Spirituality Books

Authors k.t. Frankovich and David Taub were invited to be guest speakers at the Florida Writers Association's 1st Annual convention/Royal Palm Book Awards. It took place from Friday 25th through Sunday 27th, October at the Orlando/Altamonte Springs Hilton Hotel. They gave a one hour Poetry Presentation (on Saturday), which preceded the Royal Palm Book Awards dinner (the Book Awards took place later at 10pm).

125 guests, which included some of the 400 FWA members, publishers, editors, agents, book store reps, etc., attended the entire evening event.

Approximately 150 titles had been submitted, over the past 6 months, for just about every genre of writing imaginable. The 'judging system' had been incredibly carefully devised, whereby copies of submissions were sent out literally all over the US - every judge had no idea who the other judges were, and each one had no connection / relationship to anyone belonging to the FWA - its members or the FWA Board members, Officers, Directors, etc.

The 'scoring system' by each judge, for each book, was also very detailed - a list of criteria requiring a 'rating' for each aspect of the book, effectively giving an overall score book / per judge.

The judging took place over several weeks, and all the rating sheets were then returned to a panel of the Directors, and collated by them PLUS overseen and notarised by an attorney! The collating of each book's scores, alone, took 17 hours! A small number of genre categories had been pre-determined, so that each genre category would have its own award - a Winner and Runner-up per category. THEN, finally, an overall "Best Book of the Year" award.

For the Poetry category, there were approximately 40 books entered. Language of Souls walked away with the category's Best Poetry Book award!

Then, the FWA's President and founder, Glenda Ivey, prior to the Grand Finale of naming the overall "Best Book of the Year" winner, announced that the overall winning book had achieved something wholly unexpected by the 'collating panel' - Namely that, while the overall winner had 'simply' needed to have the highest score of all the entrants, it had achieved a flawless 100% maximum score for EVERY criteria by EVERY judge. And so, this obviously can never be beaten - but only ever equalled - in their future annual book awards.

Frankovich and Taub were stunned into absolute silence, when it was announced that the "Book of the Year" winner was........ Language of Souls.

In a later interview, Frankovich commented, "While we are obviously elated that Language of Souls won this award, what has stunned us the most is that a poetry book out-scored every other genre."

This iz good but this iz not az gud az Flubblebop

Yim yam widdley woooo!

This book, consisting of the poems of k.t. Frankovich, Ruth Solomon and David Taub, is beautifully presented with illustrations by Freydoon Rassouli.

The poems are positive and hopeful. And they are written in a form that can be easily understood. I enjoyed them immensely.

Three super-poets,Solomon,Taub and Frankovich ,plus the artistic mind of Rassouli... Swept away to the serenity of Taub,ripped to realities harshness ,Solomon (of course) Frankovich's ,from tears to fantasy cropped with Rassouli's surrealizm,,, what's not to like?

It seems, from reading the other reviews, this is a poetry book spreading around the world. I am sharing my copy with some of my friends and the comments are all the same. "I never knew books were produced like this anymore!" It is like an oasis of beautifully readable poetry in the desert of obscure and esoteric writing, which has pervaded the poetry world over the past decade. I was lucky to find this as a result of reading the autobiography by one of the 3 poets - k.t. Frankovich and her book, 'Where Heavens Meet'.

Do you really want to know about ALL the chakras? I am defining this as the best book on chakras Ive ever read.Not for the Lay-tantric (lol), this is **very advanced**. It is NOT an easy read. Trust me on this. I only recommend this book to advanced philosophers and practioners. Wonderful art too! 10 stars!

You will find that there is much truth in this book. Take ancient knowledge and update the delivery in a manner suitable for advanced practitioners of Yoga and you may begin to understand the approach of the author, Shyam Sundar Goswami. Not for the novice, and not for those with a typical western view of Yoga. The author quotes the ancient text and delivers it with scientific and medical terminology. The author also holds fast to the way Yoga is supposed to be practiced, written in a way a teacher would instruct a student. "The Definitive Guide..." is essentially what this book is.

There are dozens of forms of yoga, but Laya Yoga (Layayoga) is one of the most accessible for Westerners. It is one of the four great systems of yoga, and deals with the supersensible functions, forces and centers of the inner world of the body. The other three are Hatha Yoga, the most familiar, which deals with the physical body, its power and functions. Hatha Yoga seeks to affect the subtle systems through control of the gross physical body. Mantra Yoga is concerned with the forces and powers outside the body, but which affect it nonetheless. Raja Yoga is the system for disciplining and stilling the mind so that we can unite with and know what lies beyond. The four together comprise Maha Yoga.

