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Find out for yourself why virtually everyone you know has this book, described as an "adventure in pursuit of a spiritual mystery", on their coffee table. In the tradition of Carlos Castaneda's The Teachings of Don Juan.
Book Description
Find out for yourself why virtually everyone you know has this book, described as an "adventure in pursuit of a spiritual mystery", on their coffee table.In the tradition of Carlos Castaneda'sThe Teachings of Don Juan.
Customer Reviews:
Why the Celestine Prophecy is a wonderful novel.......2007-09-07
So I've read a lot of the reviews on this site, and I must say I'm completely shocked at how low the star ratings are. I'm not even going to go into why I love this book, I'm just want to explain why those low star rated reviews are rubbish. Just looking at the statistcs on this book you can see how loved and important this novel is. Since 1993 The Celestine Prophecy has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 34 languages..You just don't sell that many copies of a book if it's not good! Also for the people that didn't like the way this book was written, I have to agree with you that Redfield is not master novelist but that's not the point of the book. The point is for him to get a across a message, to everyone. I was 13 when I first read this book. The lanuage is designed so that everyone can understand its message.
How I lost 10 lbs. reading the Celestine Prophecy.......2007-09-04
After reading the first 75 pages of CP, which I purchased full price at the request of a friend, I had to come to Amazon and read the reviews. Why? Because I found myself raising my voice at the book -- pouring out my best negative energy onto it -- saying things like, "This is s**t." And "WTF [my friend] did this to me."
Was I the only one upset about this awful book?
*Heck* no: enter the one-star reviewers. If there is anything 'meant to be' about this book, it is its inspiration of first-rate comedy writing by folks who wish they had back their time and money. Just read on, and you may find yourself doubled over with laughter. I was in tears at times. I've got ripped abs as a result as well.
Highlights include:
1. The guy who read the book to impress a girl (it didn't work).
2. The guy who reminds us that all of us here on earth experience the same moon phase, no matter where we are located on said earth.
3. Multiple folks who get pissed about Mayans placed at Machu Picchu.
4. The guy rolling around laughing with his friend reading various passages from the book while on tour in Peru.
5. The guy who uses the 9th insight to disappear at parties.
I recommend reading some of the book -- certainly do not pay for it, tho -- prior to reading the reviews.
To all who think the critics of this book are closed-minded or "the problem," quit looking for your higher self for sec and laugh at some of these reviews.
Interesting reading.......2007-09-01
Great book to share and discuss. Makes you think about your own life and why things happen as they do....
Mistitled.......2007-08-29
Why didn't the author discard the pretense and title this "Sweet Valley High's Spiritual Retreat"?
In A Word: Insightful!.......2007-08-29
I read this book shortly after it first came out. At that time, I had already discovered what I call "the divine flow," and how that flow is continually guiding us through our intuition, the intuition of others, and through divine signs and synchronicities. But this was the first book to really corroborate my experience, and to me it's a classic that everyone should read. There is one part in this book where the hero dreams that he has fallen into a river, and he discovers the benefit of "going with the flow" rather than resisting it. This has become a powerful theme in my life, and I recently read another book that expands on that concept (hence my motivation for writing this review now). It's called Row, Row, Row Your Boat: A Guide For Living Life In The Divine Flow, and I think it makes a great companion to The Celestine Prophecy.
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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).
Average customer rating:
- Extremely Modern Woman of 19th Century [50]
- A person searching for meaning is NOT feminism
- A 190 page book that felt like 400
- A cutting edge novel for its time
- Ahead of her time
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The Awakening
Kate Chopin
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 Chopin, Kate
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ASIN: 0380002450 |
Book Description
"She grew daring and reckless. Overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out. Where no woman had swum before."
Download Description
A minor masterpiece, The Awakening was a scandalous book when it arrived from the turn-of-the-century presses. With a heroine who found her husband dull, married life dreary and confining, and motherhood to be bondage, this revolutionary book is still relevant to many.
Customer Reviews:
Extremely Modern Woman of 19th Century [50].......2007-09-24
Some marriages do not work - sometimes they commence well enough but people drift apart. In this book, the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, watches here marriage dissipate for nontraditional reasons - ultimately ending with traditional tragedy.
None of the classic reasons for failed marriage exist. Husband was not violent toward her. He was not demanding upon her. In fact, he granted her as much slack as any man of that time period would ever have allowed. He was a good man. "As the devoted wife of a man who worshiped her, she felt she would take her place with a certain dignity in the world of realty, closing the portals forever behind her upon the realm of romance or dreams."
Like "Wide Sargasso Sea" this entails the life off continental United States and customs of those identified as Creole. Unlike Sargasso's emotionally abused wife, Antoinette, Edna is 28, turning 29, and is just . . . just . . . very confused. Her 40-year old husband seeks to aid her in this time of maturation, but is really helpless. Beautiful and unsure of her previous decision to marry, she is wooed by others - all knowing that societal customs will not allow her to engage in illicit passion unless she makes a rash decision to leave her anointed responsibilities to her children and husband. What will she do when her lover, Robert, returns? "Do? Nothing, except feel glad and happy to be alive." But is this enough for Robert? Is it enough for her?
Of course not. "[S]he felt the old ennui overtaking her: the hopelessness which so often assailed her, which came upon her like an obsession, like something extraneous, independent of volition." Her life became a lingering heart-breaking bore.
She is neither free nor in servitude. She is neither chattel of; nor an equal to her husband. She is a prisoner of her emotions, not of societal constraints. She lives in a relatively free society, and is permitted to roam about relatively freely. But, she is not happy with this. Little can engage her sensibilities in this period of malaise which is constantly questioned by hormonal and philosophical desires. She wants a divorce although her husband did nothing wrong. But, in her days - the 19h century - divorce was not an alternative. Moreover, her husband and her society are Catholic.
