5 comments about How to Have More than Enough: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Abundance.

1. This book is extremely benefial to read. Its easy reading joyfully guides you how to build a good foundation for success, personal wealth, and good family relationships. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.



2. I very much appreciate Dave Ramsey's putting financial matters in the context of virtuous behavior. This is not just a "get out of debt" book or a "make real money" book. It is a book that reminds its readers how many of us stray from fiscal health, suckered in by the 'race to get ahead and then fall behind' values common to the vast majority of Americans - materialism, status, name brands, immediate gratification, antagonism, impermanence, gluttony, lack of responsibility, even lack of contentment. Ramsey knows all too well that when it comes to fiscal restraint and good money habits, this is not a virtuous society. He recommends solid values to counteract the mainstream of American life - patience, delayed gratification, humility, cooperation, peace, communication, contentment and, of course, paying CASH. I wholly applaud this philosophy.
   
   But, merely as a qualifier, I do want to let the prospective reader know that Mr. Ramsey's work is not secular. Bible passages, a Christian perspective and religious messages (such as suggesting prayer and counsel with clergy) set the tone much of the way, and the book is geared (not entirely but mostly) toward traditional and fairly conventional nuclear families.
   
   As a more daring and thorough departure from those seemingly ubiquitous American go-getter values that lure so many into dire straits (such as 'the more you buy the more you save'), I can heartily recommend the popular classic "Your Money or Your Life."



3. ********wonderful*******



4. 
   
   
   Consumer debt has long been a problem of most americans. The writer is very explicit about those things which cause us to go into consumer debt.
   One of the things he addresses is greed, not having the patience to wait
   for the money in our hand to purchase items. I am a baby boomer and our generation has been known to want things microwave quick. This book addresses the dangers and pitfallsof that thinking. It will set you free from stinking thinking!
   
   
   



5. Just as he does on the radio, Dave Ramsey guides the reader to a better financial life.

5 comments about The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind.

1. I own several of Alan Wallace's books. I like them all. He presents information from a Western perspective, which I find easier to understand.
   Shamatha is the theme of this book. Here there are specific meditation techniques for developing meditative quiescence presented in detail. You are encouraged to practice for a while at each stage using the suggested exercises before continuing on in the book. This book serves as a lifetime checklist with a variety of specific mind training exercises.
   Alan has attempted to share the benefits of Tibetan Buddhist mind training, separate from Buddhism so that all may benefit.
   If you want to see the version that includes Buddhist beliefs, see his similar book, Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment.



2. I am not yet finished reading this book. I have found it interesting. I have endeavored to read it with an open mind.
   
   I was a little disappointed early on when I realized that with my life as it is now I would not be able to attain the seventh step of meditation. To do so would require months of meditation. My life and commitments as they are now just does not permit that.
   
   Despite that I feel that I have benefited from the techniques that are taught. I do know that I will need to re-read this book in order to get all the benefits from this that I want.
   
   Since beginning this book I do feel that I have been sleeping better. I am more aware of my dreams. I am more relaxed. I do believe that meditation in conjunction with other lifestyle changes have resulted in lower blood pressure readings. My blood pressure was good. It is now excellent.
   
   If you are a person of faith do not fear that this will harm your relationship with God. I am Catholic and have been also reading a book on contemplative prayer. I have found the two to be quite compatible and while reading these books my faith has deepened.
   
   If you are interested in strengthening you mental capabilities or deepen your faith I would recommend this book. Be sure to read it with an open mind.



3. Not an "easy read", but for the reader sincerely interested in expanding his/her understanding of Tibetan Buddhist Meditation, this book is both clear and engaging. Wallace is such a prolific writer, my chief difficulty has been deciding which of his books to center on! This one is enormously rewarding. Each chapter builds upon the ones that have gone before--ya gotta do it to reap the skill.



