Mythology Books

Since I purchased my first copy of "The Sacred: Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life," I have done all I can to promote the book as the best way to start learning about Native Americans and American Indian Life-Ways. I recommend it to everyone.

In 1987 I published the following book review in the prestigious American Indian Quarterly. Some twenty-one years later, by beliefs remain the same, but my hopes that "The Sacred: Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life" would become a regularly used textbook and standard reference book in libraries remain unfulfilled. And for me the question remains, how do I get people to read this book? I did my part, utilizing it as a textbook for classes I taught at Rocky Mountain College, Northern Montana College, and Carroll College, all here in Montana. When I left Carroll College, the instructor who took my place continued to use "The Sacred" for several years. Since then, however, it has been dropped for more "up to date" books, hoping to reinvent the wheel. Here, then, is my published review:

One is seldom afforded the opportunity to read such an exemplary book as Peggy V. Beck and Anna L Walters' "The Sacred: Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life." As alaudatory contribution towards better literature on American Indians, "The Sacred" serves as both a fundemental resource and a textbook. Although it has been ten years since the book was first published, the book is once more available for classroom use. It is fitting, therefore, that it be re-reviewed in an effort to bring renewed interest in "The Sacred" as both a textbook and a resource.

The impetus for writing and publishing "The Sacred" is to provide a textbook that emphasizes "the traditional characteristics of sacred ways in North America" (p. xii; emphasis in the original). However, these traditional values are also viewed by the authors as the foundation for thinking in contemporary American Indian communities. I would say that Beck and Walters have indeed provided an omibus resource, and now it is up to academia to kindle the study of "The Sacred."

As a textbook, "The Sacred" is editied into an appropriate, systematic framework that allows the student to move from basic ideas and definitions to contemporary problems and attitudes, building upon itself (the knowledge) to create a holistic understanding of the sources of Indian life. The appropriate use of maps, charts, photographs, and superb illustrations enhances, as well as stimulates, the reader's interest in the topics. Each chapter has a bibliorpahy peculiar to its subject matter, and a more general bibliography is located at the end of the book. The reference section contains a glossary of difficult and/or misconstured terms, a listing of films and filstrips pertinent to each chapter (and where to obtain them), and an index.

The text is an integrated combination of reportorial, narrative, biogrphical, and interpretive styles of writing that reveal the attitudes of the authors along woth those of the cited contributors and "The People" themselves. In discussing the subjects or themes of each chapter, historical influences are fully inorporated with contemporary issues to create a relavantly circular presentation. This stylistic technique, when comined with the book's authoritativeness and perspectus, transposes into a highly readable and pertinent textbook for students of all levels of knowledge. Additionally, documents and recorded oral commentaries, which the authors appropriately use to support their detailed treatment and general themes, contribute to make "The Sacred" an invaluable reference as well.

The authors begin "The Sacred" by distinguishing between the concepts of religion, the sacred, world view, and how these ideas function in each person's daily awareness. From this foundation they develop their ideas concerning the way thinking about the sacred--indeed, ways for thinking about the sacred for most American Indians:
1. A belief in or knowledg of unseen powers, or what some people call The Great Mystery.
2. Knowledge that all things in the universe are dependent on each other.
3. Personal worship reinforces the bond between the individual, the community, and the great powers. Worship is a personal commitiment to the sources of life.
4. Sacred trations and persons knowledgealble in them are responsible for teaching morals and ethics.
5. Most communities and tribes have trained practitioners who have been given names such as medicine men, priests, shamans, caciques, and other names. These individual also have titles given them by The People which differ from tribe to tribe. These individuals are responsible for specialized, perhaps secret knowledge. They help pass knowledge and sacred practices from generation to generation, storing what they know in their memories.
6. A belief that humor is a necessary part of the sacred. And a belief that human beings are often weak--we are not gods--and our weakness leads us to do foolish things; therefore, clowns and similar figures are neded to show us how we act and why. (pp. 8-9)

Once the reader learns what the sacred entails, along with the ways of thinking about the sacred, it becomes obvious that the sacred permeates American Indian lifeways. The remainder of "The Sacred," then, develps and inetrates these ideas within various components of American Indian life-ways.

Beck and Waters' book is an original and qualified book that is comprehensive in its usefulness. That is, it is a book that should be considered for use in more than just American Indian Religion classes. "The Sacred" is totally appropriate for introductory classes or general classes like Indians of North America (for which I am successfully using the text). "The Sacred: Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life" is a positive addition to the literature on American Indian Studies, and is one that should be seriously considered for adoption in courses treating topics on American Indians.