So she had to lead the remainder of her life with self-hatred - about how she got where she is and where she is going with what she has. She reasons, "I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier's possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where I choose." And, so she shows the most demanding act of volition: suicide.
My Bantam edition came with a forward by Pulitizer-winning author Marilynne Robinson ("Housekeeping" and "Gilead") who wrote, "`The Awakening' should be read as a meditation on the experimental basis of romantic consciousness, the sense that the world has a numinous life that is addressed to human perceptions and that it has a meaning humankind is competent to interpret. . ." Robinson is correct, and this book is truly generations ahead of its time in addressing this extremely undiscussed topic of female self-recognition against the male's world of control.
A person searching for meaning is NOT feminism.......2007-08-13
I purchased this book for my son's AP lit class. He read it and described Edna as an angry woman not happy with her life. I wondered how that made it a book about feminism and decided to read it. Now that I am done, I feel very sad for Edna. Given the description of Edna she could have depression. She loves her children, but not always...possibly postpartum depression that is continually getting worse. I believe the things Edna questions are not limited to women. I imagine many men of that time and now get married because it is the thing to do. Pursue jobs they do not like, but must take. Have children because that is what is expected. I believe Chopin is questioning societal expections of her time for both men and women. Clearly Leonce is floundering. The rug has been pulled out from under him. He was following the plan and now it has changed. No, this is NOT a book about feminism. This is about an individuals struggle to find him or herself. About accepting responsibility or being selfish. I can't wait to read the book that is paired with this for his AP class: Memoirs of a Geisha.
A 190 page book that felt like 400.......2007-07-10
Among so many lengthy reviews, allow me to make this pithy with no apology: It is clear to me that this is considered an American classic not for any particular merit in Chopin's writing but solely in the controversy that surrounded its publication. If you're looking for a rich and stirring piece of American literature, keep looking.
A cutting edge novel for its time.......2007-06-27
If you enjoy novels that address the social norms and conventions of a given time period, this is one you won't want to miss. I was first introduced to this book as a sophomore in college in my "Women Writers of the 20th Century" English class. Kate Chopin masterfully paints a picture of a woman desperately seeking more in her life; a woman who doesn't "fit the mold" of societal conventions at the turn of the 20th century. Chopin slowly builds Edna Pontellier bit by bit, painstakingly peeling away at the layers and the facades this woman has been taught to put on--and which her character throws off with fancy free and terrible heartache almost simultaneously. Edna is a flawed heroine, but perhaps that is why the reader becomes entranced with her. There is a little of Edna Pontellier in all of us--seeking the essence of life; seeking love and freedom.
Ahead of her time.......2007-06-13
Kate Chopin's The Awakening gives an insightful look into the life of a woman trapped in a marriage and a life that doesn't befit her. The characters are very well done -- not all of them are deep, but for good reason. Chopin's writing style never ceases to amaze. I've read this book three or four times, and it never loses its power, its impact. There are themes throughout that give the story a deeper meaning. When you read it, think about the elderly widow and what she represents, and the young lovers. Everything means something, and it is all tied together very well. It's the best book I've ever read. I simply love it.
Book Description
Discover the Four Questions that Will Forever Transform Your Life's Journey
No matter how much money, status, or success they may have, very few people experience true joy and personal freedom. Byron Katie knows this reality too well. In the midst of a "normal and successful" life, she was sinking deeper and deeper into depression and despair until a sudden, profound insight into how the mind works set her on the path to a life filled with love for everything life brings. Eager to help others find this freedom, Katie developed a revolutionary process to make this transformation practical, a simple yet powerful method of inquiry known as The Work.
The Work's four powerful questions and turnaround (which is a way of experiencing the opposite of what you believe) have transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world. In Your Inner Awakening, Byron Katie will teach you how to use The Work for yourself to question and undo any stressful thought that keeps you from experiencing mental clarity. You'll discover that trying to let go of a painful thought never works; instead once you have investigated it, the thought lets go of you. Eventually you may find, as so many others have, that peace and joy flow into every area of your life.
Customer Reviews:
The Real Deal.......2007-10-01
Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your LifeA Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are
For anyone interested in a laser tool to their own inner peace this is all that and more. Byron Katie is like having an enlightened master come sit in your kitchen and chat over a cup of tea. Then she leaves giving you everything you need to continue getting that feeling every day on your own all by yourself.There is hope for peace and this is it, one thought at a time. Begin now.
A Katie Primer.......2007-07-25
I am a recent Katie devotee and asked at one of her seminars - where there are a gazillion cds and dvds for sale - which of those gave a basic explanation of "The Work" rather than just Katie in action doing The Work. If you've been to one of her events, you know she doesn't come on stage and explain how one does The Work, it's philosophy and methodology, how she arrived at it, etc. she just starts doing The Work with someone chosen from the sudience. Anyway, the person helping me with sales said there really wasn't one particular disc, but they were obviously uniformed. THIS IS IT! If you are looking to start somewhere with Katie and The Work, and I highly you do, this is a GREAT way to start, (plus going to her web site to watch the videos.) If you have an open mind, you'll never be the same. The Work saved my life; unfortunately, I found it too late to save my relationship. I wish I knew then what I know now. My life and my thinking will never be the same.
More is more.......2007-07-17
I met "Katie's" "the Work" a few weeks ago, and agree with other reviews that it cannot be recommend it highly enough. There is no slant to her work, just four questions to enable me to find out the error in my thinking that causes me stress, confusion and anxiety. The questions I answer to my self change how I think, therefore how I am, therefore how I am in every aspect of my life. This is very, very freeing. There are no rules, or difficult methods to remember, or religious biases, just examining my own thinking, and finding out if it is in fact the truth. The thinking changes the feelings and the actions come as a result.
