Book Description
From the outside, Buddhism seems like a bundle of contradictions wrapped inside a paradox. It is a religion without a god, a belief system without rules, and a faith that encourages its adherents to question everything, including its own teachings. You could spend a lifetime studying Buddhist texts and following its observances and still feel like you’ve only just barely scratched the surface. Yet, over the past 2500 years, this lovely religion that preaches compassion, generosity, tolerance, selflessness and self-awareness has commanded the fervent devotion of hundreds of millions of people around the world who believe it to be the true path to enlightenment.
If you’re curious about Buddhism but feel intimidated by all the exotic jargon and strange trappings, this book is for you. Written by two leading American Buddhist teachers and scholars, it offers you a uniquely friendly way to explore the fascinating history of Buddhism and discover:
- Who Buddha was and his significance in world history and spirituality
- How the practice of Buddhism can enrich your everyday life
- How Buddha’s teachings combine to create a path to enlightenment
- Daily observances and meditation practices
- How to fulfill your highest potential through Buddhism
In plain English, experts Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian define the important terms, explain the key concepts and explore, in-depth a wide range of topics, including:
- Buddha’s life and teachings and the evolution of the major Buddhist traditions
- How Buddhism works as a religion, philosophy of life and a practical approach to dealing with life’s problems, all rolled into one
- The idea that the mind is the source of all happiness and suffering
- How the practices of wisdom and compassion can connect you with your inner spiritual resources
- Meditation and other core Buddhist practices and how they can affect your everyday life
- How to apply Buddhist teachings at each stage along the spiritual path
Whether you’re a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what’s got Richard Gere and all the rest of those celebrity Buddhists so excited, Buddhism For Dummies is your intro to Buddhism basics.
Customer Reviews:
Somewhat disappointing..........2007-06-24
Honestly, I was expecting more. These "dummies" books give the authors almost unlimited opportunity to explain something in detail, yet make it interesting and enlightening. What I would have wanted to see was more history on the story of Siddhartha and how he became Buddha. I also thought the book was biased toward the Tibet way of Buddhism and those looking for more about Zen are going to be disappointed. The book almost reads like a college textbook and that is just dry dry dry. Yuck.
A good intro..........2007-05-19
Being new to Buddhism, I found this book to be a very easy-to-understand source of information. It touches on many aspects of Buddhism, inviting the reader to turn to other resources, listed in Appendix B, for more in-depth information.
This book covers the main themes of Buddhism without becoming too overwhelming with technical terms.
While some people may not like the 'For Dummies' books, I appreciate the blend of serious information and touches of humor found in them. This was true in Buddhism for Dummies.
Fantastic.......2006-11-11
Buddhism has always interested me but it is only recently I began to read up on the practice. This book is fantastic for my education. It is easy to understand, well tagged, can be read is small stages, and an enjoyment to have at my bedside.
Could not really present a picture.......2006-09-11
The greatest failure in Buddhism for Dummies is that authors Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian forgot the target audience. How this is possible with the words `for Dummies' in the title is somewhat of a mystery to me. It's not the case that this book is intended literally for dummies, of course, but it is intended for readers with little or no background on Buddhism and generally it is marketed in the English-speaking world. Thus, the authors would have been well-advised to arrange the material differently. What the reader will find after an extremely brief general introduction is a history of Buddhist development. While this need not be a bad thing, Buddhist history is made up largely of splintering of Buddhism into a variety of sub-groups with sometimes subtle differences among them. How should the brand-new reader approach all these new topics?
Beyond the confusing history the reader finds Buddhism in practice. But there, again, we find a heavy emphasis on the Buddhist monk and the lifestyle such a person adopts. While this can be interesting, it seems a funny choice of starting material for Buddhist practice. Eventually the authors do deliver some answers on the question, `what is Buddhism really?' While more comprehensible than earlier sections, I can't say that the ultimate explanations are very clear. If asked to explain Buddhism now I could say little more than I could prior to reading the book. While the authors are clearly enthusiastic, they never really bring it all together in a form that's remotely compelling. Granted Buddhism is very different from Western religions and philosophies, but I can't believe that this is the most comprehensible description and introduction possible in this format and length.
