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I met Oliver Jobson almost 30 years ago when I made a visit to Jamaica. Since then, I have followed his career and have had a stimulating relationship with him as we shared our philosophies, religion, lifestyles and psychology through the years. This book has come as no surprise. Oliver has much to say, and his varied careers, travels and experiences give him the right to share them with a wider audience with this format.

 

Expanding the Boundaries of Self has evolved from his many explorations into the self, which have challenged Oliver’s religious belief systems, especially in the way they relate to self improvement, human relationships and societal systems. The title itself best describes this fascinating journey. It has indeed been a bold one, challenging organized religious belief systems, examining psychological constructs, dealing with personal crises and finally synthesizing his internalized past beliefs with the acceptance of “truths” as espoused by Sathya Sai Baba.

 

In spite of some of the psycho-theological language found in parts of the book, it is not a heavy one to read. Oliver writes graphically and well. He relates his experiences in such a fashion that the reader has difficulty putting the book down.

 

It is autobiographical, looking at his early years in Jamaica, relating the influence of his parents and their many “pearls of wisdom,” examining the many jobs he has had and describing his relationships with people who have had an influence on him and his thinking.

 

Oliver’s journey has taken him to Ashrams in India and ancient ruins and holy places in Peru, Israel, Europe and Indonesia. Participating in many psychotherapy sessions in the Bahamas and the USA, he became fascinated with hypnosis and out of body experiences.

 

Through it all, he has been redefining himself. He has now come to a point in his life at which his belief system has crystallized, allowing him to make a radical paradigm shift. For example, Oliver’s God is understood to be an impersonal force, or principle, instead of the God of his former Roman Catholic belief, a personal one who communicates emotion, love and reason.

 

Second, truth to Oliver comes now through intuition, not through revelation as found in the person and through the work of Jesus Christ, who was none other than God himself in human flesh. Although Oliver often mentions the sayings of Jesus, the Christ, for Oliver, Sri Sathya Sai Baba is this new incarnation.

 

The last religious point is that Oliver sees human beings as a part of nature; the goal is to become one with nature because nature is God. Oliver’s God is now pantheistic, as seen in his belief that “God is all and all is God.” On the other hand, Oliver was brought up believing that a human being is a special creation and is distinct from nature (even though nature is a part of where he exists) and that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God.

 

From a psychological perspective, Oliver uses SDA (Self Discovery Analysis), which has given him insights into meditation, hypnosis and levels of consciousness from basic psychological theories. He has attempted to expand them by applying Eastern religious/theological approaches and by viewing religion as three aspects (religion, science and daily life) in one.

 

I mention these examples to simply illustrate some aspects of this book that allow for fascinating and stimulating reading. Whether you agree or disagree with Oliver’s philosophy/theology/psychology or whatever he discusses, you will be obliged to explore, examine, evaluate and think!

Timothy McCartney PhD, FCHS

Clinical Psychologist/ Professor of Management

H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship

Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.