General Practice Books

I couldn't have said it better! Everything you need to start a magical group is right here for the taking. Pick it up. Even if you are not considering joining or creating a lodge, you never know...this could come in handy one day. Also has an interesting ritual for invisibility within it.

Have you ever wanted to start your own or join a magical lodge? If so, this is the book to start with. Mr. Greer, has a magical ability of being able to simplify a rather complex topic so that anyone can understand. Whether you're a neophyte or an adept, inside a magical lodge will guide you through from conception of the lodge system to the very creation of your own working lodge. This book is a must have if you are interested in the Golden Dawn tradition or variations of. As a companion book to this, I highly recommend Nick Farrell's "Gathering the Magic: Creating 21st Century Esoteric Groups".

This is an excellent book. Instead of rehashing other people's material, the author has focused on a much ignored topic - the framework of the magical lodge. The book goes through the structure, purpose and workings of a magical lodge in a concise and down-to-earth manner.
The author also goes step by step through the work needed to set up and maintain a magical lodge, from identity and requirements to aims and practices. All in all this book is well worth investing in if you have an interest in ritual magick and in the dynamics of a working magickal group.
I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of starting a magickal group, regardless of tradition - be it Thelema, Grimoires, or even Wiccan Covens!

Finally a decent book on forming a group in a modern, esoteric, manner. Prior to this book, there hasn't been much on the structuring of a formal magical lodge/order outside of a few Wiccan Circle types of books. The closest I've come across is the late William G. Gray's "Inner Temple Magic" and that had more to do with WHAT to do while in a magical order than it did about forming one.

Part of the problem with such books is that little is offered as guidance on dealing with the people within such a group. The group dynamics is usually overlooked so the seeker looking to gain some knowledge running a group and not just forming one is often left to his/her own devices on dealing with people. This makes for a blind leading the blind type of situation - at least emotionally - and usually what occurs is that the rest of the group is leaderless.

In the Satanic oriented groups, the leader is often encouraged to lead with an "iron fist" or "it's MY way or the highway" as pointed out by Rev. Yaj Nomolos in his book "The Magic Circle". Whereas in the Ritual & Ceremonial Magical traditions, the heavy handedness is not always conducive to a smooth running operation. Fortunately this book offers some simplistic thoughts on dealing with people within the lodge and mainly that is covered in Chapter 2.

What this book does offer is pretty solid material on WHY one should want to formulate a lodge and WHAT kind of structure the group should have.

The book starts out with pretty basic historical information on who the Freemasons were and why they came to be. This was based on the Medeival Guilds that were formed around trades and craftsmen. What follows next is the jump from the Freemasons to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and it's not like we haven't heard of that particular order before.

Greer also points out the foundation of what a Magical Lodge really is and offers to the interested party: structure, symbolism, magic and secrecy. In chatper 2, he nails it on the head when he writes "A magical lodge can take many forms and be many things. If it's going to function at all, though, there's at least one thing it has to be: a group of people who are able to put together the resources of space, time, and material needed for the lodge's work and who can do so with a minimum of bickering, confusion, and hurt feelings....A group that can't manage at least this much isn't going to likely to last long or get far." This fact has caused many lodges (and covens) to peter out long before they really could begin all over this very fact.

When we get thru the next three chapters on each of the foundations of symbolism, magic and secrecy, Greer has done a pretty decent job of offering more than mere platitudes in which to live by. He has explored very real concepts such as the group's egregore which helps to keep the nucleus of the group together. Then he tackles initiation and why this should be an important step to getting into a lodge. Finally he discusses the practical uses of secrecy and how this can benefit the group's continued focus as it progresses along.

The next part of the book covers the forming of a magical lodge. Greer uses a mythical group of personalities who opt to form their own lodge using alchemy as a framework. This is a useful teaching method and it allows Greer to give a better explanation of the various intricacies of sorting thru the mess of trying to form a core lodge group. He calls this group "The Order of the Athanor" and as we follow the formation of this group, we see some of the pitfalls and highpoints of forming and operating this group.

