Amazon.com
Pema Chodron is a Buddhist nun for regular folks. Having raised a family of her own, she doesn't shy away from persistent troubles and the basic meatiness of life. In fact, in Start Where You Are, Chodron tries to get us to see that the faults and foibles in each of us now are the perfect ingredients for creating a better life. No need to wait for a quieter time or a more settled mind. The trick Chodron says is to repattern ourselves, to transform bad habits into good by first opening ourselves to the groundlessness of existence. When the cliff dissolves beneath our feet, fear has a way of actually lessening. Fearlessness opens the way to recognizing our pushy egos and that rather than being cursed with original sin, we are blessed with an original soft spot--the squishy feeling inside that we all have, that is the seat of true compassion, and that we all do our best to armor over. Chodron is the kind of teacher who has seen it all and keeps pushing us back into ourselves until there's no one left to wrestle with but a certain recalcitrant image in the mirror. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
Start Where You Are is an indispensable handbook for cultivating fearlessness and awakening a compassionate heart. With insight and humor, Pema Chödrön presents down-to-earth guidance on how we can "start where we are"âembracing rather than denying the painful aspects of our lives. Pema Chödrön frames her teachings on compassion around fifty-nine traditional Tibetan Buddhist maxims, or slogans, such as: "Always apply only a joyful state of mind," "Don't seek others' pain as the limbs of your own happiness," and "Always meditate on whatever provokes resentment." Working with these slogans and through the practice of meditation, Start Where You Are shows how we can all develop the courage to work with our inner pain and discover joy, well-being, and confidence.
Customer Reviews:
Being Versus Analysis.......2006-10-13
Compassion is born of the heart and served by a disciplined mind. What heals our dense energies and emotions is the capacity to embrace in our cells a sense of the seven virtues ... such as compassion. Now compassion is not allowing someone to hurt us constantly but rather it is seeing the pain in the other that provokes them to act out. And by that one can see and perceive beyond our ego's filter and into what really is going on. Often when someone hurts us it is because of their own hurt and corresponding vindictiveness to extend the pain. The Buddha once said that hate never begets hate ...only love begets hate. Detached love is still love in the agape sense ... and compassion is the key to opening the heart once more to allow this remedy to flow. It is a gift to yourself ... when you release yourself from the attachment of what you want a situation to result in. Self-love is your birthright and it is in self-love that you can experience compassion along side strong boundaries.
Absolutely Inspirational and Down to Earth.......2006-05-14
I loved this book. A friend recommended it to me when I said i was interested in meditation. Pema Chodron has a wonderfully practical down-to-Earth way of putting things, and she has a delightful sense of humor. If interested in Buddhism, meditation, or simply learning to live more fully in the present, with all of life's trials and beauty, you will find much to inspire you in this lovely book.
Couldn't put the book down.......2006-02-17
My girlfriend bought me this book over the holidays, and I blew it off but finally had a chance read it from start to finish in a matter of 2 days. Pema Chodron wrote this book with clarity for everyone to understand her beliefs. I've read numerous other books pertaining to Buddhism and this one is by the far the easiest one to understand and comprehend. This book is based around the idea of being compassionate to yourself which in turn will penetrate others around you to develop some level of compassion. Chodron does an excellent job of motivating oneself to clear their mind and avoid unnecessary feelings of anger, aggression, pleasure, etc. Not only does Chodron explain the necessary steps to clear your mind, but she compliments this explanation with examples from her personal experience with students and teachers. The verbage outlined in this book is very easy to comprehend versus other Buddhist books I picked up and read. I've noticed in the past I've had to re-read certain passages quite a few times to fully understand it's meaning, but not with this book. This book motivates me to "start" working on myself, and in doing so it will encourage me to open my eyes to everyone and everything in this world.
An important book.......2005-09-07
This book presents Buddhist ideas and practice based around the idea that your current situation, however good or bad, is the perfect starting point for your journey toward spiritual wellness. I found the book to be very compelling. Ive read it numerous times, and each time it has an impact me. Pema Chodron has a very down-to-earth, casual and genuine writing style that I think a lot of people would respond well to. I highly recommend this book. Especially to those who constantly feel they are 'waiting' for woes and challenges to pass before tackling inner obstacles.
Not pleased.......2005-06-28
I found "The Buddha In Your Mirror" to be a much better book on effective Buddhist practice.
Customer Reviews:
People helping people help themselves.......2003-12-14
In the mid 1970's I was an Amway Distributor and one thing that always stuck with me were the tapes by Mr. Rich Devos. To this day, even though I am no longer associated with Amway, I enjoy listening to "Four Winds", "Selling America" and other audio tapes recorded by Mr. Devos. This man has a voice and something to say! He is great. An outstanding businessman and an outstanding American.
In Compassionate Capitalism, Devos explains that the "dog eat dog", law of the jungle and every person to himself rat race mentality is not only not necessary to achieve success but in fact, impedes success.
Devos offers a completely different vision of capitalism. A vision of capitalism as the finest tool yet known to help people become all they can be for others as well as themselves.
In Compassionate Capitalism, Devos offers more than just a vision, it is a plan--a practical plan--a proven plan. And it is not just about Amway and it's incredible success stories. It's about you and me and everyone. How we can all become more by helping others help themselves in a nation of free enterprise.
Compassionate Capitalism spells out clearly and eloquently the guiding principles and concrete steps to take to make your life and your world better. Devos shows how your energy, your ambition, and your spirit of enterprise can travel together down a path in which the spirit of capitalism and moral values inextricably merge.
Devos illustrates both how success is achieved and what it really means. He demonstrates how compassionate capitalism is the only solution to the most crucial issues of our time---poverty, homelessness, hunger, the enviroment, and the many other challenges that face us in the new millenium.
Whether you are the owner of a huge corporation or a worker on a assembly line, a student about to graduate or a homemaker ready to enter the job market, this important guide to success the compassionate way can be the most inspiring and enlightening book you ever read.
Highly recommended. AND to repeat, I am not an Amway Distributor. Just someone who appreciates Mr. Devos and what he is doing to create a stronger nation, the compassionate way.
Call to Arms, Unless We Have, We Cannot Give.......2002-09-06
Some highlights:
1) Compassion is the ultimate goal of capitalism.
2) Capitalism is the economic reality which drives us as individuals to excel and maximize our talents and potential. However, money is not everything. It is just a tool.
3) Albert Schweitzer said, "The purpose of life is to serve and show compassion and the will to help others."
3) Question: So, why do we work? Why do we need money?
Answer: Unless we have, we cannot give.
5) The reality is that most people live their lives very defensively. They are always afraid that someone will take some of what is theirs. They are too busy protecting ~ to give to anyone.
6) Question: So, how do you succeed?
Answer: Be an entrepreneur. Start small, and inexpensive. Be creative, believe in yourself, find a good mentor, have a dream, make a goal, do the basics everyday, learn from mistakes, work hard, care about others, put people before products,don't make excuses, never give up.
"Never give up, never give up, never give up"
-Winston Churchill
"Success is going from one failure to another failure with great enthusiasm."
- Winston Churchill
"One man with courage is a majority."
- Thomas Jefferson
"The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."
