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March/April 2005 Conscious Media
In Review

The Mayan Calendar and The Transformation of Consciousness
by Carl Johan Calleman, Ph.D. with Introduction by Jose Argüelles
2004, Inner Traditions International, $18.00.

This most recent offering by Carl Johan Calleman is outstanding for both its quality of presentation and for the depth of its content. The book shows the connection between cosmic evolution and actual human history. It allows one to explore the cosmic, mysterious and predictive aspects of the Mayan Calendar, revealing it to be a spiritual device that describes the evolution of human consciousness from ancient times into the future.
Our Gregorian calendar distorts world time, inserting five extra days that don't belong to a year in any natural way, and closes us off from the power of the infinite. The Mayan Calendar, on the other hand, illuminates a science of time that explains why time not only seems to be speeding up in the modern world but actually is getting faster. Each of the great civilizations has had a unique approach to mathematics and the creation of its own calendar, but Carl Calleman's advocacy for the superior position of this calendar is most persuasive. He reaches out to the beginning student of Mayan calendars without in anyway dumbing down the explanations of predictive and magical reckoning of Time that are this calendar's main feature.
He states, "If we are to embrace a world view in which consciousness is more important than matter, we too need to base our timekeeping on the nonphysical, invisible reality rather than on the physical. To grasp the distinction between the 360- and 365-day periods is a first and decisive step toward retrieving the ancient prophetic science of time."
The sacred knowledge to be found in the solar, lunar, Venusian and planetary cycles is as essential to understanding our lives and destinies as it was for the Mayan, Aztec and Toltec civilizations. Calleman takes through the complexity of the Mayan calendar and shows how it works based on the Mayan understanding of the synchronicity of universal magic with human magic powers. He brings in hard scientific data as a way of more clearly defining this magic in modern terms. His writing is an invitation to go on a journey of conscious discovery, but also a journey of trust in spiritual forces beyond our normal powers of apprehension.
Carl Calleman explains how the end of the Mayan calendar is not the end of the world, but a path toward enlightenment. The gateway to future history is to be found in looking back to the Mayan masters and their calendar of transformation.
--- Phil Jefferson

The Knights Templar in the New World
by William F. Mann
Destiny Books, Rochester VT, Publisher - $16.95

From the enigmatic paintings of Poussin, to the terrain of Nova Scotia, you’ll find much to ponder in this very detailed exploration of the reasons why the Earl of Orkney, Prince Henry Sinclair would journey to the New World in the late 14^th century with a large group of Knights Templar. Author William Mann masterfully postulates on the likelihood that the Templars had a mysterious "treasure" secreted in North America. References to many places of legend abound in this complex book about the Grail, Templar chicanery, and Merovingian bloodlines. The author uses maps, sacred geometry, myths and legends as tools for an exploration of not only the "Money Pit" of Oak Island, but also of how the occult knowledge of ages past may have been passed through the generations of initiates.
It’s a highly informative read. The author obviously did his homework on this one. You’ll explore the mysteries of Rennes-le-Château, Glastonbury Tor, Rosslyn Chapel and other places of Templar, Masonic, Rosicrucian, and Gnostic interest. The applications of sacred geometry to paintings, maps, and landscapes are interesting, and the conclusions, while conjectural, are intriguing. For those interested in delving the murky waters of Masonic and Templar history, this is an engaging study – one that definitely belongs on the reading list. It’s all here – from Acadia to Zoroastrianism.
--- Mark Williams

Gnostic Secrets of the Naassenes – The Initiatory Teachings of the Last Supper
Mark H. Gaffney, Author
Inner Traditions, Rochester VT, Publisher - $18.95

If you’re looking for one book that not only makes the spiritual connections between East and West, but exposes some of the reasons why modern Christianity lacks some of the power that it was originally infused with, this one definitely does that job most admirably. Mark Gaffney has compiled a concise and well researched study of the Naassene Sermon, a teaching purportedly given by Jesus to His disciples at the Last Supper. The teachings have survived, oddly enough, because of the anti-heretical efforts of Bishop Hippolytus (circa 220 c.e.). All traces of the teaching were destroyed, except Hippolytus’ Refutation, which included much of the original Sermon verbatim.
The author’s research goes beyond that of some well-known forbears into the ancient Gnostic texts recovered at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, at Ra’s Shamra in Syria and others. While he draws heavily on their work, he reaches his own astute conclusions, sometimes in opposition to the earlier scholars. Egyptian, Biblical, Vedic, Tantric and other texts figure heavily into the work. Parallels are drawn and developed in a way that allows the reader to see how the spiritual teachings of Egypt, Sumeria, Babylon, and India are strikingly similar and how the teachings of Christ embody the root of all of them.
Add to this an exploration of the true meaning of the Holy Grail and other important mystical concepts including what ‘reversing the flow of the Jordan’ means and you’ve got a book that you’ll want to take back off the shelf again and again because it’s that important.
--- Mark Williams

Other Media

Audio Book: The Mastery Of Love – a Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship
by Don Miguel Ruiz
2005, Amber-Allen Publishing, $18.95

If you haven’t had the time to read the amazingly insightful book by Toltec master Don Miguel Ruiz, or if you want to refresh your memory about the profound truths it holds, pick up this audio version, beautifully read by Jill Eikenberry & Michael Tucker. This newly released 2-CD set offers a fine abridgement that covers all the essential points in the book. It delves into the construction of our personal mythologies and images, and how we become slaves to the stories projected by our myths about ourselves and our relationships. It reminds us that we have the power to create, and this power is so strong that whatever we create comes true. We each have the same power as any other human in the world. The difference is in how we apply it. Highly recommended.
--- Miriam Knight

CD: Shawn Gallaway "I Choose Love"
Shawn Gallaway has created a fine offering with "I Choose Love". 15 songs featuring Shawn's tenor voice, acoustic guitar and an ensemble of various instruments and harmonies which create a wonderful tapestry from which to choose some inspiring poetry. From the opening "The Calling" thru "The Storm" and The Center of The Sun" Shawn delivers "The Great Yield " with inspiration such as "The Dream Lives On" and finally to "The Source". Shawn has a wonderful ability to sound slightly familiar and yet completely unique, his guitar and melodies harkens back to some songs of the 60's and yet the message and instrumentation are definitely 2004. With verse as in the title cut, I Choose Love, Shawn asks the listener to choose laughter over fear, sharing over poverty and love over war. True choices in the 60's and even truer choices now. Choose Shawn Gallaways "I Choose Love" for your CD library. www.ShawnGallaway.com
--- Alan Peterson

CD: Because I Love You: Jim Jenkins
Because I Love you, has twelve original compositions by keyboardist/arranger/performer Jim Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins has made a very wonderful love letter to the world with this CD. With mellow, mesmerizing, sweet melodies that are full of the sounds of strings, choir, flute, harp and many other instruments. Titles like "Falling Rain", "Remembering", "Solitude" and "Timeless" let the potential listener know that it is time to sit back and enjoy. Whether you are meditating or romancing, these quiet inspirations will take you there. Jenkins states on the CD cover "We cannot have too much love in this word", and I agree. Love expresses itself perfectly through music and Mr. Jenkins has struck the perfect chord(s) by writing and performing these lovely recordings. I am sure if asked why Jim Jenkins would say....Because I Love You. www.jimjenkinsmusic.com
--- Alan Peterson 
www.alanpeterson.net
Peterson Entertainment Enterprises