Spirituality Books

One look at all the reviews and you notice they are all done by first-time reviewers with the same heading, writting style, and grammar. That should tell you something right there. I think the author wanted to vamp up sales with these fake reviews, which I believe were all done by the same person. Amazon should take notice of such schemes.

I found that this book has a lot of history in it. It was nice to read about psychic Stephen's views. I am a firm believer in being open minded and this psychic book made me feel more open minded then ever. I clearly wanted to get a taste of psychic science in a nut shell and I did. This was the 3rd psychic book that I have read and I found it to be different and somewhat entertaining. I loved the fact that psychic piperno is from NY and I am from there as well. Psychic Stephen seems to know what he is talking about. I thought that it was so brave of him to share so much of his story about his family and his psychic life in general. This man is very blessed. His views are shared by so many people that I have spoken to. I think that more psychics should stand up and write about what they believe to be true. This book is both enjoyable to read and a wonderful teaching tool!

This takes you back into the 90's as well as other decades. Piperno Prophet tells it like it is in this psychic book. I hold many of the same philosophies as psychic Stephen does. I have always been Christian my whole life, but became a psychic when I turned 25. Psychic Stephen has put my spirit at ease because I have always been guilty. I feel like I should not be a psychic if I am a Christian, but I am looking at things differently now thanks to this psychic. God bless!

Hey, just wanted to drop a note to say that this book is written by spirit. I can see the way that it is written to give credit to God. I love the fact that this book has many lessons to learn from. I would recommend this book to anyone that feels like they need help from a good psychic friend. In life, we all have to meet someone that we feel we are compatable with. I am not going to search for love anymore. I am instead going to look at life in a different way. I can relate to psychic Stephen's story because I to had a father that died of alcoholism. It brought back some memories, but I was happy to read that it didn't effect your psychic gift. Good book overall.

I have to agree with the person who said all the 5 star reviews are suspicious. I don't know how anyone could like this book?
I would rather sit through a 10 hour sermon - at least then I wouldn't have to deal with the poor spelling, grammar, etc. It's LOSE, not LOOSE!!
In addition, the title is a bit misleading. This book is a daft Christians point of view, not a psychic's. It's also disturbingly male-centric.
I feel kinda bad for badmouthing a book like this, but I really don't want anyone to buy it based on all the good reviews.

Although Lewis was, of course, a renowned and devout Christian, this book will speak to anyone who's lost someone with whom they shared real love. All of the questions, angers, and doubts that fill the mind during the numbing time following great loss are shared in the first person, generously, by Lewis. This is, I think, a beautiful, powerful, and deeply healing work.

This small book is a blessing to those who have experienced a deep and pressing grief. It shows a bit of the journey C.S. Lewis made through his grief experience. It was a brief, beautiful read.

Lewis, a confirmed intellectual bachelor, almost comically stumbled into a deeply romantic and erotic marriage late in life. An American poet, Joy Davidman, while visiting him in England was stricken with breast cancer. Her visa expired and she faced a mindlessly bureaucratic forced expulsion which probably would have killed her. Lewis agreed to what he expected to be a marriage of convenience, giving her a right to stay in England long enough to die peaceably. Unaccountably, almost impishly, she recovered and they became man and wife in fact and not just pro forma. Lewis was delighted, swept away and overwhelmed; he became radiantly happy.

This brief moment of joy, was snatched from him, however, as the cancer reasserted itself. Lewis poured out his profound grief at the death of his wife on paper, sharing his thoughts, feelings, longings in a journal which became A Grief Observed. Unlike some of his other works, which are witty, philosophical, almost whimsical at times, this book is deeply personal and profoundly painful, almost raw in its emotional intensity. It is also a deep testament to Lewis's faith. Like all humanity, he faced loss and suffering and death. Lewis, like Job, transforms is somehow able to hand over all this darkness to the Lord in an act of sheer faith.

My own father recently died. I found Lewis's book to be a great comfort and a powerful guide through the grieving process. I strongly recommend this to anyone who has recently lost a loved one.

One note on the edition. This edition contains a foreword by Madeline L'Engle. The foreword enhanced the book, but earlier editions had a longer foreword (or possibly an afterword) by a male friend of Lewis which I found even more moving. I particularly remember a joke in the earlier edition about Lewis being surprised by Joy. If you've read the older edition, know that the supporting material is different.

