Book Description
Four simple phrases -- "Please forgive me," "I forgive you," "Thank you," and "I love you" -- carry enormous power. In many ways, they contain the most powerful words in our language. These four phrases provide us with a clear path to emotional wellness; they guide us through the thickets of interpersonal difficulties to a conscious way of living that is full of integrity and grace.
In The Four Things That Matter Most, Dr. Ira Byock, an international leader in palliative care, teaches us how to practice these life-affirming words in our day-to-day lives. Too often we assume that the people we love really know we love them. Dr. Byock reveals the value of stating the obvious and provides insights into how we burden ourselves by hanging on to old grudges unconsciously and unnecessarily. He shows us how to avoid living with those awkward silences and uncomfortable issues that distance us from the people we love and erode our sense of well-being and joy. His insights and stories help us to forgive, appreciate, love, and celebrate one another more fully.
The inspiring stories in The Four Things That Matter Most demonstrate the usefulness of the Four Things in a wide range of life situations. They also show that a degree of emotional healing is always possible and that we can experience a sense of wholeness even in the wake of family strife, personal tragedy, divorce, or in the face of death. With practical wisdom and spiritual punch, The Four Things That Matter Most gives us the language and guidance to honor and experience what really matters most in our lives every day.
Download Description
"Four simple phrases -- ""Please forgive me,"" ""I forgive you,"" ""Thank you,"" and ""I love you"" -- carry enormous power. In many ways, they contain the most powerful words in our language. These four phrases provide us with a clear path to emotional wellness; they guide us through the thickets of interpersonal difficulties to a conscious way of living that is full of integrity and grace. In The Four Things That Matter Most, Dr. Ira Byock, an international leader in palliative care, teaches us how to practice these life-affirming words in our day-to-day lives. Too often we assume that the people we love really know we love them. Dr. Byock reveals the value of stating the obvious and provides insights into how we burden ourselves by hanging on to old grudges unconsciously and unnecessarily. He shows us how to avoid living with those awkward silences and uncomfortable issues that distance us from the people we love and erode our sense of well-being and joy. His insights and stories help us to forgive, appreciate, love, and celebrate one another more fully. The inspiring stories in The Four Things That Matter Most demonstrate the usefulness of the Four Things in a wide range of life situations. They also show that a degree of emotional healing is always possible and that we can experience a sense of wholeness even in the wake of family strife, personal tragedy, divorce, or in the face of death. With practical wisdom and spiritual punch, The Four Things That Matter Most gives us the language and guidance to honor and experience what really matters most in our lives every day."
Customer Reviews:
You MUST READ THIS BOOK!.......2007-10-03
2 days ago I spent 2 hours with my mother who is sick and not expected to live to much longer.
I haven't spent time with her like that for 17 years.
Over the years there have been so many misunderstandings, cross words, mean letters, siblings fighting and talking about each other and I honestly thought it was hopeless. I thought I would never see my mother again. Ever. It was a MESS!
But, it became obvious with lots of work and support over the years that what I wanted most was to tell my mom I love her and how much I appreciate all she has done for me. My severe depression was based on the thought that I literally thought that was impossible.
A few weeks ago, I (well, we) decided it didn't matter the outcome; I had to tell her anyway. I was prepared for the worst. I wrote out the scenarios and read them to my husband and therapist. They helped me visualize and come to grips with how I would handle whatever the outcome would be. Of course part of me really wanted it to go well but no one thought it would.
6 days ago, while preparing I found this book online. I immediately went to the library and got it (only because I couldn't buy it in time! We were leaving in 3 days!!)
I read the entire book that night. OH my gosh. I cried and cried and cried. I prayed that I would have an experience that was good. But I knew I probably wouldn't. But something Dr. Byock said several times about how your loved ones will always live within you struck me. And I knew that is exactly what was driving me crazy.
I KNEW I loved my mom. I KNEW she had done so much for me and THAT'S what I wanted in my heart. That's it. I don't want anymore sadness and hate. I don't want to be confused. I love my mom and that's what I want to feel in my heart and that's what I wanted her to feel in her heart.
So, I had already written a letter to her, but I adapted it to incorporate the 4 things. I bought some beautiful paper and I decorated it. I printed some pictures of her grandchildren. I did it all with only love. All I thought about was I love my mom and even if she can't hear it I know it. I love her and I forgive her and I pray she forgives me. I don't care what anyone else in the family thinks. Maybe she won't want to see me. I'll leave her the letter. I'll put it on the doorstep. I'll pray that someone will give it to her. If she can't read it I'll pray that someone will read it to her. And if not, I made a copy for myself to remind me of how much I love my mom and appreciate all she did for me.
I read the book again the next day (5 days ago). I was so scared to go see her but I knew my only option was to just show up. If I involved anyone else in the family it would become a big drama or I might be talked out of it.
As we drove up even though I was filled sometimes with dread to face the worst, I kept the 4 things in mind always. That's it. That's what it comes down to. Nothing else matters. I told my friends about the 4 things (our best friends who we stopped to stay the night with before I went the rest of the trip.) I wasn't excited or happy about going to my parents house, but I knew I had too.
I was able to visualize that there would be NO drama no matter what - because I would focus ONLY on the 4 things. If someone else in the family happened to be there and wanted to create drama I wouldn't engage because all I cared about was "I love you, Please forgive me, Thank you and I forgive you." And to be honest, I was afraid BEFORE I READ YOUR BOOK that I would want to create drama.
Well, God was on our side.
I drove up just as my dad was bringing my mom back from the doctor.
One of my sisters was walking over to help her out of the car. She saw me and after a few seconds recognized me. I told her all I wanted to do was to tell mom I love her and to ask her to please forgive me for all the hurt feelings. I told her to ask mom if it was OK for me to come in. She said it was a miracle.......
Then I spent 2 lovely hours with my mom, my dad and my sister. The biggest miracle and what I will FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR is I was most with my mom. I wanted my mom to know how much I loved her and how grateful I was for her and for what she did for me and my sons. I was able to share with HER my love and my appreciation for the life she gave me and the gifts she bestowed on me and my sons. And because I was clear in my intentions of the 4 things and not all clouded up with past judgments and hurts I could COMMUNICATE THAT 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think my mom will be around for while and I am going to arrange for my grown sons to visit her. I will remain committed to the 4 things with her and the rest of my family.
No matter what happens in the future I have those 2 hours with my mom. I told her I loved her and she told me she loved me.
I recommend this book to everyone.
