3 comments about The Way of the White Clouds.

1. This is a wonderful insightful book on Tibet and Buddhism. It opened my mind even more to a different way of thinking and being.



2. The author, Lama Anagarika Govinda, is an erudite and sophisticated buddhist who brings to life a land and a people who will hardly exist in their native Tibet much longer. For someone who wants to have a westener
   explain the history, geography, art ,etc. of the "roof of the world" prior to the Chinese genocide, this is a wonderful guide. Of course there is a terrific description of buddhism in general and the specfic variety practised in Tibet. However, this may not be the best place to start. At least a basic knowledge of Tibet would be helpful, otherwise one could get mired down in so many strange names and concepts.



3. This book is a beautiful introduction to Tibetan culture and landscape and Buddhist beliefs and practices. It's left me longing to see Mount Kailas and the other sacred places he lovingly describes. I've since bought the author's more recent book, "Buddhist Reflections."

No comments about The Book of Margery Kempe: Abridged Translation; Introduction, Notes and Interpretive Essay (The Library of Medieval Women Series).

5 comments about I Have Lived Before: The True Story of the Reincarnation of Shanti Devi.

1. According to many investigators Near-Death Experiences suggest at least the probability of life after death. In this respect, they are connected to other experiences that do so, such as memories of a previous life.
   One of the most famous early cases in this field concerns the Indian girl Shanti Devi. In the 1930s she spontaneously claimed to have been Lugdi Devi, the wife of Kedar Nath Chaubey from Mathura. This woman had died while giving birth at the young age of 23.
   The numerous details that Shanti mentioned about her previous incarnation were verified as meticulously as possible by Indian researchers. Many of them concluded that the statements and behaviours shown by Shanti Devi could not be explained by mainstream scientific theories.
   One of the first westerners that thoroughly investigated the case was the Swedish author Sture Lönnerstrand. He travelled to India as a skeptic and became convinced by the facts he discovered there. His book Shanti Devi, en berättelse om reinkarnation is a moving, easily accessible biography, illustrated with photographs of Shanti and other persons involved. It is very positive that this English translation was finally issued in 1998.
   At a later age, Shanti Devi told Lönnerstrand what she could recall of her death as Lugdi. She still remembered that she consciously observed how a physician, a nurse, her husband and her mother had jointly decided that her body should be immediately transferred to Mathura to be burnt there. Ultimately she entered a spiritual world of Light and from there she finally returned to earth.
   This book by Sture Lönnerstrand fulfills the important function of spreading reliable information about a typical, classic case of memories of a past incarnation. Scholarly reincarnation research is not an artifical 'invention' of Ian Stevenson, but it studies a natural phenomenon of all ages and regions.



2. Having grown up in Delhi, we had heard of the unbelievable story of Shanti Devi Mathur from my father and other relatives who grew up at that time in the same neighborhood in old Delhi.
   
   There has never been any doubt about the absolutely truth of the story in minds of anyone growing up in old Delhi at that time. The facts in the book are completely in line with what I have always heard from family. These facts may be hard to accept for many, but do yourself a favor and read the book.....it's 100% true!



3. Since friends know I'm interested in yoga and meditation, they often ask if I believe in reincarnation. I advise them to read I Have Lived Before by award winning Swedish journalist Sture Lonnerstrand, and make up their own minds.
   If you only read one book on reincarnation, this should be the one. Shanti Devi's story is the most thoroughly researched case of reincarnation in modern India. The details of this account will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the nature of the soul.
   Don't miss this book; it's a mind blower.



4. I came across a brief introduction to Shanti Devi in "The Idiots Guide to Hinduism". The story fascinated me and given I was eager to learn more about her past and present lives, I bought the book and couldn't wait to read it! Reincarnation is a concept which have been exposed to me but I've never come across a story as legit and real as Shanti Devi's experience! The facts gathered are amazing! One needs no scientific evidence to accept the fact that this case is legit, genuine... real! The author did a terrific job composing details, outlining details from her present life and past memories, as well as delving into other religions such as Christianity and explaining more about it, such as how it reincarnation was once accepted. This is a must read book for any individual interested in reading an initial true story about reincarnation and learning a little more about Hinduisim in comparison with other religions!



5. Over 50 years ago, I remember reading a passing reference to Shanti Devi and her experiences in a past life. How I could remember her name after all these years I'll never know, but I decided to get the book and read it. I could hardly put it down.
   