Laya Yoga forms the core of Kundalini Yoga, which in turn lies at the heart of Tantra. Why it is one of the most accessible, is that in contrast to systems that teach that the body is an obstacle on the Path to Enlightenment, it teaches that the body is a manifestation of the ultimate Reality and must therefore be fully integrated into our spiritual development.

This book focuses on the process by which the human body can be transmuted into a divine one, in which every organ and every cell is suffused with consciousness and develops capacities far beyond the "normal." These processes underlie some of the documented feats of yogic adepts. The word "Laya" means "dissolution," in the sense of melting away the limitations and karma that have accrued over time. The word can also be used to refer to the absorption and transmutation of the elements that constitute the body. This process occurs when kundalini is awakened and rises from the base of the spine and ascends toward the top of the head.

This book is technical, academic and comprehensive. It truly is a "definitive guide." It draws on over 280 Sanskrit texts and is based not just on words on books, but many years of precise yogic experimentation and ever more subtle realizations.

This is a book for the serious student. It is not a quick guide to raising kundalini or achieving powers. The book also corrects some of the common misconceptions that litter some of the New Age books on chakras and kundalini.

As an example, in most people only some of the chakras are active. It would not be a good idea for someone to learn how to open them all up without having done the necessary preparatory work first. Many health care practitioners have seen the consequences of people doing too much chakra or kundalini work too quickly and without guidance.

If you are interested in spirituality, yoga or the subtle anatomy of the body, this is a superb book that will repay a few hours of study. I have bought extra copies for students who have already covered the basics about yoga, spiritual development and subtle energies, and each has found it to be a treasure trove.

Highly recommended.

I spent many hours reviewing as well as studying this book. Its content is extensive and illuminating. The problem with authoritative and even ancient sources is that these "road maps" to Power are best understood for those who have already traveled "these roads". The map is helpful but far from sufficient. The author does a fine job of giving the reader tools as well as a complete overview of the roots of this important and real discipline. The only criticism I have is that the philosophy extolled at the beginning and end of the book fails to drive home one important point, that is, that mind and body are of the same essence. Also, the explanation of the philosophical impetus and practical results lack clarity, noting that it is not always possible to make what is alogical lucid to limited human capacity. To complicate what is in essence simple, the words on the written pages of the sources are not what is always meant, for these words are simply there to "shine light on meaning". Therefore, relax and take your time reading this wonderful book. In any case this book is highly recommended for all serious students of yoga, meditation and the martial arts as well.

Although I am sure this is a great book, as other reviewers have stated, it is definately not for beginners, such as me. That is why I only gave it 3 stars. This book is difficult to read if you are not well versed on the terminology used, but I will continue to poke away at it. With that being said, I have no doubt it will become very useful in the future when I become more familiar with the subject.

Let Your Goddess Grow! ascertains that the main obstacle for success is our own negative thinking. Simply put, we get what we ask for. Therefore, when we are always thinking about the bad situation that could happen or assume that nothing good will ever happen, we assure these negative consequences will indeed occur.

In order to break this cycle, the author states that we need to learn to understand our negative thinking and our unhealthy thought patterns that limit our potential. We then have to release these negativities and replace these notions with more healthy, positive patterns. This process is undertaken through a deeper connection to God, Goddess, or the Universe (depending upon your particular belief system) creating a positive belief that we will be taken care of and are already successful.

I believe that this book holds an important message that can't be said enough: that we all deserve to be happy. Moreover, this book reiterates the fact that we all can be content with ourselves no matter what our body shape or size and despite the amount of money we earn. Happiness has less to do with these physical aspects and more to do with our emotional health and spiritual connections.

Dr. Charlene M. Proctor has truly written an authentically empowering book that I feel will help woman re-claim their authentic Divinity, their core essence, and learn how to re-chart the path of their lives coming from pure soul purpose.

This incredibly well written book is a beacon of light, hope, truth, and will take you on a "journey of the soul" so that you can live, shine, be and express your soul essence and true purpose in this life. Her book is an experience to savor, and I recommend it with all of my heart.

