Life Without a Centre: Awakening from the Dream of Separation
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A cup of tea
  • Poorly written.
  • GRACIOUS AND FRUSTRATING
  • This may be the last book I ever read.
  • The Nondualist Next Door
 Life Without a Centre: Awakening from the Dream of Separation
Jeff Foster
Manufacturer: Non-Duality Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
MeditationMeditation | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
New ThoughtNew Thought | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
DreamsDreams | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. One: Essential Writings on Nonduality One: Essential Writings on Nonduality
  2. The Myth of Enlightenment: Seeing Through the Illusion of Separation The Myth of Enlightenment: Seeing Through the Illusion of Separation
  3. Oneness Oneness
  4. From Here to Here: Turning Toward Enlightenment From Here to Here: Turning Toward Enlightenment
  5. Perfect Brilliant Stillness Perfect Brilliant Stillness

ASIN: 0955399904

Book Description

We try to escape from the play of life and the suffering that being "a person in the world" entails. Our efforts to find spiritual enlightenment have the opposite effect and reinforce an underlying feeling of lack, of separation. In Life Without a Centre, Jeff Foster suggests that there is only ever the present appearance of life, with no individual at its core who could ever escape even if they wanted to. The entire spiritual search is nothing more than a game we play with ourselves, the cosmic entertainment. Jeff cuts through the confusion and frustration surrounding the search for escape through spiritual enlightenment, by pointing to the utterly obvious: This moment, and everything that arises in it, is already the liberation that is sought. Life, just as it is, is already what we've been searching for our entire lives. Jeff Foster graduated in astrophysics from Cambridge University. Soon after graduation, life events propelled him onto an intense two-year spiritual search, culminating in the realisation that there was never anything to find in the first place. He currently writes and talks on what some people have called "non-duality", but which he just refers to as "the utterly, utterly obvious".

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A cup of tea.......2007-10-07

This book is not for beginners or those unfamiliar with non-duality. This book will be highly appreciated by those who have read the works of Ramana and Nisargadatta to name a few well known masters on non-duality.
In Part Three of the book, "A cup of tea", coincidentally, I have been practicing it before using the chinese tea set and the writings of Jeff Foster has actually reinforced my practice. It actually expedited the 'disappearance' of 'my' ego.
Quoted from the book,"I do not drink the tea, for there is no tea and no 'I' who can drink. And I, if I am anything, am the silent observer behind all of this, the space in which it all happens".

1 out of 5 stars Poorly written........2007-08-16

This book seems like it was written by an amateur writer. It's nothing special, and offers no real description of anything. The author just rambles on about how wonderful everything is, with no real insight into why he believes this. There is no "pointing" that other authors of the same subject talk about.
His words just didn't convince me that he believed what he was writing. I just didn't care for it.

5 out of 5 stars GRACIOUS AND FRUSTRATING.......2007-06-14

Yes, this book is gracious and frustrating. Gracious because the author reminds us that there is nowhere to go, we already are what we seek. Frustrating because we still want to seek, and it is that seeking that keeps us from seeing that we are already there.

I loved it.

5 out of 5 stars This may be the last book I ever read........2007-06-10

This simple book may be the one that knocks the "now I've got it--now I've lost it" nondualist off the fence once and for all. Or not.

5 out of 5 stars The Nondualist Next Door.......2007-05-16

Free of arrogance and of taking offense; free of the attitude, "I'm enlightened and you're not;" free of an air of superiority or celebrity; ordinary, pleasant, Jeff Foster is the nondualist next door.

Jeff talks directly and without compromise about `this'. `This' is form. It is not only a special form such as a statue of Buddha, or the world's largest diamond. It is also a crumb on the floor. The values you place on a crumb, a diamond, and a sacred object, are `this'. This is `this'.

But that's not all. `This' is not separate from the "Nothingness that contains all things," as Jeff says. Jeff does a brilliant job of reminding us of what `this' is and of its non-separation from Nothingness. In this regard, Jeff writes:

"Truly, everything is a manifestation of unconditional love. It is all One Mind, it's all God, it is Nirvana, it is Consciousness, Oneness, The Kingdom of Heaven (call it what you will) - ALL of it. The sacred and the profane, the living and the dying, the fear, the guilt, the pain, the compassion, beheadings in Iraq, mass starvation, bodies being ravaged by cancer, the search for enlightenment, the frustration at `not getting it', paying bills, feeding the cat, stroking the cat, being bitten by the cat, EVERYTHING! (Okay, so I could do without being bitten by the cat....)"

Although Jeff says in the beginning of the book that "no methods are laid out," instruction is given. Jeff writes, "Perhaps it's a question of noticing - right here, right now, and in every moment - how the mind wants something more, something else, something more than just this." ... "Simply notice the movement of thought, pulling you into a future moment where you will be `enlightened.' Come back to the present moment. Who is the one that wants enlightenment?"

The above sounds like instruction in inquiry, which is a method or practice. The instruction is repeated elsewhere. In fact, the book is a call to the reader to notice the ever-happening slightest movement elsewhere, so that the absoluteness of the instant is recognized with open eyes.

