Book Description
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.
In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.
The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers -- men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.
Customer Reviews:
The Only Self Help Book You Will Ever Need.......2007-10-03
I can see why some people wouldn't like this book. Rhonda Byrnes and the other contributers present the ideas so simply that its hard to swallow at first. You think it should be more complicated. But if you can get past that the ideas here are really true. Even more importantly, this is a self help book that really helps. Most books like this leave you feeling okay or hopeful after reading them but this is one you can actually test right after you read it. I did test it and I have already seen results. I know it sounds crazy but it works. Why fight it?
The Secret.......2007-10-03
This book is a sad, desperate philosophy of life- at best. At worst, it is a bizarre way of thinking about the world which leads to feelings of guilt and inadequacy for self and lack of compassion for others.
I know a woman, still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, who devotes herself to the Laws of Attraction and believes she attracted it into her life. How sad! And how arrogant! I am confident that not all victims of Katrina would agree that they "attracted" a natural disaster to themselves. And I don't believe the woman practicing 'the secret' is more powerful than the cumulative total of the other victims- who did NOT attract a hurricane into their lives!
Few people would dispute the idea that healthy attitudes are a classy and beneficial thing. But to say that we all attract that which we have is ridiculous. So the cancer patient and mother of a murdered child should have paid more attention to what they were attracting to themselves so that they wouldn't be dealing with their hardship now? Wow. Who wants to associate with these idiots? Forget The Secret. Don't make these hucksters any richer. Buy instead Barbara Sher's books on how to find success with supportive people. And if you have a good attitude and still got hit with some of life's hard curve balls, don't spend a moment feeling inadequate because you didn't do "the secret" right! Read instead When Good Things Happen to Bad People, by a very kind, much wiser person. Who, by the way is also wealthy and happy.
Old News to Many, but a Well-Packaged Piece. Has a Generous Following........2007-10-03
I remember watching this movie with my progressive university campus church and feeling almost bored out of my mind. This movie seemed to be telling me many things I've already heard. Or, DID I hear them? You, see, the only reason why the information came across as quite basic and trite to me is because I've already been living out its principles in my daily life, sometimes unknowingly. I don't remember exactly where I got them from. Maybe I knew them all along or had them as a part of my inner being. I have used "the secret" as revealed in this film (no, I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it) and it does indeed work, but I found that it was nothing to be amazed about.
What felt weirdest to me was that people were utterly crazed about this film. I could tell that they were be honest about it being eye-opening. I kind of found myself laughing inside, but then wiped the smirk off of my face when I realized that such just meant that I had been very fortunate in life to discover the tiny bits of wisdom talked about in this film and such may have not been so "obvious" to everyone.
My rating is not on the content of the "secret" contained in this film itself, as it would be unfair to judge this film in such light, considering that I already knew and had been introduced to much of what it had to offer. Rather, I give it three stars for the packaging and delivery of the message. The film is effective and certainly makes use of several notable experts. It's colorful and will keep people tuned in. It appeals to a broad audience and isn't too preachy.
The film could have been a little shorter, as the message is a bit redundant, but I'm sure if it had been then people would complain that it's "too short". I don't think it's fair to rate this film with one star, because it wasn't "horrible" and a "total waste" of minutes from my life. But, I also don't think this film is "ground-breaking" or worthy enough for a four- or five-star rating. Three stars sounds about right.
Offensive, irrational, horrifying rubbish.......2007-10-02
Obviously, we have a degree of influence over our own lives. That's hardly a "secret." But to elevate the power of our thoughts over obvious objective realities (like being born into poverty or with a congenital disease) is a flattery of the ego well beyond delusional. Worse, believing that other people's thoughts are responsible for their misfortunes is the very definition of blaming the victim, and incredibly dangerous to society. If the impovershed and unwell are simply to blame for their own situations, compassion would be a waste of time, wouldn't it? A child could see the evils of this belief system. Revolting.
A Good Idea Gone Wrong!.......2007-10-02
"The Secret" is a book where a good idea has gone wrong. It takes positive thinking to an ultimate and absurd extreme and in the process cancels out deeper introspection.
This book silences examination of unsettling emotions for fear of giving power to them in your life. In psychology we know that psychic material needs to be examined and integrated into our personality in order to achieve mental health. "The Secret" intends to offer benefits of positive thinking but it lacks a balanced approach, which requires the capacity to meet the ups and downs of life rather than living in denial of self-imposed positive thinking.
The more we deny something in our life such as unsettling emotions including doubts, fears and even anger the more we give them power. When we can learn to deal with these essential aspects of life then we can make progress in our life. In Nexus: A Neo Novel Chandra Singh, a spiritual teacher, instructs that negative and positive aspects of life are like two ends of a stick. When we pick up a stick of life we also pick up both ends.
The challenge of living is not about running away from life into a fortress of positive thinking rather it is about inner growth that comes from the ups and downs of life. We need to feel fully and also learn to let go in time. This is the real secret.
This quote from Nexus: A Neo Novel nicely sums up the process:
"I need to start listening to my body again, to my heart's deepest feelings, my higher guidance, and then I'll know my way, without any fear for what might happen." - Sarah McMaster
A more balanced approach would allow us to honestly examine our body for tension and stress, look at our emotions even unsettling ones with honesty and curiosity, and then trust that we have the capacity to grow. Freedom comes not from running away from life and what we define as "negative." A mature attitude looks for growth in the very material offered in daily living.
Escape offered by walls of positive thinking is only temporary. Real growth requires a deeper transformation at the level of psychological integration of the ups and downs of life.
"Just as clouds drift by casting shadows upon the ground, similarly negative emotions have their moment when they cast an oppressive shadow on your perception." - Chandra Singh from Nexus: A Neo Novel
Book Description
Forty years in the making, a new cultural canon that celebrates truth over hypocrisy, literature over totalitarianism.
Echoing Edward Said's belief that "Western humanism is not enough, we need a universal humanism," the renowned critic Clive James presents here his life's work. Containing over one hundred original essays, organized by quotations from A to Z, Cultural Amnesia illuminates, rescues, or occasionally destroys the careers of many of the greatest thinkers, humanists, musicians, artists, and philosophers of the twentieth century. In discussing, among others, Louis Armstrong, Walter Benjamin, Sigmund Freud, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Franz Kafka, Marcel Proust, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, James writes, "If the humanism that makes civilization civilized is to be preserved into the new century, it will need advocates. These advocates will need a memory, and part of that memory will need to be of an age in which they were not yet alive." Soaring to Montaigne-like heights, Cultural Amnesia is precisely the book to burnish these memories of a Western civilization that James fears is nearly lost. 110 photographs.
