Oneness With All Life: Inspirational Selections from A New Earth Review

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(More customer reviews)The first thing I noticed about Eckhart Tolle's Oneness with All Life: Inspirational Selections from a New Earth, is that it is a beautifully bound hard cover book (ribbon bookmark included,)with an old-time feel. The inside is beautifully laid out with flower illustrations. It actually conveys a feeling of peacefulness to hold the book.
"Your inner purpose is to awaken," says Tolle. This is the essence of the book, and what my own spiritual teacher tries to instill in her students. Each chapter works on this lofty spiritual plane.
Tolle recommends that you read A New Earth before Oneness with all Life, as this book is a distilled version of the first and contains fairly advanced spiritual lessons. He suggests reading a random section or single chapter at a time. The point is to read, reflect, and allow the messages to resonate within your soul.
"The informational content of this book is of relatively little importance," he writes. "You read it not so much to learn something new, but to go deeper, become more present, awaken out of the stream of incessant and compulsive thinking."
This sums up the book for me: "If you come across passages in this book that you feel are powerful, I want you to realize that what you are feeling is your own spiritual power. That is to say you are in your essence."
This book is like having your own spiritual teacher to turn to whenever you need some clarity.
A typical passage: "How to be at peace now. By making peace with the present moment."
Highly recommended.
By the author of the award winning book, HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT: BEAUTIFY, DETOXIFY & ENERGIZE YOUR LIFE, YOUR HOME & YOUR PLANET.

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Daily Guidance from Your Angels: 365 Angelic Messages to Soothe, Heal, and Open Your Heart Review

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(More customer reviews)"Although the book is geared toward morning meditations, you can benefit from it anytime, day or night. I suggest keeping it on your bedside table or desk so that you can refer to it whenever you need a comforting boost from above." - From the book
Spiritual psychologist Doreen Virtue encourages readers to devote a portion of each day to connecting with the angels in the book Daily Guidance from Your Angels: 365 Angelic Messages to Soothe, Heal, and Open Your Heart. Drawing from years of experience as an angel therapist and clairvoyant, she provides 365 specific messages from the angelic realm designed to uplift, inform and inspire.
In her own spiritual practice, Virtue notes that when she has allowed herself to skip an occasional morning of reflection, her day wasn't as fun or satisfying. Desiring to facilitate daily devotions for readers to ensure a magical, fulfilling day, the author provides reflections ranging from profound teachings to beneficial ways to approach the day. These daily meditations aren't dated, so you can begin anywhere, anytime--either reading consecutive meditations or choosing one at random.
Some of the themes in Daily Guidance from Your Angels include:
*Be Gentle With Yourself
*Say Goodbye to Guilt
*Honor Your Agreements
*Bless Your Meals
*Complete Projects
*Turn Around Nervousness
*Know That You're Perfectly Understood By Us
*Detach From Drama
*Connect With the Spirit of Nature
*Enjoy a Sense of Belonging
*Know That You Can Never Ask for Too Much
*Honor Your Sensitivity
*Listen to Your Inner Child
*Expect Everything to Go Well
I've consulted this book at random several times, and I've found each insight rich with liberating, practical wisdom. As one who is often hard on herself, I am especially encouraged by messages dealing with lightening up, the perfection of all, and treating oneself with kindness.
If you're looking for a book offering spiritual nourishment and angelic awareness, Daily Guidance from Your Angels will help you connect with our unseen helpers and bask in their love and support.
Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

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Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation Review

