This book will be indispensable for Shamanic Breathwork practitioners as it surveys the top people in tI received an ARC in advance for a fair review.
This book will be indispensable for Shamanic Breathwork practitioners as it surveys the top people in the field. The transformational stories are incredibly inspirational and offer us pathways and validation as we make our own journeys. The tools are varied and really directly applicable to the practice which has helped so many people.
If you are curious about breathwork this is a nice accessible way to get a variety of perspectives....more
Sacred Death arrives just in time to help us with our current worldwide crisis. Our cultural conditioning moves us to suppress information and feelingSacred Death arrives just in time to help us with our current worldwide crisis. Our cultural conditioning moves us to suppress information and feelings around the dying process, and as healers we know that anything left buried will start to cause problems and eventually need to see the light of day.
Sacred Death provides a great array of experiences and perspectives to aid in this work. The sensitivity to the process is paramount as each contributing author grounds their tools for healing in their own story of passing through the death of someone close to them.
I really like the format-- the length of each contribution makes them all much more accessible, and the size of the book yields a lot of good material....more
True story indigenous shamanic culture philosophy and world view by a person raised as an outsider in our culture who through trials and initiations iTrue story indigenous shamanic culture philosophy and world view by a person raised as an outsider in our culture who through trials and initiations is accepted into another, and then must leave it and return to ours.
Essential. Cannot speak highly enough. Synchronisticaly my reading overlapped my journey into my most powerful shamanic experience so far, and was a really helpful guide and inspiration for my process....more
Just came back from a 5 day silent retreat and was gutted to see the vague and ineffective meditation instruction gBest meditation book ever (so far)!
Just came back from a 5 day silent retreat and was gutted to see the vague and ineffective meditation instruction given there, not the fault of the teacher or the tradition because all of them are like that-- the one size fits all instruction, evasive/vague/unhelpful answers to questions, claim that their way of teaching is the best way.
This book blows them all away. I came to this already having had an awakening experience through an open awareness practice of some years, and what this program is doing for me after a couple of months with just one 30 minute sit a day is amazing.
If you ever wondered what "single pointed" awareness was, this is your best chance to get there and find out....more
I resisted buying this but am now so glad I did. The fiction format is perfect, as all the assertions about the nature of reality if presented as factI resisted buying this but am now so glad I did. The fiction format is perfect, as all the assertions about the nature of reality if presented as fact would rub me the wrong way. How wonderful to read a fantasy novel where the protagonist is an adult female and the challenges faced are those faced by adults on a spiritual or self improvement path. A most welcome change from all the novels about adolescent boys!
The secret history of the world presented here is somewhat resonant with Da Vinci Code type stories as well as the nonfiction Secret History of the World by Booth.
I read this at the same time as a series of energetic/spiritual/mental/emotional openings were occuring for me. I don't want to say the book caused them, but it was certainly part of the whole package. There is a payload of wisdom here.
Not quite five stars as the prose while decent was slightly clunky. As good or better than many mainstream fantasy writers, but not top notch....more
Even better than Nameless. Beautiful Beautiful art. Clever Clever script. Read it twice in two days. Highly recommended, unless of course you don't liEven better than Nameless. Beautiful Beautiful art. Clever Clever script. Read it twice in two days. Highly recommended, unless of course you don't like Morrison, or you don't like Morrison's non mainstream work....more
The author does an amazing job of very logically unpacking her near death experience and with very few words does a fantastic job rationally defining The author does an amazing job of very logically unpacking her near death experience and with very few words does a fantastic job rationally defining terms, providing analogies, and concisely addressing very difficult subjects like "the problem of good and evil" with a great deal of illumination.
Highly recommended if you have interest in this area. It's impressive how many answers to big questions are presented here, in a transmission that I found personally effective.
I agree with another reviewer that draws a connection with the non phsyical reality described in Jane Roberts's Seth channeling. The material in Sudman's work is strong enough that, placing it side by side with Seth, I feel like I am seeing the emergence of a unique American (western?) metaphysical tradition.
As such, it speaks to those of us who are raised and educated as materialists, and may use but are not entirely suffused with the spiritual techniques and traditions of other cultures.
