Book Description
The Simplest Path, Step One: Free Your Mind delineates, in one slim volume, a complete system for achieving personal spiritual awakening, along with a straightforward, no-nonsense plan individuals and groups so enlightened can follow to awaken Humanity en masse and positively transform the world. This book contains keys to awakening. Awakening from our personal dream shatters the solid "box" of limitation memes have built around our lives, and frees us to fluidly craft our personalities, environments, relationships, careers, etc. as an artist paints a landscape or a sculptor teases form from formless clay. All of us awakening together from the shared dream of the planet will mark the birth of our species out of our current global nightmare of decline into a limitless future literally beyond our present ability to imagine, even in our "wildest dreams," indeed.
Customer Reviews:
Way Beyond "Socrates Revisited".......2007-08-22
After reading the commentary attached to the one star rating given by the young man from Texas, I feel compelled to step forward in defense of this very fine book. With only one exception, every point made in that negative review is simply wrong. Just not factually correct. The reviewer identifies himself as a young man (... "to my young mind"), and since all of his other Amazon reviews are of TV episodes on DVD, video games and rock music CDs I take him at his word. Well, I am an "old man," closing in on my sixty-third birthday, and I came to Mr. Casspriano's book after six decades of life experience, the last three of those decades a zealous practitioner of Zen Buddhism. I say this not to "brag," but simply to qualify myself as a reviewer before beginning.
I'll start where the one star reviewer closed his argument, with his statement that the simplest path reduces to two Socratic concepts: "Admit that you don't know anything" and "know yourself."
The first part is nominally true (the exception). Like Zen Buddhism, a central tenet of the simplest path is working to release the false notion we all hold that we know ourselves, other people, the world around us. But identifying and releasing our attachments to our illusions is a life's work, not some brash "I don't know nothin'!" as the young Texan seems to imply. Under normal circumstances, we go about our daily lives with no idea we are deluded about anything, as Maya (the illusion of the phenomenal world around and even inside us) is so convincing that most of us never even think to question its validity. Casspriano did not invent the notion of human beings being trapped in illusion, as this truth was known to the timeless authors of the Hindu Vedas and is central to all schools of Buddhism (not just Zen). But his scientific/spiritual exploration of the mechanism by which Maya ensnares our minds and can, with effort, be overcome is among the best "plain English" explanations of this process I have read. There is no "inscrutable mystery" in the simplest path (a criticism that has been accurately leveled toward Zen Buddhism, as a lot of Eastern thought truly does come off as "inscrutable" when translated into English and/or the metaphors of Western culture). Casspriano lays out in no-nonsense American English exactly what our brains are doing when they create the illusion we mistake for reality, then shows the reader in the same clear terms how to train his or her brain to break free of illusion and taste reality as-it-is. In just 216 pages, that is no mean feat. After thirty years of Zen practice and numerous kensho experiences (of varying depths and intensities), I can say from personal experience that Casspriano is correct. Enlightenment comes as the fruit of a long, incremental process of retraining the mind to touch reality in a new way, and the process described in the simplest path is the same as that followed in Zen practice, especially Rienzi Zen koan study (I'll have more to say about this in a later paragraph). Casspriano's approach and language is very different from traditional Zen (more "scientific," and no sitting meditation is required), which I think would appeal to Americans and other Westerners seeking to experience "awakening" without necessarily committing themselves to a religion like Buddhism, but the internal mental/spiritual process and final destination are the same.
"Know yourself," on the other hand, is not in this book at all, at least not in the way the young reviewer, or Socrates for that matter, uses the phrase. As in Buddhism, Casspriano takes pains to demonstrate that "self" is as much of an illusion as our misapprehension of the phenomenal world, and is a byproduct of exactly the same mind process that creates outer Maya. A core teaching of Buddhism is that our "self," our personality/ego, is nothing more than an aggregation of outside influences that cluster together in our minds like shiny stones gathered into a pile, and which we mistake not only for something "real," but tragically, for our essential selves. Yet this "pile" has nothing really to do with who we are at all. Buddhism teaches "no-self." Belief in the illusion of a unique and independent "self" is our greatest obstacle to enlightenment. Wasting time and energy getting to "know yourself" in the Western sense is foreign to Eastern thought. Casspriano again does a great job of translating the Buddhist concept of "no-self" into Western scientific/spiritual terminology. He shows the process by which our ego/personality aggregate "piles up," as well as how to take the pile down, stone by stone. Enlightenment is what the pile was covering up, and so it naturally appears as soon as the pile is removed - but oh how we cling to our personal pile of stones! "Self" is what we must trade for enlightenment, what must be surrendered, and Casspriano returns to this truth many times in the simplest path. My point is that the one star reviewer's reduction of the simplest path to "know yourself" has no basis at all in the actual book.
As to the book being "gimmicky": Yes, the words "The Simplest Path" recur frequently throughout the book, but not in reference to the book itself (at least that's not how I took it), but rather to the system of understanding the mind and working toward "awakening" Casspriano is describing - and it is a complete system that deserves to be considered as a whole, on its own. At times the repetition does have a feel of "branding" in the commercial sense, so I understand where the reviewer may have taken his impression. But the simplest path, while resonant with Zen Buddhism (and apparently, according to Casspriano, with the Toltec philosophy espoused by Carlos Castaneda, of which I have no personal knowledge, so I'll have to take the author's word for that) is far enough different that it needs its own "name" to set it apart from other schools of similar but not identical thought. The reviewer's criticism is like saying that every use of the term "Zen" in a book called "Zen Buddhism" should be taken as a reference to the book, and not to the larger practice of Zen Buddhism as a spiritual discipline that the book is describing. Casspriano's point in repeatedly linking The Simplest Path, Zen Buddhism and Toltec Shamanism throughout the book, at least as I understood it, is to highlight these three spiritual practices as related reliable paths through a dark forest of illusion, a forest in which many apparent (and more popular) paths, including most (all?) religious beliefs, actively vie to mislead travelers toward deeper ensnarement in the dream, rather than leading them toward "awakening."