Originally published under a pseudonym, this short book is a thoroughly reasoned but heart-felt analyzation of grief from the private writing journal of intellectual author and academia giant, C.S. Lewis. The object of his grief is the love of his life, his rare intellectual equal and friend whom he met later in life and fell deeply in love with, making her his wife.

Born Atheist, C.S. Lewis became a committed Christian, but spent part of his journalized pages in honest reflection of his anger at God and acknowledgement of fragile faith while in the throes of traumatic, life-altering grief. He boldly wonders and writes the thoughts and words most familiarly held at some point in the minds of others bereaved over their most beloved and cherished.

From page 23: "Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief. Apparently the faith - I thought it faith - which enables me to pray for the other dead has seemed strong only because I have never really cared, not desperately, whether they existed or not. Yet I thought I did."

After other thoughts about risks and beliefs, this is said, "And you will never discover how serious it was until the stakes are raised horribly high, until you find that you are playing not for counters or for sixpences but for every penny you have in the world. Nothing will shake a man - or at any rate a man like me - out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover himself."

On page 25, C.S. sees the human side of grieving when others try to console him with spiritual avenues of comfort: "Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand."

The social leprosy of bereavement is also mentioned on a couple of pages, including this: "Perhaps the bereaved ought to be isolated in special settlements like lepers."

At the end, C.S. Lewis seems to reconcile himself to a conclusion about grieving: "For, as I have discovered, passionate grief does not link us with the dead but cuts us off from them," as he tries to go about cherishing his beloved's every memory with gladness, a smile and a laugh. Not for long, however, is this a workable plan as he writes the next day's journal entry more in line with the natural phases of grief: "An admirable programme. Unfortunately it can't be carried out. tonight al the hells of young grief have opened again; the mad words, the bitter resentment, the fluttering in the stomach, the nightmare unreality, the wallowed-in tears. For in grief nothing `stays put.' One keeps on emerging from a phase, but it always recurs. Round and round. Everything repeats. Am I going in circles, or dare I hope I am on a spiral?"

As do we all of bereavement ask ourselves when finding that as much as we try clawing our way up the spiral, we suddenly lose our grasp, totally at the mercy of our humanness and that quality that never dies - love.

I read on Wikipedia that Lewis had originally released this book under a pseudonym, N.W. Clerk. But, as it happened, so many of his friends recommended it to him as a way to deal with his own grief that he finally decided to publish it under his own name. I do not know if that was actually true, but it makes a great story. He wrote this book after his wife, Joy, died of cancer.

A Grief Observed is one of those books that get recommended in the aftermath of a death. In my case, I think of the books about loss as being divided into two categories: the dead baby books and the "oh god why" books. This is an "oh god why" book.

My flippancy does not do Lewis any real justice. It is recommended for many good reasons. I am sure that there will be a day when I find myself handing a copy to someone I love who is trying to make sense of what they are going through. But I still find myself wanting to be flippant in this review. It is a difficult book to read, and nearly as difficult to talk about in a public forum like this one. I had made the mistake of reading it during a long train ride-- wiping the tears away with the collar of my winter coat.

I would not call it a comfort to read, exactly. I guess that my own grief is still too raw. But he gets it right. He gets the physical arc of grief. He gets the ways in which it changes over time. He gets the way in which loss like this changes and illuminates the nature of the personal relationship that you have with the divine.

What I like most is that Lewis does not pull his punches. He does not find himself falling back on the kind of false homilies with which so many treat the death of a loved one. He is not easy on himself, nor is he easy on God. I recognize the bitter anger in so many of these pages. I also recognize the hopeless love for the dead-- the realization that you are lifting your hands to nothing except imagination and the unknown.

This is a beautiful horse story. It should be paired with Joe Camp's "The Soul of Horse", another beautiful horse story.The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd

Chosen by a Horse

This book is absolutely the most delightful reading I have done in quite some time. Ms. Richards story telling abilities were as refreshing as a cool glass of water on a hot and humid day. Ms. Richards story was expressed in the most honest, touching, and gentle way, it enabled me to connect to her experience almost as if I had experienced it myself. Her story telling style is clean, direct and unadorned, hence that lovely feeling I had of having read something almost pristine in the context of the written word. The story was so well told the only disappointment I might express, was that it ended much too quickly. I truly felt saddened when I came to the end, and only wished that it could have gone on longer. Happily for myself I just found out that she came out with a follow up book, which I am purchasing today, the title is "Chosen Forever". I cannot wait to get my new book and continue along this journey that Ms. Richards began to pen so beautifully in "Chosen by a Horse. I purchased numerous copies of this book and shared it with all of my friends, I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

I loved this book! I became attached to Lay Me Down. This book is perfect in demonstating horse-owner relationships. Animals in general have a way of tuning us more into ourselves by just spending time with them. A perfect book for any horse and/or animal lover!

