Showing posts with label consciousness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consciousness. Show all posts

The Art of Living Consciously: The Power of Awareness to Transform Everyday Life Review

The Art of Living Consciously: The Power of Awareness to Transform Everyday Life
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In the early seventies just after the publication of The Psychology of Self-Esteem, I went to the library looking for other books on the subject. I found only one other book with self-esteem in its title. Over the years, I've watched closely as the word self-esteem has exploded into American culture, and has become as American as the proverbial apple pie, often with undercurrents of confusion and ignorance. Yet, with Nathaniel Branden, the innovator of the whole movement, the definition has always been the same; what has changed is his ever-increasing knowledge and awareness of the subject, much of which he shares In The Art Of Living Consciously. For those interested in the role of consciousness in improving one's life and one's self esteem -- that one is competent to know one's world, and worthy of happiness -- this will be the book for you. Once again, Nathaniel offers up a treasure chest of personal examples, as well as the examples of his clients. Also, offered is a facinating look into the world of ¨spirituality¨ as seen through the eyes of Mr. Rationality. Here, again, is another powerful and entertaining book from the man who launched the term into public discussion.

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The Art of Living Consciously Is an Operating Manual for Our Basic Tool of Survival In The Art of Living Consciously, Dr. Nathaniel Branden, our foremost authority on self-esteem, takes us into new territory, exploring the actions of our minds when they are operating as our life and well-being require -- and also when they are not. No other book illuminates so clearly what true mindfulness means: * In the workplace * In the arena of romantic love * In child-rearing * In the pursuit of personal development Today we are exposed to an unprecedented amount of information and an unprecedented number of opinions about every conceivable aspect of life. We are thrown on our own resources as never before -- and we have nothing to protect us but the clarity of our thinking. In The Art of Living Consciously, Branden gives us the tools with which to draw out the best within us.

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Nothing in This Book Is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are, 15th Anniversary Edition Review

Nothing in This Book Is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are, 15th Anniversary Edition
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I picked up an earlier edition of "Nothing in this Book is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are" less than a year ago at a friend's book sale. A family member while visiting, picked it up and couldn't stop reading it til he had finished the book the next day! I then began reading it, and a couple days later I realized I had passed a turning point. Everything finally made sense.

Bob Frissell's story weaves in so many things: sacred geometry, UFOs, REAL ancient history, dimensional shifts, the 2012 prophecy and our role in it, the Merkaba meditation and Flower of Life, Rebirthing, Conscious Breathing. Yet he tells this story in such a way that it is uncomplicated and obvious, with plenty of facts, resources and illustrations to support the information. The new revised and expanded edition adds updated information as well as the Merkaba breath meditation.
As Bob Frissell puts it "There are no accidents", and since reading this book a lot has opened up for me. I continue to follow the thread of information, but this book is the sort of "primer" that puts everything together seamlessly, packed with information. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in sacred geometry, what's really going on with the 2012 prophecies, multi-dimensions and where we are (and were!).

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Nothing in This Book Is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are is an account of humankind's function within the grand celestial battle between internal and external knowledge. Author Bob Frissell gives a compelling account of our planetary ascent into higher consciousness, presenting a big-screen view of the Earth through the experience of the Ascended Masters, Thoth, Babaji, and Drunvalo Melchizedek.Pulling in all manner of conspiracy theories from the Secret Government to the Philadelphia Experiment, Frissell proposes both a core transdimensional shift based on the Mayan calendar and a personal Rapture mediated through the connected, affirmed breaths of rebirthing that his teacher Melchizedek used to travel from the other side of the universe to here—breathing your own spacecraft (merkaba) out of and around your aura in order to travel through the astral realms.The 15th anniversary edition of this cult classic is revised and expanded with new illustrations and 50 pages of important new information on the Lucifer Rebellion, the solar storm, and the final three breaths of the merkaba meditation.

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Inner Paths to Outer Space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technologies Review

Inner Paths to Outer Space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technologies
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This book is a stellar overview of the latest in psychedelic theory. Rick Strassman gives an excellent summary of the current research and ideas behind DMT. One thing I was disappointed that he did not address: Strassman notes that both psilocin and DMT are nearly identical molecules. What significance does this have? I would have liked to see his musings on that topic.
Having this book is like getting your hands on the hottest underground philosophy book. It dares to link science and religion directly - not some wishy washy pseudo-theory, but hard evidence linking science and religion via psychedelics. It really is amazing how unknown this is to the average person - even those with a deep interest in these subjects. Yet here it is, brazenly laid out, for anyone with an inquisitive mind to pick up and learn.
I highly recommend this book if you want a cutting edge, no holds barred discussion on what psychedelics might mean to humanity. There is no waving dismissal of psychedelic users as "druggies" or scoffing at the notion there might be more to these substances than just "getting high". The authors are quite up front as to what is scientifically proven, and what is personal speculation. Nevertheless, imagination is set loose to roam free in this book, and the insights and hypotheses inside are scrumptious food for thought. The art is also quite nice and colorful.
5/5, Highly recommended!