I want to say a word about koan study in Rienzi Zen and how it relates to the simplest path. Koans are those quirky Zen sayings and stories like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" or "what was your original face before you (or your parents) were born?" that have no rational answer, and which Zen students turn and turn in their minds like the tumblers of a combination lock until their imprisoned psyches "explode" in a "super-rational" experience of reality beyond the illusion ("irrational" would be the wrong term, as that implies "nonsense"). That "super-rational" vision of reality is called "kensho." I have experienced it myself, more than once in my lifetime. I have come to think of Casspriano's "Key Questions" in the second half of the simplest path, especially the later seven of the ten, as "cultural koans" designed to trigger "collective kensho" for the whole human race at once. Like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?", unflinching consideration of the value of human life, of how our beliefs about the future shape the present, of the true origin and destiny of life on Earth, etc., especially as seen through the lens of Casspriano's "Key Question Technique," reveals that none of these questions have rational answers, yet all require our active and immediate response. Successful resolution of these larger riddles that impact everyone will require us all to eventually "explode" into reality, together, in a "super-rational" way. We'll have to break through the illusion and wake up together, as one (which has been the goal of Mahayana Buddhism, of which Zen is a sect, since around 200 BCE). That is the "Planetary Awakening" addressed in this book, and I believe Casspriano's "Key Questions" are a concrete step in that direction. I'm glad I spent my fifteen dollars.
This is my "old man" take on the simplest path, having encountered it after 30 years of Zen Buddhist practice (I'm not veering off my chosen path here, just bowing respectfully in passing toward Casspriano's). From a Buddhist perspective, the simplest path is true Dharma, though I do not get the impression from reading his book that Vincent Casspriano is himself a Buddhist or a follower of any religion. That to my mind makes his book all the more interesting.
True, but gimmicky.......2007-08-09
Casspriano's book is scientifically and philosophically sound as best as my young mind can tell, but I don't recommend this book. Its scattered with numerous pages of advertising about how his "program" works and how it compares to other religions and spiritual movements. Why must this author physically write out "The Simplest Path" in reference to his book every other page, and talk about his second volume? Perhaps because he's not out for pure truth, but for our money.
All this book comes down to after you strip away the nonsense is two things. First, admit that you don't truly know anything. Second, know yourself. Do those two things (they essentially both mean to question EVERYTHING), and you'll have Casspriano's "Planetary Awakening," with 15 bucks still in your pocket. And you'll be following the fundamental truths already said by Socrates.. so do yourself a favor and pick up Plato's "Apology" and read up on the Socratic dialogue on how to live a good life. And don't stop there, because you can't be sure he's right.
And I have 10 bucks that says these other couple of reviews were written by the book publisher. In any case, ignore the hype.
A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call.......2007-05-15
This is one of the most clear-headed books I've read in years on the subject of real, nitty gritty, get your hands dirty spiritual development (as opposed to the fru fru New Age variety). So much of what passes for "spirituality" in our time amounts to some author, celebrity, priest, philosopher or self-appointed guru telling us what to "believe," sight unseen, if we want to reach heaven, attain enlightenment, achieve "ascension," etc. Casspriano takes an at times startling opposite approach. For Casspriano, such unquestioned/unquestionable beliefs are not only NOT the path to spiritual awakening, they represent the chief obstacle blocking our realization of higher consciousness. And it's not just religious beliefs ("faith") he's talking about, but all our beliefs about reality, especially those that enclose our thinking in "boxes" that limit our freedom to find solutions to real-world threats like Peak Oil, overpopulation, Global Warming, etc. Though much of the book focuses on individual enlightenment, for Casspriano, these larger planetary issues are "spiritual," as well. Whether the issue is our personal inability to find happiness or Humanity's collective rush toward physical extinction, the cause is the same - our wrong-headed beliefs about what's real. The solution is the same, as well - continuous, deep questioning. Using Richard Dawkins' concept of "memes" as a central metaphor, Casspriano first breaks down the basic process of belief, showing the mechanism in our brains by which beliefs misdirect and control our psyches, then he walks the reader through an exploration of a series of ten "anti-meme questions" aimed at breaking down the walls of our mental "boxes" and setting our minds free. With each question, he supplies an exercise designed to allow the reader to attain a personal taste of reality "beyond the box," especially as flavored by that chapter's "Key Question." For the most part, this formula works very well (with a few rare moments of over-exuberance on the author's part, as already described in other reviews, though as a card carrying vegan environmentalist, I can't say I particularly minded), delivering a cumulative series of death-blows to some of the most basic "pillars" of our present human consensus reality. Beyond the walls those pillars supported lies real reality, where we are all interconnected and interdependent, and, in Casspriano's view, mutually destined for greatness, if we can just wake up and grab the reins of our runaway culture in time. This is not a book for spiritual "feel gooders" seeking soft assurances that they're perfect just they way they are and everything's going to be all right, no matter what. This is a wake up call, a tool kit and a concrete action plan for becoming individually enlightened and collectively saving the world, all rolled up into one. That, I think, is a cause well-worthy of exuberance.
Challenge Consensus Reality!.......2007-05-10
This is a thoughtful book that addresses how we may go about developing a process to question our everyday consensus reality. I suppose if I have learned anything in 49 years of life, it is that all personal and social problems stem from our fundamental views on the nature of reality itself. Vincent Casspriano uses the concept of a "meme" as a fundamental unit of ideas, assumptions, etc. that often block our understanding of reality itself. One such meme, for example, may be that we have to "fight for our freedom" or the world's a "fearful" place and hence, we have to be ready to kill to protect ourselves. I suppose you could also use the word "paradigm" here as well, but the essential point of this book is that we "unconsciously" function in our life with many limited points of view that block our ability to solve problems on both a personal and a social basis.
While Vince Casspriano is to be congradulated for producing a book that presents both a methodology and a motivation for personal transformation, there are a few pitfalls here that the potential reader should be aware of before tackling this material. The author has some rather strong views on fossil fuel consumption, meet consumption, and the role of humans in the cycle of procreation. While I generally agree with his analysis on fossil fuel consumtion and meat consumption (as I have viewed large tracks of deforrested grazing land in developing countries), these viewpoints can distract the reader from the essential point here which is to rigourously question consensus reality. Since I am single, and have no motivation to have children, I definitely disagree with his views on the necessity of human procreation on this planet, but here again, it is important to extract the essential meaning rather than get caught in the specific political/social debates that these issues may spawn.
If you are serious about personal transformation with the potential for changing our global consciousness, than this book can be an invaluable tool. I do agree with the Author that a world population of "high functioning" people can resolve every planetary problem we face today. As we systematically question our consensus reality, we will see our problems in new ways, and with this new perspective, problems can often be quickly resolved or transcended.
