Book Description
This newly revised edition of the ground-breaking Artech House bestseller, SIP: Understanding the Session Initiation Protocol offers a thorough and up-to-date understanding of this revolutionary technology for IP Telephony. Essential reading for anyone involved in the development and operation of voice or data networks, the second edition includes brand new discussions on the use of SIP as a wireless communications protocol and mobility technology. Professionals find details on the latest application areas such as instant messaging.
The book explains how SIP is a highly-scalable and cost-effective way to offer new and exciting telecommunication feature sets. From an examination of SIP as a key component in the Internet multimedia conferencing architecture… to a look at the future direction of SIP, practitioners get the knowledge they need to design "next generation" networks and develop new applications and software stacks.
Download Description
This newly revised edition of the ground-breaking Artech House bestseller, SIP: Understanding the Session Initiation Protocol offers a thorough and up-to-date understanding of this revolutionary technology for IP Telephony. Essential reading for anyone involved in the development and operation of voice or data networks, the second edition includes brand new discussions on the use of SIP as a wireless communications protocol and mobility technology. Professionals find details on the latest application areas such as instant messaging.
Customer Reviews:
Best available primer on the subject.......2007-01-12
I'm not an engineer, but I've got a lot of telecom experience. The second edition of "SIP: Understanding the Session Initiation Protocol," delivers on the title. Engineers and programmers can look to the text as a good starting point, but will want to go the IETF for more serious stuff. Still, the text provides sample SIP messages and deconstructs SIP message flows. The non-technical reader can still understand the protocol and its uses, and make more informed business decisions (strategy, marketing, product management, finance or M&A). I evaluated all the other titles available from Amazon.com before purchasing and reading this one, and I am convinced this was the best selection available.
Very complete..........2007-01-09
Not a how to guide, but definitly a complete review of the SIP specification. It gives a complete description of the protocol to the point where you can actually implement the protocol.
This is reference book to keep (as opposed to some computer books that you can trash after a few years because they are no longer relevant).
This book will teach you enough about the SIP protocol so you will know how to position the protocol in your architecture, and start implementing!
good book.......2006-06-26
This book is very complet to understand SIP protocol. I found an answer for all my questions.
New second edition available.......2005-12-17
If you are currently viewing the page for the first edition, please note that there is a new second edition of this book available. You can find it by searching for 1580536557
if you're developing with SIP, you need this book.......2005-09-26
I'm a working developer that recently became engaged in a J2EE project where needed to design and build a SIP server for a call center requiring all manner of specialized behaviors. Needless to say I needed to learn all about the ins and outs of SIP as this system would be SIP VoIP based.
I started out trying to use the various RFCs related to the SIP and SDP protocols. Well, I could spend an entire review about how miserable it is to trudge through typical RFC documentation. Online hyperlinked documentation is indeed in some respects a miracle of our modern cyber information age. Yet it's not exactly perfect. In many respects I maintain that the traditional book remains solidly the highest technological invention that mankind has yet conceived - especially now that I can compare book form information vs. its online hyperlinked and searchable alternative.
When it comes to learning and having ready access to the relevant information I'd take a book, such as "SIP: Understanding the Session Initiation Protocol" hands down vs the RFCs. I was making slow and painful progress yet once I had this book in hand, I could quickly whip around in it and cross reference the material presented in it by flipping pages, look for things via by scanning the table of contents, or dereferencing the index. Finally I started to rapidly accelerate my endeavor.
Besides the mechanics of accessing the relevant information, this book was also solidly presented by the author. He indeed has a authoritative command of the subject matter. Many of the scenarios he presents of how SIP is deployed and used were directly relevant to my particular project. It was particularly important to see the full dialog of SIP/SDP protocol exchange and the diagrams that accompanied this were very helpful. Nice visual diagrams of this manner are not to be found in the bland RFC material.
I came to amazon.com and read up on all the reviews posted for this title. Several of them gave the book a low rating. I sensed that what these people were after was a more digestible higher level presentation of the subject matter. There is an O'Reilly title on VoIP that I think might serve some of these folks better in that regard. However, this book on SIP also does a fair job of presenting SIP in light of some of the other VoIP related standards, etc. It's just that the main thrust of this book is to convey the technical understanding of SIP so that one can program systems based on it.
So if one is a software developer and needs to learn the technical ins and outs of SIP then this books is definitely the one to get. It beats using the RFCs by themselves by many leagues.
Book Description
Initiation into Hermetics provides step by step instruction in the form of practical exercises. These exercises lead to the development of body, soul and spirit. The result of the practical exercises is the development of occult abilities which can be of benefit to the student, in as far as he can change his existence for the better.
The great mystery of the Tetragrammaton, the key to the tetrapolar magnet, is explained. By reading the theoretical section many secrets are unveiled which were once only known to very few. The reader will receive first-hand knowledge about the principles of fire, air, water and earth, the positive and negative attributes of these elements, and how these elements affect the human body. The immutable law of cause and effect is explained, not only as it applies to human beings, but also how it applies to the elements. Detailed information is also given about the soul or the astral body, and how the four elements determine the temperament in a person.