One of the pitfalls of lodges has always been the monetary dues contributions from its members. This is a sore point for many would-be lodge members because of their current financial situation which most deem financially strapped. Unfortunately, unless one has an ideal temple in their home, it takes the combined efforts of an entire group contributing money to rent a hall big enough to support a group. For example, if say you or I were to invest in building a comfortable working space such as an insulated and climate controlled pole barn, there is not only the initial cost of such a building and land to worry about but also the ongoing day-to-day maintenance to deal with. Utilities and upkeep usually are a drain on one person and without the group kicking in some sort of monetary support, the person in question will more than likely come to resent the fact that she or he has to foot the bill. And if one tries to keep meetings in their home, the same sort of thing eventually happens.

Greer also discusses some of the more esoteric rites that are available outside of just initiation and one of them is the working of Invisibility. This subject has been covered in Greer's prior work "Circles of Power". He takes this subject and lucidly explains the concept and how to do it sort of approach that many aspiring magicians drool to be able to accomplish.

All in all, this book is highly recommended with five stars because the author has chosen to tackle a very neglected subject and offers some very practical advice on forming a group. So much so that even Wiccans wishing to form a coven would be well to research from this book.

This book begins with a history of how lodges came into being, which is interesting in and of itself. It then discusses the pros and cons of being in a lodge. It also covers all the nuts and bolts of what goes into a lodge and lodge work.

One of the neatest things about this book is that it shows how to create a lodge from scratch. This is especially useful because a lot of the older lodges are not specifically about magickal work. In this section of the book, he writes a story about a woman who started a lodge. It tells of what she went through starting it, its offices and responsibilities, dealing with personalities and egos, and so forth. This fictionalized account is nice because it is less abstract than "you need to do x, then y, then z."

Perhaps the most useful aspect of this fictional lodge is his mapping out how to create its rituals. This is the stuff that will set a magickal lodge apart from the Masons and Odd Fellows. This is the stuff without a lot of handbooks and maps of the whys and hows of what is essential to make rituals, and therefore the lodge, function.

What a fantastic book! I picked this book up and couldn't put it down. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again, and again. This will be a book that I will read at least once a year for the rest of my life, until it become one with the way that I think. It was as if Dzigar Kongtrul studied my mind for years and then wrote a book on it, and how to tame it. This book is so beautifully honest, and gave me such a new beautiful view on my mind and ego. Not only did the book give me a shift in my perception of my ego, but it also gave me answers on how to work with it, and gave very clear answers to the questions we have all made in regards to our attachments to the ego, and our wrong view that ego has healthy aspects that contribute to our life. This is one of those books you will want to give to all of your friends once your done reading it, and can be fully enjoyed by anyone in any religion or faith, or no faith at all.

Recommended for people who don't want or are not into heavy Buddhist teachings. Although I'd recommend first timers books by Steve Hagen (such as the excellent "Buddhism Is Not What You Think") or this one, another jewel: What Makes You Not a Buddhist by D.J. Khyentse.

Reading this book was a pleasure; it deepens stuff you already *thought* you knew. I'll read it two times and probably more, just to continue discovering new things. Why not 5 stars: I think that's because English is not my native language, so it sometimes complicated the reading a bit.

What wonderful information for us to live by. I want to read/listen over & over again.

This book posits the ability to observe your life calmly, as though you were watching a movie, as the key to contentment. There are a few other major tenets, such as the need to minimize self-importance, and the concept of M-E-R-I-T: 1. The ability to get positive circumstances in one's life, and 2. The ability to enjoy those good things (hint: # 2 is more difficult and more rare). To those who are familiar with the Hedghog/Fox categorization of Isaiah Berlin, this book falls squarely into the hedgehog classification: It relies on one main tenet rather than on an accumulation of little tricks. I thought it was one of the best of the modern interpretations of Buddhism, accessible to anyone without being too technical. A new book called, "Ruling Your World," is also quite good, though it has a slightly different emphasis; more pragmatic. That book uses four animals to illustrate cardinal Buddhist virtues: Tiger, lion, garuda and dragon are each used to illustrate a cluster of key traits. The author is Sakyong Mipham, the son of Chogyam Trungpa.

Of the several books I have read on Buddhism this is one of the best. In a very clear and simple, yet profound manner, Dzigar Kongtrul shares his wisdom illuminating some very complex principles of the practice of dharma. I have gained a great deal studying this book and reflecting upon my own conceptions on the dharma as well as my thinking on the ego, suffering and the purpose and place for self reflection in my own life. I highly recommend this text for anyone seeking more insight into themselves, who seek the path or are thrown onto the path of sometimes brutal and honest self reflection. The message, so clearly explained here, is that through our suffering and challenges we have the greatest opportunity to learn, to become liberated, to transform and to grow. That it is this task- to relect on the self, to increase our compassion and wisdom that leads us toward our own enlighenment.