At another place in the book, Jeff confesses, "There is no self to realize; there are no enlightened individuals."

This is how every sage talks. They tell you there is no self to realize and at the same time give instruction on how to realize. Whether it's Jeff Foster, Tony Parsons, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, or whoever, they all do it. But as Jeff says, "...even the search for oneness .... is simply an expression of oneness... ."

As we read the descriptions and declarations of `this', as we take Jeff's instructions on how to pay attention, we start to see ourselves as `this', as an immediacy. That's the effect the book has. The floor we stand upon, the floor that we call `me', starts to give way. In the opening cracks we see the Nothingness out of which `this', out of which `me' arises. This is a quietly powerful book that leads you to the plunge into Nothingness.

Jerry Katz
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality
Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Take This One Minute Test
  • All you need is here
  • Don't Buy This Book By the Original
  • Be on your way to lucid dreams
  • outstanding!!!!
 Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life
Stephen Laberge
Manufacturer: Sounds True
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

DreamsDreams | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
DreamsDreams | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
DreamsDreams | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming
  2. The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep
  3. Lucid Dreams in 30 Days, Second Edition: The Creative Sleep Program Lucid Dreams in 30 Days, Second Edition: The Creative Sleep Program
  4. Conscious Dreaming: A Spiritual Path for Everyday Life Conscious Dreaming: A Spiritual Path for Everyday Life
  5. Dreaming While Awake Dreaming While Awake

ASIN: 1591791502

Book Description

What if right now, reading these words, you suddenly realized that you were actually dreaming - and that in this domain you could do anything imaginable? That is what it's like to dream lucidly, teaches Stephen LaBerge. In this new book/CD, he teaches his simple, proven methods for becoming fully conscious in the dream state.. with expert instruction gleaned from LaBerge's 20 years of pioneer in research at Stanford University, now anyone can learn to consciously explore and use their dreams for self-discovery, creativity, fantasy fulfillment, emotional healing, and profound spiritual insights. CD includes two complete guided dream induction sessions.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Take This One Minute Test.......2007-08-26

Look around and observe your environment. Now ask yourself, "Ask I dreaming or am I awake?" Now look at the time on your watch. Let's say, it reads 3:25 p.m. Now look away for a moment. Now look again. If it says 9:55 a.m. then in all probability you are dreaming. This simple reality is one of the techniques that you train yourself to do while you are dreaming a regular dream. When you remember to do this reality check during a regular dream, the chances become very high that you will realize you are dreaming while you are dreaming. This all things impossible become possible. You can fly. You can make love to anyone you can conjure up in your imagination, real or fictional. You could talk to Einstein about the nature of the universe or you could walk with the Buddha amongst fragrant garden in the Orient and discourse on the meaning of life. Once you are lucid, everything you can imagine can become real!

Stephen LaBerge is world authority on this phenomenon, and he has helped thousands to develop the ability of lucid dreaming. This book is a must have read for anyone interested in lucid dreaming.

After you get this one, the others that I recommend to follow are:

Creative Dreaming: Plan And Control Your Dreams to Develop Creativity, Overcome Fears, Solve Problems, and Create a Better Self

Teach Yourself to Dream: A Practical Guide to Unleashing the Power of the Subconscious Mind

The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep

Thank you, Mr. LaBerge for your work.

4 out of 5 stars All you need is here.......2007-08-24

If you want a more in depth and scientific book about lucid dreaming, Laberge's Explore the World of Lucid Dreaming is better. This short book contains the techniques you need, and all of the most relevant information.
The cd is good, not great. Laberge did not need to put some of the introductions on the tracks which take away from the exercises, and instead should have been printed in the book. The two trance tracks are identical except the day track tells you to wake up at the end, and I personally don't care for the lotus visualization--I always get confused as to how to visualize a lotus in my throat--do I look at it from where my eyes are, or look at me as though I am another person... Not clearly defined. He also varies his vocal volume too much--so you can't set an ideal volume because he mumbles at times and is too loud at others.
Overall a good book. I also liked The Art of Dreaming, The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep, and Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light. All this reading means little if you don't practice though.

1 out of 5 stars Don't Buy This Book By the Original.......2007-03-08

I bought this book not realizing it was just a condensed version of the author's book Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming. There is nothing new here except a CD you don't need. If you are new to ludid dreaming you want to stick to Laberge's previous work. If you have already read that, you won't need to spend your money on this. It's like the cliffnotes version with pretty packaging and a CD thrown in to make it sound worth the money. It's simply not.

