Andrew Weil presents pranayama, Eastern breathing techniques for health and well being, for a Western audience. If you have never tried meditation or deep breathing before, this would be a good place to start.
Weil talks about how breathing is one of the only bodily functions that can be performed both consciously and automatically. That unique control allows for a bridge to be made between the conscious and subconscious minds. Ever notice how people who are upset breathe faster? There’s reasons for that.
The first disc of this audiobook is almost unbelievable in Weil’s claims of healing mental and physical disorders through simple breathing, but I don’t think he’d lie about it. I guess our culture has always put so much belief in Western healing through the use of medicines and concrete therapies, that we haven’t always entertained other types of healing.
Of particular interest to me was Weil’s testimony about a patient of his with anxiety disorders that were so severe that they were causing heart palpitations. His patient was given medications to suppress the anxiety, but after awhile they stopped working and Weil’s patient was forced to find something else. He approached all manner of doctors and psychologists, but didn’t see any movement forward on his problems until he began to practice Weil’s breathing techniques.
I know a few people in my own life who might find that story interesting too. Couldn’t we all use tools to increase our inner peace and decrease those pesky anxieties?
The second disc is half a dozen or so different breathing exercises. They’re all fairly simple and you can do them in minutes.
I listened to this audiobook years ago and, honestly, forgot everything I learned. But I explored it again last week and realized that it was never too late to get back on track. Recommended self help book for anybody who breathes. 🙂
This is a new age, non-fiction book about trance work, which can loosely be described as deep meditation. I practice a type of meditation called “pathwalking” which is basically just another word for the same kind of practice. This book is about someone who focuses on the Norse religion exclusively.
I read Norse Goddess Magic not for the details about the Norse pantheon (which admittedly I know very little about, so it was very interesting and educational) but mainly for the author’s experience in trance work. To my disappointment, she spends pages and pages explaining what going into trance is, how she does it, and then only a few paragraphs in each chapter detailing an actual trance.
I wanted the book to be mainly trance work. That is what made it unique and original- her personal sojourns into “another world” and what she brought back. The rehashing of all of the old mythologies were, as I said, interesting, but if I wanted to read them, I could have picked up any book about Norse mythology.
I also felt like Alice spent a lot of time explaining why trance work is a valid method of information gathering and defending her opinion on why she believes that. I agreed with her completely so I just read through the pages thinking- preaching to choir, get to the trances! So, that was a frustration.
A part of the book that I disagreed with was Alice’s assertion that it is “difficult” to go into trance. In my experience, if you believe something is difficult to do be that hypnosis, meditation, whatever- you’re putting stumbling blocks on your path that don’t need to be there. Going into trance is as simple as watching your breath flow in and out. If you breathe, you can go into trance. I felt like she did a disservice to beginners with that particular teaching.
I felt like Alice’s trances were so closely focused on one goddess or aspect of the goddess, that she didn’t really get all that she could out of her trance work or interactions in the other worlds. She read all of this information to prime her subconscious mind and then… it felt like not much happened.
To be fair, she did see the person she was looking for, describe their physical characteristics, express the emotion that they evoked in her, and then, maybe, have a brief interlude with them. In my personal trance work, there’s more interaction in the world itself but that could be the difference of our focus.
Alice said from the start that she wanted to know more about these different goddesses and form a working relationship with them whereas I’m just curious to see what’s out there. I’ve run into Roman gods and goddesses, Native American figures, Tibetian locations, some Egyptian and Hindu gods… but again, I’m not focused on one or another of the world religions. With an open mind, it’s incredible the types of things that you see.
So, I don’t believe in priming your mind with symbols before you do your work. Pick where you’re going or who you want to see, and just go. Personally, I use the symbols on the Tree of Life or tarot cards. Believe that you can do it. Figure out what works for you. And do it.
Then write it down so that I can read it. 🙂 Because I will.
The Herbal Goddess Guide is a beautiful little reference book in which 12 different herbs are examined for physical, mental and spiritual healing purposes.
Amy Jirsa provides recipes, yoga poses, crafts and more to utilize the healing power of the plants in various ways.
This book may not be for everyone as it has a very new age feel. Jirsa discusses magical traditions, honoring a plant’s spirit and more.
However, if you’re into tapping your inner goddess, this may be the perfect book for you.
If you read it and you enjoy it, you may want to purchase The Herbal Goddess Guide for your personal collection because Jirsa suggests “getting to know” each plant for a month and there is a chapter devoted to each.
