Average customer rating:
- Fascinating book
- Maya Cosmogenesis 2012
- 2012 Research starts here
- The real End Times on 2012
- Fascinating
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Maya Cosmogenesis 2012: The True Meaning of the Maya Calendar End-Date
John Major Jenkins , and
Terence McKenna
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ASIN: 1879181487
Release Date: 1998-08-01 |
Book Description
While researching the 2012 end-date of the Maya Calendar, John Major Jenkins decoded the Maya's galactic cosmology. The Maya discovered that the periodic alignment of the Sun with the center of the Milky Way galaxy is the formative influence on human evolution. These alignments also define a series of World Ages. The fourth age ends on December 21, 2012, when an epoch chapter in human history will come to an end.
Maya Cosmogenisis 2012 reveals the Maya's insight into the cyclic nature of time, and prepares us for oue own cosmogenesis--the birth of a new world.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating book.......2007-09-27
Cosmogenesis 2012 is a compelling book about the meaning of the Mayan and Mesoamerican calendric images. It reveals evidence as to why the Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012 along with explanations as to what this could entail for humanity. I recommend it for anyone interested in the end date of 2012.
Maya Cosmogenesis 2012.......2007-03-09
This work of Jenkins was all and more than I thought it would be. I share his path to where we are going in 2012. I would purchase any work of Jenkins as I know I would not be disappointed.
2012 Research starts here.......2007-02-18
John Major Jenkins has looked into the question of why the Maya ended their 13-baktun cycle in the Gregorian year 2012, and has researched the matter in incredible detail, and comes to conclusions that result from detailed study of many archaeological and specialist works. His study shows that the Maya deliberately targetted this point in time as the end of the cycle, and the evidence is found in king-accession rites, mythology, architecture, and the ball-game.
As you will know if you've read other reviews, the reason is the alignment of the winter solstice sun with the galactic equator - an event that happens only once in a cycle of precession - around 26,000 years. This IS NOT the "alignment of the solar system with galactic centre" or any of the other misrepresentatations of his work that have appeared.
This work stands whether or not anything noticeable happens in the years around 2012 - the fact is, that the Maya predicted that something would happen around 2012. This has become evident since the publication of this book, since the Tortuguero prophecy entered the public domain. In April 2005, the existence of Tortuguro monument 6 was revealed, (though known to a few specialists before that). The stela gives the end-date 4 Ahau, 3 Kankin, 13 Baktun (a combination of 3 calendars that gives the 21 December 2012 date) and gives an accompanying prophecy of the return of the Nine Gods.
The real End Times on 2012.......2007-01-23
I will make the boldest prediction of all... and when the time comes, you will remember this. Great spirits have come to me... great spirits... They have revealed their predictions and they have revealed their secret names to me. Remember this well on 2102. The named spirits were Jackson Danniels, James Beehm, Jonathon Wocker, and the ancient Russian sage, Stolly Chanaya... And here is what they said - in telepathic visions to me: On January 1, 2012, this is what will happen:
"The year 2011 will now be 2012." And later that year, many peoples will predict the end times will again visit in 2039 and that they never really meant 2012... it was a telekinetic typo....
Fascinating.......2006-11-30
Full of interesting facts about the Mayan civilization, how they saw the earth and their brilliant understanding of the Universe. I now understand how the complex calendar works. As to the prophecy, yet again, we can only wait and see!
Customer Reviews:
GOOD BUT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER.......2006-02-09
THIS BOOK IS FASCINATING, HOWEVER IF YOU DON'T LIKE SCIENTIFIC READING IT MAY BE HARD TO FOLLOW. OTHERWISE ITS A GREAT READ IF ARE INTERESTED IN ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AND EARTH'S MYSTERIES.
Dissapointed with ending.......2005-11-02
I found the conclusion of the book to be inconclusive and feel that it is not based on any hard science; its the author's opinion supported by sketchy facts, figures and theories from other sources. It's artful and entertaining, but it's not like its going to leave you with the truth of 2012 being the end of the world.
