The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny

The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
Average customer rating:

Way Beyond "Socrates Revisited"

True, but gimmicky

A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call

Challenge Consensus Reality!

A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us"

The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
Vincent Casspriano Jr.
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Buddha | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Book Description

The Simplest Path, Step One: Free Your Mind delineates, in one slim volume, a complete system for achieving personal spiritual awakening, along with a straightforward, no-nonsense plan individuals and groups so enlightened can follow to awaken Humanity en masse and positively transform the world. This book contains keys to awakening. Awakening from our personal dream shatters the solid "box" of limitation memes have built around our lives, and frees us to fluidly craft our personalities, environments, relationships, careers, etc. as an artist paints a landscape or a sculptor teases form from formless clay. All of us awakening together from the shared dream of the planet will mark the birth of our species out of our current global nightmare of decline into a limitless future literally beyond our present ability to imagine, even in our "wildest dreams," indeed.

Customer Reviews:

Way Beyond "Socrates Revisited".......2007-08-22

After reading the commentary attached to the one star rating given by the young man from Texas, I feel compelled to step forward in defense of this very fine book. With only one exception, every point made in that negative review is simply wrong. Just not factually correct. The reviewer identifies himself as a young man (... "to my young mind"), and since all of his other Amazon reviews are of TV episodes on DVD, video games and rock music CDs I take him at his word. Well, I am an "old man," closing in on my sixty-third birthday, and I came to Mr. Casspriano's book after six decades of life experience, the last three of those decades a zealous practitioner of Zen Buddhism. I say this not to "brag," but simply to qualify myself as a reviewer before beginning.

I'll start where the one star reviewer closed his argument, with his statement that the simplest path reduces to two Socratic concepts: "Admit that you don't know anything" and "know yourself."

The first part is nominally true (the exception). Like Zen Buddhism, a central tenet of the simplest path is working to release the false notion we all hold that we know ourselves, other people, the world around us. But identifying and releasing our attachments to our illusions is a life's work, not some brash "I don't know nothin'!" as the young Texan seems to imply. Under normal circumstances, we go about our daily lives with no idea we are deluded about anything, as Maya (the illusion of the phenomenal world around and even inside us) is so convincing that most of us never even think to question its validity. Casspriano did not invent the notion of human beings being trapped in illusion, as this truth was known to the timeless authors of the Hindu Vedas and is central to all schools of Buddhism (not just Zen). But his scientific/spiritual exploration of the mechanism by which Maya ensnares our minds and can, with effort, be overcome is among the best "plain English" explanations of this process I have read. There is no "inscrutable mystery" in the simplest path (a criticism that has been accurately leveled toward Zen Buddhism, as a lot of Eastern thought truly does come off as "inscrutable" when translated into English and/or the metaphors of Western culture). Casspriano lays out in no-nonsense American English exactly what our brains are doing when they create the illusion we mistake for reality, then shows the reader in the same clear terms how to train his or her brain to break free of illusion and taste reality as-it-is. In just 216 pages, that is no mean feat. After thirty years of Zen practice and numerous kensho experiences (of varying depths and intensities), I can say from personal experience that Casspriano is correct. Enlightenment comes as the fruit of a long, incremental process of retraining the mind to touch reality in a new way, and the process described in the simplest path is the same as that followed in Zen practice, especially Rienzi Zen koan study (I'll have more to say about this in a later paragraph). Casspriano's approach and language is very different from traditional Zen (more "scientific," and no sitting meditation is required), which I think would appeal to Americans and other Westerners seeking to experience "awakening" without necessarily committing themselves to a religion like Buddhism, but the internal mental/spiritual process and final destination are the same.

"Know yourself," on the other hand, is not in this book at all, at least not in the way the young reviewer, or Socrates for that matter, uses the phrase. As in Buddhism, Casspriano takes pains to demonstrate that "self" is as much of an illusion as our misapprehension of the phenomenal world, and is a byproduct of exactly the same mind process that creates outer Maya. A core teaching of Buddhism is that our "self," our personality/ego, is nothing more than an aggregation of outside influences that cluster together in our minds like shiny stones gathered into a pile, and which we mistake not only for something "real," but tragically, for our essential selves. Yet this "pile" has nothing really to do with who we are at all. Buddhism teaches "no-self." Belief in the illusion of a unique and independent "self" is our greatest obstacle to enlightenment. Wasting time and energy getting to "know yourself" in the Western sense is foreign to Eastern thought. Casspriano again does a great job of translating the Buddhist concept of "no-self" into Western scientific/spiritual terminology. He shows the process by which our ego/personality aggregate "piles up," as well as how to take the pile down, stone by stone. Enlightenment is what the pile was covering up, and so it naturally appears as soon as the pile is removed - but oh how we cling to our personal pile of stones! "Self" is what we must trade for enlightenment, what must be surrendered, and Casspriano returns to this truth many times in the simplest path. My point is that the one star reviewer's reduction of the simplest path to "know yourself" has no basis at all in the actual book.

