d71ca1b9-c686-4ae0-bbe8-fb2dde97a101TrueNewShip82NewsAmazonLargeBooksreviewrank11673161167321583941843http://www.amazon.com/Chi-Creativity-Vital-Energy-Artist/dp/1583941843%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1583941843552340http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51S589CV1DL._SL75_.jpg7560http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51S589CV1DL._SL160_.jpg160128http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51S589CV1DL.jpg500400Elise Dirlam ChingKaleo ChingPaperback613.714897815839418431001583941843Blue Snake BooksEnglishEnglishEnglish9802495USD$24.95Blue Snake Books1350Book2007-05-08Blue Snake Books2007-05-08Blue Snake Books1858002469USD$24.691538USD$15.3810600005.020415839418435002008-03-30

Remarkable Book!!!!

The authors of Chi and Creativity present important concepts and methods for living in an expansive and intentional way. In this book we are shown how meditation, guided imagery, breath work, and chi kung can effectively awaken and enrich our creative processes. This remarkable book has have been of great help in supporting my chi kung practice. <br />Lew Carson, Professor Emeritus of Art, California State University, East Bay15839418435002008-03-14

A life affirming and truly deep book at our true inner artists

I am greatly honored to express my intense love for this literature. I have been blessed enough to know the authors Kaleo and Elise and be presented with this spirit expanding piece of literature. Being a hypnotherapist and learning more about the Eastern Way of philosophy has helped my grow unto myself and how I see myself helping others. <br />Reading this literature and absorbing its knowledge has for me enhanced my perception of the tri-fold "singularity" that makes up who we all are. I am fascinated by the detailed instructions and positive suggestions about how and when to come in contact with our "Inner Artist". <br />I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to develop their perception about energy flows and cycles of life/death by holistically improving in body-mind-spirit. <br />15839418435002008-01-31

Great resource

Both me and my girlfriend, a licensed psychotherapist, have used this book. More than just a creativity guide, its a guide to well being and to life. The masks are incredible. What a valuable resource and a beautiful, inspiring book. 15839418435112007-12-28

The key to reopening my creativity.

This book is wonderful. I love the mediations, chi gong exercises, and more. Through doing the chi gong and mediations I have been able to reopen my creative self again. I feel like myself again, an artist! The book was very well written and illustrated. I love the personal journal inserts for they helped me to relate to the writer and to my self. 15839418435332007-12-07

Beautiful Book!!

As an artist, I appreciate the physical quality of this book. It feels good in your hands, paper stock and layout are beautiful. As a healer, this book gives me great ideas to build my chi with many different exercises, reaching all aspects of myself. Highly recommended.Most people tend to idealize artists, writers, and others of the “creative class” as uniquely gifted. But the capacity to create is part of being human–whether that means writing, making art, cooking, gardening, sewing, dancing, acting, singing, or virtually any activity. In <i>Chi and Creativity, </i>Kaleo Ching and Elise Dirlam Ching show readers how to use a wide range of strategies to harness the energy of chi to uncover, and cultivate, that often elusive inner artist.<br><br>Based on their popular workshops, the authors offer an integrative process to generate the joy, wonder, and sense of well-being necessary for artistic self-expression. Specific exercises draw on everything from acupressure and breathing techniques to Chi Kung movement and meditation. Through Chi Awareness, the body, mind, emotions, and spirit come into greater harmony. Through guided imagery, they dialogue. Through journaling, they speak. Through art, they join in creative expression of the inner discoveries along the path to greater balance and integration. <i>Chi and Creativity </i>is the authors’ way of sharing this magical transformative process and can be used by anyone who wants to add fuel to their creative fires.155643590815903021091581809948157324315914019057304647General4645Exercise & Fitness10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books282936Tai Chi & Qi Gong4645Exercise & Fitness10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books4737Creativity4736Self-Help10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books4745Personal Transformation4736Self-Help10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books11184General4682Mental Health10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books282880Energy Healing4696Alternative Medicine10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books15811941Creativity15811801By Topic11119Psychology & Counseling10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books12667General12621New Age22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12671Mental & Spiritual Healing12621New Age22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books760952Personal Transformation12809Spirituality22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books16575General16571Martial Arts16533Individual Sports26Sports1000Subjects283155Books11086921General26Sports1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books712982011General AAS465600New & Used Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books713014011General AAS319654011Qualifying Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books015101048Xhttp://www.amazon.com/Circus-Winter-Cathy-Day/dp/015101048X%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D015101048X320924http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513H5QPZ8HL._SL75_.jpg7549http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513H5QPZ8HL._SL160_.jpg160105http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513H5QPZ8HL.jpg500329Cathy DayHardcover813.69780151010486120015101048XHarcourtEnglishEnglishEnglish8102300USD$23.00Harcourt1288Book2004-07-05HarcourtHarcourt9056063USD$0.631USD$0.012300USD$23.0024366011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewKxfSw5Fn4rYrfs5FTICabRTKYfZYicZqG4Dc%2Bmq2u8%2F65T5r6Y5IBDp6%2BrpYyaHrmVT1kthV8duPfXbxu54I5A%3D%3D1564USD$15.64Usually ships in 1 to 3 months5.0215015101048X5002008-03-12

I love the circus, but the elephants make me sad.

A friend recommended this to me when I expressed the desire to read a little more about elephants (after reading Philosophy Made Simple and Water for Elephants). It makes sense... elephants and the circus go together, yes? <br /> <br />In this collection, Cathy Day plays with the structures of stories. Each is constructed a little differently than the last, but all interweave to paint a portrait of a small town with a unique past and a distinctly midwestern present. Experimental structures can fall flat as easily as they work. I don't require a linear narrative, but I do require that a story be told. This book tells one. <br /> <br />True to the title, the circus performers are mostly shown during the downtime, weathering winter and waiting to get back on the train. The way that their lives butt up to the lives of ordinary folks is interesting to read about. Several stories deal with the ways in which men do not comprehend the longings of women, and Day handles this theme beautifully and without accusation, especially in The King and His Court and the very tragic The Lone Star Cowboy. <br /> <br />It's a beautiful book. But... <br /> <br /> (spoilers) <br /> <br />...the elephants are only shown dying. I can't stand it. Their deep eyes, their hairy hides, their questing trunks, and then they die. <br /> <br />Since the stories are called "exhibits," the question of human oddity ("born" and "made") is called into question. Well, this was part of the circus. One of the stories deals with a young man who has dwarfism, and how he happily accepts the role of town mascot, and what happens when that role is inexplicably (to him) withdrawn. I've read too many stories in which a little person comes in to serve as a metaphor, a symbol, as if somehow a person who has dwarfism is not a person, just the condition that makes him short. Day does a nice job of portraying a person. He is an innocent boy, then a clueless young man, and then an angry young man. He is more than the sum of his bones. <br /> <br />Very highly recommended.015101048X5002008-02-09

A beautiful web.