Please, read "The Sacred," and then help me pass the word. However, also remember that this is not a novel or a popular reading book, and as such you may find parts hard to understand. If you do, contact a Native American Studies program or feel free to email me.

Please Note: If this review was not helpful to you, I would appreciate learning the reason(s) so I can improve my reviews. My goal is to provide help to potential buyers, not get into any arguments. So, if you only disagree with my opinion, could you please say so in the comments and not indicate that the review was not helpful. Thanks.

A wonderful compilation of Native American Practices and Religion. Interesting to both researchers and Native American practitioners. I would recommend this book to anyone needing insight to a culture that is much older and wiser than the Western European and American cultures.

"The Sacred Ways of Knowledge" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy." http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy

Excerpt(s): This textbook is about the sacred ways of Native American people in North America. Through examples from the oral tradition of The People, through interviews, speeches, prayers, songs and conversations, these ways will be explored.

The material in this textbook will attempt to describe, not intrude by analysis, the meaning, role and function of sacred traditional practices and observances in the lives of The People, individually and collectively. This textbook will perhaps also help to correct the misinformed views of Native American sacred traditions and observances. These views fill the archives, the libraries, the movies, and the textbooks students use throughout the world. By simply letting The People speak we may come to better understand the profoundness of strength, beauty, and vitality of this dimension of American Indian People.

Many Native People find it difficult to explain their ways of life, beliefs, traditions, and observances with the word "religion" Therefore, we tried to find a word that would better describe sources of life and ways of knowledge. For this reason we chose the word sacred which we will define in more detail later on in this chapter. (page 3)

The Path of Life

The place from which you had started at the beginning seemingly a long time ago, will now appear very close as if you had started but recently.

Within several religions around the world is the philosophy or idea that life is envisioned as a path or road. The terrain through which it winds and goes is representative of the pitfalls, or turns of life one must encounter as one travels the "road of life." This is made explicit in the ceremony, like the Mide of the Winnebago. The above quote comes from this ceremony.

At the root of Native American aboriginal concepts is the belief that the road conveys an eternal return. There is no end. At death one returns in some way to the beginning. On the path of life, when one has reached old age, one knows what one knew when one was born, but only realizes and acknowledges it for the first time. The concept is at the root of aboriginal beliefs because like the road, the "sacred" had no beginning or end. The road is continuous and never ending. ...

In Peyotism, the Peyote "road" is also discussed. An explanation, metaphorically, is given about the altar of a crescent moon.

At the west corner, horns to the east, is the crescent altar with a groove or "path" along it from horn to horn, interrupted by a flat space in the center where the "father peyote" is later to rest on springs of sage. The "path" symbolizes man's path from birth (southern tip) to the crest of maturity and knowledge (at the place of the peyote) and thence downward again to the ground through old age to death (northern tip).

The priest swung a pointing finger along a narrow groove running through the crest of the altar moon. "You follow life's road,: he explained to me, "then you meet peyote, and your life changes. It has for everyone in here. We meet peyote and then we continue in that Way."

Through these roads or paths life is given more meaning, purpose, and responsibility. We also find that these roads provide means or procedures by which the people may attain or achieve certain desired goals. This is the role of religions. The path of life is analogous to this role. (page 197)

The Peyote Spirit

We have been taught that all men have the right to worship God in the manner and form most satisfactory to their own conscience. (Osage Peyotists)

The definitions of Peyote are multi-faceted and varying. It depends, of course, on whom one asks and their knowledge, or experience with Peyote. Obviously many interpretations will range from the abstract, personal, and emotional to an objective concrete, scientific explanation.

Examples of the abstract are:

Peyote is a power. There is a power in there. That power, he has many names. You don't know how much power is there. It will take all your lifetime and you will know only a small part of the power. This is what I was told.

This description comes from a young Navajo man, Ron Barton, who was introduced to Peyote as a small child and has since made a commitment to it. Larry Etsitty, also a Navajo and Vice-President of the Navajoland Native American Church defines Peyote in this way,

The Peyote to me, is my bible. I know what I should be doing and shouldn't be doing. To me, when I take that Peyote, I feel humble (respectful) all the time.