- Wordsworth
A successful entrepreneur shares the secrets to true wealth.......2001-01-29
There are lots of wealthy people out there but most aren't truly happy. This is largely because they aren't fulfilling a higher purpose with their businesses, they're simply out there trying to survive in the often cutthroat business world. DeVos explains what it takes to make your business a positive force in the world; "positive" by virtually any standard.
Contrary to a lot of advice you may have heard out there on how to successfully build a prosperous business, DeVos claims that integrating compassion for your fellow man with lucrative opportunities is the real secret to security and happiness. It's the knowledge that what you're doing is making a difference that makes you feel worthy of the privilege and comfort of wealth. And even before the wealth comes, having a compassionate attitude along with sound business acumen (which can be learned) goes a long way towards increasing your chances of attaining wealth and influence.
A great book written in a language anyone can understand. I don't have any complaints, but I refrain from giving it five stars because it didn't "knock my socks off!" Highly recommended reading for anyone looking to understand the attitudes and principles necessary for *true* success.
Definitely worth buying (and reading).......2000-07-28
I am not involved in Amway (Rich de Vos sure is!), nor am I an ardent Christian (I believe Rich de Vos is), yet I have no hesitation in recommending this book. I suppose I'm always on the lookout for new ways of doing things and new ways of thinking. "Compassionate Capitalism" provides some real meat for a hungry world in need of just that - new ideas. Economics is a complicated field (so I've been told - I'm no expert), yet Rich de Vos has managed to demystify it, at least as far as this reader is concerned. His ideas seem to be free of any real political ties or religious taints (religion doesn't enter into the book at all) - he seems just to be genuinely interested in people (I wish I couldn't hear the sneers, but unfortunately I do). I also admire him as an American. Goodness knows America has the driving force and energy to influence the whole of this world one way or another, but it doesn't really seem to have the will (nor, perhaps, the imagination) to do anything really creative (sure they have introduced fuel efficient motors - a relative concept at the best of times - but have you seen the size of the 1999 and 2000 models? ). So learning that there are ideas out there which do not just mean more of the same, and bigger and meaner (whether from the auto industry or the rest of the military-industrial complex) is somewhat reassuring.
One thing I'm sure of: every American (those who can read) should digest this book. It doesn't try to convert. It simply tries (very well) to make sense out of the current madness.
A Book The Country Should Read.......1999-06-09
This book was written by one of the most prominent businessmen in the world. He and his partner started with just an idea, as with many other large corporations we are familiar with, and turned it into one of the only debt free companies in the U.S.. Producing billions of anual revenue. Rich Devos has a huge heart and he is more generous than most, for he is willing to share with the world what beliefs and habits put him into the positions that he is at now. Rich Devos has been able to help milliions of people find hope and rekindle their dreams by using a direct selling method that many other companies alike can only wish they had. This book has great stories about success and failure alike, for one does not come without the other. If you are looking for a book with strong priciples and beliefs then this is the book for you. I would recommend it to anyone building an amway business or not, simply because of what it will teach. This book will make you feel proud to be in a FREE country and make you think "why am I not doing my part to help out?"
Book Description
Marc Ian Barasch, dubbed "one of today's coolest grown-ups" by Interview magazine, sets out on a journey to the heart of compassion. He discovers its power to change who we are and the society we have become. Compassion, he concludes, is "a prescription for authentic joy." Can tapping into one simple human trait, hardwired into our nervous system and just waiting to be awakened, transform our lives and the world at large? Could it help us enjoy new levels of happiness and contentment? Exploring his subject through the multiple lenses of psychology and biology, pop culture and theology, history and philosophy, Barasch weaves a stirring, unforgettable account of his search to find within himself and others: the ability to live compassionately.He examines such fascinating questions as: What can we learn from exceptionally empathetic people? Can we increase our kindness quotient with practice? How do we open our hearts to those who do us harm? What if the great driving force of our evolution were actually "survival of the kindest?" Drawing from influences as disparate as Buddhist monks and skeptical neuroscientists, Barasch creates a riveting, persuasive argument that a simple shift in consciousness can have a tremendous, lasting impact on our psyches, our relationships, our health--and the very fate of the Earth.
Customer Reviews:
The author raises two questions I'm pondering.......2007-07-10
The author argues that compassion is an evolutionary strategy and that we are hard-wired for compassion, but that compassion can be nurtured. He makes his arguments through stories and "field notes."
I'm pondering two questions posed by the author:
"The focus on another person's satisfaction becomes a lodestone that paradoxically draws us closer to our own (Isn't most envy just our own potential disowned? We are jealous of what we ourselves might become.)" - page 197
In speaking about consumption, he writes, "From that standpoint, isn't that connection love itself? Isn't it love itself that underlies all wanting? Don't we only consume the Earth in our hunger for a love already abundant in our own hearts - and waiting in each other's"? - p. 304
Difficult to read.......2007-01-10
I found it difficult to even complete the first chapter because of the verbose style of writing. There are so many euphasims, comparions, tangents, etc. that the message is somehow overshadowed and it makes it difficult to recall the main point the author was trying to make. Not sure who the author's target audience was, but reading like this was worse than any graduate level text or professional journal that I have ever read.
A great refresher course.......2006-07-25
Barasch's writing style is crisp, quirky, illuminating, and funny. His exploration into the compassionate life is both personal and well-researched. While not a how-to book, it's a great how-come book--as in how come we think, act, and feel the way we do when it comes to compassion. Others have already covered some of the book's specifics, so I won't take time to rehash those points. All in all, I found this to be an immensely enjoyable and worthwhile read.
A goodness-inspiring journey deep into what it means to be compassionate.......2005-09-29
(Nonfiction) Barasch examines the subject of compassion from every possible angle in this wonderful exploration. Barasch's greatest strength is that he succeeds in making you think hard about compassion. As I read the book, I felt more inclined to give, to smile, to be kind. He inspired me to look up Soren Kierkegaard's Works of Love, which demands compassion, and the words of a certain Colombian priest, who seeks reconciliation. He provides a hundred different aphorisms on compassion, and sometimes an aphorism is all you need to remember to be kind: Philo of Alexandria said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle"; William Blake wrote, "He who would do Good for another must do it in Minute Particulars." He provides examples from so many religious traditions and walks of life that it's hard to exclude yourself.
The only drawbacks of the book are, perhaps, strengths that are drawn out too long. He fills the prose with references to pop culture (Teletubbies and the tv program ER, for example) and lots of little jokes. Sometimes these feel a bit much, but it's not much of a flaw.
The book is strongest when Barasch describes his own experiences. He spends ten days on a homeless retreat, living on the streets of Denver. He experiments with tonglen meditation, in which you breathe in the suffering in the world and breathe out peace. He seeks to reconcile with a friend who brought him financial ruin. He observes a camp that brings together Israeli and Palestinian young women.
The first science chapter was less compelling (chapter 2), in which he provides evidence that compassion is a part of our evolutionary heritage (drawing on a host of primate behaviors). The other science coverage is intriguing, though. For example, he elucidates certain experiments that show cosmic connections between two human hearts focused on each other and (this is the best experiment in the whole book, chapter 13) that even a bowl of yogurt can feel your pain. (Not a joke.)