The astral plane is considered to be "the beyond" by most religions. This plane does have its inhabitants, most of which are departed human beings from earth. Besides that you find elementaries, beings with one or only a few attributes. It is very advantageous to learn about these beings and how they affect a human being's life. There is also another kind of being, which is a being of the pure elements. The reader will find that many myths or even fairy tales are based on truth. But mankind has lost the ability to stay in contact with reality and has chosen to live in a completely transitory world which they consider to be their reality.
The third plain, the mental plain, is also explained; it is the sphere of thought which has its origin in the world of ideas.
Each step of the practical part of this book is divided into three parts: the magical spiritual or mental schooling, soul or astral schooling, and physical schooling. This allows the student to maintain a complete equilibrium. The student learns how to control all his mental faculties even to the point that he can control every thought. He will learn self-introspection, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, astral and mental travel, control of the electric and magnetic fluids, and communication with the beings of the astral plain. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Customer Reviews:
I would pay twice the price for this book!.......2007-08-28
If I had to throw away all my occult books and only keep one, this one would be it. This is the only occult book you will need to develop the mind, body, and soul and start yourself on the path of true magic. The exercises contained herein are soley for that purpose.
Just as the Yogi would dedicate himself to the rigorous practice of Hatha Yoga for the purpose of attaining union with his Divine Self, so too does the Magus - the only difference is the methods used to achieve that. The principle is still the same.
If only I had bought it sooner. I would have saved so much money and would have advanced so much. This book is a one to be treasured for a life time.
wish it was the first .......2007-07-03
this has to be the greatest book ever written on magik.franz goes into great detail about using the the different techniques to utilize your mind but doesnt force upon his methods, and leaves enough room for experimentation. i wish i had started reading it sooner as i would be much further along in my own practices
This is IT.......2007-03-26
This it, the beginning book. You buy this and wour search for root knowledge is finished. stop wondering in the dark and illuminate yourself.
One of the Best.......2007-01-12
Whenever someone asks me what book(s) they should read to get started in magick I reccomend this one. No glut of rituals, no overabundance of theory, and alot of practical work.
A step by step trainning program for actually aquireing the basic skills of a mage. How to control your own mind, how to revamp your emotions, and how to work with energy. Every step is necessary, and helps you develop the practical skill and knowlage to handle the next portion.
My only problem is that the book is translated in such a way that it is hard to tell what Bardon means sometimes. There are also some random mundane errors here and there, but nothing huge and glareing. Initiation Into Hermetics is best read with Rawn Clark's "A Bardon Companion" for clarification.
Master Bardon.....Thanks !!!.......2006-06-12
Without any doubt, the mental training exercises found inside this great book are the best....period ! This is a must to anyone who aspire to harness the real power behind its own mind.
Buy it...you'll be grateful you did
Average customer rating:
- Good Book
- Mixed feelings
- The Osha
- Very thorough
- The Osha
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The Osha: Secrets of the Yoruba-Lucumi-Santeria Religion in the United States and the Americas : Initiation, Rituals, Ceremonies, Orishas, Divination, Plants, s
Julio Garcia Cortez , and
Julio Garcia Corlez
Manufacturer: Athelia Henrietta PR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Tribal & Ethnic | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1890157228 |
Book Description
The Osha examines a religion. (not a cult) practiced by hundreds of thousands of people in different countries principally Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Latin America and most recently the United States. The Osha provides the stories, history, types and manner of divination, the procedures of vestment, names of the deities and everything which is part of the Yoruba/Santeria Religion. A bold work of great intimacy with "The Religion."
Customer Reviews:
Good Book.......2007-01-18
What a wonderful Book to start out with when you are new to the religion!
Mixed feelings.......2007-01-18
Well, I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it is very thorough; on the other hand, there are bits and pieces that are not considered accurate in my lineage, and overall it seems to be a bit misogynistic. I guess my biggest concern has to deal with the section regarding the Asiento/Santo/Kariocha ceremony. While I can appreciate the author's desire to remove the secrecy element from the religion, there is something to be said for maintaining a degree of mystery, that allows an individual to experience something without preconceived notions. All I can say is that I am grateful that I had already been crowned before I read this book, and that I would discourage any uninitiated godchildren from reading this book simply because I wouldn't want to possibly ruin the joyful surprise and spiritual enlightment that can only come from an unbiased mind when presented with the Divine.
I would certainly recommend this book -- perceived errors and all -- to those who have already been initiated with their Santo, while cautioning others to practice self-restraint and to skip over those sections that deal with assorted initiations that they, themselves, have not yet received.
Respectfully,
Elaine Hall
The Osha.......2006-11-10
Great book. A lot of detail. Great for anybody who wants to learn.
