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May/June 2003 Conscious Media
Book and Music Reviews

 

God Walks and Talks
By Marie Friend (Dorrance Publishing; $14)

God Walks and Talks is a vignette of actual events and experiences from the life of Marie Friend, the spiritual and psychic authoress of these tales. She lives locally just outside Portland and has been all her life involved in metaphysics. The book is beautifully written and held my interest and fascination throughout.

A native of England, Marie Friend was born in a caul (with the amniotic sack intact). In metaphysical circles this denotes great psychic gifts. She came to the USA in 1956 and, with her late husband Aaron, published the Friends Review, a highly-regarded quarterly publication that reviewed the latest metaphysical and theosophical literature, videos and music.

God Walks and Talks shows how the power of God or Spirit weaves in and out of the ordinary lives of all of us in a weird and wonderful way. Most of us, most of the time, are unaware that Spirit walks and talks to us in our daily existence. These tales are written in a light and amusing way showing that all we need do is seek and ask and we will be made aware of their presence and the help they give us. This book is an essential experience for those wishing to open to their innate intuitive powers.

---Geoffrey Knight

 

A Big Free Happy Unusual Life
by Nina Wise (Broadway Books; $16.95)

Nina Wise’s book A Big New Happy Life calls us to activate our self-expression and to be as spontaneous and creative as we were in childhood. She believes creative self-expression is essential to our well being personally and collectively, as it enables us to access our spiritual nature, make contact and give form to our subconscious helping us build personal and community bonds.

Chapter by chapter she unfolds her stories of creative self-expression and presents practice scenarios for her readers. It is, she states, our nature to be free and to express that freedom spontaneously through song, dance, painting, poetry and prayer. She goes on to address each of these ways of self-expression. Nina pulls from her personal and professional experiences as a performance artist and teacher to convey her message that creative self-expression helps balance our lives and is essential for our well being. Creative self-expression might be for joy or sadness, grief or celebration. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Just by reading her book the reader feels the creative, joyful juices flowing. Nina’s book is fun and uplifting; it gives us permission to be playful again and feel the unharnessed joy of childhood self-expression.

---Jude S Norris

 

Returning To Oneness: The Seven Keys of Ascension
by Leslie Temple-Thurston with Brad Laughlin (CoreLight Publishing;$13.00)

This book is not to be taken lightly. Every chapter will unfold a newness in your very being that can only be described as pure freedom. Leslie Temple-Thurston speaks deep truths that open doorways to let you soar above the egoic self.

"Accept your divinity. Do not believe in loss or gain. Not my will but thine. Forgive all betrayals. View your ego impersonally. Have faith in the support of the invisible realms. Accept your death." These are what she calls the seven keys to ascension. By ascension she means an experience of awakening or the unity of consciousness. Each chapter is dedicated to one of these seven keys.

I read this book while I was going through an incredibly challenging time. Relationship break-up, a close friend’s discovery that she had ovarian cancer, a tripled workload and having to find a new place to live. One of those moments in life where your ego says "you’ll never make it." This book moved me to an opening I have never known before. Each night before bed I’d read a chapter and followed the prayers and meditations that the author placed at the end of each chapter. When I’d awake in the morning I could feel a shift in my inner being and an opening to all possibilities.

Such sections as "Letting go of Loss" and "Going God direct" get right to the core of the spiritual evolutionary process that I believe is happening on our planet at this time. Chapter by chapter she guides you through meditations, prayers and exercises called "the process" that shift you to a place of receiving truth, offering precious gems that will help you along your path to new awareness. I highly recommend it if you are prepared to accept your divinity. This is no small thing. Remember before you open that first page to take a deep breath and get ready for the most revolutionary rearranging of your life and a return to oneness.

---JV Foerster

 

Essential Ayurveda-What it is and what it can do for you,
by Shubhra Krishan, (New World library, 2003; $14)

Though Ayurveda is an ancient Indian word describing a tradition that has been around for 3000-7000 years, it is a word now widely recognized by many Americans, conjuring visions of India and the basic doshas, or personality types, of vata, pitta and kapha directing our food, herb and exercise practices. However this author cautions us from being penned in by the personality types, explaining that they are actually a small part of living the Ayurvedic life.

It is possible to thoroughly study Ayurveda on one’s own at one of several universities in the US. However, for those of us not willing or able to do this, who still would like to benefit from some of its teachings, this book provides a good window.

Ms. Krishan describes the two basic tenets of Ayurveda as "doing less" and "being more." One wants to avoid a buildup of physical or emotional ama (toxins), which contribute to imbalances of the bodies five elements (earth, air, wind, water and ether [space]), which in turn leads to dis-ease.

Vaidyas or healers would generally prescribe some lifestyle changes, diet, and possible herbal or food supplements. Ayurveda cautions against drastic lifestyle changes, favoring slow integration of vegetarian diet, daily oil self massages, exercise, particularly yoga, and relaxation techniques.

This book is a delightful and relatively easy introduction to the world of Ayurveda. Though people already very knowledgeable in Ayurveda might find this too basic, anyone else with limited to no knowledge would find the book interesting, informative and easy to read.

---Alaina Zipp

 

The Red-Haired Girl From the Bog-The Landscape of Celtic Myth and Spirit
by Patricia Monaghan (New World Library, 2003; $22.95 hardcover)

One of the industries that I have noticed cropping up in the last 10-15 years as a result of the "new age" spirituality movement is exotic destination tours with spiritual or metaphysical themes. Often led by famous spiritual leaders or authors, these trips incorporate activities of meditation and ritual as well as educating people about the myths of that area. Many of the tours also come with a multi-thousand dollar price tag attached. However, this newest book of Patricia Monaghan’s is a blessing for armchair travelers who drool over those tours, yet whose pocketbook or life doesn’t yet allow them to participate first hand. The book presents a strong taste of a tour around Ireland, complete with personal musings and rich in the history of the area.