Brilliant, easy to listen to, practical, funny, and somehow this "work" helps me to find and believe in myself and gives me permission to find the good in me and everyone i meet. Thank you Katie
Good for Byron Katie fans.......2007-06-13
Byron Katie certainly has endured difficulties in life and has used these challenges to help others find their way. So if you are a follower of Byron Katie, you will enjoy this CD.
Your Inner Awakening.......2007-05-18
These CDS have been priceless, to help bring peace into my life on a continual basis, rather than just for the moment I'm listening.
I have found peace with events and people in my life because of the "reality" "truth" questions.
My gift to anyone would be "The Work" of Byron Katie. If I could hand you a silver platter with PEACE, this would be it.
Ilene
Amazon.com
We all come into this world with "Sacred Contracts," according to bestselling author Caroline Myss. Some know it as a calling. Some see it as a life mission. "In short, a Sacred Contract is an agreement your soul makes before you are born," Myss explains. "You promise to do certain things for yourself, for others, and for divine purposes. Part of the Contract requires that you discover what you are meant to do." Herein lies the rub. Decoding our Sacred Contract requires us to become fluent in the language of symbols and archetypes so that we can interpret dreams, understand the meaning behind "coincidences," and learn to follow our intuition. This is why Myss (The Anatomy of the Spirit) offers an extensive lesson on helping readers recognize their personal archetypes (we have about 12 of them), such as the Avenger (righteous activists), Networker (journalists, messengers), or Prostitute (someone who "sells out" easily). Myss then goes on to help readers create their own "Chart of Origin" (which profiles your "spiritual DNA"), using the teachings of the chakras and astrology. Part science, part ancient tradition, part magic, this book will gratify readers who are prepared to study the fine print of their Sacred Contracts. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
New York Times bestselling author and medical intuitive Caroline Myss has found that when people don’t understand their purpose in life the result can be depression, anxiety, fatigue, and eventually physical illness—in short, a spiritual malaise of epidemic proportions. Myss’s experience of working with people led her to develop an insightful and ingenious process for deciphering your own Sacred Contract—or higher purpose—using a new theory of archetypes that builds on the works of Jung, Plato, and many other contemporary thinkers.
Myss examines the lives of the spiritual masters and prophets—Abraham, Jesus, Buddha, and Muhammad—whose archetypal journeys illustrate the four stages of a Sacred Contract and provide clues for discovering your own. Myss explains how you can identify your particular spiritual energies, or archetypes—the gatekeepers of your higher purpose—and use them to help you find out what you are here on earth to learn and whom you are meant to meet. Exploring your Sacred Contract will shine a light on the purpose and meaning of your life. You are meant to do certain tasks, you are meant to have certain relationships.
In coming to know your archetypal companions, you also begin to see how to live your life in ways that make the best use of your personal power and lead you to fulfill your greatest—in fact, your divine—potential.
Both visionary and practical,
Sacred Contracts is a bold, powerful work of spiritual wisdom. Without a doubt, your most intriguing challenge in life is to recognize your spiritual commitments and live them to the fullest.
Customer Reviews:
Reading Assignment for College Course.......2007-09-04
A college course had this as a must read. I literally struggled through this entire class. All of my classes were also along this type of genre; were all interesting and gained knowledge...except this book. After I struggled through it, I couldn't even finish the classwork on this. That is how incomplete and disorganized this reading is. The book is not thorough enough to gather the necessary information and knowledge that it claims to do. I am so disappointed and turned off by this book which has left me in a holding pattern of completing my Bachelors degree in Metaphysics. "Huh?" was how I felt after reading this book TWICE! I must finish this course with this book in order to graduate so I've ordered the CD version hoping that maybe listening to it may help in completing the course so that I can move onto my Masters degree in Metaphysics. I promise whomever is reading this that I will never publish a book that is so difficult to put to good use. This book is awful. It's long, dragged out, and incomplete. With the amount of reading that I've had to do in Metaphysics (which is tremendous), this book is a total let down for me. Mind you, every class that I've taken for my degree so far, I've had at least a 92 for a final grade. This course, I still have an "Incomplete" for. That proves how difficult this book is to put into useable information and knowledge. UGH!!! What a drag!!!
MUST HAVE! MUST READ! MUST APPLY!.......2007-08-03
If I were on a desert island and told I could have only one book this would be it.
An exellent tool to get to know yourself better in many levels.......2007-07-30
I think of this book as a tool to get to know yourself better in many levels!!! Beside reading the book, you have to do some work using the guidance in the book, I think it's worth the effort!!! This book gives you a lot of information and with your own intuition you can find what is your mission in this world. It helps you indentify your weaknesses, and helps you overcome them, It helps empower you to reach your potential!!!
Publish....or Perish.......2007-07-23
When Caroline came out with this book she had just about exhausted what could be said on how we cause our own diseases and she had also sworn off doing intuitive health readings. So what was left?? She needed to keep her name in print so we got this unlikely marriage. I was a big fan of Caroline's early books and even spent a great deal of time on her website....until this came out. As an astrologer, tarot reader and Humanities professor, I find her idea of combining the houses of the Zodiac with 12 archetypes and a tarot-like random draw, a better prescription for insanity than spirituality.
In Astrology there are archetypes. Mars is an archetype. It represents force and can be thought of as an aggressive male. By the same token Saturn is often represented as father time and rules limitations. However, the practice of astrology is about subtle relationships between these archetypes and the signs and houses. The houses are linked by a detailed system of rulers and aspects. The idea that each area of life is completely separate and ruled by one force is neither astrology nor a very enlightened way to use archetypes. Just because Mars is in the third house of communication does not mean that you communicate in an aggressive manner. If it is in the sign of Pisces, you may be quite restrained. In Caroline's book, if you pick Warrior for your third house (which is a huge archetype) then there is no mitigating influence.