4. It often seems as if half the population has a problem with paying attention. Apart from the different types of attention deficit disorder, a former Apple and Microsoft executive called Linda Stone has identified another problem: continuous partial attention.
   
   We have all been multitasking since before our ancestors came down from the trees, but now people's attention is constantly being distracted by an array of new inputs: email, text messaging, instant messaging and a hundred other things. Just think of the way in which many television programs now have multiple items on the screen at once. Many of us are suffering from information overload, and it would be very valuable to be able to improve our ability to focus our attention without putting ADHD medicines in the water supply.
   
   This is a very interesting book by an interesting individual. B. Alan Wallace spent fourteen years as a Buddhist monk and was ordained by the Dalai Lama. He is also the founder and president of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies. He is the author of several other books, including the superb book Contemplative Science.
   
   In this book he describes the ten stages of Shamatha meditation, a technique for developing extraordinary levels of attention and focus. As Alan Wallace describes it in the preface to the book, "Shamatha is a path of attentional development that culminates in an attention that can be sustained for hours on end."
   
   Alan is a committed meditator who has spent the eight hours a day necessary to perfect the method. There are obviously not that many people who could - or would want to - dedicate that amount of time to the practice. But there is still plenty of value to the individual who can only dedicate a few minutes a day to the practice. As with most forms of mental or physical development, the returns that you get from this kind of meditation are strongly related to how much effort you can put in.
   
   The ten stages are:
   Directed attention
   Continuous attention
   Resurgent attention
   Close attention
   Tamed attention
   Pacified attention
   Fully pacified attention
   Single-pointed attention
   Attentional balance
   Shamatha
   
   Some books about meditation are a little dry and focused almost exclusively on the mind. Alan has done something very nice with this book: in between his explanation of the ten stages, he has inserted what he calls "interludes;" short ancillary practices that complement the training in attention. The first four of these interludes are designed to cultivate one of the four qualities of the heart: compassion, loving-kindness, empathetic joy and equanimity.
   
   This is a book that you can easily read in a few hours, but you could spend years putting it into practice. As many of us have discovered, applying the basic techniques for just a few minutes a day can be very helpful. If you want to get all the way to the final stage it would require a great deal of time and effort, and ideally also a personal teacher.
   
   The type of focus and attention that is developed by these methods was originally intended to focus inwards and to control and still the mind, but the techniques can be equally useful for focusing on things outside of you.
   
   Alan Wallace has done us a great service by recording and explaining this method, and the book is well worth reading if you have any interest in trying to improve your own ability to focus and to pay attention.
   
   
   Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life



5. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I have been inclined to believe that samatha was a foundation of any kind of vipassana training and this book reinforced this notion in me. The ten stages of samatha training are well laid-out and I liked the interludes and reflections on the practice at each stage. The description of each stage is very vivid and sprinkled with some detailed personal experiences of the author. It's interesting as well as somewhat reassuring to read about these experiences when one finds that his or her own practice brought up similar experiences. While we're not to look for progress in this practice, it's hard to avoid making comparisons.
   
   This book is an good manual for someone practicing samatha meditation. I personally took some good hints from it. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was one flaw that sort of bothered me. The author makes several references to his belief that an everyday person living in the Western world cannot possibly proceed beyond stage 2 on the path to samatha. I know for a fact that this is not correct. The more problematic issue however with the reinforcement of this notion is that it can potentially discourage fledging meditators or foster doubt and lack of enthusiasm in their practice. That would be a pitty, since in my experience, one's doubt is stronger when starting out on the path and gradually recedes as one makes progress - however small that progress may be :)
   
   It would be for the benefit of humanity as a whole if more individuals took up meditation practice. Therefore, discouraging people from the practice by saying that progress can hardly be made while living an engaged life does not serve much benefit. Very few of us can take to the mountains a'la Thoreau for a couple of years and practice samatha in complete seclusion. But many of us can take an hour or even a couple of hours a day for practice. While I have no doubt that progress would be faster on the shores of Walden, that doesn't mean that progress is out of the question in the city.
   
