5 comments about The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment.

1. This book offers refreshing insight into the benefits of practicing mindfulness. Tolle focuses on the concept, the practical application, and the benefits without the usual religious hang-ups. This book is an important read for all who seek peace of mind in this life.
   
   Buy it - Read it - Pass it on to a friend



2. For Me, this is the best book I have ever read.
   I am not proposing ET to be the new Messiah, a genius of original thought, or the creator of a new religion. The PoN is a pragmatic rehash of Buddha principals which I find very secular and pragmatic. Like many, I have toyed with, bought books, etc Buddha principles and meditation etc. After going through several of the bestselling books it just did not stick to my wall, so to speak. This is where ET shines. This is a very well written, easy to read pragmatic book, which I highly recommend to all, particularly the modern American Yuppie or other that feels harried by our fast paced lives, chauffeuring the kids from one event to the other, that you never seemed to have when you were young, the BMW payments, a boss who should be in The Far Side and / or Dilbert and the rest of the modern pressures. Buy it NOW; you won't be able to put it down, although you are supposed to chronically to contemplate the principles.



3. On my spiritual quest I have read a good number of books, my favourites where especially the Seth books by Jane Roberts. But obviously I "needed" Eckhart Tolle's "Power of Now" to truly understand: We are all "bags of beliefs", and our ego directs our consciousness according to those beliefs. The ego and its beliefs are supposed to be a "tool" working for our advantage, but when we identify fully with what we believe in, our consciousness can get clouded almost entirely, especially through destructive beliefs (Tolle uses the word "pain-body"). We start to function like an airplane run by an autopilot that is programmed by our beliefs. The best way out of our beliefs is INTENSE PRESENCE IN THE NOW, as described in this book. Whenever I stay focused and try to look at my world open-mindedly, I feel a presence in myself that is ME unclouded by beliefs. To feel one's own center or Being is such a boost of positive energy, and it is this state that is described as "enlightenment". In truth there is nothing special about it, since we are born in this Being-ness. Whoever lost track of this powerful feeling of her- or himself need only look at children or remember days of her own childhood, when she (or he) was totally herself and blissfully engrossed in her own Being. Animals (unbothered by human influence) live in this state all of the time, as can be easily observed. This state is not passive, not at all, it is the center, the core from which all action is triggered. If we want our thoughts and actions to be positive we need to act with an unclouded consciousness. The "trick" is the following: Whenever you feel hurt, for instance, just allow this feeling to swell in you, give yourself to it, let it live ... and then try to sense your Being "apart" our "outside" of those feelings -- You (apart from you) can act like a "watcher" of this emotional event. This "watcher" is Yourself unaffected by your current feelings (and its underlying beliefs; -- since all feelings follow your beliefs, and not the other way around). Through focusing on Yourself and hence allowing your feelings to pass by like clouds on a vast sky you can transform your beliefs (and their attached feelings) with the realization that in the Here and Now there need not be any fear because Yourself is unaffected by whatever your worry. As for me, it takes constant "training" to stay focused, my "autopilot" is still very strong, but I manage to slip into states of intense clarity and even bliss several times a day. Since I am an ordinary human being, this is possible for everyone. Who would not want to live in clarity, serenity and inner peace? I recommend this book to EVERYONE!



4. This is one of the most profound well-written books I've ever read. However, I'm having difficulty writing a review without feeling I am doing the author and you an injustice. It's a little like trying to summarize a beautiful poem.
   
   Perhaps the best way I can convey the essence of this work is by sharing some of the many interesting points Eckhart Tolle makes in "The Power of Now."
   
   Early on he states that you are not your thoughts. It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly...you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. He insists that the single most vital step on your journey toward enlightenment is to learn to dis-identify from your mind.
   
   Tolle explains that you are not the possessing entity - the thinker. Knowing this enables you to observe the entity. The moment you start watching the thinker, a higher level of intelligence becomes activated. That's when you are in touch with the real you.
   
   He urges you to start listening to the voice in your head as often as you can. That is what he means by "watching the thinker."
   
   He says the mind itself is not dysfunctional. It is a wonderful tool. Dysfunction sets in when you seek yourself in it and mistake it for who you are.
   
   Now we get to "The Now." ... He points out that the present moment is all you ever have. There never is a time when your life is not "this moment." So the only place where true change can occur and where the past can be dissolved is the Now. Furthermore, it is impossible to have a problem when your attention is fully in the Now.
   
   Tolle goes on to offer compelling, valuable insights on worry, happiness, forgiveness, and the importance of conscious breathing.
   