All I ever wanted to know.......2006-08-23
The study of Buddhism is ultimately rewarding once one can get past all of the variant traditions. This book does just that in a readable and fun manner. The title can be off-putting but the contents are anything but. The authors have done an amazing job of explaining the many paths of Buddhism in a clear and non-confusing manner. I highly recommend this book.
Book Description
Kabbalah For Dummies presents a balanced perspective of Kabbalah as an “umbrella” for a complex assemblage of mystical Jewish teachings and codification techniques. Kabbalah For Dummies also shows how Kabbalah simultaneously presents an approach to the study of text, the performance of ritual and the experience of worship, as well as how the reader can apply its teaching to everyday life.
Customer Reviews:
Amazig book .......2007-10-01
Truly this is an amazing book comparison with Idiot's guide to Kabbala which was terrible. This book has been informative and made me have even a closer understanding and relationship to G-d and His Mitsvot. Idiot's guid book divorces Judaism from Kabbala and all the mitsvot while this book places Kabbala in prospective. Its easy to read and will get you closer to Hashem. I highly recommend it.
Great Beginners Book.......2006-12-13
This book is very informative, well writen, and basic for new students of kabbalah and individuals interested in the subject. Kabbalah is a difficult topic to understand and learn. The author did a wonderful job by making it kabbalah easy to understand. I have read over 20 kabbalah books and would sometime have questions about the books I have read. I did not have that issue when i read this book, my questions were answered.
I also love the fact the author teaches you how to pronounce many of the jewish words. I will now pronounce the words correctly with the group of students I study kabbalah with.
As a kabbalah student I now understand the Tree of Life (Ten Sefirot) more from the book. I finally learned how to connect to it and the meaning about each sefirot.
I highly recommened this book, add it to your shopping cart right now. :)
Average customer rating:
- Really liked "Spirituality for Dummies"
- Great introduction to spirituality!
- This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for!!
- Good Book - Bad Music
- Gets a point across
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Spirituality for Dummies
Sharon Janis
Manufacturer: For Dummies
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Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind
ASIN: 0764552988 |
Amazon.com
Spirituality for Dummies is for smart souls who know that we are all really beginners when it comes to understanding spirituality. Like all books for dummies, the layout is filled with lots of information boxes, bulleted lists, humorous cartoons, quick tips, and pithy quotes (from Marcus Aurelius to George Carlin).
Fortunately, author Sharon Janis put a lot of research into this informative discussion on spiritual growth. As a result, she maintains a solid voice that transcends the cluttered and sometimes superficial format. Spiritual practices, such as yoga and mediation, are briefly explained along with how to cultivate spiritual values and rise above suffering. At times she offers the kindly voice of experience: "When I'm able to give something to another person, I know it is God giving through me. Then, rather than expecting anything in return I am grateful for having been of service." At other times she is the voice of a well-educated teacher: "Ex means 'out of,' while status is a 'fixed condition.' This means that, in a way, the more fixed conditions you have to move out of, the more ecstatic you can become. Therefore every trouble in your life is really a beautiful gift to be unwrapped." --Gail Hudson
Book Description
A quiet voice within is telling you that there is more to life than what you can perceive with your five senses. Sometimes you feel that the material world, with all its cares and vanities is a veil of illusions beyond which lies a truth that transcends race, gender, ethnicity, status, family, job and worldly ambitions. Christ, Buddha, Muhammad, Lao-tsu, Plato, and other spiritual teachers down through the ages dedicated their lives to the pursuit of that that higher truth, and their words live on to inspire us. Because it extends beyond matter, spirituality cannot be fully expressed in words, but the spirit exists inside you, and hearing the right words may trigger your own awakening to higher perception.