Very thorough.......2006-02-23
This book on the religion is extremely and very thoroughly written. The amount of detail that is in this book is a very good introduction for any neophyte who has recently been initiated into the religion and I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in learning about the Lukumi or who needs to be educated on certain topics. However, any book written on the religion always leaves out information that is supposed to be kept secret and I am glad not ALL of the information was revealed. Nevertheless, it is a great read and interesting information has been written.
The Osha.......2005-07-13
I found it very informative, it explains way too much on my religion but, in part it is good, like that people get a better and total impression of what it is all about and that we do not worship the devil, but orishas whom were once on earth. The writer did a good job in the translation of the original book.
I would also like to have the spanish version which I had, and lent it to someone, but it never came back to me. I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know when it will be available or if there is a used one that someone wants to sell.
Thank you.
Book Description
"This book is like a good tour guide.It doesn't just describe the major attractions; you share in the history, spirit, language, and culture of the place."
--Henning Schulzrinne, Professor, Columbia University
Since its birth in 1996, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) has grown up. As a richer, much more robust technology, SIP today is fully capable of supporting the communication systems that power our twenty-first century work and life.
This second edition handbook has been revamped to cover the newest standards, services, and products. You'll find the latest on SIP usage beyond VoIP, including Presence, instant messaging (IM), mobility, and emergency services, as well as peer-to-peer SIP applications, quality-of-service, and security issues--everything you need to build and deploy today's SIP services.
This book will help you
* Work with SIP in Presence and event-based communications
* Handle SIP-based application-level mobility issues
* Develop applications to facilitate communications access for users with disabilities
* Set up Internet-based emergency services
* Explore how peer-to-peer SIP systems may change VoIP
* Understand the critical importance of Internet transparency
* Identify relevant standards and specifications
* Handle potential quality-of-service and security problems
Customer Reviews:
Well worth the read.......2007-04-03
Very interesting approach to SIP had a lot of good information about what the future may bring
Superficial.......2006-08-31
I bought this book to better understand the inner workings of SIP but, instead, was greeted with a superficial introduction to a miriad of SIP applications, services and options. At the end of the day RFC3261 is a much better source of information, as dry as it might be. As such, I cannot recommend this book to anyone trying to learn the intricacies of SIP.
Disorganized and too shallow.......2006-05-16
This books presents SIP, the protocol for Session Initiation. It covers many aspects, including conferencing, security, Internet telephony, user preferences.
The book is not 400+ pages as Amazon indicates but just below 300. Why does this matter? Because, with 17 chapters, this gives an average of less than 20 pages per chapter. As you can guess, 20 pages are not sufficient to explain topics such as Internet telephony, or conferencing. Even the SIP protocol is not presented fully. Only the major messages are listed with a short description of their use.
I was also disappointed by the book organization. The SIP Overview chapter which explains how SIP works is chapter 5. All the preceeding chapters mention SIP before we even know what SIP is. This is most confusing unless you have already some SIP knowledge.
The book tries to cover too much. We get a whirlwind tour of many topics, none of them explained appropriately. The book opens many issues that remain unanswered. If you want a shallow overview of SIP, this book may meet your need. But you are likely to quickly need something more in-depth.
Excelelnt orientation.......2006-03-09
I am new to the SIP protocol and thisi book gave me exactly what i was seeking: a comprehensive explanation of the SIP architecture and the uses of SIP. The specific chapters on SIP and User Services, Security, IP telephony, DNS and QoS all provided the basics necessary to understand the tradeoffs and issues with implementing SIP.
SIP Seminar.......2004-08-24
This is a great place to start to give you perspective before you dig into the RFCs. Or if you never intend to read the RFCs, this book will give you enough of an understanding of some of the fundamental technology so that you'll be able to follow some of the deeper issues of SIP. Well written too.
Book Description
In this classic account of the Western esoteric path of initiation, Steiner leads the student from the cultivation of reverence and inner tranquility to the development of inner life through the stages of preparation, illumination, and initiation. Practical exercises in inner and outer observation and moral development are described.
By patiently and persistently following these suggestions, new "organs" of soul and spirit begin to form, revealing the contours of higher worlds that had been concealed from us. Here, Rudolf Steiner is available as teacher, counselor, and friend. His advice is practical, clear, and powerful.
Customer Reviews:
A classic in the field.......2007-01-03
While this may be described as one of Steiner's "basic" books, the label is a little misleading. Perhaps a better one would be "foundational", in that it forms a foundation for understanding his other works. "How to Know Higher Worlds" is also a classic, originally written between 1904 and 1906, from the point of view of one who has walked the path himself. Highly recommended.
depths of perception.......2006-01-30
This book carries you into depths of perception, but uses simplicity as its guide. Steiner appears to believe in slow and easy, yet persistant. If one is willing, this book offers a way into the connection of our higher forces, and how they act upon us, through us, with us. With exact despription of techniques and understanding towards the goal, this literature begs the reader to come to your own comprehension. Out of your own experience, within this framework, on should find the way to higher perception, and contented understanding. If you're for real, this information is for real....give it a try
A book to show you the way.......2004-09-10
Steiner explains in this great guide the reasons why we should walk the spiritual path to self-realization and how this happens if we so decide find the courage to do it. He talks about karma, higher beings, higher worlds, reincarnation, initiation, etc based on his own experiences. He also gives many practical excercises in it.