4 out of 5 stars Be on your way to lucid dreams.......2007-01-10

This is one of the most interesting books I've read in awhile. It's not very long, it's a quick read and the author does a good job of providing a background to lucid dreaming and explains the benefits that are associated with lucid dreaming, as well as providing a guide to becoming lucid in your dreams. The book comes with a CD to help you become lucid in your dreams and the CD contains several exercises that are all narrated by the author. The exercises on the CD are easy to follow and the quality of the recording is very good. Some tracks also contain meditative music in the background. There are some topics in relation to lucid dreaming that were not covered in the book that I would have liked to see the author comment on, such as the variety of available legal herbal supplements that are supposed to promote the occurrence of lucid dreams. Although I cannot say that the book has helped me become lucid in my own dreams as of yet, the author's techniques that are taught in the book and on the accompanying CD have already helped me go from not remembering any of my dreams to being able to recall several dreams per night with increasingly more detail.

J.E.

5 out of 5 stars outstanding!!!!.......2006-05-15

this book is MUCH better than the author's earlier book(exploring the world of lucid dreaming)for three reasons.(1)it is WAY more comprehensive.(2) the exercises are simpler and easier to understand.(3)it has up to date information.the previous book was written sixteen years ago and this book has a lot of recent research results/techniques.i highly recommend it for anyone who really desires to use this valuable skill.
Awakening to the Dream
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Simple, flowing expression
  • A Classic
  • When One Book is Enough
  • Amazing
  • Gift of lucid explanation
 Awakening to the Dream
Leo Hartong
Manufacturer: Non-Duality Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
MysticismMysticism | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
DreamsDreams | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. From Self to Self From Self to Self
  2. Awakening to the Natural State Awakening to the Natural State
  3. What's Wrong with Right Now? What's Wrong with Right Now?
  4. As It Is: The Open Secret to Living an Awakened Life As It Is: The Open Secret to Living an Awakened Life
  5. Presence-Awareness: Just This and Nothing Else Presence-Awareness: Just This and Nothing Else

ASIN: 0954779215

Book Description

Awakening to the dream is a very clear, approachable overview of the often confusing and rarefied philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, also known as non-dualism. Essentially, this is a book about you. It points to and from the source of your true identity. The clear seeing that it refers to is neither complex nor simple. It is not something exclusive for intellectual or spiritual elite, nor is it remote or hiding in the future. It is all inclusive, pure presence, closer than your breath. It is the heart of hearts, your birthright and innermost self. This is your invitation to remember what was never really forgotten.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Simple, flowing expression.......2007-07-07

Leo's book is really good - it's very conceptual and uses every "trick" to point to that which you are. Leo has a way of using analogy and metaphor to throw us back to that which is the basis for all experience - not to see a new state of mind, a special experience, but to know that what you are is the silent, still presence in which all states and experiences arise. Leo's writing at times seems to reflect an impression by Alan Watts. He gently invites you to see through the concepts and duality that are the nature of the mind.

5 out of 5 stars A Classic.......2007-05-21

Leo Hartong connects the reader to the terrain of Nonduality in a manner that is gracious, enjoyable and satisfying. The topics of enlightenment, ego, intellect, the witness, I Am, awareness, meditation, awakening, teacher/seeker, death, are integrated effortlessly.

Awakening to the Dream is both an excellent introduction to Nonduality, and an encounter with an awakened one. The writing style is memorable. This is a valuable work which could become a classic in the field. (Note: The previous sentence, as the well as this entire review, was written in 2003 when the book came out. It is first being posted to Amazon.com in 2007.)

Here are a few passages:

"These words are nothing but a gentle reminder from yourself to yourself that you are the awakened one."

"This whole universe is the dream of the Self. Our identity is one continuum with the deep Self, and when we use words like unconditional love, bliss, and acceptance, we are reaching for our own hands."

"Once your true identity is uncovered, you'll see that birth, existence, and death do not happen to you, but in you."

"Enlightenment appears as a goal that one can reach only as long as there is the illusion of a separate entity or ego. In Zen, it has been called the gateless gate. When one stands before it, the gate seems to be there. When one passes through and looks back, it's clear there never was a gate nor anyone to go through it."

Jerry Katz
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality

5 out of 5 stars When One Book is Enough.......2007-04-29

Memory tells that I once seemed to visit leo's beautiful internet site (awakeningtothedream.com) and read his book... not knowing 'advaita'... though it is ever clear... like looking in a mirror... a smile still seems to linger. As a waterfall takes no credit for being a waterfall, leo takes no credit for the writing - nor the insight. This book will be read from many perspectives and, in some cases, it will seem that a door opens into a doorless void that needs no words to express itself... it is not what you think it is, yet it seems to be... smile. If it seems you have read this far, perhaps this One book is enough... Love

5 out of 5 stars Amazing.......2007-03-29


Everything about this book was incredible...the content, the smooth writing style, and the length (144 pgs.). The message is the same as any advaita text --that there's no separate personal "I"-- but aside from that, there's just something about this author's words that really resonate. Part of what's so great about this book are the metaphors and analogies that are used in trying to attempt to describe 'that which cannot be described', the Self.

It's no doubt the best book on nonduality I've ever read; and the follow-up book 'From Self To Self' is amazing as well (in Q + A format).

