Meditation Books

What a journey! A thrill ride to other worlds- your world? Our guide, Susan, fillets her true-self for all to feast as she allows us to experience her emotion, vulnerability, and STRENGTH. This book opened my mind, engaged my imagination, and gave me hope... What a gem!

This book is like a guide through one's own personal reality into the subconscious and beyond into hidden worlds, like dreams, and many other altered states. Fascinating concepts on time and no time, reincarnation, karma, life choices, and even death and spirits. This book is above and beyond because it frees one to open their minds to encompass the scope of life beyond what we understand without adhering to any particular belief system. It is kind of like the more you open, the richer your life becomes. The whole book gives you an 'ah hah!' kind of feeling, a sense of constantly being enlightened. A good book to read over and over.

I am reading this book for the third time. It is SO packed with incredible insights and usable thought processes I was folding most every page so I could go back for reference. It was very well received at our womens' health fair in clinic. Kalior is my new favorite author, I have read all 4 of her books. Some fantasy, all life enriching.

This book is a most soulfully interwoven journey the dives deeply into the adventure of self-exploration. It reflects all of life's internal issues on multiple levels and is cram packed with plenty of real substance. A very courageous book to steps out of the norm and yet is delivered in the most delightful way. It's brilliant!


This writer Susan truly has an amazing gift!

Linda Post

This is an extremely amazing book. It takes you on a very deep journey of love and life. Very inspirational. Susan did a wonderful job on this. Thank you.

I was re-introduced to Henri J. M. Nouwen during Easter Vigil this year. Our Priest Fr. Al Pruitt or perhaps his wife Elanor had left some books for us to read and pray with during our assigned time. Henri J. M. Nouwen's books were among those I chose, and I was moved deeply as I read Out of Solitude. My reaction was to buy several books by Henri J. M. Nouwen, and I have been enriched by each one. Christian mysticism is encouraged, expalined, and blessed by these writings.

This is a small book, almost a pamphlet, so it works very nicely for readings during a quiet retreat. Nouwen reminds us of the importance of solitude for service. The book is composed of a few sermons he gave at Yale and is one of those books where you'll find yourself wanting to excerpt quotes to stick on the wall by your computer. I'll give you one as an example: "It is in this solitude that we discover that being is more important than having, and that we are worth more than the result of our efforts." The book is an affirmation.

During my fast, and contemplation, times and again, I'm drawn to this little book.

It is a great book. This little book slowly, bit by bit, through 3 meditations on Christ, directs my mind from the "secular world" to Christ. It draws me to silence, to face myself, to God, and to caring for others and hope for the future.

It takes me to a journey and after that, I am filled with constance and strength.

Outstanding work. This book will cause you to stop and look at your relationship with Christ. Nouwen's words will touch you deeply in your inner man.

This was a very informative and a very simple read. In a nutshell, it defines how important solitude is in terms of how we can't get caught up impressing life judges. Also, "It teaches us", not to become restless of our actions for our only way of aquiring self pride.

Henri also shows people how to be glad by applying the example of jesus to your life. Also, to deal with the challenges which God applies for you, only to make youself stronger.

I find it amazing that he could put all this very enlighting material into this very short read. I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about life. To various people who want to find the ticket to extreme happiness, this book is for you!

I found Michael's gentle loving words very nurturing. Reading "Ritual as Resource" brought me back to peaceful basics.It reminded me to go for the simplicity of life,uncomplicated and easy. Coming from love, first for myself, and then others. The rituals and practices Michael guides you through are simple and very healing.I continue ro re-read and practice them and discover new insights every time. Michael's openess and shared personal growth are very inspirational. I am grateful for the positive energies I receive. Thank you, Michael.