   This is still a good book though. Do yourself a favor and read it. Then, do yourself an even greater favor and practice it.

3 comments about The Self-Esteem Guided Journal: A Ten Week Program (New Harbinger Guided Journal).

1. In my work as a psychotherapist, I recommend this book to my clients to help them explore their self-esteem issues. I highly recommend it to both practitioners and their clients as a valuable resource --- one I've been looking for for some time. Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D., Psychotherapist and Author, The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Midlife and Beyond



2. Journaling is probably one of the best ways to learn about yourself and come to terms with who you really are, what you want to do with your life, and the obstacles that stand in your way. A dedicated journal writer often finds him or herself filling up numerous journals and notebooks full of writing. While this amount of writing may be quite useful in the search for self, often the writer finds him or herself writing in circles and never getting to the heart of their issues.
   
   The Self-Esteem Guided Journal is the answer. This ten week journaling programs leads the journal writer through daily journaling themes. These themes are extremely relevant, taking the self seeker through self esteem related issues such as an unbalanced self portrait, history of your self esteem, how the shoulds rule your life, and living your own truth. These are aspects of the self that every person could probably use a little attention and analysis.



3. Around this time last year I was going through a very difficult time in many areas of my life. I won't go into extreme detail, but some of these included the consistent physical and emotional abuse from my dad, a really nasty break-up from a relationship that had lasted years, and the worst relapse into anorexia that I have ever had.
   
   Needless to say, I had pretty much no self-esteem and confidence.
   
   During this time, I would frequently go to bookstores to calm or relax myself, and it was during one of these visits that I found this book. I had looked at a few others, but none of them really struck me as appealing as this one. But still, as a college student, did I really feel that I would have time to write in this 70 days in a row? Still, this rut was something I wanted to get out of, and I ended up buying this book.
   
   I was both excited and scared to start writing in this, but I forced myself to write in each and every entry. Some days were easier then others, but all required some thought that would have me feel incredibly different in a refreshing way in a matter of 10 weeks.
   
   I'm not going to say that a journal can solve all of your problems...I still had to get out of the bad situation in my house though other means, but this journal helped me incredibly in obtaining the confidence and self-esteem I needed and it really helped heal the pain from the life-long abuse and the break-up.
   
   I'm no therapist or anything--I'm barely out of my teen years--but this journal was incredibly helpful and really did a lot more then I had expected. It helped me to really feel free inside and helped me to move on from the past. A year later (I had finished this journal around mid-June last year) I am still a happy and confident person and I still think that it was through the help of this.
   
   My only recommendation if you get this journal is to be totally honest when you write. Write this as if no one else would ever see it. If you are nervous about someone else reading what you have written, set up something like a LiveJournal (livejournal.com) and set it so that only you can read the entries.

5 comments about The Yearling (Aladdin Classics).

1. I originally wasn't planning to write another review for amazon.com, but the movie of "The Yearling" was on TV last night. Remembering how it touched me, especially the sorrowful end, I decided to take a look at the reviews posted here.
   
   Most were brilliant, right to the point, and then I saw "kid's review" and a few others that found the book boring.
   
   Sorry, children, that in an age of Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan, not to mention strumpets like Britney and Jessica Simpson you don't have the chance to come of age. Or to appreciate a classic, moving read. Yes, we're an image and media-driven society, and the negative effect of it all falls on these kids who not only hate a classic, but can't even write why they hate it in a meaningful review.
   This the price we are paying when our kids can't feel struggle, pity, or hurt.
   
   "The Yearling" was a very realistic tale of the life of a poor American family struggling to make ends meet in late 19th Century Florida, and of a boy who like many today, doesn't understand that there is bitter besides the sweet in life - especially when it comes to the loss of a beloved pet. I can only wish that some of the sorry weirdos who have recently murdered schoolchildren or another weirdo denizen of Florida had read this book, or the Twain and Jack London classics when they were children. They might have learned something good and moral beyond the twisted thoughts that they came of age with.
   