The Four Things That Matter Most: A Book About Living.......2007-09-06
I'm studying to be a Geriatric Care Manager and purchased this book to help me understand the needs of the families of the dying. From this book I learned how transformative these four statements can be when facing the terminal illness of a loved one. They are tools for deep communication and for solving long standing problems in relationships- allowing true emotional healing to occur even under the most difficult circumstances. Dr. Byock's message is genius in its simplicity. I really appreciate his compassionate work and his profound message about living and dying.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking deeply into the meaning of his or her own life or who is going through a difficult time due to the terminal illness of a family member or friend.
Another great book by Byock.......2007-06-27
Wow! It's all so simple yet it bears repeating . . the four things that matter most. As someone who works with hospice, I get so much from everything Mr. Byock shares from his experiences in the field. If you have difficult relationships, especially with family members, this is a great book to read and really take in. It's so much better to finish relationships well than to live with regret--and not only when someone is dying! Thanks again to Ira for sharing with all of us.
Book: The Four Things That Matter Most: A Book About Living.......2007-03-12
Excellent book being used in a 'Community Read' project, lead by our Church Pastor. Special meeting is planned for 'town people' to attend, to discuss the book and meet the author, Ira Byock.
review of a review.......2007-02-13
Donald Ardell's review of this book is brilliant. I hasten to add I never heard of him, so am not a relative. I have the highest respect for the commitment, passion, and compassion Dr. Byock has for human beings in wanting to help us live and die well, and this book comes out of that context. I like to imagine that I might have written this book, and then received Dr. Ardell's review. After taking in the sting, I would have to admit that what he wrote was honest, respectful and creative. It would inspire me to expand on what I had written. And I would have said... I needed that!
Book Description
Alchemists of the old attempted to make sense of the universe--to discover the connection between mind and matter. Some of today's scientists, in particular quantum physicists, are doing the same. In his latest contribution to the study of consciousness, physicist Fred Alan Wolf reveals what he calls the new alchemy-- a melding of the ideas of the old alchemists and the new scientists to reach a fuller understanding of the mind and matter.
Customer Reviews:
Quackery.......2007-05-13
Okay, so my mind controls and is in charge everything that I experience, including interactions with other people. So what do their minds control? Taken to its logical conclusion, everyone else I am with is controlling my life as well. So who's in control? Feel the love, but skip this metaphysicla diarrhea.
Essential for all the Bleepers Out there........2006-10-30
Contains many truths. You will appreciate this book very much if you:
1) Have seen "What the Bleep We know" movie
2) Have been taking advanced yoga classes or other practicing any other discipline
3) Have read any of Robert Anton Wilson's books
4) Have favourited "Matrix" as one your all time best movies
5) Have seen "The Secret" movie
6) Have been a Cabbalist or a Free Mason
7) Have been a Ideological Anarchist
8) Have been a Theologian
9) Have been a Physicist
Mind into Matter is a book with many exotical ideas and interpetations (some sceptics may say convenient extrapolations) but it is an interesting backgorund for the things that may follow in the next years.
One more book in your personal library of enlightment.
Repetitive and redundant.......2006-01-12
Of the thousands of books I've read in my life, and the hundreds I've actually purchased from Amazon.com, this is the first time I've felt strongly enough about a book to write any sort of review.
I kept waiting for the author to get to the point. He rambled and meandered and didn't tell me anything new whatsoever. He used the words "alchemy" and "alchemists" in almost every single paragraph of the book.
Skip this book - you'll get MUCH more out of the "Cosmic Trigger" series, "Quantum Psychology", or "Prometheus Rising" by R.A. Wilson.
In the Beginning Was the Word.......2005-11-02
Dr. Fred Alan Wolf has once again pricked our consciousness in order to awaken us to realities already within our grasp. In Mind Into Matter he explains in lay terms how thought transmutates into the material, and how we can therefore truly create not only our world, but the world we leave to our children. In essence, a "you-niverse" Recent centuries of scientific development have attempted to understand and describe all creation strictly as objective science, to the detriment and ignorance of the subjective. It's time the pendulum swung back a bit. By melding the ideas of the old alchemists with those of the new scientists, Wolf uses the language of quantum physics to describe what the alchemists and Qabalists have long called the Magnum Opus - the Absolute Realization.
I was fortunate enough to meet Dr Wolf to discuss his work in the company of an eclectic group that included local physicists, physician and mind-body guru Deepak Chopra, as well as musician Dave Stewart. All of this diverse and highly creative assemblage were mesmerized. As we dissolved into reading Rumi, quoting Newton, and evaluating neurophysiologic experiments, it became increasingly clear how Wolf's concepts collate all of that wisdom. Wolf's work should be studied by all who wish to develop consciousness to a higher level not only to contribute to their own well being, but that of the planet.
Highly recommended for anyone, regardless of scientific background.
An Inspiring View of Consciousness & Reality.......2005-01-11
I'm very picky about books that deal with the relationship between physics and consciousness, but this one I like. In books of this sort, the understanding of physics is often too limited, while on the other hand there is frequently very little appreciation for the depth of ancient metaphysical traditions. This book does a very good job of working with both sides in a highly intelligent yet readable manner.
For anyone into Hermeticism or Kabbalah, it is especially noteworthy that Wolf has organized a signfiicant portion of his book around an esoteric understanding of the Herbrew letter-numbers. The particular system he uses was developed by Carlo Suares, a little known yet influential mystic, author, artist and somewhat unorthodox Jewish Kabbalist. Wolf met Suares and began learning about his ideas in the 1970s. Suares' greatest contribution to Kabbalah was an interpretation of the letter-numbers as representations of recurring dynamics and patterns in terms of both consciousness and physics. Suares' book, The Cypher of Genesis, would be a good introduction to his theory and practice of Kabbalah, and an excellent companion to Mind into Matter.
Of course, Wolf's own qualifications in theoretical physics are well established. For more than two decades he has been a consistent leader in challenging the long worn-out mindset that existence is best experienced, explored and explained as essentially an accidental and random interaction of quanta. In this book Wolf allows himself to dive a little deeper into the spiritual implications of his work. Perhaps the best thing about Wolf's writing is that it is more than scientifically sound and philosophically poignant, it is actually inspiring literature! Wolf artfully weaves together insights from a wonderful scope of human inquiry - physics, depth psychology, mysticism, and alchemy - in a way that is head and shoulders above the slipshod speculations common to authors of the "New Age" genre.
Fred Alan Wolf's works will stand the test of time, and this one should be included among his essential readings.
