Customer Reviews:
Difficult, insightful book.......2007-09-21
I found this book even more difficult than the already challenging "Structure of Magic" but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The detail and precision that is gone into describing the unlimited power of words and communication is just what is needed in the wishy-washy world of self-help. Consider it more of a text book than a fun/easy read like Tony Robbins, and definitely start with "Structure of Magic" before going into this one.
Are you a mind reader?.......2007-08-08
If you are interested in knowing how psychiatrists effect life altering change, then this book is for you. As you may know, the authors modeled the life altering strategies of successful psychiatrists, such as Milton Erickson, Perls, and Virginia Satir.
I was rather intrigued, when reading this book to notice a strategy of Virginia Satir. In one of her dialogues with a patient, when the patient explains a perceived issue with another person, she repeatedly challenges his thinking by asking 'Are you a mind reader?'
I now ask myself the same question on a regular basis. Sometimes, I ask other people that question too. If you think about it, that is a very good perception changing question unless, of course, you are a mind reader.
Another book I recommend in this field is Mind Lines by L Michael Hall, which has an extensive list of change patterns, and My voice will go with you, which is a book of the therapeutic teaching tales of Milton Erickson.
If you were to find this review helpful, please click yes.
Truly A Classic.......2007-07-15
Though not an ease read, The Structure of Magic II as well as The Sturcture of Magic I are a must read for anyone interested in the healing magic that is done by therapists. This book takes the foundation created in book I and demonstrates how it is used in therapy. Bandler and Grinder have truly studied the masters of therapy and added their own unique and brilliant skills to create a very useful guide to doing therapy.
The Structure of Magic: A Book About Communication and Change (Book 2) by .......2007-01-03
This series is for the serious in depth learner and student of NLP. These are not self help books for the casual reader they are the kind of book most of us read a chapter of and then have to digest, read again, as these are text books..real text books.
That said, if you want to really understand communication then you want to read them, these boys are the big guns. You want to sell more real estate, read Tony Robbins, you want to be a great therapist, start here.
Both Structure of Magic Books are powerful but: masterpieces, but..........2006-03-06
Structure 1 is well written, clear and concise, but Structure 2 is subtle and intense like a slow moving train that gets fast and fun at the pace you like. Both are informative books, don't get me wrong. But Structure 2 shows that communication and movement within communication is thwe basis of life. Whether its commuincating to your muscles to walk or do whatever, talk to another person, whatever requires communication at any level. In fact these books, I'll say are the spirit-voice of what it takes to live efffectively or the beginnings thereof of understanding that. Structure 1 tells you the map is not the territory, structure 2 tells you how to use the territory with the directions if you have the basic understanding given in 1 of what maps and territories are really for. The questions are asked in 1, the queastions are answered in 2. Anyhow, as Arthur C. Clarke said, technology only seems magical, when you haven't developed up to its level yet. That's what it all comes down to, development and The Structure of Magic Books show that. Step by step, understanding by understanding until you can put it together yourself in its proper order within the territory, and not just on a "silly" map. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. more than that, that's my understanding and I'm growing past it to understand and undertake ever more and ever better. Hats off to Bandler and Grinder and all of their associates, I'm not saying they're the end or the beginnings, but they are an important part of that grand puzzle being solved called "existence and life". But eah person must put it all together for themselves, that's what The Map is Not The Territory means, I know. All right, happy reading if you buy em'!
Captain Josh/Joshua Clayton
Amazon.com
According to ancient legends, alchemists use a magical philosopher's stone to transmute lead into gold. In Emotional Alchemy, Tara Bennett-Goleman shows readers how they can use this alchemist metaphor to transform emotional confusion (lead) into insightful clarity (gold). And what does the magic stone represent? "Mindfulness," a lifelong practice that can bring readers more joy and contentment than the gold, according to Bennett-Goleman. "Mindfulness means seeing things as they are without trying to change them," she writes. "The point is to dissolve our reactions to disturbing emotions, being careful not to reject the emotion itself."
Those who have never entered this practice will find a concise and articulate teacher in Bennett-Goleman, who leads national workshops with her husband, author Daniel Goleman (Emotional Intelligence). What make this book such an exciting breakthrough is Bennett-Goleman's ability to apply Buddhist mindfulness to Western psychology. She shows how emotional alchemy can be used to address typical habits, such as mistrust, fear of rejection, feeling unlovable. Readers will also find fascinating scientific facts on how emotional alchemy affects brain chemistry and even cancer survival. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
“May this very important and enticing book find its way into the hearts of readers near and far so that it can perform its mysterious and healing alchemy for the benefit of all.” —John Kabat-Zinn, author of
Wherever You Go, There You Are and
Professor of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School
The Transformative Power of Mindfulness
Alchemists sought to transform lead into gold. In the same way, says Tara Bennett- Goleman, we all have the natural ability to turn our moments of confusion or emotional pain into insightful clarity.
Emotional Alchemy maps the mind and shows how, according to recent advances in cognitive therapy, most of what troubles us falls into ten basic emotional patterns, including fear of abandonment, social exclusion (the feeling that we don’t belong), and vulnerability (the feeling that some catastrophe will occur). This remarkable book also teaches us how we can free ourselves of such patterns and replace them with empathy for ourselves and others through the simple practice of mindfulness, an awareness that lets us see things as they truly are without distortion or judgment. Emotional Alchemy provides an insightful explanation of how mindfulness can change not only our lives, but the very structure of our brains, giving us the freedom to be more creative and alive.
