5 comments about The Tree That Survived the Winter.

1. This book is an allegory about life in general. How we all must face tough times before we can truly appreciate the good times. In this story, a tree begins to come to life after the dreary time of winter. The ground was frozen, the air was cold and there was very little warmth in the sun. This caused the tree to move inward as the elements threatened to damage it. However, with the arrival of spring, the sun is now warm, the roots are growing deeper and stronger and her leaves are budding.
   However, this newfound joy soon turns to sadness and hostility against the sun, as she wants to know why the sun abandoned her. The response is to point out how the adverse conditions of winter have strengthened her into a much stronger tree, capable of surviving against much harsher weather. She then learns that it is not the good times that make us stronger, in many ways, they make us weaker. Only by being exposed to the difficult times can we be made to understand and appreciate the good times and also be better able to survive even more difficult times. Without that experience, the truly difficult times may lead to our downfall.



2. This is one of the best books you can find for dealing with grieving for a loss. It is especially well suited for someone mourning a death, but it will also have meaning for those coping with divorce or any other of life's losses. It can be read in one sitting and is a perfect blend of text and illustration.



3. Mary Fahy's book "The Tree That Survived The Winter" is quite simply amazing and wonderful at the same time. Here in the allegorical story of a tree one can find strength and courage to face personal tragedy and loss. In the process, a person will grow and learn to find happiness and joy in their own world. The happiness and joy that come from living, loving and growing as a person and taking pleasure in the everything around them.



4. Inspirational. I gave it to friends who had suffered hardships of various kinds and they found it helpful.



5. This is a book sent to me by a friend after I had some very trying and sad times. It meant so much to me, that I have given it to friends who have had traumatic times. They all have enjoyed the message Mary Fahy presents in the book. It has been a blessing for me to read and share.

5 comments about How to Be Happy All the Time.

1. "If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?" Well, actually, I'd ask for five - but this would be one of them. This is the best 'how to' book I've ever read. Yogananda's perspective on the human condition will turn your own perspective inside-out (or outside-in). His approach is deceptively simple, but you'll find yourself saying, "Ahhhh, that's why I have that problem." More importantly, he gives simple ways to get out of our ruts, moods, and personal quagmires. I know his hints work, because I've tried them.
   
   The chapter titles will give you a good idea of the type of helpful how-to hints in this book:
   1. Looking for Happiness in the Wrong Place
   2. Happiness is a Choice
   3. Avoiding the Happiness Thieves
   4. Learn to Behave
   5. Simplicity is the Key
   6. Sharing Your Happiness With Others
   7. True Success and Prosperity
   8. Inner Freedom and Joy
   9. Finding God is the Greatest Happiness
   
   Here is an excerpt:
   
   "Happiness consists in making the mightiest efforts to reduce your desires and needs, and in cultivating the ability to meet those needs at will, always trying to smile, both outwardly and inwardly, in spite of every predicament.
   
   "Be silent and calm every night for at least ten minutes (longer if possible) before you retire, and again in the morning before rising. This will produce an undaunted, unbreakable inner habit of happiness that will make you able to meet all the trying situations of the everyday battle of life. With that unchangeable happiness within, go about seeking to fulfill the demands of your day.
   
   "Seek happiness more in your mind and less in the acquisition of things. Be so happy in your mind that nothing that comes can possibly make you unhappy. Then, you can get along without things you have been accustomed to. Be happy knowing you have acquired the power not to be negative. Know, too, that you will never again become so materially minded that you forget your inner happiness, even if you become a millionaire."



2. The author of Autobiography of a Yogi brings out pearls of wisdom on how to be happy in this small but priceless book. Most of the sayings here are not found in his other works. The advise given here is so simple yet so difficult to follow for ordinary mortals like us.
   
   However, if one is able to follow the advise here, his/her life would be filled with so much bliss. The language used in this book is also easy to digest and understand and the reader would feel a sense of friendship and closeness with the author just by reading and applying the words of wisdom in every day living.
   
