Product Description
In the depth of every human being, there is a profound need for answers to the fundamental questions of existence. Is there a God? What is Truth? What is Reality? 'The Knee of Listening' has transformed the lives of thousands of secular and religious seekers since it was first published in 1972, because it answers all of these questions.
This autobiography shows, with incomparable wisdom and clarity, a life moved by the Divine, and a being of such unheard-of greatness that many readers are left amazed and touched by this book.
Adi Da s spiritual autobiography tells the miraculous story of his unique Incarnation and Revelation in the West for the sake of liberating all beings. To read it is to find the very Heart of Reality--tangibly felt in your own heart as the deepest truth of Existence. It is the great mystery that you are invited to discover.
This newly expanded edition includes an expanded description of Adi Da's early-life, leading up to his Divine Re-Awakening in 1970 and the secrets of his birth in 1939. It also has new revelations about the spiritual work of the great Realizers in his lineage, and Adi Da's unique demonstration of the Seventh Stage of Life. The profound events of "Yogic death" (in 1986, 1999, and 2000) that occurred after his Divine Re-Awakening--events that completed his process of Incarnating the Divine Conscious Light are new as well to this new edition.
From Amazon readers of a previous edition:
"... a kick a** book - that really gets to the core of what life, suffering and God Realization is all about.
"... an amazing story of the an actual and real spiritual awakening and transformation..."
Adapted from the introduction:
From time to time, there is a book that challenges, and eventually changes, the entire perspective of a civilization. 'The Knee Of Listening' is such an epoch-making book. Appearing at the beginning of the third millennium of the common era, it carries a Revelation that has the potenti
Customer Reviews:
A profound spiritual autobiography.......2005-04-29
The Knee of Listening by Adi Da Dawn Horse Press 621p (1995)
This is one of many editions of the spiritual autobiography of the unique American mystic
Adi Da. The first edition was 1972 and new editions with more material and much advertising about the group continue to appear. I also got the latest one(2004) which was about 3 times the size and weight but the hundreds of pages of new material was more of the opaque prose and advertising. So, I recommend one of the earlier paperpack editions like this one.
The sticker on the cover says `The most profound spiritual autobiography of all time` and this might well be true. I am in my 60's and have read thousands of books and this if one of the great ones. Certainly it is by far the fullest and clearest account of enlightenment I have ever seen. Even if you have no interest at all in the most fascinating of all human psychological processes, it is an amazing document that reveals a great deal about religion, yoga, and human psychology and probes the depths and limits of human possibilities.
As I have read and experienced alot in various religious traditions, I naturally compare his writings with those of others, particularly with the great Indian mystic Osho. Though they clearly agree on the major points of how to prodceed on the path, letting go of the attachment to the spiritual quest etc. their styles are vastly different. Both are highly intelligent and well read(Osho could speed read and read over 100,000 books) and were at home in the spiritual literature of the major religious traditions. However, most of Da's books are essentially unreadable as he struggles to express in language the ineffable realms of the enlightened mind. Even in this, by far his most readable book, he often veers off into pages of opacity as he tries to explain the unexplainable. Osho by contrast is the clearest, most jargon free expositor of the spiritual life who has ever lived. He wrote very little and nearly all of his more than 200 books are transcriptions of spontaneous talks he gave-- with no notes or preparation. They are nonetheless unexcelled masterpieces of spiritual literature. His amazing àutobiography`(actually compiled after his death) has been published by St. Martins by the full version is available online at www.oshoworld.com and other places. Unfortunately, he has very little to say about the exact details of his spiritual progress.
Most of Osho's talks were videotaped and are available on tape and DVD. As Da lives most of the time in seclusion on an island in Fiji it is not easy to get to hear him but the Dawn Horse Press sells a few videotapes on their web page. Da is not a very engaging or facile speaker, unlike Osho who is by turns amusing, shattering and hypnotic. But, as both of them understand, it's what the master is and not he says that is important.
Both of them were utterly honest and uncompromising in their life and teachings and Da omits nothing of relevance, including his youthful adventures with sex and drugs as well as his exposure to LSD, psilocybin and mescaline as a volunteer in government experiments. However, as with many or perhaps all of those destined to become enlightened, he was different from birth and experienced the Shakti energy (which he calls the Bright) from childhood. And, when he entered college, he said his primary interest was to discover what living beings are and what is living consciousness. Clearly not your typical freshman.
A major problem in describing advanced spiritual states is that no criteria or language for them exists in common discourse so mystics have to try to bend language in mostly vain attempts to capture their experiences. It is far worse than trying to describe seeing to a congenitally blind person since they at least have the cognitive structures and experience of the world. But mystics are quite rare and most of them have left little or no description of their mental states.