Here is a beautifully rendered work full of Buddhist wisdom and stories of how people have used mindfulness to conquer their self-defeating habits. The result is a whole new way of approaching our relationships, work, and internal lives.
Customer Reviews:
Audio version is tedious.......2007-04-11
I have not read the book but tried to listen to the audiotape version and found it hopelessly tedious. Some of the problem may be as a reviewer of the CD version mentioned, that the author has no gift for narration.
The mix of Buddhism and psychology, two subjects I usually find interesting, doesn't work, at least as far as I got - two tapes on - before I stopped listening.
The Buddhism focused on the author's near obsession with the Zen tea ceremony, which she describes in a way that makes it sound about as spiritual as operating a Mister Coffee. Whatever she gets out of the tea ceremony, she is not communicating it here. And if you are not fascinated with the Zen tea ceremony this book may not be for you.
Meanwhile, the psychological bits are mostly based on case studies of the type that an old newspaperman used to call the "suspicious anecdote." The author always seems to be a heroic therapist, and the patient seems to attain Buddha-like insights within minutes of their encounter. The stories sound like outtakes from a "can-you-top-this" contest in the bar of a psychotherapists' convention.
In the end, listening to this book felt like having my teeth cleaned by a well-meaning but ham-handed dental hygienist. The best part was the Zen silence after I stopped listening.
Worth your time and effort (and money).......2007-03-27
Books have been written about mindfulness and they have been written about cognitive-behavioral therapy. The strength of this book is the way in which the author seamlessly combines them and convincingly shows how they complement and enhance one another. In short, mindfulness allows one greater access to experience, to one's own thoughts, emotions, sensations--including the troubling ones, which we so often suppress or avoid. In terms of therapy, awareness is invaluable. But even for someone not in therapy, it's equally essential. Mindfulness allows us to understand and break out of automatic, self-harming patterns. Bennett-Goleman gives a good roadmap of how to accomplish that.
Audio CD review: not good. Read the book instead and don't buy this because you like her hubby's stuff.......2006-12-20
I bought this audio CD on the strength of my enjoyment of this woman's husband's books, which I keep in my library and re-read occasionally-the "Emotional Intelligence" series. This was a mistake; it's not at all like her husband's books. First of all, you really have to be into Buddhist philosphy and compassionate observation. If that's not your bag, you might not be happy with this purchase. Second, I found some of the examples of her patients to be a bit tortured. For instance, one patient has a breakthrough by recalling something from when she was an infant! Which seems hard to be believe....Finally, I think it was a mistake for the author to read the book. Her voice is okay, but she speaks incredibly slowly. I listen to a lot of audio CDs, and this is the slowest reading I have ever heard. I realize that if we are stressing soothing and zen, we might not want a rapid fire pace, but this goes too far.
It's the other way around...........2006-07-12
The heart heals the head. Overthinking is the fastest way to get yourself stuck. The heart sees and knows what the intellect cannot. The head serves the heart and only when the heart "gets" it ... can healing begin. A great book but I believe the reverse is true. Only the heart can heal a broken heart. Mental gymnastics can be a brilliant form of denial. The heart creates, the heart desires, and the heart is what does the healing. It is the seat of love.
Extremely useful for those who want to do deep work!.......2006-05-13
Tara Bennett-Goleman has a very lyrical and almost poetical way of writing. She uses vivid and powerful examples to illustrate her points and this is a value add because it drives the points she is making home. On the other hand, she can be repetitious and some people might find her meandering a bit annoying. However, for me it was forgivable and even helped to reinforce the material.
With respect to content, I liked that there were many exercises scattered throughout the book that will help you to work with your emotions. I also agree with the author that combining mindfulness with schema therapy is very powerful. With mindfulness you can slow things down and see what is really happening at a deep level. When this is combined with cognitive techniques, there is a real potential for emotional transformation.
Emotions can be on object of meditation just like anything else and interestingly, if one stays with an emotion with openness and curiosity this in itself can bring unconscious underlying needs to surface. It has been said that if one can stay with their emotions in the moment, they can be ride this wave into their very soul. This is a beautiful statement and I believe there is much truth to it. Tara Bennett-Goleman taps into this dynamic and combines it integrates it with more contemporary psychotherapy.
The bottom line of this review is that if you are trying to work through difficult emotions, this book can really help you. As Krishnamurti once said, "seeing the truth deeply is what liberates, not our efforts to be free." I believe this statement captures the spirit of this book.
Customer Reviews:
"The double face of alchemy-laboratory and library-corresponds to the two-fold nature of the individuation process:.......2006-05-22
. . . the active nature of participation in outer reality and relationships, together with the process of inner reflection."
The above quote from page 83 of von Franz' book illustrates the reason that Jung and von Franz were interested in alchemy: as a symbolic portrayal of psychic processes, particularly individuation. Individuation is the goal of all psychic processes which, in a nutshell, is balance--between conscious and unconscious processes achieved in part by developing a healthy connection with the collective unconscious.