My only quibbles with this book are the sometimes clumsy feel to the language, which while logical is not always smoothly flowing. As well the chatty parenthetical asides suggest a light or nonexistent editor which is not surprising given the small publisher and the goofy title. So, while this book is short it does require the reader to take it slowly....more
About half prison memoir, which since the author was a super chill buddhist monk is not so harrowing or dramatic or exciting as the average prison memAbout half prison memoir, which since the author was a super chill buddhist monk is not so harrowing or dramatic or exciting as the average prison memoir, and half collected teachings. At first I was disappointed, but at a recent silent retreat the teachings were just the right thing. Concise, clear, wide ranging, nice perspective. A little bit old school......more
Worthwhile but not perfect. Ayani has a lot of experience, and background in Andean traditions and the eclectic assortment one expects from a westerneWorthwhile but not perfect. Ayani has a lot of experience, and background in Andean traditions and the eclectic assortment one expects from a westerner.
This book presents her own model of the personal-oriented metaphysical universe and discusses the ways in which one needs to heal in order to make progress.
I found the book to be very helpful, to have real transmission qualities, and to have inspired a few impromptu sessions of profound personal healing as well as adding new conceptual tools to my kit.
On the other hand I found the emphasis on the model to be way too heavy and note that there were several healing modalities absent from what she prescribes, due in part I would guess to the limitations of her own individual experience as well as things she decided for whatever reason she ought not to talk about. There is for instance a dedication to San Pedro but no discussion of entheogenic healing practices.
The book was strong enough that I have decided to try out her other more practice oriented material....more
Great short novel. Very humanistic, very pro-physicality, pro sensual, very much in touch with the supressed emotional, very in love with the possibilGreat short novel. Very humanistic, very pro-physicality, pro sensual, very much in touch with the supressed emotional, very in love with the possibility of human transcendence. An award winner and reprinted a bazillion times and deservedly so.
However, I find flaw in that the dramatic action in two of the 4 parts is the same-- a character has suppressed a traumatic memory and must be led gently back in to it. The second time we get this structure, the gentle leading is very very long, which as you might imagine is really the opposite way it ought to be done, if one has to repeat something like that.
Audiobook review. Very short, and thus maybe not a bad investment of your time even if you are not a swordsman. Even shorter when you consider every 5Audiobook review. Very short, and thus maybe not a bad investment of your time even if you are not a swordsman. Even shorter when you consider every 5th line is “you must practice/research this deeply” Every 4th line is “cut/kill the enemy” Compellingly read audiobook. Apparently people have taken this text and run business seminars on it. Whatever. Standouts: Do nothing that is without purpose. People think that what they do not know (how to do) is the void, but it is just bewilderment. Consider the enemies troops as your own, and you can move them about the battlefield. Do not rely on any particular technique or style. With every move cut the enemy. ...more
Audiobook review (not available on Audible, must download from Doctorow's web site). Will Wheaton does a great job reading this.
This book isn't just AAudiobook review (not available on Audible, must download from Doctorow's web site). Will Wheaton does a great job reading this.
This book isn't just AWESOME, it's IMPORTANT.
Doctorow can do all the great writer tricks-- plot, character, dialogue. He's also not just a guy that plays someone on TV who does X, he really is a real activist working against draconian copyright and unreasonable monopolist business practices, as the preamble to the audiobook where he discusses Audible's business practices and his unwillingness to place his books with them shows.
Set just one step away from the reality we live in, Homeland details the further adventures of Marcus, the hero from Little Brother. This book stands just fine on its own as an independent novel as well.
It starts at Burning Man and Doctorow knows the San Francisco the action moves to well.
As well the text is crammed with heaps of information regarding open source software, piracy, darknets, cool maker stuff, fascinating weird math things, and hacks to make the perfect easiest cup of coffee. None of this gets in the way of the story if you aren't interested in the tech. This is all real, as is the menace our heroes face, a world of militarizing police forces, corrupt politicians, revolving doors between the Army, government, and private contractors, torture...
Which is why the book is not just a great read, but an important one. A bibliography at the end provides sources for further information on these topics. ...more
Imagine a way of looking at the world where symbol and reality where woven into one-- one system of characters being alphabet, number, calendar, divinImagine a way of looking at the world where symbol and reality where woven into one-- one system of characters being alphabet, number, calendar, divination, and each representing the trees around you, the seasons you voyaged through. This is the Ogham, the indigenous british writing system.