A book that will exhilarate your mind and inflame your soul, Spirituality For Dummies puts you on the path to living a more spiritual life. Author Sharon Janis simplifies not-so-simple concepts from an array of spiritual disciplines and shows you how to:
- Incorporate spirituality into your everyday life
- Uplift relationships with all the people in your life
- Strengthen the connection between body and mind
- Fulfill your dreams through affirmations
- Grow through adversity
- Use spiritual practices to bring meaning into your life
In plain English, Janis explores spiritual ideas from a variety of religious and philosophical texts in combination with relevant psychological and scientific research. Topics covered include:
- Uncovering your own spirit and expanding your awareness
- How science and spirituality fit together
- Spiritual practices to energize your body, empower your mind, and nourish your spirit
- Cultivating compassion, truthfulness, humility and other spiritual virtues
- Moving from greed and worldly attachments to spiritual freedom
- Seeking spirituality in every moment
Spirituality For Dummies also includes a bonus audio CD featuring more than 60 minutes of inspirational music, including:
- Gospel songs from the Agape international choir
- Eastern songs and chants performed in their native languages
- Christian chanting by the Desert Fathers
A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first humble step. Spirituality For Dummies brings spirituality down to earth to help you on take your first humble steps toward higher consciousness.
Customer Reviews:
Really liked "Spirituality for Dummies".......2007-06-22
Sharon is humorous as well as informative and wise...definitely this book is a keeper. That's all I have to say for the spitiual seekers out there.
Great introduction to spirituality!.......2007-06-08
This book is a great introduction to spiritual concepts which has helped me begin a spiritual journey. The book presents a different way of looking at the world, which is helpful to me since I was raised in a traditional Christian environment.
This book has given me enough background information to understand more complicated texts, which is exactly why I bought it.
The author does a great job of incorporating traditions and sayings from many different religions. It is well written and easy to understand - even humorous!
This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for!!.......2007-02-07
After years of wondering what the meaning of life was, and what my purpose here on earth is, I found this book! It helped me uncover the world of spirituality, which in turn helped me answer some of these most fundamental questions!
The book is such an easy read, and the author has a brilliant sense of humor. I often reference the book over and over, for information on certain specific subjects, which is very easy to do in the "Dummies" format. It is also written to embrace all religions, non-religions, races, genders, etc. It truly is a book for everyone!
I recommend this book to anyone seeking to grow spiritually, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (and still do)!
Good Book - Bad Music.......2006-11-04
I found this a good read in better understanding of the subject. It is a good beginning.
BUT the CD is worthless. The music is an insult to all the wonderful types of music that could have been included to support the search for a more spiritual life. Where is Mozart, Japanese flute, or Tibetan, etc.?
Gets a point across.......2006-09-13
While I was hoping for a more traditional, religious description of spirituality in Spirituality for Dummies, the end result that I found was also fairly illuminating. One of the common themes in many religions is a quest for what we call spirituality, roughly meaning a sense of universal connection and enlightenment. Author Sharon Janis has described this phenomenon focusing on spirituality directly rather than as an aspect of some particular religion or by comparison to any theology, though she does relate it somewhat more to Eastern traditions than to Western ones.
From the start her focus is on the ordinary, individual practitioner. In the context here, spirituality is a somewhat new-age experience (however old the traditions are elsewhere in the world). It relates to a notion of letting go of physical and material attachments. The word `attachment' is key, and Janis reiterates the common notion that anything in moderation is probably unproblematic. It boils down to the notion that if one never expects anything, one is never disappointed. Put another way, you can't take it with you. Put another way, ... the list of well-known sayings is quite long and familiar. Janis organizes her words well, and tries to relate an abundance of suggestions and ideas to a wide variety of issues in life. She does fall into the common-enough habit of `reminding' the reader of how unhappy he is with a `materialistic' or `consumer' culture. We can infer then that the target audience is one that has already accepted, implicitly or otherwise, that several aspects of Western Civilization are known to be flawed, harmful, or unproductive of overall happiness. Anyone satisfied with his or her own life is unlikely to be swayed by the book. On the other hand, many of these sayings, expanded and commented upon here, can provide some concise reminders that we should occasionally step back and examine our priorities. Sometimes thinking about our position in the universe and our relation to other people can serve as a reality-check. That much I think is accessible to any reader. For the rest, I'd venture to say that the reader will get out of Spirituality for Dummies as much as he is already ready to take in.