I don't regret reading it, however, and would recommend it to someone who is interested in learning about the subject. It just gives you one more opinion to chew on and ponder. And, I like pondering things.
Futhermore, there is some historical information on the Central American Civilizations of the past, the Mayan calendars, as well as some interesting theories on Sunspot's.
Dodgy..........2005-06-21
The blurb on the back reads "The present world will end on 22 December 2012. So prophesied the Maya 5,000 years ago..." - yet on page 4 the authors indicate that the Maya appeared around 500AD, which by my reckoning is only 1,500 years ago.
Such internal inconsistencies riddle this book, and make it unreliable. On the face of it - and ignoring the 2012 prophecy, which uses some pretty tortuous mathematical manipulations - there is a lot of interesting information here about the Maya, but I'm afraid I just don't know how much I can believe or trust.
I'm sure many people will lap up this book, and simply assume that the "facts" on the Maya must be true because they are written in an authoritative manner, but please keep an open mind - which includes remembering that the authors may be wrong.
Very dissappointing.......2004-09-09
It was implied that the earth's magnetic field reversed 3K years BC. This caused Atlantis to sink and new lands to appear. This scenario would make sense. What doesnt make sense is that according to a geographic magazine (scientific fact), the last time the earth's magnetic field reversed was 780,000 years ago. Moreover, its occurrence is random and not in some sequence deciphered by the Mayan calendar. Assuming the Mayan calendar was true, then what would happen in 2012? The facts are that the sunspots activity align with the Mayan calculations. In a period of years before and after 2012, there will be instances of very few or no sunspots occuring. This will effect fertility and weather patterns but mostly in the equator area. Hence, Mexico, India, Southeast Asia, Africa will be affected. The only reason the rest of the world will be affected is due to the side effect of us polluting the world with CO2 from too much cars and waste dumping, thereby melting the polar ice caps. The sunspot event before and after 2012 will just make things worse. So the doomsayers would come out and point to the Mayan prophecy as applicable to the whole world. As you can see if we did not pollute, North America would not be affected.
I give this book 1-star for the first chapter and explanation of the Mayan number system. I dont agree with the chapter about how images came up when Pacal's tomb cover were superimposed. The fact is that one can superimpose any drawing or try even Michaelangelo's fresco's. By careful delineation, one would come up with weird forms as what the author found in Pacal's about a jaguar? a bat?
Nonsense.......2003-07-09
This book is about coincidences. The authors notice a similarity between certain large numbers in the Maya calendar cycle and their own astrological theories about sunspot cycles. The numbers don't match, but from this "coincidence" the authors conclude that the Maya warned of a cosmic disaster for the year 2012.
The book could have stopped there, but instead it digresses into a sort of personal log of the authors' visits to Mexico, then revisits old material on transatlantic contact, Atlantis mythology, Edgar Cayce, Velikovsky, and other nonsense. Some of the historical material about Mexico is interesting and well written, but is clearly taken from other sources.
Some of the claims are bizarre, such as that the crystal "skull of doom" was used as a magnifying glass in a fire ceremony. Or that the "loops" on the Palenque sarcophagus represent magnetic field lines on the sun, something the Maya couldn't possibly have known about.
The authors' contempt for those with other points of view is annoying. The book that derides Von Daniken, astrologists, and professional archaeologists all at the same time.
The sloppiness about numbers is also annoying, especially since their entire case rests on numbers. The authors cite a "remarkable correlation" between the dates given for the great flood by Plato (9500 B.C), Cayce (10,500 B.C.), and the Maya (11,205 B.C.) These dates differ by over 1700 years, a variation of 15% relative to the present day. Considering that one of the authors claims to be an engineer and a scientist, this is inexcusable.
The Maya civilization is a fascinating and impressive one, and no doubt there is much wisdom we have yet to learn from them. You won't find it in this book.
Book Description
A personal exploration of the conjunction between ancient Mesoamerican prophesy and New Age higher consciousness.