Barasch clearly loves language: he kept me running for the dictionary throughout (what's a dudgeon? a homunculus?). But ultimately, this book succeeds because it reminds you of a hundred ways in which you might be compassionate yourself.
What could be important than teaching kindness-but he who is kind to the cruel ends up being cruel to the kind.........2005-09-01
What could be more important than teaching the value of increasing kindness and compassion in the world? And this especially when it is done by real- life encounters, contending with situations in which kindness may involve great sacrifice?
Nonetheless I would temper the thesis of this book by a word of wisdom from the Jewish tradition i.e. that he who is kind to the cruel winds up being cruel to the kind.
That is, no matter how admirable kindness and compassion in many even most situations in life, there are situations where it is not only inappropriate but rather brings great damage. Absolutizing any moral quality in this way, even kindness, inevitably leads to its becoming a kind of mantra, a formula which precludes real judgment decision and right action.
The world is filled with cruelty and with selfish mean people.Unfortunately as the psychologist Miriam Adahan who writes on the subject of ' abuse' such people will not be the ones reading this work. It is much more likely that those who value 'kindness' already will be reading this work. This does not however cancel out the great importance of teaching and exemplifying kindness.
One other reservation. It might all be well to talk about bonabo monkeys altruistic tendencies but many animals engage in the most vicious and cruel kind of warlike behavior to their own species. Jane Goodall reported on chimpanzee band wars of the most cruel kind. Wilson has shown how 'ants' engage in the most cruel kind of warlike activity. 'Nature' whatever that is, may not be all ' red in tooth and claw' but it often is. So the way to preach human kindness is not necessarily by pointing to Nature's examples.
Kindness as the Jewish religious tradition teaches is the first moral imperative- it is the walking in the way of G-d-it is living in the divine image. We all need to be more kind, but we all too need to have the strength to know when 'the evil' must be resisted.
Book Description
In this compassionate, comprehensive guide, care giving expert Stella Henry combines her professional expertise and personal experience of handling the challenges of long-term care, from the “red flag” signs that a parent needs long-term care to making the tough decisions and following through.
Customer Reviews:
A compassionate guide.......2007-05-10
We baby boomers may have thought we were the most informed generation of all time, but no one I know was prepared to deal with aging parents. Stella's book is a gentle study of the process physically, emotionally and spiritually, full of forgiveness and gratitude along with information you can use right now. It has been extremely helpful to me and my family, and I've given "Eldercare" to many friends who share my appreciation. Thank you, Stella.
The Eldercare Handbook.......2007-03-15
Stella Henry has answered so many important questions about how to deal with our aging parent's needs as well as our own. This is a MUST READ for every adult child with a parent that may need our help. She deals with the emotional and physical aspects for both the parent and adult child's needs. The insite into how and when to choose a care facilty is invaluable.
Must read for anyone with aging parents.......2007-01-04
Great resource. Read it before you NEED it. But let's say you're like me, you've waited too long and you're up against a wall, it's still helpful. Get tips on the fine legal issues, get support and guidelines for decision making.
A Straightforward, Understandable Handbook.......2006-11-11
I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone facing the challenge of managing the care of their elderly loved one! Ms. Henry speaks as a professional who has also experienced this from a personal level. It is a straightforward guide written so that the layperson can easily understand. I am purchasing this handbook for my sisters to have as a reference.
Eldercare from the Heart.......2006-07-20
What an eye opener! Through this book, Stella Henry holds the hand of the reader and says, "I've been there, what you feel is normal, you can do this, and here's how." Gently, she explains the joys, challenges and pitfalls of caring for the elderly. She unfolds the changing relationships between parent and child and illuminates shifting sibling roles. Perhaps most importantly, she tells the caregiver (usually a wife, daughter, or daughter-in-law) when it may no longer be safe to care for a loved one at home--when creating a hospital at home still cannot give a loved one the care he or she needs. At the same time, she warns that not all nursing homes and assisted living facilities are created equal and that we need to become sophisticated, knowledgeable consumers in order to choose an appropriate care center. The Eldercare Handbook answered questions before I even thought of them. I have already given this book to six friends.
Book Description
Building on such inherent qualities as openheartedness and trust, parents and teachers can help children develop empathy and integrity as they grow and mature. From nature activities to conscious quiet time to tips on daily routines, CALM AND COMPASSIONATE CHILDREN provides practical guidance to help grown-ups model behavior and suggests dozens of activities to foster children's joy, wonder, kindness, and love.
Customer Reviews:
Two Thumbs Up From The Magazine To Inspire Conscious Parenting & Empowered Kids.......2007-04-01
I picked up the book yesterday and couldn't put it down. As publisher of a magazine to inspire conscious parenting and empowered kids, this book reminded me of the importance of helping kids settle down, breath, and connect to the world (and people) around them. It's full practical steps to apply in everyday life but what keeps the pages turning are the personal stories she relates. Some ideas we've heard over and over, such as using breath, movement or touch to soothe, but they serve as great reminders to put them back into our lives. Others are innovative, fun, and simple, such as giving your toddler two nickels to hold on to (one for each hand) to distract them while making a quick stop. Without giving too much away, the book offered a reminder that the way things are isn't necesarily the way they have to be. It IS possible for four 10-year-old boys to be kind, compassionate and gentle with a 4-year-old boy who interrupts their game. Empathy is essential for two humans to connect and understand one another. Empathy is what is lacking within families and in world politics. We started our magazine because we know that it is children who determine the future of the world. With conscious parenting and the ideas presented in this book, our kids have a hope for a more peaceful personal life and world situation.
A childrens book that speaks from the heart.......2007-03-21
With practical activities for children, this is more than just a book to be read. The stories and anecdotes are based are true experiences, and give insight to the author's own experiences with the many children she has helped to develop. Bringing kindness and calmness back into or children's life's is truly needed in today's highly stressed world.
A must read for anybody interested in the emotional state of children!.......2007-03-15
I highly recommend Calm and Compassionate Children for parents, educators, and anybody interested in the emotional state of children! As a parent and child therapist, I found the content very helpful in raising my own mindfulness of the negative influences on children, and more importantly in offering hands on suggestions for placing more healthy and positive influences on childrens' spirits. Through music, literature, nature, and other modalities the author does a great job showing how to help children achieve compassion, balance, calm, inner contentment, and many other vitues that make for a joyful person. The author also shares personal stories from her experience as a teacher and parent which make the reading even more enjoyable!
Real suggestions for real parents and real teachers!.......2007-02-27
I love the way this book addresses what children already possess - open hearts and natural wonder, and shows us how to nurture those qualities so children don't "grow out" of them. These are not ethereal ideas that disappear in the light of reality, they really work at home and in the classroom. I have my own children and work with children in a variety of settings and have tried many of the suggestions in this book - they are based on truth and experience, and they work. We don't have to accept the common opinion that kids today are hyperactive, thoughtless and selfish. Children of all ages have enormous capacity for caring if we are willing to give them the opportunities they need to experience the possibilities. Recommended for all adults who share their lives with children.