As to the book being "gimmicky": Yes, the words "The Simplest Path" recur frequently throughout the book, but not in reference to the book itself (at least that's not how I took it), but rather to the system of understanding the mind and working toward "awakening" Casspriano is describing - and it is a complete system that deserves to be considered as a whole, on its own. At times the repetition does have a feel of "branding" in the commercial sense, so I understand where the reviewer may have taken his impression. But the simplest path, while resonant with Zen Buddhism (and apparently, according to Casspriano, with the Toltec philosophy espoused by Carlos Castaneda, of which I have no personal knowledge, so I'll have to take the author's word for that) is far enough different that it needs its own "name" to set it apart from other schools of similar but not identical thought. The reviewer's criticism is like saying that every use of the term "Zen" in a book called "Zen Buddhism" should be taken as a reference to the book, and not to the larger practice of Zen Buddhism as a spiritual discipline that the book is describing. Casspriano's point in repeatedly linking The Simplest Path, Zen Buddhism and Toltec Shamanism throughout the book, at least as I understood it, is to highlight these three spiritual practices as related reliable paths through a dark forest of illusion, a forest in which many apparent (and more popular) paths, including most (all?) religious beliefs, actively vie to mislead travelers toward deeper ensnarement in the dream, rather than leading them toward "awakening."

I want to say a word about koan study in Rienzi Zen and how it relates to the simplest path. Koans are those quirky Zen sayings and stories like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" or "what was your original face before you (or your parents) were born?" that have no rational answer, and which Zen students turn and turn in their minds like the tumblers of a combination lock until their imprisoned psyches "explode" in a "super-rational" experience of reality beyond the illusion ("irrational" would be the wrong term, as that implies "nonsense"). That "super-rational" vision of reality is called "kensho." I have experienced it myself, more than once in my lifetime. I have come to think of Casspriano's "Key Questions" in the second half of the simplest path, especially the later seven of the ten, as "cultural koans" designed to trigger "collective kensho" for the whole human race at once. Like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?", unflinching consideration of the value of human life, of how our beliefs about the future shape the present, of the true origin and destiny of life on Earth, etc., especially as seen through the lens of Casspriano's "Key Question Technique," reveals that none of these questions have rational answers, yet all require our active and immediate response. Successful resolution of these larger riddles that impact everyone will require us all to eventually "explode" into reality, together, in a "super-rational" way. We'll have to break through the illusion and wake up together, as one (which has been the goal of Mahayana Buddhism, of which Zen is a sect, since around 200 BCE). That is the "Planetary Awakening" addressed in this book, and I believe Casspriano's "Key Questions" are a concrete step in that direction. I'm glad I spent my fifteen dollars.

This is my "old man" take on the simplest path, having encountered it after 30 years of Zen Buddhist practice (I'm not veering off my chosen path here, just bowing respectfully in passing toward Casspriano's). From a Buddhist perspective, the simplest path is true Dharma, though I do not get the impression from reading his book that Vincent Casspriano is himself a Buddhist or a follower of any religion. That to my mind makes his book all the more interesting.

True, but gimmicky.......2007-08-09

Casspriano's book is scientifically and philosophically sound as best as my young mind can tell, but I don't recommend this book. Its scattered with numerous pages of advertising about how his "program" works and how it compares to other religions and spiritual movements. Why must this author physically write out "The Simplest Path" in reference to his book every other page, and talk about his second volume? Perhaps because he's not out for pure truth, but for our money.

All this book comes down to after you strip away the nonsense is two things. First, admit that you don't truly know anything. Second, know yourself. Do those two things (they essentially both mean to question EVERYTHING), and you'll have Casspriano's "Planetary Awakening," with 15 bucks still in your pocket. And you'll be following the fundamental truths already said by Socrates.. so do yourself a favor and pick up Plato's "Apology" and read up on the Socratic dialogue on how to live a good life. And don't stop there, because you can't be sure he's right.

And I have 10 bucks that says these other couple of reviews were written by the book publisher. In any case, ignore the hype.