I've never liked the circus. But this book made me want to learn more about people who live a life tied to it. Day paints beautiful and poignant images of her characters and she weaves a mighty beautiful web in the process.015101048X4002008-02-05

Delicate and Beautiful

The first stories in this collection are small masterpieces. Cathy Day can take us deep into the secret, hidden hearts of her characters. There were passages that I read, over and over, just to enjoy the beauty of her writing. <br /> <br />It was close to perfect. <br /> <br />I was worried that a 'circus story' would be all about the freaks and geeks. Instead, it was about real people struggling against the loneliness of midwestern winters, coping with broken dreams, the constraints of small town lives, and the endless allure of life on the road. <br /> <br />Sadly, the seams started to show towards the end of the collection. There was nothing bad, so much as a sense of that, in a few of the later stories, she was repeating her best stories (or giving us an early, less polished version of them). One story could have been dropped with no loss ("Jungle Boolah Boy" didn't feel very integrated with the rest of the stories), and another ("Boss Man") felt a bit strained although it did help to tie some of the themes and characters together. 015101048X5452006-12-02

Read this instead of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

This book of interconnected short stories related to residents of the old circus town of Lima, Indiana (it's real life counterpart is Peru, Indiana) is just excellent. Great writing, great characterizations and great stories that seem like they could have really happened. Do yourself a favor and read THE CIRCUS IN WINTER instead of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS which is more romance novel than literature but for some unknown reason is reaping a lot of positive buzz.015101048X5002006-06-27

I do love the circus!

This is a wonderful,short book that I really enjoyed. <br />The author brings you into the world of circus folks. Sometimes funny,sometimes sad but always interesting. She gives us the story many different ways,which at times can be trying. <br /> <br />Her characters are well fleshed out making you want to know more. She carries thru with this by bringing you from the past to the future and back. A good fun read! <div>From 1884 to 1939, the Great Porter Circus made the unlikely choice to winter in an Indiana town called Lima, a place that feels as classic as Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio, and as wondrous as a first trip to the Big Top. In Lima an elephant can change the course of a man's life-or the manner of his death. Jennie Dixianna entices men with her dazzling Spin of Death and keeps them in line with secrets locked in a cedar box. The lonely wife of the show's manager has each room of her house painted like a sideshow banner, indulging her desperate passion for a young painter. And a former clown seeks consolation from his loveless marriage in his post-circus job at Clown Alley Cleaners. Cathy Day follows the circus people into their everyday lives and brings the greatest show on earth to the page. <br></div>014026190700609272400252062906067976402X067975533010129Contemporary17Literature & Fiction1000Subjects283155Books10132Literary17Literature & Fiction1000Subjects283155Books10163Family Saga10134Genre Fiction17Literature & Fiction1000Subjects283155Books10177Historical10134Genre Fiction17Literature & Fiction1000Subjects283155Books542656Domestic Life542654Women's Fiction17Literature & Fiction1000Subjects283155Books394181011Hardcover394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books712982011General AAS465600New & Used Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books712990011General AAS468236Literature468206Humanities465600New & Used Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books713014011General AAS319654011Qualifying Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books3SUBMM8MLBI0LCircus & Carnival2MQICCVS1XLGIbooks worth mentioning that i've read in 200534QQH88T46VMCThey May Only Be Words, But These are so Good3GRHM5F9TSCLJMarvelous Masterpieces3PV6PL8B04RTZSome Masterpieces I Just Loved16T93310ZUSA8Take Me to the Circus82W4BFYRH38G25 Outstanding Books Everybody can Enjoy3CN10DT6MZVEQ2004 items of interest1RDZ20KW7KCIVBest books of 20042GS42FYBVRXUFavorite Short FictionB0007IV5R2http://www.amazon.com/conquest-Spain-Bernal-Di%C3%8C%C2%81az-Castillo/dp/B0007IV5R2%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0007IV5R24937212Bernal Díaz del CastilloUnknown BindingFolio SocietyEnglishEnglishFolio Society351Book1974Folio SocietyFolio Society0000005.0215B0007IV5R25012008-06-21

More Exciting Than Star Wars & Real Too...

I purchased this book intending to get an unbiased view of the Spanish exploration of the New World. That is a difficult task given the nature of 20th & 21st Century academia. <br /> <br />This text, an eye witness account of what happened on real explorations, more than satisfies my objective. What's more, it's as exciting as can be... kind of like Star Wars... exploring new worlds, defeating the bad guys and establishing new alliances. <br /> <br />Excellent work.B0007IV5R25002008-05-31

First person conquest

If I could rate this work greater than five stars, I would. Not that it's the most erudite of tales but simply because it is the truth as Bernal Diaz experienced it. Almost certainly, it isn't one hundred percent accurate for Diaz' experiences are necessarily modified by the years separating his experiences from his writing of it. Nor was he, or any other member of the Cortez' expedition, an anthropologist, ethnographesr, scientist or even a particularly accurate observer. They were simple men--brave men, brutal men, trapped men--bent on plunder. <br /> <br />Still the Bernal Diaz memoirs are as good as it gets regarding the Conquest of Mexico and, as such, is an invaluable account. I find his account so important that I used it as my primary source in researching my novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Conquest of Mexico. I loved it when Diaz remarks towards the end of his account that, even in his old age, he wasn't able to sleep the night through. He "had to get up and look around." It's fascinating to note that basic human nature doesn't really change. Bernal Diaz del Castillo was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder induced by the fearful events of his two year battle in Mexico. Also, I loved it when he commented--also toward the end of his tale--that "although we robbed the Indiains, Cortez robbed his soldiers even more." <br /> <br />Cortez, for all his brillianace, luck and perseveranace, was, at the end, nothing more than a common thief. <br /> <br />Ron Braithwaite <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />B0007IV5R25252007-05-25

