Spirituality Books

This book about a Roman Catholic monk, Mark Gruber, and his extra-ordinary journey from the green fields of the U.S. to the deserts of Egypt is just breathtaking. As a member of the Coptic Orthodox church, and of Egyptian stock, i simply found Mr Gruber's plain and truthful telling of his experiance just so refreshing. It's funny, this man spoke more wonderfully about the Coptic people then most people at my church think of themselves. He showed them for their weaknesses, and their strengths, just as he saw it. It has helped me to appreciate who I am, my background, and my traditions so much more.

This book is great if you enjoy stories regarding exotic lands and peoples, and an honest telling of their journey.

The comtemplative monk is a baffling figure to Westerners, even to many Catholics, and moreover, most Westerners probably do not think very much of the Christians in Egypt, which we tend to think of as a wholly Muslim nation.

Fr. Gruber's evocative descriptions of Coptic monasticism and spirituality beautifully illustrate how inner conversion and contemplation are the heart of the Church. In the West we often hear an emphasis on practical action, or social justice, over and above contemplative prayer. Fr. Gruber's writings about the Copts show how contemplative prayer nurtures us and gives life to all our actions. It is a great window into a neglected and persecuted Christian population, and an inspiration for our daily lives and relationship with God.

This memoir of the year that Fr. Gruber spent among the Coptic monasteries of Egypt is fascinating. Fr. Gruber lovingly describes these men and their piety, along with the phenomenal faith of the Coptic lay people. There appears to be a direct line back to the conferences of John Cassian in the lives of these monks, but that perhaps is because Fr. Gruber has crafted the chapters in such a way to invite the comparison. But maybe not. These men live lives of remarkable holiness. I loved the image of people grabbing them by the ankle and holding on till the monk will bless them. I also loved the hike in 130 degree heat, and realization that the cave he has been brought to, and in which he spends the next three days, probably saves his life, in that it is much cooler than the monastery, nothing is swimming in the drinking water, etc. At any rate, I highly recommend this book. I do agree with the review that states this treats more of his exterior life than interior, but why should he discuss his private life with us. Also, there is another book (can't recall the author) called "Coptic Nuns" that makes a nice companion to this book, in terms of knowing more about the culture.

I just finished this book and absolutely loved it. It thrills me to see someone who is not Coptic, slowly develop a deep since of your mindset and feelings. The monks must have truly accepted the author to share so much with him and in turn, the author poetically describes everything to the reader.

For anyone that is curious about us (the Copts) and our religion, this book is a wonderful introduction. It capture a very true sense of who we are, what we believe, and how we worship God. I can't thank the author enough for bringing to light, this hidden treasures of my culture.

I don't know which was more interesting, the author's anthropological observations or his spiritual journey. Both fascinating and enlightening. Originally, Br. Gruber sets out to study the fathers of monasticism with a scholar's eye (albeit a fellow Monk-scholar), but the desert and those who live there transform him eternally.

This book is a fresh drink of water! Here are my favorite passages:

"In all of this," Abuna Elia said, "the desert was a teacher for Abraham. The desert teaches us how helpless we are, how much we depend upon one another for survival. It is with a complete sense of dependence, a complete sense of helplessness that we must approach God, and that we must approach one another in terms of possessiveness and control."

"By complete openness and availability to one another, we are obedient to each other in matters of charity. We are at each other's service.... But at the same time... our relationships must be ordered by a surrender, a letting go, a sacrifice. We own no one; we possess no one."

"Abuna Elia assured me that the sacrifices we make in our lives as Monks, as Christians, will always be enfolded in layer upon layer of the sacrifices that went before us."

"Abuna Elia said, 'When God asks us to make heroic sacrifices, it is not because he is heedless of what we are giving up; he is profoundly aware of it. When we are offering gifts to God, we are not really offering much, unless, at the same time, we are also submitting all those things that are valuable to us. We must submit to God's will everything which is dearest to us, that which is our only one of something, that which we love, that which is even beyond our ordinary capacity to imagine losing. Otherwise, all of our prayers and protestations of fidelity are somewhat strategic and not genuine or sincere." pp42-43


Later, during a time of pilgrim visits, the author is left with the small children to care for. He builds a fire and answers their endless questions about heaven, about "what it is like to see Jesus there," about Mary, about who God is. Night falls and the children keep talking until they fall asleep by the fire.