Both highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Gift of lucid explanation.......2007-03-06

The book is sub-titled "The gift of lucid living". Leo Hartong undoubtedly has the gift of lucid explanation. His is a seldom found ability to write with absolute clarity on the subject of non-duality. An absolute gem of a book for both newcomers to the subject and those who have already had to weigh through other less clear publications.
The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Way Beyond "Socrates Revisited"
  • True, but gimmicky
  • A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call
  • Challenge Consensus Reality!
  • A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us"
 The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocking Your Personal Potential, Achieving Spiritual Awakening, ... of Humanity's Ultimate Cosmic Destiny
Vincent Casspriano Jr.
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
BuddhaBuddha | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World
  2. Parallel Universe Of Self Parallel Universe Of Self
  3. How to Meet Yourself: ...and find true happiness How to Meet Yourself: ...and find true happiness
  4. Life Without a Centre: Awakening from the Dream of Separation Life Without a Centre: Awakening from the Dream of Separation
  5. One: Essential Writings on Nonduality One: Essential Writings on Nonduality

ASIN: 1847285783

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:

5 out of 5 stars 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.

1 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

4 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.
Beyond The Dream: Awakening to Reality
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Beyond the Dream; Awakening to Reality
  • Water for the Spirit
  • The meaning of life is here!
 Beyond The Dream: Awakening to Reality
Thomas Hora
Manufacturer: The Crossroad Publishing Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Job Hunting & CareersJob Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books | General | Guides | Interviewing | Job Hunting | Job Markets & Advice | Resumes | Vocational Guidance | Volunteer Work
DreamsDreams | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Consciousness & ThoughtConsciousness & Thought | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
HumanismHumanism | Movements | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
PsychologyPsychology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Psychiatry | Specialties | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Internal MedicineInternal Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books | Cardiology | Critical Care | Endocrinology & Metabolism | Gastroenterology | General | Hematology | Hepatology | Infectious Disease | Nephrology | Neurology | Oncology | Pulmonary | Rheumatology | Urology
GeneralGeneral | Psychiatry | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. One Mind: A Psychiatrist's Spiritual Teachings One Mind: A Psychiatrist's Spiritual Teachings
  2. Forgiveness (Discourses in Metapsychiatry Series) Forgiveness (Discourses in Metapsychiatry Series)
  3. Existential Metapsychiatry Existential Metapsychiatry
  4. A Hierarchy of Values (Discourses in Metapsychiatry Series) A Hierarchy of Values (Discourses in Metapsychiatry Series)
  5. Self-Transcendence Self-Transcendence

ASIN: 0824516362

Book Description

Beyond the Dream contains original insights on life, health, healing and wholeness - insights that can help anyone awaken spiritually - to find light beyond the dream of life as personal selfhood. In Beyond the Dream, Dr. Thomas Hora looks at the human condition with compassion and offers insights that can help anyone to awaken spiritually. Spiritual seekers who come from all faiths or none will find much to ponder in Beyond the Dream. They will also open their minds and hearts to the realization of peace, assurance, gratitude and love, here and now.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Beyond the Dream; Awakening to Reality.......2006-07-08

Simply, the very best book I have ever read. It has changed me completely. ( I am not easily changed)You read it and you just know.

5 out of 5 stars Water for the Spirit.......2000-10-30

In this book the compassionate Dr. Hora is able to reveal the living God in breathtakingly simple, infinitely intelligent language. Hora untangles God from theology, misunderstanding, and misappropriation in simple sentences; the reader is left with life.

The radiant thinking of Hora dug me out of a deep hole. Dialogues unifies the most clarifying truths of New and Old Testament, Zen Buddhism and Christian Science into a rich understanding of God, the genderless source of life and health.

There is no dogma, no miracles, no exclamation points, no fantasy, no platitudes, and no ideological bent. There are no rants and no comparisons between religions. There is simply enough insight to occupy the rest of your thinking life.

5 out of 5 stars The meaning of life is here!.......1998-06-14

Thomas Hora MD. might as well be the author of a Course in Miracles because this book is is the continuation of what was begun there. Dr. Hora has taken the purpose of life beyond the mundane and put it into reality for us in a way that we can take our lives into our own hands and be of value on this planet. All of the reasons why are here. All of the ways we can be who we are meant to be are here. Plain and simple. Dr. Hora's book is the Holy Grail for those of us who have been searching all our lives for the true meaning of our existence. I have recommended this book to everyone I know and now we can stop searching and start understanding and being who we really are. God bless all those who find this treasure!
Healing Night: The Science and Spirit of Sleeping, Dreaming, and Awakening
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Soul of Sleep
  • Sweet Dreams
  • Strongly recommended for readers suffering from sleep disorders
  • Healing Night, Healthy Spirits
  • Sound reading for sound sleeping
 Healing Night: The Science and Spirit of Sleeping, Dreaming, and Awakening
Rubin R. Naiman
Manufacturer: Syren Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