   The profundity and value of this book will probably make you want to reread it often to fully absorb, appreciate, and use the amazing power of Now.



5. I only gave it four stars because it's heavy reliance on acim (a course in miracles) and the wondering style from spirituality to self-help and relationship counselling. Having said this, Tolle is dead on. His style is good and his reading voice is excellent (I of course do not read, but listen :) due to my busy schedule, (this review is of the audio book that Tolle reads). Of course most of the concepts of the Power of Now have been described in meditation studies and my favorite author/teacher is Osho who described the power of now as the true existence is a (|) line while illusion or maya is a horizontal line (-----) representing the linear nature of time, which is not real and to be avoided. Anyway, I recommend highly the audio book to the stressed out commuters who worry about their job.
   
   Andras Nagy
   [...]

5 comments about Meditations for Manifesting : Morning and Evening Meditations to Literally Create Your Heart's Desire.

1. I got this CD as well as Dattatreya Siva Baba's Sounds for Manifesting ( I believe this is the guru that taught Dr. Dyer this meditation technique ) a few days ago and I think it compliments each other. Dr. Dyer's is more mainstream, however, and is not so full of mantras as Datta's, so it's more accessible for people who are uncomfortable with something with a more religious slant. I tried this out for the first time with my husband yesterday and his comment was he didn't quite like how Dr. Dyer speaks in between the chants, but personally if he didn't do it that way I'd be so relaxed I'd fall straight to sleep! I feel I was able to stay in alpha level and thus feel it is very, very powerful. For all who are skeptical that ahhhs and oooohs can change your life, all change starts from the inside and when your energy body aligns with the vibrations of the chants you WILL feel a shift, even if it is slight. And inner change will inevitably lead to outer change. I've never been much of a meditator, I prefer visualizations more, but this CD is a keeper and I intend to incorporate this into my daily life and recommend it to my clients as well!



2. Meditation as far as I am concerned is the way to embrace calm, love and joy into your life. It is certainly a way to continually remind yourself about being mindful as you go thru your life rather than living unconsciously. From listening to a series of my favorite CDs, I truly have learned the importance of living in the present to get all that you want from life. I enjoy Wayne's CD's but my favorite is
   Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Meditation probably because it is a 15 minute review and reminder of the Secret Workbook that really got me hooked the LOA and changed my life. If you haven't ever meditated,
   8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life.
   is a great place to start.



3. Don't get me wrong, I do admire how Wayne Dyer has impacted the lives of many for so many years. But sometimes I wonder what his motivation is behind cranking out so many products. The truth is, when you churn and burn, some of your products are going to be crap. And for the most part, this CD just isn't that great.
   
   Yes, the message behind it is powerful. And yes, there is a lot of food for thought in his words. But I just couldn't bare to listen to this on a daily basis.



4. I love Wayne Dyer & I've been doing the Ah and Ohm meditations on my own for quite some time. I was really hoping to get some recordings to meditate to. Unfortunately I downloaded this recording at audible.com and it just plops down a 1-hour long recording, with no apparent "tracks." One has to listen to the full recording, then attempt to fast forward to the beginning of the meditation you want. This is not at all practical for me. I don't want to buy the cd if it's set up the same way. Can someone who owns the cd please tell me if I can listen to separate tracks? Or, can anyone recommend a good recording of the ahh and ohm chants that does not have any voice-over affirmations -- just the chanting? Thanks for any help you can provide!



5. Basically I agree with the others who gave this a one-star review.
   
   Wayne Dyer begins this piece fine by talking about how we can manifest good things by the thoughts in our minds. Then he goes on to demonstrate how to meditate by repeating the chant "A-h-h-h-h" for half the CD, then by chanting "O-m-m-m-m-m" for the second half.
   
   This is NOT a tape or CD to listen to on the way to work or while jogging. Being stuck in a car with Dr. Dyer repeating a mantra non-stop for 45 minutes will make anyone go postal. If I hadn't ejected this tape, rolled down the window and tossed it into the high-density lane, I would have become an axe murderer by the end of my commute.

1 comments about Making the Shift: How to Live Your True Divine Purpose.

1. I just got this CD set yesterday and finished it today. I was originally hesitant to purchase it as I have heard a lot of Wayne Dyer CD's over the years and thought it might be too much of the same. As in any of his CD's, there is some repeat material but there is so much new material--it is definitely worth listening to a few times.
   
   I felt inspired as well as feeling very centered and grounded as I listened to the CD's.
   
