New Books September 2013 - Spirituality





This looks like being a fun month!
Step away, cynical friends - this month I am giving in to my inner woo woo with a stack of fabulous books exploring matters of the spirit. From the top:

Crystal Basics by Brenda Rosen - Nothing says "1980s New Age" like crystals, and this is my natural spiritual home. Admit it, you are drawn to certain stones and can't explain why. I'll be doing some moonstone rebalancing this month.

All in One, One in All by Thich Nhat  Hanh - A Thich Nhat Hanh book published in Singapore that I didn't even know existed.

Only Love is Real by Dr. Brian Weiss - A past-life recall classic, I have never read it before.

Wicca by Vivianne Crowley - Though Wicca has intrigued me since I was a teenager, I have never really explored it or read about it in any great depth. This looks like a good introductory guide. I was definitely a witch in a past life.

Karma by Phra Bhasakorn Bhavilai - A Thai book written by a Buddhist monk, I don't think I've ever read a book-length exploration of karma before It looks intriguing. Time to get things right in this lifetime.

Artists' Journals and Scrapbooks by Lynne Perrella - I count creativity books as spirtuality. When I worked at a New Age bookstore books on creativity were always big sellers. This is a gorgeous illustrated book showing the amazing things artists do to their notebooks. I am not that talented, but I can dream.

Radiating Loving-Kindness by Thabyekan Sayadaw - This was a freebie I got at a temple in Singapore. I am genuinely interested in this subject, and see it as one of the cornerstones of my spiritual practice. And Sayadaws are always pretty tough about these things - I need that. But it does say I need to do Vipassana meditation, which scares me.

Your Guardian Angel by Claire Nahmad - A practical book on connecting with angels. You can stop laughing now. I think it's interesting. And lots of fascinating people spoke with angels, cf Emanuel Swedenborg.

Amen by Gretta Vosper - I saw Gretta a couple of years ago when she was here in Australia, and she is a pretty amazing woman. Her radical vision of a new post-Christianity is about as out-there as it's possible to get. This is a book about praying even if you don't believe in anything. I have explored this idea as well, so Iam very interested to read what she has to say.

Paticcasamuppada by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu - I bought this second-hand at the Neilson Hays Library in Bangkok, and it looks pretty full on. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was one of the most revered of modern Buddhist masters in Thailand, and his stuff can get pretty complicated. But complicated reading is good for me. Self or no-self? Who knows? Perhaps I will after I have finished this.

The Path to Peace by Venerable Ajahn Chah - Ajahn Chah was another of the great Thai Buddhist icons of the 20th century. He was a remarkable character and I have always admired the gruff simplicity of his teachings. It's all about the correct path of practice - he was pretty hardcore.

Thai Taxi Talismans by Dale Konstanz - If you have ever caught a taxi in Thailand you will know that most are travelling shrines, their dashboards converted into little altars, some of them quite elaborate. Some genius had the idea of photographing, and this looks like a brilliant guide to Thai folk religion. I love the Chinese influence, with the fat laughing Buddha Maitreya much in evidence.

I Am Wishes Fulfilled Meditation CD by Wayne Dyer - I saw the gorgeous Dr. Dyer when he was in Sydney recently for the I Can Do It! Conference. He said he still follows the meditation on this CD daily, so I thought I would give it a whirl. Naturally, I haven't even unwrapped the plastic. But this is  the month.

Amazing Grace CD by Cecilia - Another one recommended by Wayne Dyer. I am a sucker for spiritual songs, and this CD has em all - including Amazing Grace sung with whale song. You can't get much more New Age than that. I love it.

Think & Grow Rich Action Pack by Napoleon Hill - Hill's classic pops up constantly in my doctoral dissertation on self-help writing, so I am always interested to see spin-offs from his classic book. This seems to have the text plus extra exercises. I am confused. I will read it and see.



The Buddha's Teachings on Prosperity by Rahula - This looks like a wonderful curiosity, with an introduction by Arthur C. Clarke!

Tune In by Sonia Choquette - Sonia is an eccentric and a star, and I just love this woman!

The glorious Sonia Choquette



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