Publications Books

I have been teaching several classes of Reiki each year for the past 10 years.
When I took Reiki my teacher told us after Reiki I we should read this book before Reiki II. None of us did.
After Reiki II, he said we should read this book before Reiki Master.
None of us did. (This was all pre-Amazon.com days when it was almost impossible to find unusual books.)
Finally, I got this book and read it. Oh, My Gosh!
I don't recommend it to my Reiki I students - it is part of their cost of the class! They read it between Day 1 and Day 2 so that they have a really solid understanding of Reiki immediately.
I have probably ordered close to 200 of these books and will continue to use them in my classes indefinitely!
Connie Wehmeyer,
Subtle Energies Holistic Health Center
Chester, NY
www.subtleenergieshealth.com

I cannot put the book down. It's a very inspirational journal of Hawayo Takata's life.

Takata's little blue book as we (Reiki Channels) called it has been around for some fifteen years and is a little gem. I've had a few copies and lent them out, but people don't want to part with it. You'll read about Takatas story with Reiki, a beautiful simple way of hands on healing. Her story is very inspiring and I pick this book up when I need to be inspired. Enjoy!

I read this book while I was trying to recover from a serious
back condition. I was given a grim prognosis from my doctors and decided to pursue this last ditch effort to get
well. My soon-to-be teacher gave me this book to read in contemplation of my first degree, and I devoured it ! The personal accounts by our Reiki heroine Hawayo Takata were SO wonderfully touching, it's
as if the stories themselves were emitting healing energy !
There are so many Reiki books out there, but this one is the jewel of Reiki, because it brings forth the genuine flavor of the Orient in a personal and inspiring fashion ! I have been a practicing Reiki teacher for 11 years, and this book still has my heart !
Buy this jewel !
"Reiki Sue" Deutschlander

This compact book imparts the spirit of Reiki. A great book to give as a gift to introduce a friend to Reiki.

This book is by far my favorite book on Reiki. It is written clearly without pretense. I always recommend it to my Reiki students.

Reiki is a hands on spiritual healing method developed by Mikao Usui over one hundred years ago in Japan. Anyone can learn Reiki, no prior spiritual healing experience required.

Hawayo Takata practiced Reiki in Hawaii for over forty years. This book contains detailed case histories in addition to her biography.

The author, a respected Reiki Master, was a personal friend of Takata and pledged to write her biography. Her personal connection to Takata adds a depth and dimension not found in many of the other books on Reiki.

I am still beginning my journey and in the very beginning before joining ADF and finding I had the wrong environment to do the meditations and also the total lack of information available to me, before ADF I just couldn't wrap my head around Wicca, I always thought that wicca was a little fluffy. Recently I have decided to move into a path that i can connect with druidism later. I got this book thinking that I would use it as a start off point into my kind of witchcraft, but after I started reading I found myself thinking that maybe I could use most of the guidelines without adapting them at all. I really like the fact that through the book the author is not always saying, "lord and lady" and "god and goddess". I like the fact that she let me know that wiccan's can be more then dualistic and that they can be polytheistic, like me. I am looking forward to putting what I learn in this book to use. The author has really impressed me. I also like the fact that all the little things that I did to try to connect with nature and spirituality, I didn't feel like I had done enough, what she says in the book made me take another look at it and actually be proud of the steps that I took.

This was the follow up to In The Circle. Much of is is covered in the first volume. This is more than a "how to be a witch". This title has great information on chakra work and meditation techniques. Ms Hawke has one slight misconception about Buddhism.
Buddhist honor the world as well. They consider human life precious and literally wait to enter liberation until all others are free from suffering. This is fine. I have been practicing Tibetan Buddhism as well as western witchcraft for the past several years

These paths are really rather similar for the most part. As Westerners, we need to be aware of where we come from. Witchcraft is the best place to start. Maybe a few more generations will evolve a Western school of Buddhism that combines the paths.
This is not meant to be a debate on the philosophy schools. Meditation is great for Westerners. At this point in the game, a good lesson in non-violence could be learned.

Magic with good intentions cannot hurt anyone. This is where many of my comrades fall into a major debate. Reflection and calm abiding meditation do great. It makes one a great Visualizer/Spell Caster as an added bonus.