Peyote has always been a religion. It is used mainly to gain power. (Manuel Watchman, Navajo) (page 233)

The Peyote experience is one of individual meditation and consequently, revelation. Prayer and contemplation provide reasonable access, through Peyote, to satisfying revelations about one's self. Shirly Etsitty explains further, "The fundamental teaching is as a sacrament . . ., it (Peyote) is the mediator. When you take the medicine, you learn from inside out." Change is inevitable, according to one's conscience and confrontation with himself. Change for the better becomes possible, necessary, and worthwhile. However, the change must be within the individual, as his environment does not visibly alter. While he cannot usually control conditions that affect him, he can influence and exercise more controls within his own life. His outlook, philosophically, and behavior adjusts accordingly. (pages 245-246)

Christianity and the Peyote Religion

Emhoolah who has spent part of his life from childhood with "Peyote People" says, "I've gone to Christian Churches. I always come back. There must be something about that herb that appeals to the Indian." Ron Barton echoes the sentiment, "I've been involved in the Native American Church all my life, since I was born. It's in me. It will always be in me. I like the Peyote Way. I pray that way. I eat that way. I sleep that way. I live that way. It puts back the dignity." Sam Gardipe talking about tradition and its place in a fast-moving technologically oriented world, shared his philosophy as Peyotist, and as an Indian. "I have a philosophy. One of the ways of rebelling, is to be traditional, to really know your own way (Peyote Way)."

To reiterate, Larry Etsitty also acknowledges that the bird he envisions can also go in the direction of Christianity. He sees Peyotism as being adaptable, supplemental and not detrimental to any other religion, including Christianity. It is acknowledged that the Native American Church in its contemporary form contains seeds of Christianity, incorporated either recently or in some cases before the 20th century.

The Peyote Religion functioned as separate independent groups prior to the organization of specific groups into the affiliated Native American Church. In doing so, some groups also introduced characteristics and the concept of Christianity. Other groups did not attempt to introduce change or did not reorganize themselves. (pages 247-248)

The Peyote Way or Peyote Road stresses four main teachings one must conform and adhere to. "Peyote People" may supply the instruction, or after Peyote is consumed it may be directly responsible for teaching. The teachings are: (1) Love for your fellow man or brotherly love; (2) responsibility for one's family; (3) self-reliance; and (4) refraining from use of alcohol. ...

Larry Etsitty stated with regard to children that he had been told by other members of the Native American Church (not of the Navajoland chapter or branch) that it delighted them to see children participate. Their age ranged from infants to expectant parents. Larry Etsitty continued, "They said they felt that's where they went wrong. At times when there were too many participants, the young ones were requested to leave to make room for older participants." He indicated that these people regretted that their young ones have not responded in the desired manner. As to the women in Peyotism, depending on the area and the time, it was once recorded they were sometimes not allowed to participate. Most tribes, as oral tradition indicates, gave the women a very high place in the Peyote Religion and usually credit her for the bringing of Peyote. The Navajo tribe is one of the very, very few who allow women to sing during the meeting. (pages 249-250)

In the Summer of 1975, the author met an elderly man at the Navajo Tribal Fair in Window Rock, Arizona. He was a golden man, all sparkly, dark skin and eyes, in the sun. He was obviously not wealthy in ways of money and extravagant finery. He and his clothes were all wrinkly and worn. Both had bags in them. He stepped up to negotiate a purchase he planned. He wanted the man's robe or sheet, half red and half black, worn in the Peyote meeting. He said he was a road man, had been one for forty years. He said he'd been to jail for Peyote, was there when Peyote followers were harassed. He said it simply and matter-of-factly. "Peyotism had endured." He said that softly, gently in Navajo. He said he would do it all over again.

Work at something long enough and it becomes a part of you. Work at something for 6,000 years and you become part of it. Santa CEO is a wonderfully captivating and suspenseful tale that makes you rethink all you think you know about Santa Clause and the North Pole. What an amazing book ~ A true page-turner!

Greg Troin
CEO
eChamberConnect.com

A little hard to get started and keep all the characters straight. But once I got over that little problem of mine, I really enjoyed the book. Having a husband and father in the auto industry made many of the problems with the characters familiar.

Mr. Soubly has used characters that are familiar to most of us and we can easily relate to them. I didn't want to put the book down and am waiting for another!

Start with a strong dose of Christmas lore, mix in some of today's most popular management mantras, add a touch of science fiction and fantasy, and then spice it up with corporate intrigue. "Santa, Ceo" is a unique blend of literary styles that shows how the magic of Christmas can be poisoned with corporate greed.

Soubly's story causes us to re-think what is important in corporate life. Is it short-term shareholder value, always looking for opportunities for efficiencies at the sake of tradeoffs that can be mitigated and managed? Or do we stay true to the spirit of the early years, connect with our true customers, and deliver a product that is almost magical?