   This is a recording of a live workshop that was presented in Maui. Participates apparently paid $500 or more to attend. But listening to these CD's, you feel like you were there--and it is a lot cheaper than actually going.
   
   I have already put the CD's on my IPOD and purchased 2 additional sets for friends/family.
   
   I highly recommend this CD set. I personally like it much better than the movie of the same title and felt that I got more out of it. I also purchased the book but haven't read it so I don't know how much of the material repeats itself. I do know that the book is fairly short so I imagine there is a lot of material in here that isn't in the book.
   
   This CD set speaks to a wide range of audiences and Dr. Dyer does not speak to or adhere to a specific religion. People from all religions and even no religions can relate to this material and benefit greatly from it.
   
   A lot of the material deals with the EGO and moving past EGO to a more centered and grounded place. Dr. Dyer teaches paths to happiness that are not based on anything you do or have. Therefore, if you put to work these steps in your life, you can find happiness regardless of your situation because you will be living more in your Divine Purpose.
   
   I am very appreciative that Dr. Dyer continues to develop his work and delve into new areas or deeper into areas already taught by him.
   
   I would highly recommend this CD set. And, personally, I would recommend this over the movie--although both are good if you can afford both.

5 comments about Meditations to Change Your Brain.

1. Two of my greatest concerns in meditation CD's are the quality of the narrator's voice and the quality of the meditation script. In these areas, the CD's are excellent. I found the narrators' voices very soothing, not distracting, and pleasant. And, I found the meditations relaxing and well designed.
   
   There are some long stretches with no narration, which can challenge your powers of concentration, but I guess that's the point-- after you practice for awhile your mind will calm down and you'll enjoy the long pauses. And I have to admit that I fell asleep several times while listening to them, but that is arguably my fault for playing them at night while lying down. So if you are using them for meditation purposes and not to cure insomnia (which is not their intent), I recommend that you sit up when you listen.
   
   The only annoying feature is that the material on the discs should have been better organized and presented. The non-meditative parts of the CD are rather long, involved, technical and not particularly conducive to an audio CD format. It would have been much better to include the text as a separate booklet. Also, the discs alternate between text and meditations, so you have to constantly skip through tracks to find the meditations. If the narratives were short, you could probably sit through them more than once to get to the meditations, but they aren't, and once you've heard them you don't need to play them again.
   
   All in all, this set of discs contains thoughtful and well-designed meditations. My recommendation is that you burn the meditation tracks onto one disc or load them into your Ipod so you can avoid all the other tracks after you've listened to them once.



2. This 3 disc, 3 ½ hour, 2009 Sounds True program is encased in a cardboard type tri-fold. It is said to draw on 30 years plus of research by neuropsychologist Rick Hanson and neurologist Richard Mendius. The cover states that it will show you how to strengthen your neural circuits that generate happiness, love, and inner peace and includes 7 guided meditations to reshape your brain. (OK. I'm in.) Note that the term "guided meditation" just means that someone is verbally guiding you through the meditation by talking to you and making suggestions.
   
   There is a lot of really good information here and this is an excellent program, especially for those who want to learn to meditate but also want to be convinced first that it is worth their time commitment. This material provides how and why to meditate from a medical standpoint and can also be useful to seasoned meditators. The doctors also talk about how getting rid of your emotional baggage can help you. I can attest to that. Meditation has helped me bring up and confront some stuff I had buried inside. Once you bring it to the surface, you can begin to deal with it. This is a program that you can work with over and over, and will likely need to repeat to effectuate a positive change.
   
   With the exception of the meditation segments on each CD, you can listen to the other/instructional parts in your car, on your way to work. I have listed the times for each track so you can figure out how everything is laid out and what way to listen best suits you.
   