DreamsDreams | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Sleep DisordersSleep Disorders | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
SleepSleep | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
DreamsDreams | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Self-HelpSelf-Help | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Healthy Sleep Healthy Sleep
  2. Morning Notes: 365 Meditations To Wake You Up (Prather, Hugh) Morning Notes: 365 Meditations To Wake You Up (Prather, Hugh)
  3. The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things: Fourteen Natural Steps to Health and Happiness The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things: Fourteen Natural Steps to Health and Happiness
  4. The Insomnia Answer: A Personalized Program for Identifying and Overcoming the Three Types of Insomnia The Insomnia Answer: A Personalized Program for Identifying and Overcoming the Three Types of Insomnia
  5. Say Good Night to Insomnia: The Six-Week, Drug-Free Program Developed At Harvard Medical School Say Good Night to Insomnia: The Six-Week, Drug-Free Program Developed At Harvard Medical School

ASIN: 0929636538

Book Description

In Healing Night, clinical psychologist Rubin R. Naiman explores sleeping, dreaming, and awakening, going far beyond the science of sleep medicine to reflect on what he believes is the profoundly spiritual nature of night consciousness. Naiman reveals how the erosion of night by artificial light and the devaluation of sleep and dreaming have led to an epidemic of sleep disorders and consequent days of chronically dazed waking consciousness. Drawing on both clinical experience and personal explorations, Naiman offers a fresh look at sleep and dreams, and provides alternative healing practices for sleep disturbances. Moreover, he challenges us to acknowledge our spiritual night blindness and embrace the sacredness of night.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Soul of Sleep.......2007-09-17

I heard an interview with the author of this book on the radio and immediately ordered it from Amazon. What caught my attention was his way of placing the problem of insomnia into a much wider context, even changing the way I thought about sleep in the short time of the interview. What intrigued me was that he compared the sleep/wake, day/night cycle to the classic Chinese Yin/Yang symbol, which has, in addition to the black/white shapes, a dot of white in the black shape, and a dot of black in the white shape. In pre-industrial times, when people slept and woke up in a more natural rhythm, there was a little piece of the night in the day - the afternoon nap or siesta. But most interesting, something I had never heard of before, was the little piece of day in the night - what was called the Watches, or the Night Watch. People would wake up in the middle of the night quite naturally for a few hours, and this was a time for meditation, prayer, and love-making. This natural rhythm of sleeping and waking at night was actually confirmed in a sleep study which demonstrated that when left to themselves, people have a first sleep of three to four hours, then a period of wakefulness, followed by a refreshing second sleep also three to four hours.

The book changed the way I ask questions about sleep - not, why can't I get to sleep, but also, do I really wake up fully, or am I in what the author calls a "daze," a state of artificial waking? How do I view sleep, is it part of the sacred and mysterious night or is it only taking the body off-line for required maintenance in order to assure its daytime productivity? He shows how the drive to be productive produces a mechanistic view of the body and robs the soul.

There is so much more in this book, and I recommend it highly to anyone who has trouble sleeping, but also to anyone who sleeps well. Because it is not so much about sleep as a biological necessity as it is about sleep as an inseparable aspect of the mystery of night and day.

5 out of 5 stars Sweet Dreams.......2006-07-30

Healing Night offers practical ways to combat sleep disorders. Dr. Naiman eschews approved FDA pharmaceutical sleep aids in favor of a natural approach. Some of the suggestions include using meditation and exercise to reduce stress levels. A must read self help book for anyone who has anxiety and insomnia. I rate it 5 Z's.

5 out of 5 stars Strongly recommended for readers suffering from sleep disorders.......2006-05-02

Healing Night: The Science and Spirit of Sleeping, Dreaming, and Awakening, authored by sleep and dream medicine specialist Rubin R. Naiman (Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine), provides the reader with theoretical, historical, and psychological understandings of dreams, including a multitude of strategies and innovative ideas for assisting, conditioning, treating or growing beyond sleep disorders. Introducing readers to diverse conceptual explorations of dreaming and dream sciences drawn from a variety of perceptive interpretations and over twenty-five years of medical dream-oriented experience, Professor Naiman enables the reader to arrive at a concise and highly acute understanding of dreams in spiritual, scientific, and medical ideologies. Healing Night is very strongly recommended for readers suffering from sleep disorders, as well as students of the dream-sciences and psychology, and those searching for tools to evaluate dream interpretation utilizing perspectives from philosophical, literary, mythological, and modern psychological sciences.

5 out of 5 stars Healing Night, Healthy Spirits.......2006-04-23

Reading "Healing Night" was a blessed experience. Dr. Naiman's artful and sentimental writing style beguiles readers while they absorb vast amounts of technical science and advanced spirituality vital to their well-being.

Dr. Naiman is conversational, but scholarly. Poetic...yet prosaic. His strong, human, caring, and qualified voice effectively ushers readers into the life-threatening plight of our sleepless and dreamless world.

Throughout "Healing Night", Dr. Naiman gently weaves his ever important message of developing and maintaining healthy sleeping, dreaming, and waking patterns with personalized anecdotal threads. The results are a seemingly effortless and beautiful tapestry of the psychology, physiology, and spirituality necessary for readers to understand and overcome our cultural and sociological addiction to artificial light, sleeping pills and waking "aids".