Don't think that Santa is the mystical figure that has all of the answers. He is far from perfect, struggling for answers and he has serious flaws, just like the rest of us. From corporate naiveté to a bar-room brawl Santa claws through his problems in a story filled with intrigue and excitement. There are even some younger "half-elves" that help the "Chief" (as he is affectionately known at NPI) face his challenges.

This is no Christmas tall-tale but is more Grisham-like in a story of a corporation that has lost touch with it's roots. A worthy summer read. Highly recommended.

Santa CEO is a delightful story about my favorite holiday -- turned business -- turned disaster! Christmas is in jeopardy and even Santa can't fix it. For a guy who's been at this for centuries, he is totally clueless. Everything is out of control, the business is not being run right, he can't trust the people who work for him, his personal life is in shambles, and most importantly he has lost the magic. Not until he is actually fired, does he have time to reflect on his life, his business, and his priorities. I especially love the character Tracer -- who can't do anything right -- who overcomes his clumsiness -- who does the right thing -- and who demonstrates his ability to be a major contributor of the team. Though the story is about the business of Christmas, the real story is about finding purpose. Purpose drives the business, including a new organization, new roles, new priorities, and a new life.

Using this book as a guide, some friends and I located some of these haunted locations and visited - great fun! David Pitkin did a fantastic job of putting these stories together! Easy and fun reading. I highly recommend buying this book. Wonderful to learn about the history of Saratoga County, a beautiful place with much history, and many of its alleged ghosts.

I was totally surprised while reading this book. To my amazement there was a story in there about my own family. I had always heard stories about my uncles house being haunted in Clifton Park but only somewhat believed it. The incident happened well before I was even born, it happened on the night of my fathers senior prom when his sister in law killed her husband three kids and then herself. It is so surreal to see it in writing.

Growing up in Saratoga County, I have heard bits and peices of the happenings in this book, and finally I found someone interested enough to search for the whole truth. David I commend you, and I recommend this book to all. My family and I got to meet David as he autographed our book, and he told us of another book he is working on...David, I will be waiting. Thanks for a job well done!

I learned much about the history of Saratoga County as well as it's haunts in this book of true short stories and accounts of local hauntings. The accounts are even more interesting because I know where most of these places are and have heard similar stories. It's nice to have a book to back me up when I repeat them to unbelieving fiends. David Pitkin did a great job!!!

This book is the real deal - it's based on multiple conversations with real Scottish people, who shared their most intimate life stories as well as the stories of their parents, grandparents and earlier ancestors. Anyone who wants to truly "get" Scottish culture (which has changed, of course, but still reflects its history), needs to add this book to the library.

Scottish Customs: From The Cradle To The Grave

The best book for my needs.

As someone of Scottish descent and a student of Anthropology and History, I really appreciated this text. There are a myriad of books available that purport to tell about Scottish customs, or focus on some narrow aspect of Scottish life, such as clan associations. This book, however, addresses the whole gamet of life of the Scottish folk, from motherhood and child-rearing, through the rites of passage into adulthood, and finally the passage from life into eternal life. Bennett draws upon a wide selection of historical sources, disparite in both locale and time period. Relying not only upon the historical record, but utilizing her expertise as a folklorist, Bennett elicits ethnogrpahic data which she presents and uses to draw her conclusions. She paints a vivid picture of life in Scotland that offers new and insightful ways in which to look at Scottish cultural practices. I highly recommend this lucid, yet academic and well-researched book regarding Scottish customs to anyone wishing to get beyond the surface aspects of the fascinating and vibrant traditional Scottish cultural patterns.

I'd say the previous reviewer covered this one pretty well. This is a well-written guide to the customs and culture of Scotland literally from the cradle to the grave, looking at motherhood, childhood, courting and youthful romance, some recent and modern marital traditions, real 'Highland Weddings', the Scottish attitudes towards death, burial rites, and the associated bodies of spirituality and folklore for all of these topics. The bulk of the book's text is the writings of Scots (or foreign observers of their customs), mostly in the 19th and 20th Centuries, though some of the book's content goes back as far as the later Middle Ages. This means that most of it is the memories and first-hand experiences of people who have lived the unique customs of Scotland. I greatly enjoyed this book, and anyone interested in the culture of recent-modern Scotland will as well.

I was really touched by this story about a little girl's search for her mother, who has been kidnapped by the Sea Queen, and how she uses her wits to rescue her. Beautiful illustrations really enhance the feeling of magic and wonder that this book conveys -- check it out!