A joyous child is possible!!.......2007-02-27
Susan's beautiful new book arrives to our communities during a time of pressing need for a positive new vision for our children. Her gifts to the reader are many and deep. Susan provides a clear presentation of what our children can accomplish in life and she gives us - parents, teachers, friends, administrators, healers, spiritual leaders - many helpful & easy tips and steps to take. This book is like a calm lake that nourishes us and holds our lives during chaotic and confusing time. Susan teaches us to swim anew and we in turn can teach and support our children with compassion, clarity, intelligence and joy. Thank you Susan!
Book Description
The Simplest Path, Step One: Free Your Mind delineates, in one slim volume, a complete system for achieving personal spiritual awakening, along with a straightforward, no-nonsense plan individuals and groups so enlightened can follow to awaken Humanity en masse and positively transform the world. This book contains keys to awakening. Awakening from our personal dream shatters the solid "box" of limitation memes have built around our lives, and frees us to fluidly craft our personalities, environments, relationships, careers, etc. as an artist paints a landscape or a sculptor teases form from formless clay. All of us awakening together from the shared dream of the planet will mark the birth of our species out of our current global nightmare of decline into a limitless future literally beyond our present ability to imagine, even in our "wildest dreams," indeed.
Customer Reviews:
Way Beyond "Socrates Revisited".......2007-08-22
After reading the commentary attached to the one star rating given by the young man from Texas, I feel compelled to step forward in defense of this very fine book. With only one exception, every point made in that negative review is simply wrong. Just not factually correct. The reviewer identifies himself as a young man (... "to my young mind"), and since all of his other Amazon reviews are of TV episodes on DVD, video games and rock music CDs I take him at his word. Well, I am an "old man," closing in on my sixty-third birthday, and I came to Mr. Casspriano's book after six decades of life experience, the last three of those decades a zealous practitioner of Zen Buddhism. I say this not to "brag," but simply to qualify myself as a reviewer before beginning.
I'll start where the one star reviewer closed his argument, with his statement that the simplest path reduces to two Socratic concepts: "Admit that you don't know anything" and "know yourself."
The first part is nominally true (the exception). Like Zen Buddhism, a central tenet of the simplest path is working to release the false notion we all hold that we know ourselves, other people, the world around us. But identifying and releasing our attachments to our illusions is a life's work, not some brash "I don't know nothin'!" as the young Texan seems to imply. Under normal circumstances, we go about our daily lives with no idea we are deluded about anything, as Maya (the illusion of the phenomenal world around and even inside us) is so convincing that most of us never even think to question its validity. Casspriano did not invent the notion of human beings being trapped in illusion, as this truth was known to the timeless authors of the Hindu Vedas and is central to all schools of Buddhism (not just Zen). But his scientific/spiritual exploration of the mechanism by which Maya ensnares our minds and can, with effort, be overcome is among the best "plain English" explanations of this process I have read. There is no "inscrutable mystery" in the simplest path (a criticism that has been accurately leveled toward Zen Buddhism, as a lot of Eastern thought truly does come off as "inscrutable" when translated into English and/or the metaphors of Western culture). Casspriano lays out in no-nonsense American English exactly what our brains are doing when they create the illusion we mistake for reality, then shows the reader in the same clear terms how to train his or her brain to break free of illusion and taste reality as-it-is. In just 216 pages, that is no mean feat. After thirty years of Zen practice and numerous kensho experiences (of varying depths and intensities), I can say from personal experience that Casspriano is correct. Enlightenment comes as the fruit of a long, incremental process of retraining the mind to touch reality in a new way, and the process described in the simplest path is the same as that followed in Zen practice, especially Rienzi Zen koan study (I'll have more to say about this in a later paragraph). Casspriano's approach and language is very different from traditional Zen (more "scientific," and no sitting meditation is required), which I think would appeal to Americans and other Westerners seeking to experience "awakening" without necessarily committing themselves to a religion like Buddhism, but the internal mental/spiritual process and final destination are the same.
"Know yourself," on the other hand, is not in this book at all, at least not in the way the young reviewer, or Socrates for that matter, uses the phrase. As in Buddhism, Casspriano takes pains to demonstrate that "self" is as much of an illusion as our misapprehension of the phenomenal world, and is a byproduct of exactly the same mind process that creates outer Maya. A core teaching of Buddhism is that our "self," our personality/ego, is nothing more than an aggregation of outside influences that cluster together in our minds like shiny stones gathered into a pile, and which we mistake not only for something "real," but tragically, for our essential selves. Yet this "pile" has nothing really to do with who we are at all. Buddhism teaches "no-self." Belief in the illusion of a unique and independent "self" is our greatest obstacle to enlightenment. Wasting time and energy getting to "know yourself" in the Western sense is foreign to Eastern thought. Casspriano again does a great job of translating the Buddhist concept of "no-self" into Western scientific/spiritual terminology. He shows the process by which our ego/personality aggregate "piles up," as well as how to take the pile down, stone by stone. Enlightenment is what the pile was covering up, and so it naturally appears as soon as the pile is removed - but oh how we cling to our personal pile of stones! "Self" is what we must trade for enlightenment, what must be surrendered, and Casspriano returns to this truth many times in the simplest path. My point is that the one star reviewer's reduction of the simplest path to "know yourself" has no basis at all in the actual book.
As to the book being "gimmicky": Yes, the words "The Simplest Path" recur frequently throughout the book, but not in reference to the book itself (at least that's not how I took it), but rather to the system of understanding the mind and working toward "awakening" Casspriano is describing - and it is a complete system that deserves to be considered as a whole, on its own. At times the repetition does have a feel of "branding" in the commercial sense, so I understand where the reviewer may have taken his impression. But the simplest path, while resonant with Zen Buddhism (and apparently, according to Casspriano, with the Toltec philosophy espoused by Carlos Castaneda, of which I have no personal knowledge, so I'll have to take the author's word for that) is far enough different that it needs its own "name" to set it apart from other schools of similar but not identical thought. The reviewer's criticism is like saying that every use of the term "Zen" in a book called "Zen Buddhism" should be taken as a reference to the book, and not to the larger practice of Zen Buddhism as a spiritual discipline that the book is describing. Casspriano's point in repeatedly linking The Simplest Path, Zen Buddhism and Toltec Shamanism throughout the book, at least as I understood it, is to highlight these three spiritual practices as related reliable paths through a dark forest of illusion, a forest in which many apparent (and more popular) paths, including most (all?) religious beliefs, actively vie to mislead travelers toward deeper ensnarement in the dream, rather than leading them toward "awakening."
I want to say a word about koan study in Rienzi Zen and how it relates to the simplest path. Koans are those quirky Zen sayings and stories like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" or "what was your original face before you (or your parents) were born?" that have no rational answer, and which Zen students turn and turn in their minds like the tumblers of a combination lock until their imprisoned psyches "explode" in a "super-rational" experience of reality beyond the illusion ("irrational" would be the wrong term, as that implies "nonsense"). That "super-rational" vision of reality is called "kensho." I have experienced it myself, more than once in my lifetime. I have come to think of Casspriano's "Key Questions" in the second half of the simplest path, especially the later seven of the ten, as "cultural koans" designed to trigger "collective kensho" for the whole human race at once. Like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?", unflinching consideration of the value of human life, of how our beliefs about the future shape the present, of the true origin and destiny of life on Earth, etc., especially as seen through the lens of Casspriano's "Key Question Technique," reveals that none of these questions have rational answers, yet all require our active and immediate response. Successful resolution of these larger riddles that impact everyone will require us all to eventually "explode" into reality, together, in a "super-rational" way. We'll have to break through the illusion and wake up together, as one (which has been the goal of Mahayana Buddhism, of which Zen is a sect, since around 200 BCE). That is the "Planetary Awakening" addressed in this book, and I believe Casspriano's "Key Questions" are a concrete step in that direction. I'm glad I spent my fifteen dollars.