• Selected by the Independent Publisher's Book Awards as one of the top two New Age books of the year.
• Explores ancient prophesies and their relevance in the contemporary world.
The Incan and Mayan cultures saw themselves as "children of light"--descended from celestial realms--and their prophecies foretell a time of great spiritual awakening. They prophesied a time when the gateways to higher consciousness would open once again. That time is now.
Award-winning author Judith Bluestone Polich draws on her extensive research in quantum physics, archeoastronomy, holography, cosmology, and pioneering studies of human consciousness to show how science and contemporary thought are consistent with this ancient knowledge. As the ancients predicted, the human god-seed is beginning to awaken, and modern civilization is finally beginning to perceive human potential in ways that the ancient cultures accepted as truth. Polich introduces techniques for awakening our own human potential through dreaming, meditations, and the power of sacred sites.Â
Customer Reviews:
of moderate interest.......2007-06-02
I WANTED TO LIKE THIS BOOK...but it was rambling and very poorly edited. The people who want to convince others that these concepts are true are going to have to do better! Moments of interest... but,overall, disappointing.
Return of the Children of Light.......2007-05-19
I am still reading this book but it is well written. I just loved it and found myself taking notes as I read it which is something I never do. Well worth buying and reading.
The best overview to Andean Mysticism.......2005-01-25
This is a great overview to Andean Mysticism. It covers a wide variety of sources into one well done collection. The author has done her homework and it shows. This books gives you a very strong impression of Incan and Mayan thought. Very well done.
For more advanced studies you can look into Shaman, Healer, Sage by Villoldo and Masters Of The Living Energy by Joan Parisi Wilcox.
Just a little to new agey for my taste.......2002-01-24
The author believes that we are of a higher consciousness and order, she also believes that matter is light frozen in form.The author links the Biblical Elohim with ancient gods that are dedicated to help humanity evolve. ''Possible''. This is a short but interesting book on ancient knowledge. Worth a look at.
Fabulous book!.......2001-11-07
Hi. This book is required reading if you're considering a trip to Peru, Mexico, or are currently on your own mystical cosmic voyage. There are so many wonderful bits of information and it really helped me understand a lot about things that had happened in my life during and after trips to Peru, Greece, Mexico, and other power spots. If you're inquisitive and steadfastly "on the Path", then this should be in your hands. Five stars. To the author: Please write more books, Judith! Thank you for bringing forth this incredible book.
Average customer rating:
- Role Model for women
- Wisdom, Inspiration, & Reflection
- Dead End
- Question about Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now
- A must-own book
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Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now
Maya Angelou
Manufacturer: Bantam
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ASIN: 0553569074
Release Date: 1994-10-01 |
Book Description
Maya Angelou, one of the best-loved authors of our time, shares the wisdom of a remarkable life in this best-selling spiritual classic. This is Maya Angelou talking from the heart, down to earth and real, but also inspiring. This is a book to treasured, a book about being in all ways a woman, about living well, about the power of the word, and about the power do spirituality to move and shape your life. Passionate, lively, and lyrical, Maya Angelou's latest unforgettable work offers a gem of truth on every page.
Customer Reviews:
Role Model for women.......2007-05-19
Maya Angelou is such an insightful writer. She has a very colorful background that explains why she is so well liked. She certainly knows about many, many aspects of life and has come a long way in her life. She is a true role model in the world. Not just for black women but for all women.
Wisdom, Inspiration, & Reflection.......2006-09-14
Maya Angelou is a prolific writer, and this book is more proof of that. This book was given to me by Maureen A. Fay, during her final year as President of the University of Detroit Mercy, my alma mater.
Each short chapter offers words of wisdom, inspiration, and reflection. One deals with the difficulty of death. Another on how to take a 24 hour vacation (buy the book for this, if nothing else!). One deals with struggling with faith. I read the book in one setting, but have gone over it again and again.
I am forever grateful to Sister Fay for giving me this book. Why not make it a gift for yourself & a friend. Of course, 5/5 stars!