I gave copies to the Unitarian Universalist churches in my area, and they've been well-received in the churches' children's libraries. The story manages to have a lesson without rehashing a storyline cliche that kids have heard a hundred times before, as many children's stories with morals do.

In this illustrated book for the advanced reader, we meet 10-year-old Katia and follow her on her quest to save her mother from the angry Sea Queen. He mother has been taken by the Sea Queen and has forgotten whom she is, becoming part of the sea in the process.

Katia's adventures from the time she finds out what has happened to her mother until the moment of truth that is revealed about the long standing feud between the Sea Queen and Katia's fishing village are a delightful read.

The book will keep an older child interested from start to finish. The book portrays witches in a non-judgmental light but the characters are still fictional and at times farfetched. Typical fairy tale characters grace the pages in this Pagan friendly tale.

The first selection from this new publisher is an outstanding effort. I am interested to see what else Abzu's Fountain Press has in store for the younger Pagans.

W. Lyon Martin Author/Illustrator of "An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child"

This is a wonderful story. I was surprised when my children would sit still long enough to hear the whole story. When there is about 50 pages to the book, and you can get children to sit through the whole thing, you know you have found a true treasure. It was well written and the illustrations are beautiful. It is certainly worth a look.

Seaborn is a riveting adventure story -- complete with underwater kingdoms, royal rivalries, familial betrayal, and epic battles -- but it's much more, too. It's a rich portrayal of two young women who, in different ways, find themselves in situations not of their choosing and have to use their smarts and strength to persevere. Corina's battle is literally over the ownership of her body - who's ultimately going to inhabit it? For her part, Kassandra's inherited a powerful legacy that, while it brings many gifts, is also fraught with responsibility and pain. The complexity of these women's characters and the beauty of the prose make this book a complete pleasure to read.

_Seaborn_ is a unique fantasy; it's unlike anything else I've read. Chris Howard tells a compelling story of merpeople and of two women who struggle to become their own woman (or mermaid) in the face of opposition.

Our heroines are Corina Lairsey, a California girl who becomes possessed by a megalomaniacal merman while scuba-diving; and Lady Kassandra, an exiled princess of the Seaborn who is hatching a plan to overthrow her usurping grandfather. Howard does a great job with Corina's plight, vividly showing us Corina's terror at finding herself taken over by another being, her heartbreak and horror as her body is used to commit unspeakable acts of violence, and her struggle to free herself. Kassandra can be harder to get a grip on; her behavior and moods are a bit on the erratic side. There's a reason for that, though. Like Corina, Kassandra isn't alone in her head. She carries the voices of her ancestors within her, and their reactions occasionally land Kassandra in trouble. _Seaborn_ follows these two women as they try to seize control of their own lives.

Howard does a fine job of describing the beauty and danger of the sea, and the culture of the Seaborn. Their society is largely based upon ancient Greece, as is their magic. Chris Howard clearly knows a great deal about ancient Greek mythology and occultism. There's a certain satisfaction, to a mythology buff like me, in reading a novel by someone who knows who Melinoe is, and in getting out my books after finishing _Seaborn_ to see whether the character of Akaste is based on a real mythological figure. (Answer: She is.)

There are a few issues. There's a bit of head-hopping. I'm not talking about the shifting POV that Howard uses intentionally to show the battle for dominance inside Corina's head; that's done well. It's the random head-hopping that's the problem; for example, when the POV switches abruptly from Kassandra to a police officer.

Also, there's a fine line between "lush, descriptive prose" and "purple prose," and that line isn't in the same place for every reader. Some of the prose in _Seaborn_ went over my "thin purple line," though this was mainly in the first scene (which is also where the most obvious head-hop occurs). There's some good stuff in that scene too, though. I loved the image of all the pathways to the sea revealing themselves to Kassandra in an attempt to beckon her home. Elsewhere in _Seaborn_, the prose is evocative, and strange in a way that serves to highlight the alien nature of the Seaborn's realm. I could almost smell the sea.

The final issue is that, occasionally, a word or two of modern usage slips into the dialogue of characters who wouldn't be using it.

These small gripes aside, I thoroughly enjoyed _Seaborn_. As I mentioned before, it's unique, and never feels like a warmed-over version of anything else. It's for anyone who loves the sea, and anyone who likes stories about young women striving for independence and their own power.

Maps and family trees are available at Chris Howard's website. I only wish they'd been in the book!