Unlike Osho, who rejected miracles, paranormal phenomena and all the other nonsense that commonly accompanies religion, Da seems to lack any science background at all and embraces precognition(p120), reincarnation(p555),`meditating` other persons, living on air(p287) etc., and regards the phenomena that I would say are happening in his brain as being `out there`. From comments included in newer editions it is clear that many of his disciples believe he can perform miracles like stopping a raging forest fire at their California retreat. Nevertheless, most of the time he is amazingly levelheaded, going thru over a decade of stress and psychic terrors that would drive most from the spiritual path. Millions of years of evolution have solidified the ego and it does not leave peacefully.
Interwoven with the spellbinding account of his spiritual progress are the details of the minds interaction with the body described in the East in terms of various forms of Yoga(eg., p95-9, 214-21, 249,281-3, 439-40). These few pages are worth more than a whole shelf of yoga books if you want to get to the heart of the mind/body relation in spirituality.
Unlike most who have become enlightened, he had a thorough grounding in Christian practice and made a major effort to become a protestant and then Greek Orthodox minister. Even years later, after he was far along the path with Muktananda, he had an amazing and totally unexpected series of visitations from Mary and Jesus that went on for weeks(p 301-3 et seq.).
Regarding drugs, as is nearly universal among spiritual teachers, he notes that although they may remove certain barriers at times, they do not provide a shortcut to understanding. However, nearly everyone is now aware that they put many on the path to higher consciousness.
He describes in detail the many stages in his ego death or self realization(eg, p72-4, 198-200, 219,20, 238-9, 245, 249, 258-9, 281, 355-65, 368-72, 406). Along the way, he realized the ultimate disutility of all practices and all traditions(337-9) including yoga(281-3) which are all attached to seeking and goals, ultimately winding up in the present. He discovered, as have many others, that seeking and meditation became obstacles and gave them up for devotion to his guru Muktananda(p420-22). His detailed accounts of his interactions with the famous Swami Muktananda and his ultimate realization of his limitations are of rare insight and honesty.
He constantly encounters his attachment to his ego(Narcissus-- eg, p108-110) and asks himself--`Avoiding Relationship?` by which he seems to mean avoiding the divine or ego death with spiritual seeking.
After enlightenment he teaches the 'only by me revealed and given Way of the heart`, finding all other paths to be `remedial` and 'egoic' and merely pursuing God or reality(p359 +) but after a careful reading of this and several other books I never got any idea what that way consists in. Undoubtedly being in his presence helps alot but in other places he has complained about the fact that his disciples just won't let it happen and one wonders if even one has been able to follow him. Of course the same considerations apply to all traditions and teachers and though some of Osho's friends(he disavowed the master/disciple relationship) have claimed enlightenment, nobody of his status has emerged. It looks like you have to have the right genes and the right environment and a very advanced and preferably enlightened guru to stimulate you. The world desperately needs higher consciousness and I hope that someone comes up with an easier way very soon.
Eye-and-Heart Opening.......2005-02-10
Adi Da Samraj reveals his life and work in the pages of this autobiography, and as that revelation unfolds, a simple fact emerges: he has gone through an extraordinary ordeal to give us all a way to be happy, even right now. It is a fascinating and moving account of how that way came to be, full of both the ordinary trappings of human existence and incredible spiritual awakenings. This book opened my eyes and heart to a rare being. Definitely worth the read.
The most illuminating autobiography you will ever read!.......2005-01-18
This is the most illuminating autobiography you will ever read! It will change your whole idea of life. When I read Adi Da's words, I can feel amazing clarity and bliss pervading my mind and heart. Troubles, seeking, and problems seem to instantly disappear.
I have always loved the prologue to the Knee of Listening, which speaks about the real possibility of freedom from fear of death:
"Death is utterly acceptable to consciousness and life. There has been endless time of numberless deaths, but neither consciousness nor life has ceased to arise. The felt quality and cycle to death has not modified the fragility of flowers, even the flowers within the human body. Therefore, one's understanding of consciousness and life must be turned to That Utter, Inclusive Truth, That Clarity and Wisdom, That Power and Untouchable Gracefulness, That One and only Reality, this evidence suggests. One must cease to live in a superficial and divided way, seeking and demanding consciousness and life in the present apparent form, avoiding and resisting what appears to be the end of consciousness and life in death.
The Heart Is Real understanding. The Heart Is Real Consciousness and Real Life. The Heart Is What Merely and Only Is, but Which Is also Appearing In and Behind the conditions of mortal life and its death. Therefore, it is said of old, the One That Is Is neither born nor come to death, not Alive merely as the limitation of form (itself), not Itself (or Entirely) Rendered in what appears, and, yet, It Is the Living One, than Which there Is no lesser other (and no Great or Greater Other), Appearing As all of this Play of changes, but Eternally One, Unchanging, and Free.