A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call.......2007-05-15

This is one of the most clear-headed books I've read in years on the subject of real, nitty gritty, get your hands dirty spiritual development (as opposed to the fru fru New Age variety). So much of what passes for "spirituality" in our time amounts to some author, celebrity, priest, philosopher or self-appointed guru telling us what to "believe," sight unseen, if we want to reach heaven, attain enlightenment, achieve "ascension," etc. Casspriano takes an at times startling opposite approach. For Casspriano, such unquestioned/unquestionable beliefs are not only NOT the path to spiritual awakening, they represent the chief obstacle blocking our realization of higher consciousness. And it's not just religious beliefs ("faith") he's talking about, but all our beliefs about reality, especially those that enclose our thinking in "boxes" that limit our freedom to find solutions to real-world threats like Peak Oil, overpopulation, Global Warming, etc. Though much of the book focuses on individual enlightenment, for Casspriano, these larger planetary issues are "spiritual," as well. Whether the issue is our personal inability to find happiness or Humanity's collective rush toward physical extinction, the cause is the same - our wrong-headed beliefs about what's real. The solution is the same, as well - continuous, deep questioning. Using Richard Dawkins' concept of "memes" as a central metaphor, Casspriano first breaks down the basic process of belief, showing the mechanism in our brains by which beliefs misdirect and control our psyches, then he walks the reader through an exploration of a series of ten "anti-meme questions" aimed at breaking down the walls of our mental "boxes" and setting our minds free. With each question, he supplies an exercise designed to allow the reader to attain a personal taste of reality "beyond the box," especially as flavored by that chapter's "Key Question." For the most part, this formula works very well (with a few rare moments of over-exuberance on the author's part, as already described in other reviews, though as a card carrying vegan environmentalist, I can't say I particularly minded), delivering a cumulative series of death-blows to some of the most basic "pillars" of our present human consensus reality. Beyond the walls those pillars supported lies real reality, where we are all interconnected and interdependent, and, in Casspriano's view, mutually destined for greatness, if we can just wake up and grab the reins of our runaway culture in time. This is not a book for spiritual "feel gooders" seeking soft assurances that they're perfect just they way they are and everything's going to be all right, no matter what. This is a wake up call, a tool kit and a concrete action plan for becoming individually enlightened and collectively saving the world, all rolled up into one. That, I think, is a cause well-worthy of exuberance.

Challenge Consensus Reality!.......2007-05-10

This is a thoughtful book that addresses how we may go about developing a process to question our everyday consensus reality. I suppose if I have learned anything in 49 years of life, it is that all personal and social problems stem from our fundamental views on the nature of reality itself. Vincent Casspriano uses the concept of a "meme" as a fundamental unit of ideas, assumptions, etc. that often block our understanding of reality itself. One such meme, for example, may be that we have to "fight for our freedom" or the world's a "fearful" place and hence, we have to be ready to kill to protect ourselves. I suppose you could also use the word "paradigm" here as well, but the essential point of this book is that we "unconsciously" function in our life with many limited points of view that block our ability to solve problems on both a personal and a social basis.

While Vince Casspriano is to be congradulated for producing a book that presents both a methodology and a motivation for personal transformation, there are a few pitfalls here that the potential reader should be aware of before tackling this material. The author has some rather strong views on fossil fuel consumption, meet consumption, and the role of humans in the cycle of procreation. While I generally agree with his analysis on fossil fuel consumtion and meat consumption (as I have viewed large tracks of deforrested grazing land in developing countries), these viewpoints can distract the reader from the essential point here which is to rigourously question consensus reality. Since I am single, and have no motivation to have children, I definitely disagree with his views on the necessity of human procreation on this planet, but here again, it is important to extract the essential meaning rather than get caught in the specific political/social debates that these issues may spawn.

If you are serious about personal transformation with the potential for changing our global consciousness, than this book can be an invaluable tool. I do agree with the Author that a world population of "high functioning" people can resolve every planetary problem we face today. As we systematically question our consensus reality, we will see our problems in new ways, and with this new perspective, problems can often be quickly resolved or transcended.

A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us".......2006-11-13

I considered titling this review, "Stop Whining, Wake Up and Get Busy Saving the World," but decided "Eating Us" would be more attention-grabbing - which matters because I believe Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" is an important book, and I want to do whatever I can to draw your attention to it. Pick the title you like best. Both very fittingly describe what you will find within the pages of this remarkable new release from New Paradigm Press.

I have selected three short quotations to explore in this review that I think best summarize Casspriano's overall message:

From Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":

"Right now, this very moment, you are asleep... Even if you are reading these words in broad daylight - sitting at your desk or beside the kitchen table, your feet firmly planted on the floor, eyes open, senses alert, feeling the weight of this book in your hands as sounds of life rise and fall rhythmically around you - you are deeply asleep, and dreaming furiously"

Now, the idea that Humans are sleeping, and must therefore "awaken," is by no means unique to Casspriano's "Simplest Path" spiritual system, being the root observation underlying pretty much all Eastern religion, and a lot of Western Occultism and New Age metaphysics, as well. In fairness, Casspriano makes no claim to this as an original insight, openly supporting his assessment of the human predicament with quotations taken from Animism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. He then flows seamlessly into a list of complementary illustrations from the secular realms of Quantum Physics, brain/consciousness research, and most to-the-point, the study of memes and memetics, ala Evolutionary Biologist and world's best-known cheerleader for scientific atheism, Richard Dawkins.