This is a wonderful book by author Chris Howard. It is hard to believe this is his first book. The story is completely enchanting and transports the reader into an amazing underwater world populated by characters that leap off the page. It is dramatic, moving, and a great adventure that carries you from chapter to chapter. It is particularly endearing because of its images of strong young women learning to wield their power. After I read Seaborn I passed it on to my two adult daughters, who both loved it... read it - you will be glad you did!

Not just born of the sea, Kassandra comes from Seaborn royalty as her grandfather rules the species. However, in spite of her regal sea blood, Kassandra has spent much of her living amidst the surfacer (land people) for she is unique as the powerful wreathbearer who possesses the spirits of her ancestors guiding her to free the Seaborn from her sadistic dictatorial grandfather whose weapon of choice to hold onto the throne is mass murder.

Four centuries of incarceration by the Seaborn has devastated the mental state of the previously unbalanced evil sorcerer Aleximor. He has finally escaped and taken control of the body of California surfer college student Corina Lairsey with plans to raise a new deadly force to destroy the surfacers and the seaborn. Kassandra with her family at her side must prevent Aleximor from succeeding, but Corina may be collateral damage; while also at the same time open up a second front war: a coup d'etat to liberate her people.

This is an exciting extremely graphic fantasy, which needs a warning label not to eat while reading SEABORN; Chris Howard is explicit with vivid violent descriptions to torture and mutilation. The story line is entertaining but driven by the heroine who has known since birth she has a quest to bear and now has no time left to learn her skills since her mission has turned out to be on two fronts. Readers who appreciate the realism brought to an epic "military" fantasy by broken bodies, blood and gore will want to read SEABORN, a well written opening saga.

Harriet Klausner

For years I have been watching Seamus Heaney in interviews and wondered to myself, where does all this come from? Not a poet myself, I just intuitively felt there was much more to learn from him than I was grasping. Reading this book opened entirely new avenues of understanding for me, and Ms. Moloney obviously cares deeply for the man's work. Highly recommended!!

I have never read a book of literary criticism cover to cover before, but I found Moloney's book very readable and compelling, even. I had an interest in Ireland's history and in its relationship with England before I began, and I have always enjoyed Arthurian legend. This book correlated with much of what I knew already, filled in gaps I didn't know were there, opened up new ideas, and has sparked my desire to go further in my studies in this area. I am also a new fan of Seamus Heaney's work. I look forward to other publications by Moloney. I loved the discussion on Patricia Coughlan's ideas and wonder if there will be any response from the feminist camp.

Significant works of scholarship have a value that goes beyond research. This is such a book. Professor Moloney's thorough study of Heaney's place among Irish poets and within the Irish mythic tradition actually casts a wider net that includes all of us, embedded as we are in our conflicted sexes and societies, Irish or not. As Ms. Moloney, meticulously shows, Heaney and most other significant Irish poets have been struggling for centuries to come resolve or come to terms with a deep disconnect in the Irish past, as symbolized by the "Feis of Tara," a myth in various forms in which a hag-like mother-fertility figure must be accepted and embraced (sexually) in order to be transformed into a beautiful emblem of hope and fertility that renews a wasted land (country, Ireland). Professor Moloney's work suggests--by extention--that all of us, not just the Irish poets and people--suffer from some kind of similar disconnect and contradition, particularly in our sexual identities, and--by a further extention--in our respective political and historical contexts, regardless of what country we reside in. In short, we too are cut off--from our past, from ourselves, and from members of the opposite sex especially. We all need a reconciliation that will only come if we "effectively conquer" our "fear of the feminine," and achieve "the humility vitally required in our interaction with each other." Heaney's work, and the work of other Irish poets, is central to this imperative, healing objective--which must be achieved if the whole world is not to degenerate into something like the Irish "troubles" (i.e. Civil War) that forms the context within which Heaney is working, particularly. The solution is embodied in Heaney's quest to understand, accept, and then transcend the cultural mythology he inherited as an Ulster poet, conflicted from birth by Ireland's particular and violent disconnect. According to Moloney, Heaney "is linked utterly to his Irish past even as he argues memorably for a world beyond the post-colonial" (and post-patriarchal, if truth be told). Simply put, "it is kindness, after all" that "transforms" us, that frees us from the curses inherent in our cultural inheritances. As another Irish poet, John Montague, puts it, we need to move "beyond male condescension" and "feminist reaction," to "love's equal realm." This is why Moloney's book should be read--in addition to the fact that it also provides and introduction and insight into the work of several other significant Irish poets in addition to Heaney. It is a "hopeful" book in more ways than one.