"So there I was, sitting by the dying fire, with all of these sleeping children around me. I looked at them in the starlight and the moonlight and was touched by the fact that they are so filled with faith so innocently seeking God. This is the second time since coming here to Egypt that I have found myself in exactly the same setting, surrounded by young people asking questions and listening to answers, tiring themselves out into exhaustion and sleep. And, just as before, there is once again that stabbing realization that none of these are my children, that I shall never have children such as these to instruct and teach."

"I looked up at the sky on this beauiful, clear desert night. I thought to myself that I had never seen such an array of stars, so numerous and so bright. Then, of course, at this moment, the passage from the Book of Genesis came to mind where God said to Abraham, 'Look up into the night sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so shall your descendants be' (cf. Genesis 15:5). So there I was sitting, looking up at the night sky, knowing how impossible it is in the desert night to count the stars. And even while I was feeling the special poignancy of not having children, I suddenly realized that these children all around me are not only children of Abraham, but they are also mine as well. For I have instructed them in faith, and I have given them tonight a greater realization of their own religion, their own spirituality. I have placed them confidently in the presence of God." pp 84-85

Ross Bishop has been there and back again. He's taken the hits, wound up in the ditches, and seen the high side, all for a price: to find his way along the path. In his case a path that led him to discover that he is a natural healer, a shaman.

To our good fortune he is also one of those compassionate beings that realizes that spreading the word of what he learned helps us all and the planet we so precariously live on.

Ross has a knack for explaining things, always a helpful attribute. Our Universe is complex, a gazillion learning experiences happening simultaneously, all guiding us along our path. We sometimes need help along this path and Journey To Enlightenment can fill this need.

A wealth of information is offered to us in this book. Some of it the kind one must go over several times to ingest. I noticed right from the start that this is going to become an importance reference book in a lot of people's lives. To his benefit, Ross has endowed this book with an easy to follow format: principles we can gather and begin to assimilate and an index to help us find our way back to particularly meaningful bits.

I am always delighted when authors pull quotes from knowledgeable sources and then expound on them or use them to guide us to an important junction. Ross calls on the likes of Ghandi, Rumi, Ramana Maharshi, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, and Black Elk to name just a few. He uses stories where they do a particularly good job of illustrating his point. The best of these being Steve Job's infamous, "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" commencement address at Stanford.

So, where can this book take it's readers? Pretty much anywhere you want to go, but most importantly to find what Bishop calls the God Space. The work involved is not easy, and it will take time. But as you work thru his suggestions and exercises dealing with your inner child, entities that may have attached themselves to you or past lives that need to be visited you will little by little, or in astonishing leaps find your way. Remember, as Principle No. One states LOVE EVERYTHING. Just imagine how far that could take you towards your own personal God Space.

Reviewed by Irene Watson for RebeccasReads (3/08)

Ross Bishop is a natural shaman that writes from the heart and his truth. He says "No matter how you slice it, it's about compassion. Certainly about compassion for others, but mostly it is about compassion for yourself." He couldn't be much closer to the truth. Bishop explains in "Journey to Enlightenment" being compassionate toward oneself, letting go of limiting beliefs, acceptance of challenges in life and steps on what to do about them. According to Bishop, understanding why we created the beliefs and challenges is the first step to enlightenment.

However, as Bishop explains, this is not an easy task. He quotes Carl Jung "He who looks outside, dreams. He who looks inside, awakens." Dreaming is easy but wakening is often a task we consider as being difficult. Bishop talks about awakening and why we struggle against it. According to Bishop, our inner child is usually damaged due to parental dysfunctional behaviors as well as disharmony within the environment - home and outside influences. Changing our pictures and rewriting the scripts, combined with resolution is the first step to awakening. Bishop contends we "came to Earth to resolve" the issues.

Bishop further challenges us, when we are worried, upset, or have "problems" we "take a deep breath and recognize that this is not occurring as punishment, or because we are unworthy, or that we are messed-up. It is happening because we need to learn to open our heart." He feels this is an opportunity that presented itself to us to learn how to open up our heart. However, we can choose to take it as an opportunity or we can wallow in our issues and feel sorry for ourselves, usually getting nowhere but deeper in our "stuff" and further away from enlightenment.

Bishop explains that according to traditional concepts blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint issues, or cancer are systemic illnesses. According to non-traditional healers these are just "natural progressions from unhealed psychic or emotional disturbances." This is where Bishop comes is, as a healer in non-traditional means. "Journey to Enlightenment" not only explains why we have challenges but Bishop gives the process of awakening through a "journey" of an ancient shamanic healing process (in a Western concept.) But, he doesn't just leave you there; he explains how to deal with issues that manifested during the process and move past the obstacle stage to awakening and enlightenment.