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An investigation into experiences of other realms of existence and contact with otherworldly beings • Examines how contact with alien life-forms can be obtained through the "inner space" dimensions of our minds • Presents evidence that other worlds experienced through consciousness-altering technologies are often as real as those perceived with our five senses • Correlates science fiction's imaginal realms with psychedelic research For thousands of years, voyagers of inner space--spiritual seekers, shamans, and psychoactive drug users--have returned from their inner imaginal travels reporting encounters with alien intelligences. Inner Paths to Outer Space presents an innovative examination of how we can reach these other dimensions of existence and contact otherworldly beings. Based on their more than 60 combined years of research into the function of the brain, the authors reveal how psychoactive substances such as DMT allow the brain to bypass our five basic senses to unlock a multidimensional realm of existence where otherworldly communication occurs. They contend that our centuries-old search for alien life-forms has been misdirected and that the alien worlds reflected in visionary science fiction actually mirror the inner space world of our minds. The authors show that these "alien" worlds encountered through altered states of human awareness, either through the use of psychedelics or other methods, possess a sense of reality as great as, or greater than, those of the ordinary awareness perceived by our five senses.

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Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values Review

Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values
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Conscious Business is the first book I've read on an important subject I'd like to tackle as an author: How to move those in an organization from focusing on their selfish interests to concentrating on what creates the most good for the most people . . . with the least potential harm to any individual. I thought that Dr. Kofman did a good job in defining one path to creating mutual benefit in Conscious Business. If people in your organization seem to be emphasizing their own careers rather than the tasks that need doing, this book is a must-read for you!
Let me agree with Dr. Kofman about his warning for readers: It's much easier to understand his principles than apply them. But with practice, you can do great things.
Here are the goals he sets:
"In the impersonal It dimension, the goal is to accomplish the organization's mission, enhancing its ability to continue doing so in the future, and delivering outstanding long-term returns to shareholders. In the interpersonal We dimension, the goal is to establish cooperative, trusting, and mutually respectful relationships, a community of shared purpose and values in which people feel they belong. In the personal I dimension, the goal is to live in a state of flow, feeling a transcendent happiness that comes from living in full integrity, with one's principles and ideals."
As you can see from this quote, Dr. Kofman draws heavily from his interest in Buddhist tradition and other streams of spiritual beliefs that are outside of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The text is enlivened by quotes from many sides of the spiritual spectrum and psychologists. As a result, the material will speak directly and deeply in places to virtually any reader, regardless of background and beliefs.
The risk he points to is a real one: If we don't make our intentions explicit and specific, people will take the knee-jerk route of looking after themselves. That self-focus is the basis of much bureaucratic behavior, procrastination, avoidance, poor customer service, misconceptions, disbelief about what needs to be done, poor communications and over-reliance on tradition.
A key exhibit in the book can be found on page 17 where Dr. Kofman draws a contrast between relying on unconscious versus conscious attitudes in business. Here are the unconscious attitudes and their conscious counterparts:
Unconscious Attitudes.....................Conscious Attitudes
Unconditional blame.........................Unconditional responsibility
Essential selfishness........................Essential integrity
Ontological arrogance......................Ontological humility
Unconscious behaviors.....................Conscious behaviors
Manipulative communication..............Authentic communication
Narcissistic negotiation....................Constructive negotiation
Negligent coordination.....................Impeccable coordination
Unconscious reactions.....................Conscious reactions
Emotional incompetence...................Emotional mastery
The book goes on to devote a chapter to each of the seven conscious attitudes (excluding conscious behaviors and reactions from the list above). Since those attitude titles are not exactly self-explanatory, let me see if I can explain each a little more.
Unconditional responsibility is the Victor Frankl concept of determining your response to a situation, even if it is a situation you cannot change. You take charge of choosing your response.
Essential integrity is acting in accordance with your values, even if the results are less than perfect.
Ontological humility is being open to seeing what's going on from the perspectives of others and valuing those perspectives.
Authentic communication means sharing your emotions, opinions and knowledge openly with those who appear to be headed in the wrong direction . . . and encouraging them to do the same. From that baseline, you can then proceed to develop options that may better fit what's needed.
Constructive negotiation is focused on finding a great solution for everyone, rather than simply winning your point.
Impeccable coordination involves making informed commitments, staying on top of what's needed to meet those commitments and letting others know when things go wrong to devise solutions that may improve matters.
Emotional mastery means being able to function objectively, even if something outrages or frightens you.
As you can see from these terms and concepts, Conscious Business is a book of applied psychology by someone who is well versed in the field. The strength of that approach is that Dr. Kofman can reference psychological works that you may know well to give you a touchstone. The drawback is that the book can seem to be too academic if you aren't familiar with the terms and references.
Two things humanize the book from those weaknesses:
(1) Each chapter opens with an extended example of a business problem involving unconscious behavior and reactions. The key concepts are then explained and applied to turning the extended example into a way of employing conscious behavior and reactions.
(2) Dr. Kofman has had many interesting experiences that he deftly weaves into his story. I was especially impressed by his learning from having lived in a totalitarian regime in Argentina as a youth and his mountain climbing experience in South America.
All that said, the opening of this book was awfully abstract and academic. It wasn't until page 42 that I began to resonate with the material. So be patient. The book is quite accessible and interesting from that point on.