   In conclusion, I would strongly recommend this book to everyone, especially those who are suffering from depression. The reader would be uplifted by the words being written here. A very engaging and powerful book.



3. How often have we heard that the quest for happiness is somehow selfish, hedonistic and unworthy? It seems bizarre that most therapists have seen countless people who have felt guilt because they wanted to be happy.
   
   Yet the human drive to be happy is a fundamental need that was recognized by the Ancient Greeks, Taoists in China and Hindus in India, as well as contemporary "Positive" psychologists. It is sad to learn that according to a recent Gallup poll, only a minority of Americans describe themselves as "very happy." It's easy to say, "Well what should we expect? Just watch the news." But that misses the point: most of us have never been taught how to unlock the secrets of happiness, joy and inner peace. Secrets that can help sustain us in the face of adversity.
   
   Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi has remained a firm favorite since my teens, and many of his other books and lectures have been inspirational. What is always so different about his work is that he clearly writes and speaks from personal experience, unlike so many who only recite what they have heard or read. I did not know just how much material remained unpublished.
   
   This short but meaty book consists of material that has apparently never been released before. As with his other books, his approach is powerful, but his style could best be described as rather playful. In just 143 pages, excluding the index and other resources, Yogananda explains virtually everything that you need to know to lead a happier and more fulfilling life.
   
   He covers a number of important topics including:
   1. Looking for happiness in the wrong place
   2. Happiness is a choice
   3. Avoiding the happiness
   4. Learn to behave
   5. Simplicity is the key
   6. Sharing your happiness with others
   7. True success and prosperity
   8. Inner freedom and joy
   9. Finding God is the greatest happiness
   
   This is one of those books that you could read in a couple of hours. But its fruits could stay with you for a lifetime. It gives you not just ideas, but practical skills, and there will likely be single passages on which you will want to meditate before moving on to anything else. It is a book that for many people can be life-changing.
   
   Highly recommended.
   
   
   Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life



4. I've read I believe all of Paramahansa's books. Of all of them, this one feels, in a word, "edited". It feels to me like a lot of the passages come more from the mind rather than from the heart. I think a lot of the words came from people other than Paramahansa. There is still a lot of wisdom in the book and a lot of words that touch the heart that seem to come directly from Paramahansa. But of all the Paramahansa books out there I would recommned this one the least.
   
   They even use less preferred spelling of his name Paramhansa rather than Paramahansa.
   
   If you really want to get fired up for God read Paramahansa's "Man's Eternal Quest"..especially the second half of book.



5. GREAT words of the Master, Yogananda, pour through this book. Very well organized. It generates a feeling of love for God in the heart.

5 comments about The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance.

1. I heard it many times before - tithing will demonstrate to the universe that you trust that there will always be more.... yet I never did it. That is until I read this book. What made it easy for me where 2 things, one Edwene didn't tell you where to tithe to, other then wherever you are spiritually fed.... well that makes it easy. The second point was - try it out for 6 months - if it didn't work for you you can stop.... well I was hooked after 2 weeks. Now I receive money and I am excited about sharing it with whoever inspired me ~ fed me spiritual food... my children, my church, Edwene, a speaker, a song writer, etc. This book has touched me deeply.



2. I absolutely LOVED this book! I've been reading several books about attracting prosperity, but they were all lacking one thing. That one thing is how God is involved. This book finally connected the two for me. I now see how you can attract prosperity and still honor God. What I appreciated the most what the difference between "go" signs and "stop" signs. Sometimes I get confused on what God is trying to tell me. I recommend this to all those spiritual people that are still trying to find guidance.



3. Listening to this CD, with Edwene's pleasant voice along with hearing her life experiences, is a pleasant alternative to music. I'm listening to it for the third time and considering looking for more CD's from this production company.