I really enjoyed this book. What a remarkable horse Lay Me Down was, and you really got a sense of that through Susan Richards writing. I enjoyed her writing style and wit. If you like this book, you'll also love books by Melanie Sue Bowles (my other favorite real-life horse author) like The Horses of Proud Spirit.

What a beautiful story! A friend sent me this book and I finished reading it within a day. The author really knows how to write in a flowing, easy-going manner with plenty of wit and intelligence, making it easy to do so.

"Chosen By A Horse" refers to one pre-named Lay Me Down whom the author, Susan Richards rescues through the SPCA and brings back to health and a better life.

Ms. Richards had already been through a hauntingly rough childhood. In her later years, she indulged in her love of horses and had three to take care of before bringing Lay Me Down to the herd. She knows and writes about her horses as another might describe the personalities, antics and endearments of human children. One can easily picture and imagine each horse - especially Lay Me Down - the sweetest and most trusting of horses in spite of what the brood mare had suffered in her past life.

When a tumor develops near Lay Me Down's eye, Ms. Richards writes about Lay Me Down's reaction to the vet's visit and tests, "She sighed over the bucket and licked the lid of the sonogram machine. Everything she did seemed precious to me, precious and tender. For me, her terrible past was always a presence, a reminder of what it was that had survived: this sweet, kind nature, qualities so lacking in my human family they seemed like miracles to me now."

When death seemed imminent, this is written: "It was as though Lay Me Down and my childhood had merged into the same thing: losing what mattered, losing love. In a crazy way, it felt like Lay Me Down had been taking care of me ever since I got her, bringing to life parts of me that had died with my mother. By her gentle affection I felt restored to the status of someone who mattered, someone who was needed. She gave me that, a sense of family. We both had belonged to nobody, nobody who cared, and now so late in our lives, this miracle had occurred. We had come together on my farm, and for the first time, we had both been free from our fears."

The ending is especially poignant and touching.

There are no words that can possibly praise this book and this man enough. The seth material is the only other writing that is on par with Nisargadatta. Truly a completely enlightened being, and an example of what we all can become and are becoming.

Long but easy to read. A beautiful guide for anyone seeking self-realization via non-duality.

If you're ever looking for all the wisdown contained in the great spiritual traditions condensed and explained clearly in volume, this book is a great place to go to. As with all great spiritual teachings, this book makes us realise the astounding sinmplicity of the realised state. It illustrates the law that the more complex a spiritual teaching system is, the less wisdom and truth it contains. I came across this book through Eckhart Tolle's recommended reading list. There are other great books there too - highly recommended is The Fall by Steve Taylor. The Fall: The Evidence for a Golden Age, 6,000 years of Insanity and the Dawning of a New Era

I Am That. How beautifull to know i am nobody, and yet, everything.
Searching since i was 15 my library became immense at one point in time.
Now at 33 my library is narrowed down to this book, Tolle's books and maharshi.
What a relief this book was, so perfectly dialogued.
Two pages read upon starting my day ceases thought, if there was any to begin with, and just saying, 'i am' a few times pulls me into reality.
A simple Yes to life, and, I Am.

Nisargadatta informs the ego and the intellect of all that it is not and he couples this path of knowledge with a profound devotion that will stop your search for enlightenment to realize who you are here and now. You are what you are seeking and in seeking, you cannot be found. We rest in the joy of being, simply "I am." This instruction was offered to Nisargadatta by his teacher and with great love and respect for him, he followed his instruction and stopped all effort. In three years, he Self-realized.

"I am That" is divided into 101 chapters and is a compilation of direct dialogues that Nisargadatta had with his students. The translation of the book is natural and flows very nicely. It includes an occassional photograph of Nisargadatta that emulates the devotion that he was sensing at the moment. "I am That" begins with an Introduction by Douwe Tiermersma on the Philosophical Faculty of Erasmus University in Holland. It is followed by a short Biography of Nisargadatta and a note from the translator about how the book was created as well as a short note from the editor. The first appendix is Nisarga Yoga and shares the simple abode and life of Nisargadatta. The second appendix is Navanath Sampradaya and offers a history and structure of sects in India. The final appendix is a complete and quite helpful glossary of terms found in the book.

