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September/October 2006 Conscious Media
Reader's Choice Reviews

Join the Reader’s Choice Book Club and review books and CDs for New Connexion. The products you review are yours to keep—our way of saying thanks for volunteering and providing this valuable service to our readers. The book club meets bimonthly to share food and insights on books and CDs reviewed. Email editor@newconnexion.net for details.

Waking the Global Heart: Humanity's Rite of Passage from the Love of Power to the Power of Love
Anodea Judith,
Elite Books, 2006, $17.95
Anodea Judith's writing is like a trumpet call asking the global community to wake up and take the steps necessary to move from spiritual adolescence into adulthood. Admitting that she was compelled to write this book even though it was not her area of expertise, she notes, “Amateurs built the Ark, while professionals built the Titanic.” Feeling that we are teetering on the brink of planetary annihilation, her message is that everyone, whether they feel themselves practiced at doing so or not, is being called upon to take part in bringing our world to maturity. One where we will, “...balance the powers of masculine and feminine ... make emotional intelligence as necessary as cognitive genius, nurturance as important as accomplishment, and receptive wisdom as valuable as creative expression.” She follows by using models of the chakra system and adolescent development to assist us in understanding ourselves, and making these changes.
--Kate Tanner

Through the Open Door to the Vastness of Your True Being (CD)
Eckhart Tolle,
Sounds True, 2006, $19.95
This 2-CD set is a compilation of prerecorded lectures given by Eckhart Tolle to groups attending a weekend workshop for enlightenment.
Tolle was born in Germany and attended universities in London and Cambridge. He experienced a profound spiritual transformation when he was 29 years old that radically changed the path of his life. He deepened that understanding over the next few years and then began his work with small groups as a counselor and spiritual teacher. He does not align with any particular religion or tradition, but excludes none.
In this enlightening and often humorous series of talks, Tolle explains the egoic mind’s resistance to letting go of thought and living in the moment, and the power of experiencing life with the concept of “everything is as it should be.”
I enjoyed listening to this CD set immensely and found more hidden treasures each additional time I listened. I found his voice to be soft, calm and reassuring, and I appreciated his humorous approach to spirituality and life in general.
--Jacque Valentine

Positive Energy Practices: How to Attract Uplifting People And Combat Energy Vampires (CD)
Judith Orloff,
Sounds True, 2006, $19.95
In this 2-CD set, world-renowned medical intuitive Dr Judith Orloff gives lightworkers and healers valuable insights—a must have for those who are intuitive empaths. Dr. Orloff teaches you a series of techniques and guided meditations for combating negative influences that deplete your valuable energy. These tools harness the power of positive energy for transforming fatigue, stress and fear into vibrancies, strength and love. Dr. Orloff states: “We can’t stop the negative circumstances from happening in our lives, but we can learn ways to protect our energy so that we can stay centered in dealing with the stresses that arise.”
--Peter Scrogin

The Sacred Yoga Jesus Taught: A Supreme Path to Unity (CD)
Virginia Ellen,
Celestial Productions, 2006, $24.95
In this 2-CD set, Virginia Ellen guides listeners through meditation, toning and a yoga practice that awakens your soul consciousness to embody Christ energy. Ellen reveals formulas and codes hidden in the Aramaic language Jesus spoke. This multilayered language touches many levels of your being, including your mind, heart, soul and energy body. By using these focused intentions, postures and prayers, you discover your own unique piece of Alaha or God within. Available at www.sacredheartyoga.com.
--Vicky Thompson

The Reluctant Healer
David Elliott,
Hawk Press, 2004, $16.95
The Reluctant Healer combines a personal story of transformation (dispersed in small segments) with practical and organized exercises, and applications of energetic healing techniques. What I found quite different and helpful about this book was its appendix, with an outline of chakras and their common blocks and paths to open them, and charts of healing stones and essential oils. This easy-to-read book shares compelling case histories and a personal path to healing.
--Alaina Zipp

Matrix Healing: Discover Your Greatest Health Potential Through the Power of Kabbalah
Raphael Kellman, M.D.,
Harmony Books, 2004, $24
This easy-to-read book is both an introduction to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life and a collection of specific and detailed exercises for using making profound and powerful changes in your awareness. Dr. Kellman accompanies each topic with pithy stories from Jewish folklore and just the right amount of current research to provide the reader a connection to both the spiritual and the scientific. Matrix Healing provides a new perspective on self healing—read it with a beginner’s mind to harvest its knowledge.
--Given Bliss

Yoga Groove (CD)
Soulfood and Brent Lewis,
Soulfood Music, $14.98
Yoga Groove is a rich interpretation to guide and ascend one’s life experience and yoga practice. DJ Free and Brent Lewis come together to create a rhythmic, melodic experience that’s a wonderful addition to practicing alone, driving in a car or even as music at a dinner party. Over 60 minutes of rhythm, chill and ambient grooves designed to enhance fitness styles of yoga. Eastern influences, atmospheric soundscapes, beautiful vocals and sensual beats are fused with tribal percussion, indigenous flutes, sitar and mantras. It’s clear that this CD was created to bring the spirit in an arc with any physical modality, including yoga, Nia, freeform dance, running or stretching. The CD begins in a down tempo arena and begins to rhythmically quicken to a culmination that is pleasurable and organic. The music allows one to cool down with grace, and the music optimizes impressions of mysticism and joy.
--Shannon Day

Refuse to Choose!: A Revolutionary Program for Doing Everything That You Love
Barbara Sher,
Rodale Books, 2006, $24.95
Many of us have been told all our lives that we need to specialize in one area of expertise and make a choice between our numerous passions and interests. This book celebrates and encourages people with eclectic passions and pursuits, providing an effective framework for channeling your talents and interests.
Refuse to Choose defines the multitalented, multifaceted person with ever-changing interests as a “scanner.” Sher provides a delightful and effective approach to trying, doing, reading, writing, fixing, inventing, designing, learning and experiencing everything your heart desires without having to settle down as an expert or specialist in one area.
Scanners are used to being told that they need to find that one path, as they struggle to identify one single focus at the expense of giving up their other interests and passions. Sher perfectly describes the reward of being open to all experiences: “When you’re involved in doing what you love, the path will always show itself.”
--Kaira West

Pure Ganesh (CD),
Guru Ganesha Singh,
Spirit Voyage Music, 2006, $17.99
This CD by Sikh devotee guitarist/singer Guru Ganesha Singh is a wonderful blend of Sanskrit chants and acoustic music. Born in Boston, Singh began playing guitar at age eight. Like many of his generation, he was influenced by a number of counter culture groups. He played guitar with the group Cat’s Cradle, opening for The Allman Brothers, Sha Na Na and Iron Butterfly.
His guitar playing sounds more like the breezy rock/folk style of Seals & Croft or America rather than New Age music. A prime example is the opening cut El Ong Kar (meditation for I bow to the creator) with Krishan Khalsa’s enchanting tabla and Snatam Kaur’s call and response vocal complementing Singh’s mellow guitar riffs.
Other highlights include In the Light of My Soul featuring Singh’s nasal singing. Snatum elevates the tune with her angelic echoing of the verse “In the light of my soul happy and old” following Singh’s lead. Pianist Noah Gabriel adds a brief, but tasteful high key solo.
Available at www.spiritvoyage.com.
--Lee Brodinsky