Picucci's book offers a large reserve of resources for the reader's taking. The blend of theoretical, personal, and practical creates opportunities for seeing our lives through a clearer lens. The discussion of positive resource energy offers exciting possibilities: to feel more comfortable in one's own skin, a sense of terra firma, safety, of feeling at home, settled, and at one with the universe.
Picucci's work connects the collective consciousness of both old and new generations through the powerful practice of ritual. Performing rituals is the bridge that connects us all, helping us to navigate the transitions of life more smoothly. With conscious intention, we need to name the rituals we already practice, add more to the menu, and hold them in high esteem. Read this work to find inner cauldrons boiling over with positive resource energy, and creative suggestions for structure to contain that energy through the vessel of ritual. Dr. Tom Kane (Philadelphia)

The traditional institutional rituals that have served throughout history, do not address the newly evolved personal needs of many of us in the 21st century. In "Ritual As Resource", Dr. Picucci has re-created ritual as a dynamic personal resource to energize and transform our daily life. He teaches us the techniques for body and mind that we can use to achieve tranquil feelings of aliveness and ecstatic self-transcendence. The exercises in this are used to bring strength and resilience to our living.

Michael Picucci's Ritual as Resource is a worthy successor to his landmark, award-winning volume: The Journey Toward Complete Recovery. In this new book, Dr. Picucci introduces the reader to core themes from the "energetics" field and then blends them with "authentic process", a community-based approach to growth and recovery outlined in his previous work. One key theme in this book is the presence of the opposing energies in our lives; sometimes we experience them as stress, inter-personal conflict, or trauma. With the conscious use of ritual, we can learn to accept and even thrive on these opposing energies. Readers encountering the "energetics" field for the first time may find these ideas somewhat challenging. But the reader is well-rewarded as the themes come together in an uplifting message about how to live an emotionally healthy life in modern society.

The true richness of the book comes through most clearly in the author's discussion of how to create your own "rituals" for healing, health and personal power. Rituals are consciously crafted sets of actions incorporated directly into one's daily life - from the delightfully simple "shower and health" rituals to deeply moving rituals to cope with life threatening illness and death. Dr. Picucci shares his own life experiences in an intensely personal way, helping the reader understand how energy and resources can help a person face virtually any life challenge. Using this book as a guide, I have created my own rituals that now are essential and deeply satisfying parts of my daily life. Readers will find this book a wonderful source for creating their own rituals, to make their own lives richer and more spiritually fulfilling.

Ritual as Resource is part psychology theory, part autobiography, part spiritual guidebook, and wholly a resource for having energy to deal with contemporary life. The initial chapters set out the framework for using ritual to connect with our own energies. The writing is accessible and comfortable, if sometimes less than graceful. The book would be worth it just for the understanding it provides of the felt senses and how working with them helps us connect with our own energies--a real resource for vibrant living. There are many examples of rituals that we can use in our daily lives; most are straightforward ways of transforming situations at work, at play, and in our relationships. For me, it was the inspiration and concept of working with ritual in this way that was most exciting. Picucci's autobiographical revelations--he is a very dynamic survivor of cancer, a heart attack and AIDS, as well as more mundane threats such as total career transition--illustrate just how valuable this kind of energetic resource can be.

Because I can see the value of what the book has to offer, not just to those with a spiritual orientation but to others, I would have liked a presentation that assumed less about what the reader would accept with minimal evidence. However, I would encourage open-minded readers to explore its pages. Picucci has provided enough gifts that most readers will find plenty to gather.

A classic from 1989 this book tells Christians how much God loves them. With the big idea of our lives are not futile. Our failures are not fatal and our deaths are not final. Each chapter of this book begins with an personal illustration from the author and then moves into the life of Christ. I have read this book at least three times. Each time I read it this book stirs me. I don't know how many tears have fallen while reading this book. If you have never read this book I strongly encourage you to do so. You will not be disappointed.

So easy to read and understand. The chapter tilted 'The Golden Golbet' gave me the simplest picture of God's love and grace for me. I have read this book three times and continue to give it as gifts to people I meet.

I bought the book as a gift, but decided to read it first to see if it was ok to give...I was certainly surprised, I was even brought to tears in a lot of chapters...especially when Max does a re-telling of the ruler's daughter in a modern setting. Wow!

Makes a great gift, for others & one's self!

I have several of Max Lucado's books, and have never been disappointed. This book puts Jesus death and resurrection in language and thoughts we can under today without losing the biblical meaning. He creates a clear picture and stirs up emotion. Most of the time he brings in someone else's point of view that maybe you hadn't thought of. I highly recommend this book, I read it every Easter.