   As a Christian, I have never accepted reincarnation--although I have wondered about it from time to time. If this book isn't proof of reincarnation, it comes extremely close. How she could have known all those facts were it not for reincarnation seems to defy logic. But then, trying to understand the spirit world is something beyond our ability to comprehend anyway.
   
   It is an excellent book, relatively short, and easy to read. Quite frankly, it blew me away!

5 comments about Saffron Days in L.A.: Tales of a Buddhist Monk in America.

1. Nowadays , Buddhism is viewed as somewhat cerebral . Indeed , it seems to attract the more philosophical amongst us . Not without probable cause , Buddhism starts with the mind and its perspectives / perceptions . With Mahayana , we see this coming to its logical ( or illogical as the case may be ) fruition with a plethora of mind bending philosophical schools .
   It is therefore quite refreshing to read a book about a monk's everyday experience . Better still , couched in these experiences are the Buddha's Teachings . Its so much easier to digest a new way of thinking when the context in which it is told is something we can all quite easily identify with . Bhante's little anecdotes are often quite funny , but the message is powerful .
   I recommend this book .



2. An anecdote of many feel-good stories written by an ordained monk of the Theravada school of Buddhism, the book is simply written and contains some canonical discourses relevant to the situation described in each chapter. Try not to read it as a biography or a self-help book; most people who do so will be sorely disappointed. However, it is a comforting work that leaves one feeling a little more hopeful, and perhaps that's what the bhiku is aiming for and nothing more. The collection is not an explanatory work on Theravada Buddhism and does not really cover the "tenets" of that sect per se. However, since Buddhism relies less on vicarous experience than on personal, individual experience, the lack of theology may even be a good thing! I did find the stories to become a bit too formulaic, but none-the-less they were all heart-warming and at times even humorous.



3. I am writing from a personal bias, because I have known Ven. Piyananda from about age 5 onwards (20 years). Correction: I *thought* I knew Ven. Piyananda before I had read this book. He had taught me all of the fundamentals of Theravada Buddhism, and he even gave great support to me when as a child I was encountering a great amount of prejudice at a Christian missionary school my parents sent me to. Not only did he teach me about Buddhism by word, but his very character struck me as being the essence of what the Buddha taught.

   After I read this book, I saw that Ven. Piyananda had many experiences which I had barely knew of. I had no idea he had his own encounters with religious fundamentalists, or that he gave helpful advice to other young people. I see that he had lived a very interesting life beyond my own relatively brief meetings with him. Although I was surprised by some of the experiences he has had, I was *not* really surprised in the way he dealt with them- with the same dignity and intelligence I have always associated with him.

   Someone here has complained that the book appeared to be egotistical. Well, the very *purpose* of this book was to describe some of Ven. Piyananda's own personal experiences in the US!!! There are trillions of books on Buddhist doctrine out there written by a wide assortment of characters, from highly respected academics and experienced monastics to the lowest of hacks and frauds. Here is a book about the experiences of a Sri Lankan monk in the US. If you are not interested in this topic, don't buy this book and then complain that it was 'only' about the experiences of a SL monk in the US. However, if you are curious about how a practitioner of the Dhamma has dealt with some of the craziness one can find in Los Angeles, then I could recommend no better book.




4. I am writing from a personal bias, because I have known Ven. Piyananda from about age 5 onwards (20 years). Correction: I *thought* I knew Ven. Piyananda before I had read this book. He had taught me all of the fundamentals of Theravada Buddhism, and he even gave great support to me when as a child I was encountering a great amount of prejudice at a Christian missionary school my parents sent me to. Not only did he teach me about Buddhism by word, but his very character struck me as being the essence of what the Buddha taught.

   After I read this book, I saw that Ven. Piyananda had many experiences which I had barely knew of. I had no idea he had his own encounters with religious fundamentalists, or that he gave helpful advice to other young people. I see that he had lived a very interesting life beyond my own relatively brief meetings with him. Although I was surprised by some of the experiences he has had, I was *not* really surprised in the way he dealt with them- with the same dignity and intelligence I have always associated with him.

