books Archives - Lightspirited Being

Holy Shift! – Book Review

May 232014

I love this book (Holy Shift!, edited by Robert Holden). I’m pretty stingy with stars but this one gets all 5, meaning it’s a book I expect to treasure and use always, and which I highly recommend.

This isn’t a book you read; it’s a book you use. I’ve had it for a few weeks now and here are my impressions.

First, the basis of this book is the radical and profound A Course in Miracles. Although it could be used independently, like the author I recommend you study the Course as well. However, if you’ve ever approached the Course itself, you know it can be daunting to say the least, and I wouldn’t rule out this book even if you’ve ruled out the Course.

Personally, I want to add a note that although I’d studied the Course on and off for decades, it never made any sense to me until I read Gary Renard’s The Disappearance of the Universe, at which point I finally “got it”. Where reading the Course used to be a strain, I now eagerly devour every word. So it goes without saying that I strongly recommend Gary’s book as well.

“There is no world! This is the central thought the course attempts to teach.” That’s quite a statement.

~ Robert Holden, Holy Shift! (quoting the Course in the Introduction)

This book consists of 365 daily meditations from the Course. Each one is titled with a month and day so you can easily access a new idea daily with no need to keep track. The Course itself is way too comprehensive to keep in your head at any given time, so it’s really nice to have some of the more outstanding passages to touch in with each day.

The quotes Robert’s chosen are excellent. They’re fairly short and very profound. (He has studied the Course for over 20 years and was obviously very thoughtful about his selections.)

He also lays them out nicely. Rather than in chunky paragraphs, they are printed more as a poem which works beautifully and lends itself to reading them more slowly and meditatively like, well, a poem!

Each one credits its exact location in the Course in case you want to see its context, although he’s chosen passages that stand on their own very well. I really like that Robert didn’t add his own commentary. The Course is so powerful and profound that there’s no need, and I appreciate his allowing it to remain pure.

I didn’t even read the introduction until today but that is impressive as well. He describes the Course exceptionally well, and includes some of its more pertinent points. I expect I will reread that from time to time.

The Course is a love letter written from your soul to your ego. In this love letter you are asked to let go of your separate self-image, made of pain and fear, in order to experience your wholeness again.

~ Robert Holden, Holy Shift! (from the Introduction)

I also appreciate the actual, physical book itself. I’m lucky to have the hardcopy which measures about 5 1/4″ x 7 1/4″ x 1 1/2″), which is a really nice size for daily use, and it just feels really good! It’s beautiful, too — pure white under the dust cover (except for text on the spine, of course). I think it deserves an attached ribbon to mark the current day, but I’ll be okay using a bookmark.

I think I could go on about how much I love and value this book but the real point to make is that it speaks for itself … wonderfully!

The Course describes a miracle as something you experience when you are willing to shift your perception from a psychology of fear to a psychology of love.

~ Robert Holden, Holy Shift! (from the Introduction)

The message this book contains truly is holy, and if you give it chance, and enjoy the process, I have no doubt it can also deliver its shift.

Very highly recommended.

Note: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes and this review reflects my honest evaluation.

Less Stress, More Flow :: Book Review of “Miracles Now”

May 202014

I have mixed feelings about this book (Miracles Now by Gabrielle Bernstein), but all in all, I’m glad to have it.

First, I think the title may be misleading. Its content is not about what most people think of as miracles.

According to the Oxford dictionary, a miracle is “A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency. The miracle of rising from the grave.”

But just so you can see the contrast, the author says you’ll experience ” … positive inner and outer shifts. Each shift is a miracle.”

She includes helpful quotes from A Course in Miracles (which IS about miracles IMHO, although also not as defined by the Oxford dictionary). However, taken out of context and standalone they don’t have the same effect as when you’re actually a student of the course.

So while I do think that calling what she offers in this book “miracles” is an extreme overstatement, the subtitle is very much in line with what it offers: less stress, more flow, and finding your true purpose (although there’s not much directly about purpose).

Content

I didn’t find this book to be really profound or deep or even radical if that’s what you’re looking for. But for what it is, I think it can be useful.

Most of the tools are related to working with energy. They seem subtle, yet because they work at a deeper level, they can have more impact and their effects can be expansive.

I think for the mainstream it might be a nice, gentle lead-in to acknowledging the idea that energy itself is something to be considered and worked with and played with and that we can take advantage of our knowledge and use of in our everyday lives, in practical terms. That it’s not just a far-out woo-woo kind of idea.

Included are a lot of tools that can help physiologically with moods and “raising vibes”.

It depends on where you are with being exposed to things like this, but majority of these tools I’ve seen or heard of before. They include practices such as smile, hug someone, use a God box, be willing to say “no”, and focus on the positive instead of the negative.