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More and more business leaders are catching on to an often-overlooked fact: consciousness is our basic faculty for survival and success. Without it, we forget what's important to us and lose sight of the steps we might take to reach those goals. ?Conscious business, ? explains Fred Kofman, means shining this awareness on every area of your work: in recognizing the needs of others and expressing your own?in seeing the hidden emotional obstacles that may be holding your team back?in making good decisions under pressure?and even in delving into such ?spiritual? questions as ?Who am I?? and ?What is my real purpose here?? In Conscious Business, this visionary teacher and consultant to Google, Microsoft, Yahoo! and other leading companies presents the complete training manual in the breakthrough techniques he has shared with over 20,000 executives on four continents.

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Entangled Review

Entangled
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"Entangled" was sort of like reading two different books for me: on one level it's a fun, fast-paced and highly original fantasy novel. On another it is a sort of spot the clues book full of references to the themes and facts contained in Hancock's non-fiction books from the last couple of decades. If you've read "Supernatural" there's definitely a lot in the novel that you'll recognize, from the ancient cave paintings to the modern-day shamans of the Amazon. Plenty of "Fingerprints of the Gods" material too, so that any fan of Hancock's previous work is going to have a lot of fun seeing how he applied his vast knowledge to creating a work of fiction. Highly Recommended.

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Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win Review

Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win
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I don't regret buying this book, as I received quite a lot of value from it, but at the same time I strongly disagree with some of his fundamental premises.
This book is difficult to summarise adequately, but basically he is saying - we create our reality (including our financial reality) with our minds. Our life experience is a illusory game created by what he calls our 'Expanded Self' - a larger, omnipotent creative intelligence, of which we are just a small aspect. This 'Human Game' is divided into 2 phases: Phase 1, which most people are stuck in, and Phase 2, which is the object of the processes in this book. Phase 1 appears to have rigid rules, and was purposely designed by our Expanded Self to convince us of our limitations and lack of power. When we are ready, we enter Phase 2, in which our Expanded Self leads us through the process of reclaiming our personal power and then 'busting loose' of the game. After busting loose, our desires & goals (including money) will fall into place with little effort, and we might even experience seemingly 'impossible' events, as the illusory nature of reality becomes apparent, and life no longer has to follow the usual rules.
What I liked about the book:
*I found it to be well written & some parts are very interesting & thought-provoking.
* The idea that our consciousness creates our reality is nothing new to me, and I'm already familiar with the holographic model of reality creation that he discusses. I've read many books on similar topics, most of which haven't really given me anything new. This book did at least take an approach I haven't encountered before, so I give it some credit for originality, even if there is much I disagree with. I can see how it could be a bit `far out' for some of those who are totally new to this kind of material.
*Scheinfeld offers four techniques which we can use to enter & progress through Phase 2, and even though I don't accept his notion of what Phase 2 should be like, I have found all of these techniques to be useful, and perhaps worth the price of book alone.
*I like his `no limit' thinking - he proposes a vision of what life could be like unencumbered by all the rules & regulations that most people accept as normal or just `how life is'. I do agree with him that our potential as conscious creators of our own realities is unlimited, and that so called `supernatural' or 'magical' events could be commonplace if only we could allow them, and it's good to see a writer who is unafraid to stick his neck out & make claims that probably sound preposterous to the average person (Star Trek's Q as a role model? - sounds good to me!)
* I also like his debunking of traditional ways of thinking about money, which I've always thought were rather unnecessary & limited too.What I didn't like
*While the holographic model in general makes sense to me, I don't accept that the other people (or animals etc) in my life are purely my creation. I see them more as independent consciousnesses who are also creating their own holographic realities, some aspects of which intersect with my own (based on the law of attraction), thus contributing to our shared experiences. I do agree that no-one else can create in our experience however, and tend to think that people will show whatever side of themselves that we attract from them, so in that sense we do have control over the type of behaviours we attract from others.
*I don't agree that we're just pawns in a game set up by our Expanded Self for its own amusement. I don't really see any distinction between that Expanded Self & the `me' that is here experiencing this life - its power is mine, and my experiences from this self-created perspective are of value to it. We are on the leading edge, and we (the `expanded you' plus the personality you know as `you') are in control - together.
*I don't agree that the `busting loose' process has to be painful & traumatic. Nor do I agree we have to just passively wait for our Expanded Self to pop unpleasant events into our experience for us to react to. It's perfectly possible to reclaim our power & release inner resistance without all the trauma & drama. The journey to freedom & personal power can be a pleasant one.
*Scheinfeld says that what we experience doesn't matter - it's no better to be wealthy than to be poor, or to have good relationships rather than bad ones. While I agree that it's unhealthy to be inflexible & to get overly attached to specific outcomes, and that any event can be a valuable learning experience, I can't accept that our desires and preferences have no value (just the opposite in fact - what's the point of being a deliberate creator without a personally defined, constantly evolving purpose towards which we can direct our energies?). Life may be an illusion, but some aspects of that illusion are undoubtedly more pleasant than others, so why not focus on attracting/creating the pleasant experiences that we prefer?
I would also add - this is not a 'mainstream' financial advice book (which you've probably guessed from the above comments!). You won't find advice about what actions to take to make money (there are plenty of other books on how to manage your money, choose investments etc), nor is it about the psychology of wealth in the usual sense (I like the Rich Dad Poor Dad series for that aspect of wealth building). It presents a metaphysical approach that requires an open-minded willingness to suspend disbelief and the need for 'proof', so if you're just looking for advice on how to get rich in the traditional ways, or are someone who isn't willing to consider a new idea unless it has been scientifically validated, this isn't the book for you!
I could go on, but won't! Scheinfeld is presenting his model of reality here, which is apparently working for him, and which seems to work well for many others too, but his model might not be the best approach for everyone. He's not saying - this is absolutely how it is & you must agree. It's just one perspective on the purpose & mechanics of this physical life experience. All in all, I can't give this book a terrible review, or a glowing one. As with any book or other information source, the best approach is to take what resonates with you, and discard the rest.
Personally, I like to forge my own path, but in terms of external teachings I strongly recommend the Abraham-Hicks material to anyone who is open-minded enough to accept that they are capable of creating an unlimited reality (including unlimited wealth), but who also prefers an easy-going, joyous path, in which they are in control and which is not fraught with trauma and unpleasant `learning' experiences!

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Real people, real transformations!
"Absolutely amazing! It completely shifts your paradigm for life. One of the most wonderful things about it is that the results are immediate. My whole perception and relationship to money has undergone a major, substantial change."—Chris Attwood, writer and teacher, California
"I've spent most of my life trying to figure out what's true and what's real. I have to say I now have a clear glimpse into what it really is."—Tom Hill, Colorado
"Before Busting Loose from The Money Game, I was very unhappy and frustrated in my life. I was driven to find more ways to make money. I changed jobs, cities, countries, went back to school, read books. Financially, the stress was causing anxiety attacks and migraines so severe I stayed in bed. The joy I feel now is priceless. Money is there when I need it, in the amount that's needed, no matter what occurs (car repairs, unplanned trips, etc.). It's absolutely amazing!"—Suresh Thakoor, Texas
"As a retired professor on a fixed and limited income, I always lived from a tight budget and felt compressed by it-especially at the end of the year. I don't use a budget anymore and have opened up new streams of income that were always closed to me in the past."—Howard Rovics, Connecticut
"It opened a whole new dimension for me and shifted my perspective on life completely. I especially love how practical it is. The application is so simple, so effective . . . and fun!"—Doris Kahle, Hagen, Germany
"I'd had a lot of success in the corporate arena, made a ridiculous amount of money and lost a ridiculous amount of money. But I was caught in a cycle of making it, losing it. I needed to break that cycle-for myself and my family-and this gave me the keys to do that. Busting Loose from The Money Game opened a window I had no clue even existed. This is very cutting-edge, a revolutionary approach to unwrapping yourself from limitations. If you're not satisfied with where you are financially and you're concerned about your future, get this book!"—Ben Coleman, Texas