I was delighted to come across this book which speaks eloquently of the connection between God and his creation, and points to that connection as a model for all human relationships.

The Jesus Advantage offers an invitation to a spiritual life which is centered and practical, yet mysterious and deeply moving.

In "The Jesus Advantage", priest and psychologist Paul Donoghue suggests a new model for those seeking help and support to live into their full humanity - Jesus. Too often, it seems that Jesus is depicted either as judgmental, angry and punitive: or meek and mild beyond all reason. The Jesus as illustated Dr. Donoghue's Scriptural examples is a full, rich and complex human being, a person who gets angry, is sad, feels betrayed and hurt, and expresses his feelings fully. This Jesus is one that resonates with the words "fully human and fully divine."

This book is eminently readable, gentle and sane. Its one fault was that parts of it struck me as very mildly and unconsciously sexist, in that he tends to speak of women in terms of their relationships and appearance, but men in terms of their jobs. This could, however, be simply a function of the population he sees. Other than that very minor point, it is a wonderfully refreshing spiritual resource, one that should be widely read and enjoyed.

Dr. Donoghue's book is an extraordinary gift for anyone in need of a resource for teaching or studying scripture. It is written in an accessible style but is very thoughtful in its examination and reflection on Jesus's life and teachings.

As a parish priest I especially appreciate the down to earth applications of Dr. Donoghue's references to scripture, which make the familiar stories come alive with new meaning and depth.
The study guide which is available for facilitating discussion of the book, seems a perfect outline for any course in christian formation or Lenten series.

Dr. Donoghue is very honest in his sharing of his own experiences as a person of faith in a struggle to apply the words and actions of Jesus to our daily lives. It is even more enlightening to think that these words and actions can actually help us to be healthier and happier.

I can without hesitation recommend this book to anyone who would like to live a life that can be changed and enriched by the wisdom and love contained in the gospels and made so real by the profound reflections of Dr. Donoghue.

Each year I look for a book to read during Lent that will inspire me and assist me to live my Christian values. I have found the perfect source of inpiration in the Jesus Advantage. Paul Donoghue reveals a human Jesus Christ who is our model of emotional and spiritual maturity. Using scripture he shows us how Jesus Christ lived his loving and authentic life and how we we can look realistically to him as a model in every aspect of our lives. The author uses stories from his own life and the lives of others to demonstrate how we fail to live up to our model. Then he masterfully shows us the practical way of fulfilling our desire to live as Jesus Christ did. I recommend The Jesus Advantage wholeheartedly

In this book Jesus is brought beautifully to life, not only in the pure message of his words, but also in the way he felt and responded, the way he paid attention to and reached out to those he encountered. Here is a man who lived fully through his hurt and delight, his anger and warmth. The richness of this portrait is interwoven with scenes from the lives of those Paul Dononghue has encountered who have struggled to find an inner peace that comes from living authentically and in faith. What becomes wonderfully evident is the immediate relevance of Jesus as model for living a rich spiritual life that is also realistic and down to earth. Captivating and informative, I believe this book will aid and inspire anyone seeking such a life.

As a new parent I bought this book mostly because I feel like I can trust Johnson & Johnson. It's a great book for new parents, maybe as a baby shower gift. Very descriptive, a few too many color pictures of babies where more info could have been added...but very helpful. I would recommend this!

We have many pregnancy books that we've collected, and it seems like there is too many to read and go through. This book is very quick and simple to read through for the months of interest. The sections are brief and informative, and I like that it contains picture illustrations. good resource.

SENT THIS AS A GIFT FOR MY BROTHER AND HIS WIFE WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR PREGNANCY. THE BOOK WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED AS THEY WERE FIRST TIME PARENTS. FROM WHAT THEY TELL ME, IT HAS ALL THE HELPFUL INFORMATION AND REALLY USEFUL. GREAT BUY.

clear & full of illustrations..
good book for new parents..
give clear explanation from the beginning the the pregnancy until the first 5 years of the baby

I asked my partner to compare all the pregnancy books that I found in Kinokuniya bookstore. I am glad he choose this book, since it covers from pregnancy till 36 months. I did compare it with Dr Miriam Stoppard's books, and find this book is way much better for its illustration and explanation. It give step by step guidance through pregnancy that you want to know and even the basic knowledge such as breast feeding babies and changing nappies (with illustrations, of course!)