4. If you are looking for a book that uses current lingo that is so easy to understand then this is the book for you. Like me you have probably read the prosperity Masters and yes, the lessons are timeless, however to read modern day examples are priceless! I felt as if I knew Ms. Gaines personally. Her stories were hilarious, thought provoking and a blessing to my life. I dare you to try the first law which is tithing and watch something miraculous happen in your life! We all have read or heard about tithing but Ms. Gaines breaks it down like its never been broken down before. I was so moved I tithed to her for writing this classic! Don't pass this book up! Every seeker needs this one in their prosperity library!



5. Gaines has written a wonderful book that outlines the way to true prosperity. I have seen the basic ideas in the book before, but she does a great job of giving you practical steps toward achieving prosperity in your own life. I am now putting the laws to use, and am excitedly awaiting the results of my work!

2 comments about Words to Live By: A Daily Guide to Leading an Exceptional Life.

1. Easwaran takes a short quotation from a wide range of sources, and unpacks the meaning in a way that is uncanny and speaks straight to the heart. The appeal is that you don't have to understand all this brilliant philosophy and wisdom in one go: Easwaran takes just one idea for today and shows how to apply it to your life today. A great way to start the day, or to use in a discussion group or a yoga lesson.



2. Full of inspiring and uplifting thoughts. Insightful! Covers all the bases. Draws on many of the great religions of the world as well as some of the greatest writers of the centuries.

5 comments about The Hammer Of God.

1. This well-written novel, though dated, tells the story of three young pastors coming to grips with how ministry works - and doesn't work. Highly Recommended.



2. This book was commended by a good friend who is also I believe one of the few remaining orthodox pastors in his church body. The treatment it provides of issues such as "simul sanctus et peccator" (at the same time saint and sinner), the long-ignored Office of the Keys ("Whatever sins you bind on earth will be bound in heaven"), Christ Only, the individual's mode of "participation" in justification, and a host of other doctrinal issues was tremendously refreshing. The Hammer is relentless, and the Gospel is sweet. The orthodox views of Christ, of Scripture, of Salvation, of Sanctification, and of Christian life are all made new as the morning. I loved it!



3. Bo Giertz' The Hammer of God should be read by anyone entering the pastorate. The book is divided into three novellas, each set in a different era in a particular area of Sweden. Each novella basically follows the same story: A nominally Christian pastor recently graduates from a modernist university and gets assigned, against his desires, to a country parish. He soon undergoes a kind of conversion experience as he is faced with the realities of parish life, especially with the existential questions of his parishoners, and finds that despite all his formal training, his faith is only nominal at best and he really doesn't know anything about God, until a simple parishoner witnesses the truth of the gospel to him. Newly converted and aware of his own sins, the preacher then begins to passionately preach the law of God bringing some revival to their churches, but as those revivals petter off, he is surprised to find that he is only half-converted, because he must also learn about the doctrine of justication by faith alone, which is the necessary complement to the law, and the heart of the gospel. At the same time, he discovers the richness of Lutheran orthodoxy over and against other modernist, pietistic and anabaptist movements happening around the parish.
   
   Over all, I thought this was a really good book, and I would recommend it to anyone, even to those who are not Lutheran (I'm still a Baptist). Unfortunately, this particular edition is riddled with typos, more than I've seen in any book by a major publisher. So I can only give it 4 stars, rather than 5.



4. This is an excellent book and much needed for evangelicals in our day. Although this is laden with some Lutheran thought that I theologically disagree with (being a Reformed Baptist), so that a small amount of discernment is required, from my point of view, the thrust of the book is about Christ alone as the sole foundation of our hope and the distinction between Law and Gospel. For one who generally does not read novels, this book is welcome both for these theological reasons and for the interest in the stories themselves. There is much comfort in this book for wounded souls and much to awaken the seasoned believer to about the nature of grace in comparison to our lowly condition.



5. During the years of its reign as the Established Church of Sweden, the Evangelical Lutheran Church grew increasingly abusive, unresponsive, liberal, and divorced from the lives of the common Swedish peasants. But, during the 18th century, the Pietism movement came to Sweden, calling people to individual piety and personal holiness. The Church of Sweden reacted vigorously against the movement, resulting in split congregations, persecution, emigration, and, finally, reform.
   