In six hours Jesus accomplished his redemptive work and in so doing brought meaning to man's life. Max Lucado weaves contemporary stories together with Biblical events to bring a fresh and multi-faceted view of how people were affected by what Jesus did. There's the prodigal son, the woman caught in adultery, the widow of Nain, Lazarus, the thief at the cross among others. All saw new meaning to life, experienced forgiveness from God, and the promise of resurrection and eternal life when they came to the Saviour. The last chapter was the most touching and described the final glance as Max's dad lay dying, paralleling it with the final look by the centurion as Jesus died on the cross.

This book is inspiring and explains the anchor points that you should hold onto when life's hurricanes hit. That basically Jesus has done it all for you on the cross, and that your life is not futile, your failures are not fatal, and your death is not final. Jesus has purchased you with His Blood, and promises you forgiveness of sins if you come to him, and not only that, but eternal life. Therefore anchor your soul to the Rock of Salvation and He will hold onto you throughout life's storms.

I love Scott Morrison's writings. I have found him to be truly committed to living in the now and manifesting Unconditional Love. I learned a lot fomr reading this thin volume.

On the other hand, I myself find it difficult just to "let go" by telling myself to "let go." Telling myself to be committed to living in the present moment has not caused it to happen in my life so far. In that sense, this book might either be:

A) An introduction to where you want to go i.e. creating your destination
or
B) The last step in the journey - when you are the precipice of arrival.

On first reading, I did not see any point in the book. This prompted me to read it again, to take a second look. This time I appreciated its content, and the continuity of thread of thought.

I felt that the title did not truly reflect the content. There was not much which takes or directs one to the Now, as grand as the title sounds.

There are no new ideas. The treatment of various topics is more basic. 'Clarity of Motive', 'Clarity or onepointedness of mind', and 'Clarity of View' i.e 'go ahead and be what you already are' - form the main analysis and prescription of the author.

Page 39: " True love is, in fact, what you discover you are, the instant you cease to be preoccupied with yourself as a separate entity with its endless ambitions, problems and worries."

Page 44: "To be enlightened is to be unconditionally intimate with this moment. There is no other time or place to give yourself, totally, to all that is."

Page 45: "If you are willing, completely willing, to let go of every thing you think of as "yourself" and "your life", to bring it all to an absolute STOP, right now, then something profoundly sensitive and beautiful will be free to reveal itself."

Page 51: "If you completely abandon your compulsive preoccupation with your mental/emotional versions of yourself, with their endless ambitions and the constant flow of problems that arise because of them, it's an absolute shock !"

Page 58: "The way of Realization is not difficult. All you have to do is open your eyes ! If you allow yourself to see things as they actually are, without confusing yourself with prior opinions, every thing will be clear and freedom will be everywhere."

Page 75: "Question to the core this fundamental assumption: that there is a separate "you", as pictured or heard or fantasized or remembered in your mind, and that "he" needs to be improved, because he is somehow incomplete or unacceptable."

Page 76: "If you are willing to accept yourself and your life so thoroughly, such that "you" are no longer an issue, all seeking, all searching, all longing will cease. (And even if it arises again, it will be seen for the sham that it is.)"

. . . is all the help one gets about the practice/technique for Realization.

The chapter on 'How delusion works' is a helpful tool to understand the mental prosess of individual self.

In a way, the book teaches the same conventional do good and be good lesson, and some vertically typed lines - what people call as poetry. It only says that without taking things for granted, please see every thing afresh, and you will discover 'something'.

I happened to read 'As It Is' by Tony Parsons, just before this book. I read it twice and hope to read it several times more. 'As it is' seems to be more helpful teaching, as it seems to present some conclusions and techniques directly. Also, 'Consciousness Speaks' by Ramesh Balsekar will make a better reading. Probably one can read "There is only now" as a preliminary preparation to "Consciousness Speaks" or "As it is".