I can't imagine someone being a financial victim, a romantic hero, a nun in their working environment, possessing the values of a charlatan, a child when it comes to partnerships.....let's see...how many is that??? Only 5 we have 7 more selves to discover!! You get the picture. While all of us express different personality traits under different circumstances, to say that we all express 12 full archetypes implies schizophrenia. Not only is the system flawed but rather than provide spiritual insight it seems exceptionally well suited to spiritual cop outs. While on Caroline's site I found people using the system in a most "unspiritual" manner. I remember one gentleman who said he realized that he was a "Rescuer" and that he should stop rescuing his ex....and their child.
comment.......2007-06-27
....a challenge....amazing insight...if you are willing to put in the time and effort....not a book to be read overnight...
Book Description
A smoldering debut novel exploring the passion, hunger, and danger that can break loose in the moonlight.
From the time she was a child, Mona Lisa knew she was different-but she never knew how different until a man of otherworldly beauty appeared during her night shift in the ER. Gryphon is hurting and hunted and he attracts her as no man ever has before. He is a Monère, one of the children of the moon-and what's more, so is she.
Long exiled from the moon, the men of the Monère serve-and mate with-imperious Queens who can channel the rays of their far-off homeland. Gryphon believes that Mona Lisa is a Queen- perhaps the first of Mixed Blood ever known. But her introduction to the nighttime court of the Monère, simmering with intrigue, casual lust, and calculated cruelty, is far from smooth.
Customer Reviews:
Very disappointing .......2007-10-02
I was very disappointed in this book. Sadly, this felt more like fan fiction then a real novel. The Author took no time to let the story unfold, letting us learn more about the characters and grow to love them. Her writing was empty and boring. Although the story was a fun idea it felt like a rip off from the later cheesy Laurell Hamilton series. The story was rushed as if the Author only wrote what she wanted and didn't take the time to craft a real story. What should have happened in four books was crammed into one. Every now and then there were beautifully written passages, showing the potential of a true writer. However this will only happen if the stories are very critically edited and redone. Most of the meat of the story was left out leaving the pretty trimmings which doesn't make a whole meal. I also thought the Author's blurb in the back of the book saying how she was a good writer was very presumptuous and in poor taste. I am honestly dumbounded how this story got published and can only hope her other books are an improvement.
Rip Off not Inspiration.......2007-09-20
I finished this book over a day ago, and I'm still angry. It's not inspired by Anne Bishop and Laurell K. Hamilton, it's ripped off from them. It's not so bad to play with big ideas that have been around for years like Ms. Hamilton has done in her books, though I never liked her style of PWP eroticism with a blatant self-insert character in Anita Blake. But Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy is a unique fantasy realm and magic system that wasn't derivative, so borrowing names and ideas from is just not professional. I'm surprised this book is still for sale. The copy I read was from the library so thank goodness Sunny didn't profit from me.
Powerful and sometimes disturbing..........2007-09-02
Mona Lisa doesn't know about her true heritage until the day Gryphon arrives at the hospital where she works as a nurse. Gryphon is suffering from a wound inflicted by silver, a parting gift from his now former Queen, Mona Sera. Gryphon immediately recognizes Mona Lisa as one of the Monere, a race with special powers and guided by the light of the moon. Mona Lisa isn't sure she believes a word Gryphon is telling her, but she can't deny the attraction she feels between them. Mona Lisa is about to enter a world in which treachery is around every corner as she awakens to the true power within her.
MONA LISA AWAKENING is a powerful, character driven story. The heart of Mona Lisa is central to the story as she is very different from the cruelty of the other Queens. The Monere society is ruled by females and has a caste system in place, whereby many are treated as nothing more than chattel. Mona Lisa has worked as a healer in her job and she has the ideals one would expect from a modern day woman. Slavery of any sort is pure anathema to her. Watching Mona Lisa tackle the issues and political intrigues of this closed society is mesmerizing. Sunny does a beautiful job at developing the characters of Mona Lisa and her newly formed cadre of men.
MONA LISA AWAKENING is not for the faint of heart. Some of the scenes depicted are quite brutal in their intensity. The world of the Monere doesn't necessarily consider rape a taboo and so there are some situations that could easily offend certain readers due to the graphic details and situations that occur. However, Sunny ensures that these events are not gratuitous as they fit into the confines of the world she has created. More importantly, Mona Lisa opposes such horrendous acts and readers will cheer as she stands up for true justice and freedom.
Sunny has written a dark, sometimes disturbing, tale that draws the reader into the world of the Monere. MONA LISA AWAKENING is a fascinating start to this sizzling hot new series. Sunny is to be commended for her willingness to take chances. MONA LISA AWAKENING has a depth not always seen in books as she addresses some very stark issues in the context of a sexy and very creative paranormal tale.
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES
Dangerously close to "fan-fic".......2007-07-31
I did enjoy this book and I plan to read some of "Sunny's" other titles, but this felt very much like fan fic as it was so derivative. Anyone who has read Laurell K Hamilton will feel a little deja vu. Beautiful men guarding a young, mixed blood but unaccountably powerful heroine? Check. An oil that can drive someone mad with lust? Check. Private jets, limos and a convenient stream of endless wealth? Check. A new Queen (or princess) who cares about her "men" and wants to see them happy rather than just use them as pawns? Check. An attempt at snarky real world dialog to break up the mood? Check. Healing powers that arrive during sex? Check. Lots of bloodlust mixed with sex? Check. Lots of people with "political" motives to kill off the heroine? Check.
Given that this was the first book, I felt like we weren't given time to get to know Lisa, which made her even more of a Mary Sue.
Fans of the later works of LKH who are looking for something to tide them over will probably enjoy this. Fans of earlier LKH who are frustrated with her current crop of novels will probably be frustrated with this (though it is refreshingly free of the pycho-babble that has been a bit thick in the more recent LKH books.)