Book Description
"Beattie understands being overboard, which helps her throw best-selling lifelines to those still adrift." ----TIME Since the publication of Melody Beattie's groundbreaking book Codependent No More, millions of people have confronted the demons of codependency. And yet, many in recovery find themselves slipping back into the old ways that brought them such grief. In her newest book, Beattie helps readers understand what drives them back into the grasp of controlling behavior and victimhood--and what it takes to pull themselves out, to return to the healing, faith, and maturity that come with a commitment to recovery. Personal essays, inspiring anecdotes, and prescriptive reminders show readers how to stop acting out their painful obsessions. Marked by compassion and keen insight, Playing It by Heart explores the author's most intense personal lessons and shows readers that, despite setbacks, recovery is a lifelong opportunity for spiritual growth. In her many best-selling books, including Stop Being Mean to Yourself, Codependent No More, and The Language of Letting Go, Melody Beattie draws on the wisdom of Twelve Step healing, Christianity, and Eastern religions. Click here to read a one-to-one conversation with the beloved author of Codependent No More, The Language of Letting Go book and journal, Playing It by Heart, and 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring Real-life Story.......2004-10-04
It is amazing to read Melody Beattie's life story of her battle with addiction and destructive behaviors. She leads by example showing what she did to overcome her problems. I was truely amazed by what she went through. This is a wonderful Real life story for anyone struggling with addictions to read.
Prostitution, drugs, to fame in codependency research.......2004-01-21
Wow. When a friend lent me a copy of this book, I had to buy myself one. This is such a terrific addition to literature and I am so enlightened to have read it. I read Codependent No More over and over with a 1980s copy, and I never would have guessed what Ms. Beattie went through to get where she's at today. Prostitution so she could get drugs, rape from drugged stupors, her arm being photographed with all its needle marks and used to show school children the horrors of drug use -- the clinicians certainly never thought she'd amount to anything, but she learned codependency is the root of all addiction.
A wonderful read. It will make you cry! It did me. A lot of people, men and women, will see themselves in her story. It really makes a person appreciate how she knows so much about codependency and is such an authority. Personal experience, that's what she has to share. I love her meditation books, too. Such an inspiration and used in Codependents Anonymous meetings everywhere. Her books should be a must-read for high school students. She can help people before it's too late.
Her humor in the book is especially wonderful because with all she went through, it makes one wonder what she could find to laugh about, and her humor just further brings home what an astounding woman Ms. Beattie is!
An incredible story.......2001-08-29
Melody Beattie has a life story that I would never have imagined from Codependent No More. She has a powerful insight into how and why things happen and Playing It by Heart shows how she has truly "been there." This book was impossible to put down. It is one I would sincerely recommend to anyone who struggles with life, especially when addictions are involved. Her story was very encouraging and I am very glad to have found this book.
Inspiring anecdotes and prescriptive reminders.......2001-07-04
In Playing It By Heart: Taking Care Of Yourself No Matter What, Melody Beattie (author of Codependent No More) addresses the issues involved with why people who have struggled so hard to shake off controlling dysfunctional behaviors and victimhood fall back into self-destructive, self-diminishing situations and relationships. Through the use of personal essays, inspiring anecdotes, and prescriptive reminders, Beattie reveals how to stop acting out painful obsessions and shows that despite occasional setbacks, recovery is a lifelong opportunity for spiritual growth and a co-dependency free, gratifying, enjoyable life of accomplishments and relationships. Highly recommended for personal self-help, self-improvement reading lists and community library reference collections.
Too much history. Where's the advice?.......2001-06-05
I learned more than I wanted to about Melody's abused childhood and her life as a junkie. She goes into great detail about the crimes she committed and the miserable effects of her addiction. After painting such strong, striking, emotion-filled pictures time after time I expected her to draw some conclusions and parallels that I could use. No such luck. This is a long, tiring autobiography of a painful life, not a source for new elightenment.
Book Description
Sex Matters offers a vision of sex that is healthy, natural, innocent, and free from guilt and repression. Where other books offer tech-niques to practice and games to play, Sex Matters offers insight into the psychological and spiritual dimensions of sex. In responding to questions from people of all ages and from all walks of life, Osho shows how we can, by accepting and cele-brating sex as a gift of nature, begin to use it as a valu-able step-ping-stone in a lifelong journey toward greater self-awareness and joy.
Customer Reviews:
Pathbreaking work.......2007-07-12
To me, it was enlightening. OSHO is one of the greatest mystic and deals with everything with excellent logic and scientific attitude. No prejudice and old beliefs. It starts from scratch discussing about sex-energy and how to use and transform into a greater reality....love and meditation.
A treat to the reader. Specially, I think every traditional people and old religion like hinudism, jainism, mohammedanism, christianity should read it atleast once.
Truly important book.......2007-02-12
Sex is the strongest energy we can produce as humans "out of the box". We can learn techniques over time to recreate that wonderful state of superconsciousness, through magick, through meditation,... but sex will always be at the core. We are born out of it, it is our primary experience of the dualism of I and other.
Understanding the dynamics surrounding it, and the oppression of individual freedom through the association of guilt and shame with sex, which our society has upheld for thousands of years in order to ensure the slow and steady flow of evolution, understanding and overcoming these dynamics appears to be a root responsibility of every individual on the path to superhconsciousness.
Enlightening.......2007-01-05
I am only about a third through the book so far but it is very enlightening, thorough, and you simply know that the words spoke by Osho are truth.
Only for conoisseurs!.......2003-12-18
This is the first book I have read from Osho, and I will say that he did a very good job in explaining important things, using few words and pages. It is a little book that will not take you much time to read. What will take longer is thinking about the important points the book makes.
One thing that is important to understand is that this is not a book about sex, at least not in the usual way. So if you are looking for tricks about how to improve your sex life, you are in the wrong place. Instead, this is a work that will give you a different perspective of what sex should be and mean. Is it only for people who believe in the spirit and spiritual evolution.
It will also tell you that the lessons that religion and church sometimes teach -- that sex is sinful, etc. -- is completely mistaken. The book states that it is this teaching we received while young that made this society depraved.
Osho considers that our contemporary society completely forgot about the sacramental and fundamental role mankind once gave to sex. From his point of view, a sexual experience should be a thoughtful act, an experience of love, a means to reach what is beyond our consciousness.
The journey to from sex to to what Osho calls Samadhi (the divine ecstasy) is long, but this should be our final goal. The kind of love that we all know and desire is only the first step. But people who refuse even this first step will never be able to reach the second and from this point of view they will never evolve spiritually.
The main point is that sex is not a end to itself, it is only the beginning, it is only a means through which people who understand the subject correctly can reach the final goal - the "super consciousness."
If you are not interested in topics like spirituality and spiritual evolution, I think you should not buy this book. But if you are open to this, reading Sex Matters will be an extremely interesting and challenging experience that will give you a different take on life. Enjoy!