The book is a must have for all witches here in the States. I recommend all of Elen Hawke's titles with high regard.

Despite the negertive comments from the last review, this is a great book. I found all aspects helpful and productive. The chapter on the elements was particularly useful, but really all sections of the book are excellent. One of the best descriptions of the chakras, and the exercises work a treat. All beautifuly written and the pictures are stunning. I found the rituals easy to adapt for solitary work and had no trouble with the visualisation, but what works for some doesn't work for other people and you have to be prepared to put in some effort with any magikal work. One of the hardest things is to write a good follow up book but Ellen Hawk has done this here.

Elen Hawke is a wonderful writer. Her work truly shines with inspiring and thoughtful prose. She is clearly an elder in the craft and writes with genuine wisdom.

My favorite chapters are:

Chakra Work - which is brilliant
Meditations and Visualisations - clear and non-fluffy
The Moon - the core work of my own practice

In response to another review, I think the simplicity and clarity of her rituals adapts beautifully to solitary work. I have been practicing solitary for many years, and find her approach suits me well. It is refreshing and intelligent. I recommend all her books.

Bright Blessings!

Over the years I have attempted to use various books for prayer and meditation (Wicca and non-wicca). I found THE SACRED ROUND one of the more inspirational, and exactly what I need at this time. Following a busy workday and a 2-way commute, at the end of the day I need a respite. Lately, I've taken an hour to sit quietly, burn incense, mediate, and read material designed to quieten my overwrought soul. The past few weeks, I've been using THE SACRED ROUND and have felt rested, restored and renewed. What more can one ask.

THE SACRED ROUND is not as comprehensive as Scott Cunningham's books for solitaries (which are excellent) and is not a comprehensive historical review of Wicca and it's works (such as DRAWING DOWN THE MOON by Margo Adler). Hawke's book is simple and straightforward and focuses on tools one can use for daily practice.

Although Hawke describes rituals that involve more than one person, I think one person can use them. What is visualization if I cannot use it to imagine a ritual. Imagination is about conjuring up an image and exploring every facet of it. A really good exercise Hawke suggests involves creating an inner space where you can take yourself to 'get away from it all'. My intuitive self understands this suggestion and I am able to be elsewhere when I need to--as in the days when I used to "daydream" in school and transport myself out the classroom window and into a grassy field nearby.

In addition to material describing of various rituals associated with 'Western' lunar and solar holidays, she has included Eastern material including Chakra work.

I have to say I was very interested in this book, but it was not exactly what I wanted. I have yet to find a ribbonwork book that is set up as clearly as possible and is really designed for a beginner. The Artful Ribbon, by Candace Kling is a treasure for those seeking old fashioned ribbonwork and is still the best reference I have found. Overall, if you are looking for how to make very realistic Roses (esp. Tea Roses) you will be absolutely thrilled with Helen Gibbs's book. Also, if you are looking for a book to teach you how to make flowers that look as realistic as possible, this is for you. Bear in mind that you are only taught how to make the flowers in the book (Pansies, violets, sweet peas, poppies, canterbury bells, bluebells, hollyhocks, fuchias, chrysanthemums, delphiniums, carnations, peonies, and gardenias). Actually, the gardenias alone may be worth the price of the book! Spectacular! You will also be taught to make only specific sizes and flowers are mostly done on stems, which makes them hard to use as embellishments on clothing. The projects in the book are not as appealing to me as playing on my own. I am still seeking the definitive book on using silk bias ribbon and, while Helen uses it when she's on the Carol Duvall show, she doesn't have many examples in this book. This is a crying shame, since I have a bunch I bought from The Store on the Corner in San Diego. I've also seen Helen's last two books and they seem to contain basically the same material. Another book to check would be A Passion for Ribbonry by Camela Nitschke.

The instructions in this book on making beautiful flowers out of ribbon, are clear and easy to follow. I have other similar books, but this one is by far the best! Truly worth the money!

This is a great book on ribbon flowers. The author explains how to make the flowers so it is easy to follow and you have a flower like hers when you finish. I highly recommend this book.