This book displays the masterly scholarship of M.L. von Franz, who wrote this book as an introduction to the more arcane and less clearly written books by Jung on the topic. The book is taken from transcriptions of a series of lectures on alchemy.
Von Franz begins with discussing some basic Jungian, mythological and alchemical concepts. She then proceeds to discuss Greek alchemy for several chapters starting with one of the oldest alchemical writings "The Prophetess Isis to her son." Isis' son is of course, Horus. In this passage, an angel comes to Isis and wants to have sex with her. She negotiates a bargain where the angel will tell her the secret of alchemy. The bargain stipulates that she cannot share her secret with anyone except her son. Hence the secret of alchemy--the philosphers stone--is known as "the secret of the widow" (Isis was the widow of Osiris).
In other chapters von Franz discusses Arabic and European alchemy, utilizing other source texts. Von Franz recounts Jung's search for a text called "Aurora Consurgens" conducted with her assistance. Von Franz subsequently translated and published this text which some sources attribrute to Thomas Aquinas.
This is an excellent introduction to Jungian alchemical concepts. The text is accompanied by black and white illustrations of alchemical symbols.
(Remember that this is a transcript of lectures so the writing is not as good as some of von Franz' other works. In particular I found some of the transcribed questions and comments from the peanut gallery to be annoying.)
correction.......2003-07-12
just a note: the review above refers to Anatomy of the Psyche by Edinger. Anatomy of the Soul is a misprint.
A meeting with a remarkable mind.......2002-01-27
I first discovered Marie-Louise Von Franz in her collaboration with Emma Jung in their extraordinary book "The Grail Legend", which is by far the most intellectually coherent book I have ever encountered regarding that material, in which they place those strange and surreal stories in the framework of a Jungian perspective on the history of consciousness. In these lectures on alchemical symbolism, Von Franz applies many of the same Jungian techniques to explore some important alchemical texts.
I especially appreciated her decision to explore three texts in depth, rather than simply presenting a survey of alchemical literature, since there are numerous other books that do that. The fact that this is a transcript of a lecture series actually adds a wonderful dramatic tension to the book, since it includes some encounters with the attendees that demonstrate both her tremendous humanity and her impressive understanding of the subject and its relevance to modern psychology.
One of the most provocative concepts presented is the danger of an individual experiencing an overload of revelation from the unconscious, with its accompanying challenge of integrating more insight than a mere mortal can manage. Von Franz explores this concept especially well in the discussion of the text by Thomas Aquinas, where we learn about his very stressful final years in a very moving lecture that continues to provide me with much to ponder.
Great introductions to a fascinating subject.......2001-12-11
If I had my time over again I would read these three books on alchemy in the following order: All of them are excellent in their own sphere to introduce a complex process.
(1) The Forge and the Crucible - Eliade
This is an excellent prehistory of alchemy showing the patterns of thought out of which Alchemy most probably arose. An easy read.
(2) Anatomy of the Soul - Edinger
Set out according to seven processes involved in alchemy Calcinatio, Solutio, Coagulatio, Sublimatio, Mortificatio, Separatio, Coniunctio, this is an accessible book that puts each process in reasonably neat boxes, (though the considerable overlap and intermingling is acknowledged). The approach is somewhat mechanical.
(3) Alchemy, an Introduction... - Von Franz.
More 'organic' than Edinger, Von Franz has a very warm and human touch. She deals with the origins of alchemy in Egypt and Greece and delves into the 'Aurora Consurgens', attributed to Aquinas. She includes relevent and interesting case material. Being a transcription of lectures, it is a little haphazard, though none the less informative for that.
A digestable introduction to a bewildering subject.......1999-04-20
This book comprises a series of lectures on Greek, Arabic and European alchemy. Since it is not written material every word is not weighed, which is a problem within the field of Jungian psychology. It's, however, quite interesting. One major surprise is that St. Thomas Aquinas is, with great likelihood, the author of the alchemical work 'Aurora Consurgens.'
Mats Winther
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- Examples of NLP
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- The Introduction is worth the price of admission!
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Customer Reviews:
Examples of NLP.......2002-08-20
This was a great book. I enjoyed every page of it. It brought together ideas I have read and a made them more practical for me. I highly recommend this book if you want to understand how to use NLP is some of the possible ways.
One of the KEY NLP texts.......2002-05-01
You could say that this is a book in six chapters, plus an introduction and one appendix - the former is taken of an interview with Bandler in 1990, the latter covers the NLP "Milton Model" in some depth.
Excited?
You would be if you knew what is in those six chapters!
According to the back cover blurb (taken from the Introduction):
"*Magic in Action* shows the ways in which I use humour and speed to work with clients. It gives the layman an idea of what an NLP session should be like."
Basically this is a set of trancescripts (pun intended) of Richard Bandler doing brief therapy the NLP way. They cover topics such as a rather unusual form of agoraphobia, fear of authority figures, weight loss, changing limiting beliefs, etc.
More than that, however, they show Bandler using many of the core NLP techniques to facilitate lasting changes, typically in less than 30 minutes.
An additional feature of the first three sessions is that they are taken from a project at Marshall University, West Virginia, and in two cases include a brief follow-up interview that took place about 8 months after the therapy session.