Sex is important for physical and mental well-being........2002-10-01
ON SEXUALITY and RELIGION
At the other end of the spectrum is "Sex Matters"
(St. Martin's Press, July) by Osho.Definitely more of a "spirituality" than a "religion" book, it links sexuality to transcendence, insisting that sex is important for both physical and mental well-being. Not surprisingly, the author is extremely critical of how traditional religion has connected sex and morality.
"This book tries to deconstruct the different layers of
negative repression and condemnation that Western culture has
put on sex for a long time," said publicity manager John
Karle. "He presents sex as a gift from nature and [tells] how
we need to embrace it and use it as a tool for growth."
--Heidi Schlumpf
From: Religion BookLine from Publishers Weekly
Book Description
In Matter into Feeling, Dr. Wolf guides us through the conflicts and resistances we feel as physical beings--the everyday demands, addictions, successes, and failures we experience--and into an understanding that being "stuck" is only a phase, one from which we can escape once we understand the origin and role of human feeling.
Customer Reviews:
Left feeling slightly more confused than empowered........2005-07-21
After hearing a theory about astrology and alchemy being the two original sciences, and being interested in spirit and feeling, I thought "wow, this book, talking about a new alchemy of science AND spirit is going to be great". However, I think the endorsement from Deepak Chopra on the front cover says it all, Fred Alan Wolf "... one of the most important pioneers in the field of consciousness." In other words, the book itself is probably being sold more on the basis of the author's reputation than the content.
I struggled to find a concise and simple objective of the material. In the introduction Wolf talks a lot about "Mind into Matter" and how "Matter into Feeling" follows on. Well, I haven't read "Mind into Matter" so does this make it futile to read this book until I have? IF that is so, why isn't there a qualification somewhere more upfront telling the customer about this? To some extent every book must stand on its own.
I respect Dr. Jean Houston a lot, yet after reading the book could not really accept her endorsement on the back cover, or on this site.
Wolf talks of four major elements out there, but in Chinese Medicine there are five, and the Mayans also include 'ether' or energy as a fifth. Energy is a huge factor in the consciousness-matter equation and it was unclear to me how Dr Wolf treats this, and I really wanted to know his opinion.
I wasn't able to locate a simple definition of "feeling", so relied on what Gregg Braden talks about, as "feeling" being the union of emotion (as represented by the first 3 chakras) and thought (top 3), within the heart, or centre chakra. But I would have preferred to find Dr. Wolf's own concise definition.
Wolf obviously is well read and knowledgeable and has done some great work, drawing from Hebrew, Hindu, Upanishads, Da Free John, and Freudian sources. But I'm cautious in agreeing with those who may think this particular work is up there with the best.
At times the relevance and linking to the overall theme or thesis appears to be ad-hoc and hit or miss in places.
If you're looking for a less theoretical and left brain approach to communicate about feelings and how they impact the material world I suggest The Isaiah Effect by Gregg Braden.
Three stars because there are isolated insights, such as the information about the different ego states, the natural stress between spirit and matter, and how not all feelings are sensed etc., but these are too random and sparse to warrant more than an average look.
Just Silly.......2005-04-26
Wolf's attempt at an analogy between psychological change and his confused interpretation of physical transformation is just silly. I would recommend Satinover and McTaggart if you're interested in the new science.
Quantum Physics meets Kabbalah & Mysticism.......2004-07-11
Fred Alan Wolf has written many books about the new physics and the spiritual implications of theories and empirical findings in physics. Here, he expands his musings into the realm of Hebrew kabbalah, where he correlates the Hebrew letters and Kabbalistic ideas about the path of spirit into matter/form with physics concepts such as parallel universes, holographic perception, quantum non-locality, observer effects, and quantum uncertainty. It's all very interesting, although the marriage of quantum physics with kabbalah seemed a bit forced to me. I appreciate that Wolf has tried to examine the role of emotion in the mind-body-spirit feedback system, although his exploration seems incomplete and his focus on kabbalah may be distracting for those seeking a more science-oriented approach. I also wonder why Wolf still accepts the theory of the "Big Bang," when both empirical observations and hyperdimensional concepts of physics seem to contradict the Big Bang notion. Other than these flaws, which don't significantly affect the main ideas and information in the book, this is an excellent contribution to the literature in the area of spirituality, consciousness, and theoretical physics.
A Launch Pad for Personal Consciousness Transformation.......2002-09-08
Fred Alan Wolf demonstrates exquisite craftsmanship in his newest book, MATTER INTO FEELING, as he ties alchemy together with letters of the Hebrew alphabet and physics. Picking up where MIND INTO MATTER left off, Wolf serves the reader thought-provoking tastes of consciousness, memory, lucid dreams, and the awesome and exhilarating concept of the "One-Mind".
MATTER INTO FEELING is a treat for anyone who loves to contemplate ideas such as, "We don't sense what we sense; we sense what we remember we sense." And this leads us to wonder how it is that we do something so seemingly simple as remember something!
When Wolf asks us to consider things such as how the choices we make each day are much more than they appear (since according to the parallel universes model of reality, we try all possibilities, even though we typically only recall choosing one) -- MATTER INTO FEELING becomes a launch pad for personal consciousness transformation.
I love the way Wolf brilliantly combines a joyful sense of wonder with modern physical theories and ancient written texts such as the Upanishads and the Qabala. Like the best kind of chef, Wolf serves up a feast which is simultaneously exotic and familiar, yet leaves anyone who tastes it feeling hungry for more. If you love both science and spirituality, MATTER INTO FEELING is one book you're sure to adore!
Book Description
Your life has a root core that, once understood, unlocks a powerful force to create your life the way it was meant to be, the way you want and need it to be. Key questions and an amazingly clear "map" are now at your fingertips to begin your journey to "Live by Design." These are questions that, with the help of this book, you can answer and bring into action-oriented focus:
- What are the ten most defining moments of your life?
- What are the seven most critical choices you have made to put you on your current path?
- Who are the five most pivotal people in your world and how have they shaped you?
Identifying and working with these key elements are at the heart of Dr. Phillip C. McGraw's latest work, Self Matters, and soon they will be at the heart of your own new work: you.
Through his books, McGraw has changed the lives of millions. In introducing the world to his matter-of-fact, tell-it-like-it-is philosophy of life, Dr. Phil, as he is known to his legions of fans, has put an end to the "everyone's a victim" attitude that had taken hold of our culture. Published in over twenty-five countries, and with millions of books sold, his two number one bestsellers, Life Strategies and Relationship Rescue, forced readers to take a serious look at the excuses they had so long been clinging to as to why they were not happy, not successful, and not enjoying their one chance at living.