Wow, what can I say? I love this book. There's a great introduction to crafting ribbon flowers which includes a history as well. The instructions are so easy to follow it's a wonder that this hobby/craft is on the brink of vanishing for good! Not only that, but it's such a beautiful craft, too. I've used the book's techniques to embellish pillows, curtains, dresses, purses... you name it! Here's the great thing: I'm usually not even good at crafts! All it takes is to buy a cute little unadorned girls' dress from, say, Target, make a few ribbon flowers to attach to the dress and you have an instant artful creation. The things I have made (or embellished) have been such a hit with my family and friends. Also, Helen Gibb is an amazing person. I've seen her a few times on HGTV (which inspired me to get this book). I went to her website and sent an e-mail saying I enjoyed her segments on HGTV and she wrote me back a letter of thanks! It wasn't a canned response, either. Great lady, great book, great craft, so go get it!

I've had this book for about 4 weeks and have tried making a couple types of roses and, just last night, tried making a pansy. The directions are easy to follow and, after some practice, the reader is able to make some nice looking flowers. The particular projects in the book don't appeal to me, but I could see that they would be of interest to those who like the frills and complexity of Victorian-inspired objects. The author does provide a variety of ideas for using ribbon flowers that the reader can adjust to her or his taste.

I listened to Cantor Leo Fettman speak 12 years ago and I will never forget what he talked about. He described and gave a face to the holocaust for me I was born in the 70's and was not even alive when all this had happened. My knowledge was from books and classes (so very limited). What he said 12 years ago and his book showed me the most was hope. If a person can endure what he did and do so much good and have so much hope how can any of us not have hope for the future. This book should be required reading for all people.

this book is so well written, i had dreams about being in the holocaust after i read it.

"I have read many books on the Holocaust, including survivors' own testimonies, yet this is the first book that enlightened my awareness as to how long anti-Semitism has been in existence. I would gladly recommend to anyone to read this book as it goes beyond the Holocaust and into humanity."

Rebecca Herren, Editor The Jewish Reporter

My name is Dusty Baldwin I feel that the book "Shoah" is an excelent book.Because it discribes what happend during the Holocaust.This book deplicts the good times and the bad times of the Holocaust.The book also tells how the Jews were rounded up and put on trains and treated like animals.The book was written from a survivors story.The good thing about this book is that it tells you excactly what happend in the death camps and at the concentration camps.I would recommend this book to anyone from the age of 12 and up read this book to find out what the government didn't tell you.

Loved this book. In fact, I couldn't put it down. I read it in one afternoon. I found it to be well written and informative.

An excellent addition to your library. Lots of photos, and information, to enhanse your enjoyment of the hobby!

You will enjoy this book!

The book was delivered very quickly. The seller took great care to protect the book during shipping as the book arrived in perfect condition.

David Dole has accurately researched the prewar era of Lionel Trains in detail with descriptions and great photos. If you are collector or just interested in old toy trains young or old you will enjoy this book. The pictures of the actual trains and copies of pages from the old catalogs are worth buying the book for. My grandchildren love looking at David Doyle's book on Lionel Trains.

This is definitely required if your are intrested in these trains or thinking about purchasing one. It is a total and complete refrence for every item released in those 42 years. It has ratings, and excellent photos. It is like have an encyclopedia for my trains, as I use it to find a particular engine or engine or car #. Hats off to David Doyle

Very help in determining age and type of Lionel items,and value before purchasing or selling.

When I was in middle school, my friend Scott and I occupied our time on the school bus by playing a string game called "Cat's Cradle." Although repetitive, it was a fun game; it took many hours of play before we finally grew tired of it. That game is one of many described in this book.
Until I read it, I was unaware of how many different string games there were in the cultures of the world. Korea, Japan, China, India, Borneo, the Philippines, Aleuts in Alaska, the Navahos of New Mexico, the Osage of Oklahoma, pygmies of the Congo, the Pacific island of Nauru, and Uap in the Caroline islands is just a partial list of the points of origin of the string games described in this book. The construction of each figure is explained using a sequence of diagrams.
If you are interested in string games from around the world, then you will find this book to be an excellent reference. Had I known of it when I was younger, Scott and I would never have grown tired of playing string games.

I learned some string figures in my childhood and recently became interested again. I found this book on Amazon and promptly ordered it!