Many are the kinds of tools you can find on the internet. Just search on a term and find them all over on blogs. Even so, it is nice to have these all together in a book.

And many I have NOT seen before.

She does give you crash-courses in kinesiology, tapping, yoga nidra (complete with a downloadable audio but it’s very short), kundalini yoga, some guided meditations and meditation techniques.

NOTE: My disappointment at the yoga nidra audio made me appreciate even more the wonderful yoga nidra CD I have and very much enjoy. It’s Yoga Nidra Cat Naps by Debbie Jensen-Grubb (also available on Amazon), and I highly recommend it! (FYI, yoga nidra is a specific type of guided meditation where just 1 hour equals about 4 hours of sleep. It’s amazing.)

Resources

I appreciate that she backs up a lot of what she says with data and also has quite a few references to other resources.

She makes her own related resources available to you — these are mainly how-to’s and audio versions of exercises — but it turns out that very few of the downloads are free and there’s one video that can be watched online but not downloaded.

Most of the videos she mentions are accessed via a package you can buy from her site.

Time Investment and Effectiveness

Many of these tools take a decent amount of time/focus to do them, so you’ll need to make a commitment and be willing to invest some time.

Any one may affect you in a unique way such that it can make a big and positive difference. For example, one is about introspection, getting things on paper and looking at things that you might not typically take the time to make a note of and decide to address. Another one encourages you to feel your feelings directly; to go through the process of fully feeling them and allowing them to pass through you as you watch and experience them.

She often explores reasons why you might have difficulty following through with some of these, which helps give you some insights into your own self.

How to Use the Book

Most of the tools are not just ideas or concepts but practices or exercises. Toward the end she encourages you to choose one to practice for 40 days, for a lasting change.

I believe in adding up subtle shifts. I also believe in repetition. There’s no need to push, control, or force anything to happen. Trust that real change occurs subtly over time.

She also gives what she calls quick exercises to give you relief. Many are related to certain issues you might experience infrequently, and it seems to me that those are tools you would NOT practice regularly.

But because this book addresses an odd assortment of topics — and some to use regularly and some to give quick relief — I think it might be a little hard to use.

I think it could benefit a lot from an index. Not all the tool names are descriptive of all that they address. It would be great to be able to look up whichever tools are relevant to whatever topic you want to work with.

A few of the index references could be (for example): indecision, forgiveness, prayer(s), relationship, accessing intuition, fear, abundance, synchronicity, sleep.

On the other hand, if you want to play with trust, intuition, or guidance (also topics of several of the tools), then take some of her suggestions to heart:

This book is not designed for you to do all at once. It’s a self-study curriculum. Trust your intuition and let your inner voice lead you to the exercises that are best for you at this time.

Whenever you’re stuck, open the book to any page and trust that your inner guide has led you to the perfect exercise.

Ultimately, it seems to me this book can help you live more consciously, resulting in less stress and more flow. That is, if you’re willing to use the tools!

Note: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes and this review reflects my honest evaluation.

[All quotes from Miracles Now by Gabrielle Bernstein, except where noted.]

Love Has Forgotten No One – Book Review

Nov 122013

I’m a big fan of Gary Renard, and I did like his newest book, Love Has Forgotten No One.

However, I was expecting something “new” over and above what was in his last two books (The Disappearance of the Universe and Your Immortal Reality) and I don’t think it delivered on that.

Toward the end of this book, it’s said that this is the completion of a trilogy (the books I mentioned above being parts one and two). And I only just now noticed that on the inside flap it does describe it as “the final installment of his trilogy”. I didn’t realize that when I decided to read it, and I think if I had, my expectations would have been better set.

As part of a trilogy and a continuation of the other two, it was fine … even good.

I don’t think you would have to read the others first, but my favorite was The Disappearance of the Universe and I think it does set the stage for the others.

This one is interesting but it didn’t add a lot more to my understanding or experience of the main ideas.

Radical

When I first read The Disappearance of the Universe, it blew me away. Not only because two ascended masters appear to Gary in form, but also because what they claim to be true is so astounding.

Over the years since then, I’ve come around to that way of thinking, so Love Has Forgotten No One was not quite as radical to me.

Still, it’s pretty wild, and an excellent reinforcement of a way of life that you won’t find in the mainstream media.

There are a lot of great statements that I’m sure I’ll come back to, and I’m glad I read it and have it to refer to.

In particular, if you find yourself struggling with forgiveness, this trilogy is not to be missed.

A Course in Miracles

As you may know, the entire trilogy is a discourse on A Course in Miracles (ACIM). It’s an unconventional way to frame it and Gary’s books really helped me make sense of it in a new and expansive way.