   Disc 1: Using Your Brain to Change Your Mind (total time 71:12)
   1. Introduction (0:51)
   2. Using Your Mind to Change Your Brain (13:59)
   Drawing on a combination Western psychology and neurology and Eastern Buddhism, we explore how to be happier and have less anger and stress, to better understand difficult experiences, and to replace them with better states of mind. Rick begins this segment, followed by Richard. Both speak simply, in easy-to-understand language, and have voices that are pleasant to listen to. Both guys alternate throughout the 3 discs. Instead of getting caught up in all the "stuff" that is going on around us, they talk about how shifting your inner state-of-mind, one bit at a time, can effectuate positive change.
   3. How Your Mind and Brain Work Together (20:08)
   Your conscious mind is dependent upon your nervous system and is primarily dependent on your brain. Something transcendental is necessary for consciousness. This program is based primarily on Western (scientific) medicine. The complex brain is a gift--the extraordinary process of how it works (neurons firing, etc., even when someone is unconscious.) How brainwave patterns change and they change your mind, so you can deliberately effect a positive change in the physical structure of your brain.
   4. Why Aren't People Happier? (10:32)
   Explains how the brain generates suffering and how understanding these processes can allow you to suffer less.
   5. The Effects of Meditation on Your Brain (15:31)
   What scientific studies on meditating Tibetan monks have revealed, what happens in your brain when you meditate, and why. As someone who meditates frequently, I found this segment very interesting in helping me understand certain things about myself. If you listen to only segment 5 in this whole set, I think you will FIND time to meditate.
   6. Guided Meditation: Appreciating Your Brain (10:06)
   DO NOT DO THIS MEDITATION SEGMENT WHILE DRIVING. A bell indicates completion of the meditation. Do not jar yourself awake, but sit for a minute and then come out of it slowly.
   
   (Disc 1, Segments 1 through 5 can be listened to in your car. You may have to listen to this information more than once, because there is a lot of scientific information here.)
   
   Disc 2: Meditations to Change Your Brain (total time 78:47)
   This disc is about 50 % meditation, so you cannot listen in the car unless you skip over each meditation and just listen to the instructional information, which you could do by track. The meditations are fairly brief, so if you are not good at meditating yet, the shorter ones will probably help you learn to focus better. The better you get at it, the longer you can meditate on your own. You can either stop the tape when you want to continue, or just do your own thing.
   
   1. Introduction (0:40)
   2. Taking Good Care of Yourself (4:58)--general information
   3. Guided Meditation: Foundational Practices (15:04)
   How to meditate practice.
   4. How You Can Target Specific Changes in Your Brain (5:52)
   Explaining psychologically what the meditation and the suggestions do in your brain.
   5. The Four Steps to Taking in the Good (13:27)
   You are mainly built up of stored memories of events and emotions. How you can help the brain to register positive experiences and why that is important.
   6. Guided Meditation: Taking in the Good (7:32)
   Practicing positive meditational experiences.
   7. Introduction: Antidote to Stress (8:10)
   What happens to the body in stress and why medically it happens. How to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to compensate and how it medically helps you.
   8. Guided Meditation: Antidote to Stress (9:22)
   How to relax body parts in a combo instructional and meditational experience.
   9. Introduction: Healing Painful Experiences (4:52)
   How you can influence the tone of your memories and shift your reaction to the painful memory.
   10. Guided Meditation: Healing Painful Experiences (8:01)
   Practicing the concept.
   
   Disc 3: Meditations to Change Your Brain II (total time 73:32) This disc is 2 longer meditations and roughly 2 ten minute explanations--not a CD for the car.
   
   1. Introduction: Steadying your Mind (12:41)
   Voice in your head tends to chatter away on a lot of different subjects and build negative stories, which then causes you to expect negative happenings. Rick explains how attention works in the mind and brain. Steadiness of the mind is a real challenge for some, so you must practice and be patient with yourself.
   2. Guided meditation: Steadying Your Mind (28:33)
   A sampling of meditation methods to focus the mind on one thing.
   3. Introduction: Mosaic Meditation (10:00)
   Each moment of your life is like a mosaic of multi-sensual tiles that form a picture. This segment is about how the tiles are made and how we can rearrange them if we need to make a better picture.
   4. Guided Meditation: Mosaic Meditation (22:15)
   Practicing the concept.



3. For this CD set, a psychologist and a neurologist come together to lead you through a number of meditations to "rewire" your brain, with the goal of helping you to create new neural pathways that will allow your brain to function more effectively. They provide a thorough explanation of the brain and introduce the idea of our ability to change it. Neither of them are captivating speakers, but there is certainly valuable information being shared. What I found interesting was the scientific information on anxiety and the work the brain does to protect you. We have to work against these brain-engrained tendencies to reach deeper states of psychological well being.
   I found this material to be useful when focusing in on a specific meditation. It would be difficult to listen to the whole program from beginning to end, as it tends to get a bit dry after a while.
   A good effort, while the audio presentation could have been a good deal better.



4. The two authors of this audio book wrote a very thorough explanation of how ego and psyche and the brain all work, and how to fix the problems. The Introduction is nice and long, and very thorough and detailed. They are fond of saying, "Change your mind to change your brain to change your mind."
   
