July/August 2004 Conscious Media
Reviews: Books, Music, and Beyond

The Lost Sisterhood
by Julia Ingram, DreamSpeaker Creations, Inc, isbn 1893641023.

Julia Ingram's long awaited second book will be out at the end of the summer! The Lost Sisterhood takes readers back two thousand years, but this time through the eyes of the women who knew and loved Jesus, and who adamantly maintained they were an essential part of the spiritual movement.

Like the blockbuster novel, The Da Vinci Code, the author’s clients also claim Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, but they further say that women were pushed out of the movement—an act which resulted in modern religion’s lamentable lack of the Divine Feminine. The Lost Sisterhood takes readers where The Da Vinci Code, doesn’t go—into the hearts and minds of Mary Magdalene, the Mother Mary and other women who were Jesus’ teachers, disciples, lovers and apostles.

Note: Julia Ingram will be at New Renaissance Bookshop for a talk, workshop and private session between 8/28 and 9/2, 2004. 503-224-4929 for info.

 

Movement for Self-Healing: An Essential Resource for Anyone Seeking Wellness
by Meir Schneider, PH.D, New World Library & HJ Kramer, 2004, $14.95

Movement for Self-Healing is a revised edition of Meir Schneider’s book, Self-Healing, first published in 1987. This book is excellent on so many levels that it should have a place of honor on everyone’s bookshelf.

On spiritual level it is an incredibly inspiring personal story of the triumph of the human spirit. Born blind and declared incurable even after a series of operations, Meir Schneider refused to believe that his disability was permanent. As a teenager he found teachers who gave him exercises to reverse his blindness, and with dogged persistence gained enough vision to be granted a drivers license.

Fired by a passion to rescue others from the limitations of pain and disability, he began developing a system of therapeutic exercise combining movement, breathing, and mental imagery, and miraculous recoveries occurred.

At the physical level, this book is a self-healing treasure, giving specific guidelines for overcoming back problems, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, breathing ailments, eye problems, and muscular dystrophy.

Finally at the intellectual level, it conveys some vitally important messages, like: 1) You CAN heal yourself, and ONLY YOU can heal yourself. 2) There is nothing that determination and effort can’t overcome or at least improve. 3) Movement is essential for wellness.

These are messages that everyone needs to hear and take to heart.

---Miriam Knight.

 

My LittleAngel Helps Me Sleep
by Caroline Sutherland, 1996, Peanut Butter Publishing, $19.95.

Here is something for a child (or your inner child): a line of products that are comprised of a cassette tape, stuffed angel, and personalized story booklet. Caroline Sutherland has developed 4 separate positive affirmation sets, which address general self-esteem and helping to fall asleep, supporting children experiencing a family break-up, those being hospitalized for serious illnesses and those who have been abused and traumatized.

The only book in this line I have seen is "My Little Angel Tells Me I’m Special" which builds self-esteem. The angel pillow or "lovey" is quite soft and a cheerful hot pink color. The book that accompanies the set is more of a workbook, with blanks to personalize it with child’s name, bedtime activities and family members.

The use of the angel can accommodate both a traditional religious connection to angels as well as the more New Age concept. This series is available with either white or brown facial skin tones. This may be a nice way to soothe and comfort your children (or yourself) before bedtime.

---Alaina Zipp

 

Tomorrow's God - Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge
by Neale Donald Walsch, Atria Books, 2003, $25.

First and foremost, it must be said that Mr. Walsch's latest book promises hope for near future. For first-time readers, Mr. Walsch dons the mask of devil's advocate in order to highlight God's latest message and how it varies from prevailing human thought and action. If you enjoy this particular aspect of Mr. Walsch's writing style, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

"Tomorrow's God" explores how the separation of church and state has always been more of a myth than fact — and that, in subtle but undeniable ways religious beliefs and contemporary spiritual values have always permeated human culture at the deepest of levels. As each new generation is inculcated with hefty doses of the past, the culture maintains itself and, consequently, not much changes. Further exploration highlights that most of man's institutionalized inconsistencies, self-contradictions, and self-defeating policies are the result of previous misconceptions about God and his expectaions.