The Greatest Adventure of all Time

When I first read the 1800 English translation, I could not put it down. Here are the first lines--a real grabbers! "In the year 1514, I left Castile (Spain) in company with Pedro Arias de Avila, who was then appointed governor of Tierra Firma (east Panama)...but afterwards suspicious that his son-in-law had an intention of revolting, he caused him to be beheaded." <br /> <br />Bernal's description of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan is amazing: "To many of us it appeared doubtful whether we were asleep of awake; nor is the manner in which I express myself to be wondered at, for it must be considered, that never yet did man see, hear or dream of anything equal to the spectacle which appeared to our eyes on this day." <br /> <br />And how about this magnificent line: "And now, let who can, tell me, where are men in this world to be found, except ourselves, who would have hazarded such an attempt." <br /> <br />And here is the horrific vision the Spaniards beheld when they climbed to the top of the great Aztec temple-pyramid. Remember that nearby, and looming up like a nightmare, was the stupendous "tzompantli," or skull rack. By careful Spanish count, it contained the grinning remains of 136,000 human beings. <br /> <br />"In this place they had a drum of most enormous size, the head of which was made of the skins of large serpents: this instrument when struck resounded with a noise that could be heard to the distance of two leagues, and so doleful that it deserved to be named the music of the infernal regions; and with their horrible sounding horns and trumpets, their great knives for sacrifice, their human victims, and their blood besprinkled altars, I devoted them, and all their wickedness to God's vengeance, and thought that the time would never arrive, that I should escape from this scene of human butchery, horrible smells, and more detestable sights." <br /> <br />The Conquest takes on a different color when seen through the eyes of the Spanish. Yes, they were greedy and cruel, but the scale of human sacrifice practiced by the Aztecs was beyond imagination. It is said that some twenty thousand people were sacrificed for the dedication of the Temple of the Sun. The Aztec priests worked for hours on end cutting out human hearts. They worked until they collapsed from exhaustion. <br /> <br />Bernal's history is also interesting for another entirely different reason. Joseph Smith (born 1805), the Mormon prophet, came of age during the period of English translations of Spanish histories (Bernal's in 1800 in London, and 1803 in the US, and Clevigero's "History of Mexico" in 1806 in Virginia and 1817 in Philadelphia). <br /> <br />Therefore, the golden splendor of the Spanish conquests of Mexico and Peru was fresh on everyone's mind, especially because the Spanish colony of Florida had become an American state (1821). <br /> <br />Thus, any notion that Americans were unaware of the great civilizations of ancient America is without foundation in real history. Ancient civilizations in America were so on the mind of people that in 1816, Solomon Spaulding wrote a history about a white and dark race in ancient America. His novel, "Manuscript Found," had the white race of mound builders destroyed by a darker-skin race. <br /> <br />Read my review of Robert Silverberg's magnificent book, "The Mound Builders of Ancient America: The Archaeology of a Myth." A must-read for anyone interested in the archaeology and myths about ancient America. Click here: Mound BuildersB0007IV5R25552006-12-28

Great Eyewitness account

Diaz was one of the soldiers who accompanied Cortez to invade the Aztec Empire. His account is one of the best we have of the whole affair. It is not written with much bias and was written to discount historical myths after the invasion had taken place. It is very analytical at times and his analysis of what happened is given added authority since he was present at the events. If you want to understand what happened this is a great book to read. B0007IV5R25442006-02-15

Amazing first person historical account

First person historical accounts are generally the best way to read history and have it come alive in the mind of the reader. This book by Bernal Diaz is certainly no exception to that rule. Although Diaz wrote this much later in life, and doubtless his memory was not perfect, it is obvious that the experience of marching with Cortez in the conquest of the Aztec empire left innumerable vivid memories in his mind. <br /> <br />I am very sensitive to the fact that the conquest of the Aztec empire and other native empires in the Americas left a horrific legacy which is still felt dramatically throughout the hemisphere. Despite the fact that in many ways, the conquistadors should not be considered "heroes," I think we still can admire and be awed by their courage and fortitude in the face of unbelievable odds in facing the Aztecs and not only escaping with their lives, but eventually conquering the entire civilization. Diaz brings these events to life better than any history book I ever read, and I highly commend this book to anyone interested in the history of this period, of Mexico, or Latin America in general.080705500X03000909430140445625067151104101404421704830General4826Central America4808Americas9History1000Subjects283155Books4978Spain4935Europe9History1000Subjects283155Books0976763109http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Mind-Warm-Heart-Adventures/dp/0976763109%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0976763109838824http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51EJwiaSWmL._SL75_.jpg7550http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51EJwiaSWmL._SL160_.jpg160106http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51EJwiaSWmL.jpg500331Steve RobertsPaperback818.69780976763109Illustrated600976763109St. Lynn's PressEnglishEnglishEnglish7701595USD$15.95St. Lynn's Press1208Book2005-10-30St. Lynn's PressSt. Lynn's Press55510835USD$8.3545USD$0.4520100011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewtiNVwmjQ1PklqcCwDj46HObw6T67kplOerLHodujY5Y1ueNcQqUc4ErODckUieNvwTiry5w1w%2BCIL8LPpyTog7klcpBvosRJ1244USD$12.44Usually ships in 24 hours5.021509767631095002006-09-27

Tangilbe perspective

At age 45, after considering I've been in the driver seat of my life for the last 14 years provided many opportunities to at the very least give up whining about my circumstances, and on the brighter side recognize my capacity to create, lovelier things. The essay's written by Steve Roberts, however, broadened my perspective even further. Distinguishing power as an ability to be resilient in the face of any eventuality opened my heart to endless possibilities. I have been most struck by the simplicity of experiencing "Love", & "Being Loving", as perhaps an ultimate goal along with listening to my heart. Moreover, owning that I am the knower in my life. With gratitude and deep appreciation I thank you Steve, for sharing your life and your wisdom. I recommend your book often usually followed with a desire to know how it was for them. 09767631095002006-08-23

This book is like visiting with a good friend

Reading this book is like spending time with a dear friend, in the truest sense of the word friend, meaning someone who brings out the best in you. I was entertained, educated and touched by all I read and experienced in reading Cool Mind, Warm Heart. Each time I set the book down I was changed, and I saw the world through fresh eyes. Whoever you are you will love it.09767631095002006-08-16