I give Ross Bishop's book, "Journey to Enlightenment" a resounding YES! Being a student of the enlightenment process myself, I've read many books and attended many workshops. I've even facilitated workshops and retreats myself. From my personal experience, I must say this is one of the most concise, yet simple books I have come across. Bishop writes with extraordinary precision, giving the readers the opportunity to look at their own beliefs and interferences in a gentle way while bringing an end result of compassion to oneself and enlightenment.

According to Shaman Ross Bishop, "Enlightenment may not be as unreachable as you think." In his important book, Journey to Enlightenment, Bishop provides readers with a new way to view their life experiences as well as recommendations to reconnect with "God space." Readers are given concrete techniques for addressing "obstacles" on the path to enlightenment. Bishop encourages readers to live a life of compassion rather than fear and encourages readers to make their spiritual growth the most important thing in their lives. Bishop presents 13 core principles as a guide to finding one's way to the Divine. Among these principles are: Love everything or it will become a lesson. Bishop also provides specific exercise to work and heal the inner child as well as information about healing ritual with the Shamanic Journey Process. The book is a fantastic resource readers are sure to refer to as they advance on their pathway to enlightenment.

This book truly allows you to "see the light." I was fascinated with Ross's background with him being in the Advertising field and he is now a Shaman! This is my hope for others to take a look at their journey and figure out if it is the right one for them. He was led kicking and screaming onto his new path, what a way to go!! We should all be so lucky to have his wonderful insites on the how to of this journey of enlightenment. You will not be disappointed with his easy to understand and helpful suggestions to encourage you on your spiritual path. Happy Journeys!

This 248 page journey into self love was a great treat to review. The format was easy to follow and I fell totally in love with the author's compassionate down to earth style. It was so comfortable it was like sitting with my best friend and mentor discussing the road map to enlightenment over a cup of tea. I was energized and comforted all at the same time.

The book touched on many areas that I have found sticking points through out my life and then proceeded through personal stories and great insights to give me a way out of my pain and the blocks that have held me back for so long. There was a meditation that really helped me get more in touch with my spiritual self and I was amazed how simple it was to accomplish. I would recommend this awesome teacher to anyone serious about reaching to the light in a more focused and supported way. Thanks Ross, your blessed contributions have helped many.

Visser, as I stated before has done a great job in explaining the works of Ken Wilber. Yet Wilber denounces this book because of Visser's affinity for Theosophy. Wilber is not a theosophist or a Alice Bailey follower even though his first two books were published by the Theosophical Society. Interestingly, Wilber wrote the forward to this book. Wilber, and rightfully so does not want to be catagorized as a Theosophist. He has worked many years to bring legitimacy and validity to transpersonal studies through hardcore analysis and synthesis of the sciences, the humanities, and philosophies. Some think he is overly sensitive to being labeled a new ager or even a theosophist, but given the trashing he has received concerning many of his books, it is probably founded. Anyway, please read this book, but know that the Theosophical connection in the last chapter is solely Visser's.

I bought this book b/c I was interested in knowing more about Ken Wilber and his theory. I came away with both so I would consider the book a success. I did find it ironic that Wilber purports to read 3 books a day but did not read this book while providing the foreward to it. I almost felt that he didn't want to endorse the book, not b/c he didn't read it but b/c then he would give others fresh ammo to attack his theory. Nonetheless, I felt the author was complete and performed a remarkable feat in compiling and organizing Wilber's material and theory. Recommended if you are interested in a theory that expands on psychological theories to include the spiritual realm.

March 04, 2004

If you want a well researched, thorough overview of the work of Ken Wilber, then Frank Visser's Ken Wilber: Thought as Passion is a great choice. It covers a broad scope and is a relatively easy read. That's the short version.

The long version must take into account Wilber's five periods or models to date. Visser's book nicely introduces the first four periods in a general way, and sets the stage for further study of the oeuvre. Wilber-5, so-called, has emerged in the last few years and will be published for the first time in the upcoming Kosmos, Vol. 2 (whose working title is Kosmic Karma and Creativity). One of the novel aspects of Wilber-5 is what he calls a post-metaphysical approach (among other things), which relies on empiricism in the three great domains of body, mind, and spirit. So the jury is still out on the niggly details of Wilber-5, and how its critic's will respond. But one thing is certain, once published it may be easy to misconstrue criticism of this Visser opus because it's NOT Wilber-5 and appropriately focuses on the influence of the perennial traditions in Wilber-1 through Wilber-4. But to Frank's credit, he mentions Wilber-5 several times and acknowledges that Wilber's views continue to develop.