The dialogues begin with the sense of "I am" and brings attention to the here and now to live in the present moment. He masterfully moves us beyond the ego and its thinking to stand free of thought, so that we may witness them without identification. He immediately then points to the Awareness and Consciousness that is the perceiving. Nisargadatta also frees us from identification with the body; we are not the person, but rather the Reality that is beyond.

We see that the highest bliss is desirelessness and the answer is to turn our mind's attention inward by asking the question, "Who am I?" He dynamically leads us to a profound detachment from form and to continue resting solely in "I am." The only time to realize freedom is Now and that Life can be the teacher, when we allow it to be as it is and notice that life is happening by itself. He shifts us beyond the duality of a pleasure that cycles to pain to realize the Bliss of True Self.

When we begin observing, we recognize all that we are not. We brush off the dust of the mind, its time and all of its false concepts and what remains is who we really are. He points that insecurity is not in the life situation and that it is sourced within the dual mind. When we break free of thought and ever more subtle layers of the intellect, we discouver the absolute security of the changeless. Nisargadatta warns that when we follow the desires of the mind, they may be fulfilled, but discontentment will surely once again resurface and that by following desire, we are breeding more desire and that quest will prove to be endless. Beyond the mind, we are free of both fear and desire and therefore free of all suffering.

He consistently reminds his students that bondage is a delusion and the freedom of True Self already is within them. He urges to seek the very source of consciousness itself, the deepest root of collective suffering. If it is not eradicated, even after awakening, it will surface to be freed.

"I am" is the foundation of all experience and the doorway to discover ever present peace. Here, we shift beyond all space and time.

Sooner or later, you will be lead to this spirtual classic in the maturity of your search for enlightenment. "I am That" will at last stop the search. I find this book an essential teaching, a must read, from an extraordinary sage. I also recommend the other final teaching in the book and spiritual classic "Be as You Are" by Sri Ramana Maharshi that is edited by David Godman. Free Spirit is a new book written by my husband and teaching partner, Sundance Burke, who awakened twenty-five years ago.
~ Katie Davis,Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment

Not only was the book very pleasing to the eyes, it held my full attention to keep reading non-stop! Fascinating information about the spiritual level of these beautiful birds was also revealed. WOW! Much kudos and thanks to the AUTHOR for enlightening me.

I'm thrilled that my neighbors love this book. The kids just love the birds! And my older friends love it when they received in Christmas.

It's such a lively and vivid portrayal into the bird "characters" that I feel they are my true great friends.
The author has successfully conveyed her love for these birds to her readers and made them a part of their lives.

This is the best book you can get to give as a gift honestly :)
Would appeal to many, many people, regarless the age or even if you believe they don't care much about birds or things like that, you would see that they will love it!

This book surely shows the love animals have inside and the beauty of their inner souls.

Henri Nouwen had a truly God-given gift - the gift of explaining timeless spiritual truths in very clear, ordinary language in a conversational and deeply captivating way. His words and his explanations imprint themselves into the memory and stay in the heart, and truly help to change lives. Much of his wisdom surely comes from his own struggles, which he admits to in the book - he personally struggled with depression, pride, desire for success and fame, envy, etc. - common human ailments. He also struggled with feeling unworthy of God, and with feeling distant from God. Yet, he learned to overcome his struggles (though he admits that he is still on a journey), and he describes how.

This is the third book I have read by Neuwen. After reading Life of the Beloved I really didn't think that anything could compare, but this book, if not better, is at least just as good. It is an instantly timeless spiritual classic. The whole book is a reflection on Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son. First Nouwen reflects on the younger son who came back from a foreign land. Then he reflects on the older son who witnesses his younger brother's return. Finally, Nouwen reflects on the father figure. His insights are deep and beautiful. He leads the reader to a natural and yet incredible insight: that after identifying ourselves with both the younger and older brother, we must realize that rather than being either of these two brothers, we are called to become the father!