Voice of a Friend

This wonderful book becomes a subtle yet pervasive presence in the reader's life. To experience life through Steve's eyes is like having a still small voice, a Howard Cosells on your shoulder whispering, "You're so much more than you think; there is so much more than you see. Look at it this way, from this angle, over here..." <br /> <br />Reading these candidly written stories, I am invited to consider in ever deeper ways the perspective that everything, every unexpected change offers opportunity to become more than I've considered before. One moment I am reading a story of a man's relationship with his mother who has Alzheimer's or the Swami he met at 8 or his love of wrestling Vermont stones into sculpture, and the next I am wondering why I would choose anything less than love as a response to life. It is like walking in the woods and suddenly glimpsing a grand buck through the trees: I glimpse the greatness I am capable of if I will choose it. <br /> <br />Cool Mind Warm Heart doesn't stay on the pages; it calls my truest self forward, and increases my confidence to be that. I invite you to enjoy the extraordinarily ordinary moments Steve celebrates in his stories. <br /> <br />09767631095002006-08-09

Warm Heart Indeed

This is one of the rare books whose stories I "watch" as my eyes move across the written words. So much more than a lovely read, Cool Mind Warm Heart is fully entertaining and compelling. My heart danced from beginning to end!09767631095112006-08-07

Take a trip on a Grand Adventure with Cool Mind Warm Heart

Cool Mind Warm Heart is a grand adventure in asking the question, "Who am I committed to being beyond all else in life?" Each essay is a delicious piece of honesty and contains the purity of spirit that provides the reader an opportunity to consider life from the vantage of our greatness, not our limitations. Steve Roberts' ability to convey the simplicity of the human spirit is a breath of fresh air, especially in those moments when one feels as though they are gasping for a breath. This book will cause you to consider the vantage from which you view all life and begin to ask your own pointed and poignant questions about what motivates you to do the things you do. And above all else, this book will cause you to smile and laugh out loud! <br />Kenda StewartCool Mind Warm Heart is a classic in the spirit of Be Here Now and The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment...playful, kind, fiery, and deep. If the Dalai Lama married Tom Robbins, their love child might write this book - a celebration of the most inspiring (and terrifying) possibility the world has ever known: Everything is a Gift.157731480815827017681878424602140191227314019057304738General4736Self-Help10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books4745Personal Transformation4736Self-Help10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books12813General12809Spirituality22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books394191011Illustrated394185011Edition (format)388186011Refinements283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books0955371406http://www.amazon.com/Crying-Cockroaches-Argentina-York-Horses/dp/0955371406%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0955371406345853http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51n3ReZaszL._SL75_.jpg7550http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51n3ReZaszL._SL160_.jpg160106http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51n3ReZaszL.jpg500332Marianne Du ToitPaperback97809553714001260955371406Liendi PublishingEnglishEnglishEnglish9062195USD$21.95Liendi Publishing1415Book2007-09-28Liendi PublishingLiendi Publishing1596141290USD$12.901560USD$15.601540011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewGZ3FP285%2FurFeWkCT7DyRBnn8z%2FbzyaH8gZGipMVTZjdaC2hs2MXzGN4TVWFOWbcx7b91fuZatWL%2Bg3gDTE6%2BA%3D%3D1646USD$16.46Usually ships in 24 hours5.021509553714064222008-09-09

Real adventure travel, not reality TV

At the point this review was submitted (September 2008) all prior reviews were 5 out of 5. Now in all fairness to Marianne, Tolstoy, Austen, Euripides et. al. I will take the dastardly step of submitting a score more reflective of this book's place in the pantheon of world literature rather than a tribute to an amazing woman. Then again, that being the case I might be considered too cerebral and not connected emotionally to the adventure that Marianne experienced. But I truly enjoyed the book and read it from cover to cover. Thus, I arrived at my score of 4 out of 5 for the pure entertainment value of her book plus the bonus credit of providing a meaningful cultural and historic cross reference to the classic by Aimé Tschiffely. <br /> <br />A close read of the two books provides the reader with an opportunity to compare and contrast the world of the past with that of the present. But it's more interesting than a simple fact check analysis. What one finds is that the lives of the people involved are surprisingly constant over time. Generations pass and there remain invariable struggles and regional quirks that surprise the reader for not just their strangeness but also for the constancy and so often the sadness of their lives. Tschiffely spared none with his pithy and by today's standards politically incorrect assessments of the people and the lives he mixed with in his travels. His adventures simply cannot be replicated since the times are so different, yet in some ways there are remarkable similarities. One can clearly discern his preferences for the various residents of South America. Marianne notes that an Argentine acquaintance remarked that should she ever come across a humble Argentine or a smiling Bolivian she should immediately call and report back. For those who have travelled to these places the remark is easily understood and it demonstrates the degree to which she was able to access the humor and insight of the locals in her travels. Throughout her trip it is this type of one on one interaction that creates the greatest impact on the reader. Certainly the sights, smells and sounds along the way are memorable, but these can only be adequately captured in person or by the greatest of writers. She never seeks to do that and rightly so. Rather she seeks to explore the people. Tschiffely also had an interest in the people he met, but his interest was more analytical than emotional. In some ways his book tends to be more humorous for this very reason; and certainly he wrote to entertain. Tschiffely who like Marianne carried firearms (though he had much more than her small handgun) also delved into aspects that don't appear in her book. His excursions to the opium dens of Peru were especially memorable and throughout his story we can clearly perceive an interest if not attraction to the more beautiful women he encountered. Both Marianne and Tschiffely spent years away from home on their travels and it's likely that loneliness might lead to the need for more intimate human contact. The times and discretion may have caused him to exclude the details of his possible romantic encounters with women on his route. Today we live in a much more expressive time; nevertheless, Marianne seems to noticeably exclude any mention of romance from her travelogue. Certainly, this might have made the story more interesting, if only to address how she dealt with or combated these desires over the years on the road. <br /> <br />Comparisons of the two could be made on so many issues. Certainly Tschiffely was a horseman who understood his animals, the land the languages and people he encountered (at least for the most part). Marianne's boldness exceeded her abilities in so many areas. A complete lack of language skill, negligible equestrian competency, and general lack of preparedness did not bode well for her trip. Had she failed and perished she might be remembered as a bookend to Christopher McCandless who although on a different quest, entered the wilds equally unprepared. A huge difference was that Marianne was interested in engaging the world and the people in it rather than running from it. This is real adventure travel, not reality TV. There's no backup crew following her and providing assistance just when life looks to be getting the best of her. This is all-in poker and it's simply beyond what 99.9999% of society will willingly take on themselves. You'll undoubtedly enjoy her story and you might wish that she had better prepared since that would have made it different. I don't say better because the experience is relative to one's own life and expectations. But in the end she entertains us and appears to better understand herself. Congratulations to her, my only concern now is what are her days like without the adventure. Is it sad? <br />09553714065112008-05-29