There is Only the Constant Knowledge and Enjoyment of the Heart, moment to moment, through the instant of all conditions of appearance and disappearance. Of This I Am Perfectly Certain. I Am That."
Profound beyond Limit.......2004-07-31
I have just started reading this newly updated book, having read an older version several years ago, and I am even more speechless reading this book - with the profundity, the sacrifice, and the recognition of the One Who speaks through The Knee of Listening. This is spiritually historical, but also very human.
I am newly impressed on each page and each chapter, with the depth of Adi Da's Realization, and with the sacrifice Adi Da has made and continues to make for the sake of returning to the "Bright" not just himself, but as his gift for all humanity, for our liberation and Happiness. The relentless willingness he has to go beyond all limits blows me away! Also, the relationship he had to his teachers is very instructive, especially talking about Nityananda and Vivekenanda. I think this book is a must read for anyone interested in God, Truth, Religion, or anyone on their own spirutual path.
Customer Reviews:
A Nice Book.......2007-09-06
This is a quick read on a great subject. You can't help but see yourself in Dandelion at some point in the book, so in that way it's quite moving. It took me a while to buy/read it (and I'm a Mike Dooley fan), but I'm really glad I did.
DANDELION, THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF A MISFIT.......2007-08-06
This book, DANDELION, by Sheelagh Mawe is AMAZING! I ordered 5 copies -- and immediately gave them out as gifts (except for 1, which I kept!!!). We ALL
loved this book -- and -- I recommend it HIGHLY!!! It's a book that
can be read AND appreciated by people of ALL ages by how the KEY-TO-LIFE journey is revealed (WHAT WE THINK ABOUT -- WE BRING ABOUT!). It's a PERFECT
gift, too, for you Animal lovers!!! WF
What a Great Book.......2007-03-06
This book is great for all ages. Required reading for every single person. This book contains a very important message. Well written, a quick read, very powerful.
Excellent!!.......2006-08-16
The story is very touching yet offers a powerful meaning to life. It is a quick enjoyable read.
Fantastic story.......2005-09-16
This is a wonderful story, with so many life truths hidden in the story line. Its a short read, but one I will come back to numerous times.
Book Description
A memorable trip to Scotland leads psychotherapists Adele von Rust McCormick, Marlene Deborah McCormick, and Thomas McCormick — authors of Horse Sense and the Human Heart: What Horses Can Teach Us About Trust, Bonding, Creativity, and Spirituality and pioneers in the use of horses to treat mental illness — to the belief that Celtic mysticism holds important insights into equestrian-partnered spirituality. Through strange and serendipitous encounters, they learn that the Celtic people intentionally befriended horses to cultivate the human heart and soul, and that the horse accompanied the Celts as they spread their spiritual vision far and wide.
The McCormicks soon find themselves on a wisdom pilgrimage. From India to Mexico to southern Spain and Morocco, they follow the age-old relationship between horses and humans. As they become initiated into the hidden world of animal energy and instinct, the McCormicks learn to incorporate spirituality and religion with their psychological training. Horses and the Mystical Path is an inspiring exploration of their journey.
Customer Reviews:
Really Unreadable.......2007-08-01
The first book, Horse Sense and the human Heart I think set the tone for the whole work of horse therapy. This is just a bunch of hoo ha about being Irish and horses.
Buy the first one in vast quantities. It's the gold standard.
Horses and the Mystical Path .......2007-04-21
Intimate. This book paralleled my own journey with spirituality through horses. Stunning to read in deep and historic context. Important work; well worth the effort. Emotional: Many "AHA!" moments. This work brings together the spiritual, the historical, the philosophical and psychological here on earth.
Trading allure for accuracy.......2007-03-19
As the synopsis describes, this book is about a relationship with horses built around an inward and outward journey that the authors undertook and share with the readers. My knowledge of horses and equestrian issues is fairly small and for that reason I abstain from commenting on this book on those grounds. On the other hand, I do hold some solid notions on some of the cultural and geographical references the authors use (I'm Portuguese and living currently in Spain).
The recurring ignorance showed by some American citizens concerning non-American realities has become a sort of established joke outside the US borders. Unfortunately, the authors of this book live up to such jest. The description of the Iberian Peninsula portrayed in this book is, at times, so absurd, it gets hilarious. However, such absurdity seems to take itself quite seriously which impels me to warn off unwary readers, lest they might fall in love with the idea of visiting the place where its habitants, «The Iberians staunchly maintain that the horse is a gift from God, a gift to help humanity see the light and the truth» (p. 18). After all, it sounds quite tempting to meet the natives, if we take into account that «The Spanish people live close to this myth» - none other than the lost city of Atlantis (p. 19). Indeed, that's part and parcel of the whole country «culture's mythology» (Ibidem). Not surprisingly, then, it shaped the character of the «Iberian horse community» (p. 17), whatever that means.