I’ve never made it all the way through ACIM myself, but this has gotten me enthused all over again, and ready to get back into it.

You will probably find yourself wanting to do the course as well, or if you already have, you may look at it with new eyes.

How Our Universe Works

There are also a few chapters that detour a bit from the main theme and explain some fascinating ideas about how things work. I didn’t find them especially useful in a practical sense but they were definitely interesting and I enjoyed reading them.

Reveal: A Sacred Manual for Getting Spiritually Naked

Apr 292013

From Reveal: A Sacred Manual for Getting Spiritually Naked, by Meggan Watterson:

“The world of magic and of love that I secretly believed in was all around me, a part of me and a part of what it is to be human. As terrifying as it was to believe … I knew the time had come to surrender to the truth that I have the power to conjure what my soul longs for most.”

I really liked this book — a lot.

As a woman, I always enjoy learning about and applying ideas related to the Divine Feminine. It’s a rich and fascinating area.

I had the impression that’s what this book was about. As I eagerly cracked it open, I saw that it was.

And it’s also so much more.

Lift the veil that shrouds your strangeness. Dare to see how powerful you are.

The Divine Feminine

As a master theologian and scholar of the Divine Feminine, Meggan is able to share way more about this rich subject than I could possibly get into right here. I very much enjoyed the breadth of information she shared about all the various “incarnations” of the Divine Feminine.

I found it very interesting, and although she made her points about it, she did it in such a way that it often left me wanting even more.

Fortunately she cites various books and provides lots of references that we can follow up on for further reading.

Meggan’s Journey

What I didn’t expect is that Meggan’s journey would be so expertly interwoven into that information. Not only the stories of her pilgrimages (which were really interesting) but also her own inner journeys as she discovered the Divinity within herself.

I really loved this aspect of the book and was able to identify. It’s really fun to be able to connect my experiences with the symbology and actuality of what the famous icons of the Divine Feminine represent.

It keeps the reading interesting and even though you’re learning a lot about the Divine Feminine as it’s existed throughout the ages, you’re always relating it to now and what it means to you in your life.

Our Own Divine Feminine

And yet, Meggan takes it even another step farther.

The book is laid out in a way that we are peeled like an onion. Or rather, that “the veils” are lifted in succession. The subtitle is, after all: A Sacred Manual for Getting Spiritually Naked.

And it really is about embracing and honoring ourselves as women, and as spirit. As the Divine, and the Feminine.

The true human can remember the Divine within and use that consciousness to help create reality through the infinite grace and power of the “I Am.”

The 7 veils she helps remove are related to:

Our stories
Our bodies
Our soul-voice
Our worth
Our inner mystic
Our soul-work
Our spiritual community

In several of these chapters, I found myself highlighting almost everything!

I especially liked the soul-voice and soul-work chapters. They are both so rich in ideas and inspiration that we can apply meaningfully in these areas of our lives.

Meggan is masterful at making a genuine connection with your heart, so you really “get”, at a deep level, what she’s saying. She also includes beautiful transcendent poetry which, like her words, can reach out from the page and touch you.

We all have encounters with the sacred. We just have to cultivate the eye that can perceive them. We have to see what’s already here, interwoven with what we claim is human and mundane. We have to take inventory of the magic that conspires to love us in and through our ordinary lives.

So really, what you’ve got here, is:

This wonderfully rich source of interesting and relevant information
Meggan’s fascinating stories that go along with it and illuminate the principles
Compelling examples and ideas you can actually use to more fully enjoy your own spiritual journey and take it as deep as you dare.

It’s time to stop investing in the limits we’ve identified with and start believing in the impossible, the ineffable, that lives in and through us all the time. It’s time to come out of the spiritual closet. We need to let our own mystery breathe. It’s time to unlock the chains we have placed on the most magical aspect of our being and let our inner mystic go for a walk around the neighborhood in broad daylight.

This book, like the author, is a true celebration of the feminine … Divine or otherwise.

I highly recommend it.

(All quotes from Reveal: A Sacred Manual for Getting Spiritually Naked, by Meggan Watterson.)

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Hay House Publishing for review purposes, yet you can rest assured that this review reflects my honest evaluation.

Have you read this book? I’d love for you to leave a comment and let us know how it was for you! Or do you have any questions about it? Ask away!

Healing a Frozen Shoulder (with the Open State)

Apr 052013

Welcome to the 2nd article in my new series about the Open State.

(Click here for the first article which introduces the series and covers why the heck you should even care about the Open State.)

★ ★ ★

I want to start with something kind of fun and amazing!

I’m going to show with an example why you want to care about this.

