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July/August 2006 Conscious Media
In Review

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, Eckhart Tolle
Dutton, 2005, $24.95
About whom can it be said that he/she has not stood on the shoulders of the teachers that have come before? Eckhart Tolle has a gift for elucidating universal truths in terms that seem both profoundly wise and breathtakingly obvious… after the fact.
A New Earth advances on the themes of The Power of Now, inspiring readers to the inescapable conclusion that by overcoming the separation imposed by the ego, and choosing to bring consciousness to everything we do, we actually CAN change the world.
“The new earth arises as more and more people discover that their main purpose in life is to bring the light of consciousness into this world and so use whatever they do as a vehicle for consciousness….There are three ways in which consciousness can flow into what you do and thus through you into this world,…acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm. … If you are not in the state of either acceptance, enjoyment or enthusiasm, look closely and you will find that you are creating suffering for yourself and others...”
It is the awakened consciousness that recognizes its oneness with the whole and the Source. Tolle concludes, “A new species is arising on the planet. It is arising now and you are it!”

Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda
Self-Realization Fellowship Publishers, 1946, $7
Celebrating its 60th year in print, Autobiography of a Yogi  is considered one of the most widely read and respected books published on the wisdom of the East. With its beautifully written account of Paramahansa Yogananda’s life, it also offers an introduction to the ancient science and philosophy of yoga and meditation.
Yogananda recounts his experiences and training with modern-day saints and illumined masters of India, and explains with scientific clarity the subtle but definite laws by which yogis perform miracles and attain self-mastery. Regarded as the father of yoga in the West, in 1920 Yogananda founded the international Self-Realization Fellowship where modern educational methods are combined with yoga training and instruction in spiritual ideals.
The Portland Center of Self-Realization Fellowship holds weekly meditation and inspirational services on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, as well as spiritual retreats, youth programs and other special events. Visit www.srfportlandcenter.org.

Tantra of Sound: How To Enhance Intimacy With Sound,
Jonathan Goldman and Andi Goldman,
Hampton Roads Publishing, 2005, $15.95
Tantra has the power to unite, balance and heal. Tibetan Buddhist tradition refers to tantra as the secret mantra. Tantra of Sound defines tantra as an unbroken stream or continuum. Jonathan and Andi Goldman point out that the word tantra is the result of the combination of tattva—the science of cosmic principles—and mantra, which together create the science of sacred sound and vibration.
Pythagoras in known as the father of geometry, but he was also known as the father of the healing properties of the Music of the Spheres, which are the sounds the heavenly bodies create as they move through space. He believed and taught that these sounds could be approximated in human bodies too, resulting in a clearing of imbalances.
Tantra of Sound tells of the origins of healing with sound and is quite useful, both for sound work with a partner in sacred union or alone. Included in the chapters are the principles of sound, the ways that sound moves through the body, breath, voice, the power of intent, toning, using sound with chakra work, sacred vowels and Bija Mantras. There is a final section on tools and resources that includes working with tuning forks, crystal bowls, Tibetan bowls, and ting-shas (Tibetan bells). Packed with stories, illustrations and explanations of how sound techniques work and why, Tantra of Sound and its companion CD are a necessary guide for anyone interested in healing through sound.

Marginal Notes
Jay Thiemeyer, The Habit of Rainy Nights Press, 2006
It is not often, in our society, that someone who has been homeless for twenty years publishes a book – and a collection of poetry at that. Reading Jay Thiemeyer’s new book was a profoundly moving experience for me. Having known Jay in his bad times, I doubly rejoiced in the publication of this collection.  In the introduction Jay describes with raw honesty his progression from free spirit to being thoroughly beaten down by life and trapped on the street. He credits his survival on the help of many “good folks,” and when the truth that “we are not alone” finally got through to him, he began to pull himself “out of the well.”
The poems describe life from a perspective few of us reading this have experienced. Illustrated with Jill Wilson’s uncompromising black and white photographs of the world of Portland’s homeless, the book powerfully conveys the reality of the streets and we recognize our common humanity in every page. Nothing is sugar coated; we feel all the despair, numbness, helplessness, and failed dreams that coexist with hope, beauty and a stubborn will to live that is the grandeur of the human condition.
Marginal Notes is available from The Habit of Rainy Nights Press, PO Box 12004, Portland, OR 97212. rainynightspress.org.
--Miriam Knight

Life-Changing Affirmations: A 30-Day Plan for Spiritual Transformation,
Vicky Thompson, Red Wheel, 2005, $9.95
Small, but mighty! This dynamic little book is filled with the highest vibrations that help you to experience joy, connection, transformation, and a power guiding your life. Ordinary books mixwords and ideas that open and expand you with words that close you back into limitation. Life-Changing Affirmations expands you, assisting you to be a greater, more aware person. Surrounding you in palpable feelings of safety, unconditional love and the light of source, it leads you through five important areas for journeying into the spiritual realms: 1. Using love as the power for change, 2. Developing an intuitive spiritual practice, 3. Accessing inner wisdom and strength, 4. Using the tools of forgiveness and 5. Serving the self and others. A sample meditation: “See yourself standing on a mountain. The sun shines brightly, illuminating you and creating a golden glow around your body. This golden light surges through your body, filling you with the power of God.” You’ll have lots of ah-ha’s using the 30 days of affirmations and meditations, which take only a few minutes each day.
—Susie Brighten

Terra Firma - Singing Crystal Bowls for Centering and Inner Peace
By Elivia Melodey’s Crystal Vibrations
This newest release from the internationally acclaimed sound healer, Elivia Melodey, is sure to please all those who love music that transports you to places of deep peace, healing, awareness. Channeled from the Elemental Kingdoms through Elivia’s vision, it is a shamanic journey through crystal sound, with deeply grounding additions of sacred chanting, didgeridoo, flutes and ethnic percussion. Available through www.Elivia.com