No doubt that bringing up the topic of Atlantis with the indigenous man in the street might raise some interesting situations, if somewhat unexpected ones. Not to mention the outcome of a visit to Galicia, hoping to meet the natives wearing the kilt and speaking Gaelic (p.32). I feel obliged to warn such travellers that unless they are endowed with a strong sense of humour, they are in for a major disappointment.
Suffice to say that from the moment I read such proclamations, I couldn't take this book seriously, much as I wanted to. In fact, I couldn't finish it. Still, I choose to believe that the authors are well intended in everything they say and their attitude seems, overall, a good one.
The exercise of gathering and melting down cultural references and traditions, so abundantly used in this book, is in itself an ambitious endeavour, one that few people are capable of mastering with accuracy, seriousness and grace. In this day and age, the thirst for existential meaning has made this kind of venture very popular despite the fact that, most often than not, such attempts fall very short indeed. This work is such a case. The journey for spiritual disclosure, through our cultural mazes, is a most enticing quest, but it should not, under any circumstance, depend on the easy observing of appearances. On such journey there are no valid «short-cuts».
Yes, the eyes of God are looking back at us........2007-03-06
I read this all too brief book in a leisurely fashion over two months. Every time I entered its pages I soon had the feeling that I was talking with an ancient yet brand new spiritual friend. The mystical visitations by the Scottish shepherd, the Spanish waiter, the Mexican cathedral guide, and the sensitivity and sensible knowing of the authors' prized horses pierce the veil in the most profound mystic traditions, yet ground us with their practicality, their inevitability. Yes, great forces are available to us if we only open ourselves. Good will, the wish to benefit other beings, shines from every page of this book. The authors' refreshing passages about communion are inspiring.
The moment I reluctantly finished this book, I handed it to my fifteen year-old son, Eoghan, who was born in Ireland. An hour later he was hooked, too, or I should say befriended. I would like very much to meet these spiritualist authors. I don't know how I can afford it, but I would love to attend one of their equine retreats. Yes, that would be a valuable component to add to my own spiritual practice. For now, I thank them for their visitation, so like an answered prayer!
--Robert McDowell, author of the forthcoming Poetry in Your Spiritual Practice.
Drawing important connections between horse psyche and mystic elements........2006-11-05
On a trip to Scotland the family psychotherapist team of Adele, Deborah and Thomas McCormick investigated early Celtic mysticism and discovered elements of this mysticism that aided in their work using horses as therapeutic aids. Spirituality blends with practical applications in HORSES AND THE MYSTICAL PATH: THE CELTIC WAY OF EXPANDING THE HUMAN SOUL, drawing important connections between horse psyche and mystic elements.
Product Description
Adi Da Samraj's paramount "Source-Text", this great Divine testament is unparalleled in its magnitude and depth. It represents the fruit of Adi Da Samraj's immense work of teaching and revelation over more than three decades. An extraordinary Scripture, containing Adi Da's detailed revelation of every aspect of the process culminating in Divine Enlightenment.
This book is the ultimate and complete summary of Adi Das Divine revelation and offering to humankind.
Includes: * Adi Da Samraj's Divine confession
* The nature of his life and work
* His fundamental teaching-arguments
* The true nature of God
* The characteristic philosophical faults of East and West
* The three basic human personality types
* How sexuality relates to spiritual practice
* What actually happens in the process of death and reincarnation
* The nature of the ego and how it is utterly transcended
* Detailed descriptions of all the practices Adi Da Samraj gives to his devotees
* What Divine Enlightenment really is, and how it is realized
Customer Reviews:
Deep, but full of arrogance.......2007-03-09
Adi Da is definately a deep spiritual teacher. I love to learn from. This book has a lot of meaning of being, even just holding the book. Reading it is quite the opposite. The arrogance says a lot. When a teacher of this caliber makes it all about him with no humility, I pass.
I would suggest some of his DVD or The knee of listening instesd.
Overwhelming.......2005-12-28
Never have I found a book that speaks to my heart with such truth. This book is for a true spirtual seeker. One who truly knows what the spiritual search is about would realize that this mans actions are completely revelant with his teachings. And for that it takes a true holy understanding. If your looking for one of the most profound spiritual genius this world has ever had to offer, your search is over.
Book Description
This handy companion pocket guide has tips, diagrams, checklists and more. Carry it with you when you practice!
Book Description
This is the only book to describe the real person behind the natural horseman. Many people might only know the persona in front of the audience, but behind it all is a real man with a history that has never been told before. This book is the story of John Lyons.