"Return of the Prodigal Son" is a wonderful opportunity to hear the gentleness and genius that was Henri Nouwen. The book was originally a talk given at retreat when Nouwen was 57, about 8 years before his death, in the time following his famous service at Toronto's L'Arche Daybreak facility for severely handicapped adults. Nouwen's humility is on display, as are his deep spiritual and psychological insights.

The impetus for Nouwen's reflections was Rembrandt's "Return of the Prodigal Son," painted when the artist was elderly, and following multiple tragedies in his own life. Nouwen's inspiration is less the painting, though, than the parable. His lecture is split into three parts, focusing on the younger son, the older son and the father. Nouwen's take on the parable is Jesus's radical break with interpretations of God that held sway in his own day as they still do in ours. The God that Jesus defines is not angry, vindictive or retaliatory, but completely open in love and forgiveness. While many will agree with this description of the Father, fewer will agree with Nouwen that this image of the Father exists the rest of Holy Scripture (both OT and NT) as well. While many of us are willing to accept Scripture's seemingly schizoid vision of God, Nouwen does not. He is completely committed to the loving father portrayed in this parable. For those committed to the God of condemnation, hell and judgment, Nouwen will be a disappointment (or a challenge). Human beings separate themselves from a God who is always anxious to take them back, teaches Nouwen.

In Nouwen's take on the story, the younger son teaches the journey from dissolution to containment. Dissolution includes dissipation of the kind associated with the younger son in the parable -- insults to parents, arrogance, squandering of resources, immorality. But dissolution extends to other activities and attitudes that spread our energies beyond our capacities. We spread ourselves too thin, spiritually, usually out of a desire to impress those in our lives whom we want to impress or influence. But by recognizing our sonship with God, we realize that we do need to impress of fathers (whether heavenly or worldly) into loving us, allowing us to bring our spiritual energies into containment and focus. The elder son often lives in our hearts alongside the younger son. The elder son's error is in resentment and separation. He cannot rejoice that "this son of yours" has returned from death, whining about his own ceaseless and unrewarded labors. But his error also speaks to a misunderstanding of the Father's love. He feels he will be loved *because* of his obedience (evidently given grudgingly) and has missed that his gift is to have been in the presence of the Father all along.

Nouwen's deep insight into the parable, whose subtlety and profundity become apparent the more listen, is astounding. The parable has the power to heal as well. For any who have felt conflict or hurt in family situations, as has Nouwen himself, the parable points the way toward a recognition of our true place in the world, and in God's eyes. This is not a dewy "I'm OK, You're OK" insight, but can lead to a profound shifting of our existential relationship with ourselves, our parents and our God. What false fronts and defenses we might shed if we truly believed in a God who loved us as beloved children -- no matter how far astray we had gone?

Nouwen's style and delivery belie the intensity of his own struggle and the wisdom of his teaching. Yet the insights continue rolling in, like waves following the passage of a ship, long after the book is over. A fascinating and potentially life-changing book.

This book opened up so many different ideas on the well known story of the Prodigal Son. I loved reading this book. It was my first Nouwen read, and it definitely will get me reading more of his books. If you are not familiar with Nouwen, this is a good first read.

This is an excellent life changing book. Presents the core truth of the Christian Gospel in a way that touches everyday attitudes and struggles. A book so personal and touching you may find that Nouwen is addressing your own unique circumstances. I certainly did. You may find yourself thinking about a new way to live. This book changed my life.

Everyone needs to reflect upon their life at some point. This book is excellent in helping one to see how their journey in life has brought them closer to God.

Donna Gillespie's The Light Bearer is an entertaining, substantive work, made even more impressive by being the author's first novel. She cares for her characters, especially her two leads, Auriane and Marcus Julianus, who are likable, soulful, and passionate heroes. It is impossible not to root for them to overcome their enemies and come together as allies. Her research is evident in the amount of historical detail, particularly in her description of Chattian customs and rituals. Since many of the facts about the culture of Germanic tribes have been lost, she relies on educated speculation to authenticate her portrayal.

As a character, Auriane is appealing in that she straddles the limbo between Germanic tribalism and Roman civilization. While she firmly subscribes to her tribal customs, she is amazed and impressed by Roman advancements. Her tolerance of Rome and Romans distinguishes her from the Boudica, a British warrior maiden who is her closest real-life composite. I like how Auriane's quasi-Romanization provides conflict between her and her kinsmen.