A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us".......2006-11-13
I considered titling this review, "Stop Whining, Wake Up and Get Busy Saving the World," but decided "Eating Us" would be more attention-grabbing - which matters because I believe Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" is an important book, and I want to do whatever I can to draw your attention to it. Pick the title you like best. Both very fittingly describe what you will find within the pages of this remarkable new release from New Paradigm Press.
I have selected three short quotations to explore in this review that I think best summarize Casspriano's overall message:
From Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":
"Right now, this very moment, you are asleep... Even if you are reading these words in broad daylight - sitting at your desk or beside the kitchen table, your feet firmly planted on the floor, eyes open, senses alert, feeling the weight of this book in your hands as sounds of life rise and fall rhythmically around you - you are deeply asleep, and dreaming furiously"
Now, the idea that Humans are sleeping, and must therefore "awaken," is by no means unique to Casspriano's "Simplest Path" spiritual system, being the root observation underlying pretty much all Eastern religion, and a lot of Western Occultism and New Age metaphysics, as well. In fairness, Casspriano makes no claim to this as an original insight, openly supporting his assessment of the human predicament with quotations taken from Animism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. He then flows seamlessly into a list of complementary illustrations from the secular realms of Quantum Physics, brain/consciousness research, and most to-the-point, the study of memes and memetics, ala Evolutionary Biologist and world's best-known cheerleader for scientific atheism, Richard Dawkins.
If you've never heard of memes or memetics, a quick Google of those terms will reveal hundreds of serious, information-rich websites devoted to this now thirty-year old science. In a nutshell, a "meme" is a sort of contagious thought-form that spreads between people by way of imitation. Obvious memes in our environment include advertising jingles, fads and fashions, etc. Casspriano somewhat radically extends the concept to include just about everything that makes up the contents of our individual brains and shared human culture. While he resists redefining the word "meme" wholesale, he decidedly expands its definition to make memes and "memeplexes" (what you get when a number of memes band together into an organic, relational unit, like a religion or cultural or political movement) the basic, fundamental building blocks of everything we habitually label "real..."
And then he demonstrates, in at times excruciating detail, the complete emptiness of the "apparent-reality" that is a byproduct of memetic activity in our brains. What we call "real" is not real at all. It's an illusion spun up by our memes. And our memes are not original to us. They are "viral invaders" assailing our minds from without. Worse - and, while even this thought is not wholly unique to Casspriano, he certainly gives it his own very effective spin - memes are by no means mere passive beliefs or simple "harmless ideas." They are, Casspriano believes, actively predatory psychic parasites whose survival depends on our buying into the illusions they create in our minds. Think of illusion (Samsara, Maya, etc.) as a web we're caught in. Memes are the spider. We are the fly. Gotcha.
One thing I like very much about Casspriano's book is that he never asks us to take anything on faith, least of all this rather ugly depiction of the human psychic/spiritual condition. He not only challenges readers to test his hypothesis firsthand in order to experience what is real and true for ourselves, he spends a large chunk of the book outlining specific exercises anyone can do to escape memetic interference and personally experience reality as-it-is. The exercises in Part II of the book are powerful medicine... But this is a digression, so let me return to the point.
Memes are the spider, and we are the fly. A better metaphor might be that memes are the farmer, and we are the cow. Domesticated and docile, we allow memes to milk us daily, to extract from our minds the potent human psychic energy which, if reclaimed by us and put to proper human use, would quickly and positively transform our lives and our world. This transformation is awakening, ascension, enlightenment, metanoia, the Buddha-like change of consciousness most religions and spiritual systems on Earth hint at, but few ever actually deliver to followers. In this analysis, Casspriano's "Simplest Path" is very much in line with Gurdjieff's "Fourth Way," Carlos Castaneda's Toltec sorcery, and a few other well known spiritual practices inhabiting a somewhat darker, though perhaps more realistic corner of the New Age. But unlike most of those other systems, Casspriano's prescription for escaping illusion and awakening to reality is remarkably, well... simple.
From Chapter Three, "Waking Up":
"The simple truth is that we are sleeping because we lack sufficient energy to wake up."
And later in the same chapter:
"The real work that brings about awakening, rather than merely granting the external appearance of "being spiritual," while actually embroiling us ever more deeply in the dream, is a rigorous, daily commitment to the identification and elimination of every self-serving belief from which our personal dream-lives are constructed."
For "belief" in the quotation above, read "meme/memeplex." Casspriano certainly does, treating the terms as largely interchangeable. In the end, this genuinely simple - at least in the sense of being uncomplicated and pragmatic - spiritual practice amounts to discovering reality as-it-actually-is less by searching for a glimpse beyond the illusion, than by systematically withdrawing our participation in, and identification with, the dream. When we disentangle our psyches from memetic illusion, only reality remains. We don't have to chase it; to a meme-free mind, reality just appears. This is "Satori" in Zen Buddhism. This is "stopping the world" in the Toltec sorcery of Castaneda and others. Casspriano's genius lies in his talent for exposing the core mechanism behind such complex and often inscrutable spiritual systems, and for putting into plain language clear instructions for unraveling the dream and achieving personal awakening. The virus-like process by which memes take over and control our human minds, as described by Casspriano is, to my mind, very complicated (but well worth struggling through). What is genuinely simple about "The Simplest Path," however, is Casspriano's prescription for breaking those bonds, once you've made the effort to understand how they are created and maintained. For Casspriano, remaining a victim of spiritual sleep and energetic exploitation by memes is a complex activity in which we unconsciously invest enormous amounts of psychic energy every day of our lives. Awakening is the product of a simple act of withdrawing that investment, which automatically re-energizes of our minds and lives. Or as Casspriano cleverly phrases it when closing Chapter Three, "Waking Up":
"Unweave the tapestry of the dream, and awakening happens."
Anyone can do this. Spiritual awakening, in Casspriano's view, may be hard work, but it is not complicated work. The path to enlightenment is really rather shockingly simple. Fall out of love with the dream. Reclaim your psychic energy. Wake up to reality.