   This book, along with the aforementioned Twain and London classics, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", and Bill Bennett's "Book of Virtues" should belong on the bookshelf of any and all American mid-and upper-elementary school age children.
   
   I teach 6th grade and I would not hesitate in recommending this book or any of the classics that I grew up reading to my students.



2. The Yearling is one of the most emotionally provocative classics I have ever had the fortune to come across. Being a 12 year old myself, I empathize greatly with our young hero, Jody Baxter, who resides in a dense florida scrub, leading an agrarian lifestyle with his father and mother. Coming of age in the savage, untamed heart of late ninteenth century Florida is not an easy task, and Jody will need to mature swiftly if he wants to survive in the wild enviorment that is his own. Luckily, many things aid him, mostly indirectly, such as his pet fawn, that he cares for with such a passion, that in the end, a very difficult and demanding choice is required of him.
   Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings writes this splendid tale with an honest and unwavering hand, thankfully not romanticizing the protaganist, as can be seen with novels of a lesser quality. Our heroe's flaws and redeeming qualities are portrayed in a realistic fashion, as Rawlings shifts between comedy and tragedy with the deft skill of a very gifted writer. This delightful story is bereft of all unconvincing melodrama that often plagues such novels, and tells this innocent boys experiences with vivid imagery. No matter how impassive the reader might be, Rawlings eventually delves into our minds, hearts, and memories.



3. received my books in excellent condition as described and in a reasonable amount of time



4. I read this book as a young person while still in school. Now, while picking some books for a 10 year old nephew who is becoming an avid reader, I read it again. It is a beautiful book but it made me cry at 74 as well as when I first read it at about 14. I now live close to the Rawlings home in Cross Creek and have a keener apreciation of the setting but the writing itself is what makes the book. Of course the story represents another era and a poor southern family but the characterizations are well drawn and universal. Fodderwing and his family are people that every young person should meet.
   Just as the opening words, to my mind, of "Mr. Roberts" transcend good writing and are superb, so the final few sentences of "The Yearling" speak to me in universal terms about youth and "where has it all gone?"



5. I give this one 5 stars. It's one of the best books of its kind that I have ever read. I missed reading it when I was young and now I am glad that I did. Reading it at 50+ years of age, I think I appreciate it more than I would of at 12 or 13 and if you notice these reviews, that's the age of most of those giving the book 1 star. That's somewhat understandable though as this book is often required reading in school, and books you're assigned and tested on never go down as well as the ones you pick up on your own.
   
   As I understand it, Rawlins did not specifically write this book targeted at what's now called the young adult market. I don't believe that market had really come into its own back in the 1930s. I think she intended it for adult readers and maybe that's the reason for the length, which can intimidate some younger readers (heck, I almost wondered if I wanted to deal with it when I first picked it up). But her description of life in the Florida back country in the years immediately following the American Civil War is so meticulously put together that a person may not really appreciate it until they have read a lot of books. She obviously did a great deal of research on the flora and fauna of the region, and from what I gather even went on an actual bear hunt to gather information for her book. The dialog is a foreign to us today, and even some of the words may not be familiar (e.g. how many kids today know what a 'shoat' is?). But you get used to it the further you get into the book, and I found some of the dialog between Penny and Ory (his wife) almost comical in places.
   
   By the way, I did read one letter somewhere in this group from a 12 year old who had given the book 1 star after complaining that his teacher read this book out loud to the class over several weeks time. For shame, if I had to listen to this book read aloud every day by a teacher I'd probably rate it 1 star too.
   
   For now though, The Yearling is definitely on my 'reread before I die' list and has been placed on the shelf alongside my collection of Hemingways in my Florida room.

5 comments about Ageless Memory: Secrets for Keeping Your Brain Young - Foolproof Methods for People Over 50.