This is my "old man" take on the simplest path, having encountered it after 30 years of Zen Buddhist practice (I'm not veering off my chosen path here, just bowing respectfully in passing toward Casspriano's). From a Buddhist perspective, the simplest path is true Dharma, though I do not get the impression from reading his book that Vincent Casspriano is himself a Buddhist or a follower of any religion. That to my mind makes his book all the more interesting.
True, but gimmicky.......2007-08-09
Casspriano's book is scientifically and philosophically sound as best as my young mind can tell, but I don't recommend this book. Its scattered with numerous pages of advertising about how his "program" works and how it compares to other religions and spiritual movements. Why must this author physically write out "The Simplest Path" in reference to his book every other page, and talk about his second volume? Perhaps because he's not out for pure truth, but for our money.
All this book comes down to after you strip away the nonsense is two things. First, admit that you don't truly know anything. Second, know yourself. Do those two things (they essentially both mean to question EVERYTHING), and you'll have Casspriano's "Planetary Awakening," with 15 bucks still in your pocket. And you'll be following the fundamental truths already said by Socrates.. so do yourself a favor and pick up Plato's "Apology" and read up on the Socratic dialogue on how to live a good life. And don't stop there, because you can't be sure he's right.
And I have 10 bucks that says these other couple of reviews were written by the book publisher. In any case, ignore the hype.
A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call.......2007-05-15
This is one of the most clear-headed books I've read in years on the subject of real, nitty gritty, get your hands dirty spiritual development (as opposed to the fru fru New Age variety). So much of what passes for "spirituality" in our time amounts to some author, celebrity, priest, philosopher or self-appointed guru telling us what to "believe," sight unseen, if we want to reach heaven, attain enlightenment, achieve "ascension," etc. Casspriano takes an at times startling opposite approach. For Casspriano, such unquestioned/unquestionable beliefs are not only NOT the path to spiritual awakening, they represent the chief obstacle blocking our realization of higher consciousness. And it's not just religious beliefs ("faith") he's talking about, but all our beliefs about reality, especially those that enclose our thinking in "boxes" that limit our freedom to find solutions to real-world threats like Peak Oil, overpopulation, Global Warming, etc. Though much of the book focuses on individual enlightenment, for Casspriano, these larger planetary issues are "spiritual," as well. Whether the issue is our personal inability to find happiness or Humanity's collective rush toward physical extinction, the cause is the same - our wrong-headed beliefs about what's real. The solution is the same, as well - continuous, deep questioning. Using Richard Dawkins' concept of "memes" as a central metaphor, Casspriano first breaks down the basic process of belief, showing the mechanism in our brains by which beliefs misdirect and control our psyches, then he walks the reader through an exploration of a series of ten "anti-meme questions" aimed at breaking down the walls of our mental "boxes" and setting our minds free. With each question, he supplies an exercise designed to allow the reader to attain a personal taste of reality "beyond the box," especially as flavored by that chapter's "Key Question." For the most part, this formula works very well (with a few rare moments of over-exuberance on the author's part, as already described in other reviews, though as a card carrying vegan environmentalist, I can't say I particularly minded), delivering a cumulative series of death-blows to some of the most basic "pillars" of our present human consensus reality. Beyond the walls those pillars supported lies real reality, where we are all interconnected and interdependent, and, in Casspriano's view, mutually destined for greatness, if we can just wake up and grab the reins of our runaway culture in time. This is not a book for spiritual "feel gooders" seeking soft assurances that they're perfect just they way they are and everything's going to be all right, no matter what. This is a wake up call, a tool kit and a concrete action plan for becoming individually enlightened and collectively saving the world, all rolled up into one. That, I think, is a cause well-worthy of exuberance.
Challenge Consensus Reality!.......2007-05-10
This is a thoughtful book that addresses how we may go about developing a process to question our everyday consensus reality. I suppose if I have learned anything in 49 years of life, it is that all personal and social problems stem from our fundamental views on the nature of reality itself. Vincent Casspriano uses the concept of a "meme" as a fundamental unit of ideas, assumptions, etc. that often block our understanding of reality itself. One such meme, for example, may be that we have to "fight for our freedom" or the world's a "fearful" place and hence, we have to be ready to kill to protect ourselves. I suppose you could also use the word "paradigm" here as well, but the essential point of this book is that we "unconsciously" function in our life with many limited points of view that block our ability to solve problems on both a personal and a social basis.
While Vince Casspriano is to be congradulated for producing a book that presents both a methodology and a motivation for personal transformation, there are a few pitfalls here that the potential reader should be aware of before tackling this material. The author has some rather strong views on fossil fuel consumption, meet consumption, and the role of humans in the cycle of procreation. While I generally agree with his analysis on fossil fuel consumtion and meat consumption (as I have viewed large tracks of deforrested grazing land in developing countries), these viewpoints can distract the reader from the essential point here which is to rigourously question consensus reality. Since I am single, and have no motivation to have children, I definitely disagree with his views on the necessity of human procreation on this planet, but here again, it is important to extract the essential meaning rather than get caught in the specific political/social debates that these issues may spawn.
If you are serious about personal transformation with the potential for changing our global consciousness, than this book can be an invaluable tool. I do agree with the Author that a world population of "high functioning" people can resolve every planetary problem we face today. As we systematically question our consensus reality, we will see our problems in new ways, and with this new perspective, problems can often be quickly resolved or transcended.
A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us".......2006-11-13
I considered titling this review, "Stop Whining, Wake Up and Get Busy Saving the World," but decided "Eating Us" would be more attention-grabbing - which matters because I believe Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" is an important book, and I want to do whatever I can to draw your attention to it. Pick the title you like best. Both very fittingly describe what you will find within the pages of this remarkable new release from New Paradigm Press.
I have selected three short quotations to explore in this review that I think best summarize Casspriano's overall message:
From Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":
"Right now, this very moment, you are asleep... Even if you are reading these words in broad daylight - sitting at your desk or beside the kitchen table, your feet firmly planted on the floor, eyes open, senses alert, feeling the weight of this book in your hands as sounds of life rise and fall rhythmically around you - you are deeply asleep, and dreaming furiously"
Now, the idea that Humans are sleeping, and must therefore "awaken," is by no means unique to Casspriano's "Simplest Path" spiritual system, being the root observation underlying pretty much all Eastern religion, and a lot of Western Occultism and New Age metaphysics, as well. In fairness, Casspriano makes no claim to this as an original insight, openly supporting his assessment of the human predicament with quotations taken from Animism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. He then flows seamlessly into a list of complementary illustrations from the secular realms of Quantum Physics, brain/consciousness research, and most to-the-point, the study of memes and memetics, ala Evolutionary Biologist and world's best-known cheerleader for scientific atheism, Richard Dawkins.
