Synopsis
The story follows Richard, a barnstorming pilot who travels across the American Midwest giving $3 biplane rides. He encounters Donald Shimoda, a fellow pilot who is actually a former “Messiah” who quit his role after becoming frustrated with crowds that preferred being entertained by miracles rather than understanding his message.
As the two travel together, Shimoda becomes Richard’s mentor, teaching him that the world and everything in it are merely illusions created for our learning and enjoyment. Richard learns to perform “miracles”—such as walking on water or manifesting objects—by realizing that limitations are self-imposed. Central to his training is the Messiah’s Handbook, a magical book with no page numbers that always opens to the exact wisdom the reader needs at that moment. The journey concludes with Shimoda’s death, which serves as a final lesson for Richard about the impermanence of the physical world and his own potential to become a “messiah”.
Reviews
Illusions remains a highly polarizing work, often viewed as either a life-changing spiritual guide or “New Age fluff”.
It is a spiritual guide and the fluff that stuffs my pillow! Rich