1. I have many of Harry's books, and love him! He is such a sincere person and gives his all to us the reader.
   Naturally if you have ordered this book, you are in a situation that you may be feeling concerned that your mind is feeling fuzzy, or that you want to keep your brain young and vibrant. You will not be dissapointed in this book at all.
   I especially liked how positive the books overall feeling is. That our brains shouldn't be deteriorating and actually should be sharper than ever. I have tried the techniques in the book, and as long as I apply them, I have noticed an improvement! I now know my Bible books forwards, and backwards. Have memorized several scriptures, and am partially thru the Sermon on The Mount.
   Our brains are wonderfully made, and we should take care of it. So go ahead, whatever you decide to memorize, it will help you in middle age and beyond. Thanks Harry for the encouragment and help to sharpen up!



2. a marvelous and fun book by Harry Lorayne. I would recommend it for everone. All ages will take something good and beneficial from this book and in many cases it is potentially life changing.
   Thanks Harry



3. I had read a Harry Lorayne book as a teenager many many years ago and found the techniques useful then.
   
   This book allowed me to revisit his lessons as an elder retired physician and is helping me to cope with the usual senior moments that we all encounter.
   
   Highly recommended.



4. This is a great book. I notice I'm not forgetting things as readily as I did. I can now tell you my safe deposit box number, my drivers license number, my car plates, and various phone numbers. It's also helped me to remember people's names. Great buy. Other programs want hundred(s) of bucks to improve your memory and prevent altzimer's. This does the same thing.
   
   Leah Levitt



5. I heard the 3 CDs and immediately I started using his methods on improving memory. His methods have helped me to increased my memory in all aspects right away. The exercises are easy to follow and the applications practical. I recommend this book/CDs to anyone who wants to improve his memory.

5 comments about Until Today! : Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind.

1. Simply said, this book is amazing. It is straight from the mouth of God. I have purchsed this book for many friends in need of spiritual inspiration. I am about to buy another copy for myself since I have almost worn out the original. If the current day's reading does not resonate, ask God to show you something else, flip the pages and you will read what your soul needs. This is my favorite book of all time!!!!



2. "Until Today" helped me get through the day at one of the toughest times of my life. I would read the daily devotions everyday, and it would motivate and heal the pain away. It drew me closer to the Lord and helped my prayer life as well. I am so greatful to you Iyanla Vanzant, for all that you do for people. You are a life changer. The world is better off with you in it.
   Healing Connection: Poems and Psalms that Heal the Soul



3. Often espoused as "feel good fluff" - I LOVE this book! This woman's devotional written in a day by day format is an easy to digest, quick reference guide for anyone wanting to start their day out on the right foot with the right attitude and a go-get 'em philosophy. For anyone wanting an elf-like coach sitting on their left shoulder, whispering in your ear, this book is for you!
   
   Sally Shields, bestselling author of, The Daughter-in-Law Rules, 101 Surefire Ways to Manage (and Make Friends with) Your Mother-in-Law!



4. .
   .
   until today, i feel contrition because i didn't buy the book at the beginig of the year!
   every morining, i rush directlly to the book to see what are the advises for tody..the best book i've seen of this kind of books!
   .
   .



5. This book is one I give to all the girlfriends that I may meet along life's path. It is very inspiring. God BLess

5 comments about This Book Will Change Your Life.

1. "This Book Will Change Your Life" may not completely change your life, but just flipping through the pages can still add a little pizazz in your everyday happenings. While the tasks are often extremely goofy--or too out-there to actually complete--I appreciate how it challenges you to live outside the box in small, silly ways: ways that that will make a difference over time or, if anything, make a good story to tell strangers/sinner party guests/your friends/your significant other's parents. (Writing a letter to a mass murderer--as instructed by the book--is a good topic starter/stopper.)