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(More customer reviews)I really like Stephen Mitchell's work, but it's important to know what you're getting.
What you're ordinarily _not_ getting is a straight-up translation of the source text; you're getting Mitchell's attempt to render the source text into a fine English poem that expresses the spiritual insights he wants it to express. (Examples: his excellent interpretive renderings of the Psalms and the Tao Te Ching. They are excellent interpretive renderings; they are _not_ translations.)
Even when the translation _is_ straightforward, he tends to chop the text to bits and just keep the parts he agrees with. (Examples: his translation of the book of Genesis, which includes the entire text but relegates the "spiritually suspect" parts to an appendix, and his rendering of the book of Job, which includes some terrific translation but omits the speech of Elihu and the poem in praise of wisdom.)
And now he's done the Bhagavad Gita. Has he translated it, or has he interpretively rendered it?
Well, the first point to make is that he _has_ included the entire text and limited himself to offering commentary on the parts he doesn't agree with. (Incidentally, I tend to disagree with the same parts and I understand that there have been Hindu scholars who have at least raised the same questions that Mitchell does.) This point alone means that Mitchell's Gita is a landmark: he hasn't chopped up the text in order to leave out the "spiritually inferior" portions.
So how good is his translation? Well, Mitchell says his own Sanskrit is "rudimentary," but that doesn't mean (as some reviewers seem to think) that he doesn't know any at all. (This is a bit different from his Tao Te Ching, in which he admits that he just doesn't read Chinese.) And this _is_ called a "new translation" rather than a "new interpretation."
But I don't know any Sanskrit at all, so I've just done some short comparisons with other translations. Based on spot-checks against the versions of Barbara Stoller Miller and Juan Mascaro, it looks to me as though Mitchell has stayed pretty close to the source. This is of course not an expert opinion of any kind and I'm prepared to be corrected by anyone who knows better. (And it may not even be much of a test, as Miller's translation in particular was one of the handful Mitchell consulted in preparing his own.)
Either way, what Mitchell is up to here is what he's up to nearly everywhere: he uses the traditional text as a medium to convey his own spiritual insights. And it's pretty clear from the get-go that he regards Lao-Tzu (i.e., _his_ Lao-Tzu) as spiritually superior to the author(s) of the Gita. Some readers may well agree with this evaluation (and I may be one of them; you guess). But all readers should be aware that Mitchell isn't trying to present a reverent discussion of the teachings of the Gita; he's sifting through it to see what parts of it measure up to his own Buddhist-Taoist-Jewish insights.
I am _not_ criticizing this enterprise; far from it. I tend to agree with many of Mitchell's insights, I really really really enjoy his poetic renderings, and on the whole I even admire his chutzpah (although in other books I've seen reason to criticize some of his scholarship). And in the present work he does, for example, raise (and to some extent answer) deep questions about the limits of nonviolence.
But, y'know, caveat emptor and all that. If you buy this book, buy it as Stephen Mitchell's work, not as an introduction to Hinduism through one of its central sacred texts. It's not really fair to describe this as a "boutique" Gita, but on the other hand it _is_ primarily a vehicle for Mitchell himself. I think that, like all of Mitchell's stuff, it's well worth reading and owning, but it depends on what you're looking for.

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The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching Review

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(More customer reviews)My approach to this book is different than the other reviewers. I am not a man of faith. I do not believe in the existence of God and I believe the whole issue is unimportant. More important than the existence of God (which is a question neither side can settle) is the question of how to live our lives now. I came to this book as I always come to religious writings and practices; will this help me to understand others or myself better? Will this teach me to be more loving, to live more mindfully, with more compassion?
From this point of view, this is a wonderful book. Not because it answers all questions (or any questions for that matter). If anything it creates more ambiguities, it raises more challenges. That is a good thing. Many of the other reviewers seem to react to Thich Nhat Hahn based on whether or not his is the True Buddhism or just one man's opinion. Fair enough. But unless you are so fortunate as to have some sort of satori or God decides to drop in for a chat what else do you ever have but one person's opinion? It seems to me that what we all do is find something that seems to make sense to you, a practice that carries you along your path and you practice. Thich Nhat Hahn will help most readers to do this. This is a man of extraordinary faith who is apparently equally diligent in trying to live his faith. I do not know about the other readers but this man is a wonderful and unnerving challenge to me in my ideas on how to live my life.
Throughout the book the author suggests very simple practices to improve mindfulness and diligence. He calls us back to the breath always. In my experience, whether doing yoga, tai chi, chi-kung, kung fu, meditation or just plain living this is always the beginnings of real practice.
The presentation of Buddhists dogma that the other reviewers find so wonderful or controversial is, I believe, very well done and is as clear as could be hoped. It is also very arcane. I was not aware that there were Twelve Levels of Independent Co-Arising, Seven Factors of Awakening, Six Paramitas, Five Powers, Four Immeasurable Minds, Three Bodies of Buddha, Two Truths and, yes, a Partridge in a Pear Tree. Sorry, I could not help myself. My point is that a lot of this part of the book is probably most useful after having been read, lived and read again. For someone looking for a true introduction, this part of the book will seem a little much. Parts of it seem a little PC as well such as the occasional emphasis on sex abuse. I cannot imagine that was a burning issue back in the days of the Buddha. This is not a problem for me- it just shows that the author's religion is a living one.
Wonderfully though, what also comes through, is the author's spirit- that of a gentle, compassionate and strong person. I have not read any of his other books. After this I will read more. I have already found some of the practices helpful and will continue to try to integrate them into my life. Give this book a chance. I do not think it will answer all of your questions. How nice would that be if we could get that from a book? It will give you a deeper understanding of Buddhist's beliefs and practices. Some of the practices suggested may help you to live your life. What more could you hope for?