If you've never heard of memes or memetics, a quick Google of those terms will reveal hundreds of serious, information-rich websites devoted to this now thirty-year old science. In a nutshell, a "meme" is a sort of contagious thought-form that spreads between people by way of imitation. Obvious memes in our environment include advertising jingles, fads and fashions, etc. Casspriano somewhat radically extends the concept to include just about everything that makes up the contents of our individual brains and shared human culture. While he resists redefining the word "meme" wholesale, he decidedly expands its definition to make memes and "memeplexes" (what you get when a number of memes band together into an organic, relational unit, like a religion or cultural or political movement) the basic, fundamental building blocks of everything we habitually label "real..."
And then he demonstrates, in at times excruciating detail, the complete emptiness of the "apparent-reality" that is a byproduct of memetic activity in our brains. What we call "real" is not real at all. It's an illusion spun up by our memes. And our memes are not original to us. They are "viral invaders" assailing our minds from without. Worse - and, while even this thought is not wholly unique to Casspriano, he certainly gives it his own very effective spin - memes are by no means mere passive beliefs or simple "harmless ideas." They are, Casspriano believes, actively predatory psychic parasites whose survival depends on our buying into the illusions they create in our minds. Think of illusion (Samsara, Maya, etc.) as a web we're caught in. Memes are the spider. We are the fly. Gotcha.
One thing I like very much about Casspriano's book is that he never asks us to take anything on faith, least of all this rather ugly depiction of the human psychic/spiritual condition. He not only challenges readers to test his hypothesis firsthand in order to experience what is real and true for ourselves, he spends a large chunk of the book outlining specific exercises anyone can do to escape memetic interference and personally experience reality as-it-is. The exercises in Part II of the book are powerful medicine... But this is a digression, so let me return to the point.
Memes are the spider, and we are the fly. A better metaphor might be that memes are the farmer, and we are the cow. Domesticated and docile, we allow memes to milk us daily, to extract from our minds the potent human psychic energy which, if reclaimed by us and put to proper human use, would quickly and positively transform our lives and our world. This transformation is awakening, ascension, enlightenment, metanoia, the Buddha-like change of consciousness most religions and spiritual systems on Earth hint at, but few ever actually deliver to followers. In this analysis, Casspriano's "Simplest Path" is very much in line with Gurdjieff's "Fourth Way," Carlos Castaneda's Toltec sorcery, and a few other well known spiritual practices inhabiting a somewhat darker, though perhaps more realistic corner of the New Age. But unlike most of those other systems, Casspriano's prescription for escaping illusion and awakening to reality is remarkably, well... simple.
From Chapter Three, "Waking Up":
"The simple truth is that we are sleeping because we lack sufficient energy to wake up."
And later in the same chapter:
"The real work that brings about awakening, rather than merely granting the external appearance of "being spiritual," while actually embroiling us ever more deeply in the dream, is a rigorous, daily commitment to the identification and elimination of every self-serving belief from which our personal dream-lives are constructed."
For "belief" in the quotation above, read "meme/memeplex." Casspriano certainly does, treating the terms as largely interchangeable. In the end, this genuinely simple - at least in the sense of being uncomplicated and pragmatic - spiritual practice amounts to discovering reality as-it-actually-is less by searching for a glimpse beyond the illusion, than by systematically withdrawing our participation in, and identification with, the dream. When we disentangle our psyches from memetic illusion, only reality remains. We don't have to chase it; to a meme-free mind, reality just appears. This is "Satori" in Zen Buddhism. This is "stopping the world" in the Toltec sorcery of Castaneda and others. Casspriano's genius lies in his talent for exposing the core mechanism behind such complex and often inscrutable spiritual systems, and for putting into plain language clear instructions for unraveling the dream and achieving personal awakening. The virus-like process by which memes take over and control our human minds, as described by Casspriano is, to my mind, very complicated (but well worth struggling through). What is genuinely simple about "The Simplest Path," however, is Casspriano's prescription for breaking those bonds, once you've made the effort to understand how they are created and maintained. For Casspriano, remaining a victim of spiritual sleep and energetic exploitation by memes is a complex activity in which we unconsciously invest enormous amounts of psychic energy every day of our lives. Awakening is the product of a simple act of withdrawing that investment, which automatically re-energizes of our minds and lives. Or as Casspriano cleverly phrases it when closing Chapter Three, "Waking Up":
"Unweave the tapestry of the dream, and awakening happens."
Anyone can do this. Spiritual awakening, in Casspriano's view, may be hard work, but it is not complicated work. The path to enlightenment is really rather shockingly simple. Fall out of love with the dream. Reclaim your psychic energy. Wake up to reality.
The ten "Key Questions" Casspriano explores in the second section of the book are designed to put the theory laid out in Part I to practical and immediate use. Essentially, I think Casspriano sees these ten issues - why we treat enlightenment as an "airy-fairy" ideal instead of a measurable transformation of brain functioning, the excuses we make for avoiding personal responsibility and integrity along the lines of Castaneda's "impeccability," the fallacy of belief in a "separate self," etc. - as pillars of both our personal and collective human dreams. They are by no means an exhaustive listing of the memes twisting our minds. But they are primary keystones on which layers upon layers of the grand illusion are built. Topple these ten baseline pillars and the larger structure crumbles.
Casspriano explores some "Keys" more successfully than others. One downside to the book is that, especially in the "Keys," Casspriano's own memetic prejudices shine at times rather glaringly through, as when, in his discussion of the American "What Would Jesus Do?" religious fad, he characterizes the Evangelical Christian purveyors of WWJD as, "ultra-conservative, right wing ideologues." Even should the reader personally agree with such pronouncements, its hard to resist thinking, "Hey Vince! Your memes are showing!" But where he nails his point, Casspriano's prose can be downright inspiring, as with the "Key" cosmological study "Is Earth the Center of the Universe?," which explores the gap between what we know, scientifically, about the Universe and what our daily choices and behavior says we really believe, about the cosmos and about ourselves. His closing "Key" "Are We Alone?" so poetically frames the true stakes of our global human predicament - species survival VS extinction - that its hard to imagine anyone keeping their gaze glued squarely to their own self-involved navel in the wake of reading it. Of course we are not alone. There are six and a half billion of us on Planet Earth, and whether we awaken to what's best in us or follow our darkest drives over History's cliff into oblivion, we do so as one. One planet, one fate.
This notion of "oneness" and of a common, intertwined human spiritual and biological destiny is a core theme in The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND that sets it apart from any spiritual book in recent memory. My final quotation from the book returns us to the opening lines of Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":
"We are all aware of the challenges facing us as we enter together into the 21st Century:
· World oil supplies are running out.
· Global warming is transforming the Earth into a steamy greenhouse.
· Even as our technology connects the world, ideological extremism, terrorism and militarism divide us as never before.
· Headlines bombard us with news of war, famine, pestilence and death until we feel overwhelmed and unable to respond.
· Time is running out..."
Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Transformation, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" does not offer easy escape from these very pressing real-world human ills, but rather, a down to Earth, workable prescription for their cure. Yes, we must awaken as individuals, and, rest assured, "The Simplest Path" shows spiritual seekers exactly how to do that. But a prime message of "The Simplest Path" is that, for personal awakening to have meaning, it must occur within the context of a complete re-visioning of global culture, and a mass wrenching away of the wheel of History from the control of viral memes, that we might create a common cosmic human destiny worthy of our highest potential as a species.
Now that's a meme worth feeding.
Customer Reviews:
The Compassionate Visitor book.......2006-11-29
AWESOME book for starting a Hospital Ministry at your church or even reading to help those already volunteering. I got hooked after the intro, and couldn't put it down. Easy read and so much valuable info in it. This will be our main reading book for our church as we look to start this ministry hopefully in 2007. Right now we're studdying and planning. I'm looking into other books as well. I ordered another one off Amazon and it was filled with charts, hard to read, I sent it back. This book is short and to the point. Very affordable, makes a great book for your hospital ministry team to whip through and not have to pay a fortune.
The Compassionate Vistor.......2001-05-23
This is the best introductory work on hospital visitation. A must read for those wanting to serve in the hospital ministry. Lays a good foundation for appropriate and sensitive visitation. Should be part of any hospital chaplain's library
Book Description
In Nurturing Your Teenager's Soul Mimi Doe presents ten clear, concrete principles to help parents nurture their teen's spiritual growth, at a time when teens face sometimes-overwhelming peer influences, the hazards of substance abuse, issues of sexuality, the risks and freedoms of driving, the stress of high school, and getting into a good college.
The inspirational, non-denominational principles in this book show parents how to:
- Use their words to profoundly affect their children's lives
- Listen fully and connect with their teen
- Nurture their teenager's dreams--and make miracles happen
- Negotiate the balance between being a pal and a parent
- Support their adolescent in becoming a successful adult
Nurturing Your Teenager's Soul will help parents in ways greater than they ever thought possible-to give their teenager the spiritual resources he or she will need to become a safe, and happy adult.
Customer Reviews:
If you only buy one parenting book, make it this one.......2004-12-07
If you have teenagers in your house, or will someday, buy this book for them and youself. Somehow Mimi Doe has managed to combine practical advice on how to cope with the challenges of raising adolescents with this amazing understanding about how to connect with them on another level. I have three teenagers, two boys and a girl, and lots of typical ups and downs raising them. This book will help. Already has. Buy it!
Relief........Finally...........Real Tips for Real Teens..........2004-11-08
Just got this book the other day and already I feel more relaxed and hopeful about raising up these teenagers of mine (I have 2). The writing isn't judgemental or preachy and seems to be without religious overtones. I will go back and use it again I'm sure because I'm reading it with my highlight pen. The best part, so far, for me are the author's real stories and the Parents Check in Questions. The stories show me there are other parents like me...with teens who make mistakes. The questions really get me thinking about what I can do to make things better.
It saved me!!.......2004-11-05
AS the mother of twin teen boys, I struggle just to keep up with them let alone think about what's going on inside their hearts, minds. I have long been an admirer of Mimi Doe as an author and this book is going to be the book that will carry my boys through their teenage years...There is a warm, compassionate feel here that reassures me...with all the insanity going on during these years this book gives me ways to keep connected...
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Small Group Resource.......2007-09-16
I am a pastor in the Church of the Brethren which is known for Continuing the Work of Jesus. Peacefully, Simply and Together. This books is an amazing small group resource with VERY doable action steps each week. The book is a collection of articles and essays that are relatively current and very well written. The lessons plans are brief but meaty and people find the quantity of reading appropriate and the discussion really rich. It can be done in a 6 week format or 12 week format. It is also good just as a personal study on Simplicity. I highly reccomend this book to anyone wanting a spiritual and/or intellectual challenge with the opportunity for genuine enlightenment on the subject of Simplicty.
good for non-christians too.......2005-04-12
I am reading this book for a five week class as part of my undergraduate degree. At first I thought I would hate the book because of the 'Christian' in the title, but it is good for the non-Christian reader as well. I also think it would appeal to people who have left the church but still hold their Xian beliefs. I just finished reading one part of a chapter that critisized the materialism of modern day churches.
This book is aimed to help the reader get more out of life-- experience a more fulfilling existance. It has helped me to begin that process already.
If you are having a hard time reading this book you might want to read it in a group. There are convenient group study queations included.
One more good thing I'd like to mention is that each chapter is filled with a few essays or writings by different people so the reader can get many perspectives on the same topic.
Great for an overview of Christian Simplicity.......2005-02-08
This book is a true jewel!!! It has great introductions to issues pertaining to Christian simplicity. It is a good introduction to one of the ways that Christian Ethics can be applied to today's world. I actually picked this book up for devotional purposes however i must admit that i actually appreciate how academic and intellectual that it really is. If you are looking for a concise volume on the Christian aspects on simplicity, this is it! It points you in the direction of other wonderful resources as well. I would highly recommend this book to people who would be intellectually minded who want to think about how their actions effect the rest of the world. Some secular books that I would reccomend are: Culture Jam by Kalle Lasn as well as The Better World Handbook. Another Christian book on the subject that i found great is How Much is Enough:Hungering for God in an Affluent Culture by Arthur Simon.
Enlightening and Essential.......2001-12-12
This book has become very close to my heart, as it has opened up for me a whole new world of understanding. Living in a very "me-based" society, we are not accustomed to thinking of how our choices affect others. This book shows us the impact of over-consumption, and directs us toward a path of living that is more simple, balanced and compassionate. It's the perfect book for those who want to embrace a simpler life, but aren't sure where to begin. It's also great for those who have heard about voluntary simplicity, but desire more understanding of its concepts. I highly recommend it.
Book not so simple to read.......2001-08-09
I had a hard time reading this book and gave up after only a few chapters. After the first 2 chapters, I wondered if the author was only going to keep telling me all that was wrong with society. Once I decided to stop reading, my life became much simpler.
Customer Reviews:
Neither thoughtful nor compassionate.......2005-12-16
Kreeft's idea of "compassion" seems to be that he does not think that people who support and exercise abortion rights are murderers; rather they are just very very stupid. The millions of people who think that this is a serious issue worth thinking about will see little "compassion" in Kreeft's studied ignorance of the numerous philosophical arguments in print about abortion.
Even the main title is deceptive; one might think that Kreeft is offering and comparing three *perspectives on* abortion, like "it's always wrong," "it's always right," and some intermediate view (or even, "why it's *really* wrong"). But actually what he offers are three different ways of saying that abortion rights supporters are, respectively
(1) stupid, because they don't know what human beings are. Here he ignores the long argued distinction between a human *body* (including fetuses, bodies in irreversible comas, etc.) and a human *person*. See for example the works of Mary Ann Warren, David Boonin, etc.
(2) wrong (for a variety of reasons, but essentially coming down to because Kreeft thinks that God says so, and that God will hurt you if you disagree with him), and
(3) stupid again (because Kreeft thinks only a self-contradicting relativist would disagree with him).