The ten "Key Questions" Casspriano explores in the second section of the book are designed to put the theory laid out in Part I to practical and immediate use. Essentially, I think Casspriano sees these ten issues - why we treat enlightenment as an "airy-fairy" ideal instead of a measurable transformation of brain functioning, the excuses we make for avoiding personal responsibility and integrity along the lines of Castaneda's "impeccability," the fallacy of belief in a "separate self," etc. - as pillars of both our personal and collective human dreams. They are by no means an exhaustive listing of the memes twisting our minds. But they are primary keystones on which layers upon layers of the grand illusion are built. Topple these ten baseline pillars and the larger structure crumbles.
Casspriano explores some "Keys" more successfully than others. One downside to the book is that, especially in the "Keys," Casspriano's own memetic prejudices shine at times rather glaringly through, as when, in his discussion of the American "What Would Jesus Do?" religious fad, he characterizes the Evangelical Christian purveyors of WWJD as, "ultra-conservative, right wing ideologues." Even should the reader personally agree with such pronouncements, its hard to resist thinking, "Hey Vince! Your memes are showing!" But where he nails his point, Casspriano's prose can be downright inspiring, as with the "Key" cosmological study "Is Earth the Center of the Universe?," which explores the gap between what we know, scientifically, about the Universe and what our daily choices and behavior says we really believe, about the cosmos and about ourselves. His closing "Key" "Are We Alone?" so poetically frames the true stakes of our global human predicament - species survival VS extinction - that its hard to imagine anyone keeping their gaze glued squarely to their own self-involved navel in the wake of reading it. Of course we are not alone. There are six and a half billion of us on Planet Earth, and whether we awaken to what's best in us or follow our darkest drives over History's cliff into oblivion, we do so as one. One planet, one fate.
This notion of "oneness" and of a common, intertwined human spiritual and biological destiny is a core theme in The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND that sets it apart from any spiritual book in recent memory. My final quotation from the book returns us to the opening lines of Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":
"We are all aware of the challenges facing us as we enter together into the 21st Century:
· World oil supplies are running out.
· Global warming is transforming the Earth into a steamy greenhouse.
· Even as our technology connects the world, ideological extremism, terrorism and militarism divide us as never before.
· Headlines bombard us with news of war, famine, pestilence and death until we feel overwhelmed and unable to respond.
· Time is running out..."
Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Transformation, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" does not offer easy escape from these very pressing real-world human ills, but rather, a down to Earth, workable prescription for their cure. Yes, we must awaken as individuals, and, rest assured, "The Simplest Path" shows spiritual seekers exactly how to do that. But a prime message of "The Simplest Path" is that, for personal awakening to have meaning, it must occur within the context of a complete re-visioning of global culture, and a mass wrenching away of the wheel of History from the control of viral memes, that we might create a common cosmic human destiny worthy of our highest potential as a species.
Now that's a meme worth feeding.
Book Description
In our day when there is much strife between factions, this work illuminates the theme of transcendence as understood by the saints of the religious traditions: Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity.
Customer Reviews:
A "chef d'oeuvre".......2006-05-14
This long-awaited book certainly represents one of the more important work recently released by World Wisdom.
Reza Shah-Kazemi is a Research Associate at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London and one of the most preeminent contemporary Perennialist writers. Although initially written as a Doctoral Thesis, this book is dedicated to the memory of Frithjof Schuon, and presented here as a demonstration of the "transcendent unity of religions" based on a comparative study of three major figures of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity (Shankara, Ibn Arabi and Meister Eckhart) and their approach of the non-dual Absolute both at the doctrinal and practical level. Each study is divided systematically into three parts: a first one on the doctrine of the Absolute, the second one on the spiritual path and the last on the return of the God-realized man to the creatures. The book concludes on the "essential elements of communality" between the three spiritual masters. In very substantial appendices, Reza Shah-Kazemi criticizes some of the more contemporary attempts to "reduce the transcendence" by academia but also by pseudo-Perennialists such as A. Huxley.
Reza Shah-Kazemi's work is indeed both a metaphysical and erudite demonstration of such communality at the summit of the great religious traditions and a merciful response to the predominant relativism in the field of Comparative Religion. A master piece ....
Book Description
Seven Masters, One Path brings together the seven primary practices of the world's most revered spiritual masters -- Krishnamurti, Lao-tzu, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Gurdjieff, and Patanjali -- in one simple yet complete program. Finally everyone who wants to learn how to meditate, or to deepen their meditation practice, can turn to one comprehensive guidebook that leads readers gently yet surely into experiencing the seven universal dimensions of daily meditation practice.
Seven Masters, One Path guarantees access to deep meditative experience for people seeking relief from emotional and mental stress, and especially for anyone who longs to experience a deeper sense of connection with our spiritual core. No matter how divergent all the theologies, philosophies, rituals, and dogmas of the world's great meditative traditions might appear, John Selby reveals that the underlying intent of the original masters was remarkably similar -- to help people to point their attention toward regular contact with the divine, through opening hearts and souls to direct communion with God by whatever name.
Offering one meditation each from the seven teachers, Seven Masters, One Path emphasizes the commonalities in the diverse traditions, ultimately providing a unique and accessible meditation program that anyone can master.
Customer Reviews:
A great intro to meditation.......2006-09-16
I read this book and I liked it very much. The one thing thatI didn't get is he has 7 seperate spects of the meditation, each with a tiny mantra, such as "I accept the word as it is:. One is told to think this thought at the beginning of the next phase of meditation, but my understandning is that the entire point of meditation is to remain in thoughtless awareness. I thought this kind of goes against the point. 2ndly, in the book it says that one can get the guided meditations online, which one can, but I though that the guided meditations were unnecessarily priced. I know he has to pay money to run the site but I think that if he didn't charge what he does he might get more ppl to sign up. I dont think downloading a guided meditation should cost 8 bux a pop. But the book was very good and gives you a breif overview of the 7 masters 4 stars.