The book is informative and insightful. It gives solid and bible based ways to evaluate your leadership gifts.
It does teach spiritual principles of leadership for women.

I greatly appreciated the insight into the women of the bible Esther, Miriam, Deborah, Ruth etc.

Every church lady in an office should read this book

I loved this book! I thought Dr. Porter revealed the true leadership of some of the greatest women in the Bible. She also gave enough history for those of us who are not as familiar with the Bible as others to understand what the woman did and where the reference could be found. The questions at the end of the chapter were really thought-provoking and challenged the way I traditionally thought about leadership.

Leading Ladies: Transformative Biblical Images For Women's Leadership introduces four biblical archetypes whose stories define the leadership roles played by women everyday within the home, the community, and the workplace. The "weaver" is one who braids together her vision for the future; the "midwife" helps birth ideas and dreams; the "choreographer" brings people together to celebrate; the "intercessor" advocates on behalf of others. Jeanne Porter draws upon the lessons of these ancient stories to explore the principles of what she calls "transformative leadership", an alternative to traditional styles of leadership that calls on women to lead from their spiritual core and empowers women to claim their full leadership potential. Each biblical story is complimented by stories of contemporary women whose action, ministry, and work model this leadership paradigm. Leading Ladies, with its multiethnic approach, is very highly recommended reading for women involved with church work, business, neighborhood groups, community activism, schools, women's studies, biblical studies, and individual self-improvement efforts.

Recently, I had the pleasure of purchasing and reading Leading Ladies by Dr. Jeanne Porter. To my amazement, this book was absolutely thought-provoking, innovative and literally stirred my heart as I journeyed through the pages of it.

While taking a "sneak peak" at the various leadership styles (from the back of the book, of course!), I without a doubt identified myself as an intercessor. As I began to read the book and to study the corresponding scriptures, God began to unfold some things in me that needed to be birthed-the potential of the weaver, choreographer, midwife. I was oblivious to the fact that I had strongholds and preconceived notions about myself and about my leadership potential. But I thank God for removing the scales from my eyes and allowing me an opportunity to acknowledge and confront these archaic ideologies and release them to His teaching and healing power. As an intercessor, I am encouraged to go forward freely and confidently and to allow God to birth all He's placed in me (weaver, choreographer, midwife, etc.).

This book is not gender-specific and is a must-read for all that are ready to move forward. I believe that your very heart and mind will be transformed if you avail yourself to the message given in this book. It is, among other things, revolutionary and will challenge and entreat you to see your God-given potential to become man or woman that God has created you to be.

Thank you, Dr. Porter!

Dr. Porter did an excellent job in giving us a transformative way of looking at leadership. To my surprise, it was not for Leading "Ladies" only but offers something to the heart of the very reader who will avail himself or herself to it.

Offering this reading as a group study will, in my opinion, enhance the relationship and identify the strengths of individuals, as well the strengths of the group.

I happened to be up early this morning and turned on C-Span's "booknotes" to hear David Anderson. When he was finished speaking, I knew I had to buy this book. Even though I have not yet read it, the message that Mr. Anderson shared about commitment, respect, sincerity and acceptance and his evident faith and alignment with his Christian beliefs were so incredibly powerful, that I knew I needed to place an order immediately.
I can't honestly offer a "star" rating as yet, but since I had to make a choice, I feel my rating is justified based on what I've seen so far.

I attend Bridgeway Community Church on a regular basis. I have attended this church for about 5 years now. I know David Anderson personally, and I am very proud of him and his many achievements since I have known him.

Anderson and Zuercher should be applauded for their courage to tackle the ongoing subject of Racism in America. I found the book very informative and encouraging, especially when Mr. Zuercher admitted to thoughts he did not realized he harbored against Blacks. I found the book informative as Mr. Anderson set an example for all us, on how to deal with persons who hate just because of something they see on the outside (skin color, religion style, etc.) This book is for anyone wanting to grow in their relationships with others.

Pastor David Anderson and author Brent Zuercher have penned a groundbreaking and unique book. What happens when two friends of different races explore racism and faith? "Letters across the Divide" happens. For a firsthand account of what multicultural relationships could look like, read this book.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction.