This is the fourth book of literary criticism on Seamus Heaney I've read so far. Moloney manages to say something new about Heaney's mythologem and places it within its context of Irish literature. I would recommend Moloney's work over the others I've read so far.

I found an original 1987 copy of this book at a small book store in my town. To my suprise, this is one of the most inspirational books I have read. The book starts off with basic information and exercises on developing your imagination and sensory perception and along the way takes you deeper and deeper into your own psyche. Some of the exercises are long and a bit complicated, but worth the effort. Her ideas and theories on spirituality can easily fit any spiritual path or belief system. This is an excellent book to use as a reference for a spiritual development group. Many of the exercises can be incorporated into such a group or be performed alone. This is a wonderful book that can act as a catalyst for emotional, psychological, and spiritual growth and development.

I found an original 1987 copy of this book at a small book store in my town. To my suprise, this is one of the most inspirational books I have read. The book starts off with basic information and exercises on developing your imagination and sensory perception and along the way takes you deeper and deeper into your own psyche. Some of the exercises are long and a bit complicated, but worth the effort. Her ideas and theories on spirituality can easily fit any spiritual path or belief system. This is an excellent book to use as a reference for a spiritual development group. Many of the exercises can be incorporated into such a group or be performed alone. This is a wonderful book that can act as a catalyst for emotional, psychological, and spiritual growth and development.

Jean Houston captures the essence of meeting the beloved ... when our ego's mask vanishes and we connect to our inner truth of who we really are. Some call this the soul, others the spirit, and also the essence. Underneath it all we are often profoundly different from who we create ourselves to be. We are actors in a play and only when the false role is shed do we see that we are happier being our true selves. A wonderful account of how deep down inside ... we are who we are searching for ... and only we can give it to ourselves and no one else.

I bought this book about a year ago and then taught a class based on it at my church. I know I will return to this book over and over throughout my life.

Kieffer's extraordinary accomplishment is a result of a life-long effort to consolidate the massive writings of 19th century British genius, poet and Egyptologist - Gerald Massey(d. 1907). Massey's in depth anthropological and mythological investigation of the origin and ascent of man culminated in 6 books consisting of over 1 million words. Few people have a chance to read all 6 books in the course
of one lifetime, so Kieffer has done humankind a great service by presenting Massey's ideas in one understandable, readable format. Not all ideas presented
will be easily digestible to the newcomer, but the book's chapters can be read in no particular order, and that is one of the beauties of it. The reader will be delightfully surprised to find mysteries such as the fall of man, original sin, the fallen angels, Atlantis, the Great Flood, explained in a thoughtful, rational way that will probably surprise the reader. For those who are desirous of tapping into and understanding the mythological roots of religion, human thought and evolution, this book is a must read. Massey in his time was a respected writer, speaker and poet who traveled to America giving lectures on his discoveries which were often met with both appreciation by open minds, and disbelief and anger by orthodoxy. To pose the proofs, obtained by years of thoughtful and traceable investigation, that Christianity is inverted myth, and that its hero, stories and parables were extant in ancient Egypt for thousands of years, was a brave act by a brave man. Needless to say, Massey was a man a century ahead of his time. Bit by bit, discoveries and studies made by Massey have been vindicated. It was Massey who proposed that man's beginnings were centered in equatorial Africa, long before the Leakeys found a few bones, and that migrations to various locations of the world could be the repository of myth that could be traced back to one source: Africa and Egypt. One day Massey will become a household word, and when this happens, we can thank Gene Kieffer and his devotion to love of truth above all and his recognition of Massey as an unmitigated genius.

This book is heavy reading. If you hold certain religious beliefs as "THE ONLY TRUTH", then this text is NOT for you. The best way to approach and absorb this text is to "suspend disbelief". You will find yourself with a whole new understanding about the nature of reality, the history of humanity, and the roots of religion. This book is meant to be read more than once...

Secret Teachings focus on Scriptural mysteries provides a key to understanding long-time Biblical puzzles, using the science of astronomical mythology developed by ancient Egyptians to apply something different to the process. Secret Teachings uses the technique to explain the meaning of Atlantis, the Flood of Noah, Original Sin and other Biblical puzzles and will provide a 'must' to any who would analyze such mysteries.