Although I struggled a bit at first in finding an appropriate reading rhythm (personal story could be read somewhat lightly, but the intermingled history called for more attuned reading), I’ve found the book to be quite delightful. Patricia tells a lovely story of her times in Ireland while weaving in a lot of information. For example, she explains that so-called Sheela-na-gigs, naked female figures with spread legs revealing their open yonis, are found in many places in Ireland and are often explained as ancient tributes to the fertility of females. This understanding is brought into question when Patricia tells us that many of the figures are of aged women, no longer able to physically reproduce. She explains that the figures represent the primordial crone figure, which both destroys and creates. This theme is explained further throughout the chapter. Like a good tour guide, Patricia neatly divides the book by areas of Ireland, sharing each area’s specific myths and stories.

Altogether a good read, this book makes me want to take a guided tour of Ireland with Patricia Monaghan, for both the information she can impart and just to hear good storytelling. In lieu of that trip though, I would highly recommend this book.

---Alaina Zipp

 

The Gift of Touch
by Jay North (Mark Int., 2002)

The Gift of Touch, by Jay North, is a book that was sent electronically as a review copy to me in order to save trees. The publisher’s earnestness about this seems to fit the book and its intentions. Written by a massage therapist, it attempts to explain the working of the energetic body. While I didn’t find the book quite as enjoyable or thorough as Donna Eden’s Energy Medicine, I did find this to be reasonably interesting reading.

Mr. North does tell in detail how he or the "healer" would work to clear blocked energies in clients, clearing auras, and working on "dis-ease" by manipulating energy, but I am afraid that only those very familiar with energy working already may completely understand or be able to utilize it.

Despite these misgivings, I found The Gift of Touch to be a book written very earnestly for the purpose of sharing energy healing techniques with other people, and who could argue with that?

---Alaina Zipp

 

The Art of Effortless Living
By Ingrid Bacci, Ph.D. (Perigee, 2002; $13.95)

The Art of Effortless Living is a guide book to healing from the inside out. The author shares her personal journey from living with a crippling illness, and the path that brought her to radiant health and emotional/spiritual well being. Traditional medicine and her attempts to let someone "fix" her, had failed miserably and she was bed-ridden for three years. It was only when she began to take responsibility for her life and her illness that her path to wellness opened. Dr. Bacci’s path led her to explore a plethora of healing modalities, and she gives great descriptions of these techniques and their benefits.

We live in a society focused on doing. We deal with tremendous stress and have made multi tasking into an art form. Dr. Bacci shows that by learning the art of simply "being", we can bring our body/mind/spirit into harmony and live more fulfilling lives. "By letting go, we gain more, not less."

The Art of Effortless Living is about self-transformation, and offers numerous, simple practices and techniques that one can do oneself to bring about emotional and physical healing and to enhance a peaceful state of mind. This is not just another self help book. It can reawaken you to beauty and joy of life and the truth of self healing. I found this book to be filled with gems that were useful in my life.

---Maiya Kennedy

 

Cd & Music Reviews

From Alan Peterson
www.alanpeterson.net

 

"Peace Begins with Me"- Summer Lee

Northwest singer/songwriter Summer Lee begins and ends her latest CD with the title Track "Peace Begins With Me", a song she wrote just three days before the events of 9-11. A truer message has not been written before or after that tragic event, and Summer's lovely voice and obvious conviction give the song added significance. The CD contains 12 songs written by Summer all in a country/spiritual style. The tune "Magenta Rose" has a wonderful melodic chorus that harkens back to a simpler time when country music was more than rock and roll with a twang. Whether Summer is seeking guidance with her

"Great Spirit Peace Chant", speaking for animal rights in "It's Our World Too" or comforting us with "You're Not Alone" it is clear that Summer's universal message comes from a loving heart as well as a beautiful voice. And, after all is said and done, all one need remember is "Peace Begins With Me."

More info on "Peace Begins With Me" at www.summerlee.net.

 

"The Journey"- Jerry Brunskill

"The Journey" is 10 selections inspired by "Conversations with God, an Uncommon Dialogue" by Neale Donald Walsch with voices by Edward Asner and Ellen Burstyn. This was a hard CD to review. There is much I like, and parts I have trouble with.  I have heard Neale Donald Walsch live and have liked much of what I have heard from him. His words are powerful and are stated powerfully here, but there is an over production; too much echo & effects. So much so, that you begin to anticipate an effect before it is used. The real power is in the words themselves and too much production can "let the air out" of that power which tends to distract from the message. The music accompaniment can be both very good and monotonous. Some of the instrumentation such as piano or flute is wonderful, but there is a tendency to go back to a canned/sampled sounding beat that is, at times, laborious. "Conspire With Me" spoken by Ellen Burstyn is very will done, as is "Faith Moves Mountains" and "Love Is All there Is" with Ed Asner & Burstyn. There is true beauty and some wonderful vocals by Joanna Jahn on the track "There's Only One of Us."  There is a journey that we all are on and the words of Neale Donald Walsch can inspire us along the way. "The Journey" has many wonderful moments that can bring the words and inspiration to another level.

The Journey- Jerry Brunskill- for more information: www.journeymusicbooks.com