Customer Reviews:
A difficult read,but worth the time.......2007-10-01
Although this book has an intersting premise,it is a difficult book to read.It is written in essay form,and the author's style is not flowing or easy to read.However the content is interesting and does make you think about how we got where we are to-day:by losing sight of,and forgetting the past and important peope in it.
You can read this book a chapter at a time, and leave it for a while since each chapter is an essay on one person.it is not a novel,but a collection of essay/biographies, and includes some very intersting people
Absolutely Must Reading.......2007-09-15
In fairness, I had never heard of Clive James until he appeared on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. I was just blown away and ordered this book the next day. If you want to understand Western culture ... I mean truly understand the culture in which you live, you should read this book. What you learn here is that a whole lot of people you never heard of and a few you have made monumental contributions that you didn't know about. This is the kind of book every person should have in their library as a reference. You can read it at leisure and you should. You should savor it.
Read it at your own perill.......2007-09-11
If you never studied French, German, Italian or Spanish, you will be sorry you didn't. You will be made aware of all you are missing because you can not read the all those untranslated or untranslatable important writers that are fundamental to our civilization. If you know them you will see that for English speakers is very difficult not to be confused by Spanish and Italian. I have found misspelled Spanish words because the Italian spelling was used in the wrong place. Clive James is almost pushing me to start again with German, French and Italian.
convoluted writing.......2007-09-04
just found what I've read so far very digressive and convoluted. He is a much better speaker than writer. haven't given it a full read, but am daunted by the many digressions from the points I'm interested in. don't care about 10 other people whom I may or may not know who really don't have relevance to the person I'm reading about.
Unsurpassed both for content and style.......2007-09-01
This is an amazing book. Clive James was only a dim sound in my limited background before the book was presented to me as a present. When I finished this book, I made the unusual promise to myself to read it again, an unusual decision since I am not thoroughly committed to modern writing and have found nothing that quite measures up to it, either traditional or modern. The essays, it is made clear, were not written at the same time, but were the accumulation of some years of reading and study. The casual reader will be introduced to a number of people hitherto unknown or barely known, mixed in with giants like Tacitus, Keats, Proust, Kafka, the three Manns,and Camus. I cannot ignore James's prose style, which astonishes minute by minute. A must-read for anybody interested in history and the arts.
Book Description
The book you hold in your hands is revolutionary, a groundbreaking exploration of the science of intention. It is also the first book to invite you, the reader, to take an active part in its original research. Drawing on the findings of leading scientists on human consciousness from around the world, The Intention Experiment demonstrates that thought is a thing that affects other things. Thought generates its own palpable energy that you can use to improve your life, to help others around you, and to change the world.
In The Intention Experiment, internationally bestselling author Lynne McTaggart, an award-winning science journalist and leading figure in the human consciousness studies community, presents a gripping scientific detective story and takes you on a mind-blowing journey to the farthest reaches of consciousness. She profiles the colorful pioneers in intention science and works with a team of renowned scientists from around the world, including physicist Fritz-Albert Popp of the International Institute of Biophysics and Dr. Gary Schwartz, professor of psychology, medicine, and neurology at the University of Arizona, to determine the effects of focused group intention on scientifically quantifiable targets -- animal, plant, and human.
The Intention Experiment builds on the discoveries of McTaggart's first book, international bestseller The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe, which documented discoveries that point to the existence of a quantum energy field. The Field created a picture of an interconnected universe and a scientific explanation for many of the most profound human mysteries, from alternative medicine and spiritual healing to extrasensory perception and the collective unconscious. The Intention Experiment shows you myriad ways that all this information can be incorporated into your life.
After narrating the exciting developments in the science of intention, McTaggart offers a practical program to get in touch with your own thoughts, to increase the activity and strength of your intentions, and to begin achieving real change in your life. After you've begun to realize the amazing potential of focused intention, and the times when it is most powerful, McTaggart invites you to participate in an unprecedented experiment: Using The Intention Experiment website to coordinate your involvement and track results, you and other participants around the world will focus your power of intention on specific targets, giving you the opportunity to become a part of scientific history.
The Intention Experiment redefines what a book does. It is the first "living" book in three dimensions. The book's text and website are inextricably linked, forming the hub of an entirely self-funded research program, the ultimate aim of which is philanthropic. An original piece of scientific investigation that involves the reader in its quest, The Intention Experiment explores human thought and intention as a tangible energy -- an inexhaustible but simple resource with an awesome potential to focus our lives, heal our illnesses, clean up our communities, and improve the planet.
The Intention Experiment also forces you to rethink what it is to be human. As it proves, we're connected to everyone and everything, and that discovery demands that we pay better attention to our thoughts, intentions, and actions. Here's how you can.
Customer Reviews:
FASCINATING..........2007-10-02
"The Intention Experiment" by Lynn Taggart provides fascinating insights on intentional living. This book shows you how thought can affect your life. In essence thought is an energy that has the potential to transform your own life as well as help others.
Focused group intention is also shown to be a highly powerful tool in affecting animals, plants and humans.
Also, the reader is invited to become involved in a rearch experiment about the power of human thought.
My most recent favorite New Age books that highlight self-empowerment and life transformation are:
The Secret
Nexus: A Neo Novel
Wow!.......2007-09-26
This book has a wonderful compilation of scientific studies about intention! It is very easy to read and understand. I was amazed at the
scientific research that has been completed in this area, and even more
surprised that so few of us are aware of this research.
Enjoy.
Fantastic.......2007-09-13
You may believe the reports in the book or you might just be a blind defender of the "offcial" science, but in both cases this is a book to read.
I will suggest it to all my friends.
Advancing the body of knowledge.......2007-09-10
This is a wonderful book, bringing forth highly complex knowledge in a digestible form. It helps if the reader is analytical by nature. Thank you to Lynne Taggart for her writing style and depth of coverage of the topic. I am learning from this book how and why prayer works.
Could You Imagine?.......2007-09-10
Picture this... A World with Peace, a World with Love, A World where EVERYONE has enough. If I am to understand what Lynne McTaggart is saying here, then I am to understand that a simple change in Our Collective thoughts 'could' change Our World. Peace, Love, Harmony. Groovy.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting but not what I expected
- This book could change your world
- Good reference
- brilliant!
- A smart and inclusive book, really recommendable!