The book is quite fascinating. There is a huge collection of string figures which in themselves are interesting to look at and learn how to do. There is also a considerable amount of anthropological information (the author was after all an anthropologist) and some amazing photographs from around the turn of the 19th/20th century. In addition some of the stories and legends that go with these figures, many of which are very old indeed, are collected in the book with relevant figures.

My only complaint is that the string figures on the cover are from the collection of 20 or so at the end of the book for which no instructions are given because there wasn't time due to the book being in the final stages of publication! (Remember this was in the time long before computers). It's still however a collection which many can enjoy for all sorts of reasons.

I had a copy of this book as a child and bought this for my son who is 10. It's quite interesting, the instructions are easy to follow, and since we homeschool, it's made for some nice opportunities for geography and culture discussions. Adults could learn some of them for family-friendly parlor tricks at parties.

Considered by many String Figure people to be the "Bible" in this field. It has easy to follow instructions using what has become standard nomenclature. This book is referenced in recent writings probably more than any other. Anyone with interest in String Figures should have this book in their collection.

Once you master the language of manipulating the string--with a little patience-- you'll find the explanations easy to follow. The selection of string figures was wonderful. A strong collection --a legacy that has travelled throughout the world. Pass it along to your children.

The book is wonderful and very well published. I received it in record time. Thank you very much.

The Tabernacle: Shadows Of The Messiah, Its Sacrifices, Services, And Priesthood by David M. Levy examines the description and ministries of the Tabernacle as portrayed in fifty chapters of the Old Testament. This extensively researched presentation, offering full-color photographs and a wealth of archaeological evidence as well as close study of the Old Testament itself, sheds new light on the sacrifices, services, and priesthood of this ancient institution which figures so prominently in Judeo-Christian religious history. The Tabernacle is a welcome and highly recommended addition to Biblical Studies reading lists.

It's very good information regarding the entirely tabernacle. The typology of the tabernacle is much learned. The book is recommended if you want to know more about Jesus Christ. It is enjoyably read. :-)

Many Books on the Tabernacle but this one is such detail of describing of Christ. Uses alot of scripture. Awesome book. Well not resell. I will use as a refrence book along with the Bible

A pretty good book. But, if you are not Protestant you might be in for a slightly rough read. The author dwells heavily on the notion of legal imputation of the righteiousness of God. The book is not as organized as I hoped it would be. I was left with some unanswered questions about the priesthood and the sacrificial system. Also, there were not enough diagrams here for my liking. But still and all, I got a lot out of it.

There is now a 2.0 edition of this booklet.

In my opinion, this book represents an extremely well thought out piece of work. Dr. Berens displays a rich amount of expertise in Temperament. The clarity of theory is remarkable and the quality of work for such a small book is amazing. Well done.

I really liked this booklet and would recommend it to all of my colleagues. I feel it has a strong message and powerful voice. If you have read Please Understand Me then this is a must have resource.

I found this booklet through a link from Please Understand Me and I have found it invaluable as a resource when I am teaching temperament and using the keirsy sorter. I would give it to anyone who has taken the sorter.

This book is easy to read, understand, and apply! Dr. Berens insights into personality (temperament) are refreshing. A much better framework then the "label and blame-men and women" jargon. A good read for all ages. I will give one to every student I teach!

I'm a "spiritual but not religious" guy from a Jewish family, but my wife is Catholic, and I'm going to help her raise our children Catholic. I read this book cover to cover and will surely refer to it many times in years to come. It is VERY easy to read and understand, and yet it is filled with detail and references. I know that some of it is out of date (the info about Purgatory, for example). Also, I wouldn't have minded additional comparisons to Protestantism. But no matter - the book is great. It covers the basics and builds from there.

Father Lukefahr writes very easy-to-read books on the Catholic Faith and follows them up with workbooks that test your comprehension. This primary volume of his works is far easier that reading the Catechism itself. Father Lukefahr's warmth, knowledge, and love of souls comes through on every page. His books should be on every Christian's bookshelf!

This is a favorite book of mine, I just gave one away, to a young man leaving for Iraq, so this is a replacement. I use it often in teaching and recommend it for personal use for those who like to study on their own, or who can't get to regular meetings or study groups. All of Fr. Lukefahr books are helpful in learning and teaching about the faith.