An unexpected page-turner

A friend suggested I get this book and I was sceptical at first as I have read only a very few, true-adventure stories that excited me. Crying with Cockroaches however had me mesmerized from the very start. I purchased the book in January and have read it cover to cover, twice already. <br /> <br />The voice of the author is so clear and her honesty, humour and optimism transparent on every page. All I can say is get this book. It is an easy read, well-written, great photographs and an excellent example of what we all can accomplish with determination and a strong will. The author is truly likeable and also humble, despite having undertaken this magnificent journey on her own but for two equine companions. She did not even know much about riding but her love for horses and really all animals and her perseverance to make this happen, made her triumph at the end. You'll laugh and cry, be exhilarated and moved as you are swept through the Americas on this epic adventure. <br /> <br />It's not a "horsey book" but just really a five-star read to be enjoyed by all ages. <br /> <br />HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 09553714065222008-05-26

Crying with Cockroaches - a great find

"Crying with Cockroaches" provides an interesting insight into an extraordinary journey of both personal and geographical achievements. Du Toit documents her trek with two horses in an honestly written account. The beautiful pictures help bring the story and the terrain of the Americas to life. Animal welfare is a predominant point and seems even more relevant as the relationship and co-dependency between Du Toit and her two Criollos develops. The story also uncovers the good and bad of human behaviour in a trip so unpredictable and dependent on the offerings of others. The most appealing aspect of this book however is in my opinion, the determination and perseverance of the writer who was focused in the pursuit of her dream. This is inspirational in view to the challenges she faced in a seemingly impossible journey. These messages will no doubt, be encouraging and motivational to any reader of this book. A highly recommended read to any adventure seeker or those in face of a challenge! 09553714065442008-04-08

BETTER HER THAN ME!

When you meet Marianne Du Toit she doesn't look crazy. She seems like a perfectly normal, charming and inteligent young woman. And then she starts telling you stories about her trip, and you start to wonder... <br /> <br />Then you read her compelling narative and you have to wonder how this woman summoned the courage to take on such an incredible journey. She claims she had no idea how tough it would be and that seems as good an explanation as any. Thankfully, nobody suggested she climb Mt. Everest on roller skates. <br /> <br />Her book is a wonderful tale of what the human spirit can accomplish with a healthy dose of determination and a little grass roots help along the way. Du Toit uses her equine adventure to enthrall and enlighten. 09553714065332008-04-08

Unbelievable Journey

Crying with Cockroaches is a great read, and unbelievable in its scope of what one person (with a little help along the way) can accomplish. My husband and I had the good fortune of meeting Marianne during her trip, which only enriched the reading of her story. It's entertaining and compelling, a must read for those inspired by tales of triumph over adversity. Launched by the Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, this is an extraordinary travel/adventure tale. An undertaking against the odds. A journey considered by many as madness. Yet, South African born and ABC Person of the Week Marianne Du Toit was determined to follow her dream - adamant that with only two horses for company, she should explore the Americas, travelling from Argentina to New York City over 21 months. Limited equestrian experience, only one contact and an unknown continent, she persevered. Despite it being a journey of heartbreak, frustration, bureaucracy, loneliness, danger, and hunger, nothing stopped her from following her heart. Heart-warming encounters with local people combined with many hair-raising and dangerous moments make this book a page-turner. It's a simple tale, which explores the complexities of the human and equine spirit and indeed the marriage of the two. Both are pushed to the limits on this revealing epic journey, with very happy and very sad consequences. Courageous yet fragile, worried yet full of conviction, amongst people yet often lonely, carefree yet feeling unsafe - these are the themes which form part of the writer's physical and psychological journey into the unknown. Her adventures had a powerful message - you can overcome the impossible if you are determined and positive. Humour and a 'taking everyday as it comes' attitude helped a great deal too. Her story, told with sincerity and warmth, is bound to capture the readers' imagination. It is a story to be enjoyed by the young or old, fellow adventurers or those who simply prefer to explore the world from the comforts of their armchairs. More than 100 coloured pictures complete this unique story.061879990704252231910618131574B001FOR67AB000MEYKAU12051Travel12015Writing21Reference1000Subjects283155Books17029Essays & Travelogues17025Reference & Tips27Travel1000Subjects283155Books67561General67560Argentina17150South America17128Latin America27Travel1000Subjects283155Books197498011General27Travel1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books712982011General AAS465600New & Used Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books713014011General AAS319654011Qualifying Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books1886940045http://www.amazon.com/Cust-Beyond-Abduction-Dolores-Cannon/dp/1886940045%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D188694004555697http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41yRavWScnL._SL75_.jpg7548http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41yRavWScnL._SL160_.jpg160102http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41yRavWScnL.jpg500320Dolores CannonPaperback001.94297818869400481201886940045Ozark Mountain Publishing IncEnglishEnglishEnglish8301700USD$17.00Ozark Mountain Publishing Inc1556Book1998-01-01Ozark Mountain Publishing IncOzark Mountain Publishing Inc1455501700USD$17.002500USD$25.00130011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewZYdt4TC8XyZ2WDCqhAb22629W5I2DFqXuPApZNjQU9U0ZXRgfRv3urZUpJ7xCCa2gKDImM2ozgNDtkQ57XcZ3w%3D%3D1700USD$17.00Usually ships in 24 hours5.021518869400455002008-09-20

The Real Star Wars

This is one of those books that talks about things that you will either not believe in at all or it will change the way you see the Universe. I'm not even done with reading this book and I'm posting because its that good. The book covers different alien races through regression therapy and what their roles are here on earth. I'm not one who is quick to believe but I do believe in Hypnosis and the power of the subconscious. I recommend people to look up Budd Hopkins and John Mack if your interested in regressive therapy and ETs. I recommend Sheldon Nidel. 18869400455112008-04-05

Finally ! some answers !

once again, this is a must read from Dolores Cannon, our society has made ufo and alien subject matter to be of fear based concepts, Dolores gets behind the whole abduction thing, and gets to the real answers, I would suggest reading " keepers of the garden " first. <br />If you have an interest in ufo's, the paranormal, spirituality.... Dolores's writing Will bridge the gap and connect all three of these together, that will bend your mind like a pretzel, she is taking UFO research into a whole new level. this is a MUST READ book. <br />18869400455112007-11-24