   But the introduction to this set of 3 CDs is a lot like a textbook. I find that at the same time that I am hearing extremely important, totally new concepts, which are hard to "get" in the first place, I am having a hard time paying attention. It's just dry. Plus, one of the authors is a much better speaker than the other... It might have been better to hire voice actors or professional readers, because the authors are clearly reading from their own scripts, and seem to be so uncomfortable with speaking into a microphone, that at times they don't even sound like they are familiar with the material that they wrote themselves!
   They just don't sound confident in the material, or relaxed about conveying it.
   
   I have heard few Audiobooks that rise to the level of "The Secret." Even if you don't agree with everything in that book, "The Secret" CDs are spectacular with production value, the music, the number or authors and experts who do sound great on CD, the overall impact... The Secret is the best audiobook I have ever heard for those reasons. I wish more Audiobooks sounded like that.
   
   I will update this soon with a review on the Meditations themselves!
   
   TECHNICAL ASPECTS of the CDs
   During the Introduction, each track is much too LONG! The topics and subjects change several times during each and every track! There have been many times when I would have loved to hit the skip back button on the player, but I realized that's impossible, unless I want to listen to about 18 minutes that I did hear, to get to the last 3 minutes I missed.
   
   The sound quality is 100% - very clean and professional.
   
   The cardboard album case is flimsy and doesn't really close. It would be impossible to bring it in a car. Dust would get in and the CDs would fall out constantly. I had to put the CDs in my zipper case to hear the introduction in my car. (Of course, the meditations can't be done while driving.)



5. I've been dealing with chronic anxiety for the past 30 years. I have found this group of CD's to be incredibly helpful. It explains some of the evolutionary processes that have contributed to our survival anxiety and takes a lot of the mystery out of this free floating anxiety. Also, I have been working with cognitive therapy for some years which is a wonderful way of dealing with anxiety and depression and controlling what you can to overcome these forms of suffering. "Meditations to Change Your Brain" explains the actual physical changes to your brain that cause changes in our mind, which is what we have been doing with cog therapy. The exercises and information are presented in a gentle and sensitive way and have taken me even further in the direction of health and happiness. You have assisted me in getting my mind, body and spirit in sync and the resulting peace is incredible. Thank you sirs for HOPE!!!

5 comments about Your Present: A Half-Hour of Peace: A Guided Imagery Meditation for Physical & Spiritual Wellness.

1. This is an excellent CD for meditation. I didn't think it would work for me but it did and I have even fallen asleep. A must have for those wishing to meditate for some guaranteed relaxation.



2. I ordered this CD because the ones I have are all over 2 years old now and I wanted something new to listen to. Overall, this meditation is ok, but there is approximately 6 minutes of intro. at the beginning detailing the benefits of meditation, etc. For someone who has meditated for a while, this is inconvenient and annoying to have to listen to every time. This could have been put on as a separate track to be listened to once and then not have to be dealt with each time one wants to meditate. My current CD player does not have a 'skip' function, so everytime I want to meditate to this CD I have to stand there and hold down the fast forward button until I get past 6 minutes. Not the worst thing in the world, but irritating and I certainly don't want irritation before meditation. So, if you are more tolerant than I or if you have a 'skip' function on your CD player, then I would say to give this CD a try.



3. I have had this program in tape format for years and decided to upgrade to a DVD. I LOVE this program. It is perhaps the most useful tool that I use in a day. It's great for clearing your head, relaxing, and focusing on what really matters in your life. It's only 30 minutes, and even if you choose the option to relax and fall asleep, you will actually wake up after 30 minutes. Undoubtedly all the good "stuff" is still rolling around in your head. I highly recommend this program!



4. This CD was perfect during the stress of the holidays! A half hour of guided meditation can do wonders for the body and mind.



5. We each pull from this tape exactly what we need. I look forward to listening to it every night. Her voice, the background music, and the imagery are soothing and healing. I have never made it to the end of the CD because I fall asleep within ten minutes. My mind used to race at night and not even Ambien could put me to sleep. This CD and the DVD Yoga for Stress Relief have helped me immensely and now I feel empowered and at ease with life. This CD is true to its name: it will bring you peace and physical and spiritual wellness. This is the CD you have been waiting for your whole life - ORDER IT NOW!

No comments about Shamanic Meditations: Guided Journeys for Insight, Vision, and Healing.

5 comments about Guided Mindfulness Meditation.

1. I come back to these cd's time and time again. I really need to consistently practice as he recommends even when life gets busy and that's what I'm doing now. I read "Full Catastrophe Living" before purchasing these cd's and though JKZ is quite pedantic and wordy in his descriptions of meditation and mindfulness, it works well for me. I'm sure his "voice" in describing mindfulness practice may not speak to everyone, but that's how life is. As JKZ said in his book, there are is one ultimate path to God/enlightenment (or whatever word you want to use), but many roads to that one path. Thich Nhat Hanh or Pema Chodran may work better for others, but they all say the same thing essentially.
   
   These cd's are great. No music to distract you. I want to really meditate, not just relax to new age music, or picture myself in a meadow or something. But you'll find when you really get into a habit of meditating with the cd, relaxation is a natural consequence. You really have to commit to the practice though (which is difficult).
   
   There are 4 cds included: meditation, body scan, hatha yoga I and yoga II. Each one is approximately 40 minutes. It's just JKZ talking and describing things. I personally love JKZ's voice. Yes, he talks a little more than some would like during the meditation cd, but I don't mind. The body scan is also a great and effective tool. I love all 4 cds. I love JKZ's patience and his soft and gentle voice as he describes things.
   
   Ultimately, I think a lot of people don't understand or have a false idea of what meditation is. I definitely can say I was confused. Should I meditate to clear my mind and not think? Should I visualize success and abundance? Should I just focus on my breathing? What if I'm breathing wrong? What's the point? After you read Full Catastrophe Living and do the meditation cds a while, you get some clarity. It's not about stopping your thinking or achieving some state. It's about watching your thoughts, your body sensations, your emotions, your pain and just being present with it. And allowing this presence to carry over into your daily life. It's so simple, yet so not simple. The book and cds have really helped me in my breathing (sounds strange) and my knowing of what meditation is really about.
   
   The only drawback I found with both the book and the meditation cds is that it focuses more on alleviating physical pain and less on emotional pain, upset, and anxiety than I'd like. Those emotional things are more my "problems." But this is a minor critique as dealing with physical pain better is something we could all use and because I know JKZ's background is helping patients at a medical center deal with chronic pain. Plus, you can substitute the word anxiety or anger or fear whenever he talks generally about pain. I really love Jon Kabat Zinn and think he's a great voice for presence and mindfulness in this world.



2. Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Meditation CD's correspond to many aspects of his 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Thus, this is a great resource to allow you to learn the same mindfulness techniques as you would learn in the formal MBSR program. The CD's are also a great accompanyment to his seminal mindfuless book, Full Catastrophe Living. The CD set includes: 2 Hatha Yoga exercises, a body scan, and a sitting meditation. Kabat-Zinn is definitely a master in his use of language to articulate subtle mindfulness concepts. The body-scan is a great exercise to start with when building a mindfulness practice. It will introduce you to the current state of your body in the present-moment- and for some this is a first time experience! Not only will you become aware of the sensations and state of various body regions, but you will also learn how to experience and observe these regions with a compassionate and non-judging attitude. This is extremely helpful if you are someone that has excessive muscle tension and/or pain.
   
   Mindfulness Meditation and Stress Reduction for Beginners: The Garden of NOW



3. I have Asperger's and this selection in particular was suggested by my therapist as something she uses for Mindfulness. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same luck.
   
   Honestly, it's hard to explain. Getting into the Mindfulness mindset was just extremely difficult, and though I know that not having any direct and deliberate added distraction sources such as ambient music is important, for someone like me or others that can't control being able to "turn you mind off" the format of CD1 might actually be counter-productive. Not having a base, controlled place to focus makes any and every external sound influence impossibly distracting and can ruin several minutes of progress or combine into killing a session all together. Autistic listeners may also have issues with the length, which is very difficult to push through and one's mind can wander back to the things you're trying to avoid after going too far. For these persons and those with the sort of mind that is continually processing information or speaking with itself on multiple levels this probably won't be a terribly helpful program.
   
   Moreover, if the Mindfulness is the specific goal as part of a mental health or social rehab regiment, having CDs 2 and 3 feels kind of meaningless and you may want to look into something with more focus and more specific options.
   
   In a month of efforts I often felt like I had been deliberately punishing myself by going through the entire session. How it's presented is clearly more for the 'average listener' and not for persons specifically targeting mental conditions. On the other hand, I know family and others that have used it (after I gave it to them) and they've given it decent marks, which is why I'm rating a 3/5 anyway. I personally consider anything lower to imply that it has no productive purpose to anyone, and this certainly will be helpful for a lot of people... just not those like me.



4. The guided mindfulness meditation helps me maintain my focus and helps keep me calm
   and relaxed. My chronic pain appears to become less active and I can relax much better.



5. My wife and I frequently use meditation as a tool for general wellness. She has several illnesses that respond to the instructions given on this CD. I would highly recommend this to anyone with a disabling disease as a useful means of gaining some relief.

5 comments about The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set).

1. The Secret
   Do you want to lose weight? Have a great love life? Be successful in your job? Get rick quickly? According to Rhonda Byrne, we can all have everything we want, by living the rules of life, given to us in her novel ¬The Secret. The Secret was written in 2006, and has become a worldwide phenomenon. With Oprah as a supporter and testimony giver of the realness of the secret, people all over the world are reading, and trying to learn how they too, can have all the things they have ever wanted in life.
   In her book, Byrne focuses on teaching the reader about the power of the mind. She explains that with constant positive thought, we can steer our lives in the direction that we want them to go. She believes and teaches that humans are eternal energies, constantly emitting and attracting energy, whether it is good or bad. The book teaches the reader that by focusing on only the good things in our lives, and the good around us, we will only attract good. She explains that thinking bad thoughts about others or about situations does nothing to hurt others, but it in turn, attracts negative energy towards us. Through the power of thought, Byrne attests "There isn't a single thing that you cannot do with this knowledge. . . . The Secret can give you whatever you want" (p. 11).
   The Secret gives many examples of how living this way of thinking has helped many people throughout history. Byrnes herself came across the secret to life, when she was having a hard time in her life. She began practicing positive thought, and began willing good things her way. After many instances of her positive thoughts coming true, she began to write down her experiences. These written experiences have transcended into the phenomenon that is "The Secret."
   This book has been very helpful to me in my life. Not only in attaining the things I want to attain within my family and my business, but also to help me live a happier life. With the help of this book, I have learned to become more "Zen" and less stressed out in daily life. This in turn has helped me to become a better father and husband.
   Don't get me wrong, I did not agree with everything Byrne teaches in the Secret. From a religious standpoint, I find some of what she writes to be very blasphemous and sacrilegious. She claims that we should thank ourselves daily for our lives, where I feel we should thank our Father in Heaven for our lives. On page 164, Byrne states "You are God in a physical body. You are Spirit in the flesh. You are Eternal Life expressing itself as You. You are a cosmic being. You are all power. You are all wisdom. You are all intelligence. You are perfection. You are magnificence. You are the creator, and you are creating the creation of You on this planet." I struggled with some of the contradictions to my beliefs that were listed in this book, but was able to change the wording in my head, to fit my own beliefs as I read it.
   Despite the contradictions to my religious beliefs, I feel that there is something to be said for positive thinking. The Secret, if followed closely, and practiced, truly can change your life. I have become a better family member, a better business owner, and a better friend, because of the secret. I would recommend reading this book to learn how you can have money, friends, and success, when and how you want it.



2. I love that the book was in great condition and the price i paid was a steal! thanks!



3. I saw the movie and wanted to give the book as a gift. It was very much appreciated. "A good read" I am told. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to make changes in their life.



4. God is a pinata. Naive optimism is the broom stick. This book (less than $20) removes your blindfold, so you can get candy, cars and supermodel dates to fall from heaven (ahem...I mean...the "universe"). Tell that to the teenager dying of stage IV cancer, the mom whose child is strung out on dope, and the guy whose job just got out-sourced to India. You have to be dumber than driftwood to believe any of this junk, let alone to pay $15 to have Rhonda prey upon your wishes for a better life. The sequel should be "Psst...You're REALLY Dumb for Buying More Snake Oil". Ask Rhonda how much $$$ from her millions in book sales she donates to charity? After all, the 'universe' stands ready to re-fill her bank account. Right???



5. I love this book. It brings back everything I already new plus some and taught me how to use what I know. Everyone should read this book.

5 comments about Mindfulness for Beginners.

1. Excellent introduction for new comers and a quick review for people who are already familiar with Jon Kabat-Zinn's work. If you want a whole package of on "how to live" the eastern or yoga way, get Sunil Sheoran's Mylife Framework: A Model For A Successful Life Based On The Yoga Principles. The book doesn't talk only "mind" or "thinking" pieces but will really get your ready to get started on a meaningful life - in a VERY simple and disciplined way!



2. I attend a group meditation and my psycologist recommended this in conjuction with our group session work. Since the group only meets once a week, this CD is very helpful in guiding a beginner, like myself, through mindful meditation. I use this on the days when we don't meet. Personally, I find Jon's voice to be soothing and comforting, but every person is different. Just about everyone in my group session has purchased Jon's CDs and have been throughly satisfied. All you can do is give it a try and see if it works for you. That's life: trial and error.
   
   Mindfulness for Beginners



3. If you have tried to meditate only to discover that it's extremely difficult, this CD can get you going on the right path. If you are an experienced meditator, you may find this CD unnecessary.
   
   The package includes two CDs. In the first CD, the author starts by explaining what mindfulness is: "paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, as if you life depended on it, non-judgmentally". It explains how the mind is always busy thinking about one thing after another, incessantly. I have listened to this CD more than once, and every time I get something more out of it.
   
   In the second CD the author gives you several guided mindfulness exercises that allow you to quiet the mind in a progressive way. This is perhaps the most valuable aspect of this CD, that it guides you, through baby steps, down the path of meditation.
   
   The author leads you first to focus on a simple task: eating a raisin. As you discover that you can focus on that, the CD then takes you to focus on other things like sounds, and sounds only. As you do the sound exercises, you begin to witness your thoughts, how you judge the sounds, how you interpret the sounds and so forth.
   
   The last exercise is mindfulness as pure awareness. You no longer focus on anything but experience life by witnessing everything: sounds, thoughts, emotions, and anything else that comes in and out of your awareness. This step has the odd effect of giving you extreme peace of mind.
   
   I have bought other products by the same author: a book called "Wherever you go, there you are", "Coming to your senses" and a "Mindfulness Meditation" CD. I recommend getting the Mindfulness for Beginners first and if you find it useful, then read these other books and get the meditation CD. I have also bought several copies of this CD as a gift to friends and family, not everyone has taken to it, but those that have spent the time going through the exercises have told me that the exercises have helped them become more relaxed and "at ease in their own skin".
   
   On my end, mindfulness has completely turned around my life. I went from worrying about the future, worrying about what people thought of me, to enjoying life as it unfolds. Kabat Zinn was recommended to me by an organizational consultant that saw me stressed out worrying about my job and my life in general. Up until then, I had tried meditation multiple times by focusing on my breathing, but I failed miserably at it. When I started listening to this CD, I began to break through a wall of thoughts, thoughts, and more thoughts, circling in my head.
   
   If you have been curious about meditating but struggled to do it, this CD can get you unstuck and on a journey of self discovery that will completely transform your life.



4. I have read the author's book on Mindfulness. It was great. I was hoping the CD was something I could use with my therapy clients and family members who need an intro to Mindfulness. The material on the CD is way over the head of the average person - not for beginners, in my opinion. He uses a lot of unfamiliar words, phrases and concepts that the 'beginner' would not know. Maybe this would be useful for someone who had already been exposed to mindfulness and needed some encouragement to practice it.
   
   I returned the CD and got a refund.



5. I am a therapist and coordinator of therapeutic activities for an intensive psychiatric service team. I run a lot of DBT groups and was hoping I could supplement them with this resource. I was really disappointed after listening to it. I found the exercises to be overly intellectual and cerebral. This was so different from the experience of the author's books. It felt as though the author was filling a need to hear his own voice! This incessant talking left little space for observation. While I would highly recommend his books I would not recommend this CD for someone beginning mindful practices.

5 comments about The Word of Promise: Complete Audio Bible.

1. i had originally bought the word of promise nt. i gave it 4 stars. hoping they would eventually do the ot. it was worth the wait. i also have a bible on cd set with james earl jones. i really like the dramatized version also. see my other reviews for the above 2. the actors they got to do the old testament and GOD were spot on. it is refreshing to hear the bible in different formats. cd,video, and book form. i believe you can buy the whole set or just buy the old testament if you had already bought the new testament. chekck to see if this set is available i believe the old testament comes in a yellow box. enjoy



2. I purchased this for a family member for Christmas. We put a disc on for everyone to hear and enjoy. The entire family thought it was great. It was more than what I was planning to spend but after comparing sound tracks, this one was far better. It is worth the investment.



3. I loved Michael York's reading of Hebrews, but did not like the voice of Jesus. It sounded whiny or too sad much of the time. I think Jesus's voice was probably the strongest (not pitiful!) and most truly joyous (even in the middle trial) of anyone who ever lived.



4. All of the characters are well done and even my 6 year old enjoys listening to it. A must for any home.



5. I absolutely love this. Michael York is such a great narrator. All the actors did such a great job. I would recommend this to everyone that I know. If you're looking for an audio bible, this is the one for you.