If you've never heard of memes or memetics, a quick Google of those terms will reveal hundreds of serious, information-rich websites devoted to this now thirty-year old science. In a nutshell, a "meme" is a sort of contagious thought-form that spreads between people by way of imitation. Obvious memes in our environment include advertising jingles, fads and fashions, etc. Casspriano somewhat radically extends the concept to include just about everything that makes up the contents of our individual brains and shared human culture. While he resists redefining the word "meme" wholesale, he decidedly expands its definition to make memes and "memeplexes" (what you get when a number of memes band together into an organic, relational unit, like a religion or cultural or political movement) the basic, fundamental building blocks of everything we habitually label "real..."

And then he demonstrates, in at times excruciating detail, the complete emptiness of the "apparent-reality" that is a byproduct of memetic activity in our brains. What we call "real" is not real at all. It's an illusion spun up by our memes. And our memes are not original to us. They are "viral invaders" assailing our minds from without. Worse - and, while even this thought is not wholly unique to Casspriano, he certainly gives it his own very effective spin - memes are by no means mere passive beliefs or simple "harmless ideas." They are, Casspriano believes, actively predatory psychic parasites whose survival depends on our buying into the illusions they create in our minds. Think of illusion (Samsara, Maya, etc.) as a web we're caught in. Memes are the spider. We are the fly. Gotcha.

One thing I like very much about Casspriano's book is that he never asks us to take anything on faith, least of all this rather ugly depiction of the human psychic/spiritual condition. He not only challenges readers to test his hypothesis firsthand in order to experience what is real and true for ourselves, he spends a large chunk of the book outlining specific exercises anyone can do to escape memetic interference and personally experience reality as-it-is. The exercises in Part II of the book are powerful medicine... But this is a digression, so let me return to the point.

Memes are the spider, and we are the fly. A better metaphor might be that memes are the farmer, and we are the cow. Domesticated and docile, we allow memes to milk us daily, to extract from our minds the potent human psychic energy which, if reclaimed by us and put to proper human use, would quickly and positively transform our lives and our world. This transformation is awakening, ascension, enlightenment, metanoia, the Buddha-like change of consciousness most religions and spiritual systems on Earth hint at, but few ever actually deliver to followers. In this analysis, Casspriano's "Simplest Path" is very much in line with Gurdjieff's "Fourth Way," Carlos Castaneda's Toltec sorcery, and a few other well known spiritual practices inhabiting a somewhat darker, though perhaps more realistic corner of the New Age. But unlike most of those other systems, Casspriano's prescription for escaping illusion and awakening to reality is remarkably, well... simple.

From Chapter Three, "Waking Up":

"The simple truth is that we are sleeping because we lack sufficient energy to wake up."

And later in the same chapter:

"The real work that brings about awakening, rather than merely granting the external appearance of "being spiritual," while actually embroiling us ever more deeply in the dream, is a rigorous, daily commitment to the identification and elimination of every self-serving belief from which our personal dream-lives are constructed."

For "belief" in the quotation above, read "meme/memeplex." Casspriano certainly does, treating the terms as largely interchangeable. In the end, this genuinely simple - at least in the sense of being uncomplicated and pragmatic - spiritual practice amounts to discovering reality as-it-actually-is less by searching for a glimpse beyond the illusion, than by systematically withdrawing our participation in, and identification with, the dream. When we disentangle our psyches from memetic illusion, only reality remains. We don't have to chase it; to a meme-free mind, reality just appears. This is "Satori" in Zen Buddhism. This is "stopping the world" in the Toltec sorcery of Castaneda and others. Casspriano's genius lies in his talent for exposing the core mechanism behind such complex and often inscrutable spiritual systems, and for putting into plain language clear instructions for unraveling the dream and achieving personal awakening. The virus-like process by which memes take over and control our human minds, as described by Casspriano is, to my mind, very complicated (but well worth struggling through). What is genuinely simple about "The Simplest Path," however, is Casspriano's prescription for breaking those bonds, once you've made the effort to understand how they are created and maintained. For Casspriano, remaining a victim of spiritual sleep and energetic exploitation by memes is a complex activity in which we unconsciously invest enormous amounts of psychic energy every day of our lives. Awakening is the product of a simple act of withdrawing that investment, which automatically re-energizes of our minds and lives. Or as Casspriano cleverly phrases it when closing Chapter Three, "Waking Up":

"Unweave the tapestry of the dream, and awakening happens."