Barbara Rose, Ph.D. author of Know Yourself: A Woman's Guide to Wholeness, Radiance & Supreme Confidence and Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE

This is the book for the woman who is stiving for more. More confidence, more self-esteem, more abundance, more resiliancy, more courage to become the person she longs to be. Dr. Proctor helps the reader uncover hidden strengths and develop new goals. She gently shows the reader how to overcome the setbacks of the past while honoring, not forgetting, the lessons that were gained from the struggles. Men will enjoy this book too, especially if they have ever tried to understand the beautiful, inner strength of the women who most influence their lives.

By JoAnna Carey, Author of Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life

"Let Your Goddess Grow: 7 Spiritual Lessons on Female Power and Positive Thinking" is an empowering book spiked with affirmations to nurture and enrich a woman's soul and psyche.

The seven spiritual lessons are: gain insight by examining the past; manage the daily complexity of work, family, and you; become stronger through adversity; define who you are by knowing your true self; create a mental equivalent to manifest what you desire; use spirit and strength to guide work life; and bring Mother God into your work and life.

Proctor uses affirmations to help imprint the lessons in our subconscious. The chapter on Abundance starts with "I have everything I need in life. My supply is limitless and I continually accept gifts from the universe."

Towards the end of each chapter is a section entitled "Consciously Create Your Day," listing several affirmations for the various personal challenges covered by the lesson. For example, for the chapter on "Your Authentic Self," this is the affirmation for Aging: "Each stage in my life is wonderful. My wisdom and experience acquired from life make me a person who has a lot to offer the world. Every moment I continue to engage in the world is valuable to others. I no longer need disease or illness to secure a place in the world. I am shining, with all my wisdom, in my security. I feel safe knowing no one can take my place."

Proctor caps each lesson with "Taking Spiritual Inventory" where she asks us to analyze our personal circumstances, write our own affirmation, and list specific action plans. The closing sections of each chapter serve as intimate self-dialogues, where Proctor guides us to appreciate ourselves and map a course to further improvement.

In not so subtle terms, Proctor taps the spiritual nerve to stress the power of the divine in every woman's daily endeavor. Some may feel that the book is religious, even risqué in the idea that God is both Mother and Father. But if we go beyond the parameters of religion, and transcend to the laws of life and the power of the mind, we will realize that the lessons presented in this book are, in fact, universal.

"Let Your Goddess Grow" is a must read for today's female. It fleshes out universal truths and awakens the inner senses. It is enlightening, empowering, and absolutely essential to the well-being of the woman within.

-Ruby Bayan, www.OurSimpleJoys.com

Let Your Goddess Grow!
7 Spiritual Lessons on Female Power and Positive Thinking
review by Bonnie Cehovet

author: Charlene M. Proctor, Ph.D.
The Goddess Network Press
2005
ISBN #0-9766012-0-6

I don't know a woman out there who isn't looking for some way to empower herself. A growing portion of those women are actually willing to work on themselves, to learn to unconditionally love who and what the are. It is for these women that Charlene Proctor writes. This is more than a book to read ... it is a template to be put into practice. Through applying these lessons, you will learn to recognize old patterns that are holding you back, find ways to release them and replace them with positive patterns that will support your personal and spiritual growth. You will discover the divine feminine within, and, through her, manifest your independence from cultural and familial imposed boundaries.

The seven spiritual lessons in this book are:

1. Insight - Gain insight by examining the past.
2. Balance - Manage the daily complexity of work, family, and you.
3. Resiliency - Become stronger through adversity.
4. Your Authentic Self - Define who you are by knowing your true self.
5. Abundance - Create a mental equivalent to manifest what you desire.
6. Corporate Soul - Use spirit and strength to guide work life.
7. The Divine Feminine - Bring Mother God into your work and life.

In each lesson Dr. Proctor shares her personal philosophy and insights, as well as reflections from her life and exercises that allow the knowledge of the lesson to be turned into wisdom in the readers life. Liberally sprinkled throughout are side-bars with comments from women like you and I ... everyday women who have thoughts on their own spirituality.

At the beginning of each lesson are a few words of wisdom. For Lesson 1 - Insight - the words of wisdom are: "We gain insight by allowing change in our lives, and letting go of the past."

At the end of each lesson, Dr. Proctor brings it all together with a section entitled "Taking Spiritual Inventory", consisting of a series of question to help you analyze where your blockages are, followed by formation of an affirmation centered on what you wish to manifest in your life. "Walk Your Talk" is a section where the reader is encouraged to list actions and realistic that the reader can make to support a new set of goals. "Share the Spirit" encourages readers to share their insights with others around them - whether in a formal group setting or in their everyday life. The reader is also encouraged to allow others to help them create and stick to new changes.