(Only two, because in one case Richard and his client went straight out and demonstrated that the client's agoraphobia had already completely disappeared.)
As the previous reviewer has said, this is a book that will bear, indeed requires, several readings to get the most out of it. Bandler himself (or was it the unnamed editor?) recommends that, after having read the whole book, you start again, annotating each transcript in the same way that the final chapter has already been analysed, to better understand how Bandler has used various linguistic patterns to achieve his results.
Seems like a pretty good idea to me.
The book gives some interesting insights into the attitude, motivation and practice of the originator of NLP. At the same time, though Bandler certainly isn't prepared to spoonfeed his readers, it is as good a teaching tool as any book could ever be.
If you're serious about NLP, this book is a definite 'must read'.
The Introduction is worth the price of admission!.......1998-03-02
This is an excellent book for anyone wanting an inside view of a master utilizing NLP(tm) in action. These are actual working transcripts of Richard Bandler the co-founder of the NLP(tm)technology doing work with patients. Within the pages you'll encounter him literally performing magic in terms of creating transformational change with private clients. This book is unlike others by either Bandler or Grinder (the other co-founder of NLP(tm). All of the other books available by these authors are taken either from training transcripts or written as training manuals, in this one the transcripts are from one to one sessions with Richard himself. These transcripts are packed with information. You'll find him utilizing hypnosis, reframing, anchoring, and all the other NLP(tm)techniques you've heard of while continually pacing and leading the client he's addressing. As Richard suggests in the introduction you could re-read this book for each of these patterns and come away with a deeper, fuller and richer appreciation of the model each time you do. In a way you could almost learn to do NLP(tm) from this book alone, however this is not what either I or Richard would recommend. As Bandler writes in the introdution to this edition, NLP(tm) is an experiential model and the way to really "get it" is to work with someone who is really skilled in its application. Within this same introduction Richard uncovers his own thinking about the model he calls NLP(tm) better than any other place that I've read. This description alone is worth the price of the book if what's offered is really assimilated. I would of given it a 10 however there are some sections within it that really bog down and could have been improved with better editing ... then again ... What I recommend is that if your interested in the direct applicaton of NLP(tm) as a transformation technology go ahead buy it, read it and enjoy it!
Book Description
"Edinger has greatly enriched my understanding of psychology through the avenue of alchemy. No other contribution has been as helpful as this for revealing, in a word, the anatomy of the psyche and how it applies to where one is in his or her process. This is a significant amplification and extension of Jung's work. Two hundred years from now, it will still be a useful handbook and an inspiring aid to those who care about individuation". -- Psychological Perspectives
Customer Reviews:
Most excellent resource for individuating humans.......2006-08-19
Used this book in an art class in applied alchemy....it is a great resource.
Yet another therapist likes it!.......2005-01-10
This would be a valuable text for anyone working with the Jungian model of alchemy, but I'll echo the view that it is not exactly a beginner's book. If you're new to this kind of work, a good place to start would be Calvin Hall's Primer of Jungian Psychology.
Excellent companions to Anatomy would be Jung on Active Imagination, edited by Chodorow, and Jung's own Memories, Dreams and Reflections, or Man and His Symbols.
Edinger's book would also be a smart buy for anyone practicing pathworking or other spiritual techniques that make extensive use of imagination. If this is your thing, another great companion text would be Alchemy & Mysticism: the Hermetic Museum, by Roob. That book is a peerless collection of alchemical images. Occult Psychology (one of my personal favorites), by Alta J. LaDage, would also be a very natural fit.
Excellent Resource.......2004-03-03
This is an excellent resource for those already familiar with Jung's work, and I agree with a previous reviewer that it should be considered an intermediate-level text. I disagree with another reviewer who slams this book because of its spiritual connotations and because of disagreements on specific interpretations. Allow me to comment as yet another practicing therapist in this set of reviews. My personal experience of this book is that nearly every page stimulated further insight into my own life and the lives of my clients, and any book that does that warrants 5 stars.
How could anybody conclude otherwise? Well, there is a percentage of people who are very troubled by the many spiritual or metaphysical implications of Jung's works, and they often present very narrow views about what Analytical Psychology is and how it works. That seems ironic for such a highly interpretive theory and system. Personally, I am not troubled in the least by those implications for I am convinced that Jung was not only aware of them, he actively explored them himself.
If you are in the nay-sayers camp then you are not going to like everything about Edinger's work. On the other hand, if you are open to such implications, or if you can merely overlook them and translate words like "God" into something more human and scientific, then you should find this book a useful addition to Jungian studies of alchemy and psychotherapy.
It's important to further consider the entire matter of interpretation. It's true that on many counts I might have differed with Edinger on how to interpret various images and passages. As I pointed out before, Analytical Psychology is nothing without freedom of interepretation. There are no hard and fast equations to follow in decoding the symbolism of dreams and myth, though Jung has provided us with some powerful guidelines and tools. If I recall correctly, Edinger even points out that more than one alchemical operation can be seen at work within the same symbolism. Still, he clearly trusts his own experience, insights, and feelings, and has integrated them with the host theory in a way that is open and flexible enough that others can find it very stimulating and applicable.