Priceless Benefits of Inner Peace in just Minutes !.......2006-06-14
There is nothing not to like about John Selby. He is a truly a pioneer at bringing the benefits of the esoteric practices of Eastern meditation to the Western world with his practical and spiritual approach. He has developed programs for tapping into our 'higher source' for children, executives and anyone who doesn't feel connected with their heart or higher source of wisdom. I read this book several years ago and now it has a special place on my many bookshelves. I felt compelled to write this review after hearing John a few days ago on New Dimensions radio in an interview with Michael Toms (newdimensions.org). His formula for arriving at 'present time' and consciously reconnecting is one of the most effective and simple techniques that I have ever tried. He has authored over 40 books and has many online audio/video/text courses at johnselby.com with many of them being free, and others being low cost. He has a new exciting book out with Paul Hannam called Take Charge of Your Mind, Core Skills to Enhance Your Performance, Well-Being, and Integrity at Work. John Selby has also worked extensively with John Gray(Men Are From Mars..) to compile some guided audio CDs. These techniques can be used in as little as a couple minutes - for instance when your work is at high-tide, or for an hour or more. They can be learned in less than two weeks. Of all of John's works, I have enjoyed this one the best and find it the most fundamental of them all. To what ends are these techniques employed? Why achieve these states? John says it simply. "I am here to serve, to prosper and to enjoy myslef." You can too!
Five Shining Stars
A Wonderful Guide to Meditation..............2006-06-09
I totally love this book. I borrowed this book from the NY Public Library and renewed the book several times. Now I bought a copy from Amazon and am cherishing it for good. Got another one this week as a gift idea for friends.
This is a great guide for meditation. Having been on a conscious spiritual path for about 5 years, the meditation practices described in the book are really of great help to remain in the present moment and silence the mind. To include great masters of different religion/spirituality makes this book an almost all-encompassing one!
5 Stars indeed!
Direct, Useful and Liberating.......2005-01-07
This is the best book I have seen on meditation from a comparative religious perspective. John Selby presents a system of meditation by way of the lives and teachings of seven great spiritual figures.
For the first five teachers, he focuses on the open acceptance of reality as it is. He considers the unconditional surrender to the Ultimate to be the main aim of spiritual life, viewed from both the Eastern perspective of absorption into a nameless reality and from the Western perspective of loving oneness with God.
In discussing the last two teachers (who are less well known), he focuses on self-awareness. This balances the previous emphasis on surrendering the mind and will with practices designed to make self-knowledge blossom.
Overall, this book is excellent and is a worthy guide on the spiritual path.
Wonderful Book On Meditation.......2003-06-09
Mr. Selby has brought together the worlds great wisdom traditions and methods in a very accessible, enjoyable book. His style of writing makes you feel as though you are learning from a friend, which indeed, you are. His insight and caring shine through on every page. The online support that he offers to help you with your meditation practice is a wonderful bonus gift. If you've never been very successful at meditating, had trouble silencing the "monkeys" or just want to be able to deepen your meditation experience and bring it into your everyday, working life, then treat yourself to this book. Many blessings to you on your path.
Average customer rating:
- Follow the Path to the Light at the End
|
In the Path of the Masters: Understanding the Spirituality of Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, and Muhammad
Denise Lardner Carmody , and
John Tully Carmody
Manufacturer: M.E. Sharpe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Leadership
| Christian Living
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Islam
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
| Allah
| Children's Books
| General
| Hadith
| History
| Law
| Mecca
| Muhammed
| Music
| Quran
| Ramadan
| Shi'ism
| Sufism
| Sunnism
| Theology
| Women in Islam
Comparative Religion
| Religious Studies
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Buddha
| Buddhism
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Buddha
| ( B )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Virtue and Affluence: The Challenge of Wealth
-
Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume
-
Leading Minds: An Anatomy Of Leadership
-
Spiritual Genius: 10 Masters and the Quest for Meaning
-
Transforming Suffering: Reflections on Finding Peace in Troubled Times by His Holiness the Dalai Lamma, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, Thomas Keating, Joseph Goldstein, Thubten Chodro
ASIN: 1563248638 |
Customer Reviews:
Follow the Path to the Light at the End.......2001-10-31
This book has led me to believe that there is indeed hope for us in the 21st Century to re-discover a spirituality. One that will work in these current times, that is.
What these two authors have done is to present to the reader, four of the most influential sages or saints (depending on your location) and their lives, their thoughts and their personalities.
Armed with this knowledge the reader then finds it extremely possible to undertake the difficult process of finding a sense of grounding in today's turbulent society.
Book Description
"Budo is religion. It's not something you dilly-dally with, practice, and go home. It's part of your life. All martial arts should become that way, part of your life."âPat Yoshitsugu Murosako, from The Warrior's Path The Warrior's Path presents the timeless wisdom of contemporary masters of the Japanese martial artsâmen and women who brought martial arts into the modern era and whose lives have been defined by their devotion to training. Here they share their personal stories, offer perspectives on what martial arts study can offer people today, reflect on the role of formal competition, and describe what it's like to train as one grows older. The masters featured here began their training in the early twentieth centuryâa seminal time in the history of Japanese martial arts. They studied with some of the pioneers of judo, karate, aikido, iaido, kendo, and naginataâmasters who emphasized that these battlefield arts were best understood and practiced as budo, or martial arts for self-development. These engaging stories, accompanied by the author's striking photographs, make this book essential reading for students and teachers of martial arts.
Customer Reviews:
A poignant look into the hearts of modern warriors.......2004-09-12
The interviewees in this short book take a nostalgic walk down philosophical lane. Many of the insights were thought provoking and intriguing, sans the one individual who damns everyone for talking him into moving to Brazil to pursue teaching his chosen budo art.
I always enjoy reading about modern budo (post WWII) and the Japanese take on the "brutal training" of days past. While I don't doubt the severity of some of the training, as with our own parents "everything was tougher back then."
Still, the feeling that traditional budo may be fading into the past is a concern for each of these modern masters. Many tell of their wants and needs to train individuals steeped in the koryu of their respective art. This has been a concern for many of the post WWII era budoka, but the traditional arts manage to cling to life, and seem to share a growing cyclical resurgance of popularity.