"Healing Night" is a rare, masterful recipe for nursing our parched, exhausted, ignored, and overstimulated souls back to health. If you are serious about improving your relationship with sleep...or with yourself, "Healing Night" is the most comprehensive medical and spiritual manual that I have ever come across.

5 out of 5 stars Sound reading for sound sleeping.......2006-03-05

For anyone who is seeking comfort and a sense of renewal through sleep, as well as direction and insight through dreams, "Healing Night: the Science and Spirit of Sleeping, Dreaming, and Awakening" is a must-read. Written from the knowledgeable perspective of a psychologist who effectively combines important and equal measures of spirituality, psychology and science along with a touch of mythology, the book offers a myriad of information on a subject too many of us take for granted. The author guides the reader on approaching dreams from an individualized, and therefore more personally meaningful, level while identifying and appreciating the often overlooked spiritual component of dreaming. Dr. Naiman also presents a balanced overview of our circadian rhythms and how modern life has tampered with this delicate mechanism, adversely affecting our ability to maintain optimal mental and physical equilibrium. By increasing our awareness of subtle cues and restructuring our night time rituals, we can learn how to restore this balance without resorting to unnatural pharmacological assistance. As a society focused on doing, being and obtaining more we've devalued the importance of sleep and rest in the overall quality of our lives. "Healing Night" effectively reminds us how to restore and appreciate the value of this necessary - and healing - process.
Reflections of an Elder Brother: Awakening from the Dream
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Handbook for Self Realization
  • Simple and accessible
  • A gift for your Soul!
  • A Companion Book
  • Bartholomew changed my life, so very very grateful
 Reflections of an Elder Brother: Awakening from the Dream
Bartholomew , and Mary-Margaret Moore
Manufacturer: Hay House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Psychology & CounselingPsychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books | Adolescent Psychology | Applied Psychology | By Topic | Child Psychology | Clinical Psychology | Cognitive | Counseling | Creativity & Genius | Developmental Psychology | Education & Training | Ethnopsychology | Experimental Psychology | Forensic Psychology | General | History | Hypnosis | Industrial Psychology | Logotherapy | Medicine & Psychology | Mental Illness | Movements | Neuropsychology | Occupational & Organizational | Pathologies | Personality | Philosophy of Psychology | Physical Illness & Psychiatry | Physiological Aspects | Psychiatry | Psychoanalysis | Psychobiology | Psychopharmacology | Psychosomatic Medicine | Psychotherapy, TA & NLP | Reference | Research | Sexuality | Social Psychology & Interactions | Statistics | Suicide | Testing & Measurement
DreamsDreams | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ChannelingChanneling | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
MysticismMysticism | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
New ThoughtNew Thought | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Planetary Brother Planetary Brother
  2. From the Heart of a Gentle Brother From the Heart of a Gentle Brother
  3. "I Come As a Brother": A Remembrance of Illusions "I Come As a Brother": A Remembrance of Illusions
  4. Journeys With a Brother: Japan to India Journeys With a Brother: Japan to India
  5. Emmanuel's Book III: What Is an Angel Doing Here? (Emmanuel's Book) Emmanuel's Book III: What Is an Angel Doing Here? (Emmanuel's Book)

ASIN: 1561703877

Book Description

"This positive message has lasted long after other, more transitory, teachings have fallen out of favor; and Mary-Margaret Moore is certainly to be congratulated for taking personal responsibility for every word uttered by Bartholomew." Inner Views

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Handbook for Self Realization.......2003-01-31

The subtitle of this book is "Awakening from the Dream" and thats what this book is about. This is a book about experiencing God and is packed with exercises toward that end. This book also has a very comprehensive description of "conscious creation". We must first be conscious before we can create consciously otherwise we create unconsciously. Bartholomew speaks of the importance of using our conscious focus for creating things that last beyond this lifetime (awareness not a cadillac).

"Many of you have not yet reached that "now-or-never" moment. You are still hoping that the next love affair or the next job or the next something is going to bring you happiness. My friends, be careful. When you keep looking for the next ego gratification, you are also saying, "Next lifetime."

Like "I Come As A Brother" this book is very much in line with Advaita Vedanta teachings like those of Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj.

5 out of 5 stars Simple and accessible.......2003-01-12

We live an dream. That dream is so real, we perceive it mostly as the only thing that matters. But even dreams have to come from a dreamer and the circumstances which create the possibilities for such realistic reveries.

Bartholomew offers insights into the workings of that reality in simple and accessible terms.

'Life is but a dream' has never been truer, especially when you find out how you can direct and influence that dream, your life.

Highly recommendable for anyone who is willing to shed old notions and prepared to think beyond certain confines.