Having said that, if you really want to get inside Wilber's head, or at the very least, into his heart, then it's appropriate to study his work beginning with Wilber-1. Why? First, Wilber is a developmental, evolutionary, transcendentalist thinker and doer. It's apt to see how his theory developed as it was informed by his own bodily, mental, and spiritual growth. Second, even though Wilber no longer recommends his first two books, The Spectrum of Consciousness (1977) and No Boundary (1979), they're required reading because we can trace the "integral impulse" at work from the very beginning along with what are now acknowledged flaws (the so-called pre/trans fallacy in particular). That integral impulse included nascent awareness that the three great domains of body, mind, and spiritual science must be included in any integral approach. Put another way, it reflected Ken's precocious understanding that transcendental experience is not solely pathological, and properly developed could greatly inform human development. He also refined transpersonal psychological theory to include the full spectrum of consciousness, from body to mind to soul to nondual spirit, along with identifying appropriate pathology and therapies.

Thus, Visser's book handles Wilber-1 through Wilber-4 with the skillful means of one who is far more than a journeyman with the material. In fact, Frank includes a great deal of biographical material that provides a human face and heart, background in the transpersonal field in general to situate Wilber's oeuvre, major critics, a summary of their differences, as well as his own critiques. He also includes a thorough bibliography of Wilber's work that alone is worth the price of the book! In the closing chapter Visser offers further insights and suggestions that may help refine the inchoate Wilber-5 model based upon his theosophical background.

In summary, if you're seriously interested in learning about Wilber's work, this is a great place to start. Ken personally recommends A Theory of Everything (2000) because it's concise, and A Brief History of Everything (1996). Together, they give a full accounting the major insights of Wilber-1 to Wilber-4, now called AQAL: all quadrants, levels, lines, states, types (and the kitchen sink. It is a thorough model :-).

All in all, let's give Frank Visser a hearty congratulations for a job well done!

I have read most of Ken Wilber's work and have been studying his thought for years. The breadth of his work is incredible and difficult for the average person to wrap their arms around. It is also very difficult to know where to start or to position any particular work in the evolution of his thought. This book is an excellent roadmap in this respect.

In a nutshell, this work provides an introduction to Ken Wilber's most important ideas and the man behind them. Ken is a popular figure, but he doesn't attend many conferences, appear in public, do a lot of interviews, etc. This makes it difficult to understand him as a person and contextualize his work with his own personal evolution. This book will give you a good feel for Ken Wilber the person, the major milestones in his life and how they correlate to the evolution of his ideas.

While this is an excellent book and fills in some important gaps, it is not a comprehensive introduction to Ken Wilber's body of work. This would be impossible in a book of this size. However, if you purchased Kosmic Consciousness or A Brief History of Everything to go along with it, you would be in excellent shape to move forward and make good decisions about what to read next. You would also be very well prepared to speak intelligently about Wilber's thought and the development of his Integral Model.

Another product that could be very useful as an accompaniment to reading more of Wilber's books would be Embracing Reality, which is sort of a Cliff's notes of Ken's major works. If you got all three of the resources I mentioned on this page and Integral Spirituality: A Startling New Role for Religion in the Modern and Postmodern World, you would have a good end-to-end sense of Wilber up to his most current thought.

I personally think Ken Wilber is a very major figure and will go down in history as an extremely important thinker. Among other things, he has a 20 year track record of writing and 30 books which have been in print continuously since he wrote them -- a rare achievement for a largely academic writer. In addition, Random House is compiling the collected works of Ken Wilber who is a living author! It is very unusual for a major publishing house to undertake such a large project while a prolific writer is still living. I think this speaks for itself in terms of the quality and enduring impact of his thought on this period in history. In short, I think what we are seeing now is only the tip of the iceberg. In my opinion, Ken's work has the potential to transform how we do business, medicine, education, ecology and every other major human endeavor.

While I don't think Ken Wilber is flawless and above being human, he is an intellectual giant with a lot to offer modern society in a search for meaning and a model to apply to solve contemporary problems. I am glad to see that he is getting more and more traction in the marketplace.