If this is your genre, this is a good beach read. If you are short on funds, read some LKH fan fic and save your money. If you are looking for original dark/urban fantasy, look elsewhere.
A good read.......2007-07-17
I read this book (being the first in the Monere series)after reading a short story about this series in an anthology. I really enjoyed MLA, there was alot of good plot, with great characters, and a sense that there is more to learn about Mona Lisa in upcoming books. The strong attraction between Mona Lisa, Gryphon and Amber is great, with strong secondary characters as well. A good start to what appears to be an interesting series. This is a book I will definitely be keeping!!
I am also looking forward to reading the second in the series, where Mona Lisa plus entourage travel to their new territory. Her powers are to be explored further, with more emphasis on her shape shifting capabilities. I am hoping that the "healing by sex" aspect does not take over, and that this is a minor feature!!
Book Description
Building the Bonds of Attachment is the second edition of a critically and professionally acclaimed book for social workers, therapists, and parents who strive to assist poorly attached children. This work is a composite case study of the developmental course of one child following years of abuse and neglect. This work focuses on both the specialized psychotherapy and parenting that is often necessary in facilitating a child's psychological development and attachment security. It blends attachment theory and research, and trauma theory with general principles of both parenting and child and family therapy in developing a model for intervention. This work is a practical guide for the adult--whether professional or parent--who endeavor to help such children.
Customer Reviews:
The Single Most Helpful Book I Have Read .......2007-09-07
My husband and I adopted a 7 year old girl two years ago. Like so many well-meaning but naive new parents, we had only a vague idea of what life with a traumatized child would be like. We assumed that love, stability, structure and consistency would heal her. We were wrong. For over a year, we struggled with such ugly, mean, rejecting behaviors that I became significantly depressed... until I read Dan Hughes' book. That was the beginning of a new stage in our lives, as no one and nothing has helped us like it has. Our therapists hold Mr. Hughes in the highest regard - he is enormously respected and admired because his compassionate, beautiful ideas WORK. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Building the Bonds of Attachment: Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children.......2007-09-03
This book is excellent for those who are wanting to understand and effectively parent those children who have suffered trauma and/or have attachment deficit no matter how small or great! A must read for foster and pre/post adoption parents.
A good companion book would be Beyond Consequences, Logic and Control which will deepen the understanding and give parents direction on how to help facilitate family relationships.
This book changed some of my fundamental assumptions.......2007-08-05
What a great book! Like so many readers, I devoured Building the Bonds of Attachment. Katie's story was so compelling, even taking into consideration that it was obviously an oversimplification of the process. I had always been aware of the challenges of parenting a chid with attachment problems, but this book opened my eyes to the possibilities for change and improvement. It seems so obvious now why traditional parenting processes (like time-outs, punishment/rewards, and even spankings) are incredibly counter-productive with children with attachment problems. This was one of the best books I've read in ages. Definite recommend.
This book is more than a book about adoption........2007-07-29
I am 25 years old and I have a 14 year old brother who is a problem child. My parents are to blame for his attachment difficulties. This book is about how to create love in your life and create attachment. It is a hopeful book and while I'm not a fostert parent or a parent at all this book is a great read and it should be required reading for everyone. It teaches harmony and love and shuns materialism. Thank You Daniel and I hope I can meet you and find a therapist like Allison. I feel this book gives one information and helps one understand what is going on around him instead of living without an understanding. I had an idea of what a therapist should be doing but I thought I was wrong because I never received warmth and compassion. Thank you Daniel. After reading this book I thought it was written by a female but I guess not. thank You Daniel.
A great book on attachment.......2007-07-09
This is a great book for understanding children with attachment disorders because it weaves the fictional story of a child with the research and clinical experience. If you are interested in attachment, I highly recommend reading anything by Daniel Hughes, and this book is a great place to start.
Book Description
Chakras are the seven spinning energy centers of the human body that control every dimension of our physical, mental and spiritual well being. Now, Anodea Judith - one of the country¹s foremost experts on the therapeutic use of the chakra system - gives access to this subtle energy matrix, opening a powerful path for healing and spiritual growth with a complete chakra "wellness kit:" Chakra Balancing. Anodea Judith begins with a journey through each of the chakras where listeners discover their purpose, imbalances, and strengths - and learn how to balance their energies for health and awakening. This specially boxed, complete home-study course includes: a 102-page illustrated workbook providing essential information on the chakras, organized into seven lessons - one for each of the chakras, two audio CDs with seven guided audio meditations to work with each of the chakra centers, and to address their imbalances, and seven beautifully illustrated chakra cards with a visual image of each chakra, and a description of their key principles and correspondences.
Customer Reviews:
Easy to follow.......2007-08-09
This kit is wonderful and it forces you to do the work without skipping ahead, which is one of my tendencies. I have not yet finished all of the exercises, but the first exercise is incredible in helping you to get centered.
CHAKRAS - BEST overview.......2007-07-08
Chakra Balancing Kit is a follow up to Anodea Judith's "Wheels of Life" (which is a huge book but the definitive guide to chakras). This serves as an excellent introduction to learning about chakras, or serves as a refining of one's advanced understanding of chakras. Has chakra cards, photo illustrated book of balancing exercises, 2 CDs - one CD explains what chakras are, the colors and meaning attached to each chakra; the second disc explains balancing chakras. Saved it to my Ipod and computer for working out, meditating, taking a break, driving in car, etc. ONLY PROBLEM: Her pronunciation drives me crazy - "CHAKras" - not the soft "shakras" as most people say, and the Indians say (where this sciece began its evolution). Her voice is nice, her pronunciation disconcerting. Overall the kit is excellent and I am enjoying it, and giving it as gifts to persons who don't know what a chakra is.