Let me say upfront that I'm a white conservative male. In & of itself, there's nothing wrong there. However, most white conservative males don't think racism is a problem in America anymore. To anyone out there-white conservative or otherwise-if you share that believe, then this bookmis a must read for you.

This book covers reoccuring things like why most whites don't think that racism is a problem anymore & why African Americans answer it so differently. All too often, most white conservatives 0never ask their minoritiy friends & associates if they think racism is still a problem. If they did, they'd get an earfull, just like what is presented in this book.

In addition to being an ordained minister, the Lord has also called me to the ministry of Racial Reconcilliation. It's been a tough challenge but by his grace, I've stayed with it. This book has already been a valuable asset to my work. It's helped me to see things through the eyes of an African American (David)& through the eyes of a white guy, too (Brent). In listening to their correspondence back & forth, it's helped me look at several key issues connected with racism that never came to my mind at all. This book also helps to explain why America hasn't moved forward inb the area of Racial Reconcilliation. Sure, we've passed many anti-racism laws. But laws don't change the minds & hearts of people. And laws don't prevent individual racism 1-on-1.

This book should be a must read for all Christians out there. If you think you've heard everything there is to know about racism, think again. This book will challenge what you believe on the issue.

As I stated above, I work in the field of Racial reconcilliation. If any of you out there have any thoughts, feelings, opinions, suggestions, etc. on this issue, by all means get in touch with me.

LIFE IS WORTH LIVING BY BISHOP FULTON SHEEN IS A COLLECTION OF 24 SHORT
BUT DYNAMIC TALKS BY THIS UNIQUE SAINT OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WHO PREACHED ON TV DURING THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES...BISHOP SHEEN HAS AN
EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY TO TAKE THE MOST DIFFICULT CONCEPTS AND SIMPLIFY
THOSE IDEAS INTO UNDERSTANDING AND HOPE.TOO BAD THIS IS NOT ON VIDEO AS IT WOULD BE EXCEPTIONAL FOR ANYONE TO WATCH..HOWEVER, QUIET LISTENING
WILL PRODUCE QUIET PEACE IN A TROUBLED WORLD.

The ultimate self-improvement book. Ideally suited for reading in short runs. In our too-complex, Paris Hilton world, this book provides solid moral grounding today, just as it did in the 50s and 60s. Read, heed, and then fire your psychologist.

As a child I watched Bishop Sheen on tv with my family. It didn't mean so much to me at the time, except maybe for the humor, but as I've matured, it strikes a strong chord. I'm glad I stumbled upon the book. We've lost so much of the simple truth in life that it's a pleasure and a joy to get some back. If your faith matters to you, this book will be a valuable addition to your collection.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was perhaps the greatest orator of the twentieth century in the matters of morality and the like. His writings displayed a great inner creativity and understanding of the human mind. Archbishop Sheen never lowered himself to the heathen practices of finger-pointing, and profanity. Instead, he reinforced his beliefs with Biblical texts and comedic anecdotes of his own life. His ninety-one books and innumberable radio and televsion broadcasts allowed us a glance into his mind. The Pope John Pual II declared him "a devoted son of the Church." Very few reviews carry as much weight as that comment. I highly recommend this text to anyone of whom finds morality to be the highlight of life.

This book contains thirty-six talks from the first two seasons of the television series. They offer inspiration and guidance on problems with fear, suffering, prayer, work, friendship, and marriage. This volume has universal appeal to all people regardless of religious persuasion or walk of life. This book goal is to offer a tender of hope to people's ongoing struggles to achieve the fullness of life. His easy manner and natural style makes you want to continue reading. His talks on TV were much better because of his easy speaking manner. But what a wonderful way to read what you missed or remind you of his loving words.

Lingua TOEFL is the most complete and well written TOEFL book in the market. Fair price, world class product. Don't worry this book was not written in the US. This has been carefully written and has better English than some other books written by "native" speakers.

Included CD is also great. It has a test exam that is pretty similar to the real one. Just be warned: the testing center can be very noisy, no matter you use that big and uncomfortable earphones! In my case, I was among several GMAT test takers, and they have to write their essays in the first part of the exams, just when you're dealing with the Listening part. All the typing can be disturbing. What I recommend is that you take the exam in the CD with some background noises to stress your listening capabilities.