It could take you awhile to thoroughly digest the information in these pages. (And to try everything!)
My favorite chapter, probably because it is my favorite herb, is lavender. Did you know it is a member of the mint family?
While lavender is known for being relaxing, it can, in some cases, be stimulating, so be sure to check in with your mind, your mood, and your energy level after each recipe.” pg 131.
Some of the yoga poses Jirsa outlines are rather advanced, but she offers modifications for each. If your flexibility isn’t up to snuff, no worries.
Highly recommended for the open-minded reader and non-traditional healers.
For similar, new age/self help books I’ve reviewed, check out:
He has trouble relating exactly how his guru changed his life. He also has trouble expressing his life changing spiritual insights.
This could perhaps be because of all the LSD he experimented with, but no judgement here.
I think Dass could have added another couple hundred pages to the first part and still probably not fully described his experience.
The next section of the book is block text printed on, what seems to be, brown paper bags. Monty Python-esque photos are drawn in, and sometimes behind, the text.
If you have a question about how an enlightened person lives, it’s probably included in there.
Dass elucidates how he believes you should eat, sleep, breathe, interact with others, think, meditate, raise a family, form a commune and so on.
I didn’t like it because it felt too brain-washy, cult-ish.
Dass attempts to put the reader’s mind at ease to all of the strictures. He mentions that one needn’t be concerned about family or social responsibilities because, once you reach the ultimate level, you’ll realize that none of those things are real anyway.
Looking back on my review, it seems as if I don’t like Ram Dass, but I do.
I don’t buy into the idea that life has to be lived a certain way to get certain results.
And, perhaps because I haven’t personally had the experience yet, I don’t get the whole guru relationship thing. I know it’s my western background speaking, but there you have it.
Recommended for spiritual seekers, but don’t forget to trust your own inner guidance.
Gotham Chopra, the son of Deepak Chopra, shares what he has learned through the ownership of his crazy dog, Cleo, and becoming a father for the first time. He also deepens his relationship with his own father when his mother has to spend an extended time away in India.
It’s a hodgepodge of a book with the themes differing from chapter to chapter. I generally enjoyed it but felt like it was a bit scattered.
I remembered Gotham from all of the Channel One news I watched during junior high and high school. I thought it was a waste of time (even then, I would have rather been reading), but I remembered him.
A few years ago, I watched the documentary he made about when his father joined a monastery- he mentions this at the end of Walking Wisdom. I was intrigued by the dynamic between them in the documentary.
Gotham seemed to focus on his father’s foibles, like his addiction to his phone and his frequent trips to Starbucks. I thought those parts were unfair, but the window into his strange, spiritual/rock star world was one I couldn’t forget.
My favorite parts of this book were similar to that documentary. I loved learning about Gotham and Deepak’s close friendship with Michael Jackson. The best part was when Gotham brought his pup, Cleo, to meet the mega-star. It’s very surreal.
I also liked learning about how Deepak’s family handles his active mind and constant spiritual seeking. Gotham describes being his father’s “guinea pig” for different experiments from meditation to yoga to spoon-bending.
Gotham’s non-traditional upbringing gave him a quirky lens through which he views the world. It also has made him a master meditator.
Recommended for dog lovers and those curious about what goes on behind the scenes of Deepak Chopra’s life. If you can’t stand books that skip from one topic to another, you may want to choose a different read.
Secrets of Meditation is one of the clearest and beginner friendly meditation manuals that I’ve ever read.
Davidji breaks practices down not only into type and step-by-step instructions with examples, but also by lineage and development over time and place.
Davidji provides enough background on himself to establish his bona fides but not so much as to overpower the instruction with meaningless chatter about himself.
He intersperses the text with helpful advice, additional authors to explore, and a myriad of ways to connect with him online for some meditation freebies.
Though it’s clear that he’s immersed himself in Eastern culture and practices (having traveled extensively in the East and studied under various gurus), Davidji hasn’t adopted an insider’s way of talking about meditation.
Sometimes, and maybe this is just me, it feels like meditation instructors go so far out into the “oneness” that they never come back fully into the real world. That’s not Davidji at all. I loved this text mainly because of how he could keep one foot “over there” and the other firmly planted “back here”.
Admittedly, my daily meditation practice has lately fallen somewhat on my priority list. This book makes me want to head back to the mat.