Gloriously beautiful.......2007-03-13
This set is gorgeous from the box to the visuals it enables within the mind. I highly recommend it.
The best workbook!.......2007-02-19
I keep the workbook in my night stand and refer to it frequently. I've read other chakra books but by far this is the best. It contains a lot of good information about the chakras but what I love most are the physical exercises. I feel completely rejuvenated after performing them. Each chakra has its own chapter detailing the characteristics, suggestions for deepening your connection, psychological issues and activities for healing and balancing. It is well laid out and is spiral bound so it lays flat which makes it easy to refer to while doing the exercises.
Imaginative Exploration.......2006-06-10
Listen to the salutation to the dawn,
Look to this day for it is life, the very life of life,
In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of our existence.
The bliss of growth, the splendor of beauty,
For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision,
But today well spent makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day.
Such is the salutation to the dawn.
~Sanskrit Salutation to the Dawn
With a workbook and guided visualizations, Chakra Balancing becomes a healing practice that incorporates sun salutations from Yoga and inner journeys filled with moments for imaginative exploration.
Includes:
Workbook
Two Audio CDs
Chakra Cards
The first CD guides you through the Chakras and explains the function of each charka and explores the charka system as a whole. The second CD has Morning and Evening Practices that include flowing yoga movements. Guided meditations help you fall into a deep sleep and the guided exercises help you meet the dawn.
The workbook guides you through more details like lists of excessive, deficient and balanced characteristics. You are always moving towards physical health, comfort, stability and presence and away from excess, fear, anxiety, disconnection and restlessness.
"The sixth charka opens to the archetypal realm. Archetypes are like blueprints from spirit imprinted on the psyche. They represent major categories of manifestation, the original patterns from which things are made. Archetypal energies often run our lives, consciously or unconsciously." ~ pg. 68
Chakra Balancing beautiful journey through the Chakras that is easy to understand and apply to daily life. It only took me one experience with Yoga and Chakra Balancing to become a believer. This truly does work and by wandering about in your inner world, you disconnect from stress and release into a world that seems a dream. For moments at a time you are blissful, in a space of almost illuminated peace.
~The Rebecca Review
Amazon.com
If you dropped the Buddha into a modern metropolis, would he come off sounding like a 16th-century morality play or more like a drive-time disc jockey? Lama Surya Das doesn't spin platters for a living, but he does have a hip delivery that belies his years of sheltered training in Buddhist monasteries. In Awakening the Buddha Within, he borrows a time-tested bestseller format for a 2,500-year-old tradition that comes off as anything but ancient. With the "Five T's of Concentration," the question of "need or greed," and the story of the monk who bares his backside to prove a point, Surya Das invokes a path of wisdom that is as accessible and down-to-earth as a worn pair of loafers. It's not an easy path--it demands thought, effort, and discipline. But Surya Das is there for you, lighting the way to wisdom training, coaxing you into ethics training, and laying out step by step the path of meditation training. And if that's not enough to get you to live in the now, consider these words of the enlightened lama: "You must be present to win." --Brian Bruya
Book Description
Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the definitive book on Western Buddhism for the modern-day spiritual seeker.
The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In
Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enlightened, and balanced life. It illuminates the guidelines and key principles embodied in the noble Eight-Fold Path and the traditional Three Enlightenment Trainings common to all schools of Buddhism:
Wisdom Training: Developing clear vision, insight, and inner understanding -- seeing reality and ourselves as we really are.
Ethics Training: Cultivating virtue, self-discipline, and compassion in what we say and do.
Meditation Training: Practicing mindfulness, concentration, and awareness of the present moment.
With lively stories, meditations, and spiritual practices,
Awakening the Buddha Within is an invaluable text for the novice and experienced student of Buddhism alike.
Customer Reviews:
"Don't get too close to the page!!!!".......2007-10-05
Being a sceptical logically minded person of a catholic upbringing I have recently opened up my mind to new religions and faiths, in order to find the right one for me or to take the best of a few. This is why i bought this book. At first the story of the author drew me in and I began to listen to the lessons that were being tought. However over time I found the book disturbing in the way it led from offering points of view and describing what was believed right by the different buddhist faiths to force feeding the reader with what's right and wrong, and which path is ideally followed.
Overall I was dissapointed with how the book was written but I still learnt alot about the buddhist faith, I just think we should follow our faith in our own way, a non uniformist buddhist way is, i believe, what the future needs.
A Master...........2007-09-30
Lama Surya Das has given us westerners a vital gift- he has interpreted the wisdom of the ancients and communicated Buddhism's core message in a way that has immediate relevance to our lives. Regardless of whether you practice a particular religion, or are more an independent seeker along the spiritual path, this sends forth Buddhisms philosophy and practice as clearly as a bell. A gift...
Good intro to Buddhism but too voluminous for what it offers.......2007-06-26
This is an easy to read book that touches on some basics on Tibetan Buddhism and meditation techniques. Although it briefly explains the basics, this book is not about the Buddha and Tibetan (Mahayana or Dzogchen) Buddhism. It is more about the views and experiences of a westerner (Lama Surya Das) who spent some time in Tibet and studied Buddhism. Overall, it is a positive book that is primarily focused on meditation for beginners. With that said, I found it a bit challenging to go through the entire 400 pages of it.
Fly like a guru.......2007-06-25
Buddhist practitioners can levitate. They can see the future. When they die, their bodies turn to light.
So claims Surya Das.
I genuinely enjoyed Awakening the Buddha Within. The book is a primer on Buddhism, with a chapter on the Four Noble Truths, and one each on the Eightfold Path, clearly explained and illustrated for the western reader making his or her first encounter with Buddhism. Surya Das' writing is breezy and conversational, an easy-to-read style that keeps you turning the pages. Das doesn't get bogged down in the minutiae of theology or philosophy and personalizes his teachings by relating relevant stories from his own life and his own search for meaning. As much "what is," the book also offers "how to" in the form of simple meditations and other exercises, such as keeping a dream journal or a journal of favorite spiritual quotations, simple steps to for helping build new awareness.