For some people, viewing the Divine as both masculine and feminine will be akin to shock treatment. For some, it will be their salvation. The research that went into this book, the presentation of the history of the Feminine archetype, and the Feminine in the Divine, are quite well done. This book is well worth reading - even if you don't agree with it. It will make you think, it will make you accountable for your actions, it will make you a better person.

© August 2005

This book is more or less a sequel to Johnson's REAL JESUS, which exposes the fallacies of many New Testament scholars who enjoy pop culture status on various cable channels by extolling the idea of a "Jesus Movement" that seeks to interpret the gospels from a purely historical perspective. In this articulate, logical, and compelling book, Johnson moves past the arguments of the Jesus Movement and demonstrates how a divinely inspired New Testament focuses on a risen, living Christ. Johnson's book is a dynamic blueprint for understanding Christian living in the twenty-first century. In flowing prose, he shows us the diversity and richness of the gospels that have been seen one-dimensionally for such a long time. Johnson's scholarship is of the highest caliber and is used here to show what is truly at the heart of the Christian tradition.

I purchased copies for family and friends, believers and sceptics because Johnson convincingly portrays the faith of the early church that precedes the writing of the New Testament Gospel.He provides a needed emphasis on the real presence of Jesus by His Holy Spirit as a powerful interrealtional reality. Belief in the resurrection as a past event, even at the word of apostolic eye witnesses, does not adequately account for the rapid growth of the Church-communities. There had to be more than an acceptance of a message:individual and group experiences accompied the preaching and teaching. Johnson describes the 'matter of fact' phenomenon that produced conversions and the writings of the New Testament. This is the faith reponse of believers today who greet eachother at Easter in the present tense: He is Risen!

I write from the perspective of a Protestant Evangelical who has often had misgivings about some of the Catholic literature I've read, but I can say that Luke Timothy Johnson's "Living Jesus" is one of the most Christ-exalting books I have read in many years. Johnson has brought Jesus Christ from the place of cold, hard historical facts (which is where most Catholics and Protestants alike often leave Him) to the place of the living Lord experienced by the early church and whom we can experience today. In the process, Johnson ably points out the fallacies employed by those involved in the quest for the historical Jesus, a quest that seems determine to deny practically every essential truth about Jesus. Though it's easy to see Johnson's Catholic roots in his writing, I encourage my Protestant brothers to read this book. You will find yourself fellowshipping with a true brother in Christ in the pages he has written. This is a book you will read more than once.

Luke Timothy Johnson does a masterful job at creating a book that engages the reader's mind and heart. Though this book is written from an ex-priest and still retains much Catholic tradition, the Protestant reader can also enjoy and gain insight from this well written text.

This book is not written for the skeptic or the Christian revisionist, like his previous book "The Real Jesus." Instead this material will penetrate the heart of the believer. As he wonderfully points out, "To be a Christian means to assert that Jesus is alive, is indeed life-giving Spirit." This book reminds the Christian that we should be learning from a living Jesus. To often, we look at Jesus as a piece of history. This is a wake-up call to Christians everywhere.

We are to learn from Jesus from great Christians, the church, and the New Testament. I find Dr. Johnson's book to be honest and forthright and appreciated his candor about the church and himself. This is a must read!

lt johnson is a moderately conservative catholic (in fact an ex-monk) who has written extensively on nt studies. this 203 page book can be read in a few hours and is not bogged down with scholarly jargon. essentially he is putting into perspective the value of historical Jesus studies. lt states that if Jesus is today alive for Christians, how then can we get a reliable picture of Him by using the means by which we study dead people! he has been gently criticised by some including ben witherington and raymond brown for separating the Jesus of history from the Jesus we worship - but i don't think that is the focus of johnson's argument. i think lt is simply pointing out (quite validly) that historical critical studies can give only a limited picture of Jesus. he uses as an interesting example adolf hitler. if we were to perform a study in "historical hitlerology" (attempting to construct a portait using what hitler thought of himself as well as the thoughts of his closest associates), we would indeed come up with a picture of hitler that would be quite different than what we know to be true. i would agree that this comparison is a little oblique, but johnson makes a good point. the first few chapters may seem a little fluffy to some but they move quickly into the meat of the work. all in all, this is a very readable work. not everyone will agree with johnson but all those interested in Jesus studies need to be exposed to his point of view!

the author, James Mcdonald, has a way of being "real". We are a society of legalistic, religious people, missing God's true points. I think James hit a HomeRun with this one

"Lord, Change My Attitude (Before It's Too Late)" concerns the need for us to be reponsible for our own attitudes instead of letting others or circumstances dictate how we should act. The book is a timely title, especially when you consider the entitlement mentality and blame others for our problems attiude so prevalent in society.