The novel is more fiction than history. Auriane and Marcus Julianus are entirely fictional, although I am sure they inspired by true people and events. While it is possible that people like them existed, I do not believe it to be likely. Marcus Julianus's role in monumental events is too significant; anyone who would have effected such dramatic change would have been remembered. I think that the author could have learned from Gore Vidal (in Creation or the Narratives of Empire series) or Mary Renault (in The Praise Singer or The Mask of Apollo) who create memorable fictional characters who witness historical events but rarely incite them.

In my opinion, the novel's main weakness is the lack of complexity in the characters. On one hand, the heroes are unquestionably good and capable. They rarely make mistakes, and when they do, they turn out to be fortunate errors which lead to greater understanding of events or acceptance by others. On the other hand, the villains are monstrously evil, which is the novel's biggest failing. The author never attempts to humanize Domitian, Junilla, or Odberht, all of whom may have compelling causes for their villainy: Domitian and Junilla were persecuted under the Nero regime, and Odberht was disowned by his father. The author did not have to elicit sympathy for them, but she could have made an effort to make them more understanding. In particular, her depiction of Domitian is heavy-handed, lacking the realism or intricacy of Robert Graves's Claudius or Colleen McCullough's Caesar or Augustus. While history is sketchy about him, there is some consensus that he was an able administrator, which the author omits. I think that Gillespie could have done more with him by weighing his reign against Nero's and using the similarities and differences to pin down his character.

I also think that the novel would have been more digestible as two or three midsized novels than one colossal epic. The plot has numerous places where one storyline ends and another begins. These ending and beginnings might have better handled in separate works than in one book. The novel sprawls at times; as a series of novels, it might have been tauter and more focused. She could learn narrative control from Gillian Bradshaw, whose Roman novels are consistently engaging due to their economy of words and plots.

The fact that I am comparing Gillespie to accomplished, praised writers in the genre indicates her talent and potential. Mentioning a first-time novelist alongside Vidal, Renault, Graves, and McCullough is an accolade.

The Lightbearer is truly an amazing read. Once I began it, I couldn't pull myself away from the spell of Auriane, woman warrior, fighting for the survival of her embattled Germanic tribe against the all powerful Roman army. The characters are so richly drawn, I had an immediate sense of our shared humanity, despite the remoteness of their times. I was captivated by the vivid descriptions of these two worlds, sometimes hauntingly beautiful, sometimes disturbingly barbarous, always artfully rendered through Gillespie's exquisite prose. This is definitely a page turner filled with passion, struggle, heroism, and intriguing myth. With this carefully crafted tale Gillespie enters the arena of master storyteller.

Every possible element of good writing comes alive in this book. Gillespie recreates a lost time with such powerful detail we can feel we're living there with her characters. Those characters are larger than life, just as they should be in an historical novel of epic scope. Who would want to read about Robin Hood if he couldn't shoot an arrow straight?
But best of all is the plot. I don't *think* I read books for plot, but without a plot, no book really succeeds. It's like the skeleton of a human. You don't want to look at someone's hipbones directly, but without them, there are no graceful dancers. Gillespie's plot is as intricate as a 3,000 piece jigsaw puzzle and that's what drew me in and got me so involved with the characters that I was disappointed to see the book end -- and it's not a short book, either.

This is a big book by any standards, 800 pages and is the result of years of research and study by the author into the culture, and history of Rome and the Germanic tribes. I found it fascinating, exciting and thought provoking. In fact everything that a good book should be.

The year is AD 83 and the Emperor Domitian has crossed the Rhine with four legions, approximately 24,000 men and they have not marched that far for the exercise. The German tribes have tried to maintain their independence for as long as they can, but against such might their resistance is futile. Thus begins this mammoth book that takes us from the heartlands of the Rhine back to the decadence and temptations of ancient Rome.

A young woman Auriane, daughter of a chieftain who was to become the most revered prophetess of the tribes is captured and taken to Rome as a slave. There her life is changed completely and everything that she stands for is brushed away like so much rubbish. But having known her destiny from being a child Auriane is not about to bow to the yoke of Rome without a fight . . .

There is much I could say about "The Light Bearer" which has already been said, but as I don't review all the books in McCullough's Masters of Rome series (of which I've ready each book), I don't feel I can properly do justice to the greatness of this sweeping epic, which unlike McCullough's work, spans not just from Rome, but from a not well known Germanic tribe called the Chattians.