Book Description
Millions of people seek ways to relax, promote healing, or connect with their soul. Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a simple but profound healing system that was originally developed in Japan. Reiki means "spiritual energy" or "universal life-force energy." The Reiki system is universal because it can be used by people of any background or religion. Reiki For Dummies explains how you can harness this energy for yourself.
Reiki For Dummies is a plain-English Reiki guidebook. Discover what Reiki is, where it came from, and how to:
- Find and get the most from a Reiki treatment
- Use Reiki to boost your physical and emotional health
- Locate a Reiki class and become a Reiki practitioner
Reiki For Dummies is amply illustrated and full of useful information on:
- Reiki symbols (plus nontraditional symbols)
- Reiki hand positions (for giving Reiki to yourself or others)
- Reiki for pets and animals
- Reiki for children and adults
- Reiki and surgery or medicines
- Reiki at birth or end-of-life
- Reiki in the house, in the car, or at work
When you're ready to go further, Reiki For Dummies covers: Western and Japanese Reiki techniques; crystals, long distance Reiki, and setting up a successful Reiki practice.
Reiki For Dummies is for you whether you are just finding out about Reiki or you are a seasoned professional who is looking for a clearly written, up-to-date, inclusive, and comprehensive source of Reiki information.
Nina Paul, PhD (New York, NY), is a Reiki Master who uses Reiki to help herself and others. She has a doctorate in immunology and epidemiology and she believes in a holistic approach to health and wellness . Nina is also the author of the compassionate guide: Living with Hepatitis C For Dummies (0-7645-7620-8).
Download Description
The fun and easy way to explore the power of this popular energy-healing technique Though it originated long ago in Japan, Reiki-a gentle, noninvasive healing practice that uses guided life-force energy-is now offered as a complementary therapy by 60 percent of hospitals in the U.S. This plain-English guide explains what Reiki is, how it originated and evolved, and what conditions it can help alleviate. For people seeking treatment, it offers guidance on how to find a qualified Reiki practitioner and what to expect in an initial Reiki session; for people who want to become Reiki practitioners themselves, it discusses the training process and what it takes to get started as a Reiki healer. Nina Paul, PhD (New York, NY), is a Reiki Master in private practice. She holds doctorate in infectious disease epidemiology from Yale and is also the author of Living with Hepatitis C For Dummies (0-7645-7620-8).
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding reference guide!.......2007-10-02
I normally don't like dummies books but this is one of the best ones I have seen. I would recommend it to anyone thinking of getting into Reiki or who is just curious about healing, meditation or visualization type practices.
Comprehensive.......2006-12-06
Believe it or not, this is one of the best Reiki books i've found.
It's packed full of information, including Reiki history, Reiki principles, Reiki false beliefs, Reiki symbols, how to prepare to receive attunements and what to expect, step by step instructions on how to give healing sessions to yourself and others as well as information regarding the subtle etheric bodies, the chakras etc.., etc.. and much more.
The author clearly knows her stuff and is one of the more progressive Reiki masters, believing that Reiki should be affordable and available to all and that the Reiki symbols should be regarded as sacred but not secret.
R.E.
Safety Harbor, FL
Very informative.......2006-02-25
This reference book has a lot of little tidbits of information that some books will skip over or not go into enough detail for the regular person, like me, to be able to understand. Highly recommend it for someone who wants to broaden their learning.
Excellent Reiki book.......2006-02-23
I have read quite a number of Reiki books and this one is hands down the best all-around Reiki book that I have come across. It answered every single question that I have on Reiki. What I liked about it the most was the lack of "my way" in this book. Several ways of achieving the same goal are offered here so you are free to find your own style or method. So much information is packed into this book. Yes, the 4 symbols are included here and also several non-traditional symbols, including Karuna. You will not get attuned with this book, a Reiki Master Teacher must do that, but this book will be extremely helpful before and after being attuned to Reiki energy.