This book is an intellectual discourse on someone's view of religion but a guide for people having personal spiritual experiences. I loved the book. I would also recommend the book An Encounter With A Prophet for the same reasons I appreciated this book

This book is as warm as the sun on a hot summer's day and as refreshing as a breath of fresh air. Finding peace, happiness and balance in one's life is not easy these days, but this author has brought some very important messages to the forefront and written a book that both inspires and teaches. The thoughts and words will cause readers to do some serious soul searching about who they are and where they are proceeding on life's path. "There Is Only Now" is a book well worth reading and definitely worth a five-star-plus rating.

I imagine that it must be so difficult to write a book about how to live in the present moment because the mere act of trying to live in the present moment takes us away from it. Despite this difficulty, this book does an admirable job in helping people understand this and eventually "know" this in their hearts. I must admit that just reading the book was incredibly soothing to me. This is a great book if you feel like you could use some help on your path to the spiritual goldmine many people talk about. The book that I presently like the most on this subject is "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone truly interested in personal growth and happiness.

Bravo to the author! In an age increasinly bare of heroes, it's helpful to look backward to read about these very human creatures who, through grace and faith, moved beyond what we think of as 'do-able'and established Rules, schools, hospitals, monasteries and colonies, or who did none of those 'great' things but showed us, instead, how to build interiorly, in faith. I am particularly happy to see the author's habit of pointing out those qualities of a saint which shout of their flawed humanity, thus joining them with us. These are not pastel-flavored hagiographies but strong, bold portraits of strong, bold people - from both ancient and modern times. A job well done, and yes, this is an excellent gift idea, especially for a family raising young people. Give it to them and tell them to put it on the coffee table. I did that and I'm very gratified when I see my kids pick it up and thumb through it, reading a little here, a little there. It is highly readable, and a good thing to 'keep around'.

There's no one who knows the saints better and no one who dazzles with a story as well as Bert Ghezzi. These are readings and stories about people who could live next door, the kind of people you invite over for a cook out and a beer. With the multitude of voices contending for attention in our world these voices are worth hearing and spending time with. This is a jewel.

I was given this book as a gift and picked it up with the intention of giving it a welcoming glance and, then, putting it away to use as my devotional book for 2001. I couldn't put the book down. It is a wonderful book--at turns profound, intelligent, poignant, and witty (Yes, witty). Ghezzi's style is concise, graceful, and articulate. This book would make a great present, one your loved ones will enjoy for many years.

Reading "Voices of the Saints" is like taking a nostalgic trip back into history with a personal tour guide and meeting some of the most colorful and heroic personalities who ever lived. Bert Ghezzi recreates the lives and character of the saints so vividly I felt I were meeting each saint in the flesh. Ghezzi places the saints in their native settings and skillfully reconstructs their worlds through the sights, sounds, and political and religious sensitivities of their times. I especially liked the quotes and writings in the saint's own "voices," providing relevant glimpses of their joys, hardships and aspirations through their own passionate hearts and keen intellects. More than just a digest, this book opens a door to a close association with each saint that intrigues, touches and teaches. Sitting down with "Voices" creates a way to know these grand and holy people in intimate ways not otherwise possible. Pass this one down. Worthwhile, for years to come.

I am immensely impressed with Voices of the Saints, which I began reading on January 1 of this year. I have been reading the lives of the Saints by various authors and publishers, including Butler, every day for the past two decades of my life, but I can wholeheartedly proclaim that this book is by far the best, bar none. Most of the renditions I have read paint the Saints with hard to reach (and even harder to obtain) halos, like Blessed Fra Angelico paintings set to words. Bert Ghezzi's account brings the Saints to life--to ordinary human life, with all of its foibles, struggles, and in the end for them...victory. The truly human element in each of these literary portraits, which is brought home by the well-chosen quotations, makes each Saint a true inspiration to the "bumbling their way through" masses like me. His comments on each Saint are insightful and inspired, the writing and research are scholarly yet approachable, and the organization of the book (which allows one to read it by any one of three logical methods) makes this an immensely satisfying book to read. My wife and I look forward to delving into it each day, as Bert Ghezzi invites us to share the lot of the Saints in Light!