On a critical note, I think that Wilber himself has evolved into a major figure and I would love to see more editing and organization in his books going forward. In much of his work, there is a lot of repitition, overlap and unnecessary meandering. This certainly does not reflect upon the quality of his thought, but Visser's book certainly helps someone new cut to the chase and get a handle on the best way to navigate the voluminous Ken Wilber body of work.

I've tried to read K.Wilber in the past, i've never got more than through the first few chapters. I realize i ought to come to grips with his ideas and this book is an excellent place to start. For not only does it carefully look at the thought but is stimulating enough to get me (i hope) through some of the hard spots in K.Wilber's writings, in the near future. That makes it an outstanding book, not just informative but inspirational, nice job.

The book is basically a chronological look at the evolution of K.Wilber's transpersonal philosophy/psychology. It is not strictly intellectual but rather does a rather nice job of presenting K.Wilber as a man, as a mediator, and in the tear provoking chapter on his wife Treya, as a care giver for a terminally ill spouse. All in all much more satisfying a look then a strictly intellectual examination of a philosophic system. The major point of the book is that K.Wilber is interested in synthesising the Western scientific viewpoint on human development with the Eastern, primarily Tibetan Buddhist, in order to reach a syncretism of what human beings know about themselves. The book presents his thought as a dialogue with pieces of each world, what K.Wilber was interested in understanding, in the overall context of the development of his systematic philosophy/psychology. The structure is both accessible and interesting, rarely did i find interest flagging, more often i had to set the book down for a minute to think about what i had just read and try to make connections. This book, like the philosophy it outlines is not easy, nor simple, nor without dozens of references and rabbit paths to wander down, it is well documented, both in the text and in excellent endnotes, and as expected a substantial index that i for one used many times.

As for a chapter to read to get an idea of the book, i don't think this is a book you can pickup in the middle and profitably read, i'd stick to either of the first two chapters, introduction and who is ken wilber, although the chapter 5, Love death and rebirth, about his wife is worth a try to read by itself, if only for the window into his soul it presents. Generally, it is a read from the beginning, take notes, run to the computer to google a word or phrase, run to amazon to look at customer reviews of books cited, hightlighting on every page, some pages more than 1/2 coated, etc type of book. It took me about 3 times as long to read as a "normal" book of it's length, mostly because of the constant dialogue with the author i was mentally involved in while reading, not an argument as much as a constant series of questions and desire for more background and explanation.

Well, "who is Ken Wilber?" and "why should anyone care to read him?"
He has for 25 years set himself to a daunting task that only few authors have ever attempted, a comprehensive analysis of what human beings know about themselves and how all these systems can be unified (integrated) into a system that allows them to genuinely talk and interact with each other, rather than catfighting forever. To that endeavor he has read several books per day for decades on end, produced a flow of readable words that fill 11 volumes of his collected works, mediated several hours per day until he had a spiritual vision of non-duality that remains a constant companion. A lifetime apparently well spent in pursuit of his goals.

He has ideas and pictures that are valuable to anyone thinking about these issues. How do people grow and develop? How do cultures grow, is there a similarity between the two? What are we made of? What can i do to develop (although this is not a major goal of the book) further? How do different systems interact, like Western psychology and Eastern mysticism? Can this knowledge be unified so that we can remember it, deal with things that are similar in the same ways while avoiding putting different things into the same unappropriate boxes?

It is questions like this that make a comprehensive system like K.Wilber's worth studying, even if you disagree with several or even all of the basic assumptions and goals. Thinkgs like: the 3 eyes: physical, mental, spiritual; the great chain of being; development from prepersonal, personal to transpersonal, interiority vs exteriority on the same graph as individual vs collective; etc. are all useful conceptions and maps that i can use, certainly a gift from a dynamic and fruitful mind.

So i think this a very good introduction to K.Wilber and i am interested in getting into a few of his books now. with this background i hope it will be a little easier and less confusing then in the past. thanks to the author for a very good book.

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

I highly recommend this series of books. It, along with the Aquarian Gospels of Jesus the Christ, are the BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ -- BY FAR! We're talking really, really, really GREAT!

I'm not big on leaving comments for books, but this one deserves a thousand more 5-star ratings!

READ IT!

This series was one of the most spritually moving tapes I have ever listened to. If you are seeking enlightenment, it is a must.