   In this wonderful book, Swedish Lutheran Bishop and author, Bo Herald Giertz (1905-98), collects three stories (really novellas) that each tells the story of a pastor, learning to properly serve God and his fellow men. They are stories of learning God's holiness, but also His love and grace.
   
   Overall, I found this to be a powerful and extremely moving read. The power of the stories keeps you reading, wishing you could be in the very churches that you read about. Now, the author was an unabashed advocate of the Lutheran Church, and the book contains a vigorous defense of the Lutheran Church's liturgy and theology. But, it is such a powerful look at serving God and serving man that I think it is a book that Christians of all sects should read.
   
   This is a powerful book, one that is certainly a classic of Lutheran literature, and should be considered a classic of Christian literature for all believers. I give this book my highest recommendations!

3 comments about Riding the Dragon: 10 Lessons for Inner Strength in Challenging Times.

1. I read this last year and several others by Dr. Wicks. It helps me to know that I am not the only one going through these things. I try to help people and then forget to take care of myself. This book shows us how we can live both sides of the coin best.



2. I read this book during a book study class at my church. It provided a lot of insight that really spoke to me. I had always thought I could handle stress by control or sheer will. Now I jump on the dragon and enjoy the ride. Life will happen, it is up to us to decide whether it happens with us or in spite of us! God bless you all.



3. This is a wonderful book & important for those in helping professions. All of us who work in helping fields should learn to understand more about caregiving & how to help others while preserving our own health & wellness.

5 comments about The Yoga of Sound: Tapping the Hidden Power of Music and Chant.

1. I had the privilege of taking a workshop with Russill in the summer of 2004, which is how I was introduced to his work. His excellent book "The Yoga of Sound" has proved highly complementary to that experience, but it is also a powerful work with no trouble standing on its own.

   Yoga has become extremely popular in the Western world, but the aspect of yoga that focuses on the power of sound - the power of mantra and chant - has not transfered as well from the realms of Hindu mysticism. The book explores the reasons for this and sets the practice of mantra in a wider context, adaptable not only to those from any religious and spiritual background but to the hectic pace of modern life. Mantra is brought further into a 21st-century setting through the accessible and fascinating discussions of quantum physics as they apply to sound. The book is also a practical manual, teaching the reader how to use yogic mantra with the help of an included CD.

   Russill Paul is a truly gifted teacher, and his spirit of devotion and eagerness to share the joy of the power of mantra shine through in this beautifully written book.




2. I was required to buy this book for a class I was taking at the university entitled "Religion and Music". My professor was Dr. Don Beck who is an expert on this topic and has produced both a published book and a cd of Hindu devotional music. The book came highly recommended from him, and now that I have read it I would wholeheartedly agree! This is a wonderful book regardless of what spiritual path you are on, and in particular if you are looking for a way to re-entergize your own practice. The book explains how one can use the power of mantra as a spiritual practice, and it is written by an author who has both a Christian and Hindu background. He thoughtfully incorporates aspects of many religious traditions to accomodate all readers, and he is thoroughly knowledgable on this subject. He writes clearly and simply, and at the same time he gets you excited about the subject matter.
   Honestly, I thought this book was going to be filled with New Age fluff, but it offers genuine advice on how to practically get started with this wonderful practice of reciting mantras. I was pleasantly surprised, and I think anyone with an interest in deep religion or music will greatly enjoy this book.



3. Chanting is an art - and for those of us from a Western background, it can feel a bit otherworldy or "foreign". I have always been interested in chanting and mantras but too intimidated to try it.
   
   Russill Paul has put together a book and CD set that helps to demystify chanting and make it more accessible for all audiences - no matter what your spiritual or ethnic background. This well written book clearly explains the basics and theories behind chanting - and it provides exercises to get you started immediately.
   