Dead End.......2006-08-31
Every once in a while I like to pick up a book that is outside the realm of usual reading, and look for a surprise, or spark to keep the fires of imagination from dying out - it is with this mindset I picked up "Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now." And what did I find as a result of my maverick literary exploration? Ehh...
Ms. Angelou may not take anything for her journey, but based on the cover price she will take $17.00 to tell you a bit about it, and even this may not even seem like that bad a deal were it not for the fact that either her journey was bland, her insights wanting or her conclusions misguided - whatever the cause, this book is dreadful. If you are looking for the usual meaningless new age spiritual gobble-gook; i.e., about boundaries, respect, finding ones direction, learning what it means to be a women, etc. then this journey is for you - but if you see this nonsense as the nonsense it is, you will be best served my buckling up your shoes and journeying elsewhere.
Question about Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now.......2006-04-20
I have a 12 year old that I'm introducing to Maya Angelou. Any thoughts on whether this would be age appropriate? Thanks. Sorry I put 3 stars when I am not familiar with the material. It wouldn't let me exit without entering something.
A must-own book.......2006-03-11
I tend to borrow books from the library and use my limited funds to purchase only those that truly help me grown in some way. This book is one of those. I bought it before I had to return the library's copy. It is a small, easy-to-read book whose simplicity belies its wisdom and power. I have harvested some of that wisdom to assist me in conveying lessons and messages to others. Most recently, I used the essay "Death and the Legacy" as a reading for meditation at my grandma's memorial last month. My reading of that powerful piece inspired my cousin to read this anthology and to ask me for more Angelou recommendations. The essay that speaks most to me, however, is "New Directions," which I use to teach a seminar to people living with HIV. It is an inspiring essay which points out that we have "the right and the responsibility" to step off paths which are not working for us. What a great message of personal accountability! This is truly a wonderful book--my favorite among many Angelou books that I love.
Book Description
The myths and beliefs of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica have baffled and fascinated outsiders ever since the Spanish Conquest. Yet, until now, no single-volume introduction has existed to act as a guide to this labyrinthine symbolic world. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya is the first-ever English-language dictionary of Mesoamerican mythology and religion. Nearly 300 entries, from accession to yoke, describe the main gods and symbols of the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya, Teotihuacanos, Mixtecs, Toltecs, and Aztecs. Topics range from jaguar and jester gods to reptile eye and rubber, from creation accounts and sacred places to ritual practices such as bloodletting, confession, dance, and pilgrimage. In addition, two introductory essays provide succinct accounts of Mesoamerican history and religion, while a substantial bibliographical survey directs the reader to original sources and recent discussions. Dictionary entries are illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned line drawings. Mary Miller and Karl Taube draw on their research in the fast-changing field of Maya studies, and on the latest Mexican discoveries, to produce an authoritative work that will serve as a standard reference for students, scholars, and travelers.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent book: A "MUST BUY".......2006-05-14
-- *VERY* COMPREHENSIVE; an excellent book: A "MUST BUY"
Anyone serious about understanding the Aztec mind and social order should read both "Time and Sacrifice in the Aztec Cosmos" (K. A. Read) and also, "THE JADE STEPS" by Burr Cartwright Brundage (University of Utah Press; (c)1985; ISBN# 0-87480-247-4). FYI, Dr. Brundage has authored nearly a dozen extraordinarily well written and researched books on Aztec civilization; most are (sadly) tough to find.
Great book for the amature Mayanist!.......2003-03-21
This is a great refereance book for the amature Mayanist. "Gods and Symbols" is filled with specialized facts, covering subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in good detail. It is readable for both beginners and experts. The amount of information can be overwhelming at times; it therefore is useful to have some background knowledge beforehand to be able to place facts in a larger contextual framework. However, the book's intent is to be a refereance work so this should be expected.
