“Kirkus Review”
TITLE INFORMATION
BECOMING SOUL
Seven Steps to Heaven
El Alma
BalboaPressAU (128 pp.)
ISBN: 978-1-5043-2088-7
February 25, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
“El Alma’s self-help book guides readers through seven steps to rediscover their long-forgotten souls.
The author, a professional counselor, postulates that humans pass through various stages exemplified by the life of Jesus Christ—“Silence,” “Hope,” “Suffering,” “Loss,” “Survival,” “Believe,” and “Heaven,” on their path to the “inner realm.” The stages may unfold nonlinearly and repeatedly, the author says, until one finally surrenders to God and accepts inner peace. El Alma asserts that life’s struggles are willingly undertaken by souls prior to birth, and part of a greater quest to guide others. To this end, people are assisted by “luminaries,” as well as a “Goddess,” whom El Alma believes to be Mary, the mother of Jesus. El Alma illustrates these lessons through the life of a fictional girl, Asina, whose life is shattered when her sister, Ralia, is taken from their home, and she discovers that her mother isn’t her biological parent. Asina later builds a family of her own and a successful career but endures devastating losses. However, Asina is frequently protected and comforted by Mary and the nurturing souls of her departed relatives. And although Asina struggles with her emotional pain, which keeps her from embracing her spiritual identity, divine love ultimately leads her to peaceful surrender to God. El Alma’s approach to Christianity and the nature of the soul may not resonate with all audiences, be they religious or secular. However, the author does present a vision that will be stirring to many, especially those with interest in New Age expressions of Christian faith. The fictional narrative of Asina and her family is powerful and heart-wrenching; although the author condenses decades into a small number of pages, the tale significantly extends beyond a simple parable as the characters’ lives reverberate with love and pain on the way to the eternal beyond.
A unique and tough spiritual guide steeped in feminine love and divine compassion.”
“Kirkus Review”
