives, spiritual beings, compassion, lessons, etc) or have often wondered what is is you're doing here, I suggest to read this book as it is the perfect way of gaining more knowledge of your situation and learning to love the life that you're living.

Brandon Wilson
Life is an adventure; some say a never-ending one. Ascending Spiral by Bob Rich takes us on that rollercoaster of life. As they say, "Keep your arms and legs inside the car at all times." It's a wild ride.

As the book opens, we join therapist Pip Lipkin assisting patients in recent times then swiftly travel backward, ultimately some 12,000 years. As each chapter introduces a new character and their personal drama unfolds, it soon becomes obvious we are witnessing the same being again and again struggling with new life challenges as they gradually resolve, evolve, and reawaken. There's never a dull moment. Friends and adversaries resurface in each life playing different roles--some nurturing, some violent--as "Pip" continues his spiraling metaphysical journey from one calamity or triumph to the next.

I had little idea what to expect when I began reading, but was soon wrapped up in the fascinating adventure. As I devoured the book within two sittings, (one has to sleep), I was reminded how all events, even minor, can be interconnected. There are no coincidences and personal choices constantly create or resolve our karma. This simple reminder can help reassure and heal us through the darkest of times.

Ascending Spiral is an engaging adventure, blurring the lines of genre while appealing to a wide audience who enjoy adventure, sci-fi, philosophy, metaphysics, and historical fiction. I heartily recommend it.

"Mrs Piddles"
Such a thought provoking story I have never read before. Do I believe in reincarnation? Hardly. As a Bible believing Christian I believe in one life, one death and the resurrection of the eternal soul.... And just what does that mean. As an open minded intellectual I humorously entertain thoughts of what or who I may have been, or might become in different lives because of something that has just happened to me.

And the Question still begs for an answer, "Why am I here?"

I chose this book partly from curiosity, partly from personal need, and partly from a drive I had no control over. As a person who focuses mainly on children's books or much lighter and predictable Westerns, I first found this book to be hard to read. But it was harder to put down. And now that I've turned that last page, it will be impossible to forget.

I followed Pip through his life. I struggled through many of `his' other lives, and when I gaze at the myriad of stars over the Texas plains at night I really do wonder how many others are looking down on me. "What is my purpose here?" I feel the struggle as life continues, and the surprise as I begin to realize that one soul has moved on to a new lesson. Then more surprise as I discover that the soul may be able to choose the lessons. "What could possibly be next?" I was driven almost to the point of stress as Pip's life became complex and confusing, the story bouncing from one time frame to another and back again. But, Isn't that how life goes as we mature, grow, and find success?

I love the `spiral' motif. It is motion, it is economy of motion. It can lift but it can also drill, or be a feather drifting lazily to settle in the shade of a willow tree. Do we spiral toward a more complex lifestyle or to a simpler one? Like Pip, I have choices. How can I know that each choice I make will result in peace of heart and mind for me and my children? And what about the temptation to choose wealth or just a tiny dab of celebrity? I pray that my choices will result in my being able to `pass' this lesson, but even more than that, that my choices will result in my children being able to also learn and pass their own lessons.

Thank you, Bob, for your writing. And by the way, I've been a conservationist, and mostly off the grid, for a large part of my life. I now live in a `tiny house' and the solar panels are on the way. And, thankfully, just as with Pip, the `taker' has become the `giver', the `destroyer' has become the `builder', and I hope that the stubborn will soon learn enough to become the teacher.