Already a classic.......2001-03-05
One of THE definitive reference works for everyone even remotely interested in the cultures of ancient Mesoamerica, "Gods and Symbols" well comprises the most important as well as more specialized facts, covering all its subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in the same amount of detail. It's written to be accessible to both beginners and people more firm with the subjects, and certainly offers more than enough for both groups. However, although the cross-references are fine, the encyclopaedic, culture-jumping approach makes for a somewhat fractured read, and the sheer amount of information can prove overwhelming at times; it therefore could be useful to have some background knowledge beforehand that can help you place facts in a larger contextual framework when you need to. However, this hardly is a reason for criticism given the book's intent, and it doesn't stop it from being a highly readable standard work I can unhesitatingly recommend to just about anyone.
Gift from the Gods.......2000-11-22
I am not a seven year grad student of the authors but a curious amateur anthropologist, former history teacher who loves art. That said this is the perfect book for the average layman, not too technical or with an overabundance of esoteric jargon. ... This book is filled with just about everything you need to know about the fabulous cultures that existed in Meso-America. All the famous cultures are covered including the Toltecs, Olmecs, Zapotecs and every other "tec" or "mec" you could imagine. Although the focus is the Gods, it is nearly impossible to cover the Gods without adressing the issue of culture. Some very fascinating information that even the most knowledgeable of readers will find captivating. Upon first getting the book I went through half the book in one sitting!! No matter your base of understanding there is something to learn here. A reference book but yet very readable as it is well written and full of great illustrations and photgraphs. The good thing is that if you don't feel like reading page after page, some drawing will catch your fancy and the next thing you know you are reading about it. So whatever the mood there is something here for the reader at all times. The paper is of thick stock and the size is handy enough to put in your backpack to take anywhere. Since I am not a scholar and have a limited understanding of the subjects, much clarification was given to issues I knew about but didn't fully understand. ... So the book is full of information that clarifies and breaks down all aspects of ancient Mexico, even those that have somehow been lost in the shuffle of modern times. Arranged as any dictionary alphabetically, it is a valuable source of information for all interested in Meso-American Gods and symbols and their meanings. There is a brief introduction that gives an overview of the time periods covered and the cultures that is very concise and informative. This is followed by an index that has the subjects covered in an easy to find format if you are looking for a particular subject. The end includes a guide to sources and a bibliography for furhter study. Especially recommended for students, artists or history buffs this is a book that compliments any library that features books about Mexico prior to the conquest. Truly a gift of the Gods, the ancient symbols are preserved and explained here in this compendium by way of the east coast to the Pacific rim. I'll learn much from this book for years to come.
The Quintessential Guide to the Gods of Ancient Mesoamerica!.......1999-04-07
I am a seven-year graduate student of Dr. Karl Taube, at the University of California, Riverside. I highly recommend this text to anyone interested in the gods, religion, or iconography of ancient Mesoamerica. There exists no book in English comparable to this one. This book is concise, yet packed with a plethora of hand-drawn illustrations by the authors and laden with inumerable useful tidbits of interest to scholars, lay-men, art historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians. Quite honestly, this book is perfect for anyone needing a quick but poignant and on-the-mark "dictionary" type reference from two of the best cutting-edge scholars in ancient Mesoamerican studies today. You will definately get your money's worth with this choice - buy it today! By-the-way, this is an unpaid advertisement; strictly a humble review by a graduate student who worships the ground Drs. Taube and Miller walk on - tanslated, not biased in the least.
Book Description
The central goal of this book is to contribute to the timely discussion and understanding of Maya sacrifice and related posthumous body manipulation. Most school children in the US learn about the Maya and their practices based on their cultural and religious beliefs in their Social Studies classes. But a number of new sites have been discovered, giving an interdisciplinary group of researchers a channel to discuss these acts and their meaning.
The editors bring together not only archaeologists but anthropologists, forensic anthropologists, art historians and bioarchaeologists, giving the volume a more complete perspective on these sites and the material culture and biological evidence found there. The field of archaeology is growing to include the physical remains of ritual practice along with the material remains and this book can be seen as an example of who the study of ancient civilizations can be more comprehensive. Additionally, this is an international volume with scholars from the area studied which is becoming more and more important in archaeological research.