2. This book absolutely dovetails with my ADD like personality. Each things to do is unique. They don't give you cheesy, boring or obvious things to do like go to the movies, learn a language or make a candlelight dinner for your date instead each one is very specific, interactive and guaranteed to bring instant enlightenment or give a jolt of creativity. For instance, consider the one where they tell you that you are legally entitled to buy a unit of an item from a package like you can open a beer from the box and buy it, and encourage you to do so and test shop owner's legal knowledge. Or how about the one where they tell you to collapse Bangladesh's economy? Or if you are an inventive type then how about that one where you invent punctuation marks. Telling you, this book is one of a kind!



3. Hilariously unique book. Gives you great ideas about life. Not sure I would actually try most of the instructions but it's sure fun to think about what would happen if I did. The illustrations and photography alone are worth getting this book. I consider it one of my nontraditional design references.



4. Will this book really change your life if you do every task in it over the course of a year? Probably not - for one thing, in the current homeland-security-above-all-else climate in the US, a number of them are likely to get you maced, tazered, or worse.
   
   But. Who among us can't use a push every now and then to break out of the humdrum routine of our daily lives? Some of the less far out suggestions in this thick paperback can certainly do that! I do think it's overpriced, considering you're supposed to tear out some of the pages in order to complete certain "tasks," but for all that, an entertaining read into the farther reaches of "what if."



5. This is an interesting little book. It's filled with certain things to do, or objectives for every day of the year. While it probably won't change your life as the title suggests, it will give you some cool ideas. It is the perfect book to leave out on a coffee table or end table in your house and when you have guests over, if they happen to pick it up, it is a guaranteed conversation starter. The pages are all in color and include some interesting graphics. Check it out if you are looking for a strange little book.

5 comments about Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment.

1. I am an avid reader and rate this as one of the best books I've read in a long time. It is well written with inspiring stories from Eastern Europe to add illustrate the point of each chapter. More than just a good writer, Linda brings out the major obstacles to spiritual growth and what to do about each one. Since reading the book a few months ago I have seen changes in my life.



2. My sister-in-law gave me this book. It's the best gift I've ever been given. I've bought several copies to give to women in my family and friends. The book addresses what peace we can have when we hand our concerns to God and learn to always be content. I wish I'd read this when I was young. It's a book to read several times as a great reminder to hand it all over to God.



3. I couldn't imagine Linda writing a book more helpful than Creative Counter part, but this is the proof (for me at least). This book is applicable to the Christian woman no matter what stage of life she is in. I have found it to be encouraging and helpful in my growing relationship with Jesus. Thanks again Linda.



4. This book helped me get through a very difficult time a while back. In the time since, I have occasionally felt the anxiety levels creep back up, and I have come back to this book. It isn't one to be read one time, but is worth reading again and again.
   
   It is easy to have this book recommended to you, or even to have someone give it to you and leave it sitting on your shelf. I did that when I first received it. Don't do that! Read it and see if you can grow and glean from it as so many of us have done. It can really help you move beyond worry to trust, and it builts more than just anxiety-free living. It helps accomplish the opposite -- contentment and acceptance of your lot. If you struggle with worry or discontentment, this is the first book I would recommend. I can't say that enough!



5. I have done a lot of studies, but this is one of the best studies I've done in awhile, and several friends say the same. I recommend it to all women, as anxiety is a stranglehold for so many of us. This book helps you to give it over to God and holds your hand along the way with it. Great book!

5 comments about Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity.

1. You won't get rich from simply reading a "How to Get Rich" book and you won't get organized and productive from just reading any book - you have to take action and implement the ideas.
   
   I have used the principles and ideas outlined in "Getting Organized" for several years and found them to be extremely valuable.
   
   Becoming more organized and productive is not a matter of what type of filing system or PDA you use, it involves making a habit of organized and productive behavior.
   
   This book provides concrete tools for forming those habits. Simply outstanding!