   Someone here has complained that the book appeared to be egotistical. Well, the very *purpose* of this book was to describe some of Ven. Piyananda's own personal experiences in the US!!! There are trillions of books on Buddhist doctrine out there written by a wide assortment of characters, from highly respected academics and experienced monastics to the lowest of hacks and frauds. Here is a book about the experiences of a Sri Lankan monk in the US. If you are not interested in this topic, don't buy this book and then complain that it was 'only' about the experiences of a SL monk in the US. However, if you are curious about how a practitioner of the Dhamma has dealt with some of the craziness one can find in Los Angeles, then I could recommend no better book.




5. This is a sweet book, featuring 20 short stories about Bhante Piyananda's experiences as a Sri Lankan Theravada monk in America. Specifically the tales take place in Los Angeles, where since the mid 70's he has headed a local temple.
   The stories he presents regard a variety of issues and circumstances that he finds himself in, or are brought to him by other Buddhists, many of whom have also immigrated to America. As well, he recounts experiences when his Buddhism attracted attention enough to inspire conversation, judgement, confidences. All the stories are morally driven, as Piyananda passes on the Buddha's words and feelings.
   As a resident of L.A. this book seemed by the title an oasis, a peaceful perspective on a wacky, unrooted place. In fact, Los Angeles could be anywhere in America inside these stories. What matters is the lovely heart and soul of Buddhism, shone through it's most disciplined, devoted monks. Whether dealing with marriage troubles, robbery, parent/child conflicts, gossip, wealth, cultural differences, etc., Piyananda's compassion and love evoke the Buddha's and the beauty of their revolutionary religion and lifestyle.
   I recommend this as a sweet, easy read. For anyone interested in Buddhism this features a wide range of situations all addressed by Piyananda and Buddhist texts he draws from.

No comments about The Lives of Thomas Becket (Manchester Medieval Sources).

1 comments about Grateful To Have Been There: My 42 Years With Bill And Lois, And The Evolution Of Alcoholics Anon Edition-Expanded and Revised.

1. When I began my research into A.A. history, I traveled to A.A. World Headquarters in New York. There I met archivist Frank Mauser and his predecessor Nell Wing. Nell was Bill Wilson's secretary, Lois Wilson's long-time companion and assistant, and A.A.'s first archivist. I was greeted in New York by Frank and Nell, and several times thereafter I dined with Nell and also spent time with her in her apartment. It was quite plain to me that this lady had been a substantial part of the later development of A.A. In fact, when I visited her apartment, she was in the process of writing this important book. And she reviewed a mountain of historical materials she was studying for reference. Nell was a Buddhist. She was a non-alcoholic. And she was a gracious hostess to me and just about anyone who was interested in our early history.The First Nationwide Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference, 2d ed. She helped me with my visits to Stepping Stones for documents.Turning Point: A History of Early A.A.'s Spiritual Roots and Successes She helped me in obtaining Anne Smith's Journal. Anne Smith's Journal, 1933-1939: A.A.'s Principles of SuccessAnd she was a pillar in the community of industrious history researchers and writers. Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous: A Sixteen-Year Research, Writing, Publishing, and Fact Dissemination Project, Third EditionIt's a good book by an eye witness. Despite her intimate friendship with Bill and Lois, and her access to many A.A. archival materials, Nell was humble enough to recognize the need to continue searching out our history.The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous. I doubt if she failed to help all of us in the earlier A.A. history-writing community of the 1990's.

2 comments about Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions and Death's Duel.

1. for this book,devotions upon emergent occasions and deaths duel has already been so good. Wow! what more can i possibly say....alot. firstly, fascinating stuff. it was really great and jesus Christ we love him, John Donne? WOW?!! what do you think? read it really it is very nicely proportionate for me the dimensions where spectacular and also a very nice size, John Donne? Where in the world is John Donne when we need him now....bye John Donne?



2. I must admit that I bought this book solely for the most famous of Donne's Meditations - Nunc lento sonitu dicunt, morieris, AKA "no man is an island". I was unaware of the circumstances which surrounded Donne's writing of the Meditations. He had taken ill with a strong and high fever, and believed that he was dying. The meditations trace his spiritual journey through his illness, starting with the beginning (The first alteration, the first grudging, or the sickness), through attempts to treat him (The physician is sent for), to treatments (They apply pigeons, to draw the vapors from the head - yuck!), until he comes to terms spiritually with his fate (From the bells of the church adjoining, I am daily remembered of my burial in the funerals of others).