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Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century
Alex Steffen
Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
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ASIN: 0810930951 |
Book Description
Worldchanging is poised to be the Whole Earth Catalog for this millennium. Written by leading new thinkers who believe that the means for building a better future lie all around us, Worldchanging is packed with the information, resources, reviews, and ideas that give readers the tools they need to make a difference. Brought together by Alex Steffen, co-founder of the popular and award-winning web site Worldchanging.com, this team of top-notch writers includes Cameron Sinclair, founder of Architecture for Humanity, Geekcorps founder Ethan Zuckerman, sustainable food expert Anna Lappé, and many others. Renowned designer Stefan Sagmeister brings his extraordinary talents to Worldchanging, resulting in a book that will challenge readers to personally redefine the conversation about the future.
Each chapter offers readers new answers to key questions, such as:
Why does buying locally produced food make sense?
What steps can I take to influence my workplace toward sustainability?
How do I volunteer, advocate, and give more effectively?
From eco-building to responsible shopping, political action to humanitarian relief, Worldchanging
puts the power to solve problems into the reader's hands.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting but not what I expected.......2007-09-14
This is more like an encyclopedia than "a users guide for the 21st century". The hefty volume includes hundreds of short topical articles on lots of different things but doesn't go into a lot of detail on any. I was hoping for more practical examples of things I could do to survive in a changing world but was disappointed. For example, there is a section on Green Rooftops. You would think that a "users guide" might give you practical advice on creating one. Instead it talks about how they are great for saving energy and creating gardens. Okay... I get that and I agree but maybe a little more info please?
All and all the writing is good and it does cover a lot of topics I just think that the description when buying it leads one to believe there is a bit more depth than there actually is.
This book could change your world.......2007-08-29
This publication is worth it's weight in something quite valuable. It provides a mass of information on all sorts of subjects relating to changing your outlook and how to live within the planets available resources. It has some surprisingly useful tips on things like how to make a small apartment look and feel big by using great space saving ideas; how to use less of the planets scarce resources in many ways.
My only beef is that it looks like a self published volume and so lacks gravitas somehow. For example it does not have any information on the inner fly page about the book, such as year of publication, publisher, ISBN Number, and other essential info. Another problem I found was actually finding some of the reference works in the text. Not enough info to enable the reader to trace sources adequately.
I found it very difficult for example to find the publisher of one work I was interested in. Google hadn't even heard of the publisher. I did find them and the book eventually but had to try very hard and boy, was it obscure.
Even though the jacket and outer are quite attractive, they reek of self-publishing. This is not good for the image of a book on such an important subject.
Sorry chaps, only 6 out of 10 from me.
Good reference.......2007-07-15
Some info is out of date and biased, ie article on Vancouver (my home town). Lots is covered, not in much depth but there are lots of references for further reading. Would be a great addition to everyone's reference section.
brilliant!.......2007-07-12
For a "users guide" I actually expected something more "portable"... its brilliant in its content and design!!
A smart and inclusive book, really recommendable! .......2007-07-03
The book contains small articles about everything between heaven and earth all within the envionmental scope of interest. You find your self reading it, flipping through the pages wanting more info...A fun concept between an excellent encyclopedia, interesting facts book and a nice coffee table book. Only con might be the size, making it a bit bulky to read for more than a short while...
Average customer rating:
- Harris dares to imagine no religion
- About the same as fellow atheists Dawkins and Hitchens but a tad more reasonable
- The End of Bad Arguments? Unfortunately Not
- Magnum opus
- The most immediate of the atheist books.
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The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason
Sam Harris
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
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ASIN: 0393327655 |
Amazon.com
Sam Harris cranks out blunt, hard-hitting chapters to make his case for why faith itself is the most dangerous element of modern life. And if the devil's in the details, then you'll find Satan waiting at the back of the book in the very substantial notes section where Harris saves his more esoteric discussions to avoid sidetracking the urgency of his message.
Interestingly, Harris is not just focused on debunking religious faith, though he makes his compelling arguments with verve and intellectual clarity. The End of Faith is also a bit of a philosophical Swiss Army knife. Once he has presented his arguments on why, in an age of Weapons of Mass Destruction, belief is now a hazard of great proportions, he focuses on proposing alternate approaches to the mysteries of life. Harris recognizes the truth of the human condition, that we fear death, and we often crave "something more" we cannot easily define, and which is not met by accumulating more material possessions. But by attempting to provide the cure for the ills it defines, the book bites off a bit more than it can comfortably chew in its modest page count (however the rich Bibliography provides more than enough background for an intrigued reader to follow up for months on any particular strand of the author' musings.)
Harris' heart is not as much in the latter chapters, though, but in presenting his main premise. Simply stated, any belief system that speaks with assurance about the hereafter has the potential to place far less value on the here and now. And thus the corollary -- when death is simply a door translating us from one existence to another, it loses its sting and finality. Harris pointedly asks us to consider that those who do not fear death for themselves, and who also revere ancient scriptures instructing them to mete it out generously to others, may soon have these weapons in their own hands. If thoughts along the same line haunt you, this is your book.--Ed Dobeas
Book Description
An impassioned plea for reason in a world divided by faith.
This important and timely book delivers a startling analysis of the clash of faith and reason in today's world. Harris offers a vivid historical tour of mankind's willingness to suspend reason in favor of religious beliefs, even when those beliefs are used to justify harmful behavior and sometimes-heinous crimes. He asserts that in the shadow of weapons of mass destruction, we can no longer tolerate views that pit one true god against another. Most controversially, he argues that we cannot afford moderate lip service to religion—an accommodation that only blinds us to the real perils of fundamentalism. While warning against the encroachment of organized religion into world politics, Harris also draws on new evidence from neuroscience and insights from philosophy to explore spirituality as a biological, brain-based need. He calls on us to invoke that need in taking a secular humanistic approach to solving the problems of this world.
Natalie Angier wrote in the New York Times: "The End of Faith articulates the dangers and absurdities of organized religion so fiercely and so fearlessly that I felt relieved as I read it, vindicated….Harris writes what a sizable number of us think, but few are willing to say."
Customer Reviews:
Harris dares to imagine no religion.......2007-09-26
This book is so much fun to read I read it twice. Harris writes with passion, erudition, and razor-sharp wit. His book has forced so-called religious moderates to begin taking responsibility for the zealots they unintentionally shelter, and he has demonstrated that a world with powerfully destructive technologies, such as ours, can no longer afford the luxury of basing policy on tribal superstitions and on supernatural claims that cannot possibly be substantiated with evidence. Highly recommended.