Customer Reviews:
Very Interesting.......2004-01-29
I thought this book was interesting, just because it is the only book that is written about the man and not the horse training principles he usually writes about. Also, if you pay close attention to the last chapter you can find plenty of "behind the scenes" information if you read between the lines. He certainly has had a rough life and been through a lot more than I thought. And although I thought he had trained horses all his life, that wasn't the case. Definately worth reading and the pictures are gorgeous.
Master.......2003-12-24
I think this book was very insightful regarding a man famous for his work with horses. I sometimes got the feeling that the 'dirt' was being left out, but the book was entertaining and insightful nonetheless.
Spiritual journey?.......2003-12-01
Not a particularly skillful accounting of John's journey. Not particularly insightful, either. I found myself wondering about what was left out of the book. More behind the scenes information would have given us more with which to connect to John.
John Lyons is the Most Amazing Horseman in America.......2003-11-20
John Lyons is an incredible horseman. If you've been to his symposium or watched his tapes, you will buy this book to learn more about him. If you don't know him, don't start with this book, because you need to see the man himself in action, see how gently and respectfully he treats horses, how quickly and calmly they learn from him, to know why this book would be interesting. His voice and manner are so reassuring that when I go out, I leave his symposium tapes that I bought on his website on for my dog. I wish his story could have been written by a truly masterful writer and become a best-seller. This book gets the facts across but could have been deeper and more complex, like the man.
Book Description
A Formatio book. We all long to live life at its best--to fuse freedom and spontaneity with purpose and meaning. Why then do we often find our lives so humdrum, so unadventuresome, so routine? Or else so frantic, so full of activity, but still devoid of fulfillment? How do we learn to risk, to trust, to pursue wholeness and excellence--to run with the horses in the jungle of life?In a series of profound reflections on the life of Jeremiah the prophet, Eugene Peterson explores the heart of what it means to be fully and genuinely human. His writing is filled with humor and self-reflection, insight and wisdom, helping to set a course for others in the quest for life at its best.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome!.......2007-08-27
Love this book that I'm reading. I've never completed reading Jeremiah straight from the Bible cos I find it very heavy stuff. But after reading Run with The Horses, I'm beginning to appreciate this weeping prophet. I'm still mulling over those chapters that I've read and look forward to turning the pages still. Very sobering stuff in there for personal reflection. You can't ignore what you see/realise in yourself.
Outstanding Challenge to a Life of Excellence.......2007-06-05
What do you do when times get tough? When life gets gritty? When the pressures of life squeeze you pencil-thin? Do you give up, give in, and despair? Or do you rise above the difficulties and uncertainties with faith and confidence? In "Run With the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best," Eugene Peterson takes us through the life of the prohpet Jeremiah and shows us how we can live adventurously, courageously, and excellently despite the challenges we will inevitably face.
"Run With the Horses" is not so much a commentary on the book of Jeremiah as it is a meditation on the life of Jeremiah. Though Peterson does move us chronologically through Jeremiah's life, he chooses only certain "episodes" or "situations" to discuss. Peterson ties his meditations on the life of Jeremiah to our lives as Christians, covering such topics as:
* Our identities as human beings with a definitive purpose.
* How we can be misled through deceptive teachings and words.
* How our choices can twart God's purposes for us.
* The importance of being honest and vulnerable before God.
* The significance of persistence and perseverance when enduring life's challenges.
* How God's ways and purposes often seem to contradict what we see and know from the world.
In essence, "Run With the Horses" is a meditation on the anatomy of a life of faith--a risky endeavor that is not for the faint of heart. Personally, I was more challenged and encouraged by this book than any other book I have read in recent memory. Highly recommended.
For those with "A thirst for wholeness" .......2006-08-26
Ancient Jeremiah as personal trainer? He of the many trials and tantrums?
Revisited via Eugene Peterson's knowledge and sensibilities, the Old Testament prophet comes alive; he compels present-day readers to "run the race." Jeremiah's words and works crackle with passion: visible, audible, and absorbable. You want to be like him--but luckier.
As relevant today as when first published, Run With The Horses is a superb merger of scholarship, story, and style. Personal and eloquent, Peterson's observations and exhortations on postmodern culture mirror the ancient seer's: He challenges our assumptions, assuages our fears, and cheers our God-given aspirations.
Brief selections from a wide range of writers enhance each thought-provoking chapter, and extensive End Notes point the way to further reading. If in doubt about an older book still being relevant, note the subtitle: The Quest for Life at Its Best.