   These meditations make a fascinating contrast with the other work by Donne in this book: Death's Duel. This was the last sermon that Donne ever preached, one month before he died. Not only did he know that the end was near, but so did his audience, who called it "the doctor's funeral sermon". It is interesting to see how Donne's view of death had changed in the years between the two works. By the time Death's Duel was written, Donne's mother, wife, and six of his twelve children were already dead.

   In spite of the fact that Donne wrote over three hundred years ago, I am still influenced by his writings. Although I am not Christian, I agree with many of Donne's thoughts on how people interact with each other, and how we effect the lives of others, though we might not realise it. "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind." Donne, though dead, is still involved in mankind, and this book aptly displays it.

2 comments about Mystics: Ten Who Show Us the Ways of God.

1. Murray Bodo is a Franciscan priest who has become aware of God and shares with us commentaries of other mystics who have embraced God and lived a life in God's footsteps.
   
   Although Fr. Bodo does not confess to being a mystic, one can read between the lines. Fr. Bodo could not do justice to the commentaries otherwise.
   
   I have read many of the mystics that Fr. Bodo introduces in his book but I had not been introduced to Robert Lax and Gerard Manley Hopkins. I was enlightened by the poems of Robert Lax and his ordinary lifestyle. When all is said and done this to me is the fullfilment of life in the mystical, to be ordinary, to feel, to love and to be at peace with oneself and others whom we encounter in our life's journey.
   
   In his afterword Fr. Bodo explains in the last paragraph that one cannot know God that only God knows God. I have to differ with Fr. Bodo's final perception. We have been created to know God and to be known by God. Of course God already knows us but we have to come to the realization that when we know ourselves within, that God is within, we will know God, know ourselves and know one another.
   
   The Cloud of Unknowing (HarperCollins Spiritual Classics)
   
   Waiting for God (Perennial Classics)
   
   Julian of Norwich: Showings (Classics of Western Spirituality)
   
   The Story of a Soul (L'Histoire d'une Âme): The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux



2. Like many others, Fr. Bodo was initially troubled by the suffering the mystics endured. He came to realize, however, that their lives reflect an inner absorption with God that allows them to overcome suffering and illness as they practice love of God and neighbor. "Charity is what makes saints and mystics, not the inner visions, marvels or miracles," he writes. His reading of the mystics has revealed "God speaking and relating with humans in their own language throughout the ages," and he presents these 10 examples in the hope that "one or the other may strike a chord in the heart of someone trying to live the Gospel and know God."
   
   Bodo is an excellent writer and story teller, blending personal experience and spiritual insights with his knowledge and deep appreciation of his subjects. He begins the chapter on Francis of Assisi from the modern day vantage point of the Piazza del Comune where "a procession of tourists or pilgrims walks around or through the pigeons" reminding him of Saint Francis and the birds. He introduces mystic Robert Lax with a story of his own love for books and words, so affronted by what the United States was doing "not only to the people of Iraq, but to words." At that time Bodo was teaching at St. Bonaventure University, which houses the largest archives of materials by Robert Lax, whom he recalled vaguely as a friend of Thomas Merton. "I had no idea that in him I would find again the truth of words and the Word of Truth." In the remainder of the chapter Bodo shows us his path with numerous quotations from Lax's poetry and examples of his "simple and other-oriented" life.

2 comments about Love Letters from Cell 92: The Correspondence Between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria Von Wedemeyer, 1943-45.

1. I had a difficult time reading this book. It is quite time-consuming (because of it's unusual format) and emotionally difficult due to its content. However, I'm glad I've read this book. It gave me a wonderful insight into a couple's very devoted relationship even though they were separated very soon into their relationship. The way their story plays out is heart-wrenching and difficult to read. But because this was an actual relationship, it's very worth-while.



2. Maria Weller, as I knew her in Boston in the early 1970's, was a marvellous person who worked with me at Honeywell Information Systems. My wife and I became good friends of Maria's and saw her frequently both before and during her illness. We knew her two sons and her daughter.

   Ruth-Alice Von Bismark, Maria's sister, came to visit us after Maria's death to find our more about Maria's life in Boston and about her Boston friends.

   I found the book fascinating, both for the letters and for Ruth-Alice historical notes that helped me to better understand Maria and Dietrich Bonhoffer.

No comments about It's All Good.