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50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books on Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose Review

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(More customer reviews)Butler-Bowdon's '50 Self-help Classics' (2003) and '50 Success classics' (2004) have been acclaimed as erudite commentaries in personal development literature. His third volume in this Trilogy- '50 Spiritual Classics' is a compelling read that establishes Butler-Bowdon firmly in the unique niche' that he has carved for himself with his previous two works in the field of personal development literature.
Reading the `50 Spiritual Classics' is an enlightening and often humbling experience. Whether it be The Discourses of Epictetus (Enchiridion), or Pirsig's 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence', the author displays a masterful ease which is commendable. Halfway through a chapter, one is often seized upon by an unstoppable urge to tear out, get hold of the title being commented upon by the author and read every page of it. And then one decides to exert self-control and continue with Bowden's own book as it is just too difficult to put down.
A brief glance at some of the authors reviewed bears testament to the breadth covered by this 320-page book: St. Augustine, Malcolm X, Chuang Tzu, Gandhi, Kahlil Gibran, Carlos Casteneda and Fritjof Capra! Somerset Maugham's `The Razor's edge' and Huxley's `The Doors of perception' are included. The authors and works in focus are dissected in a fairly non-judgemental fashion. Tom Butler-Bowdon succeeds in bringing out the essential messages and themes of the spiritual classics reviewed without sounding reverential.
This is not a jingoistic account of spiritualism or PD literature; This is not a collection of pontifications from a zealous convert; this is not a book of lists........'50 Spiritual Classics' is a candid and insightful exposition into the subject; it seeks to review the books and to a lesser extent the people who wrote them in the wider sense implied by the work `spirituality'.
But then why do we not see The Bible or Bhagavad Gita in the list, one may wonder. Simply because they have been commented upon in his previous works. Upon reflection, it becomes clear that this third offering is linked in spirit with the themes dealt with in '50 Self-Help Classics' and '50 Success Classics'. As Tom Butler-Bowdon notes with delightful insight in his Introduction, "The paradox of personal development is that, taken to its logical end, it takes us beyond the self. Meaning is found outside the perimeter of our small concerns."
Where does that leave us mortals? We could exert our wider choice and get hold of the Butler-Bowdon trilogy and make them part of that particular bookshelf which you reserve for special tomes. Those volumes that you reach out for to delve into in moments of introspection, or even pure indulgence.

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Happy Yoga: 7 Reasons Why There's Nothing to Worry About Review