About the same as fellow atheists Dawkins and Hitchens but a tad more reasonable.......2007-09-22
Sam Harris like Hitchens and Dawkins is a master at setting up religious straw-men and then knocking them down. It is more fun and sells more books than taking on the real thing. Then it becomes balanced and boring. The author looks at the great evils in the world, the cause of which many others have attributed to nationalism, capitalism, lack of "lebensraum" etc. and claims that religion was the real cause. "Knowingly or not Nazis were agents of religion."... "Stalin and Mao killed millions because "communism was little more than a political religion." Why are the millions killed by Paul Pot not mentioned was he not trying to please God like Stalin, Mao and Hitler? Looking at Webster's definition of religion it is clear that these three ruthless dictators were not great religious leaders.
The author is using words incorrectly to make false accusations. A "political religion" is not religion if it does not profess a belief in an after life and God. But the author ignores that fact, because he is out to pin as many bad things on the word "religion" as possible..
Unlike Hitchens Sam Harris is an atheist who does see bigger differences among religions. He thinks Islam, for example, is especially bad ("cult of death").
I did not know that Noam Chomsky was any kind of religious thinker but the author takes a swipe at Noam by stating that Chomsky's view of moral equivalence is a big mistake." It is not clear how that fits in with his attacks on religion, but he gets the third star for that anyway.
The End of Bad Arguments? Unfortunately Not.......2007-09-19
Sam Harris's "The End of Faith" is an assault upon religion, blind faith, and fundamentalist violence. However, clear thinking Christians have little to fear from Harris's social critique.
The majority of the book is an exposition of the evils, real or imagined, produced by religion. Harris discusses current atrocities, including September 11 and suicide bombings in Israel, as well as past atrocities, including the Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials. This leads to the natural question- if Harris (an atheist) is so critical of religious horrors, how can he explain the atheistic regimes of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot, which collectively were responsible for millions of deaths? Harris claims that, while they may not have been explicitly religious, these evil regimes were the result of poor thinking. He states in his afterword-
"While some of the most despicable political movements in human history have been explicitly irreligious, they were not especially rational. The public pronouncements of these regimes have been mere litanies of delusion- about race, economics, national identity, the march of history, or the moral dangers of intellectualism." [231]
Thus, we see that The End of Faith does not really support atheism or oppose religion, it simply supports reason and opposes blind faith. Otherwise, his critique of religion is completely arbitrary, as he admits in this quoted passage that the real enemy is not simply religious faith, but irrationality itself. Thus, Harris needs to demonstrate that Christianity inherently necessitates irrational faith if he wishes to demonstrate that it should be rejected. Throughout the book, Harris merely assumes that so-called "fundamentalist" Christians can only exist through blind faith, but his assumption is both unproven and incorrect. Despite railing on about the supposed irrationality of religion, Harris never once deals with any of the arguments offered by Christians either historically or in the present day. There is no critique of the Cosmological Argument, no consideration of the evidence for the empty tomb, no critique of biblical passages or doctrines. Harris simply assumes that Christianity requires blind faith, argues that blind faith is both stupid and dangerous, and declares victory. The problem is that he has never shown that Christianity requires blind faith.
The other problem with Harris's approach is a common one- he assumes that the misdeeds of religious followers invalidates the religion itself.
Thus, the majority of Harris's book is simply not relevant for intelligent Christians. Surprisingly, however, there is some value in The End of Faith. For example, he discusses morality and makes a good case for charitable giving, and discusses politics and law, and makes a good case for the legalization of (some) drugs as a matter of public policy. However, as a critique of religion in general, and Christianity in particular, "The End of Faith" fails quite miserably.
Magnum opus.......2007-09-11
This is a skillfully written treatise on the danger of faith in a world where religious zealots with 14th century ideas have access to 21st century weapons. The most important lesson I took from this book was that the fundamentalists should not be the focus of our scrutiny so much as liberals and moderates who empower these extremists by complacency in their literal interpretation of the Bible/Koran. There are so many points of wisdom in this book; I cannot begin to list them. It is by far tops on my list of "must read". The audiobook was narrated by Brian Emerson whom I wish could narrate all the audiobooks I've listen to. He is clear and precise in his enunciations while thoroughly familiar with the material, revealed by his vocal inflections. This was a relief after listening to The God Delusion, a rapid British oration by the husband/wife duo that was hard to follow, or the God Is Not Great masterpiece by Christopher Hitchens. I couldn't make out half of the audiobook due to the poor oration and mumbling of Hitchens. I will be forced to actually break down and read the book. I patently await the next Harris book with childlike anticipation.
The most immediate of the atheist books........2007-09-10
A concentration of books about atheism has been published in recent years. Perhaps this rush of counter-cultural sentiment shares its impetus with Sam Harris's purported reason for writing this book: the brutal destruction of the World Trade Center which ended thousands of lives, and continues to impact the health of anyone around to breathe the splinters of asbestos scattered as the towers burned and fell. Some people view world events in purely secular terms, believing that there are socio-economic reasons for everything, neatly leaving what many people consider to be the core of their motivations out of the equation. It's this finessed dance around the topic of religion's darker impact on society that Sam Harris aims to end, in order to bring the taboo subject into "the conversation," as he often puts it.
Where Richard Dawkins's "The God Delusion" amiably makes the case for science and reason, and Christopher Hitchens's "God is Not Great" elaborates on the absurdity of faith with graceful sarcasm, "The End of Faith" seems the most socially pragmatic, in that it begins with the problems of religion, and closes with alternatives to it. Unlike the previous two books which could leave an a believer or agnostic feeling lost in the wilderness, Harris tosses us a bone in proposing that things like meditation may actually be helpful, and that he hopes for a future (from a neurologist's perspective) that includes a "mature science of the mind," which would aim to explore (and later utilize) the subjective experiences people have in a more systematic way.
I recommend this book anyone on the fence about the rationality of religion in public affairs.
Book Description
This brief version of Gravetter and Wallnau's proven best-seller offers the straightforward instruction, accuracy, built-in learning aids, and wealth of real-world examples that professors AND students have come to appreciate. The authors take time to explain statistical procedures so that students can go beyond memorizing formulas and gain a conceptual understanding of statistics. By integrating applications to ensure that even students with a weak background in mathematics can understand statistics, the authors skillfully demonstrate that having an understanding of statistical procedures help them comprehend published findings, and become savvy consumers of information. Known for its exceptional accuracy and examples, this text also has a complete supplements package to support instructors with class preparation and testing.