5 out of 5 stars A gift for your Soul!.......2001-03-31

As a frequent Amazon shopper I enjoy reading reviews. Those before mine inspired me to take another chance and buy this book. I seem to be a metaphysical book junky. But this book was the greatest book I've bought in years. It contains so much wisdom that one, two or three readings will not be enough. I was finally at a stage where I could "accept" the messages it contains and it has transformed my long held attitudes and beliefs. For that I am very grateful to the author! Thank you for sharing such wisdom via Bartholomew! Wonderful! Love IS the answer.....

5 out of 5 stars A Companion Book.......1999-11-22

This book is packed with insights and techniques for bringing about the experience of our expanded, enlightened Self. It is written with deep love and compassion; the words nurture and nourish the Self. A true companion book!

5 out of 5 stars Bartholomew changed my life, so very very grateful.......1999-10-19

I will probably never stop reading my 'Bart' books,I seem to find something new each time I pick one up, such commonsense, such truth, you can't turn away from it.
Kabbalah and the Power of Dreaming: Awakening the Visionary Life
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great book, but only the tip of the Kabbalah iceberg
  • A fine, specific exploration based on solid spiritual foundations
  • Revisioning and reshaping our world
 Kabbalah and the Power of Dreaming: Awakening the Visionary Life
Catherine Shainberg
Manufacturer: Inner Traditions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

DreamsDreams | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
KabbalahKabbalah | Sacred Writings | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
DreamsDreams | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Dreamways of the Iroquois: Honoring the Secret Wishes of the Soul Dreamways of the Iroquois: Honoring the Secret Wishes of the Soul
  2. Living in the Heart: How to Enter into the Sacred Space Within the Heart Living in the Heart: How to Enter into the Sacred Space Within the Heart
  3. Kabbalistic Healing: A Path to an Awakened Soul Kabbalistic Healing: A Path to an Awakened Soul
  4. The Dreamer's Book of the Dead: A Soul Traveler's Guide to Death, Dying, and the Other Side The Dreamer's Book of the Dead: A Soul Traveler's Guide to Death, Dying, and the Other Side
  5. Dreamgates: An Explorer's Guide to the Worlds of Soul, Imagination, and Life Beyond Death Dreamgates: An Explorer's Guide to the Worlds of Soul, Imagination, and Life Beyond Death

ASIN: 1594770476
Release Date: 2005-02-16

Book Description

A dynamic exposition of the powerful, ancient Sephardic tradition of dreaming passed down from the renowned 13th-century kabbalist Isaac the Blind

• Includes exercises and practices to access the dream state at will in order to engage with life in a state of enhanced awareness

• Written by the close student of revered kabbalist Colette Aboulker-Muscat

In Kabbalah and the Power of Dreaming Catherine Shainberg unveils the esoteric practices that allow us to unlock the dreaming mind's transformative and intuitive powers. These are the practices used by ancient prophets, seers, and sages to control dreams and visions. Shainberg draws upon the ancient Sephardic Kabbalah tradition, as well as illustrative
stories and myths from around the Mediterranean, to teach readers how to harness the intuitive power of their dreaming. While the Hebrew Bible and our Western esoteric tradition give us ample evidence of dream teachings, rarely has the path to becoming a conscious dreamer been articulated. Shainberg shows that dreaming is not something that merely takes place while sleeping--we are dreaming at every moment. By teaching the conscious mind to be awake in our sleeping dreams and the dreaming mind to be manifest in daytime awareness, we are able to achieve revolutionary consciousness. Her inner-vision exercises initiate creative and transformative images that generate the pathways to self-realization.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great book, but only the tip of the Kabbalah iceberg.......2007-03-12

I bought this book to help me with my forays into dreams and it gives an extensive amount of exercises to help with that. Plus, I liked how the text wasn't weighed down with complicated Kabbalistic theory which would confuse beginners, though I wouldn't have minded a reference index that points to theoretical information for further research. Another drawback is that the exercises do not come with a recommended practice timeframe, so it is unclear whether the reader does an exercise regularly for an indefinite period of time or if once is sufficient. There is also no recommended timeframe to complete the series in the book.

One is also left with the feeling that there's so much more that the author could've written about. Short of moving to New York, where the dream institute is located, I'd love to see another book by the author further exploring the subject. She's a great writer, and able to convey a lot of information very simply. I'd also like for her to go a little more into the "whys" of the exercises, rather than just expect people to "do" without any explanation. That's a great approach in a master-student scenario, but readers tend to want more information on why they're doing something.

5 out of 5 stars A fine, specific exploration based on solid spiritual foundations.......2005-09-06

Plenty of books have covered the Kabbalah, but choose psychologist/healer Catherine Shainberg's Kabbalah And The Power Of Dreaming: Awakening The Visionary Life if what you seek is a practical application of Kabbalah principles to daily spiritual purposes. There are practices used by seers, sages and prophets to control dreams and visions: Shainberg uses the ancient Sephardic Kabbalah tradition to blend in stories from around the Mediterranean, to be used as examples for readers seeking to develop their own dreaming powers. A fine, specific exploration based on solid spiritual foundations.