Gillespie does an amazing job of keeping Rome and Germania separate in writing details, with an inevitable connection between the two. Much is equally known about both the Chattians and the Romans as if written by two authors with the same writing style.

Some high points I point out are the very subtle rise of Domitianus's deranged paranoia and Caligulan/Neronian style reign, though the foreshadowing was a bit too obvious for my tastes.

Other interesting bits are the use and apparent source of commonly known modern things among the Chattians, such as the Goddess of the underworld, Hel, and the Eastre celebration, involving children dressed as rabbits and the hiding of colored eggs.

Because the flaws are so few and insignificant in the face of the greater elements, I think it's easier to point them out:

The writing is very sumptuous, but often at times it can get too dense and bogged down in details. This occurs mostly the first time Auriane enters the Colisseum.

Also, the sex. I've become used to ancient historical novels writing sex scenes very metaphorically and obtusely, without using direct wording. Gillespie appears to take it to such an extreme, with the vividly flowery writing between Marcus and Auriane's lovemaking that it becomes like a dense poem jackknifing from the wonders of nature and life and the gods in an obtuse manner, you nearly forget that the two characters are having sex. So over the top is the writing, that the way Gillespie describes it, you'd think Auriane was having blinding orgasms at just Marcus's touch on her arm or chest.


With the state of Rome at this point, and the main character being a foreigner and enemy to Rome, it's inevitable that a bias against Rome would be drawn, but the male character of Marcus Arrius Julianus is so much the outcast that there is little distinction between how Auriane and Marcus view the Roman world despite their differences. Auriane views Rome as savage and barbaric, and a plague on Fria's realm, whereas Marcus views it in somewhat the same fashion, but figures it's all he has, so he may as well love it.

Aside from Julianus and some of the senators friendly to him, you'd think Rome was a festering pot of corruption, barbarity, and bloodlust the epitome of the Roman view of the barbarians, while the Chattians are viewed as pure, natural, children of the earth that can do no wrong and are victimized by everyone from Rome to their neighboring tribes. Any opposition to Baldemar, Auriane's father and chieftain of the Chattians, is viewed as petty greed and personal problems on the part of the dissenter.

Some forgiveable offenses include loose ends, which may be tied up in the sequel "Lady of the Light", or the as of yet unnamed second sequel, including both Marcus and Auriane having amulets of earth from their childhood, duplicates of one another, and Auriane's seeming mystical foresight.


All these flaws are minimal, in my view, and not much to drag the otherwise epic tale down a full star in rating.

There is one issue with both Auriane and Marcus Julianus which may detract some readers, though is apparently done in such a way that broad interpretation can explain it away as easily as it couldn't: Gillespie may be guilty of "Mary-Sue"ing with Auriane and Marcus Julianus. Both seem to be greater than their surroundings, meant for greater things not yet known to either, and with little to no flaws beyond what their separate societies have naturally imbued in them (stubborn traditionalism in Auriane, cynic realism in Marcus), and beautiful physiques. From a certain point of view, many of their actions or words appear to be Mary Sue-ish reflections of the author's own point of view (determined by the narrative) or of a sense of moral or social well-being beyond that of someone from ancient times.

Or this could simply be the tired ramblings of a fussy reader.

Either way, the over 1000 page epic was a great read, and a highly insightful view into how the Germanic tribes of the early Roman Empire, and the early Roman Empire itself may have been.

I love SARK. This is another addition to the wonderful collection of whimsical, colorful, and insightful books she has written.

Very easy (and fun) to read, if i'm ever feeling down, I just read a few pages of SARK and I always feel a little better.

This book is a good introduction to the world of SARK and great gift if you know any woman that needs a self esteem boost. It's witty and deep without being tedious to read or annoyingly sweet. Sometimes we all need to be reminded that we are wonderful and creative beings and need that little inspiration to connect with our spirit to create and do things that make us feel alive.

SARK shows us that attitude and small actions can make positive and unexpected things happen in our lives. she gives many examples of this from her own life. Love it! every woman should own a copy.

My finding this book was quite the happy accident. It was like making a good friend. It's colorful and creative presentation didn't prepare me for the possibilities I could explore inside. On those days, when you want or need something more to hold on to, pick up this book. Every page holds something of value!

Nice book....I appreciate the author's writing style, however the use of multi-colored text combined with the funky fonts makes it difficult to read.