It involves a complete healing of my frozen shoulder.

I’m also including the audio from a private session I did on myself.

So you’ll not only see the usefulness of the Open State, but also open your mind to what’s possible, a super-helpful frame of mind to be in to really make use of the Open State.

If you haven’t been reading along up until now, you might enjoy perusing my last set of articles about the value and importance of an open mind.

It really is a prerequisite for making use of the Open State — at least when it comes to facilitating magic and miracles! (And who wouldn’t want to do that?)

If you can’t believe in *magical* possibilities, you’re not as likely to manifest them.
Open to the Possibilities and Emerge!

Can you let go of what you think you know and open your mind wide to all the possibilities?
Let Magic Be Your New Normal

This is about the dance between and open mind and the Open State, and how they both enhance each other.
Dance Your Way to an Expanded Reality

And here are some of my favorite books that can help immensely.
10 Books to Blow Your Mind Wide Open

Wow, You Really Healed Your Frozen Shoulder?

Actually … no.

Note I don’t say that “I” healed my shoulder. I simply accessed “The Field” (by entering the Open State) and let it do the rest.

Here’s the background.

Awhile back, I’d developed what’s known as a “frozen shoulder”, although I didn’t think about it that way. (Richard Bartlett says when we hook into a diagnosis, it’s like a curse. Think about it. You sort of set it in stone as your reality.)

I could barely lift it to be parallel to the ground, and for awhile, not even that. This was as good as it got, even after numerous intensive treatments by professionals. They had essentially given up on any significant improvement without expensive, ongoing physical therapy or surgery.

So that sets the stage, in a nutshell.

How the Healing Unfolded

Since I’ve already written about my healing process as it occurred, I’m listing the articles that contain the details.

Together these articles reveal the key to how it finally healed 100% using the Open State. (Search each one for “shoulder” to see what was going on at the time.)

They also have useful information and exercises you can apply right now.

This first might be outside your comfort zone about what our bodies even are, but it’s one of my very favorite posts. Even I still refer to it from time to time. Open your mind to the idea that our bodies may not be a “solid” thing. It has lots of great quotes by Deepak Chopra.
Your Magical Mind, Magical Body

Here’s a holistic view of what was going on with my shoulder. I took advantage of some amazing signs, synchronicities, and even a channeled message. They all played a part in some powerful guidance that helped get me on a healing track.
Does Your Guidance Have to Scream to Get Your Attention?

In this post I only mention it along with other things I’ve used Emergence for. I’m including it because you can see where the Open State fits into the entire Emergence process which is nicely summarized. (Pay attention to the section ”The Field” which is where I talk about “the state” which is what I now call the Open State. Toward the end is a link to a popular post that guides you into the Open State.
Activate Magic and Miracles With Me!

Here’s one where I use the “Magic Mirror” tool (suggested by my channeling guide) with much success — in fact my shoulder completed its healing as a result of this work, I’m sure of it. This post also tells exactly how you can do this too.
Heal Your Paired Body Part :: The Magic Mirror Tool

A Private Healing Session

And now … I’m sharing an audio with you of one of my private sessions with myself so you can get a feel for what transpires.

It was one of just a few sessions with my shoulder.

At that point, I could only lift my left arm about 45-90 degrees (so at best just parallel to the floor).

I was guided to stand in front of the mirror and do a session on “that person in the mirror” (oui, c’est moi!) as if for someone else.

You’ll hear me mention a two-point which is a Matrix Energetics technique.

I also have what I call “healing burps”. These started when I learned to channel and are indications that things are being processed and are shifting/healing.

Also, at one point (maybe two) you’ll hear me get suddenly emotional. That’s not uncommon and again, just shows that things are moving.

Patti does an Emergence session on her shoulder (Audio – 16 min.)
Listen below, or click here if you’re reading this in email.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

In the audio, I refer to two books. Just FYI,

• When I talk about giving to the universe vs. taking — and using the mirror as part of an exercise for that — I’m referring to something I learned from The Presence Process by Michael Brown. It’s an excellent book that walks you through a powerful process.

• And then, I mention a book that my eyes fall upon during the session. It’s Byron Katie’s A Thousand Names for Joy, and one of my all-time favorites.

So … I hope the combination of reviewing the story of my healed – yes, healed! – shoulder along with listening to the session itself has opened your eyes to:

1. What’s possible, and

2. How the Open State (which is the foundation for Holographic Emergence™) is super useful!

Until next time … Namasté,

Any questions? Comments? Were all those posts a bit too much for you? Let me know! And if you liked this post, your sharing it on Twitter or Facebook is much appreciated! (Buttons below.)