All the sections have full explanations. One interesting area is the Written Essays. It includes examples for almost all the possible requests in the real exam.

If you want one book to cover all the sections for self study, or as reinforcement for an instructor-led course (my case), this is your best option. Don't waste money on many books. This is THE ONE!

P.S. They include some other services in their website www.linguatoefl.com that can be useful, like additional exams and real scoring for the essays (extra cost). Not used, but you can try them!

This book is a wonderful tool for anyone studying for the TOEFL. Teachers of English as a Second Language can also use this as a resource in planning lessons when helping students prepare for the test.

The CD-ROM is especially helpful since so many students are taking the CBT these days. The hints and tips included in the book will give students guidance and help them feel more at ease when they encounter the real test. The language in the book is not too complicated, but is not condescending either. The writers really seem to understand their readers.

All of the information in the book, along with studying, can help students achieve better scores on their TOEFLs. The realistic practice guides and practical suggestions are the best available.

Much thought has gone into the organization and content of this study guide, and students will find it most helpful! This book is highly recommended!

It's so fabulous!! I just love this book.
I studied with this book for my last TOEFL test and I've achived much higher score than before.
The best thing of this book is the CD-Rom!! You can practice the test with this CD-Rom,and you will find the actual test is very easy!! This book also has heaps of useful tips for you.
I'm sure that you guys will love this book, too.

This book is actually "The Super Guide". It has everything you need to prepare for the TOEFL test. The grammar tips are clear and easy to understand. Reading and Listening sections are both very realistic. I think this book is more like the actual test than any other TOEFL prep books. I especially enjoyed the helpful tips on how to score high on the test. My English actually improved after studying this book. I strongly recommened it to everybody who's studying for the TOEFL.

I am a student from Nagoya, Japan. I was shopping for a good TOEFL book and my friend recommended this book to me. Like he said, I also found this book very helpful. This book had everything - grammar, listening, reading, etc. It has study sections as well as practice test sections. I liked the book's CD-ROM. It was very easy to use and very realistic. When I went to take the actual TOEFL test, I wasn't worried about using the computer so much because I had already practiced with this CD-ROM. This is a very nice book. It is very much worth your money. I recommend this book to all students who are studying English. Thank you.

This book is a wonderfully engaging, well-written autobiography; it also brings vividly to life a crucially-important part of recent US social history. Charles Halpern worked at the heart of an era of progressive change in law and society that started in the 1960s, and he stayed creatively active even throughout the subsequent period of reaction--which arguably has lasted down to the present day.

But Halpern's autobiography goes further even than providing a vivid, personal chronicle of our recent past. It also gives readers a present-day model of and incitement to progressive change-making. It models change-making as an intensely creative and imaginative activity, as it charts Halpern's succession of activities as an architect and leader of Center for Law and Social Policy, the nation's first public interest law firm; then as the designer and first dean of the CUNY Law School, an educationally and socially innovative institution that focused on public interest law; and ultimately as head of the progressive Nathan Cummings foundation. The scope and sheer variety of Halpern's constant, ongoing innovation and institutional invention is fascinating and even breathtaking.

At the same time, Halpern writes of what informs and grounds this unusual creativity. His book is also an account of intellectual and spiritual growth, as Halpern experiments with and incorporates contemplative practice in his life--drawing on it to sustain and empower him in his public career. Halpern then feeds back personal discovery back into institutional creativity, as he sets up a series of programs devoted to transforming intellectual and professional practice in a wide variety of fields--in law schools, colleges, universities, and social movements.

Making Waves and Riding the Currents takes a life well-lived and transforms it into a book that will interest, involve, inform and inspire generations of readers.

I highly recommend this engaging memoir, which is an inspiration and fast read. Charles Halpern graduated from Harvard and Yale, and parlayed a legal career into the first public interest law firm and law school. Upon discovering meditation, Mr. Halpern, incorporated his practice into his life's work. As a result of Halpern's efforts, oil pipelines were put in Alaskan soil sustainably, DDT was banned, public interest lawyers found their needed education, and graduates started influential environmental groups such as EarthJustice. The ripple of Halpern's positive wave continues, and you can catch it by reading Making Waves and Riding the Currents.