Mind-blowing

This book will change your view on ufo's and all that you think you know about the universe, humankind's purpose, and amazing it is to have this knowledge.18869400452072007-07-24

First and last book of this kind

If your an open mind trying to find a world view that makes sence you might get trapt into such paradoxes as this. Please be careful tho because to ponder and live by thinking this a reality will only let you be perceptable to other ignorances of the sort.I can't say the material in this book is titly nitted to have everything make sence If your looking for reasurance of quantities beyond the material search your Bible from a point of view that is not of the culture but in a literal sence. There are ways of being sure there, as is the human condition is fully paralell to what most would agree on. Hope you find what your looking for or perhaps who seeks you.18869400455112007-05-23

a must read for truth seekers

This was the first book I've read written by Delores Cannon, and have since ordered several more by this author. This book is a real page turner for the truth seeker. She comes across as very down to earth despite the unconventional subject matter. She maintains her cool when speaking with channeled advanced beings, when many of us would just freak out. She gets eye opening, mind blowing answers to a lot of questions that I've often wondered about. Dolore Cannon's work in Hypnosis has taken the study beyond abduction. Dolores traces the phenomenon from the simple to the complex. Exploring areas untouched by other investigators,she makes the unbelievable become acceptable and understandable!1886940827096327764218869409831886940797096327765011119Psychology & Counseling11121Adolescent Psychology11130Applied Psychology15811801By Topic11132Child Psychology11143Clinical Psychology15811861Cognitive11149Counseling11160Creativity & Genius11162Developmental Psychology11168Education & Training15812061Ethnopsychology11172Experimental Psychology11173Forensic Psychology11175General11177History11179Hypnosis15812101Industrial Psychology11182Logotherapy16311181Medicine & Psychology11186Mental Illness15811721Movements11164Neuropsychology11189Occupational & Organizational11192Pathologies11194Personality15811711Philosophy of Psychology16311471Physical Illness & Psychiatry11196Physiological Aspects224941Psychiatry11199Psychoanalysis16310521Psychobiology11201Psychopharmacology16311481Psychosomatic Medicine11203Psychotherapy, TA & NLP11205Reference11207Research11209Sexuality11223Social Psychology & Interactions11225Statistics11227Suicide11229Testing & Measurement10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books12667General12621New Age22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12707General12689Occult22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12727UFOs12689Occult22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books13458UFOs13439Astronomy75Science1000Subjects283155Books408268General21Reference1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books3BKNY1WR12L8VProfound New Thought BooksRJOYRHSNSESYAliens, UFO's, Mysteries& Conspiracies & Mass DeceptionB000VY9A42http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Moving-Rhythms-Your-True/dp/B000VY9A42%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000VY9A42669816Audio CassetteOriah299.93Bargain Price120HarperAudioEnglish6902400USD$24.00HarperAudio3Book2001-09-01HarperAudioHarperAudio20430903USD$9.03799USD$7.996800005.0215B000VY9A425112008-08-10

SHALL WE DANCE?

In the world of self-help books, the message is often variations of the same thing - work harder to improve yourself; be kinder; be more loving; focus your attention; change, change, change. <br />The Dance is quite different. Oriah asks you, "What if there is no need to change, no need to try and transform yourself into someone who is more compassionate, more present, more loving or wise? How would this affect all the places in your life where you are endlessly trying to be better?" <br />I really loved this book because it encourages the reader to just be who they are, because who they are is just fine. It's not that the author doesn't believe in the power of change, rather she promotes the idea that the moment we let go of our need to become "better," then everything in life will simply unfold as it should. <br />What I especially liked about this book was Oriah's down-to-earth manner of writing. Unlike so many other authors of the same genre, she doesn't pretend to have all the answers - in fact, she is rather self-deprecating. She gives examples in her life where she really did screw up, but I think that this makes her message more meaningful, and a whole lot more human. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Zara Stevens <br />Boy Meets Girl: A Pocketful of Wedding StoriesB000VY9A425002008-03-02

The Dance: Moving to the Rhythms of Your True Self

I am a clinical therapist and use this book to inspire adolescent and young adult women in their journey! This entire trilogy is priceless for anyone who is interested in being blessed by watching another soul "unfold" and take flight! I love hearing about Oriah's metamorphasis... i can see her "grow up" throughout her trilogy! Watching her go full circle in her discoveries touches my heart and inspires my soul. She is human and she is courageous enough to share her story. I recommend you read all three... The Invitation, The Dance and The Call. Thank you Oriah!B000VY9A425002007-12-12

her spirit moves you

Within the pages of this beautiful little book, the reader finds magic, truth, beauty and healing. <br /> <br />As an author, Chinese Medicine & Healthy Weight Management, and healer, I recommend this book highly to my patients and friends, as well as to you.B000VY9A425882005-07-03

Mastering the beauty of words

The Dance is a great book. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last. Oriah is not just a writer; she is an artist, with a new perspective on life, and on events. Her thoughts flow smoothly, as if you were reading something you wrote, or something you already knew to be true. I am going to say it again, she is an artist. <br /> <br />Some parts of the book, you won't help but read out loud to someone you care for. I did that with my mother, and some other times with a friend of mine. Both of them want to borrow the book. <br /> <br />This book will help you dream, and here I will quote something from the author, as she wrote "To dream is to create the stories of how we live our lives, and these are the stories our children's children will remember. I write with as much honesty and frankness as I can, because I want to offer stories of being present with what is. I recite poetry when I speak, because I want offer beauty and the power of art to remind us of who and what we are. I share personal stories, because I want to cocreate a story of intimacy and cultivate our capacity for compassion in dealing with out human failings. I tell love stories because I want to learn how to love well." (p151) <br /> <br />I will buy The Call, and I know it will be as good as the Invitation and The Dance. And hopefully one day in the future I will make it to one of Oriah's retreats. <br />B000VY9A425782005-05-31