A great source of enlightenment and information!.......2006-01-24
Whether you have taken Reiki classes, received Reiki, or want to understand what Reiki is...this is the book for you. Clear and exact information for the well versed and the novice. I suggest this book for anyone with any desire to understand Reiki from the Root to the Crown.
Average customer rating:
- Very deep book
- A clear explanation and a great resource
- christian Prayer for Dummies
- an exceptionally legible pandect of wagner's methodology
- Good!!!!!!!!
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Christian Prayer for Dummies
Richard J. Wagner
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ASIN: 0764555006 |
Book Description
Advice and examples help you find your own prayer style
Discover how prayer works and why you need it now more than ever
Do you want to pray, but you're not sure how? This friendly guide explains the different kinds of prayer - revealing how and why to pray and how to discern God's answers. You'll see how to overcome hindrances, how to use a journal, and how to pray on your own. Discover what "Thy will be done" means and how to approach prayers that seemingly haven't been answered.
The Dummies Way
- Explanations in plain English
- "Get in, get out" information
- Icons and other navigational aids
- Tear-out cheat sheet
- Top ten lists
- A dash of humor and fun
Customer Reviews:
Very deep book.......2006-10-04
The best book I have ever read on Christian prayer. The book is very informative, very accurate, and very thorougly Bible-based. It enriched deeply my prayers as well as my relationship to God. The book covers all topics related with prayer from praying with your spouse and children to keeping a diary with your prayers.
A beautiful and moving book I would absolutely recommand for every sincere Christian.
A clear explanation and a great resource.......2006-04-28
For the two years and over that I've owned this book, it has become a great resource as a clear, understandable explanation of Christian prayer and as a practical guide for taking prayerful action. In my service as the prayer leader at my church, I use it as the textbook for a beginning class on prayer, and extra copies of it don't last long in our "bookstore." My thanks to Richard Wagner for this handy guide!
christian Prayer for Dummies.......2006-03-22
It was wonderful. It covered all aspects of prayer, including, many I wasn't even aware of. The book was written in clear, concise language. I recommend it for anyone interested in prayer.
an exceptionally legible pandect of wagner's methodology.......2004-05-17
this book ponders a philosophical practice of classical interactions relating the widespread patterns of spatial relativity with yet another example of the hidden depths of urban rhizomatic syncretist devotion. its adulation of exercises for idiosyncratic sidesplitting as both lawful and unorthodox places it among the most tantalizingly rigorous of contemporary christian methodologies. surely it is a large step from the so called objective (or 'outside') temptation of organic being, to the retrospective journey of a working life.
Good!!!!!!!!.......2003-05-05
This is an excellent book, it really teaches you to pray. It's very informative and interesting and cool! I'm very glad I read this book, it has helped me a lot.
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.
Book Description
Comprehensive interfaith coverage of the important female figures
This friendly, approachable guide introduces readers to the famous and infamous women of Scripture, describing in everyday language the contributions these women made in their time and ours. From Eve, Sarah, and Esther to Mary and Mary Magdalene, it discusses well-known women of both the Old and New Testaments, examining their role in Biblical narratives, their place in the Jewish and Christian faiths, and the lessons their stories impart to women today.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good Overview.......2006-06-18
I enjoyed the overview. This will be a good book for those who would like to brush-up on the women of the Bible but especially for beginners who have not read much about them!
very good book.......2006-04-22
I own this book and Catholism for Dummies..both good book....you can find out about the womane of the bible and about the Catholic Faith if you wish...I reccomend both these books....Fr. Trigillo is very upfront and honest about his writing and there is lots of information that you can understand.....