No matter what your political persuasion or your profession, this book is a great source of wisdom and insight. Beyond a fascinating history of the birth of public interest law, Charlie Halpern provides a deeply personal and affirming account of how to pursue one's ideals in a way that is nurturing of our deeper selves and respectful of others. A key lesson of this book is that it is not just what you stand or fight for, but who you are and how you act as you do it. By cultivating an awareness that allows a deeper wisdom to emerge, Charlie points to ways we all can contribute to the world in a way that contributes to far greater tolerance and balance, without compromising our effectiveness. And in the process, we also become healthier and more loving and also create a world that reflects this.

Making Waves and Riding Currents is a book that everyone should read. No soft tale here but a journey not unlike rafting white waters. Charles sees the real and the ideal, the what "could be and is not yet", takes time to grasp the whole, sees the way and then takes it. He combines courage, a genuine interest in life and a willingness to "live and learn" both on a professional and personal level. This is a story of major entrepreneurial ventures that impact our own lives, created and co-created, experienced and shared in ways allowing every one involved to learn, use their experience, as well as to question and relinquish old patterns, recognize blocks and crack open into wider realms of understanding and living that center on Wisdom. This book documents changes in thinking that have make our society more humane and just. This is not your usual "lawyer" story. This is speaks to everyone's potential to develop wisdom, played out large, and saying: Come on, you can do it! I can't stop thinking about what one life can do.

From the beginning of this tale of Charles Halpern's remarkable accomplishments, it was obvious that he was an intelligent, effective individual with many skills. But competent doesn't necessarily mean wise. Fortunately for us readers, interwoven with the story of his doing is the story of his psychological/spiritual development -- the story of his growth in wisdom and the integration of that wisdom into his many activities.

Halpern had the courage to place himself in a wide variety of challenging, often uncomfortable, growth-fostering situations. Too many to recount here, they included a winter camping adventure in the Adirondacks, a week-long vision quest based on Native American traditions that included many hours in a sweat lodge, and a five-day mindfulness meditation retreat led by Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. This last was a watershed event, about which Halpern wrote: "The experience of extended meditation practice...awakened my interest in exploring the connection between meditation and wisdom. Could I undertake to practice wisdom, living the wise life that would generate wise actions and decisions? Could this be a new way to approach activism, to start from the place of wisdom and compassion rather than the place of anger and insistence on legal rights?"

Meditation became a central focus in his life, and numerous retreats followed. To some extent facilitated by the Nathan Cummings Foundation of which he was now President, he met and got to know many of America and the world's foremost spiritual teachers. "Longtime meditators and respected teachers," he wrote, "gave me a new model for a way to be in the world--committed to serving others, cultivating wisdom, being open to changing themselves, and exposing their own vulnerability." Currently, Charles Halpern is Chair of The Center for Contemplative Mind and Society.

MAKING WAVES AND RIDING THE CURRENTS is a truly inspiring and uplifting book. It is the tale of a life marked by great accomplishment and developing wisdom, told with an engaging frankness about his own vulnerabilities by the man who has lived it.

This work advances the movement of patient empowerment with thoughtful ideas, advice and suggestions. The tone is respectful and practical in reference to patients, providers and healthcare systems. The book will support healthcare safety and improved patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes.

What an asset this book is to all of us. Health sees no race, religion, handicap. Health effects each one of us and all our friends and family. What a helpful book with so much information. I will be giving this book as a gift to all my loved ones this year instead of trying to figure out what they want or getting somthing they dont need. This book is a must have for all family members, all ages. I just love the information it provides. Thanks to the Authors for such an informative book and taking the time to research and write. We all taken our health for granted at one time or another. Now finally a book with pertinent information at our finger tips and at such a "small price dollar wise" as apposed to the price we pay for health issues ignored or not understood. No comparison. A must have book.

This is a must have book.....you can learn so much from reading this book and how we've all been left in the dark. It's a great gift for parents and in-laws that still think of doctors as GOD [wake up] ! Pick one up for yourself and others - they will be so grateful !

This book helped answer so many of my questions. This is a great item to have or to give to anyone who has any questions regarding their health. GREAT BOOK!!! Please look into it!

This book equips and enpowers the vast number of non-medical people to better navigate the medical community. It is written in a professional way, but so well done that non-professionals are also able to reference and appropriate the information. The expertise and knowledge provided in this book will benefit both the healthcare provider as well as the recipiant and promote better healthcare outcomes in our nation. Everyone needs to read this informative and educational book.