James MacDonald takes 5 different negative attitudes and shows how we should replace those with a better attitude. Here are the book's contents:

1. Replace a Complaining Attitude
2. With a Thankful Attitude
3. Replace a Covetous Attitude
4. With an Attitude of Contentment
5. Replace a Critical Attitude
6. With an Attitude of Love
7. Replacing a Dobuting Attitude
8. With an Attitude of Faith
9. Replacing a Rebellious Attitude
10. With an Attitude of Submission

The book is well-thought out and well-written. The reader will be challenged to examine his or her own attitude towards others and life in general. I personally liked MacDonald's writing style (simple without being simplistic, challenging, etc.) and thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Read, enjoy, and be challenged. Highly recommended!

A 2007 summer reading list mini review.

James MacDonald has written a relevant book about approaching life with the proper attitudes. The steps are clear as they are obtainable. It is written with a pastor's heart but also from the perspective of just an ordinary believer trying to follow God wholeheartedly no matter what.

Macdonald's candor about his own struggles helps the reader to deal honestly with their own. This is an excellent first book for those not famliliar with the concepts of "taking off and putting on." The book examines individual unbiblical attitudes such as complaining and rebellion and shows how to replace those with biblical attitudes.

what a great book! Sometimes life doesn't seem to be going anywhere and you feel stuck in a rut, unable to move forward...have you tried it all?? Check your attitude. What a wake up call to practical attitude adjustments that can really change the way you look at life and your circumstances. Sometimes instead of looking "out" a good look "inside" is the answer, and I think anyone could use that from time to time. It's not easy, but this book really helps guide you through it. I recommend it highly.

Very practical and helpful. Hits the nail right on the head. I would recommend this to anyone who recognizes a need for changes in their lives.

This makes a great study whether you do this as a group or individually. I highly recommend this book for anyone. It helps keep you encouraged in the midst of a battle or if you are just looking to deepen your walk with the Lord. This book also makes a great gift & will bless others.

Kay Arthur is great at getting you into the Word. As you study and mark the Scriptures, they come to life and you start to see the truths, which challenges you to grow in the Lord.

The lessons in this book will teach you to STAND FIRM in the midst trials and turmoil, and will help you understand and apply spiritual truth. Ephesians is the focus of this study and Kay Arthur gives you an overview of the history of Ephesus and how the culture is no different than today's. Kay takes you through the scriptures so you can learn truth inductively and then she guides you in how to apply it. Learn to write your own personal prayers right from the scriptures and activate the power of God's word in your heart and life! It takes diligent study and you need to commit at least 20 minutes a day, but it is well worth the time and effort. You won't want to stop studying once you get into this! I am only on Lesson 4 and am doing this with a group of 7 people and God is already moving in powerful ways. I want to get up on the rooftop and shout the message that EVERYONE needs to do this study! This is a very effective tool for being equipped to do battle, and believe me everyone of us is in some kind of battle, whether we realize it or not. Get prepared!

I first went through this study 11 years ago, it was given to me as a graduation present. When I wanted to focus on spiritual warfare again and didn't have access to my old book, I purchased this. This book is an excellent way to sharpen your spiritual weapons and hone your armor. As I said before, the first time I read this was 11 years ago and I still remember snippets when I am going through rough times. I would highly reccomend this to anyone who is interested in learning how to conduct spiritual warfare. It is a very scriptural look at the battle we face and how to conquer our enemy.

Kay Arthur deftly tackles a topic that not all churches and ministers will discuss: spiritual warfare. That this warfare is all around us, in many of the day-to-day situations we face, is a fact, and Arthur draws constantly and completely from Scripture to arm her reader for battle. The book, which is designed to be an 11-week study but can be read at your own pace, offers daily readings. Most days require the reader to look up and examine more closely specific Scriptural verses. Arthur does a good job of digging into the "evidence" in God's Word for points that she makes; everything is adequately supported in Scripture. What we found most interesting were the real-life stories she quotes from people she's known. Some are rather disturbing, but we must open our eyes to them.

