"The Manuscript", as all the characters call it, is never quoted directly--which is a good thing, considering it's in Aramaic--so there is no official statement of the nine insights. People who have read the Manuscript talk about the insights, but never state them directly. One meta-insight is that different individuals are drawn to specific insights. One insight may appear "special". If so, the individual may come to serve the development of human consciousness by teaching or by facilitating others' assimilation of that insight.
1. Meaningful coincidences. We are at a point in the developmental history of human consciousness where development will accelerate. The major evidence for this is the increased number of meaningful coincidences people are noticing in their lives.
2. Historical perspective. This point in human history can best be understood by a revisioning of the past millennium. In the early part of the millennium, human consciousness was dominated by beliefs promulgated by the Catholic Church: one's proper place in society, humanity at the center of the universe, and the battle between good and evil. These beliefs gave meaning to life. This domination was challenged during the Renaissance and Reformation. At that time, humanity established a grand project of exploring the world, using the tools of science, with the hope of getting a new answer to the meaning of life. While waiting for that answer to come in, attention turned to increasing material comfort. That project is now at an end--material comfort has been achieved, but we have lost touch with sources of meaning. Moreover, the answers we wanted are now appearing--not necessarily from institutional science, but from a variety of sources.
3. Subtle energy. There is an energy, previously undetected by science, that forms the basis of all things. Human perception of that energy starts with an increased awareness of beauty: people, animals, plants, ecosystems that have a high level of that energy appear particularly beautiful. By becoming aware of that energy, we become able to notice when and how we give and receive energy.
4. Competition for energy. A fundamental assumption underlies most human interactions: we must compete for this energy, drawing it from others and protecting ourselves from others' attempts to draw it from us. This leads to some nasty interactions.
5. Energy abundance. In fact, competition is unnecessary because subtle energy exists in abundance. In particular, we can acquire more by eating plants which have high energy levels. (And we can ensure that the plants have high energy levels by paying attention to them, by giving them energy.) Being in a loving state not only connects our energy to the object of our love, but to a greater source of energy as well. This is the essence of mystical experience. The goal of mystical practice - and practice of the lessons of the Celestine Prophecy - is to get and remain connected with the energy. Moreover, a person's energy is the source of the meaningful coincidences noticed in the First Insight. Each mystical experience stretches a person's potential, causing them to exist "at a higher state of vibration".
The best description of all this comes a little later in the book. Father Sanchez says, "Love is not an intellectual concept or a moral imperative or anything else. It is a background emotion that exists when one is connected to the energy available in the universe, which , of course, is the energy of God." [page 153]
6. Getting clear. In order to be in a state of love with the world on a regular basis, we have to let go of patterns of behavior we developed to take energy from others.
First, we have to become aware of our "control dramas" and break our controlling habits. There are four control patterns or ways of causing others to give us energy, two actively demanding energy, two passively creating conditions in which energy is sent. "Active" control dramas include intimidation and interrogation - asking questions and then picking apart the answers. "Passive" control dramas include aloofness - creating an air of mystery that entices others to send energy--and "poor me"--creating a sense that if others don't provide energy, something awful will happen to the controller.
Second, we have to "get clear" of our control dramas. We must understand our parents' control dramas and how these shaped ours. Then we must learn what meaning our parents' lives had for us, and how this determines our own developmental work. The things we would change about our parents - individually and together - are what we need to work on in our own lives.
7. Using intuition. When we are in touch with the energy, clear of our control dramas, and aware of the questions relevant to this moment, our intuition supplies the answers we need. Once we are aware of these answers, we need only watch for meaningful coincidences to show us how to act on them.
8. Relating to others. This insight comes in several pieces.
9. Conscious evolution. This insight is a vision of culture in the next millennium.
Humans consciously participate in their evolution by living according to their intuition, which guides them in such a way as to increase their energy. Population decreases so much that most of the world can be allowed to return to wilderness, creating old-growth forests full of energy. The means of survival are automated and available to everyone. Their sense of purpose is satisfied by "the thrill of our own evolution". People will consume less and work less so that they can work on their evolution. (Redfield is ambiguous about this: Lower consumption may not be necessary because people will pay you for your spiritual insights. "When people come into our lives at just the right time to give us the answers we need, we should give them money." [page 226])
The goal of this evolution is to achieve a level of vibration that makes us invisible to others, perhaps even immaterial. Jesus was the first to do this, and sporadic individuals continue to do so. (The main character's mentor does so in the conclusion of the book.) The ultimate goal is for large groups to "cross over" together in a "general rapture". The Mayans are alleged to have done this.