As much as I liked the book, I also found some fairly outlandish claims within, such as the section on Lucid Dreaming, in which Das writes that we can multiply our bodies, travel to heavenly realms to receive special spiritual teachings, and that he himself was able through such practices to see into the future.
He sets us up early on by letting us know that such super human powers, while manifest among the Buddhist elite, are ultimately mere distractions along the path.
================QUOTE================
Seekers, curious about the unknown, might want to know more about levitation, conscious dying, lucid dreaming, astral travel, rainbow bodies, and clairvoyance. However, that's not finally what it's all about. The Buddha did perform certain miracles, but he always instructed his disciples not to demonstrate miraculous powers except to inspire faith in the skeptical. Lamas say the same thing. The magical, mysterious and occult are special effects that can be produced, but it's not the whole story. The miracle of Buddhism is a miracle of love, not levitation. [pp 12-13]
==============END QUOTE==============
As we're only on page 12, it might be reasonable to expect some future explication of such feats, but the only thing I recall reading is a couple of paragraphs in the last quarter of the book, in the section on Lucid Dreaming.
================QUOTE================
By seizing a dream we can perform spiritual activities, multiply our bodies, as well as go to pure realms of existence to receive teachings and blessings from Buddhas, transcendent Bodhisattvas, and saintly sages. In this way we train to master altered states and different ways of being, including astral travel and other out-of-body experiences.... With guidance from my teachers, ... I was able to get some indication of future events and to understand certain signs, portents and omens. [pp 330-331]
==============END QUOTE==============
Amazing.
Perhaps not so amazing for a Tibetan who's grown up listening to stories about such super-human feats. But Tibetans are not likely to be reading this book, at least not in large numbers. This book is for Europeans and North Americans, the people most likely on planet Earth to be skeptical - and curious - about such claims.
And yet Das provides no evidence, no proof, not even an accounting of what he experienced or what he witnessed. For over 300 pages he covers the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path, a topic that is covered by most authors in a few pages. Das' account is padded with quotations, examples, stories, and illustrations, from the lives of saints, from every day life, from his own life. But here - nothing. He falls strangely silent.
I do not claim that such feats are impossible. They certainly may be. But Das' refusal to engage the subject makes it seem he has something to hide, which in turn casts a shadow of doubt across the rest of what is a well-written introduction to Buddhism. If he can't talk to us honestly about this, then what else can't he discuss openly? What else might he be hiding?
I know of no evidence demonstrating these powers or abilities. If Das does, then he owes it to his readers to explain.
#
Probably the Best.......2007-05-07
In a nutshell, the man was a varsity HS athlete and CUNY graduate who gave up these values to find his own unique niche of enlightenment. This is kinda rare. What I gather from his teachings is that since he did it, so can I if I wanted to. This book is written in laymen's terms.
If you have trouble identifying with writers, because they are from a different generation, ethinicity, agenda, etc... LSD (his intials?!) breaks down his belief system into a context which is entertaining, relevant and thoughtful. LSD takes a boring and complex subject matter and presents it to the reader with generously tremendous insight.
Lama Surya Das not only talks the talk, but he walks the walk.
Book Description
Bestselling author Barbara Hand Clow shows how the Mayan Calendar is a bridge to galactic wisdom that fosters personal growth and human evolution
• Unearths the meaning behind the calendar, its message for modern civilization, and what will happen when the calendar ends
• Reveals how time acceleration is a manifestation of the acceleration of consciousness
• By the author of
The Pleiadian Agenda
Many researchers have investigated the science of time cycles by using the Mayan Calendar, which tracks the 5,125-year Long Count ending in the year 2012. History shows that civilizations suddenly appeared around 3115 B.C. in Egypt, India, and Sumer that used calendars based on systems similar to the Mayan Calendar, reflecting what was once a universal and sacred understanding of time. In
The Mayan Code, Barbara Hand Clow draws on the work of biologist Carl Johan Calleman and many other New Paradigm researchers to unearth the deeper meaning behind the calendar and its message for modern civilization, especially during its final five years.
As we approach the end of the Mayan Calendar, time and consciousness are accelerating. Working with Calleman’s time-acceleration theory, Barbara Hand Clow shows how the cycles of time marked by the calendar match important periods in the evolutionary data banks of Earth and the Milky Way Galaxy and that the calendar describes the evolutionary stage to come. She explores how our own personal healing is the most important factor as we prepare to make this critical leap in human evolution--now referred to as the awakening of the World Mind.
Customer Reviews:
A shaman's interpretation of the Mayan Calendar.......2007-09-02
We have all been experiencing the effects of what Barbara Clow calls the time acceleration timetable encoded in the Mayan Calendar. This translates into the speed at which thoughts become reality, or as we've been saying in the New Age: instant karma. Well, it's here and we don't have a choice, our negativity or creativity will manifest in our lives with increasing frequency as we approach the 2011/2012 end of the calendar. (This allows us to clear up our emotional patterns and become enlightened beings.) But, what I found most fascinating about Calleman's theories and Clow's interpretation were the nine cycles of history or underworlds, going back to the Big Bang, each twenty-times faster (more condensed) than the preceding cycle, each broken down into further divisions of time--days and nights--so that we can compare themes. That is Day Four of the Galactic Underworld (1/5/99-10/28/11) December 4, 2004 to November 28, 2005--the Southeast Asian Tsunami, Ahmadinejad elected president of Iran, Hurricane Katrina, the great controversy over The Da Vinci Code leading to its own "enlightenment," compares to Day Four (749-355 BC) of National Underworld (3115 BC to 2011)--Isaiah warning the Israelites to change their errant ways, the days of the spiritual leaders: Lao-tse, Buddha, Confucius, Plato; to Day Four (AD 1873-1893) of the Planetary Underworld (AD 1755 to 2011)--Blavatsky founding of the Theosophical Society, Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science, or the height of the spiritualist movement in America. Understanding how the Mayan shamans were able to see these patterns and encode them into their calendar takes the genius of a modern-day shaman, Barbara Hand Clow, to take new research and insights and show us the broader picture. It's heady and intuitive in equal measure. I can't recommend this enough for those struggling to understand and adapt to acceleration we're all experiencing.