Another Success!!.......2005-07-28
One can't help but love the writing style and presentation of the authors Father Trigilio and Father Brighenti! If you liked "Catholicism For Dummies" and "The Everything Bible Book" from these authors, then don't hesitate before picking up a copy of this one too. It's an easy and fun read, as well as a phenomenal resource for Religious Ed. teachers, Bible Study groups, prayer groups and everyone else who has questions from time-to-time about people in the Bible. If these two authors keep it up, a library of their books will be just about all one needs!
Average customer rating:
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Feng Shui Your Workspace for Dummies
Holly Ziegler ,
Jennifer Lawler , and
Holly Ziegle
Manufacturer: For Dummies
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ASIN: 0764519875 |
Book Description
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of arranging physical space to maximize positive energy. Whether you’re a novice or knowledgeable about Feng Shui, a powerful CEO or an assistant, this guide will help you tap the power of Feng Shui in your workplace to boost your productivity and performance. Feng Shui Your Workplace For Dummies will help you work more effectively, with dozens of simple fixes and tweaks to enhance energy, increase harmony, relieve tension, and promote career achievement. You’ll get an overview of Feng Shui terminology and principles and discover how to:
- Deal with any type of workplace, including a cramped cubicle, open concept office, traditional office, or a makeshift home setup
- Choose and arrange furniture to bring more energy and flow to your workspace
- Deal with improper lighting, glass doors, and walls
- Reduce clutter
- Use light, flowers, and sound to create harmony
- Make the most of color and texture, including dressing for success
- Use Feng Shui in your interactions with others for harmonious relationships with colleagues
- Build a business the Feng Shui way
Written by Holly Zeigler, a Feng Shui devotee and consultant for commercial and residential architects and developers, and Jennifer Lawler, a master at Martial Arts and author of Martial Arts For Dummies and ASVAB For Dummies, this book helps you put the time-honored principles of Feng Shui to work in your workplace! It even includes a workspace sketch pad to help you plan your furniture placement. After all, according to Feng Shui, something as simple as moving the furniture in your workspace can help you move up in the workplace!
Customer Reviews:
A tad repetitious.......2005-09-15
This book is good for beginneres, but I didn't find all that much new info and I found it somewhat repetitious throughout, like the authors needed fillers.
Book Description
Examines Wiccan magic, rituals, traditions, and code of conduct
Get the scoop on this ancient spiritual path
Wondering what it takes to be a Wiccan? This plain-English guide introduces you to the vibrant world of Wicca and the practices of Witchcraft, describing its ancient origins, dispelling stereotypes, and explaining Wiccan beliefs, ethics, rituals, and holidays. You'll see what it means to live as a contemporary Wiccan — and how to worship alone or with a group.
Discover how to
- Worship alone or join a coven
- Perform charms, blessings, and spells
- Obtain necessary tools and supplies
- Spot spiritual scams and inappropriate behavior
- Explore a spiritual path guided by nature
Customer Reviews:
Wicca.......2007-08-23
If you are a beginner this book is for you. Very easy to read and understand.
Better than some, but still only a 'For Dummies" guide.......2007-06-20
There's not a great deal on practical magick in this book, but it's full of info on sabbats (even though they're Northern Hemisphere oriented), the nature of Spirit (although a little Goddess-biased, like most books are), writing ritual and the philosophy and history of Wicca - Diane Smith manages to blend Wicca with science and make sense of the universe using both Wicca and physics. There's even a little discussion about the Big Issues - there's more real-life, living-the-path stuff in this book than in some others. Overall, a good book, but not the be-all-and-end-all.
If you are a dummy..........2007-03-01
If you are a dummy, should you really be messing around with this s**t?
Easy to understand.......2006-09-09
This is a good book for an over all view of Wicca today. Easy to understand. Think will be a good reference book for me in the future.
Highly recommended!.......2005-09-18
I think that Wicca and Witchcraft For Dummies is an extraordinary book. It's full of credible information, solid suggestions for Wiccan practice, and engaging stories to bring Wicca to life for the reader. The author clearly presents the depth, beauty, and wisdom of Wicca.
Book Description
Explore C.S. Lewis's life, works, and the world of Narnia the fun and easy way.