On the other hand, the good news is that a major evolutionary shift is at hand. More and more people are becoming conscious that the old spoon-fed teachings have not taken us where we want to go. To further inspire that awakening, God (through Mr. Walsch) expounds upon how looking at ourselves and Him in a new light will, indeed, take us where we want to go. Along the way, various truths, insightful tidbits, and new approaches are shared.

Personally: I read, therefore I highlight. Perhaps because I have read all of Mr. Walsch's works, I found that I was highlighting relatively little (as compared to my highlighting of his earlier works). As such, I did not find t a whole lot that is totally new here. What is new in this work, however, is suggested to be imminent. True devotés of Mr. Walsch will most likely wish to add this one to their library — as may those who have just discovered Mr. Walsch's works. For those in-between, much of this is a rehash of previous books in his series. I, personally, would rate "Tomorrow's God" as a C+.

--- Mike Flynn

 

The Comfort Trap, or What If You’re Riding a Dead Horse
by Judith Sills, PhD. Viking Press, 2004, 23.95.

The concept (and title) is oh so appealing, how to figure out if you should finally throw the towel in on your (fill in the blank) job/marriage/friend/dreams and move on. This author claims she can help you do just that, in only 7 easy steps. These steps (also the snappy chapter titles, prove my long-standing belief that one of the keys to getting a self-help book published is just having catchy titles. They are: face what hurts, create a vision, how do you know if the horse is dead, look back but don’t stare, let go, break the comfort barrier and pray to god and row to shore.

One of her basic tenets is "there is no right decision; you just have to make a decision and deal with the repercussions. While it initially seems almost silly (to me at least), there is a lot of sense to this book. Most people I talk to stuck in the midst of having to decide something say "I want to make the RIGHT decision," and the relief of being told there is no one right one, and that there will be hard things about any decision can be freeing. My personal mantra is "everything that humans do is full of ambivalence," (or almost everything.)

I have found myself, despite my initial snickerings, recommending this book to quite a few people. It talks about an interesting and fairly universal topic, which is often overlooked.

--- Alaina Zipp

 

We Are Becoming, Insights and Impressions of a Psychic
by Leah Light, 1st books library, 2004, $11.50.

If you ever wondered what a psychic’s life was like "before," this book will tell you. If you wished for an answer to whether psychic’s lives are somehow "more charmed" and different than your own, this book will tell you.

Leah’s autobiography appears to tell us that her life has been wonderful and painful, different than your own and also similar. This book is the story of Leah’s childhood and adult life, with her later in life insights about energy work and the psychic world woven into the telling. As much as a book chronicling the development of a psychic, I found it a detailed emotional account of one woman’s struggles with love and life. Readers should expect both a story and some information on basic psychic and metaphysical information as they read it.

---Alaina Zipp

 

Shakti Mantras: Tapping into the Great Goddess Energy Within
by Thomas Ashley-Farrand, Ballantine Books 2003, $13.95

Thomas Ashley-Farrand acknowledges that a man might not seem qualified to write about feminine power. However, feminine power resides in all of us, including men. It is rooted in the base of the spine. Mantras and stories can help stimulate that power.

Memorizing isn't the best way to hold on to a lesson. Instead, this book teaches about goddesses using stories. There are two types of stories in this book. The older tales describe how a Goddess began, fought demons, and helped create the world. They are mythical, even parables. Others are modern day stories about people who have used mantras or looked to the goddesses and had their life changed.

The modern stories are easy to read. They are short, and concluded without over dramatizing, though the stories about the author's financial career are more thorough.

While popular Greek mythology often focuses on a pursuit, the stories in this book have a different perspective- they are about getting what you want. The feminine power, in it's different forms, is one that even the gods turn to to save them. It may take 125 thousand repetitions, chanting the mantras, to see any effect on your life, but reading the stories is a pleasant way to get in the mood.