Now, Dr. Phil takes those lessons a great leap further and explores one of the most challenging questions facing us all: When you look in the mirror, who is truly hiding beneath that face? Instead of taking a surface look at the way we live our lives, Dr. Phil demystifies how your self-concept came to be and gives a nuts-and-bolts approach to creating a new plan for living and, in turn, for discovering the real you.
In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Phil challenges you to find your "authentic self" -- that person you once were before life took its toll. It is you at your greatest, most fulfilled, most real moment. It is the person you have always wanted to be, but were too distracted, busy, or scared to become. Instead, you have created a "fictional self" -- taking on the identity of who you believe you are supposed be, the person people tell you you are. The incongruence between these two selves is what leads you to feel that your life is incomplete, unbalanced, and altogether more difficult than it really should be.
The good news is it no longer needs to be that way. By using the plan set forth in Self Matters, Dr. Phil helps you to demystify your self-concept and learn how to reclaim your authentic self. In evaluating your life by only the facts, you can learn to think beyond the excuses and fears that have masked the person you have always wanted to be.
Self Matters is one of the most forward-thinking works on self-concept and self-esteem ever published. For the first time, an author tells it how it is and, in the process, teaches us all how to live the lives we have always wanted but prevented ourselves from living. We get only one chance in this world, and now, Dr. Phil shows all how to make the most of it.
Download Description
Your life has a root core that, once understood, unlocks a powerful force to create your life the way it was meant to be, the way you want and need it to be.
Key questions and an amazingly clear "map" are now at your fingertips to begin your journey to "Live by Design." These are questions that, with the help of this book, you can answer and bring into action-oriented focus:
- What are the ten most defining moments of your life?
- What are the seven most critical choices you have made to put you on your current path?
- Who are the five most pivotal people in your world and how have they shaped you?
Identifying and working with these key elements are at the heart of Dr. Phillip C. McGraw's latest work, Self Matters, and soon they will be at the heart of your own new work: you.
Through his books, McGraw has changed the lives of millions. In introducing the world to his matter-of-fact, tell-it-like-it-is philosophy of life, Dr. Phil, as he is known to his legions of fans, has put an end to the "everyone's a victim" attitude that had taken hold of our culture. Published in over twenty-five countries, and with millions of books sold, his two number one bestsellers, Life Strategies and Relationship Rescue, forced readers to take a serious look at the excuses they had so long been clinging to as to why they were not happy, not successful, and not enjoying their one chance at living.
Now, Dr. Phil takes those lessons a great leap further and explores one of the most challenging questions facing us all: When you look in the mirror, who is truly hiding beneath that face? Instead of taking a surface look at the way we live our lives, Dr. Phil demystifies how your self-concept came to be and gives a nuts-and-bolts approach to creating a new plan for living and, in turn, for discovering the real you.
In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Phil challenges you to find your "authentic self" -- that person you once were before life took its toll. It is you at your greatest, most fulfilled, most real moment. It is the person you have always wanted to be, but were too distracted, busy, or scared to become. Instead, you have created a "fictional self" -- taking on the identity of who you believe you are supposed be, the person people tell you you are. The incongruence between these two selves is what leads you to feel that your life is incomplete, unbalanced, and altogether more difficult than it really should be.
The good news is it no longer needs to be that way. By using the plan set forth in Self Matters, Dr. Phil helps you to demystify your self-concept and learn how to reclaim your authentic self. In evaluating your life by only the facts, you can learn to think beyond the excuses and fears that have masked the person you have always wanted to be.
Self Matters is one of the most forward-thinking works on self-concept and self-esteem ever published. For the first time, an author tells it how it is and, in the process, teaches us all how to live the lives we have always wanted but prevented ourselves from living. We get only one chance in this world, and now, Dr. Phil shows all how to make the most of it.
Customer Reviews:
EVERYONE should read!.......2007-10-06
This is a wonderful book! Just gives us so many new ways to look inside ourselves and actually stop and think about who we are.Loaded with self discovery about ones self.So sorry I did not read this till I was sixty!A GREAT gift item for someone who looks for deeper understandings and might not to think to purchase for themselves.
endless repetition - could've been cut in half.......2007-08-26
The exercises and tests in the book were of some help, they helped me realize a few things about my life, myself and my current behavior. However, I found it very repetitive and too obvious, at times. It's extremely simplified, almost so much that it gives the impression of having been "dumbed down" for the general public to grasp. The book could've used more depth and elaboration, in my opinion. I felt that most things he suggested were behaviors I already practiced on a day to day basis. I couldn't relate much to it, although it made some good points and reaffirmed me in my ways.
RECOMMEND IT TO MY THERAPY CLIENTS.......2007-03-18
This book is so well-written and easy to understand and implement that I recommend it often to even my most difficult clients. The man knows what he's talking about! Thanks, Dr. Phil for writing such a useful, inspirational book. Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D., Author, The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Midlife and Beyond The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond
Capitalizing on his fame.......2007-03-18
TV is the proper forum for Dr. Phil's platitudes. The self-induced strife of the show's guests are entertaining, and makes the viewer want to slap a little sense into them. Dr. Phil steps in a does just that, vicariously applying the slaps, and we feel thankful to him.
Beneath Dr. Phil's oozing earnestness and rectitude there is nothing profound, original, or particulary instructive. All the material in this book could be compressed into a few solid pages. The rest is fluff, most of the form; "When you follow my advice, you will be happy/succeed/fix your marraige/lose weight". He continues in this fashion, rarely specifically stating anything that might qualify as advice.
Robbins, Dyer, Mandido, Carnegie, et. al. have more to say and say it better.
i learned a lot!.......2007-03-09
I truly reccommend this if you are trying to learn why thing is life are not working for you!
Average customer rating:
- A great foundation for further exploration
- Good, simple book
- growth
- Do I need to say more !!
- This book changed my life, my way of thinking and more.
|
Life's Greatest Lessons: 20 Things That Matter
Hal Urban
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Job Hunting & Careers
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
| General
| Guides
| Interviewing
| Job Hunting
| Job Markets & Advice
| Resumes
| Vocational Guidance
| Volunteer Work
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Motivational
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Personal Transformation
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Success
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Ethics & Morality
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
New Age
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
| Astrology
| Chakras
| Channeling
| Divination
| Dreams
| General
| Goddesses
| Meditation
| Mental & Spiritual Healing
| Mysticism
| New Thought
| Reference
| Reincarnation
| Self-Help
| Theosophy
| Urantia
| Visionary Fiction
General
| Education
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Positive Words, Powerful Results: Simple Ways to Honor, Affirm, and Celebrate Life
-
Choices That Change Lives: 15 Ways to Find More Purpose, Meaning, and Joy
-
Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart: Thirty True Things You Need to Know Now
-
Attitude Is Everything: Change Your Attitude...and You Change Your Life!