Finally! A 2012 book that makes sense to me!.......2007-08-09
This book, by Barbara Hand Clow, is well written and appears to be based on facts involving the ancient Mayan calendar. She speaks to the acceleration of time and the process of human evolution from ancient times through the end of the calendar 2011/2012 (guesstimates vary through 12/21/2012). I know that some of you believe that we are currently in transformative times and are seeking to make sense of it all. Right now, according to the Mayans, we are walking the path "Xi Balba bih" (The Road of Awe) and for those seeking a better understanding of what lies ahead, this book could be useful. This book is NOT a doom and gloom portrayal of the future, but is, as I believe, the hope of a better future, a future of peace and love for many as we move forward into an anticipated leap of human consciousness. Barbara talks about the meaning of the calendar and the message it holds for modern civilization. Barbara gives in-depth explanations of how the Mayan calendar works, the details of which are a little too technical for me, but that's OK. I don't really need to understand the details of the calendar itself, just her rationale for her analysis. Much of this book resonates very well with me. She talks about the acceleration of time and consciousness. She references the time-acceleration theory work of Carl Johan Calleman and other researchers for a better understanding of the calendar, particularly during its last 5 years (2006/7 through 2011/12--like now Dude/Dudette!) She indicates how the calendar's cycles of time match up with important past and current time periods of the Earth and the Milky Way Galaxy.
I've been reading some 2012 stuff, I guess trying to find something that resonates with my own feelings and guidance in this area. I had studied the Spanish/Mexican language and culture for 5 years in school. In 2004, I visited the Mayan ruins in Chitzenitza, in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. I was fascinated by what I saw and have great respect for this very ancient culture (in its early days, before it was altered by a European gentleman). Our guide was also a Mayan descendent and who spoke about the Mayan calendar in some detail. As you may already know, Mayans were obsessed with time and were extremely accurate in their projections of it. So, maybe they have something to tell us about the future. Granted, no one knows what is going to happen, but, assuming the authors currently "out there" are being honest, and they are getting guidance from somewhere--well, let's just say that there's lots of different guidance going around right now, that's for sure, and lots of confusion. Like I said, this book makes sense to me. If 2012 and projections of a "new world" interest you, consider this book. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Just a side note, though, there are a lot of detailed explanations about the calendar so it gets a little hard to read because of the wealth of details. With that said, though, there's still a lot of info. So, it's like saying, "I'll tell you how to make a watch. If all you need is the time, then take the time and run with it. Disregard what you don't need in extra info."
Excellent with a caveat . . ........2007-07-23
Barbara Hand Clow makes an excellent and convincing summary of the Mayan Clendar and it's meaning for humankind in the very near future up through 2012. Very interesting reading, HOWEVER . . . she used it to put forth her vitreolic political opinons in chapter 6 (and throughout) that could have been better spent using different examples. She compared President Bush (and his "Bushites") to other fascist regimes, including Hitler's. including, "Will the American people under Bush act as the German people did under Hitler?" On page 144 she even stated that 9/11 couldn't have happened "Without the green light from military and secret agencies leading all the way to the White House . . ." Also, her larger message is significantly dimished by her constant rantings about the American "global empire." Other quotes: "As if the gods were throwing spears at Bush's brother Jeb, ferocious hurricanes such as Ivan pummeled Florida." and, "As if nature had decided to deal with the Bushites, Katrina, a massive category 5 hurricane, barreled into New Orleans . . ." Unfortunately, her frequent anti-American sentiments show her as an embittered author better suited for the "political diatribe" section of the bookstore.
A New Visionary Tool.......2007-07-17
Barbara Hand Clow has once again provided us with a timely message for all humanity. Continuing with themes she has explored with her previous books, especially The Pleiadian Agenda, Catastrophobia and Alchemy of Nine Dimensions, Clow presents an interpretation and exploration of the Mayan Calendar that helps to crystallize the events of the last five thousand years.
Clow postulates, with strong adherence on the work of Carl Johan Calleman, that Mayan visionaries constructed the calendar in recently modern times as a tool to see into, not only the very distant past, but into the future as well. Utilizing hard science as well as profound metaphysical understanding, Clow once again demonstrates a unique ability to teach from both sides of the brain, providing the reader with empirical scientific evidence and her own experiential knowingness achieved from many different teachers and traditions.
Barbara Hand Clow is a visionary thinker and teacher, oftentimes many years ahead of the rest of us, and gifts us with another tool to prepare for the coming awakening of consciousness that is humanity's destiny--I highly recommend this book!
An Ascendant Journey Through Time.......2007-07-14
The MAYAN CODE, Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind.
Drawing extensively on Carl Calleman's interpretations of the Mayan Calendar and synthesizing that work with those of other Mayan scholars, Hand Clow takes us on a break-taking journey through time and the evolution of consciousness as she streams the information through her own extraordinary scope of bicameral knowledge and wisdom. Based on Callemans' work the Calendar provides a 20/20 lens from which to view history. Hand Clow uses the accuracy of that view to turn the lens around and peer forward to 2012 and what a sight! On a journey that is often one foot in front of the other and frought with uncertainty, Hand Clow clears the way for a light and full hearted sprint to the end of time. A challenging read but a truly revelatory and uplifting book.
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