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
Where did we humans really come from? Did our ancestors voyage here from a far-off galaxy? Could all records of that ancient pilgrimage be lost? Are we unintentionally attempting to return to our spawning grounds with our space programs as the first step? The human being is an arrogant species that must have the answer to all questions, and if we do not have them we invent them. From man's earliest days he invented numerous gods to satisfy his curiosity, gods to grant his wishes and gods to protect him from nature's fury. But what is about to be put upon us may be so powerful that no amount of gods will be able to stop it. The date is underlined; the clock is ticking - set for 12/21/2012.
Customer Reviews:
A DiaGnosis2012 review.......2007-02-18
Edward Arnold's book, 2012 - Year of the Apocalypse - The Destruction and resurrection of Earth, by Edward Arnold, seemed like it might be interesting. It is 124 pages long, with no pictures. It gives a brief history of UFOs, alien abduction, the Chinese Dropa stones, crop circles, the Greys and Nordics, Gods, Jesus, Tammuz, and it eventually gets around to mentioning 2012 on page 99. As soon as the Maya are mentioned the errors start. The start-date is given as "August 31, 3114 BC" instead of August 13th, which would still be incorrect, as the end-date of 21st December 2012 is given, which applies to the other start-date of 11th August 3114 BC. Arnold also confuses the Calendar Round and the Long Count (P.98-99) and says "This calendar is not like the one we know today, but we did acquire ours from them".
No, Mr.Arnold, we didn't get our calendar from the Maya! This mistake is inexcusable. Arnold goes on to totally misunderstand Galactic Alignment, saying that "During our 250 million year journey around the Galactic Center, our solar system finds its way into the center of the Milky way every 26,000 years, then shortly moves back out." (p.102). Arnold goes on to describe the solar system entering the Dark Rift! (and repeats it on p. 109).I am so gobsmacked at this display of ignorance that I'm beginning to think these books (see item 209 above) are part of a disinformation campaign to pour ridicule on this subject. Arnold goes on to bring in Arguelles' "galactic synchronisation", "which is a solar event. That is why the Maya talk about the coming Solar Age". He also says the sun will go super-nova in 2.5 million years, rather than 4.5 billion, that there were mammoths in Antarctica, and starts talking about Sodom and Gomarrah and "evildoers" being cleansed from the Earth. He says we "can find all we need without lowering ourselves to the ways of heathens and pagans by praying and making ourselves subservient to gods." (p.120). He praises his training in the Marines, which encouraged recruits to leave behind any thoughts of God, and then starts quoting from "the scriptures".(p.120-121).
In some ways, this book is even more nauseating than the Ark of Millions of Years Vol.2.
Not worth your time..........2006-11-29
This book should not be considered non-fiction. My goodness, it is so much about Mr. Arnold's beliefs and not about facts that one wonders, why did I just pay $13 to hear this guy's warped opinion? It is written from an atheistic point of view which demonizes faith as close-minded thinking incapable of dissecting any truths. It's insulting to anyone of faith. Here is an example: "To be called either an atheist or agnostic means nothing, they are just words uttered by people who don't understand that there are those in the world who have never fallen under the spell of religion and are free to express their views." This implies that the rest of us who believe in God are under a spell and are not free thinkers.
It's not a surprise to me that Mr. Arnold is an atheist because he uses Scripture and organized religion interchangeably. Organized religion has clouded the views of Scripture and keeps many in the dark but that doesn't mean Scripture is flawed. It is not the Word that is false; it is the interpretations of it and the misuse of it that creates confusion. He mentioned the Rapture theory and that born-again Christian all believe they will magically fly out of here when tribulations come. Mr. Arnold has no trouble generalizing Christians into these categories of believers of wacky fables. While the rapture is not biblical, again, a misinterpretation of Scripture that doesn't mean the Word is flawed.