-
100 Simple Secrets of Happy People, The: What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It (100 Simple Secrets)
ASIN: 074323782X
Release Date: 2002-12-24 |
Book Description
Life's Greatest Lessons is a wise, wonderful book. In it, Hal Urban, a parent and an award-winning teacher, presents twenty principles that are as deeply rooted in common sense as they are in compassion. The topics, gathered from a lifetime of teaching both children and adults, span a wide range of readily understood concepts, including attitudes about money, understanding the real meaning of "success," and the importance of having fun. The book will help you find the best -- in the world, in others, and in yourself. Classic in its simplicity and enduring in its appeal, Life's Greatest Lessons helps us all rediscover that the desire to live a good life is timeless.
Download Description
Life's Greatest Lessons is a wise, wonderful book. In it, Hal Urban, a parent and an award-winning teacher, presents twenty principles that are as deeply rooted in common sense as they are in compassion. The topics, gathered from a lifetime of teaching both children and adults, span a wide range of readily understood concepts, including attitudes about money, understanding the real meaning of "success," and the importance of having fun. The book will help you find the best -- in the world, in others, and in yourself. Classic in its simplicity and enduring in its appeal, Life's Greatest Lessons helps us all rediscover that the desire to live a good life is timeless.
Customer Reviews:
A great foundation for further exploration.......2007-07-09
I found this book to be both inspirational and educational.
Inspirational : I found myself connecting to Urban's life story and was inspired to do several of the excercises he recommends. The book is very well written and requires alot of introspection after reading. For every lesson, I found myself reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading. I read this with a pen in hand and jotted down thoughts as I read. After re-reading my thoughts on each section, I started to think deeply of what matters in my life and was inspired to think of my actions, thoughts, beliefs, etc. in a different way.
Educational: A great aspect of this book is the way Urban injects the works of so many other authors into his own. I found myself writing down the names and titles of many of Urban's cited works. His use of other's ideas to further explain and strenghten his own motivated me to further my knowledge base on the subject. For an author to actively tell the reader to go and look for other's insight only proves to me the author's good intentions and credibility.
Overall - I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for some help on the road of life. Urban does a great job explaining his 20 lessons, and he does an even better job in making the reader want to think about his or her own goals and rules of life.
Good, simple book.......2007-01-16
I got this book as a present for my husband for Christmas. We always try to keep some positive reading around. He enjoyed it very much and has since passed it along to a friend. It's a very cost-effective but impactful gift and a simple, useful read.
growth .......2006-05-02
As you read this book you find yourself growing with it.
20 simple lessons to follow. the overwall lesson is to learn to enjoy life .. and you will
Do I need to say more !!.......2006-05-02
This book get a 5 star rating from anyone that has reviewed it... do the math. I loved this book, I read many self help book because like many of us i'm looking for that edge that will take me over the top. This book is it. This is the mentor that i've never had.. the words that i needed to hear... this book will make a change... oh and check out his Positive words.. an other gold mine
This book changed my life, my way of thinking and more........2006-03-27
I know that phrase is used a lot, but I don't use it a lot. I can honestly say that about THIS book....and I read a lot of self-help books. Not because I'm "messed up", but because I LOVE to learn. If I can read a book that can help me be a better person, I will read it...and not just READ....I absorb it and put it into practice. This book did that for me. It even changed the relationship I'm in. We are very serious, but have been having some communication problems. This book caused ME to change so much that my partner also changed and now our relationship has never been better. It showed (or reminded me) what kind of person I want to be, HOW to be that person, what is important in life, how to relate better to the people in my life that matter.....and I could just go on and on, but I won't. I just wanted to say that I got it at our library and it made SUCH an impact on me that I came here and bought the book used so I can go back OFTEN and refer to things I want to constently remember. To me, it's a book that EVERY person should read. I'm giving it as gifts to my grandchildren and children for their birthdays. GREAT BOOK!!!
Book Description
What really Works with Women offers unique insights about women, by a woman, exclusively for men! Do men need to understand women to get what they want? Why does the apparent "loser" get the stunning lady? What is the fine line between a "macho man" and a "master player"? And simply, how does a man find and win over the one woman for life or any woman he wants? What really Works with Women is in a category by itself, providing the most straight-forward, often provocative, non-PC answers to those and similar questions that, well, really work! Written by an insider to what women value, the uniquely actionable book is strictly focused on what a man needs to do to get what he wants! Free of emotions and touchy-feely fluff, it illustrates the rules and actions necessary to succeed, in a language that men understand.
Customer Reviews:
Great Advice!.......2007-09-04
Another great new bestseller which I hoghly recommend - The Exclusive Layguide: When Dating and Having Sex with Incredibly Hot Women is No Longer Mirage Even If You Don't Look Like a Model or Don't Make a Fortune
Does the author even know ANY women??.......2007-01-20
I don't personally know women like this. Maybe this should be titled "how to get a flighty, fanciful crybaby in bed". The women I know are pretty straightforward, self sufficient and well, pretty logical. I'd like a book on how to appeal to that type of woman - cause this wasn't it. It really didn't give advice. It never really tells you how to get the woman you want but tells the idiotically obvious i.e. don't act like a schmuck, dress well, take a bath. The book is similar to "how to succeed with women" which was a complete farce. The author has a degree in psychology - and we all know what a worthless basket weaving degree that is.
Great tips!.......2007-01-16
This book delivers! It tells you all you need to know about how to get a woman from a woman's point of view. It's written clearly and logically with good pointers that are really useful. I found it extremely helpful because she writes about all the stuff that guys just don't think about, but which is really important to women. If you're looking for a book on women, this is definitely the one!
Good book, very useful!.......2006-08-20
Great book, one of the best dating books I have read. I have sometimes trouble understanding women, and considered this an obstacle. This book highlights how successful dating and flirting does not depend on understanding women at all, nor on having a lot of money, or looking perfectly. It gives you tons of useful and fundametal advice and tips for flirting, the first date, the first night, etc. It is easy to read, the style is clear gets right to the point. I really enjoyed reading this book, sometimes it is quite funny, and I recommend it for everybody in the dating scene.
Don't waste your money.......2006-08-17
I bought this book thinking that it might have some information that would be useful in meeting women. She just talks in generalities. She talks about taking showers and wearing clean underwear. Things that guys already do and are common sense. What she doesn't talk about is what really works with women.