Never knew who Jeremiah really was.......2006-01-26
This book is a masterpiece. I have read the book of Jeremiah several times, but Peterson makes this prophet of old come alive. We end up feeling what Jeremiah felt; we see what he saw; we understand his fear. Peterson's intrepretation makes this Old Testament book apply personally to our lives whereas sometimes a person can read the Old Testament and have trouble seeing how it relates to modern day. God has surely blessed Peterson with gifts of writing, prophecy, interpretation and understand. Thank you Mr. Peterson for sharing your gifts with us all.
LIKE JEREMIAH, WE, TOO, CAN RUN WITH THE HORSES.......2005-09-17
God said to Jeremiah, "If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?" To put it in modern language, "If you can't pay your bills on time, how are you going to walk on water?" Okay, sort of modern. The point is, God wants us to walk on water, and we're still struggling to pay our bills on time. That was Jeremiah's problem, until he realized, "No, I won't be able to do that in my own strength; but I will in Yours." And that was when Jeremiah changed from being a spiritual workhorse to being a thoroughbred.
No one says it like Eugene Peterson. He's one of the most eloquent writers around, and what he says is loaded with meaning. In this case, no one says what's involved in the quest for life at it's best like he does. In chapter 8, "My Wound Incurable," in Run with the Horses, he describes a picture of prayer that looks very much like having dinner in a fine restaurant with the most important person in your life. It's private, intimate, conversational, meaningful, personal - in a word, special. Occasionally, the waiter shows up to take your order, bring your food or take the broccoli back because it was cold; but otherwise, it's just you and your special loved one.
Then he writes, "But there is a parody of prayer that we engage in all too often. The details are the same but with two differences: the person across the table is Self and the waiter is God. This waiter-God is essential but peripheral. You can't have the dinner without him, but he is not an intimate participant in it. He is someone to whom you give orders, make complaints, and maybe, at the end, give thanks. The person you are absorbed in is Self - your moods, your ideas, your interests, your satisfactions or lack of them. When you leave the restaurant you forget about the waiter until the next time. If it is a place to which you go regularly, you might even remember his name.
"The confessions of Jeremiah are no parody but the real thing - exclusive focus on God: intense, undivided preoccupation with God. This accounts for much that is powerful and attractive in Jeremiah. Here is the source of the personal intensity and incorruptible integrity that is so impressive in Jeremiah."
As Peterson unfolds the life of Jeremiah, you realize how distinguished it was for its lack of triviality, radical faith, unparalleled excellence, spiritual prowess, and risking of everything for God. But Jeremiah wasn't always like that. He had to start at square one like the rest of us. That is where he was when God asked, "What is it you really want, Jeremiah, do you want to shuffle along with the crowd, or run with the horses?" "The response when it came was not verbal, but biographical. His life became his answer, 'I'll run with the horses.'" So can we.
Waitsel Smith
Book Description
Trojan Horse in the City of God is a pull-no-punches analysis of the causes of the continuing Catholic chaos. In today's Catholic parishes, false ideas about God and His Church seem more common than statues and holy water. Confusion and disillusion are rampant, and no one seems to know how to reverse Catholicism's decline. Yet the path out of this crisis was mapped long ago. In these prophetic pages (first published in 1967), renowned Catholic philosopher Dietrich von Hildebrand exposes the poverty of the sad and confused ideas of all too many contemporary Christians, contrasting those errors with the majestic and unchanging truths of Divine Revelation. You'll find here an arsenal of defenses for the unchanging, eternal Faith. Von Hildebrand shows again and again that ideas that many modern Catholics take for granted are actually subtle but potent threats to the integrity of the Church. He exposes the secularization that threatens to rot away the Church's very sources of strength. And he demolishes a great deal of the woolly thinking that is found today even in the highest reaches of the Church. Von Hildebrand will bring you the comforting reassurance that the light of sound reasoning has not vanished from our world; nor has fidelity to Divine Revelation and to the the fountainhead and guardian of that Revelation, Christ's Catholic Church. This incisive and thought-provoking book will enlighten you about Vatican II: how its message has been distorted and twisted within the Church. You'll find out why the terms progressive and conservative are inadequate for the realities of the Church, and why the Church is essentially unchanged throughout the ages, before and after Vatican II. You'll learn why true reform in the Church can never change the Church's fundamental nature, and why there must always be struggle (not just dialogue!) between the Church and the world. Above all, von Hildebrand explains why secularization, if unchecked in the Church, will destroy the true Faith. And you'll discover much more that will help you combat, more effectively than ever, the errors that sap the Church's strength today!
Customer Reviews:
My favorite book on anything, ever.......2005-12-11
Yes, this is, by far, my favorite book I've ever read - period, and I read a LOT.
I know, you're saying "Get a life," but I'm not the only one that has gotten so much out of this book. Many Vatican officials have HIGHLY recommended this book to explain the crisis of the Church after the Council (Vat II). von Hildebrand is pro-Vatican II, but anti "Spirit of Vatican II." He talks a lot about how our current problems are the result of over-reactions to past abuses in the Church - and what prinicples need to guide us in finding the truth beyond mere action-reaction hypotheses.