Karen Cater has produced a lovely book where she documents her voyage into this mind space. Full of her lovely illustrations and vignettes, the personality of trees and where she finds them, their usefulness. Here a mention that Alder makes good bridge pilings, there a recipe for willow vision water.
In the end this is all bits that hang together only organized by her experience, of which this is an enjoyable and edifying glimpse. Because we do not have the mindset of the Ogham. This book may help approach....more
This is a great book written by a long time student of labyrinths and earth mysteries, and contains much useful and rare information. Lots of picturesThis is a great book written by a long time student of labyrinths and earth mysteries, and contains much useful and rare information. Lots of pictures, lots of experiential exercises, really casts a wide net. Recommended.
Unfortunately the prose is amateurish. It's completely readable but the clumsy wording is distracting in places, and at times simple things are ridiculously over explained and unusual complicated things are given few words-- the meaning is not always clear.
Nor is all the information here to be taken as given-- there are contradictions with some information Jeff Saward's site, who is a friend and fellow labyrinth enthusiast. Also some incorrect information regarding tunnels under Macchu Picchu which many experts get wrong, admittedly. So while this book is a real treasure trove of info be a little careful....more
This is a book about Marma science, which is the Indian version of the Chinese meridian system. It was apparently written by a master in this field whThis is a book about Marma science, which is the Indian version of the Chinese meridian system. It was apparently written by a master in this field who was in year 2000 selling a line of skin care products and rejuvenation treatments based on this science.
Joseph Kurian not so long after he wrote this disappeared, like, people have looked for him and cannot find him. Whether someone else disappeared him or whether he disappeared himself, I don't know.
So somewhere buried amongst extensive verbiage devoted to touting his products, there might be esoteric knowledge not normally seen by the uninitiated. Or maybe if you read it you will find it a frustrating bunch of marketing for makeup.
There are a number of very good maps of the Marma energy systems, rare, some common mudras, and instructions on a mahamudra series of movements I can't find anywhere on the internet as of this writing, which I find both easy and very beneficial.
Prices on the limited number of these books out there are already getting pushed high by used resellers......more
How could I not love a book that not only nails right on the head the lies that prop up our current corporate political charade but also continually sHow could I not love a book that not only nails right on the head the lies that prop up our current corporate political charade but also continually stresses the need for personal change and spirituality to be at the heart of any revolutionary change?
I recommend the audio book as the man is after all a stand up comedian and it's his own material he's reading.
The only question remains is the one he ends the book with: what are you going to do about it?...more
The root text is only 21 pages. This is the super awesome 5 star part that I will return to again and again. Very very good Dzogchen 5 stars, sort of.
The root text is only 21 pages. This is the super awesome 5 star part that I will return to again and again. Very very good Dzogchen instruction. Great translation. 5 stars.
Then the commentary on the root text by the translator, about 40 pages-- awful. Most of this is saying the exact same thing with the exact same words as the root text, but with more words in the middle thrown in, which makes it very hard to read and not at all clear. Very little added value, except for the very occasional observation. One star.
Then the history of the first translation, about 80 pages-- which contains a lot of biographical detail of Evans-Wentz. Historically interesting, nicely written, if that sort of thing is interesting to you. Also some stuff about Jung. 3 stars-- a pleasant way to spend your time if you have nothing better to do, like meditate for instance ;-)
My interest is in the underlying sacred geometry of the cathedral, and there is heaps here. The underlying unit ofThis book really is a tour de force.
My interest is in the underlying sacred geometry of the cathedral, and there is heaps here. The underlying unit of measurement and its derivation, proportions related to musical notes, link with other gothic cathedrals and older sites of geomantic worship, these are just a couple of examples off the top of my head.
The book also has a huge amount of historical material about Knights Templar, the Ark of the Covenant, and theories about who built Chartres and why and how. I have heard too many new age alternate history stories to take any of them seriously at this point (a triumph of misinformation campaigns perhaps?) but you will be well served if these are to your liking.
The author does a very good job of packing in a huge amount of material that will be satisfying to many different flavours of readers, though materialists will of course be offended at the very existence of this tome ;-)...more
Loading...