2. Chris Crouch's "Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity" is a fine read which accomplishes what all good teachers do best: Imparting with vivid good humor and simplicity the wisdoms of processes taken beyond the classroom. The target audience here, primarily workers in any workplace, calls for a most delicate balancing act: Being thoughtful and succinctly explaining the theory, practice, and results of a disciplined approach to Organization. Mr. Crouch accomplishes this masterfully with anecdotes, explanations, and his "master teacher" persona.



3. This is a very good book to help you get organized. I originally had a three star and changed it to a four star. So many of this book's best elements are also found in David Allen's Getting Things Done. I read Allen's book last year and it knocked my socks off. When I read this, I wasn't as impressed as I would have if I read Crouch's before Allen's (they're both obviously drawing some of the best tidbits from some of the same material that preceded them). They have many, many of the same very helpful tips. The advantage of Crouch's is that is has short digestible chapters. However, an overall approach does not clearly emerge, just a bunch of big and small organizing ideas. An advantage of Allen's is that you get a clear, overarching approach into which all those good tips suggested in these books fit. Allen's chapters are longer, and though very readable, can get a little bogged down compared to Crouch. If I had only one book to buy, I'd get Allen's. However, I'm glad I read Crouch's because it has given me a refresher.
   
   Getting organized is a major issue for many of us (I work two jobs, both of which require me to maintain an office). While one book may do it for some, I strongly believe that major habit changes will more likely come if you really plunge into an area like this. That means reading Crouch's book, Allen's book, and even Julie Morganstern's Organizing from the Inside Out. While Allen and Crouch focus on the office and home office (mail, home files, etc.), Morgenstern also covers garage, basement, closets, etc. I'm serious, to change the way you look at things, you need to read several books and make yourself an "expert." Otherwise, it will be a book you read that you're not likely to act on.
   
   I read them in the order of 1) Allen, 2) Morgenstern and 3) Crouch. If any readers will choose to read all three of these, I'd recommend Crouch first, then Allen, then Morgenstern. Crouch will lure you in with his short little chapters (once you get past his too many introductory-type chapters before you get into the good stuff). Then, reinforce what you learn by reading a lot of overlapping stuff in Allen's book, but Allen will give you an outline or framework that ties it all together. Then, move on from the office to your closets and garage with Morgenstern. Of the three, Allen was the best for me, but I needed the others to sustain my momentum. Good luck!



4. I recently bought both this and Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity in order to stimulate my thinking about how to take charge of my incredibly busy job as a software development manager in an e-commerce company. I manage about 8 people directly and am also the prime facilitator for another project team of about 15 people, half of which are contractors. Like most people, I also have my own work projects and initiatives, as well as huge laundry list of personal items to keep up with.
   
   At first I was a little turned off by the 55 super-short chapters, each of which is 1-2 pages in length and has a "What? So What? Now what?" layout. The writing quality seemed only average, and I was left thinking "Is that it?" after each chapter. However, after I finished the book rather quickly and then got bogged down in Getting Things Done, I realized that this is a pretty good layout for the target audience - people who feel too busy to read a book on productivity.
   
   Many of the observations seem obvious, but that is one of the key messages of the book: we're all making this stuff away too complicated. How many of us take ten minutes each morning to set a focus and key priority list for the day? Or do we omit that simple step, or fall into the trap of checking email "just for a few minutes" first and then get seduced into following little shiny objects all day while missing the big picture?
   
   The "Five Decisions" chapters - Discard, Delegate, Take Immediate Action, Put in a Reference File, and File for Follow-up - are important but I think are covered better in the other book. About half of the other chapters really resonated with me, which made it worthwhile overall. However, the author lost me when he spent 10 chapters describing a paper filing system with folders for each day of the month plus various other files. I agree that people shouldn't expect software and tools to solve all their problems, but I think a PDA or list software like Remember the Milk is much better than a paper system for anyone who works in multiple locations or is "on the go". I felt like he was being a bit techno-phobic, sort of like the guys who insist that LP records are better than CDs or MP3s.
   