Steiner who had a highly developed intellect and spiritual faculties well-awakened makes use of his genius to explain the path in a simple and easy to understand way. I was shocked at how easy it was for me to read it, compared to some of his other important writings!
This book is essential and extremely important for anyone who is interested in learning about the path and higher worlds.
Also highly recommended is Samael Aun Weor who also wrote extensively as Steiner did.
A Manual for Living in this World.......2004-01-30
Even if one is not interested in knowing about and experiencing higher worlds, this book is a great guide to living, full of wisdom and insight. A true spiritual path is also a path toward becoming a mature human being, which may not be terribly exciting to people seeking spiritual fireworks or wanting to promote egoistic aims. This path is one of selflessness and the strengthening of attention; both needed in an self-centered world suffering from an ever increasing attention deficit disorder. Steiner only speaks of what he has experienced personally. He is not a guru and expects no one to take his word for the truth of what he says. He encourages one to be open minded, try the exercises with patience and consistency(harder than one might think)and verify the truth for one's self.
glittery feel-good, ego-flattering, metaphysical fairy tales.......2003-02-21
Like Blavatsky and Bailey, twisted scripture, lies and theosophical racism paraded within the modern myth of "spiritual evolution" about sums it up.
Amazon.com
Writing, for Julia Cameron, is neither solely vocation nor avocation: it is a way of life. It comes first thing in the morning, while the horses are waiting to be fed; it happens at the kitchen counter, while the onions are sautéing; it takes place on "dates" at café tables shared with likeminded friends; it unfurls in the mind as the '65 pickup "bucks over the rutted dirt roads like a stiff-legged bronco." The more than 40 brief personal essays that make up The Right to Write are an unyielding affirmation of the writing life and a denigration of all that gets in the way: busy schedules, procrastination, insecurity, lack of writing space, a day job--you get the point. Cameron's commonsense advice is liberating to anyone who has felt hampered by making a big deal out of writing (this "tends to make writing difficult. Keeping writing casual tends to keep it possible"), by not having the time to write ("Get aggressive. Steal time"), or the like. If you find a spirit that compares writing to revelation, prayer, and Zen pursuits, that might just attribute misguided communication to Mercury retrograde simpatico, then you will find much to embrace here. And you will never, never again dream of waiting for that commitment-free sabbatical in the south of France to get your writing project under way. --Jane Steinberg
Book Description
Now in paperback, the national bestseller that is breaking down the mythology behind the "writing life."
What if everything we have been taught about learning to write was wrong? In The Right to Write, Julia Cameron's most revolutionary book, the author asserts that conventional writing wisdom would have you believe in a false doctrine that stifles creativity.
With the techniques and anecdotes in The Right to Write, readers learn to make writing a natural, intensely personal part of life. Cameron's instruction and examples include the details of the writing processes she uses to create her own bestselling books. She makes writing a playful and realistic as well as a reflective event. Anyone jumping into the writing life for the first time and those already living it will discover the art of writing is never the same after reading The Right to Write.
Customer Reviews:
Indulge yourself.......2007-08-13
Julia Cameron's work is always engaging and this book is no exception. `The Right to Write' is written with beauty and eloquence and would make the perfect companion for any would be writer who struggles with making a start or trusting in their own abilities to bring their work to completion.
With many years as a published writer, Julia's experience and candour gives the reader insights into her own writing life that are inspiring and profound. She takes the budding writer by the hand, and through carefully selected exercises, guides her to overcome resistance and start producing results. Julia turns the experience into something to be cherished, not feared, and the results can be extremely gratifying. If you are in love with the idea of writing and desire to deepen your relationship even more, then this book is for you. Indulge yourself!
Not intended for blue collar writers.......2007-08-02
This book has a few good ideas, but the suggestions are pretty upscale and artzy and the author spends a lot of time gushing about how awesome her life is. If you're upper class, need a kick in the seat to start yourself writing and have a lot of time on your hands, this is the book for you; I have a hard time picturing a single mom in inner-city Detroit picking this up and gaining anything useful.
here's a book to buy and not borrow..........2007-06-05
...because the writing exercises are good and wonderful to do over and over again. This is not Julia Cameron's best-known book, but it is one of my favorites. As in many of her other books, her style is engaging and intensely readable. But what really stands out to me in this book are the wonderful writing exercises. When I first read the book, I was in a habit of reading about writing, and not in a writing habit. But I turned the corners down on the pages that had writing exercises. Now I go back to those pages and do the exercises, which are fun and useful. There is one that talks about how any mood is a good mood for writing, and encourages exploration of different moods. Another exercise describes the physicality and rhythm of writing and encourages the process of combining walking into the writing life. I recommend this book highly. Inspiration is an overused word, but this book is inspirational.