Anyone can do this. Spiritual awakening, in Casspriano's view, may be hard work, but it is not complicated work. The path to enlightenment is really rather shockingly simple. Fall out of love with the dream. Reclaim your psychic energy. Wake up to reality.

The ten "Key Questions" Casspriano explores in the second section of the book are designed to put the theory laid out in Part I to practical and immediate use. Essentially, I think Casspriano sees these ten issues - why we treat enlightenment as an "airy-fairy" ideal instead of a measurable transformation of brain functioning, the excuses we make for avoiding personal responsibility and integrity along the lines of Castaneda's "impeccability," the fallacy of belief in a "separate self," etc. - as pillars of both our personal and collective human dreams. They are by no means an exhaustive listing of the memes twisting our minds. But they are primary keystones on which layers upon layers of the grand illusion are built. Topple these ten baseline pillars and the larger structure crumbles.

Casspriano explores some "Keys" more successfully than others. One downside to the book is that, especially in the "Keys," Casspriano's own memetic prejudices shine at times rather glaringly through, as when, in his discussion of the American "What Would Jesus Do?" religious fad, he characterizes the Evangelical Christian purveyors of WWJD as, "ultra-conservative, right wing ideologues." Even should the reader personally agree with such pronouncements, its hard to resist thinking, "Hey Vince! Your memes are showing!" But where he nails his point, Casspriano's prose can be downright inspiring, as with the "Key" cosmological study "Is Earth the Center of the Universe?," which explores the gap between what we know, scientifically, about the Universe and what our daily choices and behavior says we really believe, about the cosmos and about ourselves. His closing "Key" "Are We Alone?" so poetically frames the true stakes of our global human predicament - species survival VS extinction - that its hard to imagine anyone keeping their gaze glued squarely to their own self-involved navel in the wake of reading it. Of course we are not alone. There are six and a half billion of us on Planet Earth, and whether we awaken to what's best in us or follow our darkest drives over History's cliff into oblivion, we do so as one. One planet, one fate.

This notion of "oneness" and of a common, intertwined human spiritual and biological destiny is a core theme in The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND that sets it apart from any spiritual book in recent memory. My final quotation from the book returns us to the opening lines of Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":

"We are all aware of the challenges facing us as we enter together into the 21st Century:

· World oil supplies are running out.

· Global warming is transforming the Earth into a steamy greenhouse.

· Even as our technology connects the world, ideological extremism, terrorism and militarism divide us as never before.

· Headlines bombard us with news of war, famine, pestilence and death until we feel overwhelmed and unable to respond.

· Time is running out..."

Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Transformation, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" does not offer easy escape from these very pressing real-world human ills, but rather, a down to Earth, workable prescription for their cure. Yes, we must awaken as individuals, and, rest assured, "The Simplest Path" shows spiritual seekers exactly how to do that. But a prime message of "The Simplest Path" is that, for personal awakening to have meaning, it must occur within the context of a complete re-visioning of global culture, and a mass wrenching away of the wheel of History from the control of viral memes, that we might create a common cosmic human destiny worthy of our highest potential as a species.

Now that's a meme worth feeding.

Psychic Vampires: Protection From Energy Predators & Parasites

Average customer rating:

Personal energy: it's uses and misuses
What a waste of time...
Slate doesn't cover all the bases with this book.
Psychic Vampires
Interesting Topic but Lack of Evidence

Psychic Vampires: Protection From Energy Predators & Parasites
Joe H. Slate
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Mental & Spiritual Healing | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ESP | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Energy Healing | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0738701912

Amazon.com

Given the catchy title, some might think Psychic Vampires is a tongue-in-cheek book about all the annoying friends and family members who drain our energy. But Joe H. Slate, an academic researcher and practicing psychologist, has written an earnest discussion on a lesser-known form of vampirism: predators who feed off human energy rather than blood. Every psychic-vampire attack "consumes its victim's energy and over the long haul destroys the energy system itself," he writes. Victims of repeated vampire attacks may experience "chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances ... excessive anxiety, sexual indifference, and impaired memory." Much of Slate's book speaks to warding off these toxic energy attacks. (These psychic attacks take many forms: one-on-one conversations, a touch on the shoulder, or even a long-distance thought assault.) The best defense is a "strong internal system," claims Slate, who suggests numerous exercises and tools for boosting personal energy. Despite the havoc they wreak, most of Slate's vampires are not portrayed as evil life suckers, but rather people caught in a debilitating cycle of energy addiction. --Gail Hudson

Customer Reviews:

Personal energy: it's uses and misuses .......2007-03-26

I chose this book for my Metaphysical Discussion Group. I bought it originally to learn how to block people that try to access my energy without my permission.