   Really the best way to improve your organization habits is to browse several books and articles on the topic, note the themes that recur (like planning time, grouping tasks by project or goal, etc.) and then choose a couple of things to focus on. I'd recommend this book as one of those resources but not the best-written or only one.



5. Of the 3 dozen books I've read related to organizing, this is one of my favorites. It is presented in an easy-to-read format that makes it possible to spend a few minutes and read a chapter at a time. There were many great quotes and ideas that are easy to implement. The book also included fun anecdotes. Very well done!

5 comments about Journey of Awakening: A Meditator's Guidebook.

1. If you are a point in your life where you've had more than a fleeting thought regarding "there being something more", this book is certainly a fantastic place for beginning your journey to self-discovery (and/or awakening).
   
   I have never been inspired enough to write a review about a book but this book deserves my most profound endorsement.
   
   Best of luck in your journey.



2. This book is great. Ram Dass helped me get a better understanding of what meditation really is and how not to take myself too seriously.



3. I'm doing a form of meditation called brain entrainment called Holosync through Centerpointe. I wanted to know about meditation: what to expect and perhaps some tips on how to get the most out of it. This book provided all of that and more.
   
   Ram Dass is the best!



4. I've been a big Ram Dass fan for over twenty years now. I "knew" him when he was just Richard Alpert and worked closely with fellow doctor, Timothy Leary. But like all of us, he wondered, "What's next?" And so he went to India on a Spiritual Journey and had an awakening and came back to the states as Ram Dass which means "servant of God". Since that time he has devoted his life to writing and teaching about spirituality and how we can wake up to the Truth that God is not external to our being, but is our being.
   
   I read this when I was taking my foundation course work to being a Practitioner at my church. I ate it up like a kid eating candy. I was always classified as the "weird" one of the family and learning to meditate would firmly cement the title in place. My stressed out dad would complain to my equally frazzled, recovering fundamentalist sister, "He's crazy, I tell ya...why would anyone wanna learn to meditate..."
   
   Mmmmm...I wonder...
   
   One never really "learns" to meditate...we remember how to meditate. Don't tell me that you don't know how because you do. You just forgot. You still think of yourself as a human doing and not as a human being and it is our nature...our True Nature to simply be and when we allow ourselves to have periods of just being who we are, that which is unlike this beingness falls away.
   
   This book goes through various ways to experience this beingness. Meditation can range from sitting in the lotus position and chanting "Om" to taking a slow and gentle walk being mindful of every step.
   
   Meditation is not something one "gets" and then that's it. To me, daily meditation is a gift I give to myself to remind me of the Truth that the Living Spirit is within me and I am within the Living Spirit and that just as God can never be completely known- because God is Infinite, I can never fully and completely know my mind because my mind is God's Mind. I can, however, "touch the hem of the garment"...in other words, have glimpses of Truth and in these glimpses be encouraged to continue on with my practice. It's never about "getting it"...it's always about "being it" and when I am in that place of Pure Being, I know I am It but I also know that you are It and they are It and We are It and I know that It is us, as well. In Truth, there is only It.
   
   So, I'm still the weird one of the family even though my dad and sister both practice meditation now. I guess I need to have some kind of identification that's tied in with the world. Heaven knows I don't want to "shine" too much.
   
   Yeah, okay, dad...
   
   Shine on, children of Light...shine on...
   
   Peace & Blessings.
   
   john, "the Light Coach"



5. This book is my favorite for any beginner in meditation. It was also the book I read before I sat down on the mat for the first time.
   To begin with Ram Dass is a great teacher. He's a westerner to which I can relate much easier than an Indian guru.
   The book describes various meditation techniques and what you can expect following this path.
   But the best part are the quotes. Ram Dass took a deliberate effort to pick great inspirational quotes which will create your 'must read' list.