Superb.......2003-08-30
This book is simply superb. Edinger is a master of his field. As a Jungian analyst who teaches Jungian psychology at all levels, I have found this book the best intermediate-level text for studying what Jung's psychology is about and how the process of psychotherapy actually works. Edinger's prose is clear and concise and examples abound. The book is thorough, readable, and an absolutely accurate description of the role of alchemical symbols in personal growth.
A great introduction to a fascinating subject.......2001-12-11
If I had my time over again I would read these three books on alchemy in the following order: All of them are excellent in their own sphere to introduce a complex process.
(1) The Forge and the Crucible - Eliade
This is an excellent prehistory of alchemy showing the patterns of thought out of which Alchemy most probably arose. An easy read.
(2) Anatomy of the Soul - Edinger
Set out according to seven processes involved in alchemy Calcinatio, Solutio, Coagulatio, Sublimatio, Mortificatio, Separatio, Coniunctio, this is an accessible book that puts each process in reasonably neat boxes, (though the considerable overlap and intermingling is acknowledged). The approach is somewhat mechanical.
(3) Alchemy, an Introduction... - Von Franz.
More 'organic' than Edinger, Von Franz has a very warm and human touch. She deals with the origins of alchemy in Egypt and Greece and delves into the 'Aurora Consurgens', attributed to Aquinas. She includes relevent and interesting case material. Being a transcription of lectures, it is a little haphazard, though none the less informative for that.
Customer Reviews:
Useless.......2007-07-04
The only reason I gave this product one star is because there's no option for no stars at all. Alchemy cannot be explained by psychology or academia. In fact, alchemy and academia, and especially psychology, are completely opposite in their aims and goals. Psychology reinforces ego while alchemy dissolves it. That is why people like this and Jung should be completely ignored; they speak from a basis of clinical, academic opinion and not actual experience obtained by realization. If you, who are reading this, remembers anything from this review then I hope you at least remember that. Save your money and spend it somewhere else on things that are more important.
Synthesis.......2006-11-16
Stanton Marlan has made a needed and deeply satisfying contribution to literature which synthesizes the obscured but major investigations into alchemy, masculine images of power and suffering, abstract and beautiful passages of negative theology. As a psychotherapist,I am profoundly grateful, excited and helped in my work with male clients. What is more basic or universal than experiences which draw on light and dark.
Unusual and mesmerizing.......2005-09-11
The Black Sun is an extraordinary examination of the alchemical stage known as the "nigredo"..the blackening or mortification, so often experienced as depression, terror, or madness. I was especially transfixed at the way in which Dr. Marlan expresses the paradoxical nature of these experiences in that the darkness itself contains a "shine" or luminescence, that is the light of nature, not that of heaven. The text is richly referenced with the writings of Dr. Jung, several case studies, and many other literary examples. This book is an eloquent validation of a domain of experience that is unavoidable, yet so often denied.
Amazon.com
It's dangerous to blame too many of our behaviors and tendencies on raging hormones. We are, after all, creatures of free will. But after reading Theresa Crenshaw's book, you'll never again see your free will as being all that free. The book functions as both an encyclopedia of our attachment-related hormones, telling us exactly what they are and exactly what modern science thinks they do, and a guide to what we can do to get them to keep functioning the way we want them to.
Book Description
Are you in charge of your love life?
If you think so, you're wrong -- hormones control our sex drives and direct our love lives. In The Alchemy of Love and Lust, Dr. Theresa Crenshaw, a renowned sex therapist and researcher, unmasks the hidden agendas of our hormones as we progress through different sexual stages -- from adolescence through old age.
Along with well-known hormones, Dr. Crenshaw introduces lesser known but potent influences that make up our "sex soup." The effects of these chemicals working together and individually offer insight into some compelling issues:
- Do people become addicted to one another through scent and touch?
- Can we determine our romantic destinies by altering our hormonal profiles?
Romantics needn't worry that science will eliminate the mystery of attraction. To the contrary, this program helps us discover romance, rekindle it, and keep it alive. Filled with often surprising information, The Alchemy of Love and Lust explains the effects of our sex hormones and gives us specific, practical suggestions on how to monitor them.
Customer Reviews:
The Alchemy of Love and Lust.......2007-02-22
THis is a fantastic book with information that everybody NEEDS to know. It will greatly improve your understanding of relationships and hopefully your quality of life as you get older. The book is very well researched and very descriptive - though it can be quite difficult to take in all the info at times. However - there are very useful summaries at the end of each section in each chapeter which summarise the main points.
Extremely revealing and a great read.......2006-03-18
Do you want to know what makes men and woman tick?, how they work on the inside?, what chemistry really is? - then look no further. This book is extremely revealing in that ive learnt that even an intimate cuddle can produce a chemical called oxytocin. And thats not all your learn. You will learn much more than a few buzz words in this book, what they are, how they are generated by the body and affected by external elements too - I highly recommend it to anyone that is even the slightest curious about all those feel good chemicals that our bodies produce during cuddling, menopause and even orgasm - its all in here. I found this an excellent book and companion resource for my NLP and psychology study.
understanding hormones influence in Love.......2002-11-10
Everyone should read this book before they think they are madly in love. It will help anyone discern whether it is the chemistry of our hormones or real love, or maybe both. In our lives it is often "hard to see the forest for the trees". This would help alot of people avoid making life mistakes.