And also, Seeking Heaven. Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon who had a near death experience turned it into guided meditations. I think they’re easy enough for beginners to use.
Originally published in 1967, the Art and Practice of Getting Material Things Through Creative Visualization arrived nearly three decades before The Secret.
With more of an occult than a New Age twist, the one-name author, Ophiel, talks readers through what is essentially the Law of Attraction, but he never calls it that.
Ophiel tends to write portions of the book that he thinks are most important in all caps. LIKE THIS. It can be annoying.
Another interesting quirk, Ophiel talks about him/herself in the third person, at all times.
In this passage, he’s talking about why he wrote this book, and you get to see the author’s style in action: “Ophiel’s defect consists of not being about to accept self-styled prophets’ sayings, and teachings, without raising the following awkward question- and making the following embarrassing test. The question is IS WHAT THEY SAY TRUE? and the test is DOES WHAT THEY SAY WORK, AND PRODUCE RESULTS? And if what they SAY DOES NOT WORK THEN IT IS NOT TRUE, and into the garbage can with it!!” pg iii
Ophiel claims that creative visualization techniques don’t always work for a variety of reasons. He gives the reader exercises and suggestions for improving their results.
“In Creative Visualization work all the planes involved in our cosmic existence are used, the Etheric, the Lower Astral, The Higher Astral, the Mental Plane, and the Causal Plane, AND ALL THESE PLANES HAVE DEFINITE RULES AND LAWS FROM WHICH THEY WILL NOT DEVIATE ONE IOTA.” pg 5.
He also has interesting ideas about reasons why beginners fail out of the gate.
He cites something called “the sphere of availability”: “The new student then proceeds to visualize for LARGE THINGS. BIG THINGS. VALUABLE THINGS. Things that are far beyond his ability- not to visualize-imagine-desire, BUT FAR BEYOND HIS PRESENT ABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE-VISUALIZE.” pg 31.
Ophiel uses different words, but essentially he says, start small, celebrate the small victories and increase your “sphere of availability” in that manner. He also gives practices to improve your visualization skills.
Honestly, if asked to recommend a teacher for creative visualization, I’d say skip Ophiel and read Abraham Hicks. They’re a lot more fun.
The Eight Human Talents is part-story and part-instruction manual for the practice of Kundalini yoga. I’ve only ever practiced hatha yoga and this is very different from what I’ve learned. I’ve tried a couple poses and this is definitely going to take some practice.
If I learned anything from this book, it is to breathe deeply. One of Gurmukh’s main points is that by connecting with the breath, we reconnect with ourselves.
Also, don’t be afraid to try, even if you fail. “If we can make one step towards happiness, towards healing, towards change, miracles begin to happen. The Kundalini Yoga and Meditation in this book are a way of making those small steps towards happiness. If you will try even one thing from this book-one breathing exercise, one stretch, one meditation- know that somewhere I am cheering right out loud for you, because I know that making that first step is the hardest thing to do…” introduction, xxii.
Some of Gurmukh’s stories were saccharine sweet, but I enjoyed most of them. “We are powerless over every other person on the planet, and we only have power over our own lives. No matter how problematic the people in your life are, you are always the solution.” pg 125.
I’ll have to get back to you on if these exercises deliver on the myriad of promises that Gurmukh makes. So far, I’ve discovered that my lower back needs to be strengthened and I should work on my neck flexibility.
She ties all of her suggested poses to different chakras and energies found within the body. If that concept is too far out for you, you may be better served with a different introduction to Kundalini yoga.
Recommended for beginners to moderately experienced practitioners.
Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki shares meditations which she calls pathworkings as a method of self actualization.
I understand that directed pathworkings are an actual technique that has been used by mystery schools for centuries to explore consciousness. I just don’t see its usefulness beyond a sort of tourist trip through what “may” be in your mind rather than what “is”.
Let’s compare it to riding a bike. Directed pathworkings are like watching a video of someone riding a bike. Passive pathworkings are like hopping on that bike and riding it all over your neighborhood. You get the visceral experience of being there.
If you’ve never ridden a bike before, watching the video might be safer, but it certainly isn’t more fun.
If we look at the Initiate’s Book of Pathworking as a journal of an adept’s inner work, it feels rather rehearsed and stilted as opposed to the out of body work that was chronicled in Multidimensional Man by Jurgen Ziewe.