Book Description
In The Spiritual Universe, Fred Alan Wolf brings the most modern perspective of quantum physics to the most ancient questions of religion and philosophy. Taking the reader on a fascinating tour of both Western and Eastern thought, Wolf explains the differing view of the soul in the works of Plato, Aristotle, and St. Thomas--the ancient Egyptian's belief in the nine forms of the soul, the Qabalistic idea of the soul acting in secret to bring spiritual order to a chaotic universe of matter and energy, and the Buddhist vision of a "nonsoul." Wolf also mounts a defense of the soul against its modern critics who see it as nothing more than the physical body.
Customer Reviews:
Please be cautious..........2007-07-12
If you are curious about quantum physics, read books by Werner Heisenberg or Max Born or David Bohm. I you are curious about relativity, read books by Albert Einstein or Max Born or Hans Reichenbach or Wolfgang Pauli. Read books by Richard Feynman. A great source for these is the Dover books catalog.
Learn about these topics from the masters. These "pop-physics" books have a certain appeal, but be careful about speculations and the combination of science with spirituality. It can be entertaining to read these books, but keep a healthy skepticism.
Hopefully this Remains only One Physicist's Vision.......2007-06-19
I'm glad to see this book has people thinking about the concepts Fred presents. However, the book has more than one fatal flaw. Read this, but also read Frank Tipler's The Physics of Christianity.
Now, I'm not implying Tipler's book is flawless. It isn't. But both books help the reader to grasp a clearer picture of what physics actually IS saying.
My advice... whenever you read a claim that seems new to you, look for a reference in the endnotes. If the reference seems reputable, fine, if questionable, question the assertion. In either case, keep reading as new books are published. The definitive book hasn't yet been written on this subject.
Is this book fatally flawed?.......2007-02-14
After reading Cynthia Larsen's review, I was very intruiged and went and gave this book a good look. What intruiged me about Cynthia's review was her report that the book has the notion that the individual soul is an illusion, that there really is only one universal soul we all participate in. I've felt this way for decades, which drew me to looking more closely into the book.
But about chapter 4, Fred Wolf reveals a fatal flaw in his fundamental premise, which is that the universe expands for billions of billions of years and then begins to contract. Fred claims that his entire argument is based on this assumption. Well, when he made it, it had as good a chance as the the opposite idea that the universe would go on expanding forever. In a footnote to the second edition, he mentions that this fundamental premise has been questioned by recent theories but that the jury was still out. Unfortunately, it no longer is. The most recent and very compelling evidence is that the universe some billions of years ago passed into a phase of ever increasing accelerated expansion. Those are the observed facts. The theory behind it is wrapped up in the idea of dark energy, a (probably) constant anti-gravitational force that has existed since the big bang and will continue forever, gradually causing the entire universe to evaporate into nothingness.
So much for Tipler's notion of the eventual contraction of the universe "squeezing" it back into infinitely rich life in the distant future. Wolf seems to depend a lot on Tipler's ideas along this line.
However, if we taken an even larger view that encompasses our particular universe, there is now the notion that the universe is only one of an infinite number of others that always have existed and always will exit. Within that context, the notion of their being only one soul of which each of us is but a dim reflection still has life. Perhaps Wolf will come out with a new book and salvage his original insight of the "one soul" that will not depend on a scientific theory that has been falsified.
And indeed the notion that there is only one soul is more of an insight than a belief or speculation. The challenge of explaining this insight is twofold. First, explaining what it means. This first part is very important and would thoroughly explain the difference between an insight and a speculation and why this is the former and not the latter. Second, rationalizing it in terms of the latest scientific theory, to show that it is not contradicted by the facts that we know about the way the universe actually is. This of course is what Wolf tried to do. The problem is he based it on a scientific theory which has now been falsified. Time to go back to the drawing board.
Something is missing in this quantum, spiritual universe.......2005-05-04
I had previously read Fred Allen Wolf's "Parallel Universes" and was intrigued to read about his quantum understanding of the soul. "The Spiritual Universe" begins with a detailed review of the opinions of Plato, Aristotle, and Buddha, among others, concerning the nature of the soul. Apparently Wolf hasn't heard of a fellow named Jesus Christ who did not make the cut for any historical quotes on the nature of the soul. Then again, maybe he had some graduate students doing the heavy lifting work on the book and we all know that physics majors generally aren't known for being well-rounded in the academic sense. Honestly, I found this introduction incredibly tedious rather than enlightening. At the time it seemed like Wolf had arrived at his final conclusions about the nature of the soul while drinking a decaf caramel Macchiato at Starbucks one day and merely required some filler material, much like a typical, well padded undergraduate thesis.
Plodding through this book requires two talents: the tenacity of a polar icebreaker coupled with the gin guzzling gusto of the former captain of the Exxon Valdez. Laboriously cutting through the book like a Toro like a lawnmower with a dull blade, it seemed like I was on a scavenger hunt seeking something resembling substance. To be fair-minded, Wolf does say in his first sentence that this is not an easy book for a scientist to write. He sure delivered on that statement.
Several credible topics were entirely lacking in his tapioca-thick tome. First, it would seem incredibly intuitive that the average person might equate spirit, or soul, with the concept of ghost. Spirits have been the cornerstone of human mythology, tradition and folklore throughout history. I was mildly interested if Prof. Wolf had any insights from the study of quantum physics that might shed some light on why peoples from all cultures have reported seeing spirit or ghost manifestations. This topic was never addressed. Equally disappointing was the fact that Wolf completely ignored any discussion of out-of-body experiences (OBEs), near death experiences (NDEs), or after death communications (ADCs) as evidence of a spiritual or soul state. There is an amazing amount of fascinating literature on these subjects. On a purely personal level, it is difficult to not find at least one person at a cocktail party that has not had some kind of unusual or deeply spiritual experience being reunited with a recently deceased loved one, most frequently during the dream state. I would have been greatly interested in learning what light quantum theory might shed on the viability of ADCs. Could heaven be a parallel universe created from the void by conscious thought? One of the great centers for scientific study for evidence of the continuance of consciousness, the life of the soul after the death of the body, is at Human Energy Systems Laboratory at the University of Arizona. Wolf mentions that he spoke at a conference there yet never discusses any aspect of the academic work on the viability of consciousness after death of the body by scientists like Dr. Gary Schwartz or others. It begs the question, how does one write a scientific examination of the soul without addressing the current research being conducted on the subject? Wolf saves his best for last with his discourse on Bass's Proof and the story about something called Robotina. To be fair, Wolf does warn the reader that he had simplified the material in chapters 7-12 to make it a bit easier to digest.