Soul Desires

Words themselves can become acts of beauty that awaken and strengthen our commitment to living our soul's desires. ~Oriah Mountain Dreamer <br /> <br />Oriah Mountain Dreamer blends daily existence with spiritual insight. She survived a violent marriage, chronic fatigue and living almost next door to her ex husband when he remarried. Her life is a study in patience, emotional turmoil resolved and survival of the most open heart. <br /> <br />The start of the book contains a poem and then each chapter is an expanded vision of the elements contained in a part of the poem. After the poem, Oriah dives right into a retelling of her life, the conflicts she has experienced and how as a spiritual teacher, she too struggles to maintain emotional equilibrium. There is a subtle comfort in knowing that if Oriah can survive her life, then we can too. <br /> <br />This is the beauty mingled with the various stunning insights Oriah has while trying to unburden her heart and pull us out on the dance floor of life. She loves to read and a number of the books she mentioned where books I had just recently read. She quotes Rainer Maria Rilke and Rumi. She discusses Daniel Ladinsky's translations of Hafiz. Her "headed for home" comments made me think of Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. <br /> <br />Throughout this work Oriah focuses on connecting, serenity, joy, an authentic lifestyle, living with passion, retaining energy and focus, being honest and finding happiness within the complex. She also provides meditations on worthiness, surrender, slowing down and letting go. <br /> <br />This is not a five-step or a ten-step program, it is more an unfolding of experience through an exploration of Oriah's life experience. She has struggled, she has survived. She also knows there are no quick fixes and that many self-help programs are no match for real-life situations. Sometimes there is no easy way out of the pain and you have to endure heartache to learn your greatest lessons. <br /> <br />"Take me to the places on the earth that teach you how to dance, <br />the places where you can risk letting the world break your heart, <br />and I will take you to the places where the earth beneath my feet <br />and the stars overhead make my heart whole again and again." <br />~ Oriah Mountain Dreamer <br /> <br />What did I love most about this book? The section where she talks about her ultimate fantasy of reading in bed with the man she loves. Yes, this book is mostly about Oriah, or the people she has met throughout her life, but the way she draws on her inner wisdom is by experiencing life and dancing with difficulty. <br /> <br />~The Rebecca Review <p align="left">Welcome to <i>The Dance,</i> the wise and practical book that expands on Oriah Mountain Dreamer's new moving prose poem. In this compelling book the acclaimed author of <i>The Invitation</i> challenges readers to live with passion, energy, and honesty. The key, says Oriah, is to savor the everyday world of family, friends, love, and work with clear minds and open hearts. When we are physically and emotionally stressed and our spirits are depleted, we must realize that happiness has not vanished but is buried beneath the clutter of our harried lives. With rare courage and honesty, Oriah unveils the challenge of her inspiring poem through compelling stories from her own experience, offering us tools to become fully the person we already are -- not ways to change.</p><p align="left">"To dance -- to live in a way that is consistent with our longing" -- is to discover a gift that we can give ourselves again and again over a lifetime. To dance, alone or with others, is to be who we truly are as we fulfill our soul's desires. To do this, we must learn how to let go and slow down, returning to the sacred emptiness where we encounter our true self. Practical, inspiring, and profoundly illuminating, <i>The Dance</i> is an invitation to discover a place of connection, serenity, and joy that is uniquely our own.</p>"What if the question is not why am I so infrequently the person I really want to be, but why do I so infrequently want to be the person I really am?" This is the opening question to <I>The Dance</I>. And like a thematic melody, this is the thread that holds Oriah Mountain Dreamer's book together, as she encourages readers to stop trying to change who you are and simply remember that "who you are is really enough." There are many reasons Mountain Dreamer is such a popular author (her debut book, <I>The Invitation</I>, was a soaring success), the main one being she doesn't pretend to have all the answers. Instead her warm, conversational writing shows us how to "live the questions," as the poet Rainer Maria Rilke once beckoned us to do. When Mountain Dreamer yells at her 19-year-old son, even after vowing to be patient, she asks herself, "Why [do] I repeatedly fail to live the intentions that matter to me? I want to know how to narrow the gap between the sincerest desires of my soul and my daily actions." Living these questions isn't easy, but it is the only way Mountain Dreamer wants to dance. Her chapters explore topics such as greed and money, creating love relationships, overscheduling, and solitude. At the end of each chapter she suggests a fitting mediation or exercise. <I>--Gail Hudson</I> B00061XNPCB000EGEYSOB000EBCPA8156455982315732410162263Personal Growth2259Health, Mind & Body44Books on Cassette368395011Audiobooks504358Formats251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books2321General2317Religion & Spirituality44Books on Cassette368395011Audiobooks504358Formats251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books658010General44Books on Cassette368395011Audiobooks504358Formats251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books2485General2484Health, Mind & Body45Bargain Books251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books13819741Audiobooks45Bargain Books251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books4745Personal Transformation4736Self-Help10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books12504General22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books394172011Bargain Books394171011Promotion (special_merchandising_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books394186011Abridged394185011Edition (format)388186011Refinements283155Books618077011Books on Cassette618075011Audiobooks618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books0062515136http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Dream-Seven-Sacred-Transformation/dp/0062515136%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0062515136598928http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519R4XBB5XL._SL75_.jpg7548http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519R4XBB5XL._SL160_.jpg160103http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519R4XBB5XL.jpg475307Jamie SamsHardcover299.7497800625151311040062515136HarperOneEnglishEnglishEnglish9252200USD$22.00HarperOne1288Book1998-06-01HarperOne1998-05-19HarperOne1256121895USD$18.95398USD$3.982750USD$27.5032210005.021500625151365002008-09-18

Wow!!!

Sams is a profoundly gifted writer and spiritual teacher. I highly recommend this book to anyone on the spiritual path. 00625151365562007-01-10

Once Again

Jamie Sams once again takes us on a journey through the layers of our spirit by bringing a complete understanding to the path we walk.00625151364352006-11-10

Dancing the Dream

This book is easy to read, with sensible suggestions that can be incorporated into your life with relative ease.0062515136519212005-09-14

"I have endeavored to draw the map of consciousness that applies to every person on every path:" from the Author's note .