---Rebecca Morganstern

 

The Tara Box: Rituals for Protection and Healing From the Female Buddha
By Brenda Rosen, New World Library, 2004, $22.95

This delightful little book is about the Female Buddha TARA, and contains prayers, meditations and rituals taught to Brenda Rosen by her Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Gehlek Rimpoche, whose main teachers were the junior and senior tutors of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Like other Buddhist deities, Tara is a manifestation of the compassion and wisdom of the Buddha. She is considered the mother of all Buddhas. You might think of Tara as the first feminist, a warrior goddess who takes a courageous stand against the prevailing cultural belief that women are inferior. Her attributes and qualities have reminded people for thousands of years of the importance of the feminine viewpoint. She is dedicated to guiding and protecting the beings under her care, and has taken on herself the sovereign responsibility to end the suffering of every living being.

The Tara book comes tucked inside a beautifully crafted little Box that opens like an altar to reveal a lovely statuette of Tara. The book gives instructions for many beautiful meditation practices that have been handed down from teacher to student in Tibet.

The prayers in the book guide you to visualize Tara sitting in front of you as a living being of compassion. Rosen suggests that though this mental image may look like the statue of Tara on your altar, it is, rather, a "real" Tara who is pleased to be there for you and who is always available to provide loving help and support.

---Miriam Knight

 

Other Media

Alexor Tones, Cynthia Slon

Many who have heard the incredible toning delivered by internationally-known intuitive, Cynthia Slon, have likened it to returning home. Cynthia serves as the telepathic intermediary for Alexor, a Lemurian light being, and her fans will be delighted to learn that her 2 CD set of toning for World Peace and Personal Healing is now available.

Those who have not had the experience are in for a mind-blowing journey.

The experience of hearing Alexor toning has been variously described as overwhelming as sitting in front of a jet engine, and as subtle as the harmonics of a chorus of Tibetan monks.

These tones create a language of unification using vibration, energy, pulse and wave forms which envelope and free you from the density of worldly requirements as your body responds to the healing vibrations of light and love.

To purchase, go to www.cynthiaslon.com, e-mail her at cynthiaslon@verizon.net or call 503-347-6766.

 

Music Reviews by Alan Peterson

Cari Cole: The Circle Of Fire

Cari Cole’s new CD Circle OF Fire is a wonderful blend of Cari’s words, accompaniment and beautiful voice. Inspired by the teachings of don Miguel Ruiz, Ms Cole has created 10 fine selections beginning with the lovely "Beautiful Life" and ending with an inspirational "The Lord’s Prayer". Cole has woven spiritual message with a folk/pop sound that both entertains and inspires. "Whenever The Time is Now" tells us "Whoever you are is enough; whatever you have is perfection; whoever you’re with is the one; whatever the time is, is now." The time is now for Cari Cole.
www.caricole.com

 

Yoga Mela: An Eastern Vibrational Experience, Various Artists,

This collection of artists includes, Deva Premal, Mahish Vyas Ikarus, Prem Joshua, Karmix, Toires, Suvarna & more. The combination is, for the most part, upbeat and lively. With selections like"Nanak"and "Hari Om Shiva Om" by Prem Joshua and it is definitely a vibrational experience. There is a blending of the traditional and modern sounds in many of the cuts that both sooth and stimulate, perfect for those moments of upbeat introspection and release. This is definitely a vibration worth considering.
www.whiteswanrecordds.com

 

The Enchantment; GaiaTribe,

GaiaTribe is an "evolving aural collaboration involving Loba, Jesse Wolf Hardin and many friends of their Earthen Spirituality Project". The Enchantment is a pleasing collection of songs, sounds and words that GaiaTribe has blended together to tell their stories of the earth. With sounds of a rainforest village, the call of the wolf, hand drums, Spanish guitar, flutes, the spoken word of Harding and the wonderful vocals of Jeanne Rand and others, The Enchantment is an eclectic expression of love for the mother. It is an enchanting journey of the spirit.
www.earthenspirituality.org

---Peterson Entertainment Enterprises, www.alanpeterson.net