I was so excited to find out they had audio for the Masters books, I'm so grateful for these. The more I listen to them, the more I feel uplifted and inspired. They truly give you an itch to discover full truth in a world full of dogmas and illusions we call reality. I highly reccomend to anyone on a search for truth. For truth in beauty and beauty is truth.

These were the first books my grandmother gave me to read when I was eighteen, a quarter of a century ago.

These obscure spirtiual tales of Napal and Tibet, High Lamas and an International Metaphysics Research Team. All posturing that the Bible story miracles we grew up hearing are not only true, but true to our nature. Could this be the real story of Shangri-la? Didn't Jesus say of his miracles, "You will do this and more"?

For me, each chapter captures the imagination, challenges my concept of what is possible on a day to day basis, and inspires my heart with prayers and teachings that quicken my spirit. I've never found any prayers anywhere that are more "alive". When I am weary, they give me solice and immediate rejuvination. When I use them in a somewhat regular practice, I notice great accelarations in synchronistic flows, shifts into higher mental acuity, and sense complete ease.

Great Godly Goodies! That deep experience of full aliveness and being on track! It seems as if by being merely aligned with the concepts and prayers, my life is enhanced, "spritually turbo charged" in some way.

I don't know what Mr.Spaldings experience was. I chose, those many years ago to merely leave my mind open to the possibilities.

My experience has been so profound, consistant and longstanding, that I am prone to share the books again and again.

I am thankful to see them so easily available and so well recieved. Thank you GrandMother.

It is inconceivable to me that anyone could read this set of books through and remain unchanged. The clarity and profound, yet simple, truths conveyed leave no doubt as to the veracity of the text. Mr. Spalding could not possibly have conjured all of this up!

Everyone is free to think what they want even if those thoughts condemn a person to the life that most of us are raised to live. This point was brought out over and over again in this work. My favorite passage from the book is: "Their are not less than one hundred and thirty million(aproximate population of the U.S. in the 1880's) masters in the U.S. alone and further proof of this is that noone but a master could appear to be something he's not."

After dinner, I started reading Warren Smith's book, "The Light That Was Dark," and kept reading until 3:00 in the morning -- only needing sleep kept me from reading clear through to the end. It is one of the best written life-changing stories I have read. You forget you are reading a book, and find yourself right there with Warren as he is taking you through his jorney from a very much involved New-Ager, seeking to do only good -- but finding he had gotten himself caught in a dark demonic world. He then takes you through his incredible rescue by the REAL Jesus. All I can say is -- get the book!

Warren Smith gives a fantastic account of how he left the New Age/Occult movements of the world and found the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a sometimes chilling and definately moving book that will really bring to light the battle raging around us that we cannot see in the Spiritual world. I would highly recommend anyone to read this novel as we see these demonic practices becoming more and more prevelent in the days we are living in.

I enjoyed this book by Warren Smith, and found it to be well-written, thoughtful, and honest. Mr. Smith is very open in the book about the events of his life that led up to his involvement with the New Age. I found that he really took risks, as some of the stories that he shared (specifically about the "Mad Magician") could be used against him by people who support the New Age Movement.

My favorite passage in the book is on p. 147: "Finally, after all we had been through, I was starting to see that the heart of the gospel is not so much that God helps those who help themselves, but, rather, that God helps those who can't help themselves. It was not in affirming our strength but in recognizing our weakness that we had finally learned to ask the Lord for help. It was His grace, not our own self-sufficiency that had saved the day."

This would be a good book to give someone who is involved in the New Age Movement or the occult. Read this along with Inside the New Age Nightmare by Randall N. Baer. Both books expose the truth about what the New Age really is.Inside the New Age Nightmare: For the First Time Ever...a Former Top New Age Leader Takes You on a Dramatic Journey

Like a novel in the way it made you turn the pages to find out what happens next. Really interesting and well-written. I felt the author was painfully honest about himself and tried to relate exactly what happened as accurately as possible.

This is a good account of one person's (actually two) experience with chasing spirituality the wrong way and finding out that evil actually exists despite what some New Age teachings say. It's a good lesson, and a quick easy read. I read it in one weekend and I usually take weeks to finish a book. My take is this: if evil exists in the material world around us, then why wouldn't it exist in the "higher" realms above us, but in a more sophisticated form? Asking blindly for any and all spiritual assistance from the "other side" is as foolish as a blind person standing on an inner city street corner and yelling for any available help. They might get helped or they might get mugged. Better to have a seeing eye dog or friend along who knows the territory. Overall, I liked the book.

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!

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.