While you can find no greater authority on the beliefs in the Catholic faith like the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "We Believe..." is a wonderful starting point for non-Catholics interested in Catholicism and for any Catholic looking to "freshen up" their wisdom of the Church. Fr. Oscar Lukefahr breaks down the Catechism into easily digestable chapters divided into the main divisions of the Catechism, those being Belief, Worship, Christian Life, and Prayer. Each chapter gives a solid, Catechetical and Biblical explanation of its specific topic.

Fr. Lukefahr does a wonderful job of explaining things without losing the reader's attention by going into deep theological points. He provides plenty of cross-references in the Catechism that one can (and probably should) check out to see just where certain beliefs are derived.

Overall, this is a wonderful introductory look at the faith of Catholics. If you are not Catholic and just want know what we believe or if you're interested in joining the Church, this would be a wonderful place to start your journey. I was unaware of this book whenever I went through the RCIA process. This would have been a wonderful book to have back then.

As another reviewer has stated, there's a workbook full of multiple-choice and true/false questions available to those who want an even deeper study of the Catholic faith available for this book. I used it and it greatly enhances the reading experience. I highly recommend this book and its workbook companion.

As others have posted, "We Believe" is truly a resource for anyone interested in Catholicism. It should be added, however, that Father Lukefahr has a natural ability to write for his audience.

Most clergy are very well educated and spend years obtaining multiple advanced degrees. Although this may make them experts in their fields, somewhere along the way they also obtain a dialect that their flock no longer understands. "We Believe" is written in layman's terms which allows the reader to actually digest the material rather than chew on it for days in an attempt to acquire the flavor of it.

The material has been here for over 2000 years. Father Lukefahr simply has a knack of presenting it in a manner that makes it all seem new.

From Back Cover:

"No man can own Rowena Dangerfield -- a sensuous, strong-willed lady with a fiery, unchained spirit--though many desire her. She has come to claim her birthright, following her destiny to the sprawling New Mexican frontier... and to the only man who can tame her restless heart.

A handsome half-Apache branded an outlaw--a rebel and renegade feared throughout the territories--Lucas Cord's body and soul cry out for the beautiful, headstrong stranger who has burst into his world. And neither peril nor the treachery of desperate men will prevent him from taking what he wants ...or restrain a rampaging passion as wild and hot as the Southwestern winds."

Ah, God love the '70's and the romance writers that decade produced! This book just has everything. Seriously- everything. Rosemary Rogers is a writer who more than enjoys putting her characters through HELL; she is positively brutal. One of the first writers in this genre that I read, I remember being shocked and horrified by the rape scenes, the possible incestuous relationship between Lucas and his stepmom, the harsh and frequently unlikable actions of both hero and heroine. Those don't sound like selling points (rape and incest? how, er, romantic?) and I only throw them in there so that you'll be alerted as a reader that you may feel emotionally put through the ringer while reading this book. But the characters are so compelling, and their dramas and stories and- wow- they were so human and real in their struggles and mistakes and in their love. And I love them together! The ending had me on tenterhooks. The writing style is very different to that of the genre writers we see today. Back then the prose tended to be, I don't know, more "prosy". And this book is written in the first person voice for most of it, which I thought worked well- especially in keeping me surprised by the ending. I don't think you can read this book and find it forgettable.

I love Rosemary Rogers' style of writing. Her stories are always epic-like and I could easily see them made into a mini-series. I really loved this book. The characters were so human and flawed yet you breathe a sigh of relief or contentment when they finally get together and show an ounce of tenderness towards each other. If all you have to do is read the title of a book and it triggers all the poignant feelings that the characters conjured up while reading it, I'd say the author did a good job of writing a great story.

I love this book. I read it when I was a junior in High School. I'm 46 years old now and it's still as clear as yesterday in my memory. I love the relationship that Rowena has with her "half breed" lover. I remember sitting on a New York subway train, reading this book and actually crying!!! No other book has ever had this effect on me...not even "Sweet Savage Love," that was the popular book at that time. Jinny has nothing over Rowena. I even swore I'd name my first daughter after her. What a great story!!! Rogers best.

I found this book at a charity bazaar and started to read it,so spelbound I was and forgetting my surroundings,being caught up in this historical romance that I didn't notice the last page was missing. No I am ordering a new copy to keep for my Library and to read the last page. I will read it again.
Just an excellent writer, I recommend this book highly.