We all know these people. The guy at work that gets in your face and talks really loud and fast so you can't hold your own in the conversation. The woman that stops you in the hall to gossip about your co-workers and cause dissent. The family member that calls to complain about the fact that you don't call them. These are all techniques that psychic vampires use.

We've all walked into a room and noticed the mood of the group. Sometimes, although not a word is said, it's obvious that everyone is stressed, or sad, or expectant. Mob behavior is another manifestation of sharing energy. People that would never riot or attack another person, do so because they are overwhelmed by the emotions that those around them are giving off.

Many abusive relationships are a result of psychic vampirism. The dominant person controls the other by withholding positive energy except for short periods of time to keep the person "hooked'.

There are positive examples of sharing energies also. For example, a mother and her infant are sometimes so closely linked that she knows when the baby needs her. I know personally one mother that woke in the night in a panic, ran to the babies crib, and found him totally blue. She screamed and he woke up, probably just in time. The next day they found out he had SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), and he had to wear a monitor for over a year to keep from slipping away in his sleep. Negative experiences have been known to dry up a mother's milk.

We all live each day with our own emotions, but we also live with the emotions of others.

This book explains what psychic vampirism is, teaches how to spot the energy vampires in our lives, how to block them from both taking energy without our permission and feeding us negative energy, and to make sure we aren't violating anyone else's energy!

There are a few self-tests and many 'how-to' examples for protection and strengthening out energy. It is excellent for personal use, or a discussion group.

What a waste of time..........2006-06-11

Where exactly should I begin with this review? Well, this book is a one that is written by a person who portrays him self as a very prejudice (depending on how you view things a racist too) person through the writing contained in this book. He writes this book as a person who's only experience with a psychic vampire is his aunt, who is a shady charater to begin with, who is claimed to have discovered eternal life: vampirsism. He uses his "personal experiences" whith her and a viewing of her extraordinary powers as his fuel for his vampire burning fire. He claims that psychic vamprism is a disease that affects the mind in that it creates a need for energy. But what his aunt discovered, according to him, was the powers to extinguish candles from accros the room and make objects levitate. If psychic vamprism was a disease that gave PK (psycho-kinesis)powers, then I think this would be more of a mutation. So I could say many more bad things about this book, but there is one silver lining in this cloud. The only redeeming value to this book is some of the protection techs. They can be handy at times. But over all this book is not worth buying, maybe borrowing from a friend for the protection techniques. Over all, this book felt like it was an excuse for an author to express his hate for his aunt, his "psychic vampire" relative, and all those who are "plagued" by vamprism.

Slate doesn't cover all the bases with this book........2006-04-30

While this book is very effective in strengthening a person's energy system, and may help in providing basic defense against unconcsious psychic vampires, it doesn't provide the reader with a way to defend themself against a psychic vampire who is conscious of his/her 'ability'. In this case, the book actually opens one up to psychic attakc by providing a vampire with higher quality energy to feed from. And shielding is useless against psychic feeding, as it merely concentrates the energy outside of the body, making it EASIER to take. I wouldn't take this book TOO seriously.

Psychic Vampires.......2005-08-14

This book got only a 3 stars because even though it gave some good insight and how to protect our self from many types of energy sucking Vampires it just didnt have enough to keep me glued to the book.

Interesting Topic but Lack of Evidence.......2004-02-21

This book explores a phenomenon termed "psychic vampirism". Specifically, it deals with people who limit the energy and auras of others via vampiric tendencies that sometimes augment their own energy and aura. Amazing. However, the author does not cite a lot of evidence to support his claims. As a Ph.d. I would imagine that he would be accustomed to supporting all of his claims with facts. The problem with this book is that while there are some intriguing clues into psychic vampirism, the author combines reincarnation, astral projection, aura viewing, crystal healing, etc. without really proving any of them. There are some very interesting photographs of auras. The author should've provided more of that type of information instead of going from one claim to the next without really proving the vast majority of them.

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Overcoming Parasites Naturally
James R., Dr. Overman
Manufacturer: New Century Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Herbal Remedies | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Naturopathy | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Naturopathy | Alternative & Holistic | Medicine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1890035599
Release Date: 2006-10-20

Product Description

Control parasites naturally with herbs and the Harmonic Quad zapper.