I believe this statement reflects Jamie's chief goal for this book: this statement is listed in the authors note, preceeding the text. I don't think it is possible to draw a universal map of consciousness applicable to all humans. The chief reason being is that some folks never get past the 1st commandment let alone rise to metaphysical heights described in the text. Further, unless the reader has more than a beginners background in the metaphysical - or enjoys flipping back and forth between the text and the glossary - the reading can be difficult. <br /> <br />I gave this book five stars for what it DOES do, and that is a whole lot more than 99% of the metaphysical works I have read: <br /> <br />It paints a picture of the onesness of all existence, even though most of existence sees itself as seperate from everything else; <br /> <br />It bashes the notion that only enlighted earthly masters can achieve spirituality; <br /> <br />It clearly describes the downfalls of anyone being overimpressed with their spiritual progress; <br /> <br />It provides healers with a strong dose of reality: not to forget that therapy patients come to you because they are sick...there is pressure in them staying sick so you can make money; <br /> <br />It confronts head on the notion that a healer can see oodles of people on end: a handful may be too many; <br /> <br />It rightfully makes warriors out of beings immersed in the waters of daily life and it's endless tortures and misfortunes; <br /> <br />It superbly raises these tribulations to the status of lessons, encouraging hope and joy in the struggle; <br /> <br />It clearly points out that transformation is not a linear process; <br /> <br />It describes this circular process as seven different paths: this description allows readers to compare, contrast, and analyze later; <br /> <br />It describes the first hand accounts of Jamie in her path of transformation; <br /> <br />Read the book for yourself: you can't put it down. <br /> 006251513649112005-07-28

A Deep and Sometimes Difficult read

Sams book certainly provides the reader with much material to ponder. It's definitely not the type of book to be read in one sitting and it's not a real "page turner". Instead, the truths Ms. Sams explores are best digested slowly. Perhaps this is most appropriate since she is describing a spiritual journey that lasts a lifetime and more. The diagrams are helpful.<P>Widely recognized as one of the foremost teachers of Native American wisdom, Jamie Sams gathers readers, students, and ardent fans from every walk of life with her vibrant spirit, mesmerizing storytelling skills, and profound insights into the nature of spiritual transformation. With <I>Dancing the Dream,</I> she offers her first book of practical, advice for living on a spiritual path.<P>The result of nearly twenty-five years of intensive study with two Native American dreaming societies, this instructive and empowering guidebook outlines-in Sams's inimitably forthright, let's-get-to-it style-the seven paths of human spiritual development and how to follow them. Beginning with the four directions of the Medicine Wheel (East, South, West, and North), Sams reveals the secrets of the final paths-Above, Below, and Within-to explain how the human spiritual journey is mirrored by the seven sacred directions:<P> East: readiness for change, illumination of spiritual synchronicity<P> South: the healing of relationships, return of trust<P> West: introspection, the building of self-esteem and personal balance<P> North: the proper use of wisdom, unconditional love, and compassion<P> Above: moving in the spiritual realms and viewing infinity<P> Below: reconnecting with the earth and the spirit contained in all things<P> Within: full awareness of the present moment and universal oneness<P>"Imagine a person sitting at a desk, trying to balance a checkbook, answering the phone with three lines blinking, writing down notes from those calls, and find a file needed by a co-worker who is hovering over the desk: you have the picture of how human beings operate on many levels at once," writes Sams. "Yes, we can learn how to do many things at once when we embrace life's initiations."<P>A powerful call to integrate the seen and unseen forces in our lives-our physical reality and the web of energy made up of all our feelings, thoughts, opinions, judgments, intentions, and desires-<I>Dancing the Dream</I> offers instruction and guidance for creating an enormous shift in our personal relationships with the earth, our loved ones, friends and communities, and, most important, our own spiritual selves. With a thorough chapter devoted to each of the seven paths, as well as a glossary of terms and phrases for quick reference, this is a guide to be consulted again and again as the spiritual journey unfolds.<P>03122049140062507621006250794X006250756700625106304745Personal Transformation4736Self-Help10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books282910Dreams4736Self-Help10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books11304General11298Special Groups11232Social Sciences53Nonfiction1000Subjects283155Books11312Native American Studies11298Special Groups11232Social Sciences53Nonfiction1000Subjects283155Books12478Native American12472Earth-Based Religions22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12504General22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12634Channeling12621New Age22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12667General12621New Age22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12707General12689Occult22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books12723Spiritualism12689Occult22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books760952Personal Transformation12809Spirituality22Religion & Spirituality1000Subjects283155Books394181011Hardcover394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155BooksC53F7DBLPX6HMetamorphosis and Paragnosis3KNBAFV263LUUDreamingclaw1Q7R9YD4QMT7RMy Favourite Books0763614173http://www.amazon.com/Darby-Jonathon-Scott-Fuqua/dp/0763614173%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0763614173704182http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21qIUf1EbpL._SL75_.jpg7552http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21qIUf1EbpL._SL160_.jpg160110http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21qIUf1EbpL.jpg180124Jonathon Scott FuquaHardcover97807636141711100763614173CandlewickEnglishEnglishEnglish7601699USD$16.99Candlewick1242Book2002-04-01CandlewickYoung Adult2002-04-01Candlewick25550394USD$3.941USD$0.0123310011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewIZ%2BvNofIq%2FvncPCUL2dj6FMpPPE6lqtE%2BBveP4h9iU20KptQ5cDS8vsf8WHUJeLTzHCDLMLKU3OCZFqbwBmM4A%3D%3D1325USD$13.25Usually ships in 24 hours5.021507636141735002008-07-24

This book should not be missed.

My 10 year old daughter and I read this together and we both loved it. The author does a wonderful job of creating the real feelings of a 8-9 year old girl and demonstrates how a young girl slowly learns to trust herself in doing what is right, even though it is scary. The 1920's South Carolina setting is wonderfully created. This would be a perfect read aloud book to a class of fourth or fifth graders. 07636141735222006-12-12

Thought-Provoking

When young Darby Carmichael writes a controversial article about race relations (as seen through a child's eyes), the citizens of Marlboro County, South Carolina, reel. It is 1926, and the KKK is very active in the South. A black boy has been killed by a white man, and Darby's innocent voice fuels tensions. <br /> <br />All Darby wanted was to tell the truth, and her best friend, Evette, helped edit the rough draft. Evette lives with her family in a tenant house on the Carmichaels' farm, but Darby isn't bothered by Evette's skin color. They just want to be friends and newspaper girls, but now their families have been threatened by angry Klansmen. <br /> <br />Fuqua eloquently shares Darby's perspective in an inspired story. Aside from the larger issues of race and morality, he addresses friendship and loyalty. Autumnal Marlboro County and the frightening situation are beautifully rendered through Darby's senses and emotions. <br /> <br />The events and views portrayed in this novel are thought provoking for children and adults alike. I highly recommend DARBY for individual or classroom reading. <br /> <br />Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer <br />12/11/200607636141735232005-02-11

amanda's Book Review

I loved the book it was such a good book to read during black history month. It is about a young girl named Darby and her friend Evert. Darby's friend is an Afican Amercian girl. A young boy is also beaten to death by Mr. Dunns. Darby becomes a newpaper girl and wrires her own story's. She is very hurt when she has her birthday party and Beth her other friend bosses Evert around and tells her to