It is a breath of fresh air that arms you with very, very powerful information on the bad theology out there - and how to combat it with truth.
The Fallacies of Progressive Catholicism.......2002-08-11
Written in 1970, and revised in 1993, TROJAN HORSE IN THE CITY OF GOD offers a prescient analysis of the crisis in the Catholic Church. Dietrich von Hildebrand was a convert to Catholicism who resisted the rise of Nazism. He foresaw the horrors to come as Nazism first emerged in Germany; and in this book he demonstrates the same ability to read the signs of the times.
Unlike many books written by traditional Catholics, von Hildebrand begins by conceding that prior to Vatican II, the Church was in need of reform. He points to the excessive legalism that threatened to squelch the spirit - especially as expressed in religious life. His great insight here, though, is that the antidote to the problem is not excessive liberalism, but rather the need to refocus on our primary task as Catholics, which is to seek transformation in Christ.
TROJAN HORSE catalogues the tendencies in progressive Catholicism that led us away from genuine spiritual renewal. Many of the errors von Hildebrand identified in 1970 have taken firmer hold today: disregard of tradition; secularism; an overemphasis on the immanence of God at the expense of His transcendence; scientism; and others. The book is very readable and moves briskly from topic to topic. Many penetrating insights are to be found along the way.
There are a few minor weaknesses in the book, however. Von Hildebrand critiques the errors of progressive Catholicism without always identifying exactly who has espoused the error. In the few cases when the errors that he discusses seem, in fact, to have ebbed away this can be a bit confusing. There are sections of the book which do seem dated. Still, this is an excellent analysis of the problems that confront the Church today - and it reminds us of what should really matter to us as Catholics.
An insightful read from a great theologian.......2001-11-16
Before reading this, I was already leaning towards a more traditional view of my Catholic faith. This superb book shoved me right over the edge. It describes, in vivid detail, how the forces of 'change' and 'modernity' within the Church are in many cases just disguises for secularism and atheism. Von Hildebrand pulls no punches and his erudite writing, though difficult in spots, is truly inspirational. But then again, what would we expect from a man who counted among his many accomplishments arousing the ire of the Nazi party in Germany prior to World War II?
Balanced, Intelligent, and Readable.......2001-03-23
Recently, I have been reading quite a few of Alan Watts books in an attempt to understand the worldview he, and others like him, represents. This has, in turn, led me into Vedanta-ism, New Age-ism, modernism, secularism, moral relativism, existentialism, nihilism, determinism, behavioralism, humanism, and probably a few more -isms that I have lost track of and haven't seen since college anyway. What began as an intellectual adventure turned into a descent into hell. How do people live with this stuff? Personally, I prefer the Light of Christ, but it seems so hard to come by these days.
Luckily for me, and Amazon.com's seemingly endless link system, I came across several wonderful books which served as a rope to haul my head out of that pit. One of those books is Von Hildebrand's book, "Trojan Horse in the City of God." He is observant and he writes it as he sees it. The Second Vatican Council has been much abused, both by Progressives who have twisted its message almost beyond recognition, and by Traditionalists, who mostly spit when the subject of the Council comes up. I appreciate Von Hildebrand's recourse to calm reason and well-derived philosophical argument.
The book is easy enough to read, given the complexity of the subject matter. The chapters are short, and are divided into even shorter sections. Easy to pick up and put down and return to later.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to figure out what it means to be a Catholic Christian in the present age, and who wants to be able to counter some of the nonsense that so often passes for Catholic teachings these days.
Pruning the orchard without intransigence!.......2001-02-19
I would describe Dietrich von Hildebrand's books as pruning the orchard without intransigence. No integrist, von Hildebrand states the case for his considerable position with a confident intelligence and virtually no mud-slinging; in the intra-Catholic battles that rampage the landscape these days, that's no small feat! Von Hildebrand is first a philosopher, but he acquits himself as a theologian no less assuredly. His diagnoses of the ills that afflict the Roman Church in the modern age, with the possible exception of Michael Davies, are without peer, and are certainly born of profound scholarship. His language is firm and clear, and without conceit. 'Trojan Horse in the City of God' is his most consistently engaging work, especially in terms of identifying the nature and cause of the Church's affliction; when it comes to answers, von Hildebrand's choices may please or displease, but his argument is noble and more than reverent- it incorporates the most elemental aspects of human common sense, making it stronger than the sum of its parts. The mystery of the Church is more than a quagmire of infractions, a recompense of abject violations; the Aristotelian in von Hildebrand tends to spin from the center down, not out. The Thomism never runs dry. That, perhaps more than the argument itself, keeps his voice from resounding more than it does throughout this admirable book. Nevertheless an important read for anyone interested in the scholarship of the Counter-Reformation in the XXth century.