Chemical determinism is not enough.......2001-12-15
The author of this book contributes interesting material on the important biochemicals (dopamine, estrogen, progesterone, LHRH, testosterone, prolactin, oxytocin, and others) that influence and help to regulate the universe we think of as "human sexuality." You will learn more than a few things. It seems that a working knowledge of high levels of testosterone can teach us quite a lot. (Women, proceed with caution!)
Unfortunately, she neglects other factors (and there are so many that make up human choices in love and sex: psychology, for example - and whether or not a couple has a single thing besides the kids to talk about after twenty-five years of marriage) that for me the information loses any authority it might have had.
In addition, she has an ax to subtly grind, and it is that men and women in their fifties (and older) have the very best chance for sexual compatability - for a set of specific chemical and biologically determined reasons. This information would seem to argue for couples staying together, but as we know, there are many other factors beyond sexual compatability (which is often fully present in couples who are literally coming apart - in every other way) that must contribute to couples' happiness - not to mention fidelity.
This book has interesting information about biochemicals' influence on our sex and love lives. You will doubtless recognize yourself and your mate in some of her descriptions, but as science it should be taken with a large grain of salt.
Chemical Bonding..........2001-05-05
The insight of how the range of hormones effects the F/M relationship was wonderful! Hormones is what makes love happen...It explains how these hormones control our thought, how we perform, and the part they play in our associations from birth on up. This book also gives information about Progesterone's and Estrogens and the use of these in Hormone Replacement Therapy. It helps you see and understand the actual chemical bonding which happens between F/M.
Book Description
A study of the analogies between alchemy, Christian dogma, and psychological symbolism. Revised translation, with new bibliography and index.
Customer Reviews:
Only Four Stars For A Good Reason.......2006-12-31
In the first half of this book, Jung uses the dream analysis of a mentally ill patient to draw conclusions based on what he calls universal archetypes. Jung flagrantly filters this person's dream symbolism through his own alchemical bias, where personally I could come up with all kinds of different interpretations that seemed to me just as valid. But I'm no Jung. So moving on. The flip side to the coin, for the first half, is you do get a nice exposure to the tenets of alchemy along with it's rich symbolism. It is up to the reader to decide if the trade off is worth it. Learning about alchemy, while doing so through what many may consider questionable means. There are two principles Jung brings out that I happen to agree with. The first is concerning the psyche. In the beginning of the book, Jung categorically states the psyche is ancient and pagan. The second principle I agree with deals with archetypes. Jung makes pains to say that just because he is focusing on the archetype, which he defines as an image, he is not denying an imprinter. So the door to objectivity is left at least slightyly ajar.
In the second half, Jung focuses on alchemy as a science that predated christianity, and that though it was pagan, it's motifs were certainly congruous with christian ideals. Parallels are drawn between the Virgin Mary and Prima Materia. Between a metal's blackening, whitening and sublimation to the philosopher's stone as the state of the christian soul through it's stages of redemption. In this section of the book, Jung characterizes the royal art as being objective and practical, but also subjective and spiritual. The author can't rid himself of the possibility that the earliest philosophers were projecting their unconsiousnesses into their art. He also brings out the gnostic feel of alchemy in that the art attempts to separate the pure spirit out of foul matter. Some readers may question his veracity as he states in one of his footnotes christianity actually was subsumed into gnosticism due to the presence of Simon Magus. This reader said 'what'? Also, alchemy is monadic in that the philosopher's stone comes out of one, becomes few, and is returned to one, now ennobled, higher state. Philosophically, monadism can lead to problems of it's own, and again, it is left to the reader's discrimination as to what to accept and reject.
The capstone, of course, is the epilogue. Jung finally tips his hand that he is a modern through and through and relegates the art to a purely subjective level. He hints that it is the the breadth of the modern psyche that as Auguste Comte said, poses such endless need and endless danger to ourselves. And in this, the pieces all fall neatly into place.
Difficult but impressive work.......2006-06-06
Jung explored alchemy as if it were a mystery novel--relishing every clue, interpreting (nominally) each symbol as it arose. His conclusion that it paralleled his psychological observations & model satisfied his incredible yearning to know that he wasn't crazy or a voice crying in the wilderness--yeah, verily, the alchemists pursued the same goal though in a slightly different way--vindicating Jung's quest for individuation=personal salvation. Thus, Jung's love for alchemy. It's unfortunate that even so-called scientists have ego's so wounded that they disavow their roots: chemists tend to downplay alchemy as astronomers downplay astrology--denigrating their roots. This shows an appalling lack of courage--something Jung had no lack of. Just think of what courage it must have taken for Jung to write about alchemy as having psychological truth embedded in its very heart. Yet he wrote 2 books worth on it CW12 & CW13. I'm in awe of his courage, let alone of his genius. Try reading some alchemy works yourself--if you think Jung is hard to read, think twice. Alchemical works are far more difficult. It took Jung's supreme effort to decipher them. So, if this work seems obtuse to you (& it is), consider how obtuse it was to Jung. Some of the best (& most profound) quotes in this work (from the hardback version) are:
p. 3 Even the most unqualified layman thinks he knows all about psychology as the psyche were something that enjoyed the most universal understanding. But anyone who really knows the human psyche will agree with me when I say that it is one of the darkest & most mysterious regions of our experience.
p. 117 paragraph 152. Only a fool is interested in other people's guilt, since he cannot alter it. The wise man learns only from his own guilt. He will ask himself: Who am I that all this should happen to me? To find the answer to this fateful question he will look into his own heart.
p. 222 Sense and nonsense are merely man-made labels which serve to give us a reasonably valid sense of direction.