Customer Reviews:
Didn't find it helpful.......2007-09-02
I didn't find this a helpful assistance to the text. It didn't give any explanations to the formulas or shortcuts that I expected. It was more like a dictionary for the text book (words and definitions).
Great for people who ask "but why..." at the end of every statement. .......2006-05-10
This book is absolutely excellent. I have looked through other stats books and lost interest immediately, but this book is written in such a way that it actually makes you want to learn the material. Rather than just telling you how to solve the problem, the authors inform you as to why learning it is necessary, and frequently give you real-life, interesting scenarios regarding how specific formulas are used by psychologists.
Statistics, of course, becomes progressively more difficult over time, and you may need to seek outside help once you reach the last few chapters in particular. However, I believe that this book is the best of its kind, and it might be worth purchasing even if it is not your primary source for class, etc.
Good moral support.......2006-03-23
My first impression was that this book was priceless since it really helped me through the first couple of chapters in the main text. At the beginning it goes into lengthy, step-by-step instructions. I may not have felt as confident in the class if it had not been for this supplement. Once I reached chapter 6 and 7 it was all over!There was not enough information to help me understand what the book was losing me on, I needed to seek private tutoring at this point. Occasionally I still go to the book in the hopes that it can pick me up and get me through the homework but it does not. These later chapters may be too complicated to go into in a study guide but what would a study guide be for if not walking you through the steps? I am glad I bought it, just dissappointed that it quit so early.
Fantastic Statistics Resource.......2005-09-22
This is the very best statistics book that I have purchased (and I have purchased 5 others trying to help me get a grasp on this subject)! I would recommend it to anyone who needs an easy--to-read and easy-to-understand textbook on this difficult subject! I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me!
Wow! Clear, Concise, Excellent Book.......2005-05-19
Having seriously struggled for the last two years with the statistics side of my Psychology studies, this book has really made things so much clearer. An excellent book for anyone struggling to grasp the basic statistical concepts required in behavioral sciences.
Book Description
Why is it that our current twenty-first century a.d. is so similar to the twenty-first century
B.C.? At a time when religious fanaticism and a clash of civilizations raise the specter of a nuclear Armageddon, many ask: Is history destined to repeat itself? What does the future hold? Will biblical prophecies come true, and if so, when?
Ever since Zecharia Sitchin, in his first trailblazing book The 12th Planet, brought to life the Sumerian civilization and its record of the Annunaki—the extraterrestrials who had come to Earth from their planet Nibiru, fashioned mankind, and gave us civilization and religion—questions have abounded. Are the ancient gods still here, or did they leave? Will they return? What will happen then? Will there be another Deluge or Apocalypse when Nibiru meets Earth? What about “Planet X” and the Mayan 2012? What about Jesus?
In The End of Days, a masterwork that required thirty years of additional research, Sitchin dares to give the answers by presenting compelling new evidence that the Past is the Future—that mankind and its planet Earth are subject to a predetermined cyclical Celestial Time.
Tracing historical events from the messianic fervor and use of nuclear weapons in the twenty-first century
B.C., Sitchin resolves ancient enigmas like the Nazca Lines or the origin and significance of the Cross, the Fishes, and the Chalice, places in context the events of the Last Supper and hidden clues like those in Da Vinci's painting, explains the space-related reasons for the everlasting centrality of Jerusalem, and—following in the footsteps of Sir Isaac Newton—deciphers the Time Code in the books of Daniel and Revelation and of the Day of the Lord and the End of Days prophecies.
In this remarkable and relevant conclusion to his bestselling The Earth Chronicles series, Sitchin shatters perceptions and uses history to reveal what is to come at The End of Days.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome FICTIONAL work........2007-09-26
What a great story! From a purely fictional point of view that is. But please don't take Mr. Sitchin seriously. Yes, he's done a lot of work and he's very passionate and I believe HE believes all that's in his books. But if you want facts, follow the work of true scholars.
There are plenty of reviews on this book and even more opinions I'm sure.
What's more important than a review is a call to reason. People - please... Just because you want or need to believe something is true doesn't mean that it is. When dealing with history and languages, I would highly recommend reviewing the work of true and accomplished scholars. Do this and you will likely get complete (as much as is possible) and the most accurate picture of the past as one can.
His credentials in no way qualify him to make such claims. If nothing else, look at his credentials and ask yourself how is this man qualified to make such claims?
I drive a fancy sports car and can give you the exact specs on the engine and body, from top to bottom. I could WOW the best of them with all the tech talk about the engine, transmission, suspension, etc. I could even carry on a detailed conversation with the mechanic if I had to. But I can tell you with certainty that if I was given a shop full of tools all to myself I couldn't fix my fancy sports car if it broke.
If you take your car into the shop be worked on, do you want the guy who talks like he knows what he's doing working on your car or do you want the guy with all the certificates on the wall that's PROVEN he knows what he's doing working on your car?
This is the case with Mr. Sitchin and his books. He talks a good line but has no credentials to prove he's anything more than just a fanciful talker.
Mr. Sitchin graduated from the University of London, majoring in economic history and he was a journalist and editor in Israel. How does this make him an expert in ancient Hebrew and the old Testament? In Sumerian culture? IMHO, this is a classic case of someone learning enough about an ancient language "to be dangerous". He absolutely sounds like he knows what he's talking about and sadly that fools a whole lot of people.
Like many, I was very taken initially with his ideas. But too much didn't add up. After months of research I was quite disappointed to realize that the basis of at least some of his theories (the ones I researched anyway) were too full of holes to be true.
There is an upside though - this a GREAT fictional story!
Real seekers of truth will check multiple sources and validate claims from many different sources. Do this and in time you will find the truth.
If you are looking to be entertained, look no further.
A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING..........2007-09-13
The book somewhat confused me because of some claims. The author also states that the reader should read his other books to understand this book clearly. Nevertheless, I still admire Zecharia Sitchin for all his efforts.
A Keeper.......2007-09-06
Buying a book is one thng haveing it be worth the storage space another. This is worth the storage space.
Creative .......2007-08-27
Sitchin can spin a tale of fiction that is inspired to say the least. He is universally hated in the astronomical, archaeological, and historical communities for his attempt to pass pseudo science off as fact. If fact is not what you are after, then buy this book and invest in a tinfoil hat.