   These exercises help anyone to begin chanting in a confident manner. I am tone deaf and have no musical talent whatsoever - yet I am able now to practice mantras with a keener ear. I am already feeling the effects! (Hindu mantras are believed to help with many issues from removing obstacles, spiritual advancement and even mundane problems.)
   
   The Yoga of Sound is a practical book which can get you on your way to a daily mantra practice. I would also recommend the books by Thomas Ashley Farrand as a supplement to this book. That being said, Paul's book seems to be more complete and I felt more inspired by it.



4. While looking for another book on chanting mantras, I came across this one. This is a wonderful book - well researched and well written. Paul grew up in India and spent 5 years in an ashram so he not only knows the facts and the culture and beliefs but has a real feel for presenting his subject in an easy to understand manner. You don't have to know Hatha Yoga to do yoga chanting but you might want to after reading this book. And you don't have to understand every single thing he writes about before you start your own chanting. Included with the book is an instructional CD which is helpful if you're unfamiliar with the pronunciations of the hindu/sanskrit words.



5. i loved the idea presented in this book. it's great to be presented with the notions that everything is energy in motion and sound, chants, certain arrangement of words/sound have the ability to activate specific vibrations in our environment.
   
   very enlightening!

5 comments about The Big Questions: How to Find Your Own Answers to Life's Essential Mysteries.

1. This book was such a pleasure to read. I commend surya das for attaining such a lofty goal of writing a book that takes on all of the big questions. He accomplishes this with a potent combination of wisdom, an open mind and humility. Of course there are no definitive answers in life, but this book supplements one's own journey towards the answers.



2. Posing major life questions is done fairly frequently these days on many TV talk shows. The difference here is a book with teachings based on deep personal experience and understanding of the Tibetan Buddhist wisdom traditions in the search for answers. Lama Surya Das continues to point out that the spiritual journey is a path of personal growth and depends in large part on our own choices. Once we become seekers, this book and each of his others from AWAKENING THE BUDDHA WITHIN to BUDDHA IS AS BUDDHA DOES provide the guidance to jump start our search.. I find his examples and his humility to be a great encouragement in an age so filled with examples of arrogance, pride, greed and anger. He is a great teacher with all of the credentials that provide the base for confidence in his words.



3. There are few better ways to let someone find his own wisdom than by asking questions. Das just does that and in each answer helps you---through analogy, literature, and further questions---find the answers. The chapter on karma is excellent and helps us grasp its nuanced nature(nothing happens by accident but by all prior actions; great insight into the difference bewteen karma and fate) and on handling anger(as the Buddha said, if someone offers you the "gift" of anger do not accept, and it stays will the giver) and by taking a "sacred pause". A book to be loved, hightlighted and underlined, and read again.



4. This book is Lama Surya Das at his best: very stimulating, humorous, drawing on the widest range of philosophy and literature, and offering us the benefit of his extraordinary insights, attained after many years of meditation and study. Although this book has a picture of the Buddha on the front, Lama Surya Das frequently refers to common themes in the teachings of all the major traditions. I'd highly recommend it to any intelligent, open-hearted individual, irrespective of their religion. A must-read book!



5. I am a fan of Lama Suyra Das books and find his explanation of Buddhism and happiness easy with transformation of the mind possible, but the reader must apply him/herself.
   
   I would strongly recommend this book if you want to make significant changes.

5 comments about Miracles: Updated/New Size!.

1. I was so impressed with this little book that I bought copies for several friends. Stuart's definitely "out there" but if you're able to trust your gut and suspend your preconceptions and conditioning, then the straight-to-the-point, no-fuss statements and action plans are fantastic. I've read many more garrulous books along similar lines but got much more out of the 52-page "Miracles", including one of my life's greatest "Ah ha!" moments. If only for that, it gets five stars.



2. I discovered this CD set (2 CDs) at my local library. Stuart is not only enlightening, yet realistic in his approach. He has an excellent speaking voice. I highly recommend this CD set.