A poorly organized book about a fascinating topic.......2006-01-11
Psychology and Alchemy has a lot of interesting information, but it is not presented in any sort of organized fashion. Alchemy is well known for its perplexing symbols, but in the book these symbols are only referred to in passing. This book is not for anyone who is trying to understand how the symbolism of Alchemy relates to psychology. The descriptions of basic elements such as the planets, the caduceus, or birds are only 1-2 sentences in length and are scattered throughout the book. Trying to use the index won't help either, as the pages listed in the index as containing information about a topic are often incorrect as they contain no mention of the topic being looked up.
beautiful work, but not historical.......2005-12-15
Jung has an exciting, compelling account of how to interpret alchemy in the light of his psychology, but is wrong when he tries to reduce alchemy to Jungian Psychology. for a good treatment of the problems with Jung's view, which is rooted in bad 19th century occult interpretations of alchemy, see
Lawrence M. Principe and William R. Newman, "Some Problems in the Historiography of Alchemy," in William R. Newman and Anthony Grafton (eds.), The Secrets of Nature: Astrology and Alchemy in Early Modern Europe
a good companion to Jung's ALCHEMICAL STUDIES.......2000-06-02
Jung surpasses himself here by seeing in alchemical symbolism the psyche trying to discover itself to the artifex bent over his alchemical retort. Only one who'd discovered his own version of the fabulous Philosopher's Stone could have attempted such a work.
Book Description
Does the mind reflect or dictate what the body sees and feels? What is the language of emotion? Is memory a function of our imaginations? Are we all just out of our minds?
In this ambitious and enlightening work, Diane Ackerman combines an artist's eye with a scientist's erudition to illuminate the magic and mysteries of the human brain. With An Alchemy of Mind, she offers an unprecedented exploration of the mental fantasia in which we spend our days. In addition to explaining memory, thought, emotion, dreams, and language acquisition, Ackerman reports on the latest discoveries in neuroscience and addresses such controversial subjects as the effects of trauma, nature versus nurture, and male versus female brains. In prose that is not simply accessible but also beautiful and electric, Ackerman distills the hard, objective truths of science in order to yield vivid, anecdotal explanations about a range of existential questions regarding consciousness and the nature of identity.
Customer Reviews:
A book that will bring you closer to your mind........2007-03-23
This is not a typical book on the brain, or on the hammer and anvil of neuroscience. It is a blend of prose, poetry, and fact; the writer's imagination weaving it with the science and the human aspect of being both inside as well as outside the brain. This is clear at the very first glance at the contents: For example the first 5 chapters are grouped under "Miracle Waters", which she explains in the next line, is about "Evolution". The chapters are similarly clothed. For example the title of chapter 5 is "Light Breaks Where No Sun Shines", which is explained to be about "The unconscious; how it collaborates with the conscious mind".
Very few people have the golden ink with which Diane Ackerman is gifted. If you are picking this up for a casual read, you won't be disappointed. If you take the ideas home and she makes you think, I won't be surprised. Sometimes the dollar tag on objects can hardly define the value, and in this case, whatever the value you pay, you will be paid back many times over.
The science of the mind and the brain is still in its infancy, and I would not pick on the veracity of some of the facts as a detractor to recommending this book. The target audience are not subject matter experts. The technical treatment has been intentionally hidden beneath the accessible prose, and some readers who may have expected more details in a more transparent manner, as most are accustomed to, may feel misled. To these readers I must say, let variety replace the monotony we are all used to. If you must need the dry gritty sands go look for it in the desert, if you are looking for an oasis, you have arrived.
Metaphors vs. knowledge.......2007-02-05
Reading Diane Ackerman is always like entering a high octane bubble of some kind, being transported into a new and rarified atmosphere. It is astonishing how her imagination can fuse at every turn these hard gems of metaphor, can leap across the chasms that keep our more pedestrian meanings apart. One has presented to him/her in her writing not only new and interesting facts (often about animals and other beings that inhabit the natural world) but new and unaccustomed ways of thinking about things. Her work is testimony to the power of imagination and its ability, not only to delight, but to advance new perspectives and understanding.
But the subject she has chosen in this book - - mind, consciousness - -shows the limitation of metaphor, I think, as no other subject can. At the end of all this magic, we are still faced with the "hard" problem of how brain doings can get transformed into mind doings. The reductionists she relies on - - Dennett, Damasio, Searle - - have no clue. So perhaps it's time to turn to the other approach: instead of believing that "the mind is in the brain" (leading straightaway into physicalistic reduction), posit that "the brain is in the mind" (in the sense that "brain" is always either percept or concept, and these are mental entities). A phenomenological approach devolves from this direction, and I believe that we can gain from it not only a much healthier respect for mind and its phenomena, but genuine understanding as well.