If we consider the different approaches between Ashcroft-Nowicki and Ziewe, it also makes more sense that these pathworkings have a clear beginning, middle, and end as opposed to Ziewe’s offerings which are more like real life: random and, at times, nonsensical.
Because (I’m assuming) an adept from The Servants of Light School created these pathworkings through actual experiences on the inner planes, it has the curious side effect of unfolding like a structured lesson plan.
In Nick Ferrell’s book, Magical Pathworking, he discusses the importance of writing pathworkings like a story with a beginning, middle, and end for its consciousness shaping potential, but he never talks about how naturally occurring pathworkings or passive pathworkings, present themselves in that manner, organically. At least, that has been my experience.
I suspect that mystery schools experienced some pathworkings through their consciousness research, recorded the patterns that occur, and then sought to imitate that inner perfection by scripting pathworkings like the ones found in this book.
There is value to be found in this book as it provides a nice introduction to pathworking in general: “What is a pathworking? It is similar to a virtual reality trip. Pathworkings are perfectly natural and can occur spontaneously in the form of daydreams. Used as a structured series of visualizations, they hold many possibilities for the student.” Introduction, pg x
I found some of this book silly like the Healing Spring (Women only) pathworking on page 61. Women only? We’re dealing with consciousness here which is neither male or female, but pure being. If a guy wants to run the Healing Spring pathworking, I’m not going to be the one to say no.
Some of the poetry in the pathworkings is very beautiful and felt authentic, which again made me wonder who wrote these for the SOL. W.E. Butler? Dion Fortune? So curious:
“Forest Lord, with twelve-tined crown, Now we come to bed thee down. Rest content when sleeping deep, Leave the Summer Queen to weep.
Rest thee well till comes the Spring When harebells in the wood do ring; Then rouse thee up the maid to wed And seek the joy of the greenwood bed.
Hunter, blessed be thy sleep; Choose a maid thy bed to keep. Dreams of silver, dreams of gold Will guard against the winter’s cold.” pg 190
To give you a comparison, here is a chant from some pixies in a passive pathworking that I experienced a couple of months ago:
“Awake the trees, awake the night, awake the shining moon. Feed the plants, free the life that dwells within the bloom. To keep the forest growing tall, the pixie people sing, We bring the song and dance the call to wake the Forest King.
Awake the night, awake the moon, awake the powers old, We’re the ones that call upon the Spirit of the fold. Dance the dance, sing the songs, make the forest wake, In our stead, these plants have fed the thirst that never slakes.
Feels very similar, yes? That’s the fascinating thing about consciousness research to me. It feels so familiar but, at the same time, infinitely unknown.
It’s just my opinion but, I think, in addition to space, our own minds are the next frontier of human exploration.
“These “serial” workings will grow with you as you explore them, and can bring about many strange events, both in your astral life and in your physical existence. They are more potent than they seem, so take them slowly.” pg 214. One a week has worked pretty well for me. I feel like I’m learning and growing but not being overwhelmed by the changes.
A dated portion of this book that I found rather amusing, especially since the recent kerfluffle over the year 2012: “As the year 2000 comes ever closer, speculation as to the future of the world gets wilder. Exactly the same kind of hysteria hit the known world in the year 1000… The year 2000 will usher in a time of adventure, opportunity, and yes, a lot of changes. But we will survive. Things may be very different a hundred years from now, but we have survived big changes before and will do so again.” pg 231 Amen.
“One of the things an initiate learns is that every man and woman is essentially a “multi-versal” being. That is, we exist simultaneously in many dimensions and parallel universes. We have a consciousness in each one, a life in each one, a purpose and destiny in each one. But each is minutely different. With every passing moment in time, we change our future in each universe by constantly making decisions that affect the course of that future.” pg 240. I don’t know that I agree with everything in that passage, but isn’t it a beautiful view of reality? Layers within layers of truth, all interacting and changing each other, eternally.
If you liked the guided pathworkings in this book, you may want to read: Magical Pathworking: Techniques of Active Imagination by Nick Farrell, Pathworking and the Tree of Life: A Qabala Guide to Empowerment & Initiation by Ted Andrews, or the second half of A Garden of Pomegranates: Skrying on the Tree of Life by Israel Regardie. If you want examples of (mostly) passive, out of body experiences, read: Multidimensional Man by Jurgen Ziewe or Psychic Warrior: The True Story of America’s Foremost Psychic Spy and the Cover-Up of the CIA’s Top-Secret Stargate Program by David Morehouse.
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