Curious about C.S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia? This plain-English guide provides a friendly introduction to the master storyteller and Christian apologist, revealing the meanings behind The Chronicles of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters as well as his other works. You'll also discover why Lewis went from being a confirmed atheist to a committed Christian and how he addressed his beliefs in his writings.
Discover
* How his life influenced his writings
* His friendship with Tolkien and the Inklings
* The parallels between Narnia and Christianity
* His use of allegory and symbolism
* Resources for further exploration
Customer Reviews:
Reacquainting Myself with Lewis.......2006-04-23
I read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" when I was 9. I think two years later I read, "The Last Battle." I enjoyed both of them. For a long time, I forgot about Narnia, but when the movie version of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" came out, I started thinking about Narnia again. I saw the movie and thought it was quite faithful to the book, as I remember it.
Wagner's book helped me reacquaint myself with Narnia. He also showed me levels of symbolism in Lewis' books that I never saw before. In addition, Wagner talks about the other works of fiction and non-fiction that Lewis wrote. One of the most famous works of fiction by Lewis outside of the Narnia series is "The Screwtape Letters" which is a series of letters from one devil to another on the subject of tempting humans. After reading Wagner's introduction to the book, I really want to read "The Screwtape Letters."
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about C.S. Lewis and his books.
A celebration of recognition.......2005-09-14
Being rather fond of both the novells and the essays of C.S. Lewis reading books on his work often turns out to be a rather disapointing experience. However interesting to a certain extend, most of them do not catch the reader, dryasdust as they are written.
"C.S. Lewis and Narnia for Dummies" is a good exception to that rule. Taking advantage of the proven "For Dummies" concept Wagners enthousiasm for the work of Lewis really is contageous. Appearantly Wagner has read a lot from Lewis. Without falling into the trap of being to over-detailled he uses his knowledge about Lewis to draw the big lines and add just enough extra information to make it interesting for other "fans" without alienating those for whom even "The Lion, the Wich and the Wardrobe" is a totally new experience.
For me, considering myself as a lover of most of the work of Lewis, "C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies" was a celebration of recognition. I can not judge for those who are not into Lewis yet - I do not dare to call them dummies - but I can imagine for them this book is appealing to get lost in the wonderful fantasy world of Lewis or even try one of the many essays Lewis has written. At least they won't be frightened by a writer who is to seriously. Wagner obviously likes to make a little fun about himself making it more pleasant to follow his argumentation. I couldn't read the book without a smile.
"C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies" is a book only to be surpassed by the original work of Lewis himself. In the light of the actual interest for fantasy in general and C.S. Lewis in particular consider this book as a must if you are not familiar with Lewis yet. And if you are, there is a good chance that you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
Glimpse of Greatness.......2005-07-20
This is a well written and thoughtful introduction to C.S. Lewis. The author walks you thru the life and accomplishments of C.S. Lewis (Known as "Jack" by his friends and admirers).
I plan to re-read the Narnia books, then I will explore some of Jack's other writings.
The second half of the book explores The Chronicles of Narnia, and then discusses some of the deeper writings of C.S. Lewis.
For anyone who wants to better appreciate the writings of C.S. Lewis, this is a great place to start.
I really enjoy using this book as a guide to better understand C.S. Lewis and his life's work.
This book would make an excellent Christmas gift !!
Books:
- Buddhism without Beliefs
- Catholicism for Dummies
- Catholicism for Dummies
- Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons
- Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness
- Divine Intuition
- Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soul
- Epicenter: Why Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future
- Epicenter: Why Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future
- Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches
- Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock
- Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine: A Novel
- The Inner Quarters: Marriage and the Lives of Chinese Women in the Sung Period
- The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus's Final Week in Jerusalem
- Thinking Physics: Understandable Practical Reality
- US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76
- The 1993 EC VAT System
- Secrets of Six-Figure Freelancing
- Repair & Remodeling Cost Data, 1999
Buddhism for Beginners
Buddhism Plain and Simple
How to Practice : The Way to a Meaningful Life
Islam for Dummies