Further, some of the alien discussions are down-right laughable. Here an example: "The Nordic are a race that "some individuals have suggested" that because of their similar physical appearance to humans, they could possibly be our long, lost relatives who have since moved on to other planets." Say what? Now this sounds real factual doesn't it? He goes on to describe them and states: "although they are humanoid and externally almost identical to humans, there are subtle differences in the Nordic alien physiology,...they have a larger lung capacity and have copper-based blood...some believe the Nordics are here to somehow watch over and help guide us into a new plane of existence..." Yikes, I've got to stop reading before I break a gut. Bahwahhhhaaa
This book is going in the trash...
2012 Year of the Apocalypse.......2006-06-11
What an interesting and informative book. Each chapter pulled me along into the next one, with two great final chapters. However at times I wondered why the author was writing about certain details that at the time didn't seem to fit the story line, but it all became clear after finishing the book. It was like, "Yeah, I see, it all comes together".
Edward Arnold has a compelling, descriptive, and riveting style of storytelling somewhat similar to that of Stephen King. I gladly give 2012 Year of the Apocalypse 5 stars.
Gloria Newman
Hermosa Beach, CA
Very disappointed.......2006-05-16
I was generous in giving this book 2 stars.ITs like the Cliff Note version of all the titles in the book.I did question buying it based on the number of pages.The last 2 chapters for me were the best.one star for each.I already new most of this info,a lot of the book is nothing more than the author's opinion.And when quoting the bible on ufo encounters..he does not even include the chapter of the old testiment that has the most ufo or strange encounters..The Book Of Daniel.....B.W.
2012- Year of the Apocalypse.......2006-04-29
I want to thank Edward Arnold for his book. I could not put it down until I finished it.
While Mister Arnold and I share similar "basic" ideas on religion and extra-terrestrials,
2012 - Year of the Apocalypse left me enlightened and hopeful for the future.
I was particularly impressed by the last fifteen pages. I strongly recommend this book, and am compelled to say to him, "Thank you".
John DeLucia
Long Beach, CA
Book Description
"This volume represents a unique contribution to the published data on ritual cave use in Mesoamerica.... No other volume includes such a range of sites, materials, or methodological approaches."
—Charles Golden, University of Pennsylvania Museum, coeditor of
Continuities and Changes in Maya Archaeology: Perspectives at the Millennium
As portals to the supernatural realm that creates and animates the universe, caves have always been held sacred by the peoples of Mesoamerica. From ancient times to the present, Mesoamericans have made pilgrimages to caves for ceremonies ranging from rituals of passage to petitions for rain and a plentiful harvest. So important were caves to the pre-Hispanic peoples that they are mentioned in Maya hieroglyphic writing and portrayed in the Central Mexican and Oaxacan pictorial codices. Many ancient settlements were located in proximity to caves.
This volume gathers papers from twenty prominent Mesoamerican archaeologists, linguists, and ethnographers to present a state-of-the-art survey of ritual cave use in Mesoamerica from Pre-Columbian times to the present. Organized geographically, the book examines cave use in Central Mexico, Oaxaca, and the Maya region. Some reports present detailed site studies, while others offer new theoretical understandings of cave rituals. As a whole, the collection validates cave study as the cutting edge of scientific investigation of indigenous ritual and belief. It confirms that the indigenous religious system of Mesoamerica was and still is much more terrestrially focused that has been generally appreciated.
Customer Reviews:
In the Maw.......2006-05-16
Super book. Every article has new information either about pilgrimages to caves, cave rituals, cave ritual specialists, offerings, use of interior space in caves, or relationships of caves to surface sites. I have read and reread several of the chapters and wish that every US archaeologist would read this book. Alan Sandstrom has written an excellent chapter detailing a cave pilgrimage his family participated in last decade. There is also attention given to the place of rockshelters in sacred landscape in several articles. Read this together with Stone Houses and Earth Lords and you'll never look at caves and rockshelter assemblages the same.
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