Best Writing Inspiration Book.......2007-05-15
I have read this book several times and just pulled it off my shelf again yesterday. This is a great inspiration book for writing. When I'm dragging in my work, or having a long bout of feeling uninspired and useless as a writer, I open this book.
Sometimes it's easy to get off track, to write only with the consideration of what others are going to think, or only to get published. For me, that's a death knell to my inspiration. This book has never failed to lift my spirits and remind me of the joys and benefits for *me* that come from what I write and the writing process itself.
Wonderful.......2007-02-15
I completely love Julia Cameron's approach to creativity. She is so practical and helpful in conveying spiritual principles in the most down to earth and usable ways. It is beautiful and fascinating to me that her techniques are equally applicable to every form of creativity. I particularly enjoy the exercises she suggests that mean you not only read about improved expression but you get to experience it directly.
If you have any aspirations to be a writer then this book is a must.
Customer Reviews:
This book changed my life.......2006-10-16
I read this book in the midst of discovering the myriad of hidden truths about african history. Being African American myself I have spent many years trying to undo the backwards education that I was subjected to about my culture in this country by doing extensive research.
If for anything, read this book alone to gain an inside experience of what horrors Africans suffered at the hands of missionaries who felt it was their duty to "save" african children from their "barbaric" roots. They stole these children away from their villages to bring them up in seminary schools where they were subject to brutal treatment and the brainwashing of their religion. I feel it is people's duty to understand the raw effects of these events as it has also happened to indigenous cultures all over the world.
As some reviewers say below, there is a lot about this book that seems fantastical. Malidoma takes us far into the magic and ritual of his culture. It takes an open mind, one that recognizes that the destructive path of colonialism was not only physical but emotional and spiritual. Take time if you will to reflect that if you think colonialism was a destructive force, it also took it's toll on our openess to the possibility of realities other than our own. There isn't hocus pocus in this book, Malidoma a very grounded, extremely well educated gentlemen who has experienced the western world and his traditional one inside out. What he offers in this book is an invaluable opportunity to see the remnants of a culture that we have lost touch with and just how important it is to reconnect to the possibility that what we experience as solid reality is only that which we have been brought up to believe in. It does not mean that it is the only one.
Malidoma's writing is also beautiful and engrossing, I couldn't put it down. I was left with a more solid sense of who I was as an African American, I have learned about the advanced architecture and maths that africans had but I had never had a chance to look this deeply into our spiritual history.
An unforgettable book.......2006-08-26
A riveting and beautiful mystical story that encompasses many lessons that we all could learn from. I could feel Malidoma's pain in his struggle with the evil criminals that complicated his life. This book is absolutely wonderful for all who appreciate the mysteries of existence but it also has many very important lessons that the Africans in America and the diaspora would do well to take notice of.In my opinion,this book should be in schools.
A mixed blessing.......2006-06-29
Malidoma Some's book is truly a mixed blessing! He writes about his personal experiences and life journey, about the spirituality of his people and the contrasts between the African Mindset and the ideas and pre-conceptions of Western people/white people.
Some parts of this book truly deserve 5 starts, other parts deserve 0! The most important part of this book is indeed Mr Some's return to his own village and his struggles to re-claim his own roots. Every practitioner and every seeker of African religions should have a look at this section of the book. It clearly shows that the western mindset can hinder us from fully embracing what African spirituality has to offer and how different the TRADITIONAL African mindset is to the mindset of western people. Just like Mr Some, who in the course of his journey realized that his "Europeanization" hindered him from fully embracing his own tradition, so should many Europeans who search for "greater powers" within the African traditions examine their own preconceptions and ideas. This part alone deserves 5 starts!
Other parts of the book read much like a fiction story and should be take with a big pinch of salt. This being said, some of the things Mr Some describes can still be found within African Traditional Religions in the West - visible spirit manifestations being just one example. However, others are rather dubious...0 stars for that part of the work!
Of Water and the Spirit, and contradictory book.......2006-02-13
first of all, i would like to have it known that i am 15, and i had to read this book for AC Writing Workshop. the first 4 or 5 chapters are very dull. the next few chapters are mildly distrubing, for he gets molested, and it is hinted that other boys are getting raped. later on, the book gets better. this book is entertaining, but unrealistic, i highly disagree with its title as an autobiography, for there is no way many of these happenings could have taken place. if it was classified as a fictional story, i would have no problem, but it is classified as an autobiography. i believe that many of his "experiences" have to do with either, dehydration, heat stroke, hallucinagents, or hypnosis. it is impossible for someone to jump into a light portal and disappear into another dimension. for this reason, i would not recomend using this book for a class, for it is completely ridiculus. it is entertaining towards the latter half of the book, the author occasionally slips into a few instances when he uses circumlocution, but other then that, its not too bad. read this book, if ur believe in spirits, but i would not recomend it if u are into science, and the phisical limits of certain things, for this book is completely contradictory to "western" beliefs.