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Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self Review

Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self
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I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in lucid dreams. I've read nearly every book about lucid dreaming and I can say without hesitation this book is one of the best.
There are plenty of how-to books geared toward readers who seek to experience lucid dreams for the first time. While this book contains some techniques for that purpose, it offers so much more than that. Robert Waggoner takes lucid dreaming to a whole new level. Through his investigation of the profound inner awareness ever-present in our dreams, he demonstrates the vast potential for exploration and personal growth available to us lucid dreaming. This aspect of the book resonated deeply with me because it echoes my current approach to dreaming.
It is rare to find a book that approaches lucid dreaming from this angle, especially one that so thoroughly details the ways in which the dreamer can explore the hidden -- and often meaningful -- aspects of the dream. I wish this book had been around years ago when I first began my lucid dreaming practice.
Waggoner's enthusiasm for dreaming is evident on every page. Whether you are an experienced lucid dreamer or new to lucid dreaming, I recommend adding this to your personal library.

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Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self is the account of an extraordinarily talented lucid dreamer who goes beyond the boundaries of both psychology and religion. In the process, he stumbles upon the Inner Self. While lucid (consciously aware) in the dream state and able to act and interact with dream figures, objects, and settings, dream expert Robert Waggoner experienced something transformative and unexpected. He was able to interact consciously with the dream observer-the apparent Inner Self-within the dream. At first this seemed shocking, even impossible, since psychology normally alludes to such theoretical inner aspects as the Subliminal Self, the Center, the Internal Self-Helper in vague and theoretical ways. Waggoner came to realize, however, that aware interaction with the Inner Self was not only possible, but actual and highly inspiring. He concluded that while aware in the dream state, one has both a psychological tool and a platform from which to understand dreaming and the larger picture of man's psyche as well. Waggoner proposes 5 stages of lucid dreaming and guides readers through them, offering advice for those who have never experienced the lucid dream state and suggestions for how experienced lucid dreamers can advance to a new level. Lucid Dreaming offers exciting insights and vivid illustrations that will intrigue not only avid dreamworkers but anyone who is interested in consciousness, identity, and the definition of reality.

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DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences Review

DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences
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Although this book reads more like a journal paper than one might expect based on the trade paperback format and trippy Alex Grey cover art, Dr. Rick Strassman is, after all, a research scientist, not a novelist, and thus may be forgiven for not having a thorough grasp of pacing and the value of dramatic intrigue. Specifically, about a quarter of this book deals with Strassman's convoluted attempts to gain permission to study DMT (which is, for the unfamiliar, LSD's faster-acting, shorter-lasting, knockout-punching cousin), which is admittedly an interesting story, but I am sure I'm not alone in wishing he'd given us a few extra chapters of DMT case studies instead.
And the case studies are intriguing indeed. Through various permutations of set, setting, and dosage, Strassman's volunteers experience DMT trips ranging from explorations of personal emotions and thoughts to full-blown sojourns into Cosmic Consciousness. And somewhere between these polarities of personal ego and impersonal Absolute there reside experiences of an altogether different order. It is these experiences that perhaps set the DMT molecule drastically apart from the other major psychedelic drugs. They're perhaps best explained with an example, and generally go something like this: A person is injected with DMT; within fifteen seconds the person feels a rush and suddenly finds him- or herself perceiving a completely different environment, with no major alteration in the quality of awareness, and usually there appear one or more "beings" in this environment who interact with the person and are felt, with certainty, to be entirely "real" entities, independent of, but not exactly separate from, the DMT tripper's mind. Here is how one of Strassman's subjects describes his experience:
"I felt like I was in an alien laboratory, in a hospital bed like this. . . . A sort of landing bay, or recovery area. There were beings. . . .
"They had a space ready for me. They weren't as surprised as I was. It was incredibly un-psychedelic. I was able to pay attention to detail. There was one main creature, and he seemed to be behind it all, overseeing everything. The others were orderlies, or dis-orderlies.
"They activated a sexual circuit, and I was flushed with an amazing orgasmic energy. A goofy chart popped up like an X-ray in a cartoon, and a yellow illumination indicated that the corresponding system, or series of systems, were fine. They were checking my instruments, testing things. When I was coming out, I couldn't help but think `aliens.' "
As Strassman explains, it was these consistently similar experiences with what could only be identified as "aliens" or "elves" that he found most baffling in the course of his DMT research, and these reports eventually persuaded him to alter his whole relational approach to his volunteers. Rather than interpret and explain away, as psychiatrists are wont to do with just about everything, he decided to proceed with an open mind, to listen and encourage, and then later try to fit the pieces into some coherent theoretical framework, perhaps even invent one if current preconceptions of the nature of reality couldn't accommodate the data (such a novel approach!, sadly enough). It is this open, inquisitive attitude that makes this book eminently satisfying, despite any narrative sluggishness, because rarely does one find this caliber of fastidious, empirical-phenomenological research coupled with investigations into alien encounters, near-death experiences, and ecstatic glimpses of God. Usually, a researcher with this degree of scientific experience has already been too thoroughly digested by the modern religion of scientism to be able to see the very real duality between mind and matter, let alone to entertain such ideas as these: (1) that DMT is produced naturally in the human body by the pineal gland, and the appearance of the pineal gland in the developing human fetus at 49 days post-conception corresponds to the arrival of the soul in the body (with the DMT chemical serving as a kind of doorway between material and astral worlds); (2) that certain meditative practices, such as chanting, cause a vibratory effect in the brain that stimulates the pineal gland to release DMT, thus inciting certain spiritual experiences; and (3) that the phenomenon of alien abduction is so similar to certain DMT trips that they're likely the same thing, which in no way diminishes the "reality" of alien encounters, because, as Strassman theorizes, "Returning to the TV analogy . . . DMT provides regular, repeated, and reliable access to `other' channels. The other planes of existence are always there. . . . But we cannot perceive them because we are not designed to do so; our hard-wiring keeps us tuned in to Channel Normal. It takes only a second or two--the few heartbeats the spirit molecule requires to make its way to the brain--to change the channel, to open our mind to these other planes of existence" (pp. 315-316). A typical alien abduction, then, might either be caused by an unusually high, but naturally occurring, release of DMT by the pineal gland in the brain, or by a similar release of DMT effected by an external, alien source: in both cases the same effect is achieved, and one is able to perceive that "other plane" whence the little gray men spring forth. (And while not as far out as those ideas, Strassman's proposal that an aberrant, consistently high-enough emission of DMT in the brain forms the basis of schizophrenia is also very persuasive, and anyone with some experience with psychedelics should appreciate how someone who had this problem could go completely crazy rather quickly.)
In conclusion, if you're at all interested in psychedelics, brain/mind relations, or parapsychology in general, this is definitely required reading. And if I could recommend only five books from the voluminous library of ufology that are actually well worth reading by any sensitive, intelligent human being, they'd be (in this order): "Angels and Aliens" by Keith Thompson, "Dimensions" by Jacques Vallée, "Communion" by Whitley Strieber, "Abduction" by John Mack--and "DMT" by Rick Strassman.

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A clinical psychiatrist explores the effects of DMT, one of the most powerful psychedelics known.

' A behind-the-scenes look at the cutting edge of psychedelic research.

' Provides a unique scientific explanation for the phenomenon of alien abduction experiences.

From 1990 to 1995 Dr. Rick Strassman conducted U.S. Government-approved and funded clinical research at the University of New Mexico in which he injected sixty volunteers with DMT, one of the most powerful psychedelics known. His detailed account of those sessions is an extraordinarily riveting inquiry into the nature of the human mind and the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. DMT, a plant-derived chemical found in the psychedelic Amazon brew, ayahuasca, is also manufactured by the human brain. In Strassman's volunteers, it consistently produced near-death and mystical experiences. Many reported convincing encounters with intelligent nonhuman presences, aliens, angels, and spirits. Nearly all felt that the sessions were among the most profound experiences of their lives.