3. I love all the reviews on this book. All the power and magic this brings is soooo real. But they all left out a very important factor, which is Miracles really do happen with this book.They have for me.Just read and really trust with all your heart..And watch your life change!!!! What a great little book!!!!!!!!!



4. This tiny book is packed full of wonderful insightful information. Highly recommended. You won't be dissapointed.



5. Will you believe it, when you see it? Or will you see it, when you Believe it? Simple, yet profound. Stuart Wilde's style of writing is inviting. He has the ability to speak his truth, giving the reader beautiful and profound insights. Without all the fluff. Every page holds a powerful purpose. He has just the right amount of humor and personal touches to keep the reader fully engaged. Don't be put off by the size of this book. It holds 1,000 times it's weight in wisdom.
   Another of his books that I would highly recommend is "Infinite Self"

5 comments about The Depression Book: Depression as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth.

1. I really liked the book, it sums up depression and its compassionatley written. The author has been through this so you know she can relate and empathize with you, the reader.



2. I got this book after going through a very bittersweet period of my life. I was intrigued when flipping through the book randomly and noticed the interesting style of text and the illustrations throughout the book. When I got home to read it I found it very easy to read and though I had been thinking about looking into zen/Buddhism the book doesn't push it but may give a slight introduction. After I told my therapist that I had this book she says that she owns it as well. I notice many similiarities in the book and her style of helping me through my journey. I would highly recommend this book. It certainly gives you an interesting dive into depression and the feelings surrounding it.



3. I'm a psychologist. I've read a lot of information on how to "treat" depression. When I read Cheri Huber's book many years ago, it was my first experience with the idea that this isn't something to be fixed, but instead is something to experience, learn from, and hear as a message--STOP. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in the throes of depression, or anyone who is around someone else who is experiencing that difficult, challenging, rich state.



4. In "The Depression Book," Cheri Huber utilizes her knowledge of the principles of Zen and especially Zazen (Zen meditation) to provide a straightforward (although neither 'simple' nor 'easy') message to readers in a format that is easy to follow and to read. I read this book over the course of an afternoon and found it full of helpful, commonsense, practical advice. There were a few passages that made me take offense, but as soon as I had this emotional reaction, I realized that I was only offended because the words were so true. The book is written from Huber to the reader (whoever she or he may be) as though sitting down over tea or chatting on the telephone. The illustrations and handwritten format make reading it a lark rather than another chore.
   
   If you're depressed or have a tendency toward self-judgment, do yourself a favor and pick this book up. And practice the meditations it suggests. If nothing else, try the journaling prompts and recall its words of wisdom the next time you find yourself falling into despair. It's okay to feel what you feel and to think what you think. The more space you allow yourself, mentally, to be who you are, the more quickly you will find your feet turning toward feeling just a little better. It's not about solving anything or making anything go away. Huber reminds us that it is about being who you are.



5. I will admit, this is the second book by this author that I've read, and I am not a fan at all of the "handwritten" type in the book. While the author's reasoning is sound, it does make you slow down and absorb the text, it's also distracting enough that the books are difficult reading. However, the information in this book (and the other one I read) was interesting enough that I am inclined to overlook the production issue.
   
   That said, this book is not for novices. If you suffer from depression and know enough to know that you'd like to make changes to overcome your depression, then this book offers some food for thought. It doesn't really tell you anything that you probably don't already know on some level, or at least it didn't for me. But it presented the information in such a way that it created an aha!moment. It made me think, and I believe helped me to look at my situation in a new way.
   
   I'd like to see more substance. This feels like a conversation, but one that doesn't really delve into anything too seriously. It just meanders along, offering questions you can ask yourself, ways of looking at things and changing your outlook without providing any meat and bones of the "HOW" to do these things. That's the failing of the book, I'm afraid. If you want to have a conversation with yourself and the author, then this book works. And yes, it does provide help and invites you to take a new look at things. The tools it provides are subtle, and I'm afraid, probably beyond the reach of the average reader.