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(More customer reviews)****
This is a lovely book ostensibly about yoga (and it is), but more than that, about life. It is about how ordinary people can learn from yogic wisdom and apply it to our mainstream lives. It is about how to be enlightened, simply and happily, rather than rigorously and with struggle.
Full of wisdom and strong opinions from the author (especially about veganism---the author is a vegan), you may not agree with everything, but you will enjoy this book greatly and learn a lot. It will make you think and examine your beliefs. It will also make you happy---the subtitle is "7 Reasons Why There's Nothing to Worry About". An example of one secret: "You Can't Get Happy (You Can Only Be Happy)".
There are brief questions for reflection throughout the book. It is well-organized.
People who will enjoy and benefit from this book are:
Those who practice yoga very seriously.
Those who have never tried yoga and who wonder what it's all about.
Those who think a lot and who spend time worrying.
Those who want to "wake up", sensing that they are sleepwalking through their lives and missing something.
Other very serious people.
This is a happy book, although I wouldn't call it light. It's not heavy, either, though. "Fun" and "deep" would be the best description...well..."happy"---and thus unique. I really enjoyed it. Oftentimes I'd feel happy and blissful just reading it and contemplating on the points the author would make.
The only negative about the book is that the yoga postures at the end of each chapter are very advanced---many at the contortionist level---with instructions not anywhere near beginner level. I just looked at the pictures. However, it would be very easy for an uninformed reader to injure themselves while attempting to follow the instructions and illustrations. It would also give a beginner new to yoga the misguided idea that they can't do yoga because it's too hard for them at their fitness level. Untrue! The yoga postures are not, however, vital to the book and can simply be skipped. Still, for this reason I give this wonderful book only four stars.
****

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After studying yoga in India and traveling all over the world with traditional Vedantic masters, Steve Ross returned to his hometown of Los Angeles with a broadened point of view of what yoga could be. He was surprised to find that yoga classes at home were missing the humor, joy, and celebration that fueled his Eastern studies. Instead of expanding and enhancing the joy of being, Western yoga classes focused obsessively on correcting body positions and developing a picture-perfect physique. Determined to keep his yoga practice true to cultivating bliss and inner radiance, Ross started his own yoga studio and has created a yoga movement in Los Angeles that is, to put it simply, revolutionary.

Ross lives and teaches according to his belief that the secret to yoga is not obsessing over whether your feet are parallel or whether you can bend as far as the person on your left can, but about transcending the serious and allowing joy into your life, your body, your mind, and hopefully your yoga practice itself. It's about lightening up.

In Happy Yoga, Ross reveals that everyone is inherently happy, but that our true self is shadowed and concealed by the layers of worry that, through habit, become our daily thoughts. In each chapter, he examines one of our seven greatest human fears -- depression, ill health, loss of love, career failure, war, death, and emotional stasis -- and uses yoga wisdom to explain how to strip away these worries to reach your core of calm radiant joy. By sharing his system of yoga postures, diet, meditation, music, supplements, and philosophy, Ross has effected profound physical and mental changes in both his life and the lives of his students.

Ross's power is that he goes back to the source -- five thousand years of ancient yogic wisdom -- and decodes the abstract Eastern ideas for a Western audience. Happy Yoga is not just a set of movements and facts to consume, it is a way of shifting your awareness to bring the spirit of yoga into each movement, each meal, each relationship, each thought, and each breath.

With love and joyful abandon, Ross offers us a new way to practice and live yoga. The result is profound calm, a dramatic release of anxiety and pain, and the realization that there really is nothing to worry about.

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Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga Review

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(More customer reviews)Mediations from the Mat is a one-a-day vitamin for the yogic soul. There are 365 essays here designed to nourish you on your journey off and on the mat.
If you practice yoga, you will appreciate this book. If you like thought-provoking quotes, you'll find them here. If you're on a path toward spiritual and emotional well being, this book is for you.
Grasping Patanjali's 8-limb path is a daunting task. Gates, along with gifted writer/editor Katrina Kenison, simplifies these lessons by presenting them through examples of his own life experiences and discoveries.
What I like best about this book is that it's simple and it's Real. Anybody can relate to these stories of suffering, joy, tragedy, and love, regardless of whether they practice yoga. So with each daily reading, we begin to realize that yoga is not some esoteric, mountain-top guru thing, but a means of meeting ourselves and learning our truth -- simply by showing up on our mats and in our lives.
Gates doesn't claim to have answers. He gives us what he has to give: the lessons he has learned through the erratic, grace-filled ride he's had so far. As the essays gradually build on one another, we begin to understand that amid our suffering, fear, and doubt, we can "experience a visceral sense of belonging in a universe held together by love."
If you take in one of these essays each day, you will nourish your soul. No doubt about it. I'm only on Day 31 and I feel the difference already!

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