Yep, that person above is me and I hate it. I hate the limitations my chronic illness puts on me and hate how I constantly have to adapt exercise programs for my different abilities each day. When a 5th degree black belt mentioned he was interested in working with me and had worked with people in similar situations--I was both scared and intrigued. What if I couldn't cut it! I had been in SO MANY gym classes where the high impact and intensity of the work out locked me out of the workout. This book gave me a new window to view body movement and encouraged me to try.
That alone is such a blessing. Because discouragement is our most potent enemy-- BK Loren delivers a stunning death blow to that block. Fell comfortable giving this book to anyone and make sure and keep a copy for yourself. Excuse me, I have a 4:30pm martial arts class I'm on my way too.

Whether you practice martial arts or not (I don't), this book will fascinate from beginning to end. It is a story of strength, beauty, joy, and healing. It's a gift, and I'm lucky to have come across it. I recommend it very, very highly.

This is a great book with a misleading cover and an indescript title. IT IS NOT ABOUT MARTIAL ARTS. If you want to read a poetic memoir that is written like a dream, read this book. If you want to learn about strength and struggle, read this book. But if its martial arts you're after, find a different book or better yet, get out of your chair and go get yourself a good teacher.

I am not a marital artist, and from the moment I picked up this book, I COULD NOT SET IT DOWN! This book is a WONDERFUL read. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys reading someone's story in a way that makes you reflect on yourself and see things in a new way. BK Loren is inpsiring and touches you in a way that authors rarely do. I HIGHLY recommend this book. This book should be in several categories including inspiration and self help. BK Loren is a wonderful author. I CAN NOT WAIT her next piece of literature is available.

"The Way of the River" is a compelling, beautifully written book that goes far beyond the subject of enlightenment through the study of martial arts. Ms. Loren has the uncanny ability to draw the reader completely into her autobiographical anecdotes, to the point that I absolutely shared her hopes, fears, triumphs and losses keenly. It is a page turner, and I learned a great deal from reading it.

Martial artists and students will benefit from her insightful perspective on life and perhaps confirm or renew the spirital and philisophical core of their chosen disciplines. Non-martial artists will be equally captured by her flawless prose, lovingly-crafted descriptions, and beatifully-paced chapters. Ms. Loren has a bright future as a writer, and she will definitely join Mark Salzman's company as an author who secures mainstream popularity outside the martial arts genre.

A good book about a great man. Yet, it fell short of my expectations - as I expected much more from a man who had risen to tne papacy. One might want to consider the other side of the `John Paul Coin' - Albino Luciani or John Paul I - the valiant champion of human dignity for women, orphans, the remarried, homosexuals and others whose everyday lives are scorned by doctrine. Unlike his successor who was taught from an early age not to question the authority of his ancestors, Albino received his commission to rise to the papacy and bring change to the Church at the age of twelve from his revolutionary activist papa. Two good men - yet, two very different men - two very different sides of the same coin, John Paul II the conservative side and John Paul I the liberal side. I would suggest a look-see at Lucien Gregoire's PAUPER WHO WOULD BE POPE.

OK--you have to read this book because it has radical, fresh insights into the forward-thinking mind of JPII. These Spiritual Exercises were given to university students--a ministry wherein JPII had much pastoral expertise. Amazing quotes on prayer, ecumenism, etc. SANTO SUBITO!

My husband ordered this book and said that he liked it a lot but found it hard to follow at times. He attributes this more to the interpreter. My husband said you almost need a dictionary at times to follow it.

This book presents retreat talks for university students by Karol Wojty³a while he was still a cardinal. He doesn't speak as a pope but as an ordinary person and at the same time a great spiritual master. His words are very clear and lucid, even comonsensical but at the same time his message and vision is very deep. He appeals to our deepest yearnings and spiritual intuitions. I'm not a Catholic but a Buddhist but I really recommend this book to everybody as the author's vision seems to embrace all human beings no matter what their faith is.