John G.
Malidoma blurs the line between Western Fiction and African Nonfiction.......2006-01-03
I was given this book by a friend because of my interest in Water (see: Masaru Emoto's "The Hidden Messages in Water") and my interest in Shamanism (see: Tom Cowan's "Fire in the Head").
Generally, I read these kinds of books because of personal soul-searching, so it is good that Malidoma's book delivers some of his personal answers and leaves other answers open. It struck me as a nonfiction that read as a fiction novel. The downside is that Malidoma learns something deep in this novel, but the reader is not privy to his experience: even Malidoma says that a lot of what he sees cannot be described, for personal reasons or due to the limits of our language. It is a palpatable feeling of loss when Malidoma comes out of his experience enlightened, but many readers would not.
I would recommend this book for people who already live in a world of fiction: Malidoma has seen a lot of things that defy Western "reality," and some straightlaced readers may not be able to accept or respect Malidoma enough to continue reading. If you can suspend your beliefs, however, the book is completely engrossing: I found it hard to put down! Malidoma is a sympathetic character in his own book, and characterizes the people he met very well.
The book itself is jam-packed full of text: a cursory glance at the textual presentation makes you blink. Take a look at an excerpt above.
I found this book hard to put down. Any fiction-lover who is interested in a new culture that is not fictional at all should this book.
Customer Reviews:
Healing the wounded warrior through the Divine Feminine.......2002-05-14
I very much hope that a publisher will move to get this wonderful book back into print and into the hands of the many readers who will be inspired by it to remember their spiritual identity and purpose and to follow it with greater courage and clarity and passion. "The Hero and the Goddess" is a beautiful extended meditation on the classic journey of a wounded warrior through many tests and ordeals into profound healing in the realms of women, through the nurturing power of the Divine Feminine. In requickening the remarkable vision journey recounted by Homer (and the anonymous woman writer who may have helped compose "The Odyssey", as Robert Graves believed) Jean Houston helps us understand how the true Guide of our life - the Friend of the soul - is never distant, and is always seeking to help us live from the depths and think from the heart. I frequently quote this book in my transformational workshops, and it is one of the seminal works that inspired me in writing my own book "Dreamgates".
A Reawakening.......2001-10-10
I found Jean Houston's "The Hero and the Goddess" to be wonderfully tapestry- A retelling of "The Odessy" in its classic form, while utilzing analysis and [individual/group] exercises to help the reader make the connections between the messages of the story and the unrecognized/untapped potential within each of us in our every day lives.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book....but what happened to it?.......2007-08-05
I saw this book when it first came out in 1995 and was thrilled with it. At the time however, I was attempting to go down the road of Wicca. So, I did not pick it up. Eventually, I realized that the path I was better suited for was that of the Golden Dawn and I wanted to buy this book to supplement my studies. One of the things I remembered vividly were the color plates near the middle of the book. I loved them because they were so much brighter and evoked much more emotion to me than the plates in Regardie's Golden Dawn book. So, I ordered the book but it was the 2002 edition and suddenly the color plates were in gray scale?!?! I found the 1998 edition and they too were in gray scale. The current edition 2006/07 does not even include the plates at all, even though the book refers you to them at various points.
To get full use of the book the color plates as they originally were in the 1995 edition I feel are needed. Thankfully you can see these pictures scaled down on the author's website, but they do not hold the same magic to me on a computer screen.
Overall the material is a great reference and I recommend it to anyone. I just don't like the changes that the company has implemented.
Awesome Course.......2007-07-10
Those who wish not to expend serious time and effort into their conscious spiritual awakening need not waste their money on this book. This book is for the serious seekers with an interest in ritual and who feel that "pull" into the GD current. The important factors in a valid initiation are intent and the activation of relevant symbolism within the initiate's sphere. This book supplies the knowledge to utilize the latter - the former is entirely up to the student.
This book contains such a wealth of information on many aspects of the Western Esoteric Tradition. My gripes however are two in number: 1. Towards the back of the book spelling and grammatical errors become increasingly common-not a huge deal (as none of them occur during the rituals) but it's just something that a literally-anal person like myself catches notice of; and 2. Lack of completeness in regards to having everything basic that the student needs (i.e. ritual implements)-they should really have devoted a section in each grade to construction of implements. I understand that they want the seeker to get in the habit of consulting other sources, which is good, but completeness in the basics should be mandatory.
All in all an awesome and wonderful opus by 2 superb writers -- maybe I should take back my first sentence of this review, for even those who are not willing to seriously work themselves into the GD current can benefit greatly from reading the Knowledge Lectures and contemplating the words and readings from the grade initiations. 5 stars was an easy decision for me on this one.