Want a perfect summary of what Emergence is all about – plus a session I did just for subscribers? You’ll receive the Emergence Primer + Tune-Up Session as a thank-you gift (it’s an instant download) when you subscribe to my free newsletter.

10 Books to Blow Your Mind Wide Open

Mar 052013

Are you ready to expand your mind?

Are you willing to let go of your most cherished beliefs?

If not, then
read no further!

This post might threaten your sense of knowing how life works.

In my last few articles, I wrote about letting go of preconceived ideas, and letting go of beliefs.

Depending on your background and where you are now, that may be easy or it may be challenging.

In either case, I want to share some of the books I’ve read (and love) that can help with that, and that I know you’ll enjoy.

And they will open your mind to the possibilities!

Books for the Brave

Here are some books that present some truly radical models to play with.

It’s certainly not all of them, but it’s a good start.

1. The Field by Lynne McTaggart

Lynne is a lay person who writes understandably about a variety of scientific principles and findings. This book is engrossing and focuses on the area of the zero-point field (which is relevant to my process during a Holographic Emergence™ session).

2. Busting Loose From the Money Game by Robert Scheinfeld

Besides being fascinating and fun to read, this book will turn your idea of how things work inside-out. It’s especially relevant to how we work with abundance and prosperity, but is easily applied to any area of life. Find out if you’re playing the wrong game, and how to play the real one.

3 & 4. Both of the Gary Renard books, in the order written:

The Disappearance of the Universe

Your Immortal Reality

Gary is a master and teacher of A Course in Miracles. These books both present a different perspective on it than is more popularly available, one that’s in line with the two previous books. They are both fun to read and are chock-full of ideas and information that will make you consider things in a much more expansive way.

5. Any of the Carlos Casteneda books

Need I say more? I have a few favorites but it’s been so long since I read them that I forget which ones they are. Regardless, I don’t think you can go wrong.

6. Dying to Be Me by Anita Moorjani

See my review of Dying to be Me for lots more about why I recommend this book.

7. The Biology of Belief by Bruce H. Lipton

This book is about epi-genetics and puts a new spin on what we think is set in stone, er, DNA. My takeaway is that our DNA functions more as a set of antennae picking up information from “the field” (see first book) than a set of pre-defined patterns, and is much more malleable than we’ve been taught.

8. My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor

Another book that will keep you fascinated all the way through. The author is a brain scientist who experienced a stroke and writes about her experiences during and after. You’ll get a new way of considering what your brain does to create what you experience as your perceptions, and you’ll understand that there’s a much more expanded reality than we’re typically conscious of.

9. Matrix Energetics by Dr. Richard Bartlett

Every time I read this, it’s as if I’m reading a new book. There are layers and layers of concepts in here, not only about Matrix Energetics as conceived of by the author, but also some of its possible underlying principles.

10. The Physics of Miracles by Dr. Richard Bartlett

More about the principles behind Matrix Energetics, and also (like the previous book, Matrix Energetics) an inspiring example in Dr. Bartlett of how having an open, expanded mind actually opens you to much more possibility than you could ever imagine.

If you’ve read any of these, my readers and I would love to hear your impressions! Or even if you go off and read one or more of them now, do come back and add to the discussion. We’ll be here!

And if you want to know more about Emergence, sign up for my newsletter and as a free gift you’ll get the Emergence Primer plus a Tune-Up Session audio you can use over and over.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

A Basket of Goodies For You: But Hurry!

Apr 042012

Don’t you love a bargain?

I do too.

And I love activations, magical thinking, books, and all types of meditation.

They all have the potential to open you to new worlds, just like cracking the egg does for a little hatch-ling.

And oooo, combinations of all of the above are worth getting excited about!

Here are some valuable bargains that have come to my attention lately that I want to share with you.

(And they’re almost upon us so read this now!)

Activations

If you didn’t see my tweets or Facebook postings and haven’t already registered, hop on over to Jo Dunning’s site and sign up for her “Activations of Awakening”.

It’s imminent! Tonight (Weds. ) at 6p PDT.

You write down your intentions for the session ahead of time, and then show up.

It’s different than what I did in my recent Spring Activation, and you can read all about Jo’s on her site.

I did it in Jan. ’11 and it was powerful! I swear, all kinds of things related to my intentions were suddenly on the move. So much so that it was a bit overwhelming for awhile.

Oh, and did I say it’s FREE? Yes!

And speaking of free, check out her brand new Wish Project while you’re there.

Thank you, Jo!

Magical Raven, Beautiful Book

I live in the high desert and over the years here have deeply connected with the ravens and all that Raven implies. S/he is magical, a messenger, and helps bring the subconscious into the light of awareness.