Un verdadero estudio, aplicado a nuestro provecho de manera que podamos invocar a los ángeles de nuestra preferencia.

¡Sabias que estan alrededor de nosotros ?
¡Todo el tiempo ?
¡ En todo lugar ????

ahora te encuentras, amigo !
LIBROP EXTRAORDINARIO QUE LOS CONVOCA !

ENTRE NOSOTROS, REGOCÍJATE LEYENDO ESTE EXTRAORDINARIO LIBRO!
si no lo crees, DELEITATE CON SU LECTURA !

un vientecito fresco y aromado entró ...pero cuando volví la cara, la ventana estaba cerrada...
Pero sucede lo mismo cada vez que uno lo lee: Es como una brisa suave que nos llega al corazón !
HERMOSO !

This love story of eternal beauty guides us in the natural evolution of our loving relationships. We are encouraged to consider the boundless possibilities of 'love' and 'relationship'. With that comes the profound responsibility to recognize how vastly important each individual is in the grand scheme of life. The combination of the scholarly and spiritual delving in this story is such a workout that I would suggest reading the book once for the love story, and again and again for an ever-deepening exploration of our relationship to one another, to the earth, and to whatever lies beyond. Of paramount importance we must learn to listen and open our hearts. Cynthia Bourgeault offers a way to follow this simple yet challenging path.

I happen to have known the author very well for several years. She is audacious in nature, and her spirituallity is mixed with great ambition. A careful look at her personal past, her three marriages, and intense desire for spiritual recognition all suggest care should be taken.

Essentially a powerfully moving love story of two aging individuals, Love Is Stronger Than Death: The Mystical Union Of Two Souls by resident teacher for the Contemplative Society and spiritual retreat authority Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault, is drawn from the life and experiences of Brother Raphael (Rafe) Robin, an Episcopalian priest, author and a Trappist hermit. The ability of human and spiritual love to transcend death and open the way to joyous bliss is superbly presented in this highly recommended and heartwarming tale of building an emotional, personal, and loving relationship for the future that transcends all earthly limitations.

There are few books to compare with this one. The nature of death and the power of love are explored from so many directions that, in the end, we are given a spiritual guide through life and beyond. Ms. Bourgeault shows us that we do not need to be limited by the generally accepted truths of the major spiritual traditions, nor by those of various esoteric teachings. Her personal experience speaks in every word so that, instead of an abstract treatise on inner work, we are shown a road map marked out by someone who has been there. This is the perfect book for anyone who has recently lost a life partner. It is also the perfect book for anyone who has just found a life partner.

Who could resist reading this book after seeing that awesome subtitle of "The Mystical Union of Two Souls?" Especially when it is told from a perspective of such compelling Theology as this intimacy of love between two persons! From the beginning of the "Preface to the Second Edition" by Cynthia Bourgeault and the Introduction by David Steindl-Rast, OSB, I became aware of her depth of this "Mystical Union of Two Souls!"

Nothing said by friends who recommended and loaned me their book even slightly prepared me for the powerful building blocks of this book! It kept me leaping from one level to another, almost as thrilling as shooting the rapids or going from low altitudes in a Jet Fighter Plane up to 35,000 feet level, without getting the bends! I ran through several examples of descriptions:

Chapter 3 on the "Mystical Completion of Souls": "These building blocks come mostly from the Christian esoteric (inner) tradition-- The Fourth Way of G.I. Gurdjieff--plus Christian hermeticism coming further from Jacob Boehme. The four building blocks are: 1) The union of souls 2) The idea of second body 3) The vow, or promise 4) "The wonders."

Later in the same chapter she describes "the time of bodily life the soul has earnestly pledged itself [to another] but has not forsworn that promise." During the last few weeks of Rafe's life before his death, he began "his crash course in enhancing his second body-- primarily through practice of "true resignation!" Although she describes theirs as a Physical Love story, it is totally without maudlin, syrupy-sweet, love scenes or the usual sexuality.

My understanding was a bit illuminated from reading from both Jacob Boehme and G.I.Gurdjieff. It came again from, "the laying down of one's personal will, in order to be unconditionally present to the will of God. [Not all-together new!]