What is initiation into the Golden Dawn.......2007-06-21
This is largely a response to another reviewer who claims it is impossible to "self-initiate" into the GD. That is true, but not for the reasons given. See, the Golden Dawn no longer exists. It fractured into the Stella Matutina and the Alpha et Omega in the early 20th C.; neither of these factions survived very long, except for one Stella Matutina temple in New Zealand which survived until the 1970s. No temple since then has had chartered lineage. There are people around who can claim initiatory succession from original GD magicians, such as the Ciceros who received their initiations through Dr. Israel Regardie. But Regardie maintained that despite the order being dead, it was quite possible to study the system and initiate oneself. Seeking initiation from someone of a higher grade than you is great, but ultimately they are not the One True Initiator, just a handy tool in the process. It's between you and the powers that be.
I should note there is one group who claim to still be operating under an original charter; they claim to have revived a temple after it had been essentially dead for upwards of 50 years. Which seems a bit iffy to me.
So don't be put off by not being "legitimate". No-one is. Just do it. Yes, find someone wise and competent to take you through if you can; that's invaluable, and will save you huge amounts of work. But you can still use this book and work through the grades regardless.
Excellent resource!.......2007-04-07
I originally bought this book back when it was released in 1995. While I thought it was an excellent companion to Doc Regardie's Golden Dawn, it appeared to be a very daunting task. Eventually my original copy would disappear... somewhere.
A few years later a friend who was moving away gave me his copy of the book. He was heavily involved in Wicca and I was, at the time, an initiate of the Society Ordo Templi Orientis and deeply, deeply involved in my A.'.A.'. work. While I appreciated the gift and would occasionally reference it, I pretty much left it sitting on my shelf. In the interveing years I have slowly shifted away from Thelema, not totally, but in many ways I find I no longer feel the strong identification with the Current I once felt. Rather, and from my discussions with other magicians, it seems I have gotten beyond the point where Crowley and Thelema are necessary to my spiritual development while recognizing them as practical tools that helped me to get where I am and define my sense of identity. Thelema helped me to release the Ego in the sense of what I call the "I am the Beast" syndrome. Robert Anton Wilson writes about what I mean extensively in his "Cosmic Trigger". Think of it as a "Psychology of Liberation".
Like many of the reviews here though, I thought Self-INitiation was overly complex, contained too much information and impractical. I am now sitting down with it and rethinking the entire approach.
Anybody who says this book is too complex is simply trying to rush through the material or hasn't confronted their own inner laziness. It is necessary to begin with the introduction which explains the theory behind the book and gives practical instructions on beginning the work of Self-Initiation and explains the various godforms that are assumed in the rituals.
The Knowledge lectures, outside of the addition of more complete material on Astrology, are expanded versions of the same knowledge lectures presented in the Regardie books. While Regardie's work just listed symbols etc. the Ciceros have explained the symbols and expanded on them in interesting, if not always necessarily useful, ways. The expansion of the Astrology material alone is excellent. The key here is to take time with the material and to absorb it, not simply memorize the material. If you were going through a traditional Golden Dawn group these are the very same things you would be learning and using in your advancement through the grades and it seems, reading reviews and based on my own experiences, that many people just want the quick fix via a book rather than taking the time to absorb the material. The Ciceros suggest a 6 months period between the taking of each of the grades but this is based on the Self-Initiation rituals presented in the book. I think the material contained in the expanded knowledge lectures could be absorbed in a month or two quite easily, but take about 3-4 months just to be thorough.
The presentation is excellent and I wish this was how Regardie's book were laid out with each knowledge lecture preceded by the grade ritual corresponding. Also there is expanded ritual work when compared to the traditional Golden Dawn material that I think overall adds to the system in very positive ways. Also included are wonderful and updated reading lists reflecting modern developments in psychology, philosophy, science and occultism.
If anything in this book can be considered a flaw it is the Self-Initiation rituals themselves. They are almost exactly the original rituals with some modifications for self initiation but they require so much material to be constructed that they are not financially sound and the space required isn't always practical. I think that they should have stripped the rituals totally or used the Z documents to construct new self-initiation ceremonies that aren't nearly so verbose and complicated. While I don't think initiation should be a simple or easy affair, it is evident that simpler versions that are as effective as the original GD rituals are possible and do exist such as Crowley's Liber Pyramidos as published in the Equinox vol. IV no. 1. The elemental rituals also could have been reworked easily. The Watchtower ceremony could be used as the basis for this process with the elemental symbols of each grade worked into the candidates aura in the course of that ritual coupled with the Middle Pillar ritual to balance that energy.
As far as I care though, the rituals are unnecessary for advancement if the aspiration is pure. There is nothing like just doing the work to begin the process of initiation. The time period the Ciceros provide, 3 months for the beginning work, 9 months for the Neophyte and then 6 months for each of the elemental and portal grades is far longer than necessary for proper self initiation. Regardie in his Complete GOlden Dawn System of Magic writes that he thinks the performance of the Watchtower Ceremony and Middle Pillar ritual can self initiate a person and surmises that someone he knows that has performed this combination about 50 or 60 times has the credentials of a full initiate. This tells me that much could have been done with the Self Initiation rituals themselves. This system of self initiation is best done in a group.