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Fascinating
Not Wilson's best
a disappointment
Robert Heinlein Without the Sex
Excellent reading

The Mind Parasites
Colin Wilson
Manufacturer: Monkfish Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0974935999

Book Description

Wilson has blended H.P. Lovecraft's dark vision with his own revolutionary philosophy and unique narrative powers to produce a stunning, high-tension story of vaulting imagination. A professor makes a horrifying discovery while excavating a sinister archeological site. For over 200 years, mind parasites have been lurking in the deepest layers of human consciousness, feeding on human life force and steadily gaining a foothold on the planet. Now they threaten humanity's extinction. They can be fought with one weapon only: the mind, pushed to-and beyond-its limits. Pushed so far that humans can read each other's thoughts, that the moon can be shifted from its orbit by thought alone. Pushed so that man can at last join battle with the loathsome parasites on equal terms.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating.......2007-03-18

In 1994, Archeologist Gilbert Austin returns home after providing a lecture at the Middlesex Archeological Society. Before going to sleep he returns the call of three decades old friend Karel Weissman only to learn from his associate's secretary that he committed suicide.

Stunned as they stayed in contact and having no idea what motivated Weismann to take poison, Gilbert is further shocked upon receiving the final working research papers of his colleague. Weissman had insisted that mind parasites lived by feeding from the minds of human consciousness. Wanting to ignore what seems absurd; Gilbert soon begins to believe in the Weissman theory as there is obvious proof once you accept the validity of the underlying concept surfaces. At an archeological dig in Turkey he realizes that humanity is in a war of survival that has been ongoing for several centuries. Humanity just did not know it. Gilbert and a colleague Reich struggle to save humanity but they realize it may be too late to fight back as no weapon of sorts can be found that will not destroy the host.

The tale seems more like a memoir with much of the story line being passive and introspective, yet extremely deep. Colin Wilson uses the MIND PARASITES as a horror-parable to explore the complex concept that a few can control the many in terms of thoughts. The WMD fiasco and the subsequent Bushie spins support the author's premise although the book was written before the recent communication revolution that enables a select few to manipulate communication to the many. Not easy to read, fans of cerebral reflexive science fiction will appreciate the Big Brother horror portrayed by Mr. Wilson's look at the collective consciousness of the masses manipulated by the brazen minority.

Harriet Klausner

Not Wilson's best.......2006-12-30

When I first read this book, I was gripped by 19th century composers like Berlioz, Alkan, Liszt, and I laughed out loud at Wilson's audacious pathological explanation of 19th-c. romanticism on page 58 ff. of my Arkham House edition. It's as others say--this is a novel of ideas. If you can imagine Freud with the Id fleshed out as a character (the mind parasites), then you will be intrigued by this novel.

But Colin Wilson unfortunately adopted not just some of the mythos but also some of the writing style of H.P. Lovecraft. The book is hard going, and the narrator, a cerebral Oxford-don type that must have been already dated in 1967, is a bore.

Wilson credits Lovecraft, Derleth, and the movie _Forbidden Planet_ in his intro but fails to give any mention of the work he most blatently rips off: Jack Vance's 1951 novel _Nopalgarth_ presents an even more layered version of the Nopal (=mind parasites) and is more fun to read.

a disappointment.......2002-07-12

I honestly have to say that this novel was not very satisfactory. The basic premise was quite interesting, but the overall execution seemed fairly amatureish. Most of the sci-fi touches in particular were pretty laughable. Wilson's "The Philosopher's Stone" was much better.

Robert Heinlein Without the Sex.......2002-03-11

Wilson almost never writes anything that doesn't revolve around his "Faculty X" theories, and this is no exception. He is a philosopher far more than he is a storyteller, though his novels are generally well worth the read anyway. At his worst, Wilson comes off sounding like a pitch-man for EST - his heroes miraculously become supermen of Herculean mental abilities seemingly by nothing but an act of will, and resort to trickery and ruthlessness to control the masses, lessening their impact as sympathetic characters - but at his best, Wilson sounds a genuine note of hope for human self-improvement.

This was Wilson's first sci-fi effort, and was written more than a third of a century ago, so it has to be cut a certain amount of slack. The basic plot is simple Lovecraft: evil aliens are keeping the human race down, and it's up to the Supermen to save Earth. You've probably read better, but The Mind Parasites is still worth rummaging around the used books bin to find.

Excellent reading.......2001-12-24

Imagination works in strange ways. This book helped me to open some new doors in my mind. And I think it changed also my view on the world.
I've read it several times (at least 3) after some years in between. Even if story loses its novelty, some ideas and thoughts are quite remarkable till this very moment. I would recommend this to any person, which is more or less seriously interested in SF and related imaginative reading.
Currently I have 2 writers on my "top of the pyramid" - polish one Stanislaw Lem and Colin Wilson. Whatever you might think about their literary styles, ideas and stories are remarkable and mind provoking and well worth time spent to read them - even if you will do this several times.

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The Mind Parasites

Manufacturer: Oneiric Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H6D1OY

Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures

Average customer rating:

There ain't no bugs on me, but I don't know about thee.

Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures

Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0965007588

Product Description

Worms, protozoa, and other terrifying parasites, capable even of mind control. Author calls them the real drivers of evolution.

Customer Reviews:

There ain't no bugs on me, but I don't know about thee........2007-05-29

"Whence, thinkest thou, kings and parasites arose?" (Percy Bysshe Shelley, "Queen Mab").

"Parasite Rex" is an interesting look at the evolution and biology of parasites--but only for the strong of stomach.

In a sense it was comforting to read that we are not the most savage, efficient predators on Earth. Witness the parasite Sacculina that turns crabs into zombies--the slug-like female enters the crab through a convenient leg joint and gradually fills its whole body cavity, even wrapping roots around its host's eyestalks. The crab continues its shadow-crab life, sidling through the surf, eating mussels and clams. However, it stops moulting and growing as these activities would funnel energy away from Sacculina. If the parasite becomes pregnant, it doesn't matter whether the crab started out as male or female--it will brood and hatch the next generation of Sacculina as if the tiny larvae were its own children.

Sacculina's life-style is rather hard on the crab, but it is only one of the amazingly efficient (and bizarre) parasites described in this book. Other parasites have adopted Sacculina's method of eliminating their host's unnecessary functions such as reproduction (unnecessary to the parasite, that is) while leaving the host enough brain, nervous system, and digestive tract to go on feeding.

I imagine if there were a Sacculina-type parasite for humans, we would soon lose our urge to play football or go swimming. We would lie in front of the TV all day long, stuffing ourselves with---wait a minute, here! Is it possible...?

Zimmer also describes the stratagems that potential hosts have evolved to eliminate, or at least confuse the parasites that view them as mobile homes with well-stocked refrigerators:

"Consider the leaf-rolling caterpillars. They're pretty ordinary insect larvae with one exception: they fire their droppings like howitzers...What on Earth could have driven the evolution of an anal cannon? Parasites could. When parasitic wasps home in on a larva such as the leaf-roller caterpillar, one of the best clues is the odor of their host's droppings...The intense pressure put on leaf-roller caterpillars by [parasitic] wasps has pushed the evolution of high-pressure fecal firing. By getting their droppings away from them, the caterpillars have a better chance of not being found by wasps."

Even plants have evolved defenses against parasites, usually by creating poisonous chemicals that the parasite ingests as it chomps on the plant. Some plants will even emit a scent that attracts predator wasps to the caterpillar that is munching on their leaves (so much for high-pressure fecal cannons).

Be sure to read Chapters seven and eight: "The Two-Legged Host; and "How to Live in a Parasitic World," and ponder the statement, "A parasite that has no self-regulation is going to put itself out of existence and may take its host with it."

Could we humans be considered parasitic to Earth, itself?

"Parasite Rex" has detailed footnotes, a "Further Reading and Selected Bibliography" section, and an index for those readers who would like to pursue this fascinating subject. Carl Zimmer has also written, "At Water's Edge" and is a frequent contributor to "Discover," "National Geographic," "Natural History," "Nature," and "Science."

Defending Life: The nature of host-parasite relations

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Defending Life: The nature of host-parasite relations
Elling Ulvestad
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Consciousness & Thought | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Immunology | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Microbiology | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1402056753

Product Description

Defending Life discusses the relationship between hosts and parasites. A major contention of the book is that the immune system depends ontologically on the ecosystem in which it is embedded; it would not have the features it has if it was not related in one way or other to parasitic agents and to the host s own cells and tissues. To sustain the argument, life is investigated at all layers from molecules up through cells, organisms and ecosystems. Together with the inverse course, which goes from ecological contingencies down to gene-expression profiles, the approach facilitates an advanced understanding of immunocompetence as well as its converse, immunoincompetence. The emphasis on analytical abstractions, coherent patterns and generative mechanisms makes possible the distinction between genuine causality and coincidental associations, and thus increases the understanding of why we observe what we observe. The book contains detailed descriptions of the immune system and the microbial world as well as methodological and conceptual clarifications.

Eliminate the Parasites That Are Keeping You Sick

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Eliminate the Parasites That Are Keeping You Sick
Loren Biser
Manufacturer: University of Natural Healing Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000MOPR5C

Product Description

A special report published by the University of Natural Healing In this report you will learn: What diseases parasites can cause. The two methods you must use to kill hookworms or tapeworms. Why colonics by themselves will not eliminate worms. Which type of plant material helps to loosen and flush out the nesting areas of the parasites. How to kill parasites no matter what part of the body they are in. Much more that no one ever told you!

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Mind Parasite, The
Colin Wilson
Manufacturer: Panther
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000KXTS0A

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THE MIND PARASITES
C. WILSON
Manufacturer: SCIENCE FICTION BOOK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SDHJ6C

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