After three short chapters in "Wrestling with an Angel" she uses a profound quote from a distinguished Psychaitrist, Helen Luke, saying, "Wholeness is born of the acceptance of the conflict of human and divine in the individual psyche." Immediately, she quotes Dylan Thomas: If the principal office of "love in this life is to unbolt the dark," to release its prisoners of shame, it seems that our wedding garments in eternity are spun... Here I glimpsed her hazy picture of that second body as a spiritual body close to the description of St Paul in I Corinthians!

Cynthia stretches us into her own understanding of "The Mystical Union of Two Souls," from her deepening spiritual love for her Hermit Monk, Raphael Robin. Joyfully, Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

This is a book packed with meditation techniques. There's technique of technique. I never new there were this many ways to meditate!

A must read for anyone who is getting started with mediation.

I also liked the simple and easy to understand English language.

This book gives a beautiful introduction to meditation. It answers many basic questions on meditation with great clarity. It also introduces the reader to a variety of simple, fun and effective techniques - there is something for everyone here! A must read- highly recommended!

This is an excellent book that reveals the science behind meditation. It is a must for anyone who wants to start or understand Meditation. This book gives facts about what meditation is and how one can move from just contemplating to actually doing (or being in) it. The book also has some simple techniques at the end which are very simple but make impact on our daily actions. Even for those who are from east some facts about meditation could be very revealing. I followed this book with Guaranteed Solutions (for Sex, Worry, Fear, Jealousy, Attention-need, Ego, Discontent) which takes you further deep into meditation and tells it all about the inner science created by great masters of the east.

I have dabbled in meditation practice for over 10 years... a little bit of this and a little bit of that... and thought I knew what I was doing.
However, after reading this book I realized I didn't really fathom all the benefits of a full on meditation program. This book explains in very simple terms various techniques that can concentrate and focus on different areas in ones life. There have been noticable results since practicing the techniques described in this meditation manual.

The best part of this book is that it makes meditation exciting and adventerous ! That is what meditation is supposed to be - a fun journey of discovery - and here is your road map !

I gave my book to a dear friend that was stuck in a depressed rut and he has since bounced back and been rejuvinated after practicing just a few of the techniques described in the book.

Now I own another copy and this will book will continue to be the best gift I can give to my loved ones: the gift of meditation.

Small enough to carry with you everywhere.

Get one and watch the power of Devotions prayers work!

Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ!

This is a small prayer book full of big-time punch. I always find it hard to review prayer books. Either you like them or you don't, which is like most books, but unlike fiction or theology it is a much more personal reaction. That being said, this is a great book. I wish there were a hard cover edition so it could take more of a beating.

Michael Dubrueil does an amazing job in just over 350 pages of giving solid teaching on Novenas - both the history of Novenas, and how to endure in praying Novenas. He also instructs the reader in ways of encountering God, the reasons to pray Novenas and gives a personal account of some of the prayers he has used and God's care and provision for him.

With over 30 Novenas highlighted in the book and Appendices to the prayers common to Novenas, and the shrines associated with Novenas in the book, Michael covers the whole gambit of Novenas. The specific Novenas in the book are categorized as Novenas to:

1. Christ and the Holy Spirit
2. The Blessed Virgin Mary
3. Relatives of Jesus
4. Particular Saints
5. American Saints
6. Holy Souls
7. A Quick Novena

This collection of Novenas and prayers said over nine days will be a source of light, hope and encouragement in your life. Thank you Michael for this treasury.

I was expecting the usual novena book and was wondering why I had ordered it when I already had so many. But as I thumbed through the book I was fascinated with each little story attached to the individual novenas. The foreward and introduction was fascinating as well because I was not all that familiar with the history of novenas. I enjoying reading how they progressed from prayers for the dead to weekly "social nights" in church and finally to private novenas. I think my favorite novena from this book will be the "Quickie Novena" by Mother Theresa. If you don't have 9 days to do a novena, you just do this one 9 times in one sitting. There are also novenas that I had never seen before. Even if you, like me, have a stack of novena books, you will enjoy this one. My only worry is that the pages are super-thin. Keep your coffee cups away!

I bought this book for my wife and she likes it. She said that the variety of reflections in it are quite good. She carries it around in her purse and she also reads it at home.

I bought this book for my Mother for Christmas. She just loved it, so much so, that she insisted I buy a copy for myself.

I'm really enjoying it. The effort made regarding history, reasons, superstitions etc, as well as the personal note from Mike regarding his experience with St. Therese makes the book practical as well as inspirational.

The stories prior to the Novenas are perfect.