This book is definately worth a read, as it will make many budoka nod their heads in agreement, and hopefully re-energize the slow modern budo perpetuation.
one for the coffee table..........2004-08-22
As a coffee table book this one deserves 5 stars. Very nicely done, short stories, easy to read, arty photos, excellent lay-out, sure to impress someone who isn't even interested in martial arts. But, if you ARE interested in martial arts this book will probably disappoint you. The stories are too short and too shallow. The book is comprised of maybe 10 or so martial arts masters each telling a short autobiographical-type story. A few of the entries seem very pointless. Most of the masters tend to share the common theme of complaining that "things just aren't the same as they used to be". They complain that "attitudes are different", "students don't practice as hard as in the old days", "things are changing for the worst"... not much wisdom here. One laughable interview is with a Japanese woman who is a naginata expert. It is as if she says nothing at all. She explains some of her life story but there is no real opinion or wisdom offered at all. Like trying to learn something by watching a glass of water! Hmm... maybe that was her intention. Seriously, The problem with this book is that there is truly very little offered of any value or substance. The short stories presented by each expert were not very interesting even from a readability perspective, much less to be of any value for the serious martial artist. So, the question is: what was the point in making this book? The answer is that it is like a piece of art. Like an abstract painting one might hang on their wall to impress guests with. Looks beautiful. Creates a mood. I was hoping for some deep insights, mind-blowing philosophy, helpful tips, and maybe even a few interesting stories from all these masters, but instead, the author (translator, interviewer) serves up a bunch of fluff. I gave it 2 stars because this book is so lovely that even a nun wouldn't mind flipping through it. But, it reminds me of one of those fastfood hamburgers that is all bun, little meat and plenty of eye-dazzling condiments. I hope you find this review helpful because I really tried to be fair in my assessment of this book, and hope to forewarn anyone who might have the same initial hopes for this book that I once had before I stupidly wasted money on it.
Outstanding collection of views from modern budo teachers.......2004-08-17
The Warriors's Path is a really extraordinary collection of interviews of practitioners of the modern "Martial Ways" ( Gendai budo )who have filled their lives with training, are nearing the end of their lives and are able to ruminate on the significance that training has held from a perspective that few practitioners can. It is, I think, a perspective of great value to those young and not so young practitioners of modern budo today.
The text deals exclusively with Japanese budo teachers living in Japan or abroad. The similarity in world views of the teachers interviewed here and the consistancy of their answers regarding the deeper meanings of budo practise is still very surprising even in such a homogeneous group. Proof positive that regardless of whether one is practising Atarashii Naginata or Shorinji Kenpo the path is one and the same.
Strangely the cover displayed on this page of a Shorinji Kenpo practitioner is different from the "Karate-ka" cover I have. I found the pictures sometimes to be a bit TOO abstract at times. I found myself wishing to see the practitioners in action at times. Also barring this book from receiving a 5 star rating was the fact that mine came with several pages of text missing. I'm sure that this can't be a problem with all the copies, though.
In terms of content I would say that this is one of the more important books on budo I've read in the last 10 years.
The Warrior's Path.......2003-12-17
This is a treasure... a book that has captured the personalities of living masters of many different styles of martial arts from around the world. Great stories and very nice photo work.. anyone studying the martial arts should count this book as part of their library and on going research into their discipline.
Customer Reviews:
Basis of religions.......2007-09-10
What can you say about the source from whence all religions flow? The author presents overviews of a number of religions. Proceeding to the basis of spirituality that is available for the person willing to challenge his limitations, let go of the traditional authoritarian religions, and work out the science of his personal spiritual liberation. None other than a direct contact with the Holy Spirit, the Word, the SHABD is the subject matter here.
Amazing! Find the Master/Teacher, get hooked up to the Spirit, and achieve Spiritual Liberation. What the others have hidden in parables, shall nots, and rituals is revealed in its plain to see simplicity in the doctors translations of the ideas of the Surat Shabd (Soul Word.)
This is an introduction. The real work for the individual begins when he finds the Master.
Great source of spiritual insight.......2006-12-07
Brief and accurate description of the content of this book (from another site):
"This book presents a comprehensive discussion of Sant Mat, also known as the Path of the Masters. After living in India for nearly seven years in the 1930s at the home of his Master in India, the author gives an outline of Surat Shabd Yoga, the yoga of the sound current, which is the scientific system through which the Masters attain the highest degree of spiritual development.
Considered a classic of twentieth century spiritual literature, the book covers many fundamentals of the spiritual path, including: the purpose of human life, the Masters and their duties, the audible life stream, the outer and inner universes, karma and reincarnation, death, and the inner journey back to God.
The author also gives a thorough analysis of the workings of the mind, and a review of world religions. He explains that at the heart of the book is `a scientific method of entering and realizing the kingdom of heaven while still living in the human body.' "
My thoughts as a seeker:
This book is packed with spiritual insight intended for an adamant seeker of Truth. Like a lot of spiritual literature I've read (eastern and western), there is a heavy dose of repetition used to drill home core ideas. But like most spiritual texts, it requires an intense longing for the Truth to be able to wade through the vast pool of spiritual information. I must admit that this book will chase away most people that aren't truly seeking and I believe that Julian Johnson intended for it to be that way. I remember thinking that Julian Johnson was a little rough around the edges, but looking back on it now, I believe I was the one that was rough and he was merely trying to smooth me out.
The first half of the book has an intriguing assessment of the world religions; Julian Johnson was quite a seeker and this book is the collimation of all that he had found. The second half of the book contains a great summary of various spiritual philosophies and some details on the mystic path. After having read plenty of other Sant Mat books (because of this book), I think this particular Sant Mat book lacks some of the beautiful devotional and loving aspects that the Saints tend to emphasize (or at least in this book it was overshadowed by the scientific approach). But as a source for spiritual and mystic information, it's a true treasure-trove (-the reason for my 5 stars)
As for dogma (an authoritative assertion of truth to be believed without support or proof): Julian Johnson presents the information as a science, or a hypothesis, that must be experienced; he says throughout the book that one simply cannot come to know the Truth by reading books. So yes, he does not provide quantitative data for the existence of the mystic aspects of the path, but I thought it seemed clear that he had experienced at least some, if not all, of the mystic aspects for himself, in addition to recording what he had learned from his Master. If one goes on to read other Surat Shabd Yoga writings, like some of the writings of the Sikh gurus or other Sant Mat books written by the Masters, I think one would gain an appreciation for, or at least additional insight into, what might be the Truth... to know for sure requires one to stop seeking and to switch one's effort towards experiencing.
If you are actually on the path described by this book, then you know it's fantastic..........2006-06-08
The first half can be a little dry, but it is very informative in it's overview of worldly religions. The second half describes the outer layer of the "secret of secrets" beautifully. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Quan Yin or Sant Mat Light & Sound Meditation Path. The information contained within is most important-the way it was written is secondary to the message it gives.
An introduction to Radhasoami.......2006-05-02
I offer this review because of the lack of any others. I hope that others may pop up to further refine the analysis of the book offered here, or at least to share their experience with it.