A little disappointing ****** SPOILER ALERT *******.......2007-08-21
I've read all of Sitchin's books and was always pleased at the conclusion of each one. They were like adventure quests of hidden knowledge with the worst case scenario being a nice scifi story (and what a story!). This one left me wanting. I believe he just wanted to put his two cents in about 2012 even though he doesn't think it will be a date that anything significant happens. I think he's got a better theory floating around in his head but didn't want to share it for whatever reason. The beginning of the book is a bit boring as he has to tell the back story. The middle is more interesting with more detail about the tales of the annunaki and their petty power struggles. The end was a bitter disappointment to me. His theory on the davinci last supper painting, in which he thinks the space between jesus and mary/john is where elijah should be and the missing cup being the grail that elijah took, is just lacking. To me the alternate grail theories make more sense and have better documentation. Obviously this book is a must read if you've read the rest of the series as how can one not read the supposed last one but it doesn't hold up to his prior standard. When does Sitchin think the annunaki will return? Sometime in the age of pisces .... and that only leaves up to anywhere from 100 years from now to about 800 years from now depending on if you are going by the math or by sight.
Book Description
Since its first edition in 1990, The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook has sold more than 600,000 copies. Its engaging exercises and worksheets have helped millions of readers make real progress in overcoming problems with anxiety and phobic disorders. The Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Resources in Mental Health (Norcross, et al., 2003) gave the book its highest rating and praised it as "a highly regarded and widely known resource." Thousands of mental health and medical professionals recommend this book to their clients and patients every year. Simply put, it is the single finest source of self-help information on its topic available anywhere.
The text of this fourth edition has been fully revised and expanded and includes two new chapters: a discussion of physical conditions that can aggravate anxiety and an overview of the use of mindfulness practice in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and some forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. As in previous editions, the book offers the most up-to-date information on medications, natural supplements, and complementary strategies that can alleviate anxiety symptoms. The sections on relaxation, nutrition, and exercise have all been updated and broadened.
Customer Reviews:
Good Overview for someone suffering from phobia or anxiety.......2007-08-13
The only thing it lacked is specific examples. And some easy remedies. Other than that it is a great book to read!
Excellent WorkBook!.......2007-08-11
We use this workbook in our psychiatry clinic. Patients like it and it's easy to use. Just make sure you're willing to do the work, otherwise you're wasting your money.
Help for Anxiety.......2007-07-30
A VERY helpful resource for people with anxiety. Lots of insight, suggestions, and extremely user friendly to the lay person.
Must Read for Anyone With Anxiety.......2007-05-21
This workbook is full of insight into what makes you feel anxiety and great ways to take steps to overcoming the fears associated with anxiety. The first book (or workbook) that didn't make me feel like I was crazy and that there are really easy ways to deal with daily anxiety! Your family members will find this enlightening as well, since they generally mis-understand what you are going through.
The Anxiety&Phobia Workbook.......2007-05-14
Purchased this on a recommendation by a school psychologist and it does help the student put what they are feeling into words. The person can keep track of their progress and have something conrete to refer to.
Book Description
Anatomy of Movement presents a dynamic, integrated approach to the study of the physical structures of the musculoskeletal system and their functional relationship to the movements of the human body.
In clear and concise text illustrated with more than a thousand graphic drawings, the author guides the reader on a lively tour of the muscles, bones, ligaments and joints of the arms, legs and trunk. The focus throughout the book is on anatomy not for its own sake, but in its functional relationship to the actual movements of the body in dance, exercise and other physical disciplines.
Customer Reviews:
Great learning.......2007-09-12
This book was my text book for Pilates Teacher Training. I learned a lot from it.
Anatomy of Movement.......2007-08-16
This is a great book for learning the anatomy. DI used it to prepare for pilates instructor training. The descriptions and illustrations are very clear. The book also gives summaries of which muscles are involved in which movements.
Very Helpful.......2007-07-01
I find it really helpful to understand how our muscolar system works during yoga asanas
Must Have!.......2007-05-14
A MUST-HAVE for any student/teacher of any movement-based discipline. I refer to this book constantly. I also see it repeatedly in all the trainings and workshops I have attended.
Different approach to anatomy.......2007-04-10
This book is a much more artistic approach to anatomy. In my class we used it along with Muscilino's anatomy book, and it helped both sides of my brain wrap around the muscles and body parts. I think I will be a better teacher because of it.
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Book Description
The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2,000,000 copy bestselling inspirational book, The Power of Now
With his bestselling spiritual guide The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of readers to discover the freedom and joy of a life lived “in the now.” In A New Earth, Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence.
The Power of Now was a question-and-answer handbook. A New Earth has been written as a traditional narrative, offering anecdotes and philosophies in a way that is accessible to all. Illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, A New Earth is a profoundly spiritual manifesto for a better way of life—and for building a better world.
Customer Reviews:
Nihilistic mystic who takes serious mental labor to waste this earthly life.......2007-09-30
Both this book and his previous "Power of Now" discuss the same mystical and emotional experience one may sooner or later encounter during his search for life's meaning or purpose. There's almost no distinction of this book's essential "teaching" from those you read about in ancient Lao-Tze, Zhuang-Tze, Zen Buddists, and New Age writers. They all exalt "Oneness", universal connections, or "Nothingness". They all "see" through the illusory nature of human perceptions, consciousness, or this reality. And they all offer the promise of another or a deeper "reality" which will transform our sufferings, problems, and conditions of our earth.
My personal experience taught me that it's impossible to consistently practice, not mention to achieve, what this book or all mystics preach, because the essence of all kinds of mystical teachings is to abandon one's identity and consciousness. If becoming a non-conscious being is your goal, this book is for you, but I don't think anyone can achieve that goal or "super-consciousness" and stay there without taking serious effort of deluding himself. To the serious students of mysticism, they may gladly offer many years of life just for another taste of the ecstatic spring. What then?
However, I do agree with one point of the book that "Happiness can be achieved only within, not without."
A New Earth: Awakening to your life's purpose.......2007-09-16
Excellent presentation. Powerful knowledge. Mental toolkit for living life grounded in the now, where it happens. It is good.
Another Eckhart Jewel.......2007-08-28
I have read Tolle's "Power of Now" multiple times and was anxious to go further with him on his journey to bring peace to the human condition. While I did not enjoy this book quite as much as PON, this is a great read because it continues to add color to the direction Tolle and others are treading. This is great material but it suffers from a fundamental problem: The message cannot be completely communicated with words! These are ideas that transcend what can be written directly. This leaves the communicators with an obvious challenge. Tolle continues to meet this challenge eloquently in "New Earth" by pointing us in the general direction of ancient yet fundamental truths about our existence. My greatest hope is that enough of us will lock on to the direction these folks are pointing in so that we can help with the heavy lifting by simply living as the truly "free beings" as we are meant to be.
Inspiring.......2007-08-24
It is one of the greatest books I have ever read!
Eckhart Tolle has been very important in helping me determine the path to follow on my journey.
If you are looking for your inner and outer purpose, this is a must read!
I feel enlightened.......2007-08-18
This book is about how we can attain enlightenment.
According to the author, not everyone is ready to be enlightened, but many are, and with each person who awakens, the momentum in the collective consciousness grows, and it becomes easier for others. An enlightened being is consciousness that has become conscious of itself (p. 182).
There are some very interesting concepts in this book, and I had to reread it twice to really appreciate them. Here are some of the concepts:
Words reduce the reality to something the human mind can grasp. Language consists of five basic sounds produced by the vocal cords. They are the vowels a, e, i, o, u. The other sounds are consonants produced by air pressure: s, f, g, and so forth. Do you believe some combination of such basic sounds could ever explain who you are, or the ultimate purpose of the universe, or even what a tree or stone is in its depth?
The way in which you speak to the chairman of the company may be different in subtle ways to how you speak to the janitor. How you speak to a child may be different to how you speak to an adult. Why is that? You are playing roles. You are not yourself, neither with the chairman nor with the janitor or the child. When you walk into a store, a restaurant, the bank, the post office, you may find yourself slipping into pre-established social roles. So you are not relating with that person at all, but who you think you are is relating to who you think the other person is and vice versa. It is therefore not surprising there is so much conflict in relationships. There is no true relationship (p. 94).
Kasan, a Zen teacher and monk, was to officiate at a funeral of a famous nobleman. As he stood there waiting for the governor of the province and other lords and ladies to arrive, he noticed that the palms of his hands were sweaty. The next day he called his disciples together and confessed he was not yet ready to be a true teacher. He explained to them that he still lacked the sameness of bearing before all human beings, whether beggar or king. He was still unable to look through social roles and conceptual identities and see the sameness of being in every human. He then left and became the pupil of another master. He returned to his former disciples eight years later, enlightened (p. 94-95).
"If you think you are so enlightened," Ram Dass said, "go and spend a week with your parents." The relationship with your parents is the primordial relationship that sets the tone for all subsequent relationships. The more shared past there is in a relationship, the more present you need to be; otherwise, you will be forced to relive the past again and again (p. 100-101).
By making peace with the present moment you become at peace. The present moment is the field on which the game of life happens. It cannot happen anywhere else. Once you have made peace with the present moment, you become one with life. Being one with life is being one with Now. You then realize that you don't live your life, but life lives you. Life is the dancer, and you are the dance (p. 115).
If there is such a thing as "my life," it follows that I and life are two separate things. If I and life are two, if I am separate from life, then I am separate from all things, all beings, all people. But how could I be separate from life? What "I" could there be apart from life, apart from Being? It is utterly impossible. So there is no such thing as "my life," and I don't have a life. I am life. I and life are one. So how could I lose my life? How can I lose something that I don't have in the first place? How can I lose something that I Am? It is impossible. We are therefore eternal (p. 127-128).
The inability and unwillingness of the human mind to let go of the past is illustrated in the story of two Zen monks, Tanzan and Ekido, who were walking along a country road that had become extremely muddy after heavy rains. Near a village, they came upon a young woman who was trying to cross the road, but the mud was so deep it would have ruined the silk kimono she was wearing. Tanzan at once picked her up and carried her to the other side. The monks walked on in silence. Five hours later, as they were approaching the lodging temple, Ekido couldn't restrain himself any longer. "Why did you carry that girl across the road?" he asked. "We monks are not supposed to do things like that." "I put the girl down hours ago," said Tanzan. "Are you still carrying her?" Now imagine what life would be like for someone who lived like Ekido all the time, unwilling to let go internally of situations. What a heavy burden of past he would carry around with him in his mind (p. 139).
It may be shocking when you realize for the first time that there is something within you that periodically seeks emotional negativity, seeks unhappiness. Once the unhappiness has taken you over, not only do you not want an end to it, but you want to make others just as miserable as you are in order to feed on their negative emotional reactions (p. 145).
Women are more in touch with their inner body and have greater openness and sensitivity toward other life-forms, and are more attuned to the natural world. If the balance between male and female energies had not been destroyed on our planet, we would not have declared war on nature, and we would not be so completely alienated from our Being. During a three-hundred-year period between three and five million women were tortured and killed by the "Holy Inquisition," initiated by the Roman Catholic Church to suppress heresy. The sacred feminine was declared demonic. Other cultures and religions, such as Judaism, Islam, and even Buddhism, also suppressed the female dimension, although in a less violent way. Women's status was reduced to being child bearers and men's property. Males who deny the feminine even within themselves are now ruining the world (p. 155-156).
Thinking isolates a situation or event and calls it good or bad, as if it had a separate existence. Through excessive reliance on thinking, reality becomes fragmented. This fragmentation is an illusion, but it seems very real when you are trapped in it. And yet the universe is an indivisible whole in which all things are interconnected, in which nothing exists in isolation. This is illustrated in the story of a wise man who won an expensive car in a lottery. His family and friends were very happy for him and came to celebrate. They said, ''You are so lucky." The man smiled and said, "Maybe." For a few weeks he enjoyed driving the car. Then one day a drunken driver crashed into his new car at an Intersection and he ended up in the hospital, with multiple injuries. His family and friends came to see him and said, "That was really unfortunate." Again the man smiled and said, "Maybe." While he was still in the hospital, there was a Iandslide and his house fell into the sea. Again his friends came the next day and said, "Weren't you lucky to have been here in hospital." Again he said, "Maybe."The wise man's "maybe" signifies a refusal to judge anything that happens. Instead of judging what is, he accepts it and so enters into conscious alignment with the higher order. He knows that it is impossible for the mind to understand what place or purpose a seemingly random event has in the tapestry of the whole. But there are no random events, nor are there events or things that exist by and for themselves, in isolation. The atoms that make up your body were once forged inside stars, and the causes of even the smallest event are virtually infinite and connected with the whole in incomprehensible ways. If you wanted to trace back the cause of any event, you would have to go back all the way to the beginning of creation. The cosmos is not chaotic. The very word cosmos means order (p. 196-198).