But as I said, outside of the rituals themselves, the knowledge lectures are the best published, practical and thorough. You can not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the amount of material contained in the book, just take it one step at a time.
A final note on the question of self-initiation. There have been long standing debates on whether self initiation is possible and I have to ask... how did the first Master become a Master is there was no one to initiate him? The debate has really raged about the 5=6 ritual. I don't think it is self-initiation that is at question but the experience of the ritual that can not be conferred. Self-initiation is not based on system, it isn't based on orders, it is based on personal aspiration in the face of the darkness.
Very complete... but very complex.......2006-08-20
A excellent and serious book about self initiation in the Golden Dawn magic system. But it's very complex too. This big book will teach you a lot of details about magical things and cosmogony, through a one or two year's "evening class".
But it doesn't explain you the spirit of this magic and the GD philosophy.
It's not a easy understanding book, and definitly not a fast magick grimoire :)
Book Description
You will find in this book, for the time, a complete step by step guidance to achieving spiritual perfection, and a successful life, based on the Kamitic (Ancient Egyptian) initiation system. Those student on those spiritual path will know, Where I am at in my spiritual growth? What is the next step and the next? "How much progress am I making, and how do I know when to move on to the next level?"
Customer Reviews:
Better than vol 1.......2007-07-08
While the author has created a coherent, well written and easy to read book on egyptian spirituality, once again the author bogs the topic down with endless references to black supremacy.
I am sorry, but for those of us that dont know much about black history (except that they have been horribly supressed), it becomes a bit tiredsome to read. The spiritual information has value, and it is very interesting, but the endless war against white researchers just kills the experience for me. I have no axe to grind, and i dont care about color. The spirit has no color.
Oh... My... God!!!.......2006-07-06
I only received this book in the mail today and have only read 19 pages but already I am amazed. I have already been convinced of the complete error of our mode of thought pertaining to how we view ourselves and also how we change ourselves. I am taking a break because my mind just can handle any more right now. I am overjoyed that I have decided to purchase this book; words cannot describe. Stop reading reviews and buy this book(or you can borrow it if you find someone crazy enough to let go of it).
How to enhance your intellect.......2005-10-02
Great book told in everyday terms. Lots of food for thought and opportunities to expand your thinking. A must read for those who like to think for themselves, and form their own personal opinions.
This Is an "I" Opening Book.......2001-06-21
This book is definitely a must have for anyone. It will allow you to overstand reality on a vast level. It's such an easy read too! I find myself falling asleep with it and waking up to it. It's such a spiritually powerful book that it can't be explained with words. The key to this book is to practice on a real level not an intellectual level. But don't take my word for it, reading is believing, so get this one. Get Vol.1 too. I haven't read vol. 1 yet, but if it's a good as vol. 2 it's a must have. Apparently, this is supposed to be a 9-volume set. I can't wait for the others to come out. - JAH Guide
Kemetic Knowledge.......2000-08-14
Author Ra Un Nefer Amen is an excellent author, and I believehis books should be read by all people (especially Nubians) for spiritual enlightenment.
When it come to the subject of initiations, the Secret Mystery Schools of Kemet are just as important as those secret sociaties of Sumeria, Babylon, and the Hebrews(Essenes, Order of Melchizedek). The pyramids were places were students learned about the sciences of alchemy, leviatation, mental powers, etc. Many men such as Djoser, Abraham, Moses, Yashua, Nepoleon, and even Dr. Malachi Z. York (Neter: A'aferti Atum-Re, Amunnubi Rooakhptah) was initiated in the pyramids of Egypt.
Nete: A'aferti Atum-Re, himself, was initiated in the Step Pyramid of Saqqara during his trip to Africa in the early 1970s. If you don't believe me, read some of his books and you'll see a picture of him inside the pyramid. He was initiated into the Order of Melchizedek.
Neter: A'aferti Atum-Re teaches in his books that the pyramid is an antenna that magnifies human energy fields. The Great Pyramid generates a double vortex, which is called Standing Columnar Wave (SCW). Alchemist used the Caduceus Coil to generate energy. Standing Column Wave energy patterns make up the energy fields that surround all living things. It also makes up the energy pattern that surrounds the Earth. The Pyramid refocuses light into its sub-atomic particles called Tachyon energy. Tachyon energy is the "glue" of the universe. It is a bond between the physical and the spiritual worlds. Initiates learned how to harness this energy and could advance to the higher planes. This is how Djoser and Imhotep became Neteru and eventually became part of the Igigi (24 Elders). Yashua, an Essene high priest, learned of the Egypian Mysteries and elevated higher than any man...
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