Customer Reviews:
Extraordinary Wisdom, a True Gift of Grace.......2001-12-21
There are many gurus, saints and mystics who have been realized to one degree or another, but the depth of wisdom and realization that shines through this book surpasses anything that I have ever read or seen in my extensive search for spiritual wisdom. This book has vastly clarified my understanding of what it means to transcend the ego and to realize the Source or Truth of existence. I feel that Avatar Adi Da Samraj is a true Heart-Master who has given the world the transcendental help that we have all been praying for. I am forever grateful for his words, which have shown my heart a freedom and understanding that I have always known on some level.
Ultimate Divine Spiritual Wisdom - INCREDIBLE!.......2001-02-04
What an astounding book! The Happiness and Radiance flowing from these pages is mind-stopping. Truly, I recommend anyone to read this book and be challenged and sublimed by the Realization of the author Avatar Adi Da - this is no ordinary book, and yet it can be read by anyone who is interested in the truth, the spiritual history of this world and what it really is to be Enlightened or genuinely "on the path".
"The Seven Stages of Life" is a book that no-one could ever forget, having read it. It is a book that one must own and refer to forever, for it speaks directly to the heart, and the heart of our human situation here, alltogether.
The spiritual path herein described through the seven possible stages of progress and development has never been do fully and clearly and unambiguously stated. I am very grateful to own this book and know it will serve as a wondrous guide to my heart forever.
Average customer rating:
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- In The Spiritual Life of Horses
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The Spiritual Life of Horses
Lynette Marie Desmarais
Manufacturer: Barah Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Horses
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0970044607 |
Book Description
In this book, The Spiritual Life of Horses, the horses whisper back to their human companions sharing their ancient knowledge for you to gain a greater understanding of yourself, create a deeper communication and a much stronger bond between you and your incredible four-legged friend. A must read for all horse lovers!
Customer Reviews:
Thank You.......2002-10-16
Lynette Marie DesMarais has produced a very special and unique book which will appeal not only to horse lovers but to any sensitive readers with an affinity for animals.
Her book was especially significant to me because I'm a horse lover and spiritualist. I have no doubt that the so-called "dumb" animals are far more articulate than common belief would hold. There is increasing evidence from many sources, scientific and popular, that animals communicate in subtle ways that we are only beginning to appreciate, let alone understand.
Lynette is a gifted scribe for the subtle spiritual messages she has received from her beloved Andalusian horses. Each chapter in this book is devoted to a different horse in her stable and the words come straight from the "horse's mouth" -- so to speak.
They include words of gentle wisdom from Regala, a matriarch mare, elucidating the story of the seven dwarfs and also from a colt called Avatario whose teachings about the spiritual dimension of life on earth is as astute as that of any human Eastern guru.
Lynette's several horses each "speak" with her in their own "tone of voice" about things that concern them individually. But all have wisdom to teach us. I get the feeling that they (horses), not us, are the superior beings in the horse/human relationship.
I'm looking forward to this writer's future books in this same vein, it's a vein of gold, thank you, Lynette!
Dr. Patti Barton, B.A.Ph.D.
Australia
A Rarity.......2002-10-16
As a medical educator I have admired the rare physician who is so connected with his patients that he seems to hear the whisperings of their spirits. Lynette DesMarais has developed such a relationship with her horses and she describes it beautifully in The Spirituality of Horses.
Clyde B. Jensen, Ph.D.
Former president of conventional and complementary medical schools.
Love.......2002-05-04
Love...Is The Spirit of the Horse!!! Lynette DesMarais's book, "The Spiritual Life of Horses" projects thihs love in Total Truth."
Sherie Leveen Clemons,President, New Beginning Equine Shelter, Inc.
Thank You.......2002-05-04
"I enjoyed reading The Spiritual Life of Horses anad have heard similar ideas before, though not with quite such an equine perspective! May your horses continue to bring you joy, learning and their perspective on life!
In The Spiritual Life of Horses.......2002-05-04
In The Spiritual Life of Horses, the author takes us further into the true self than any one has ever attempted to do. She harness's the purity of the spirit of the horse to connect us to what we already know. The horse introduces us to the natural wisdom of the world. Now I have read the book and I am ready to go on the journey
Books:
- The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners
- The Rat Nervous System, Third Edition
- The Reef Aquarium: A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates (Volume 1)
- The Shih Tzu Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
- The Tale of Pale Male: A True Story
- The Taste of Innocence: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels)
- The Versatile Border Collie
- The Working American Bulldog
- There Are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves
- Tom Kundig: Houses
Books Index
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