5 out of 5 stars Revisioning and reshaping our world.......2005-03-08

Kabbalah and the Power of Dreaming is a magnificent guide to putting soul back in the body and walking a path with heart. Catherine Shainberg is a profound spiritual teacher who reminds us that dreaming is not only about what we do when we sleep but about waking up to a deeper life, remembering and navigating from our sacred purpose, tapping into Source energy - including the images that speak to the body and can make it well - and being present at the place of creation. Her book contains a panoply of practical exercises for transforming fear and anger into heart-centered energy, liberating ourselves from the rule of habit and healing the wound between Earth and Sky.
Extemporizing on a common dream image, she incites us to stop being "passengers" on the train of life and instead become "switchmen" - which means catching ourselves every time we start giving our energy to a pattern or emotion, monitoring where the train is going, throwing the switch to take ourselves off the track of repetitive behavior or a negative emotion, and steering consciously toward a desirable destination.
She knows that dreaming is a discipline, one of the most vital and powerful that our kind possess. "True dreaming calls for rigorous training", to take us beyond the snares of illusion and protection. When we grasp that "imagination affects the physical, and vice-versa" and that "the mind exteriorizes itself" and turn these insights into daily practice, we can consciously dream and re-vision the reality that takes form around us.
Catherine Shainberg was drawn to Kabbalah by a chain of dreams and synchronicities that led her to study for many years in Jerusalem with Colette Aboulker-Muscat, an extraordinary personality who was a leader of the French Resistance in Algiers in World War II and a lineal descendant of both Isaac the Blind (a medieval kabbalist in Provence) and Dona Gracia Mendoza (one of the leading Jewish women of the Renaissance). Though people sometimes think of Kabbalah as a bookish approach, heavy on numerology and difficult texts, Colette Aboulker's fundamental teaching was that the Book of Books is within us, and is to be accessed through images, after we have cleansed the windows of perception, and anchored in the wisdom of the body.

What To Do With the Rest of Your Life: Awakening and Achieving Your Unspoken Dreams
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		What To Do With the Rest of Your Life: Awakening and Achieving Your Unspoken Dreams
    J. Keith Miller
    Manufacturer: Crossroad Publishing Company
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GuidesGuides | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
    MotivationalMotivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
    Personal TransformationPersonal Transformation | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
    SuccessSuccess | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
    MotivationMotivation | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
    InspirationalInspirational | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    Roman CatholicismRoman Catholicism | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
    Behavioral PsychologyBehavioral Psychology | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
    Similar Items:
    1. The Secret Life of the Soul The Secret Life of the Soul
    2. A Hunger for Healing: The Twelve Steps as a Classic Model for Christian Spiritual Growth A Hunger for Healing: The Twelve Steps as a Classic Model for Christian Spiritual Growth
    3. A Hunger for Healing Workbook A Hunger for Healing Workbook
    4. Compelled to Control: Recovering Intimacy in Broken Relationships Compelled to Control: Recovering Intimacy in Broken Relationships
    5. Facing Codependence: What It Is, Where It Comes from, How It Sabotages Our Lives Facing Codependence: What It Is, Where It Comes from, How It Sabotages Our Lives

    ASIN: 0824523202

    Book Description

    In a fast paced and suspenseful narrative the author takes his readers on a journey into the hearts and heads of his characters who are struggling to discern what to do with the rest of their lives.
    Stop Sleeping Through Your Dreams: A Guide to Awakening Consciousness During Dream Sleep
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Stop Sleeping Through Your Dreams: A Guide to Awakening Consciousness During Dream Sleep
      Charles McPhee
      Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      DreamsDreams | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      ConsciousnessConsciousness | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      DreamsDreams | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
      Similar Items:
      1. Ask the Dream Doctor: An A-Z Guide to Deciphering the Hidden Symbols of Your Dreams - With More than 160 Actual Dreams and Their Interpretations! Ask the Dream Doctor: An A-Z Guide to Deciphering the Hidden Symbols of Your Dreams - With More than 160 Actual Dreams and Their Interpretations!

      ASIN: 0805025006

      Books:

      1. Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
      2. Love, Medicine and Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients
      3. Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would: A Fresh Christian Approach
      4. My Teacher Is an Alien (My Teacher Books)
      5. Passage of Darkness: The Ethnobiology of the Haitian Zombie
      6. Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture
      7. Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?
      8. Promise Me (Myron Bolitar Mysteries)
      9. Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith
      10. Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't

      Books Index

      Books Home

      Recommended Books

      1. Red Rock to Ravendale: Memories of a northern California community
      2. Into the Woods
      3. Alchymic Journals
      4. Auschwitz and After: Race, Culture, and the Jewish Question in France
      5. Channels of Discourse, Reassembled: Television and Contemporary Criticism
      6. High-Power Diode Lasers: Fundamentals, Technology, Applications
      7. Flotsam
      8. Business & Corporate Taxation: A Handbook, with Supplement Containing 7 New Chapters on Tax Plan
      9. Bodacious: An AOL Insider Cracks the Code to Outrageous Success for Women
      10. American Wholesalers and Distributors Directory: A Comprehensive Guide Offering Industry Details on