J. Krishnamurti, the great Indian spiritual teacher said at one of his talks in the later part of his life, "Do you want to know my secret?" Everyone became very alert. Many people in the audience had been coming to listen to him for twenty or thirty years and still failed to grasp the essence of his teaching. Finally, after all these years, the master would give them the key to understanding. "This is my secret," he said. "I don't mind what happens." This implies that internally I am in alignment with what happens. To be in alignment with what `is' means to be in a relationship of inner nonresistance with what happens (p. 198-199).
The Zen Master Hakuin lived in a town in Japan. He was held in high regard and many people came to him for spiritual teaching. One day the teenage daughter of his next-door neighbor became pregnant. When being questioned by her angry parents as to the identity of the father, she finally told them that he was Hakuin. In great anger the parents rushed over to Hakuin and told him with much anger that their daughter had confessed that he was the father. All he replied was, "Is that so?" News of the scandal spread. The Master lost his reputation. This did not trouble him. Nobody came to see him anymore. He remained unmoved. When the child was born, the parents brought the baby to Hakuin. "You are the father, so you look after him." The Master took loving care of the child. A year later, the mother remorsefully confessed to her parents that the real father of the child was the young man who worked at the butcher shop. In great distress they went to see Hakuin to apologize and ask for forgiveness. "We are really sorry. We have come to take the baby back. Our daughter confessed that you are not the father." "Is that so?" is all he would say as he handed the baby over to them. The Master responds to falsehood and truth, bad news and good news, in exactly the same way: "Is that so?" To him there is only this moment, and this moment is as it is, and so he does not become a participant in human drama. He is so completely at one with what happens that what happens has no power over him. Only if you resist what happens are you at the mercy of what happens, and the world will determine your happiness and unhappiness (p. 200).
When someone criticizes you or calls you names, instead of immediately defending yourself--do nothing. Allow the self-image to remain diminished and become alert to what that feels like deep inside you. For a few seconds, it may feel uncomfortable, as if you had shrunk in size. Then you may sense an inner spaciousness that feels intensely alive. You haven't been diminished at all. In fact, you have expanded. You realize that through becoming "less," you become more. This is what Jesus means when he says, "Deny yourself" or "Turn the other cheek." (p. 215).
If you are content with being nobody in particular, content not to stand out, you align yourself with the power of the universe. Instead of trying to be a mountain, teaches the ancient Tao Te Ching, "Be the valley of the universe." In this way "all things will come to you." Similarly, Jesus, in one of his parables, teaches that "When you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place so that when your host comes, he may say to you, friend, move up higher. Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (p. 216).
According to a Sufi story there lived a king in a Middle Eastern land who was continuously torn between happiness and despondency. The slightest thing would cause him great upset or provoke an intense reaction, and his happiness would quickly turn into disappointment and despair. A time came when the king finally got tired of himself and of life, and he began to seek a way out. He sent for a wise man who lived in his kingdom and who was reputed to be enlightened. When the wise man came, the king said to him, "I want to be like you. Can you give me something that will bring balance, serenity and wisdom into my life? I will pay any price you ask." The wise man said, "I may be able to help you. But the price is so great that your entire kingdom would not be sufficient payment for it. Therefore it will be a gift to you if you will honor it." The king gave his assurances, and the wise man left. A few weeks later, he returned and handed the king an ornate box carved in jade. The king opened the box and found a simple gold ring inside. Some letters were inscribed on the ring. The inscription read: This, too, shall pass. "What is the meaning of this?" asked the king. The wise man said, "Wear this ring always. Whatever happens, before you call it good or bad, touch this ring and read the inscription. That way you will always be at peace." (p. 224).
When you become aware of the fleetingness of every situation, your attachment to them lessens. Being detached does not mean that you cannot enjoy the good that the world has to offer. In fact, you enjoy it more. You can enjoy the pleasures of the world while they last without fear of loss or anxiety about the future. When you are detached, you gain a higher vantage point from which to view the events in your life instead of being trapped inside them (p. 225).
People, in their restless search for something significant to happen to them, continuously miss the insignificant, which may not be insignificant at all. The philosopher Nietzsche, in a rare moment of deep stillness, wrote, "For happiness, how little suffices for happiness! The least thing precisely, the gentlest thing, the lightest thing, a lizard's rustling, a breath, a wisk, an eye glance--little maketh up the best happiness. Be still." (p. 235).
A Zen Master was walking in silence with one of his disciples along a mountain trail. When they came to an ancient cedar tree, they sat down under it for a simple meal of some rice and vegetables. After the meal, the disciple, a young monk who had not yet found the key to the mystery of Zen, broke the silence by asking the Master, "Master, how do I enter Zen?" He was, of course, inquiring how to enter the state of consciousness which is Zen. The Master remained silent. Almost five minutes passed while the disciple waited for an answer. He was about to ask another question when the Master suddenly spoke. "Do you hear the sound of that mountain stream?" The disciple had not been aware of any mountain stream. He had been too busy thinking about the meaning of Zen. Now, as he began to listen for the sound, his noisy mind subsided. At first he heard nothing. Then, his thinking gave way to heightened alertness, and suddenly he did hear the hardly perceptible murmur of a squall stream in the far distance. "Yes, I can hear it now," he said. The Master raised his finger and said, "Enter Zen from there." The disciple was stunned. It was his first satori--a flash of enlightenment. He knew what Zen was without knowing what it was that he knew! They continued on their journey in silence. The disciple was amazed at the aliveness of the world around him. He experienced everything as if for the first time. Gradually however, he started thinking again. The alert stillness became covered up again by mental noise, and before long he had another question. "Master," he said, "I have been thinking. What would you have said if I hadn't been able to hear the mountain stream?" The Master stopped, looked at him, raised his finger and said, "Enter Zen from there." (p. 236-238).
The apparent solidity of matter is an illusion created by our senses. The physical body, for example, is 99.99 % empty space. This is how vast the space is between the atoms compared to their size, and there is as much space again within each atom. In many ways, our body is a microcosmic version of outer space. To give you an idea of how vast the space is between celestial bodies, consider this: Light traveling at a constant speed of 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second takes just over one second to travel between the earth and the moon; light from the sun takes about eight minutes to reach the earth. Light from Proxima Centauri, which is the sun that is closest to our own sun, travels for 4.5 years before it reaches the earth. Light from the galaxy closest to our own, the Andromeda Galaxy, takes 2.4 million years to reach us. Isn't it amazing that your body is just as spacious as the universe? So your physical body, which is form, reveals itself as essentially formless when you go deeper into it. It becomes a doorway into inner space. Although inner space has no form, it is intensely alive. That "empty space" is life in its fullness, the unmanifested Source out of which all manifestation flows. The traditional word for that Source is God (p. 251).
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