Strassman's research connects DMT with the pineal gland, considered by Hindus to be the site of the seventh chakra and by Rene Descartes to be the seat of the soul. DMT: The Spirit Molecule makes the bold case that DMT, naturally released by the pineal gland, facilitates the soul's movement in and out of the body and is an integral part of the birth and death experiences, as well as the highest states of meditation and even sexual transcendence. Strassman also believes that "alien abduction experiences" are brought on by accidental releases of DMT. If used wisely, DMT could trigger a period of remarkable progress in the scientific exploration of the most mystical regions of the human mind and soul.


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The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself Review

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
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I simply cannot say enough great things about this profound book! The Untethered Soul gets right down to business answering some of the deepest, soul searching questions I'd had for years but didn't know whom to ask. It's almost as if the author has seen into the inner-workings of my mind!
With very straight forward examples, the book emphasizes the pitfalls of relying on the mind to come up with ideas for making ourselves happy. The book points out that relying on the outside world for inner happiness just simply doesn't work. Happiness comes to us when we change and let go of ourselves at the deepest, innermost-level rather than changing the world outside.
The Untethered Soul helps to explain the crazy world around us where the unhampered ego creates conflict. This book is a step-by-step guide to the letting go of the ego - a process that may seem counter-intuitive initially, but ultimately leads to freedom from the nagging mind and heavy heart and directs you to the beauty of the self within.
The chapter on Contemplating Death has made me truly appreciate each living moment. I no longer want to waste time on energy depleting thoughts and feelings.
I am grateful that Michael Singer has written a book so deep that it could actually make a difference in people's lives and help to make the world a better place to live.
Consider yourself warned! Once you read this book, there is no turning back from The Untethered Soul within.

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Who are you? When you start to explore this question, you find out how elusive it really is. Are you a physical body? A collection of experiences and memories? A partner to relationships? Each time you consider these aspects of yourself, you realize that there is much more to you than any of these can define. The Untethered Soul, spiritual teacher Michael Singer explores the question of who we are and arrives at the conclusion that our identity is to be found in our consciousness, the fact of our ability to observe ourselves, and the world around us. By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.

This book, copublished with the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), offers a frank and friendly discussion of consciousness and how we can develop it. In part one, he examines the notion of self and the inner dialogue we all live with. Part two examines the experience of energy as it flows through us and works to show readers how to open their hearts to the energy of experience that permeates their lives. Ways to overcome tendencies to close down to the rest of the world are the subject of part three. Enlightenment, the embrace of universal consciousness, is the subject of part four. And finally, in part five, Singer returns to daily life and the pursuit of unconditional happiness. Throughout, the book maintains a light and engaging tone, free from heavy dogma and prescriptive religious references. The easy exercises that figure in each chapter help readers experience the ideas that Singer presents.

Visit www.untetheredsoul.com for more information.


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Women Who Run with the Wolves Review

Women Who Run with the Wolves
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Reading the other customer reviews, I find it very interesting to see how different they are, and how different many of them are from my experience.
I was surprised to read the review on this page by the woman who believes we ought to read Jung first (or instead). My experience is the opposite; when I've picked up Jung's original works I've found them tough to follow, but this book I found very accessible and useful. I don't think the comparison between the Bible and a tv evangelist is at all fair. It's more like the difference between Strunk & White and the Oxford English Dictionary. The OED is wonderful, but Strunk & White is the one that is most likely to help you become a better writer.
Although I think of myself as a creative person, I tend to downplay that part of myself and to lead with my left brain, as it were. Reading this book I felt like I was being given a path to my inner wellspring. I felt that I had at last found water for a thirst I hadn't quite been able to identify until now.
This book is about one's inner life. It is not a how-to book, it's not political (except in the sense that the personal is political), and I didn't feel that it over-emphasized "what's wrong with you," as another reader put it. It does continually nudge one to think about what might be wrong: many many women are cut off from their own preferences, their own inner selves, because they feel pressured to conform with societal norms. Many societal norms are, in my opinion, quite damaging and inappropriate. It is very easy in American society to get the impression that women should be seen and not heard. Women are still encouraged to focus on how we look, to be compliant, to act ladylike and be nice even when we are being denigrated, and to stand by our man no matter what. We are encouraged to help others at the expense of our own happiness, and many many of us fall into this trap without even realizing it. We think it is normal to put ourselves last, and we lose touch with the shames and the fears that keep us from being happy, wiping the subject of happiness off the table with a dismissive hand as something that is too indulgent or not important.
This book helped me realize the ways in which I stand in my own way, and it gave me courage and inspiration.
The author is not only a Jungian analyst, but a storyteller. She is steeped in the traditions of storytelling from both the Latin and the Hungarian sides of her family, and I very much enjoyed the ways in which she uses this legacy of the storyteller as healer to make her points. I never thought of storytelling in this way before, but reading this book I found it to be true. (I feel that her stories have helped heal me.) I am a storyteller myself, of a sort, so for me the book was a kind of homecoming. If you have ever wondered why fairy tales seem so cruel and peculiar, you will find the answers in this book. Fairy tales have been mangled in the translation, but this author shows you where they came from and what they are really about.
While I am a huge believer in free-market capitalism, growth, business, and civilization (as opposed to back-to-nature Green-ery), I have tremendous concerns about the increasingly violent and impersonal nature of our society. This book shows you how to cultivate a healing, loving attitude toward the world without becoming a doormat--quite the contrary, it shows how love can give you more strength and power than you'll ever find in a boardroom.
Another review on this page criticized the book for not putting these issues into a broader context of one's life. It took twenty years for this author to distill her wisdom of storytelling and her knowledge of Jungian archetypes into this lovely, readable book. For me, that's quite an accomplishment. I'm more than willing to take it the rest of the way myself.

