The Way of the Superior Man

The Teaching Sessions

By: David Deida

Narrated by: David Deida

Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

What is your true purpose in life? What do women really want? What makes a good lover? If you're a man reading this, you've undoubtedly asked yourself these questions, but you may not have had much luck answering them. Until now.

In The Way of the Superior Man, David Deida explores the most important issues in men's lives, from career and family to women and intimacy to love and spirituality, to offer a practical guidebook for living a masculine life of integrity, authenticity, and freedom. Join this best-selling author and internationally renowned expert on sexual spirituality for straightforward advice, empowering skills, body practices, and more to help you realize a life of fulfillment, immediately and without compromise.

"It is time to evolve beyond the macho jerk ideal, all spine and no heart", writes David Deida. "It is also time to evolve beyond the sensitive and caring wimp ideal, all heart and no spine". The Way of the Superior Man presents the ultimate challenge, and reward, for today's man: to discover the "unity of heart and spine" through the full expression of consciousness and love in the infinite openness of the present moment.

©2005 David Deida (P)2005 Sounds True

This is not the book!

Having loved the book The Way of the Superior Man, I was confused by all the negative reviews on this site. After buying and listening to the audiobook however, I understand why.

This is NOT the text from The Way of the Superior Man!

In fact, the content in the audiobook is way beyond The Way of the Superior Man. Where the book speaks in clear, easy-to-understand and practical language, the audio is a lot more poetic and esoteric, forcing you to read in-between the lines.

The audiobook really needs you to have read the book beforehand, as it assumes you already know the concepts covered in that book.

To me, this audiobook is like an advanced companion to the book. So if you haven't already read it, I highly recommend it - and skip this audiobook until you have.

Not the Actual Book

The book comes across like some hippy metaphysics with nothing practical or useful. I was excited to read this but was greatly disappointed. Audible, please get the actual book, not this supplemental edition.

Useful thinking that grows on you ...

First of all, understand that David Deida sounds like he is in an, ahem, altered state while he is reading, or speechifying, or whatever. When I first started listening to this, I felt like I had sat down at a bar with a stranger who had had a couple too many and who was going to tell me the Secrets of the Universe. You know the type.

So disappointed, I marked this with one star and went on to a different book. But some of the things I had heard him say rolled around in my noggin for a couple of weeks, and eventually I found myself curious to hear more.

I started where I had left off, and damn if Sensei Deida's didacticism didn't begin to make sense. (And no, I hadn't had a few when I was listening.)

I guess it was at about the fourth lesson in that his insights on what women want -- and what they don't want -- began to start some wheels turning. I made a subtle alteration that night with how I related to my wife of 17 years and wow!, what a difference. She turned into a tigress and pounced on me (in a GOOD way) and then made me a ham sandwich afterward. At that point I became a Deida devotee.

I still find some quirks of his diction a bit off-putting, and the more obscure references to Hindu myths still sound to me like a guy in a bar trying to impress; but the main wisdom here is original, actionable and most importantly, it works (and not just that one time, either). Recommended.

Just what I needed

This book was recommended to me from a friend of mine after discussing some relationship challenges. The book was exactly what I needed. Though I'm curious to read the actual book itself. Apparently this is sort of a "refining" lesson book on what's already been learned in the book. Nevertheless, it was still very easy to follow and understand. I really felt that it spoke to me. Maybe this is sort of like the "Cliff's Notes" version?

However, I think this book is NOT for everyone. It's ONLY for people in the 2nd stage. If you're in the first stage, I think this would be baffling and annoying and seem like it's a load of bull. If you're a bud-drinking, sports watching guy who thinks, "Shut yer trap and make me dinner, wife!" Or a guy who is trying to figure out how to nail more hot chicks and couldn't care less what's in their head, this book is probably a waste of your time.

But, this audio book really really spoke to me. I had "Ohh! Now I get it!" moments all the way through. It really helped me figure out some of the conflicts my wife and I have had. It helped me understand why I was doing what I was doing and why she was reacting the way she was reacting. So, though that understanding, it helped me learn to navigate both our needs to make us feel that incredible closeness. I guess I was lucky that it spoke to exactly where I am. I hope it does for you too!! Truly incredible!

Garbage

Making use of my cold objective masculine, I've decided to utilize my inner feminine and 'gift the world' by helping you avoid this book. I feel better already.

Amazingly Profound

This book gave some powerful insights in my relationship. If you can open your mind to David's style you can find some incredible insights in your relationships. His artistic descriptions of Masculine and Femine Energy is one of the most enlightening paradigms I have come across. For both men and women this could create a lasting shift in an incredibly positive direction.

BS

I'm just going to have to throw the b*Sh*t flag on this one. This guy spews hours of illogical pseudo-philosophy babble. Not worth the time.

Heavy on Rhetoric, Light on Content

I was pretty stoked to listen to this program, but it is beyond disappointing. The author basically has one very tenuous theory that he restates over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again over the course of 5 hours. It's touchy-feely psycho-babble at it's worst.

Not the audiobook

Any additional comments?

Gets one star since I had the impression that this was the audio version of the book itself. There was no clear sign that it was not, or I missed it. Either way, I am disappointed!

Superb! What a find!

David's gift to the world through this book is amazing. I feel like Arjuna (the character in Bhagavad Gita) who is coached by Krisna on the battlefield of life, in seeing 'the patterns' beyond the surface appareances....
As a big reader of personal development I'm not easily impressed, - as most times its the same idea rehashed, over and over again - but David here has something truly original to say and profoundly virtuos at that. For those that seek to truly understand the spirit behind the masculine and feminine energies, and for that matter create deeper relationships, connect with their authentic purpose and embrace the gift of being a man in the world, - look no further.
Be forewarned, this is not for those that seek easy answers, how to manipulate another to fall in love with you or any 'quick fix' methods that abounds in the relationship guidance section. (try somewhere else, you will be dissapointed with this as some other reviews here reveal)
This is about creating authenticity and living the truth of your spirit. It's about principles and virtues - 'the dep stuff'.