Alchemical magic and delight.......2007-01-14
As the alchemists from a time past, Ackerman observes, concocts, and maybe even lets herself mislead in her attempt to turning brain science research to poetry. Today, those alchemists are often characterized as liars, charlatans, and poseurs - though many of our greatest thinkers and observers of nature, such as Isaac Newton, Roger Bacon and Saint Thomas Aquinas, sought its quest. Many hard scientists may view Ackerman's alchemy with the same suspicions. Still, there is more than enough insight and informed science in her piece to lead the uninitiated to go off on his and her own to contemplate and search deeper into the workings of the human brain. For those new to neuroscience, and for many of you who are not, you may find yourself tingling with sheer delight to the interweaving of science and poetry.
An Alchemy of Mind was one of the first books I'd read in neuroscience. Ackerman's textured language and metaphors inspired in me a more thorough search not only into neuroscience, but also genetics, human prehistory, and cognitive neuroscience. True scientists and researchers like Robert Sapolsky, Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, and Brian Fagan are now prominent in my studies, in large part due to Ackerman's brilliance in sweet-talking me to a place of comfort with the words, language, mechanisms, and concepts of brain science.
Yes, when I return to her work, I can now see the errors, the omissions, and sometimes over-stretched metaphors. Still, when I do come back to An Alchemy of Mind, which I find myself doing quite often, it's like sitting in front of a favorite magician and asking her to dazzle me with her slight-of-hand yet one more time simply for the love of how she churns my thoughts while contemplating the wonder of it all.
Great book to stimulate the imagination, but some errors and other problems.......2006-09-13
In AN ALCHEMY OF MIND, Diane Ackerman takes on the mystery of the brain and she is successful in captivating the imagination and provoking the right kind of questions about its mysteries.
The other reviewers are correct to point out that there are some errors and bad science. However, there is also much good science and the book accomplishes its goal of sparking us to appreciate our brains in a different way.
Diane Ackerman has an excellent command of words and a very lyrical style that engages the emotions. Her explanations and examples are clear and poignant.
While this might not be the best book for understanding the brain at the deepest levels, it is certainly a worthwhile read for the average person. It is a relatively light read and it will certainly prompt more curiosity.
Despite some errors and bad science, I recommend this book for its ability to deepen understanding of this very difficult to approach topic. While it is not perfect, there is much excellent and accurate content. Think of it as a novel about the brain, which is mostly accurate, but there is some poetic license in play. If you are a hard core scientist or scientific type, there are other books which you would enjoy much more.
Another book about the brain that I recently read was the FEMALE BRAIN. I highly recommend this to anyone, but it's a deeper exploration and although it's fairly light, it's not as light or readable as this. It also contains a lot of information on males despite the title.
A portrait of the mind.......2006-02-24
I really enjoyed reading "Alchemy of the Mind" and found it enlightening. Reading the previous reviews it seems that a number of people were expecting something different -a hard-science overview. While this book is based on both science and experience it's purpose is not to teach you the biological basis or behavior - if that is what you are after, I highly recommend Sapolsky's course by the Teaching Company.
What is valuable about this book is that it is an artist's view - Diane melds her own life experiences with what we know about the mind to paint a picture as she sees it, and in doing so she makes you think.
The most cogent criticisms are leveled at her accuracy and sources, but to me this is nitpicking in view of the aims of the book. For example Paul Pomeroy says: She makes references to theories that are not at all widely accepted (from ESP to...). Either Paul or I misread her book because when she wrote about telepathy, my understanding was that she by no means was invoking ESP as an explanation, but referred instead to highly sharpened reading of bodily and facial cues. Other criticisms including things like inaccurate quotes. Even if correct, none of these in any way alter the view we are being offered, or the value of its insights.
In many ways we are really similar to our closest animal relatives, something Diane portrays well. In this book at least, she touches on, but does not explore in very great depth the huge gap that also exists, which I would think is because we are actually part of a human super-organism which has become way more powerful at processing information than anything that has existed before. This is very hard to accept because our feelings of individuality are so strong.
We live in an amazing age. Science is beginning to do what religion has failed to do miserably for thousands of years - give us a true sense of ourselves and our place in the cosmos, and to let us know just who we are and why we are here. Far from making our lives "meaningless" as one religious reviewer said, it is giving many of us a wonderful sense of satisfaction and awe. Diane's book is a clear illustration of this.
Books:
- The Transit of Venus
- Too Close to the Sun: The Audacious Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton
- Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope--and How to Find Them
- Type Talk: The 16 Personality Types That Determine How We Live, Love, and Work
- You Don't Have to Take it Anymore: Turn Your Resentful, Angry, or Emotionally Abusive Relationship into a Compassionate, Loving One
- A Briefer History of Time
- A Dictionary of Alchemical Imagery
- A Hat Full of Sky
- About Behaviorism
- American Literature, Vol. 2: Realism to the Present
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Moon, Sun and Witches
- Hot Number
- Epigenetics Protocols
- Fundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
- History: Fiction or Science
- Josef Albers: To Open Eyes: The Bauhaus, Black Mountain College, and Yale
- Just Left of the Setting Sun
- Precolumbian Architecture in Eastern North America
- Cool Hotels: America
- Stormy The Baby Dolphin / A Gulf Coast Rescue
Magic in Action
Frogs into Princes: Neuro Linguistic Programming