Kreeft frequently throws in unsubstantiated invective against U.S. culture and media, which he thinks is conspiring to silence his point of view. For example, on p.44 he claims that George Grant's book Grand Illusions (which Kreeft's text mispells as Grand Illusion), an "expose" of Mararet Sanger and Planned Parenthood, is censored by the American Library Association and cannot be found in U.S. public libraries. But a quick search of a national database (OCLC) reveals that at least 420 libraries, almost half of them public, own copies of Grant's book. For comparison, each Dilbert book by Scott Adams tends to be owned by between 600-1500 libraries. Adam's work is much funnier than Grant's, or Keeft's for that matter, and also deals with topics that millions of people deal with daily, instead of a major but not pervasive social institution, so 420 copies is pretty good in comparison. Incidentally, Grant's book accuses Margaret Sanger and PP of racism. She may indeed have much to answer for on this point, but given that on pp.202-203 Grant commends western imperialism for providing an umbrella for missionaries, claiming that non-christians everywhere had no "respect for innocent life...until the advent of the gospel" and that it was good for missionaries to "abolish heathen customs" of all sorts, replacing them with clearly superior Western customs, his attack on racism seems a bit hypocritical, and Kreeft's high praise for this work is suspicious.
On p132 Kreeft claims that "The Silent Scream" cannot be seen on television in the U.S. However if this is truly so, then the pro-choice conspiracy is vast indeed, reaching into the many catholic-owned and -oriented TV stations around the nation, and Kreeft should direct his complaints against them, not any "liberal media." If on the other hand they do show it on occasion, then Kreeft's claim is false.
Lies like this pervade the work. Kreeft's earlier work on this topic, The Unaborted Socrates, is at least occasionally humorous and has an interesting portrayal of a Socratic dialogue; it still ignores many serious arguments on the opposing side, assuming that all abortion supporters are relativists, but at least it makes fewer other gaffes. The current work cannot be recommended even to dedicated pro-lifers; they will find that this work simply preaches to the choir, and will not help them understand how to communicate their views to their opponents, or shed any light on why the rest of the world doesn't see things their way.
Fascinating, but a little misleading.......2004-05-03
If there were a Peter Kreeft fan club, I'd be the president. Kreeft, a Catholic professor of philosophy at Boston College, has a brilliant command of logic. And he makes it accessible to the average reader.
"Three Approaches to Abortion" is divided into three parts. The first is Kreeft's main argument, his "Apple Argument Against Abortion" which argues in 15 steps from the premise that "we know what an apple is" to the conclusion that "abortion must be outlawed." The second section is an essay by Kreeft describing 15 motivations behind the pro-life movement. The third section is a delightful (imaginary) dialogue between a pro-lifer and a pro-choicer. In it, Kreeft refutes the 15 most common pro-choice arguments.
There is no doubt that "Three Approaches to Abortion" is a great read and a welcome contribution to the pro-life cause. Kreeft portrays the book as "thoughtful and compassionate" and says right in the preface that the book is meant to be read by pro-choicers.
I found in this book an abundance of thoughtfulness but, unfortunately, a lack of compassion. He makes great points throughout the book -- inspiring many "Eureka!" moments in me -- but I think he lets his moral disgust with abortion get the best of him.
Particularly in section 2 (which he admittedly calls a "pro-life motivational map") as well as in a brief "historical postscript" to section 1, Kreeft's logical arguments give way to polemical attacks against the "culture of death." Which I totally agree with! My only problem is that they'd probably serve to offend any pro-choicers and confuse any atheists who may read the book.
It's unfortunate, because Kreeft is a great, great writer and philosopher. If you're pro-life, don't miss "Three Approaches to Abortion"! If you're pro-choice, buy the book and skip section 2.
Arguments for Life.......2003-02-14
This is not the first book the well-known and prolific American philosopher has written on the subject of abortion. In 1983 he wrote The Unaborted Socrates: A Dramatic Debate on the Issues Surrounding Abortion (Inter-varsity Press). Indeed, abortion featured partially in other works, such as A Refutation of Moral Relativism: Interviews With an Absolutist (Ignatius Press, 1999).
But as Kreeft says, abortion continues to be "the most divisive public issue of our time". Thus another look at the subject is in order.
This volume, as the title indicates, is divided into three main sections. The first offers a philosophical argument against abortion. The second affirms pro-lifers as to why the debate is important and why they must continue in the battle. The third deals with objections from the pro-abortion side.
Part one of this book makes the philosophical case against abortion. Philosophical argumentation can be quite technical and convoluted, involving multiple steps, seeking the validity of an argument or the soundness of a premise. And Kreeft is a philosopher. But most people are not. Thus it is the task of Kreeft to take relatively complex concepts in logic and philosophy and make them understandable to the common reader. This he does quite well.
Generally any philosophical argument takes some amount of time to elaborate. Kreeft's 15 points take some 30 pages to unfold. But the are easy to understand and flow easily one to the other. Professional philosophers may demure, saying the argument is too simplistic, makes too many assumptions, or is not carefully nuanced enough. Possibly, yes. But Kreeft does seek to cover all the bases, and he deliberately has chosen not to go down the technical path.
The fifteen steps perhaps can be boiled down to several propositions:
-human rights are based on the condition of human reality (the nature of who we are)
-morality is based on higher law, or metaphysics
-metaphysics, not might, should determine morality
-morality (rights) should extend to all persons, not just some
-if we are unsure if the unborn are persons, then we should not abort them
If that does not seem like much of an argument, read the 30 pages and see how he carefully weaves his case together.
Part two of the book is meant to rally the troops to not give up on this vital issue. It makes clear why the debate is so important, and how it in many ways impacts of so many other crucial issues. Many areas, such as family, society, sexuality, human meaning and purpose, and even human survival, are impacted by the way we think about, and legislate on, abortion. If we give up on defending the rights of the unborn, we have given way a huge amount of moral ground. To surrender here opens up all kinds of other abuses of human rights.
Part three of the book takes on many of the common objections raised by the pro-abortion camp. It comes in the form of a dialogue between Kreeft and an opponent, a format Kreeft has successfully used in many of his earlier books. Engaging, witty and intellectually cogent, the argument made provides much useful information to the pro-life side.
The overall effect of these three sections is a strongly and tightly argued case for the protection of unborn life, and a refutation of many of the pro-abortion positions. While the book is written for people in both camps, one assumes it will mainly be read by like-minded thinkers. However, those on the other side who want to approach the issue with an open mind will find much to think about here, and perhaps even a few may find themselves changing their minds.
Ridiculous.......2003-01-23
It's impossible for this author to write about and understand something he's never been through.
The argueements presented in this book are less than valid and the writing it self is weak. I gave this book away to a pro-life friend of mine, and told her that she may like it (cause I certainly didn't). She later came to me and said, "You know, just because I am Pro-life does not mean I will automatically like everything written by a pro-lifer."
An intellectual war on abortion!.......2002-12-24
Kreeft believes that ideas really are powerful things and he certainly proves it in this book. By using logic and with a firm grasp on language Kreeft molds an argument stronger than most others against abortion. In fact, he is still waiting for someone to refute his "apple" argument.
If you want to find the logical basis of opposition to abortion, then you will find none better than within these pages. Kreeft is a masterful apologist and proves without a doubt that abortion is the greatest evil mankind has ever thrust upon itself...so far.
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