Well, if you can get through the story of Robotina without drinking the bong water and inserting flaming bamboo slivers under your fingernails you've got my admiration. Sadly, this book is a feckless stinker that will render insensible even the most ardent readers. In the words of Clara Peller, "Where's the beef?" I only recommend the book if you are suffering from acute insomnia and need something innocuous to help kick in the effects of a Nyquil Rusty Nail cocktail to promote a restful nights sleep.
mind opening..........2003-12-28
This is a great book combining metaphysics and quantum physics! This book would deserve five stars but Dr. Wolf did not provide sufficient examples to explain difficult concepts. I do not mind re-read sentances or even pages to have a deeper understanding of the concepts and this book opened my eyes to the spiritual universe.
Amazon.com
Why Religion Matters is a passionate, accessible, ambitious manifesto written by one of the very few people qualified to address its titular topic. Huston Smith is the grand old man of religious scholarship. Raised by missionary parents in China, Smith went on to teach at M.I.T. and U.C. Berkeley, among others, and his World's Religions has long been the standard introductory textbook for college religion courses. The subject of Why Religion Matters, Smith writes, "is the importance of the religious dimension of human life--in individuals, in societies, and in civilizations." Smith believes that the religious dimension of human life has been devalued by the rise of modern science: we have now reached a point at which "modern Westerners . . . forsaking clear thinking, have allowed ourselves to become so obsessed with life's material underpinnings that we have written science a blank check ... concerning what constitutes knowledge and justified belief." In candid, direct style, Smith describes the evolution of intellectual history from pre-modern to postmodern times, and the spiritual sensibilities that have been shunted "by our misreading of modern science." In the book's final sections, Smith avoids the folly of predicting the future, instead focusing on "features of the religious landscape that are invariant" and therefore may serve as "a map that can orient us, wherever the future may bring." This book is fresh, insightful, and important. It may prove to be as influential in shifting readers' terms of religious understanding as any of Smith's previous writings. --Paul Power
Book Description
Huston Smith, the author of the classic bestseller The World's Religions, delivers a passionate, timely message: The human spirit is being suffocated by the dominant materialistic worldview of our times. Smith champions a society in which religion is once again treasured and authentically practiced as the vital source of human wisdom.
Customer Reviews:
Smith affirms the religious world-view.......2007-07-22
This book was not quite what I expected. The title, on "Why Religion Matters", might get you to thinking that there would be large tracts devoted to Darwin or Marx, or atheistic criticism and the hegemony of secular thinking. Smith actually argues that the traditional world-view of an intergrated, meaningful world is still valid, and primarily attacks the view that science or "scientism" (that all beliefs can be reduced to scientific method or explanation) has become somewhat of its own religion, precluding alternative or earlier understanding of this world. In a nutshell, we have all become too rationalistic and "straight-jacketed" by the rigors of a modern, "scientistic" thinking. He makes some valid points, but personally I believe he may have done some disservice to the curiousity and wonder of many scientists. His book is effective, but not what I was expecting, and not the exact way I would imagine framing this question myself. It is, overall a good book, communicating interesting and controversial ideas - adequate for beginning students.
Brings the respect back to religion.......2007-06-30
I was given this book when I was in public university. I am normally not much of a book reader. But this is now one of my most treasured posessions. Huston Smith uses his incredible gift of knowledge, perception and worldviews to make an irrefutable case for the value and necessity of religion in human society.
This book is NOT light reading. It is very deep and requires the reader to repeat some pages just for the content to seep in. Smith manages to pack an incredible ammount of thought and content into small selections.
There is way too much to cover in this review but the best way I can describe it is as follows: This book discusses the three worldviews throught history... traditionalism, modernism and post modernism (what we are in now) Smith then carefully details how each of these worldviews deals with the debate of cosmology vs metaphysics and how this affects the nature of society. He brilliantly pickes apart positivism (the notion that science is the only means of arriving at truth), and goes on to explain why religion is innate and cannot be ignored.
I only wish I had his writing skills. He brings in a number of religions including buddism, Judaism, Christianity, hunduism...etc.. This is not biased and brilliantly done. You will not be disapointed.
Read Smith's World Religions Instead.......2006-03-23
Horribly, horribly disappointing. Books that simply trash another opposing theory (think US politics in 2004) without coming up with solid ideas of their own is not nearly as interesting as original/positive thesis. Smith spends a huge chunk of the book doing just that and portraying scientists as soulless students of dead matter. Really, if Smith's version of science was truly the dominant cultural paradigm, 5 percent instead of 95 percent of Americans would believe in God.
In addition, he takes superficial examples from other cultures and uses them to defend his monotheism (an underlying Christianity, based on some passages). While I agree with the author that tolerance without thinking is just as bad as
intolerance, using native cultures as examples and then arguing that there is an absolute religious Truth (not a spiritual truth) is difficult to swallow. Sorry, you can't have both.
In addition, the writing is generally chaotic in the last half -the author seems to be trying to squeeze his life work into a few pages.
Again, Huston Smith has MANY better books out there that treat the world's religions with more respect.
Time to clean house.......2006-01-18
The author (an old friend of mine) has long been pointing to the tragedy he describes in this and other books of his. Now what has happened to us has happened to science itself and religion also. It's time to clean house from top to bottom while the house is still standing.
Very disappointing........2005-12-27
I saw the Bill Moyer's PBS series on Huston Smith. I was very impressed. I bought The World's Religions by Huston Smith and was blown away. Fantastic summaries of the 7 great world religions and a chapter on the lesser religions.
I've had the question nagging at the back of my mind for a while, "Does religion really matter?" So, when coming across Why Religion Matters I knew I had to read it.
I didn't read the whole book. I fell just short of 200 pages before giving up. The book wasn't getting to the point. It just kept bashing science and Scientism, over and over.
This is a dreadful book.
Books:
- The God Delusion
- The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot
- The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Gift Set
- The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil
- The Mormon Way of Doing Business: Leadership and Success Through Faith and Family
- The Practice of Spiritual Direction
- The Promise of Mediation: The Transformative Approach to Conflict
- The Qur'an Translation
- The Sabbath
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- USS Ranger: The Navys First Flattop from Keel to Mast, 1934-1946
- Paula Deen Celebrates!: Best Dishes and Best Wishes for the Best Times of Your Life
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- Monte Carlo Methods in Bayesian Computation
- If Not for the Cat
- International Tax Havens Guide 2003
- Jungle Rules: How to Be a Tiger in Business
- Hardship: The Welfare Consequences of Labor Market Problems
Dying Well
Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying
The Needs of the Dying: A Guide for Bringing Hope, Comfort, and Love to Life's Final Chapter
Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness
What Dying People Want: Practical Wisdom for the End of Life