I recently had a friend pass away who was known far and wide as Raven. A gifted poet and otherwise remarkable man who was loved by many. So sad for us left behind without his bright light.

And then what flies into my life unexpectedly but a book about Raven. It’s beautifully written by my sweet and wise friend Christopher Foster of The Happy Seeker. I’m enjoying it little morsel by little morsel and can say that the love with which it obviously was written is almost palpable.

In Christopher’s words:

I’ve written four or five books over the years but am most proud of an animal fable entitled The Raven Who Spoke with God.

It’s a story about integrity and the unconquerable spirit in us all, and I mailed out the first copies on the morning of 9/11. The book was translated into 11 foreign-language editions but then it reached the end of its natural life, or so I thought.

Recently, however, my book has been published in Kindle format.

Oh, and did I say it’s FREE too?

Well, that is if you jump on it this Easter weekend, from this Friday thru Sunday, you can download a free Kindle edition. (And if you don’t have a Kindle it’s a snap to install the free software from Amazon so you can read Kindle books on your PC or Mac.)

You can get it here. And please help spread the word!

And of course it will still be available after this weekend, and well worth the little bit Christopher is asking for it.

Thank you, Christopher!

Meditation System Plus Plus

And finally, someone I know is getting close to releasing an awesome meditation product.

[Update: This meditation product has launched! You can find out more about it here.]

It’s aimed at the busy individual (know anyone like that?) who wants to reawaken to their natural inner balance, their calm connection to spirit, and their body’s natural state of health. It helps awaken intuitive guidance, dreams and aspirations, and it enhances productivity and success.

I was lucky to be one of the reviewers and my gosh! I can’t say enough good things about it.

I was hugely impressed.

It consists of:

1 instruction manual (how to use the system)
3 beautiful (and beautifully written) books
1 workbook, and
20 guided meditations

I’m not normally much of a guided meditation gal, but I have to say, I absolutely loved them! Every day I looked so forward to my guided meditation time.

It seemed to me that it’s almost like 3 offerings in one, although tightly integrated so each supports the others.

It’s like a class on silent meditation, another on using guided meditations, and yet another with step-by-step instruction/exercises for creating your own guided meditations to visualize what it is you want to create in your life.

ON top of that, there are four bonuses included … and they’re BIG bonuses!

And then I found out the asking price. What?! I thought I must have read it wrong.

Surely the price was supposed to have a zero behind it or maybe in the middle.

But no.

Talk about value. It’s worth it for the versatile set of guided meditations alone.

I’m delighted to have an interview with the creator about it that I’ll post here for you once the product’s available.

[Update: It's available! You can find the interview here.]

You’ll hear all about the (amazing!) bonuses and you’ll get a link to a special free download so you can try out a part of the system.

Note that the system is not available quite yet! But in the interview post I’ll include all the details about how to get your hot little hands on it once it’s available. (And just so you know, if I’m smart I’ll be an affiliate by then, because it’s a truly remarkable system and I highly recommend it.)

Thank you, Mystery Person!

That’s it for now. Signing off. Happy Easter, and namasté.

If you take advantage of any of these bargains, please let us know what you thought of them in the comments!

Spark Your Jyotish Journey With the Perfect Introductory Book

Oct 082011

Well, the Jyotish Tutorial series is getting off the ground and I’ve had a lot of interest from some of you who are brand new to Vedic astrology.

The thing is, though, that the tutorial series is for people who already know the basics.

Still, I’m hearing from beginners that you want to be able to participate in and learn from the tutorials right along with everyone else.

To that end, I decided to recommend some materials for you that can give you a jump start.

Books are not only informative but they’re an inexpensive way to get a taste of something and see if you want to pursue it more seriously.

So I thought a few book recommendations would be most helpful.

You really only need one of these, and no prior knowledge of astrology (East or West) is required!

Here we go.

Recommended Jyotish Books for Beginners

1) Beneath a Vedic Sky by William R. Levacy

If you want a book that gets right to the point, no muss no fuss, then this is it. It has the basics without a lot of verbiage around them. If you want to get the basics quickly, then I recommend this book.

2) Astrology of the Seers: A Guide to Vedic/Hindu Astrology by David Frawley

This is my all-time favorite and the book I started with (you should see my copy; well-used and well-loved). I still refer to it often, especially for remedial measures.

If you’ve ever read any of Dr. Frawley’s books or attended his workshops, you know he is not a surface guy. His products are packed with information. He gives you both depth and breadth and is extremely knowledgeable and a highly respected expert. (It was his correspondence course that I began my jyotish journey with, and I’m so glad. It’s excellent.)

This book would take more focus and time than #1, but it’s more comprehensive and has a lot more depth to it.