The book starts out with an introduction, goes into a commentary about world religions, and then goes on about Surat Shabd Yoga, including what is necessary to follow the path, what the path offers, how to find and identify a true master, what masters are capable of, what can be expected of them, and finally what masters do for the world.
My first impression of the book was good; the ideas seemed refreshing and hopeful, universal in a sense. The reader is constantly reminded of the scientific nature of this spiritual movement, and encouraged to come and verify it for themselves, the presence of a master being indispensable in that endeavor. But as Dr. Johnson went on, the dogmatic beliefs began to increasingly show themselves, more on this later.
Also, the book seemed very repetitive, and this may be from Dr. Johnson's missionary zeal in driving his point home, something that didn't change even after his faith did. He continued to espouse the truth contained in his new revelation, the way it could be supposed that he did when he spoke to the targets of his missionary work prior to his conversion to this movement.
This is where the book began to break down for me. Dr. Johnson writes with absolute faith what constitutes the spiritual world of the masters. He describes them, but the descriptions leave one wondering if they are simply ideas revealed to him by his master, or if he had direct personal experience of them. My interpretation was the former.
This is particularly more troubling after the revelations by Baba Faqir Chand, a recognized master in the movement who later spoke out against the idea of an all-knowing master. He claimed to have no knowledge of the after-life (among other things) despite having the ability to enter altered states of consciousness at will through devout practice of their meditative techniques. Dr. Johnson, on the other hand, does offer descriptions, going so far to say that entering death for the master is no different than entering their meditative state, the difference being that they won't have to suffer coming back to this world again.
I believe the book deserves credit for being the first to bring Surat Shabd Yoga into the open in the west. Finally, and unfortunately, I don't know if this review would be complete without mentioning the striking similarity of Paul Twitchell's work, a testament to the appealing quality of the ideas that run through this book.
I give the book 3 stars, rather than 2, because it still achieves its goal of giving the reader an understanding of the topic, even if it is verbose at times. More information on Dr. Johnson and the book is available through a google search for "path of the masters".
Book Description
Using a lively style and the languages of transpersonal psychology, meditation, esoteric magic, and kundalini, Glenn Morris recounts his amazing adventures and hair-raising close calls while training and then practicing as a master of martial arts. Following in the tradition of the legendary Togakure Ryu of Japan, whose fighting techniques and lore inspired the fascination of westerners with Ninja warriors, he offers guidelines on how to tell sham from authenticity, how to keep friends while developing power, how to voyage safely into the inner landscape, and how to deal with dark forces-incarnate and disincarnate. At the same time, he provides exercises, tests, and adventures for the courageous-as well as spiritual and ethical compass.
Customer Reviews:
Bizarre and Unlikely.......2007-07-03
It gets at least one star for sheer wacky entertainment value. I've read all his books and they are simply too bizarre and wacky for the author to expect a rational person to believe. Add to that various things that are bogus and u cant expect a favorable review. For example the author claimed a black belt in Chi Kung (or Qi Gong) yet there is no such thing. In another book he claims he and his mentors fight aliens telepathically... Enough said OK.
inspiring and insightful.......2007-05-06
amazing book. whether you're interested in ninjas, spiritual awakening, meditation, or martial arts.. this book has it all. its extremely well written with much useful advice spreadout. i personally enjoyed his experiences with kundalini awakening.
What a Scroll.......2007-03-09
Let me start by saying that I have a near-photographic memory of anything I read. Having said that, I have read this book 5 times and learned new things each time. That is the true mark of a "scroll" type of document in the martial arts. You can keep coming back to it, and depending on where you are in your path, you will learn new things. As new questions arise, so do new answers. As a primer on ninjutsu, this book gives some great anecdotes about training with Hatsumi-Soke in the fairly early days for us westerners.
As a student of Budo-Taijutsu and member of the IBDA I first aproached this book for more info on our grandmaster. After reading it in two days I walked away and thought "wow, what neat stories." As my path developed I found that it answered many of my questions and still does. Buy it, read, repeat.
This book is not about a Ninja Master.......2007-02-26
Glenn Morris' book is way out there. This is not a book about a "Ninja Master" but a hobbyist (his words) of Ninpo. If you are into kundalini, asteral planes and learning how to see peoples' auras (which he taught several people to do in 10 minutes) by this book. If you want to learn about Ninpo, read books written by the current Soke, Masaaki Hatsumi or if you can find them, books by Shoto Tanemura.
1 book for your "stranded on a desert island" list.......2006-10-13
I am sorry to report that Glenn Morris, Soke, transitioned into the Void on the 1st of April 2006. It is so like Soke to leave us fools behind wondering "Is this a joke or what?!?" This book, Glenn Soke's first on Martial Arts is one of the five or so I would take to a desert island with me for the rest of my life.
But I must warn you, strange things happen around this book, as they did around Glenn. Path Notes found me one day in early April 95 in NYC as I was browsing the small English language section of a large Japanese bookstore while waiting for a friend. It tumbled off an overhead shelf and hit me on the head. I try to be on the lookout for messages from the Universe and I must tell you, rarely are they quite so obvious---of course I bought the book! At around 9pm that night after all the day's Art of Dying Conference functions were over, I collapsed into bed thinking to myself, "I'm too tired to read, and I have to get up early, but let me read just one page..." at 3:45am, book in one hand and holding my eyelids open with the other, I finished it to the great relief of my roommate who had been frequently awakened by my uncontrollable guffawing! (It's a wonder she let me live!)
Rarely have I been so overjoyed by a book! As soon as I got home from the conference, I wrote my first letter to any author. Soke called me upon receiving my fawning praise and we became instant friends. He was already my Teacher from the first moment the book hit my head!
A word to the women-folk, this book is dripping with testosterone. Not the obnoxious "Me Tarzan, you Jane!" kind, but rather the irrepressible "Hold my beer, watch THIS!" kind, and the empowering "Come on in, the water's fine" kind moderated by a bit of "Do try this at home, but be prepared to duck!"
Now here's the real warning and heed this carefully: This book, delightfully humorous, entertaining, slightly unbelievable and deeply insightful as it is, is really a Grimoire... a map and a testimony to the far reaches of human spiritual potentiality, but in reasonably accessible modern English. Therefore it's dangerous if you do not pay attention and allow for the possibility that it might be recounting a Truth. And Soke is no longer with us here in the Relative Universe to fix it--to fix YOU--if you screw up, so do pay attention if you try anything at home.