This is a great book!!! Buy it for yourself and other women you know. I gave this book to several women as gifts and all of them have told me how much they love it and many have passed it along or bought copies for their girlfriends. This is an easy and fun read and hits on issues that many women deal with in a comical and realistic way. You should definitely buy this book!

This book is a must have for any woman or young lady. I kept checking out this book from the library over and over again anytime I felt pressured by friends, family, or even pop culture to become something I wasn't. I finally realized that with all of the late fees I racked up I could have purchased the book five times over.

It encourages women to live life to the fullest and be who they truly are. If you are having even the slightest bit of confidence issues, this book is for you. Dive In!

Soul Wisdom: Practical Treasures to Transform Your Life

From the moment I opened this wonderful book , I felt a peace and calm. I was filled with a sense of harmony and love.

Soul Wisdom is must in your library as we go through the shifts and changes with our spiritual growth.

Thank you Master Sha, for all of your love and soul wisdom.

Dr. Sha offers profound spiritual wisdom and techniques in an easy to understand format that any serious student can follow.I can't wait for his next book!

Soul Wisdom I has so many blessing in it that I will go back and reread the chapters I have finished. As with Master Sha's book, SOUL MIND BODY Medicine, just the first few pages takes hold of my heart and doesn't ever let it go. Soul Wisdom I is another wonderful teaching book that I will share with my family and friends.

Dr. Sha has written a beautiful book that makes his spiritual wisdom available to everyone. He offers step-by-step instruction on how to heal our souls, and as a result, to create physical healing on every level. He explains why organs function improperly and shows the reader how to transform disfunction into optimal functioning, by balancing and healing the individual souls associated with each individual organ.

The exercises that Dr. Sha provides will help you to transform your body and to facilitate organ balance and function. Beyond the exercises, Dr. Sha shares his belief that each of us can experience optimal physical functioning and spiritual joy, and his belief in our right to do so, shines through this book. He also demonstrates how soul-wellness on the cellular and organic level facilitates emotional health, physical wellness and energy balance and shares examples of individual healings that have occurred through the use of his methods. On a strictly spiritual level, Dr. Sha teaches us how to create communion and spiritual alignment with the Divine.

At some point, some of us may get a sense of being out of the flow of Universal Energy. If that's where you are right now or if your life seems full of struggle, this book will show you how to regain your balance and how to re-energize your life.

Has anyone noticed that Dr. Zhi Gang Sha wears glasses? This review is not a criticism nor is it intended to show any disrespect. It's just an honest observation and a concern as to avoid being gullible. In Soul Wisdom: Practical Treasures to Transform Your Life, there is considerable attention given to the effectiveness of Soul Healing. In another one of Dr. Sha's books, Soul, Mind, Body, Medicine, there are no limitations put on the diseases that can be healed using his soul healing practices. For example, in the section on Conditions of the Eyes, there are specific techniques given for healing nearsightedness, cataracts, and retinal atrophy.

If this method is effective then why can't the author heal his own eyesight and eliminate the need to wear glasses? Maybe there is a significant and understandable factor involved that makes an exception of his eyesight being able to be healed. I'd like to know. Can someone help answer this question?

I have bought five of the Dr. Sha's books and would really like to begin by believing there is credibility in his healing methods.

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beautiful book , beautiful art work , beautiful writing ! Very happy with my purchase !

I can't really review this book cause I haven't even had the chance to use this book but if I ever do get the chance to use it and have the wonderful experience of the oracle I think it would be a great experience. overall I like the cards and I thnk that I would really like it.

If you work with, or want to work with, the Faery beings, this lovely oracle deck can help bring you into contact with the Faery realms. It can be used as a meditative tool, as keys for connecting with certain Faery, or even contacting your Faery contacts who help you within the Other Realms. One thing I love is that the writer of the book and the artist push you to develop your own relationship with the Fey rather than rely soley on the book for interrpretations which is as it should be!

Hail to the Faeries!

I originally purchased these cards for a friend (on a whim) but when I saw them I was so enchanted by them I kept them for myself! (I'll order another set for the friend.) Their energy is delightful, intense, and a welcome change from the standard tarot deck. I like that the accompanying book is a hard-back and have found it a very useful guide to the cards. Users/collectors of tarot or other oracle-type cards should definitely give these a try.

this oracle has a really good, detailed first part, where in the authors explain everything you need to know not only about getting started with this deck but also everything you need to know about starting to contact the inhabitants of Faery. playful but serious at the same time.