For the past 13 years on 21st Century Radio we've presented various theories about our planet's history, and the rise and fall of various civilizations and what caused their extinction. Recently I reviewed Gene Kieffer's The Secret Teachings: Unveiling the Luminous Sun Within, Bethel Publishing, 2000 that presents some very different views on the history of our planet especially as it pertains to the origins and importance of mythology. Since it is authored by someone I highly regard and have known over a quarter of a century, I figured this book would help those who are struggling with these questions -- and I was proven right! Beginning with a prophecy in which two angels appear to a U.S. Senator and reveal that something of great importance is about to be discovered, Kieffer goes on to describe Gerald Massey's Book of Beginnings and Secret Teachings, the Eleusinian Mysteries, and the Religion of the Mother to a new view of evolution. Most important is the distinction between the knowledge committed to writing and the knowledge that is handed down by the oral tradition. The difference between the two and the reason for this division of knowledge is the key revealed in this book. As promised on the book jacket, you really do only need to read a few paragraphs of this book a day in order to benefit tremendously.

A modest book with some good insights on the spiritual symbolism of food and nourishing oneself at the hearth of one's home. It's a great subject that has not been adequately explored (either in this book or in others). Most books of this type explore either the general mind-body connection or accessing one's creativity, but don't focus specifically on food. I liked what I got from this book, especially insights about the goddess Hestia. But there wasn't enough real life examples from the author's actual practice. What exactly is a nutritional counselor? I wanted case studies and solutions. Instead, I got idyllic stories about her and her husband and her adorable little girls enjoying their country home. Not as much content as I would have liked.

There aren't enough good things to say about this book. The premise is that in losing the 'hearth' in a home, the whole family and whole culture suffers. Cooking is a sacred act and it nourishes so very much more than nutritional needs in a family. This is a global truth as the writer explores in chapters about Buddhists, ancient Goddesses, and modern families.

This book is a little bit hard to describe. I like its analogy of the hearth as a foundation of our lives, and the connection of the hearth to fire Goddesses, to home, to cooking, to our relationship with food, to the center (or lack of it) of our homes, and to our own "centers." The lack of hearths in our lives is described in a way that helps the reader understand the significance of that lack. And unlike many other books that just describe a problem, this book offers solutions.

The book contains much information about fire Goddesses, but not in the usual sense of merely presenting their story, their mythology. It has the history of their contribution to the world, and it's full of the author's reflections on how those Goddesses and the lack of their presence in society today affect us negatively. But again, there are solutions. There are also many, many experiential exercises and short meditations in the book to help us get in touch with various aspects of ourselves that may be hindering our ability to connect with aspects of these Goddesses and with ourselves. The exercises/meditations are important because, as the author says, "These archetypes hold tremendous power, and yet our understanding of them remains an intellectual exercise unless we experience their meaning in our daily lives. How do we bridge the distance that separates intellect from inner experience? First, we must consider our individual feelings in relationship to these Goddesses. These feelings lead us to meaning, and gradually the power of these archetypes becomes our own."

She writes about how the Goddess Pele helps us learn to see ourselves through "the eye of the heart," a watcher of sorts who is within us, who lesson is kindness to self. Again taking this lesson back to the hearth, she writes: "As we grow accustomed to this process of inner watching, we gradually awaken to ways in which be block our own nourishment."

The author talks about Chinese medicine and healing as well as from other cultures. And she talks about seasons, and how to intelligently adjust our eating to the seasons. But mostly she talks about who we are, and how we get that way and how food and hearth and home and love and the Goddesses who embody these things can help us. It's just a great all-around book for anyone into self-growth, parenting/nurturing, home life, raising children, learning about Paganism...I could go on and on. Get the book.

The title of this review appears on the book's cover; I couldn't think of a better one. While the themes Anne Scott covers --nutrition, goddesses, ancient practices such as Chinese medicine and the spiritual meaning of the seasons-- have become quite popular recently, this book has a unique voice. It is relatively short and compact and each page is filled with a quietly intense wisdom. The unifying theme is the hearth; that too often overlooked (in modern times) place of physical or spiritual fire that provides us with nourishment. Anne Scott explores this from many traditions. She focuses on several fire goddesses -- Hestia (Greek), Pele (Hawaiian), Brighde (Irish) and Gabija (Lithuanian), relates conversations with various teachers and healers and describes how the seasons correspond to the elements of Chinese medicine. Throughout the book are personal anecdotes that relate to the subject; indeed, the book seems to come primarily from her experience and life lessons. There is also some good advice on eating appropriately for the seasons, talking to children about food and eating more consciously. Like many spiritually-focused books, this one encourages us to slow down, pay more attention to our surroundings and appreciate the abundance of nature. This one accomplishes something rare; it is itself an expression of the kind of simplicity and awareness it advocates.