If you want to learn jyotish fairly thoroughly and get a real taste for it as the sacred art and science that it is, then this is the book I recommend the most.

3) Light on Life: An Introduction to the Astrology of India by Hart de Fouw and Dr. Robert Svoboda

I love this book. I didn’t use it to learn from initially but it seems to have all the basics. Like Dr. Frawley (#2), the authors give much voice to the deep philosophy behind jyotish, yet doesn’t neglect the basics.

There is a lot of information here that I’ve not seen elsewhere, and I highly recommend this book.

4) Vedic Astrology: A Guide to the Fundamentals of Jyotish by Ronnie Gale Dreyer

This book seems to have all the basics, and I own it, but I have to admit I never use it. But as I look through it I see that it has all the basics, so I think this book would do the trick to get you up and running fairly quickly.

5) Last but not least: Path of Light Volumes 1 & 2 by James Kelleher

In contrast to #4 which I own but don’t use, I don’t even own this set of books but I have no doubt it’s excellent.

James was my main teacher/tutor/mentor and I worked one-on-one with him every week for well over a year. As a result I’ve got a big fat binder and dozens of tapes (yes, tapes!) filled with much of the same information, otherwise you can bet I would have snatched these up in a heartbeat! (And probably will, some day. )

James is a well-versed expert in traditional jyotish and a delightful story-teller. He spins yarns about the mythology on which much of the jyotish symbology is based, and shares illuminating stories of his work with clients and how their charts translate into real life. What he teaches is much enhanced by his extensive knowledge gained from working full time with clients for over 20 years and his attention to what really works and what doesn’t.

He’s also done something wonderfully original and that is to organize the material (in the 2nd book) according to the areas of life. Most jyotish books go by indicators such as signs, houses, planets, etc. But this book goes by life topics such as finances, relationships, career, etc. Life-centric instead of indicator-centric. It’s the first I’ve found that does this and that in itself makes it especially attractive and super useful.

On top of all of that, James is an excellent teacher (no matter what medium). He translates the astrological jargon into practical and easily understandable concepts and his love of and respect for jyotish are infectious.

Sight unseen, I recommend these 2 books; especially the first for beginners since it’s the more fundamental of the two.

When I started learning jyotish 15 years ago, there were few introductory books available and even those were hard to find.

Now, I notice that if you do an Amazon search on Vedic astrology over 500 books are listed and many of them are introductory and highly rated by readers. So do browse around, read reviews, and find what feels right to you. If you want to know if I’m familiar with any of them or their authors, just ask me in the comments below and I’ll share what I know.

So there you go.

If you’re a quick study, you can probably pick up enough basics that you can make use of the tutorial series.

In any case, I hope you enjoy the books, and with some luck, the tutorials too!

Namasté.

Or maybe you have your own recommendations for beginners? Please share them in the comments!

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Timely Tidbits: Honor Your Spirit at the Root of the Matter

Jun 132011

We’re about to experience an astrological event that just may shake us to our foundation.

This Weds., June 15, we have the 2nd eclipse of a 3 eclipse series where they all occur within one month of each other.

This one occurs at 4:12 PM EDT, and is a total lunar eclipse in Mula Nakshatra, at 0°22′ of sidereal Sagittarius.

If you look into the sky at Mula (it’s within Sagittarius but it’s the group of stars that represent the scorpion’s tail), you are gazing right into the center of our Milky Way galaxy.

A Sign of Dharma (Purpose)

Sagittarius is a fire sign, indicating inspiration (the root of this word is related to the word spirit, and/or breathing in) and as the 9th zodiac sign, it represents your dharma, or your spiritual drive to find your place or to live “on purpose”.

It’s actually a very auspicious sign, showing luck, grace, and opportunity.

But because eclipses show a disturbance or interference with whatever they touch, this means that for the next two weeks in particular you may notice a few hiccups in the area of your vocation or career — at least if those things represent what you feel is your purpose.

Even if you don’t see glitches occurring there, it’s not a good time to begin a new project related to that. I would wait until after the eclipse of July 1. The Moon will be waxing by then as well and when its light is increasing, that’s a better time for beginnings than when it’s waning.

An additional indication that this eclipse might be difficult is that this 0° of Sagittarius is what’s known as gandanta, a type of sandhi, or joint. It’s a junction between not only signs but Nakshatras as well, and between fire and water which we all know don’t mix. Junctures always indicate uncertaintly and discomfort.

From Material to Spiritual Gain

The Nakshatra this eclipse takes place in, Mula, adds a twist to this, however.

Mula is ruled by the Goddess Niritti (an ancient form of Kali), a goddess of death and destruction.