Knowledge is superb,and easy to learn from Pope John Paul the Second. He says that anyone can learn to pray and that everyone knows how to pray. People should not place themselves down in case they say they don't know. In a couple of minutes one can learn (to Pray to Jesus Christ). Prayer is recommended for one daily. One needs to Pray in order to be at Peace with oneself, as well as with Christ. We follow the commandments, we pray for ourselves, for the poor,repent of our Sins, pray for the sick children, the dead, and to Jesus Christ(most Importantly)-so we can have Salvation. It is through the Son that one will get to the Father. Like i said, very valuable knowledge. Yes! This book is highly recommended.

**another book i recommend to you is "How to avoid Hell" by Friar Schouppe."

I read a section from the book each night and feel warmed and inspired by it. Also, more and more I'm coming across this image of a web in life and understanding and appreciating the interconnectedness of things as described in the book.

Richard Louv has a great philosophy toward life. This book illustrates his desire for all of us to include more nature in our existence. The book is a gentle reminder of our wilder selves.

"The Web of Life: Weaving the Values that Sustain Us," is an incredibly powerful work connecting the present with the past, eloquently capturing the basic values which bring strength to individuals, families, schools, and communities. Through a story-telling approach which immediately connects author with reader, Richard Louv plants the seeds of possibility in the reader's mind, offering simple and do-able approaches to integrating more of the sustaining values into our busy lives.

I used Louv's book in my thesis on Amish culture, as I immediately found threads of commonality between Louv's observations and my personal experiences among the Old Order Amish. In this work, Louv unknowingly, perhaps, touched upon sustaining human values that transcend culture and generational boundaries. In the Web of Life, Louv emphasizes what we can do individually and collectively to begin creating a world of compassion, sensitivity, fulfillment, and joy.

This is a must read for anyone wishing to set aside the temporary lures of self-gratification and integrate more practical and sustainable values into their lives.

I picked up this copy the same time as I picked up his "Last Child in the Woods" ~~ and I took it along on a camping trip recently. It is a neat little compilation of essays regarding making time for family, having meaningful conversations and keeping friends, keeping the communication channels open with your kids and spouses, brothers/sisters/parents, and other topics.

It is definitely a keeper in any family's library ~~ but if you have read the book, "Last Child in the Woods" ~~ you will find the same themes and same stories touched upon in this book as well. That is why I gave it a four stars because it is tedious reading to read the same thing over and over again. Yes, this book is the original since it was published in 1996 but when you have two books by the same author telling you pretty much the same thing, it makes you wonder if he needs more fresh stories to share or if he is running out of ideas. It'll be interesting to see what his next book will touch upon.

Just because re-reading the same thing is tedious for me, it doesn't have to be for other readers. If you like essays and essays about family, nature, communication and so forth, you will like this little book. It is lyrical and thoughtful. It is inspiring. It will make you look at life a little bit differently and perhaps, instead of having imaginary conversations with your spouse in your head, you will talk to him/her and rediscover the reasons why you fell in love with him/her in the first place. This book is just not about stories, it is about people reconnecting to humanity again in spite of the highly technogical age we live in today. It is about people reconnecting to nature and family and friends ~~ the little things that make our lives go round.

It is definitely a gem of a book.

9-11-07

This is a wonderful collection of essays/short stories which drive home the importance of family, family connections and the importance of our past. Each essay is worth mulling over thoughtfully. You will find youself being able to relate to most of the author's words. We need works such as this at a time when so many of our families and communities seem to be bent on distruction, and more importantly, we need to read these works and ponder them. All in all quite thought provoking and quite inspirational. Would recommend this to anyone. Would recommend you purchase it and give it a reread now and then.

I do not pretend to Ms Roberts' achievement or to review the route-map that is her book but I do want to highlight the advantages that accompany progress on the path she describes so a wider audience may be persuaded to participate.

The clarity of detached thought that results from egolessness is quite basic to mental insight. I suspect she describes an evolutionary step that has been evolving in our species over the last few millennia and is only frustrated today by fear of the unknown and our common wish to blend in.

I believe the ego is the enemy of us all. That great man Linus Pauling sought to elucidate DNA before anyone else and published a description that was not even acidic - that is the cost of egocentricity, even amongst our greatest and best.