All that said, this book is for anyone who has the slightest interest in martial arts, meditation, Japanese culture both modern and ancient, kundalini, body work, transpersonal psychology, Jungian archetypes, mythology both Western and Eastern, alternative medicine especially those arts involving Qi (Chi/Ki) or anything remotely connected to any of those subjects. By the way, the annotated bibliography alone is worth the price of the book if you have any interest in the aforementioned subjects. I also recommend all of Soke's books, but Path Notes is by far the best in my personal opinion. I am so grateful that Glenn left this behind when he left our dimension for what surely must be some incredible ongoing adventures. I miss him now and always.
Book Description
At the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago, Swami Vivekananda transformed Western thinking. He showed that, far from being an exotic novelty, Hinduism was an important, legitimate spiritual tradition with valuable lessons for the West. Pathways to Joy is a selection of 108 of his sacred teachings on Vedanta philosophy. In accessible and powerful prose, Vivekananda illuminates the four classical yoga paths — karma, bhakti, raja, and jnana — for the different natures of humankind. The messages focus on the oneness of existence; the divinity of the soul; the truth in all religions; and unifying with the Divine within. Invaluable and inspiring, the selections also explore karma, maya, rebirth, and other great revelations of Hinduism.
Customer Reviews:
Terrific book, must read!.......2006-09-29
Vivekananda died in 1902, but still lives thanks in part to David Deluca for publishing this terrific book. Although Vivekananda wrote the words over 100 years ago his messages are absolutely timely to today; love, serving others, giving, compassion, accepting of all religions and all races without hate or arrogance. Vivekananda felt that all religions present different prespectives of God and that all are correct, no need for hatred. He also felt that all countries have something to contribute to all others. Eventually all countries will come together to share. I only wish that Vivekananda words could be heard, felt by all to stamp out the useless primitive and everpresent greed, hatred and killing in the world.
Candid Introduction to Vedanta.......2006-06-10
This book delves into a clear and simple presentation of the works of Vivekananda, the young Indian monk who at the turn of the 20th century, brought Hinduism and it's teachings to America.
At a time when eastern religious philosophy was still a mystery no westerner was eager to unravel, you will be amazed at how this audience-captivating teacher was accorded the greatest respect and accoladeat the "Assembly or World Religions" in 1893. But even more important, was the way the top world religious teachers at the time hungrily ate up the spiritual food that was being dished by Vivekananda.
What Dave DeLuca has done in this uncomplicated book is taken those teachings and presented them in the most enjoyable and interesting way. It is as if no time has passed. Vivekananda's teachings truly feel as if they are addressing present day issues.
The wisdom and love of this monk flow these pages almost tangibly. It is no wonder that the students of Vivekananda seem to devour his teachings!
Product Description
Hardcover is 9 1/2 inches by 11 1/2 inches. Photographs by Andy Ryan
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful inspiration.......2004-10-26
This is a fantastic reference book on American Yoga Masters. The life stories are wonderful and have the space in a book (rather than magazine) format to be fairly detailed. It was a relief to read so many had such eclectic paths to yoga. The only one I missed was one of the ones I started with, Richard Hittleman.
The asanas that accompany the text are detailed and understandable, with all of the appropriate precautions and prop placements.
I appreciated the candor in this book with reference to the teachers that these people have studied with. Many have gone on to start their own "branch" (for lack of a better word), and some have remained with the more traditional styles. Both are well-explained, and I appreciate the inclusion of both paths in the book as everyone is different.
I think this book would be helpful to anyone who is studying or teaching yoga. I began teaching at two local gyms after taking a foundation beginners teachers class. I was a massage therapist for 13 years so I feel that experience helps and a long ago, not adequately maintained, yoga practice. I have almost quit several times but I found a quote about Lilas Folan that has kept me involved. She stated somewhere that she had been taking lessons for about a year at the YWCA when the teacher left and turned the classes over to her. She confided in a friend that she didn't think that she could do it. The point her friend made was that when the whole class is blind they don't notice that the teacher only has one eye. I know some purists would cringe at that but I believe that yoga is so important that almost any way you can initially reach people is worth it.
I also would like to thank the teachers that are putting out audio CD's of classes, pranayama, etc. These are gems. I have recommended them to my students and monthly use one in class so that they develop a feel for a "real" yoga class. They are very much appreciated in areas where there might not be many studios. I love them.
Book Description
These 420 golden keys present the multitude of methods, techniques, affirmations, prayers and insights Dr. Stone has gleaned from his own background in psychology and life conditions and his thorough research of all the ancient and contemporary classics that speak of the path to God-realization. The teachings of Sai Baba and other ascended masters are at the core of these keys, and the author has also drawn upon various spiritual scriptures such as the Bhagavad-Gita and the Bible. Especially valuable are practical methods to support the ascension process.
Customer Reviews:
The revelation of the Millenium........2001-12-31
This Master piece of work by Dr. David is trully incredible. This work is surely for the evolved mystic or spiritual aspirant. I would recommend this book to friends and family members.
A very useful manual..........2000-04-09
As a veteran I found this not too interesting but it reviewed the beginning information and methods necessary for such a journey. And the information about old teaching was elightening.
Books:
- The Sixty-Second Motivator
- The Strategy Concept and Process: A Pragmatic Approach (2nd Edition)
- The Tao of Pooh
- The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
- The Temple of Man
- The Trinitarian Theology of St Thomas Aquinas
- The Witches Almanac 2007 2008 (Witches Almanac)
- Today I Made My First Communion
- What Catholics Really Believe-Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions About the Catholic Faith
- Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Architectural Graphic Standards, Tenth Edition
- The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care
- Ladies and Gentlemen, the Original Music of the Hebrew Alphabet and Weekend in Mustara: Two Novellas
- Origin of Wealth: Evolution, Complexity, and the Radical Remaking of Economics
- Sisters
- String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction
- Sharks of the World Coloring Book
- Lingering Crisis of Youth Unemployment
- Playing for a Living: Without Apology
- Institutionalist Method and Value: Essays in Honor of Paul Dale Bush
The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World
Parallel Universe Of Self
How to Meet Yourself: ...and find true happiness
Life Without a Centre: Awakening from the Dream of Separation
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality
