5 comments about The Druidcraft Tarot.

1. The cards are very easy to read, one does not even need the book to accompany them. The images are very creative and at the same time very close to the original images. The cards meanings are depicted in Druid theme images and scenes. Some images significantly differ from original Raider-White deck but in the way that the original meaning is preserved. It's hard to explain, one has to see it.
   The book is also great. I've been reading tarot cards for years and I found the meanings in the book to be very similar to the meanings I've come to know from practice. Those cards grow on you: since I got this deck I hardly use anymore my other decks.
   
   In addition to the card meanings the book also has a little bit of info on tarot history as well as sample spreads. Both the deck and the book are totally worth it



2. This deck is truly a joy! The imagery is spiritual, beautiful and visually well adapted to both new and experienced tarot readers. The non-traditional representations of several cards MAY be confusing to those not familiar with Wicca or Druidic entities but once you read the documentation the interpretations make perfect sense.
   
   For those who care about such things, several cards present their concepts using nudity but I recently purchased a deck which has much more gratuitous and unimaginative nakedness!
   
   The book which accompanies the deck is clearly illustrated (sepia rather than full color as the deck is) and the information is presented in an easy to absorb format. The author chose to present the minor arcana first and rather than presenting the information by suit, the courts are grouped by type and pips are grouped by number. The relationships between the major arcana are well explained as well.
   
   The courts represent two entities as male (king-mature and prince-immature) and two as female (queen-mature and princess-immature). Perhaps this is non traditional but the concept touched me as being more in tune with nature.



3. This is my favorite deck. It is beautifully illustraited. It works so well for me I absolutely love it. I would highly recommend this deck. The accompianing book that comes with is so helpful in understanding one's spiritual path.



4. This is a beautiful deck that I feel will work very well for me. From the moment I opened the box I felt drawn to it. I can't wait to use it.



5. The illustrations of these cards are simply beautiful. The deck is wonderfully balanced for those who do not use reverse cards (like myself). I really love this deck and use it often.

5 comments about Plant Spirit Medicine: The Healing Power of Plants.

1. This book is an accessible, sincere and inspired guide for anyone who is curious about how to recover the human's innate ability to be in communication with the non-human world - which apparently just awaits our intention to do so. Eliot Cowan shares his own fascinating journey of discovery in a way that also offers to the reader ideas for how to do the same. His message is not, "look at me, I have special abilities," but "look into yourself and see what is there just waiting to be revived." The disastrous psychological, ecological and spiritual situation humans find themselves in as a result of having stopped engaging in "the great conversation" with nature, as author Thomas Berry puts it, can begin to heal if we try hard, now, to apply ourselves to the wisdom available in such books as Plant Spirit Medicine. We have a responsibility to read and utilize such information as Eliot Cowan makes available here. --Tayria Ward, Ph.D.



2. Plant Spirit Medicine speaks of the elements of nature, the plants, shamanism, and healing. Cowan's integrity, wisdom and humor is apparent throughout. I first read this book 7 years ago. It changed my life, opening me up to a world where healing, love and compassion are always flowing from the plants and other aspects of nature. This book speaks of one man's journey and opens the doors to allow you to make your own journey and find your own path.



3. Well written, full of passion and honesty. Cowan takes a leap of faith with courage in hopes that others will learn the connectedness of all, and the simplicity it takes to honor our most prescious resources, "OUR FAMILY". Well worth the read, and please; share it with others!



4. I have been reading and practicing these medicines for some time. I am also studying ethnobotany and plant medicine in relation to psychopathology. I picked up this book as a supplement to my work, and I did not expect that it would be so good. I would recommend this book to ANY person interested in this subject- whether they are totally new to it, or have been doing it for decades.
   Cowan clearly and eloquently provides his take on this subject, and does a very good job explaining the basics. But he writes with a gentle tone, and makes plant spirit medicine something that everyone can do. This book isn't trying to sell anything or promote a workshop or healing modality. This really does provide some genuine insights on how to communicate with plants and use them for healing.
   Eliot Cowan is right on with this book. You won't be disappointed.



5. This is simply a beautiful book. Much good work has been done to help connect people and plants and we delight in that. Eliot looks beyond the physical plant you see and gifts you with the feeling of connection with Plant Spirits. Thank you Eliot. Many who read this book with an open heart will come through the door you have opened. We are ready to help - ready to heal.

5 comments about Animal-Wise: The Spirit Language and Signs of Nature.

1. I'm glad I snagged a copy of this book. Usually when an author puts out another book on the same topic as before it ends up being flogge past redemption. This one, though, is a good expansion on what Animal-Speak contained. I'm especially happy about the continuation of the animal totem dictionary, primarily because it reminds readers that there are animals beyond North America ;)
   
   I wouldn't really recommend it as a stand-alone book for a beginner because you really do need a lot of the material from Animal-Speak for betetr context, but if you really, really like Andrews' work go ahead and get this. If you're more independent, you can probably pass it up since it's pretty much the second half of a very large book.



2. Truley another wonderful book on the subject of animal magic and totems. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in finding out what animal(s) is their totem or just to find out what each animal that comes into their life means amd how it relates to them.



3. Another cover that suggests things Native American, another round of clip-art-type illos, another dose of the "New Age" (see my review for Animal-Speak).
   
   This book is interesting in that it lists scores of less-popular, less-cuddly critters: insects, arachnids, arthropods, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. (Where else ya' gonna go if you think you have a Crayfish totem?)



4. Ted Andrews has put alot of research & dedication into this resource.
   Fantastic info on all animals included & excellent sections on how to incorporate animal wisdom into your life.
   An excellent resource for healers & Kinesiologists when balancing or for anyone who loves animals & nature.
   Highly recommended buy.



5. Good reference book for Spirit Guides and tells you how to build your own Totem. Easy to read and Easy to use.

5 comments about Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (Bollingen Series (General)).

1. Eliade is the greatest of the modern interpreters of myth and religious practice, and Shamanism, along with his Yoga: Immorality and Freedom, are his two most brilliant works. If you love the study of comparative religion any myth, you'll love this book.



2. A classic of proven value, it is an essential companion for anyone exploring shamanic realities - either as a scholar, as an explorer, or as a practitioner.
   
   If you read only one book on the subject, make THIS the book.



3. The book market is flooded with books on "shamanism" but this one really stands out. I can honestly say that out of the books on the topic I've read so far this one is the best. It not only discusses the shamanic practices of the Native Americans , Siberians, and Tibetans, but also analogous practices of the Indo-European peoples. "Shamanism, Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy" is a classic and a must read for anyone who has an interest in the subject.



4. This is a scholarly work that seeks to illuminate the role of the shaman. Since it draws from secondary accounts, it does not seek to portray the actual experience. Rather, it is concerned with defining what shamanism is, its historical significance, and its influence around the world. The precision of language used here to describe various aspects of the subject matter tend to make the book weighty and tiresome. But the payoff for the student of the history of religion is big. It is fascinating to consider how shamanism - developed in the primitive setting of hunter-gatherers - has influenced today's religions around the world.
   
   The phenomenon of shamanism derives from an archaic world view that has a limited knowledge of the workings of the physical world, but such a knowledge is not of significance here. The shaman's journey is the journey of the soul, breaking beyond the confines of the physical world and entering by means of the cosmic tree or the cosmic mountain (symbols of the center of the world) the celestial regions or, less frequently, the lower regions. To make this transition or flight, the shaman employs techniques of ecstasy, which usually involves drumming and a trancelike state. In the Arctic, where shamanism has been most prominent and the most durable due to the extreme physical conditions, the use of ecstatic techniques have been seen to be the most effective. The purpose is to communicate with spirits in order to cure people of illness, create favorable conditions for hunting, or retrieve lost souls. One of the defining characteristics is the mastery of fire: the ability not to be affected by heat or cold.
   
   Now the sceptic or materialist might well think, especially after hearing what seem like tall tales, that the shaman is just some whacked-out neurotic, who uses the threat of the supernatural to advantage. But consider the fact that in order to become a shaman a crisis must first be faced. Some sickness or illness such as epilepsy causes the would-be shaman considerable distress. In dealing with the crisis, the candidate undergoes an initiation process under the auspices of a master shaman, and only succeeds if he or she is able to control his condition. As a result of the ordeal, the shaman is significantly healthier and more physically fit than an average person and also has greater mental acuity. And, the very act of shamanizing is needed in order to maintain that physical and mental health.
   
   Of particular interest is how shamanism was assimilated into emerging civilizations both East and West. The author does not broadly speculate, but compares specific characteristics. It does seem clear that shamanism has had a very strong influence on the asceticism of India and even more of an influence on the religious tradition of Tibet and on Taoism in China. In the West, shamanic influences are not as strong. The Indo-Europeans, when they migrated south through Greece and the Aegean and then spread through the Near East, came into contact with an agrarian, socialized people, who were under the spell of a priest rather than a shaman.



5. I am reading this book as a prerequisite for a two-week shamanic healing intensive course beginning Sept 6. It's a bit thick and extraordinarily well-footnoted, and Eliade says of himself in the preface that he is a religious historian, not an anthropologist. Nevertheless, this book is an excellent resource. I removed one star simply because the index clings to archaic terms even though this particular edition isn't that old. "Invert"? as opposed to "homosexual"? You have to ferret out things a bit here, but it's still worth it. Not that it's the be-all, end-all; as I mentioned above, he's a religious historian, and all of this work is based on secondary sources. By all accounts, Eliade did no field work himself. Despite that and despite my minor grumbles about the index, he nails it.

5 comments about The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer, and Visionary.

1. This book is a New Age muddle of incorrect assumptions about buddhism and various aboriginal belief systems. This author doesn't get ANY of it quite right. She takes bits and pieces from different religious or philisophical traditions and sticks them together with bits of cellophane tape. I've seen collages made by kindergardeners that made more philisophical sense.
   
   NOT recommended.



2. I got this book as recommended reading for a workshop I took on the heart. It contains a wealth of information presented in a warm, stratighforward way. There's so much in it to help guide you to opening yourself up where you need it and to expanding your knowledge of yourself. I practice some of the exrciese and meditations daily and refer to it often.



3. I like the book better than the CDs. There is a nice breakdown of information and a simple to understand text.



4. The exploration of archetypes and symbols within one's life is a powerful tool for self understanding, healing and growth. And so, this is a significant book in my life at least.
   
   This book took a while to be effective in my case. It has become well-worn from being opened to certain pages over and over again. It is marked, folded, penned and penciled in many spots.
   
   I had to go through just one part at a time, and then take time--- to think about the words and their meanings, meditate upon how it applied in my life. Thus, I was able to experience difficult but valuable lessons when taking on the roles of Warrior, Healer, Visionary and Teacher while living through my own self-disassembly and dissection.
   
   I know some reviewers didnt like them, considering them hodgepodge puzzles of various religions... but I particularly liked the tables and charts that illustrate the symbols and things to contemplate upon and process for a particular archetype or power role. For example, I was drawn first to "The Way of The Healer" and Arrien presents the following ideas, symbols and actions: Direction: South/ Element: Earth/ Human Resource: Love/ Kind of Meditation: Lying/ Way of Living: Right Speech/ Four-Fold Way: Pay Attention/ Season: Spring... to just name a few. Trying out the ideas on for size, the suggested practices, the skills... takes a lot of time! I can read a cliffhanger novel in one night, but I couldn't do that with the stuff in this book. LOL.
   
   And so, I read this book for 1 year for self-healing and gained some inner strengthening. I also began to recognize my boundaries and the circle of power that I would have to be willing to stand in. During this time I also began to see patterns of these archetypes in leadership roles within communities and societies and thus continued discerning and observing the qualities of Warrior, Healer, Visionary and Teacher in the admirable men and women leaders I have met personally.
   
   Bottom line, the ideas and symbols associated with Warrior, Healer, Visionary and Teacher needed time and again, contemplation, trial and error, before it really opened up for clearer understanding on the levels of mind and heart for me. Maybe this book can work for you too if you give it some time and your self some patience.
   
   Fare thee well, book lover and fellow Seeker!



5. I'm about halfway through this book. It contains good information about the four paths and their shadow sides, but I'm having a hard time getting past the fact that this author continuously quotes other authors instead of taking their information and putting it into her own words.
   
   It gives the feeling of a collection of tidbits that will encourage further research.
   
   I will revise this review once I have completed the book.

5 comments about Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman (Arkana).

1. I am an advocate reader of anything pertaining to African culture and spirituality. I had heard of the many reviews of this book from many people, and all of them being positive. But what stood out in all those reviews is the fact that those who read it admitted "I couldn't put the book down". Well, I read the book and just by reading the introduction alone made me not want to put the book down. I knew that i was in for a reading that would be mind-boggling, thought provoking, powerful and profound. Brother Malidoma did not disappointment me at all.
   
   Every chapter had a lesson behind it. The most impressive and powerful was when Malidoma returned to his village and his elders sanctioned him to be initiated. Eventhough he couldn't go into great detail, the experience that he could share was priceless. This is one of those "rare" books in which you use as a basis to measure the quality against others. Honestly, 5 stars is not enough to rate this book.



2. One of the best books ever written...In fact I've read none better...It is a book I buy for friends and strangers alike...I think I've bought it 5 times now



3. Reading about this man's spiritual journey in a different culture completely changed my perspective on life as we live it here in the US. I would highly recommned this book to anyone interested in learning about the Dagara culture and interested in a new personal paradigm.



4. Patrice Some's fascinating account of his life, against the backdrop of his native culture (the Dugara people) and the infiltration of Western missionaries, is visionary, liberating, and mind-expanding.
   
   His initiation into shamanism is a journey into the underworld, powerful spirits of the ancestors, dead men walking, other dimensions, and is as mystical and otherworldly as it gets.
   
   Some's experiences reveal a profound cultural chasm between Western and African cultures, and gives one an insight into the current state of Africa, and the reasons for that. Patrice Some is also a great commentator as he has lived in both worlds. Highly recommended for people with an open mind about other cultures, shamanism, mysticism, colonialism, and african spirituality.



5. This book is a transformative agent that releases the Western mind of all false concepts of spirituality and the spiritual world. I highly recommend this book. Recognize that you will not be the same after completing this journey in the form of literature. Bless!

5 comments about Fire from Within.

1. Carlos Castaneda was one of the most controversial writers of the twentieth century. Some in academia branded him a fraud for claiming his stories were biographical rather than fiction, while lauding him as a great novelist for exposing a mass audience to otherwise inaccessible philosophical abstractions they claimed were largely plagiarized. Each of his works is a piece of a larger puzzle, which makes it impossible to critique any one book without addressing the larger context into which it fits.
   
   His first two books, "Teachings of Don Juan" and "A Separate Reality" describe experiences induced by ingesting psychotropic hallucinogenics prepared by a Yaqui Indian shaman from Sonora, Mexico he called don Juan Matus, and accounted for his becoming a guru to a generation seeking short cuts to spiritual enlightenment, as well as his lifelong interest in the relationship between perception and reality, a theme now explored in many popular books on consciousness and quantum physics. Unfortunately, these books remain his best selling works, in spite of Castaneda refuting their importance in his later works. Readers would be best served to skip these and avoid the risk of being turned off to Castaneda and missing the more stimulating works that followed.
   
   His third and fourth works were "Journey to Ixtlan" and "Tales of Power." In Ixtlan he admits to over-estimating the value of his drug experiences, which caused him to overlook the more profound teachings of don Juan which became the focus of future writings. What emerges is a spiritual discipline dating back to the Pre-Colombian Toltec sorcerers of Latin America, culminating with don Juan's departure from our world, effectively ending Castaneda's direct affiliation.
   
   In his fifth and sixth works "Second Ring of Power" and "Eagles Gift" Castaneda suffers strange flashbacks of what seem to be memory fragments of events he is unable to fit into any logical time sequence. In his seventh and eighth works, "Fire From Within" and "Power of Silence," Castaneda succeeds in reconstructing his lost memories, which derive from teachings previously administered by don Juan while Castaneda was in a "heightened" state of awareness.
   
   In books nine and ten, "Art of Dreaming" and "Active Side of Infinity," Castaneda focuses on what he describes as inorganic predators from another dimension, some having the power to imprison humanity in "ordinary reality" so they can feed on the dark emotional energies we produce when succumbing to the negative thoughts they insert into our minds.
   
   In later years several seemingly substantiating works appeared by two of Castaneda's female apprentices, Taisha Abelar and Florinda Donner-Grau. In addition, two scathing exposés were also published by two of his ex-wives. The first, "Magical Journey with Carlos Castaneda" by first wife, Margaret Runyon, offers little corroboration, since her marriage pre-dates the time when the bulk of Castaneda's adventures were claimed to have occurred. While steadfast that Castaneda was a sorcerer, she doubts the existence of don Juan, even claiming authorship of many of the concepts Castaneda ascribed to him.
   
   The second, and more credible work, is "Sorcerer's Apprentice," by well-known writer Amy Wallace, daughter of the late best selling novelist Irving Wallace. Here again, we find little corroboration since the time of the events she describes is well after the period when Castaneda's relationship with don Juan is alleged to occur. What the book does provide is a troubling look inside Castaneda's final years, a picture of descent into what seems sexual addiction and possibly madness, leaving one to wonder if Castaneda was just one cup of cool-aid short of a Jonestown.
   
   Many have asked why I put any stock whatsoever in Castaneda. A story from my autobiography, "The Vortex" may shed some light. A year before Castaneda published his first book I had an experience that would remain a mystery until Castaneda published "Power of Silence" twenty years later.
   
   For a brief time, in my youth, I became a practicing Muslim, meticulously performing the complex prayer ritual five times a day. Then one night, sitting in my car, frustrated and complaining at not being able to find the address of my next sales appointment, something inside me snapped. It was as if some part of me had disconnected from my body and assumed control, lecturing me about my lack of discipline. A profound calm settled over me, rendering me simultaneously detached and engaged. For two days my sales figures soared. It was as if no one could say no to me. On the evening of the second day I decided to put my new state of being to the acid test by visiting my parents. Their behavior was so uncharacteristically supportive I hardly recognized them. It was enough to convince me that I was now living in an altered reality. But by the following morning I had returned to "normal." So distracting had this event been that I completely forgot to perform my Muslim prayers, and in fact, never did so again.
   
   Twenty years later, in a chapter of "Power of Silence" entitled "Place of No Pity" Castaneda describes a very similar experience. In the aftermath of the event don Juan explains that humans are like televisions stuck on a channel called "self-preoccupation," lacking the energy to tune into any of the vast array of other channels available to us. To change channels, he explains, we first need to accumulate energy, by practicing rituals that are deliberate, precise and repetitious. Do this long enough and eventually our stored energy precipitates a shift to a channel where self-importance and self pity become impossible. Once this happens we connect with the force that controls the entire universe, a force don Juan called "intent," and everything can be bent to our will and even more channels can be opened, assuming we remember to keep practicing the rituals that save our energy.
   
   This one realization alone was enough to inspire me to dedicate my autobiography "To Carlos, with gratitude."
   
   Maxwell Austin van Lack, Author of The Vortex: A True Story of Passion and Karma



2. I have been a fan of Carlos Castanda since his first novel, the teaching of Don Juan. This book is easily to grapse and interesting to learn about the life of a socery of Don Juan. Carlos experience so many vision in the fire from within. Being abstract, Carlos explain to the reader about his appreanticeship with Don Juan. From his hiliarous antic, Don Juan display his experience growing up as a seer. The book is highly recommended for any type of reader.



3. This is one of my favorite books by Castaneda. The main theme of Fire from Within is the idea of a 'petty tyrant'. In this book Don Juan teaches that the seers of old learned to face the unknown by dealing with petty tyrants of everyday life. One would think it would be the other way around. But their is genius in such an idea.
   
   We are also given much of the humor of Don Juan as in the other titles and also it expands on the philosophy of the shamans of ancient Mexico. There are some very relevant ideas to be taken out of this book.



4. Although I have no doubt that Castaneda under the influence of multiple mind altering drugs believed his experiences to be of great import to occult science, Thomas Vaughan summed the such likes in saying, The spirals of their towers of Babel seem to ascend to the clouds, but when a foundation in Light of Truth is sought; there is none to be found.
   It serves no purpose than to take up time and research; except to perceive just how far God will permit a man to delude himself via demonic influence.
   Matthew P. Dec
   Founder - asrpcp.org



5. "Fire From Within" is one of two most memorable books (with the second being The Active Side of Infinity) by Carlos Castaneda that I have ever read, as ideas from this book that can be utilized for everyday life, such as "petty tyrant" and being "impeccable." This book contains profound lessons to learn in our world.
   
   Face the petty tyrant in everyday life and you will face the unknown.
   
   It is not the question of whether or not this book is fiction, but it is the idea(s) that stem from this book and others that can have such impact on our lives and how we deal with other people. These ideas seem to be traced back to ancient philosophies to which they were currently being ignored but they are crucial for today's world.
   
   Most highly recommended.

4 comments about Plant Spirit Healing: A Guide to Working with Plant Consciousness.

1. A wonderfully written book, explores herbal healing well beyond the modern paradigm of plant chemistry and herbal analogues of pharmaceuticals. The spirits of the plants as healers and teachers through the ages is brought to life here by a talented writer who obviously walks the walk while talking the talk. Thank you Ms. Montgomery for this gem



2. This accessible yet comprehensive book is a tremendous gift of both wisdom and practical application on how the universe actually works and how to tap in and play a part yourself. Plant Spirit Healing is about the difference between knowing about a plant (available through book learning and use) and experiencing its spirit - where you merge with it, communicate through an exchange of insights, and achieve a full and lasting relationship. This book benefits from Pam Montgomery having taught and honed this material many times. If you cannot take Montgomery's apprenticeship program and experience her own ebullient spirit, this book is the next best thing.
   
   Emphasizing that each person's knowing and experience of different plants may be different in what is really a Both/And, rather than an Either/Or, universe, Montgomery guides you to find your own plant spirit guides appropriate for this time in your life journey. Chances are who they are will surprise you.
   
   This remarkable book takes the reader on a journey from (possibly) skeptical interest in plant spirits, to plausible, to possible, to practical. At no point does the journey include religious overtones or spacey far-out suggestions.
   
   Montgomery builds a foundation based on physical and energetic qualities of both people and plants. Each new parcel of knowledge is presented in a flowing sequence based upon previously explained information. The trip is full of "of course" moments where you recognize that you already knew what she is presenting, but perhaps did not know where to place it in your established body of knowledge. As much as anything this book greatly expands and updates your established body of knowledge.
   
   Fine-tuning gathered from years of teaching workshops and apprentice programs has honed Montgomery's understanding of the pace and paths by which people can not only learn, but can experience and assimilate deeper knowledge. Her expertise allows her to lead the reader through these layers of knowing in the transparent, uncluttered, way that characterizes the best of guides.
   
   The Theme is Relationships.
   Despite years of loving plants, I would not have thought that there were so many ways to understand plants, or so many tools for deepening my relationships with them. Indeed, relationship is what this book is all about, including establishing, fostering, and nurturing actual relationships with plants. This includes being open, observant, respectful, and enjoying. It involves appreciating plants and learning from them and moving those relationships on to partnerships. This carries on the theme of Montgomery's previous book, Partner Earth (1997) in which she encourages humans to take responsibility and action to be co-creators and partners with Earth, rather than passive children of Mother Earth.
   
   At one point in Plant Spirit Healing Pam likens establishing a new relationship with a plant to a relationship with a potential lover. Just think about that. It includes breath exchange, attention, respect. One is open, observant, eager to learn all one can about this person who suddenly seems to glow with light. One is gentle and respectful and wants to spend every available moment with the new love, gently growing knowledge and love and a shared history, exploring all facets and aspects of the beloved.
   
   Organization and arrangement
   The book's organization is clear and accessible. Different learning modes are accommodated as each chapter presents the material in three modes. Chapters begin with a journal entry from Montgomery's daily interactions with nature and how it feeds her developing wisdom. We catch a glimpse of her slipping into communication with plants and the landscape. Next, the bulk of the chapter is a descriptive exposition of the topic. This is followed by examples which illustrate the ideas and techniques just presented with experiences Montgomery has had with her clients, or that her students have experienced.
   
   The book is divided into three parts, The Theoretical Basis for Plant Spirit Healing, The Practical Application of Plant Spirit Healing and Plant Allies, a section on specific plants. Christian Hummel recently wrote "We are living in a time when ancient principles that have been espoused for ages from Vedic texts to Native American philosophies are being validated by science - a meeting point between science and spirituality where these principles are being tested and proven to be true." [July 2007 Wisdom magazine p. 28 "Accessing the Creative Matrix: The Secret to Healing the Earth" ] Montgomery presents much of this material in Part One by distilling and presenting the essence of a large and varied body of new scientific information in an accessible format that relates to plant spirit and communication. She has gleaned knowledge from others - both ancient traditions and recent science - and incorporates it straightforwardly for easy absorption without being academic. Part Two is a practical journey where actually meeting and getting to know plants is facilitated with a range of different techniques. Part Three introduces the plants as their fully embodied selves giving a sense of the expansive beings they are.
   
   Plant Spirit Healing teaches about how sprit moves in the world, thus bringing spirit into reality, instead of keeping it in the abstract realm of religion. We are given a handbook to understand the wonder of plants, and a guidebook of practical techniques and exercises to form personal, intimate, real relationships with plant beings whose importance, variety, beauty, gifts and outright wisdom are usually ignored. The result reminds me of my joy at the animal tracks revealed by the first snowfall in what has been a gray and lonely November landscape. The joyful feeling of not being alone. The deep knowledge that I share this landscape with other beings who are aware of themselves, who live full and interesting lives, and who are open to knowing me and interacting with me.
   
   Plants have been calling to many of us for the past several decades. Chances are they are somehow calling you as well. This is a guidebook to answer that call, probably in a deeper way than you ever imagined. By the time you have read it you will have established relationships with plant beings, taken a deep journey and found missing parts of yourself.



3. Beautiful, hopeful, how to in a world filled with strife. Pam reminds us all to take the time to walk among the creatures who are there in our backyards. We don't have to travel far, but instead realize that each plant on our earth has purpose. When we befriend them, opening our spirit to encompass their's a new strength is formed. Thank-you Pam for this powerful reminder.....Dona



4. Pam Montgomery ties so many sources together, including more about "the how" of opening our senses to link with our plant relatives. The literature in this important inquiry is growing and it is so good to have Pam's feminine voice in the chorus. Thank you Pam!
   Submitted by Zia Parker, school director of Agua Alma Aquatic Bodywork

5 comments about The Art of Dreaming.

1. Not the greatest but who's to say. Lists some practical guides for dreaming and is still a bit criptive to those not fully involve with the sorcerer's path. Still a recommended read for those not too inclined but interested. Don't know what else to say.



2. When I read this book I started having many more lucid dreams. I found this book extremely interesting and very different from other dream books.



3. Before reading any of the Castaneda books, it is vital that any potential reader know the truth behind the legend - this I have covered in lengthy reviews of each of the first five books. This short review is just to say that this is probably the worst place to start as far as Castaneda books go. The others are at least written in a believable way, when Castaneda's art of fibbing was still well-developed. By this book he had given up all pretence at earning the label of non-fiction, the final result being a book that makes Alice in Wonderland seem quite believable. And if you want lucid dreaming, you've come to the wrong place. Read up some more on the man and his work before you believe anything in this book.



4. I've done some research on lucid dreaming and astral travel and am in the process of attaining these states and looked to this book, by recommendation, as a potential guide book of sorts. Well, it does contain some general truths as compared with other books I've read and then there are things that are added in to make for a good and dangerous story with plenty of conflict that keeps you turning the pages. For instance: When Castaneda talks of the dangers of being lured in by "inorganic beings", which "inorganic" or non-physical beings is he talking about? The entire physical, astral, spiritual universe is populated by potentially millions of different races of "inorganic" beings. Some are out to get you, while some are benevolent, just like people on Earth. And the "scouts", or spirit-guides as most call them, are stereotyped as well as having a mischievous intent of luring out into realms of the universe that might not be able to get back from. Total rubbish! These examples and many more are why you can't rely on these books as actual guide books to help the serious explorer of these realms. They're written more in the style of "The Celestine Prophecy". I don't see why Castaneda just wouldn't be upfront about them being fiction, because as fiction, they are o.k. books if that's what you're looking for.
   If you want real advice from real people about real experiences in the real lucid dreaming/astral travel worlds I'd suggest the following authors: Bruce Moen, Robert Monroe, Albert Taylor, William Buhlman, Stephen LaBerge, Adrian Cooper, Robert Bruce, Fred Atwater and others that you can find from links on their websites.
   But, if you're not seriously looking into astral travel and looking for a good read, then Castaneda may be your man....



5. To quote an erudite earlier reviewer: "In books nine and ten, "Art of Dreaming" and "Active Side of Infinity," Castaneda focuses on what he describes as inorganic predators from another dimension, some having the power to imprison humanity in "ordinary reality" so they can feed on the dark emotional energies we produce when succumbing to the negative thoughts they insert into our minds. "
   
   I might add this a dangerous book with its own subtle, destructive undertow. The creative shamanic mind should beware and approach with serious minded caution and maintain a healthy distance. I am neither stating its contents are true nor untrue, but the un-initiated need not apply, and the initiated might be wise enough to let sleeping dogs lie.
   
   It is a big mind-you-know-what, whether Carlos in his imaginative process intended it that way or not.
   
   Claim your power and move on. Consider THIS a gift and a warning. Your greed for esoteric exploration may test you beyond what you expected.

5 comments about The Active Side of Infinity.

1. You have to read all the previous works to see how simple it is, otherwise you miss the profundity. He could have been a trickster at one point, but that ws long ago. Don't even dream of starting Castaneda with these later books. Take the time to ground yourself with his earlier works.



2. Carlos Castaneda was one of the most controversial writers of the twentieth century. Some in academia branded him a fraud for claiming his stories were biographical rather than fiction, while lauding him as a great novelist for exposing a mass audience to otherwise inaccessible philosophical abstractions they claimed were largely plagiarized. Each of his works is a piece of a larger puzzle, which makes it impossible to critique any one book without addressing the larger context into which it fits.
   
   
   
   His first two books, "Teachings of Don Juan" and "A Separate Reality" describe experiences induced by ingesting psychotropic hallucinogenics prepared by a Yaqui Indian shaman from Sonora, Mexico he called don Juan Matus, and accounted for his becoming a guru to a generation seeking short cuts to spiritual enlightenment, as well as his lifelong interest in the relationship between perception and reality, a theme now explored in many popular books on consciousness and quantum physics. Unfortunately, these books remain his best selling works, in spite of Castaneda refuting their importance in his later works. Readers would be best served to skip these and avoid the risk of being turned off to Castaneda and missing the more stimulating works that followed.
   
   
   
   His third and fourth works were "Journey to Ixtlan" and "Tales of Power." In Ixtlan he admits to over-estimating the value of his drug experiences, which caused him to overlook the more profound teachings of don Juan which became the focus of future writings. What emerges is a spiritual discipline dating back to the Pre-Colombian Toltec sorcerers of Latin America, culminating with don Juan's departure from our world, effectively ending Castaneda's direct affiliation.
   
   
   
   In his fifth and sixth works "Second Ring of Power" and "Eagles Gift" Castaneda suffers strange flashbacks of what seem to be memory fragments of events he is unable to fit into any logical time sequence. In his seventh and eighth works, "Fire From Within" and "Power of Silence," Castaneda succeeds in reconstructing his lost memories, which derive from teachings previously administered by don Juan while Castaneda was in a "heightened" state of awareness.
   
   
   
   In books nine and ten, "Art of Dreaming" and "Active Side of Infinity," Castaneda focuses on what he describes as inorganic predators from another dimension, some having the power to imprison humanity in "ordinary reality" so they can feed on the dark emotional energies we produce when succumbing to the negative thoughts they insert into our minds.
   
   
   
   In later years several seemingly substantiating works appeared by two of Castaneda's female apprentices, Taisha Abelar and Florinda Donner-Grau. In addition, two scathing exposés were also published by two of his ex-wives. The first, "Magical Journey with Carlos Castaneda" by first wife, Margaret Runyon, offers little corroboration, since her marriage pre-dates the time when the bulk of Castaneda's adventures were claimed to have occurred. While steadfast that Castaneda was a sorcerer, she doubts the existence of don Juan, even claiming authorship of many of the concepts Castaneda ascribed to him.
   
   
   
   The second, and more credible work, is "Sorcerer's Apprentice," by well-known writer Amy Wallace, daughter of the late best selling novelist Irving Wallace. Here again, we find little corroboration since the time of the events she describes is well after the period when Castaneda's relationship with don Juan is alleged to occur. What the book does provide is a troubling look inside Castaneda's final years, a picture of descent into what seems sexual addiction and possibly madness, leaving one to wonder if Castaneda was just one cup of cool-aid short of a Jonestown.
   
   
   
   Many have asked why I put any stock whatsoever in Castaneda. A story from my autobiography, "The Vortex" may shed some light. A year before Castaneda published his first book I had an experience that would remain a mystery until Castaneda published "Power of Silence" twenty years later.
   
   
   
   For a brief time, in my youth, I became a practicing Muslim, meticulously performing the complex prayer ritual five times a day. Then one night, sitting in my car, frustrated and complaining at not being able to find the address of my next sales appointment, something inside me snapped. It was as if some part of me had disconnected from my body and assumed control, lecturing me about my lack of discipline. A profound calm settled over me, rendering me simultaneously detached and engaged. For two days my sales figures soared. It was as if no one could say no to me. On the evening of the second day I decided to put my new state of being to the acid test by visiting my parents. Their behavior was so uncharacteristically supportive I hardly recognized them. It was enough to convince me that I was now living in an altered reality. But by the following morning I had returned to "normal." So distracting had this event been that I completely forgot to perform my Muslim prayers, and in fact, never did so again.
   
   
   
   Twenty years later, in a chapter of "Power of Silence" entitled "Place of No Pity" Castaneda describes a very similar experience. In the aftermath of the event don Juan explains that humans are like televisions stuck on a channel called "self-preoccupation," lacking the energy to tune into any of the vast array of other channels available to us. To change channels, he explains, we first need to accumulate energy, by practicing rituals that are deliberate, precise and repetitious. Do this long enough and eventually our stored energy precipitates a shift to a channel where self-importance and self pity become impossible. Once this happens we connect with the force that controls the entire universe, a force don Juan called "intent," and everything can be bent to our will and even more channels can be opened, assuming we remember to keep practicing the rituals that save our energy.
   
   
   
   This one realization alone was enough to inspire me to dedicate my autobiography "To Carlos, with gratitude."
   
   
   
   Maxwell Austin van Lack, Author of The Vortex: A True Story of Passion and Karma
   



3. What a great book!. My heart started thumping in horror when it came to the point of predator and flyers. Castenada's book has his own class of unimaginable spiritual adventures , but this goes beyond all of that.



4. Active side of infinity is one of the last books written by Castaneda and it is the book were Don Juan finally reveal what the predator is. Instead of giving unperfect summaries and explanations here is a most revealing excerpt :
   
   "I want to appeal to your analytical mind," don Juan said. "Think for a moment, and tell me how you would explain the contradiction between man the engineer and the stupidity of his systems of beliefs, or the stupidity of his contradictory behavior. Sorcerers believe that the predators have given us our systems of beliefs, our ideas of good and evil, our social mores. They are the ones who set up our hopes and expectations and dreams of success and failure. They have given us covetousness, greed, and cowardice. It is the predators who make us complacent, routinary, and egomaniacal."
   
   "But how can they do this, don Juan?" I asked. "Do they whisper all that in our ears while we sleep?"
   
   "No, they don't do it that way. That's idiotic!" don Juan said, smiling. "They are infinitely more efficient and organized than that. In order to keep us obedient and meek and weak, the predators engaged themselves in a stupendous maneuver - stupendous, of course, from the point of view of a fighting strategist. A horrendous maneuver from the point of view of those who suffer it. They gave us their mind! Do you hear me! The predators give us their mind, which becomes our mind. The predators mind is baroque, contradictory, morose, filled with fear of being discovered any minute now."
   
   Active side of infinity is a must read, particularly if you have already read the first books of Castaneda.



5. This is the fifth Carlos Castenada book I have read. Like the others, it was a gripping read from start to finish. Casteneda was truly a gifted writer. How else do you explain his ability to write so convincingly about ethereal matters? I am, however, left with one nagging question: Was it real? If so, then we as humans are really in the dark, living as we do in our world of concepts, constructs and perceptions. If he made it all up then all I can say is, what a storyteller! One thing is certain: Reading any of Castendas books is delightful entertainment. You won't be bored for a minute!