However, because Mula is ruled by an idealistic, very spiritual planet, what Niritti typically means as related to Mula is the destruction of our worldy or material desires. But because the motivation of Mula is kama (desire), it doesn’t so much indicate a lack of that as it does a spiritual or purposeful use of it.

Often, this is brought about by great pain, as our attachment to our lower nature and material tendencies is severed.

Mula means “root” and represents the Muladhara Chakra (Base or First Chakra), where the Kundalini power lies dormant, yet full of potential. We need this foundation to be healthy and our material needs to be taken care of, but then it is from here that we are initiated into our spiritual realization.

The roots are often depicted tied in a bunch, representing healing herbs, and this Nakshatra is very related to healing. I like to think of healing as “whole-ing” (since those words come from the same root word – and interesting we’re speaking again of roots).

So you are supported now in becoming more whole in all ways, even when there is no apparent wound or disease.

What this means, then, is that although this isn’t a good time to be looking to get results on the material plane, it’s an excellent time for looking within, especially with regard to your purpose, including how your purpose and earning (or wealth in general) relate to each other.

As to becoming whole, it’s about integrating all the various “parts” of you so that you operate in an integrated way (i.e. with integrity).

A Good Time to Look Inward

I’ve used a few good work/books that I can recommend and it’s a great time to start something like this.

1) Your Heart’s Desire: Instructions for Creating the Life You Really Want by Sonia Choquette (this is my favorite and I’ve bought several copies as gifts.)
2) The Millionairre Course: A Visionary Plan for Creating the Life of Your Dreams by Marc Allen (this sounds mercenary but it’s not — see question #4 below. I’ve also bought copies of this one as gifts.)
3) Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live by Martha Beck

If nothing else: Especially on the day of the eclipse–but also for the next two weeks–it’s an excellent time to do some soul-searching on this topic.

First, quiet your mind… Move into your heart…

And then ask your heart or spirit these questions:

What do I love? Specifically what do I love to create?
Do I get to do that on a regular basis?
Are my regular activities and goals “should” goals or heart goals?
How do I see the relationship between purpose, vocation, spirituality, and money?
Is there a way I can incorporate what I love into what I do on a regular basis?

Another way I like to work with questions like this is to ask one, and then be willing to live in the question for awhile. Don’t insist on an answer right away. And then pay attention, because answers will begin to appear in your life. Something someone says… A song on the radio… Any kind of sign that has a certain meaning to you. This can be a fun yet powerful way to get some guidance and uncover parts of yourself that you’re not aware of right now.

During this period, a Bach Flower Remedy that can be helpful is Wild Oat. It helps you get in touch with your life purpose. It can help you connect with the over-arching purpose (if there is one), and/or the more immediate purpose your heart wants to be focusing on right now.

It’s also fair game during this period to examine other areas of your life that are related to your “roots”. This would include things like birth family, belief systems, financial security, etc.

And remember, if you’ve got your Ascendant or a planet at or very near this degree, take a look at what those indicate in your chart too, and pay special attention to that area for the next few weeks.

The World Stage

Eclipses have more of an effect on the world stage than on individuals, and usually for about 6 months.

This eclipse is not visible in the U.S. and so does not have as strong an effect here as where it is visible (Africa, the Middle East, and Australia).

But it’s interesting to me that there’s been a huge fire (over 600 square miles) raging out of control in Arizona, in the southwest United States. Not only is the eclipse in a fire sign, but the southwest direction is ruled by Rahu & Ketu, the planets (or more accurately, grahas or “seizers”) that cause eclipses.

To accurately see what effect this eclipse will have on this fire requires a study of the mundane or wordly effects, since planets, signs, and houses have special mundane indications. It would also require looking at other charts, such as that of the United States, of Arizona, perhaps the Arizona governor, etc. to be thorough.

I’m not a mundane astrologer and have not studied all these things, so take this with a grain of salt, but just at first glance? I wouldn’t expect a lot of good news related to this fire over the next two weeks.

If you want to watch the unfolding of the effects of this eclipse on the world, here are a few mundane indications you might pay attention to:

Sagittarius: Advisors to country rulers, foreign policy, ministers, military matters, commerce, travel industry, banks (including bankers and banking), published writings, judges, and religions.

Mula: International trade, cabinet officials, wealthy people, corporations, judges, leaders, soldiers, foreign exchange.

Two notable indications that are common between the two (and thus more likely to be affected) are military/soldiers and judges. I’ll be watching to see if an unusually difficult issue related to either of these hits the news over the next weeks or months.

Our 3rd and final eclipse of this series takes place on July 1. Please check back closer to that date for specifics. (Or better yet, subscribe and have the post delivered to your inbox.)

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