A qualification in Mr Roberts' field of expertise should be the doorkey to every science career. If more of us followed her path we would soon be living in a splendid world, travelling from birth to death without fear or error and making really useful contributions along the way. We all value clarity in word, thought and deed. Here is a route map to it.

In reading Jerry Katz's book, "One" which is collection of what is written on the non-dual state, the chapter with sample pages from Bernadette Roberts book "What is Self?" was riveting. Having read thousands of books on practices leading to "enlightenment" this is new ground. Few persons having this experience are able to articulate the experience into language understandable to any degree. I have no doubt many from various religions have reached this state though Bernadette Roberts is from the Christian tradition and this possibly brings the experience more understandable as opposed to Sanskrit terms etc. I will add Dr. David R. Hawkins books, videos on his experiences of the non-dual state are excellent, too. Books are "Eye of the I", "I",and "Discovery of the Presence of God: Devotional Non-duality."
It took me many years to discern that psychic experiences and general paranormal experiences are merely symptoms on the way to the non-dual state and should be ignored as opposed to being a goal to expand upon if one wishes to experience the non-dual state aka enlightenment.
This book is a masterpiece in my opinion.

I found this an amazing, inspiring account of a very deep spiritual journey. Bernadette Roberts describes the causal, non-dual, no-self experience in a manner both clear, logical and profoundly unsettling. Not many people reach this place, or even know if its existence. The fact that an "ordinary person" can describe her journey in clear terms is profoundly inspiring. The structure of the book is a bit garbled and repetitious, representing as it does four separate 'essays'. Her insights into the Trinitarian nature of Reality are provocative and sometimes hard to follow (altho this may represent may own limited capabilities!) This minor flaw makes the book a human endeavour and does not diminish my overall recommendation.

This experiential description from a christian perspective has left me awe-struck. I went on the path of eastern religions after discovering the access to truth our medieaval mystics e.g Hadewich, Ruusbroeck, Eckehart and Thomas a Kempis had achieved around the 13th century AD. However they did not show me the way to this truth and Christianity as it was explained to me was totally devoid of it. After 35 years of zen buddhist practice I touch on this book and I am dumbfounded by the deep similarities AND the differences between Christianity and Buddhism as direct experiential religions. It has allowed me to resonate deeply with these aspects of reality as are labeled Trinity and Resurrection.
It is clear that the difference in our society is not going to be made by Eastern traditions. It must come from our own tradition. But then this tradition has to stop clinging to a dead mythic past and become alive to the here and now. I want to thank Bernadette deeply for this courageous deed of going down her path unerring and making it available to us all by writing it down so lucidly.
Thank you Bernadette.

So pleased to have connected with this very unusual offering. Roberts spends the first half of the book explaining in great detail - sometime tediously, but in the end thoroughly and with stunning insight - the nature of all self identity - Small Self, Big Self, or as some refer to it, True Self and consciousness. Her conclusion is that they are all temporary, mutually supporting constructs that fall away as one matures along the human journey. Her description of the "no self" condition - her ability to describe "no self" to readers who assume identity as being the one absolutely, irreducible, personal accessory is an amazing accomplishment. Beyond unitive consciousness, Roberts describes conditions of pure knowing without a knower. And not as some have led us to believe - not God realized, omniscient knowing. Instead a knowing that includes the sober realization that all that has been previously "known" was really and unavoidably, mere self reflection. Roberts, now in her seventies is described by those who know her as, "A Force Of Nature." Having spent her early years in a convent threading a path parallel to St.'s. Teresa and John of the Cross, Mrs. Roberts is now devoted to her family - having long ago left cloistered life to marry and raise her children. Present day philosopher, Ken Wilber predicts that our human developmental/spiritual ceiling will continue to rise - just as we see looking back to the 16th century when Christian mystics assumed that the highest level of development was an ecstatic, I/Thou, union with God. Bernadette Roberts takes the reader with her beyond this previously supposed end game - charting new waters, higher ground and finally leaving us to understand that beyond self there remains knowing without a knower with still more to come. And, that as frightening as death of self identity may be - it is natural and necessary that we take this final step, as she assures - all, someday will. A great resource, best suited for well grounded, sturdy thinkers.