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The Source Field Investigations: The Hidden Science and Lost Civilizations Behind the 2012 Prophecies Review

The Source Field Investigations: The Hidden Science and Lost Civilizations Behind the 2012 Prophecies
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This is without a doubt the most amazing piece of work I have ever read. I have always been interested in what would be considered "fringe science" and although other authors have made similar assertions with regard to an intelligent "source field" i.e. Dr. Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, etc., none have backed up these viewpoints with such an amazing amount of hard science conducted by so many credentialed scientists and engineers. I have a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and therefore I have a very critical and logical approach when assessing supporting data to an hypothesis. The references provided by this author are nothing short of excellent but as the old saying goes - "extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof" - and there is no shortage of that to back up this remarkable theorem.
I have always believed that the universe itself must be alive and intelligent and Mr. Wilcock's work in supporting this belief will knock your sox off! The work is presented with so many interesting studies that you will find yourself absolutely riveted and unable to put the book down.
One has to wonder how mainstream science got so far off track. It is almost as if there was some sort of conspiracy to deliberately dumb down the minds of the people. If the information in this book becomes known and understood by just a small amount of the population, we could be looking at an amazing future for mankind.
It is all about the thoughts that we think and the way that we feel towards each other and this place we inhabit. It is remarkable that the positive and negative "vibrations" that people have talked about for centuries not only turn out to be absolutely true but these "vibrations" actually have an amazing geometric structure to them that stem primarily from what we know as the Platonic Solids. These vibrations form into specific geometries which pass from space-time to time-space which become the communication medium that the universe apparently responds to thus giving substance to our thoughts and emotions by modifying our perceived reality. This is a fancy way of saying that we literally create our own reality by what we think and do and the universe is always listening.
Whether you choose to call this intelligent universe "God" or "Source" or whatever, there can be no denying that if we come together with positive intention to create a better world, the only response the universe can give is to make it so.
It appears that ancient cultures knew something quite profound that our society today has become totally ignorant of.
Hats off to Mr. David Wilcock for bringing this ancient knowledge back to us in such an undeniable and scientifically provable form.
I cannot recommend this book enough for all the people out there that have always felt that there is something seriously wrong with the paradigm of life that we have been taught and expected to believe.
This is a book that you will not want to miss.


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Based on a hugely popular Internet documentary, this exploration of historic signs and symbolism determines what the future holds for humanity come 2012. "If you believe there is no special significance to the year 2012, then prepare yourself for a guided tour through the most incredible scientific mysteries in the modern world, which may be the rediscovery of an ancient system of physics and spirituality that was once widely used and understood, but has since crumbled almost completely into ruin." -The Source Field Investigations In his documentary The 2012 Enigma-viewed more than two million times- David Wilcock exposed many great secrets: DNA, consciousness science, wormholes, stargate travel, sacred geometry, three-dimensional time, the Mayan calendar, and much more. And in this book, his seminal work, he'll expose even more. Calling upon fascinating areas of alternative science, Wilcock's unique philosophy connects the human species and the rest of the cosmos, proposing that it is in our power to usher in the Golden Age prophesied in so many ancient cultures and spiritual traditions. Unlike the doom- and-gloom viewpoints depicted in big-budget disaster films, Wilcock believes that 2012 may be a watermark for when a widespread acceptance of a greater reality will begin to occur-and in his book, he lays out many of the blueprints for such a Golden Age.

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