3 comments about Kabbalah for Health & Wellness.

1. Kabbalah for Health and Wellness is similar in many ways to The Kabbalistic Handbook for the Practicing Magician by Joseph Lisiewski. I say this because even a cursory reading of it shows that the two are philosophically similar. In what looks like his second book, Mark Stavish gives a take on Kabbalah that is simple, direct, and above all, practical, just as is Lisiewski's book. The material explores how to work with the basic ideas presented in the Sepher Yetzirah: the Cube of Space, the Tree of Life, fundamental associations, and basic Path Working. In addition, he rounds out his presentation with the Middle Pillar exercise, making it relevant to his system of thought and expereince. And all this to emphasize the essential necessity of being able to demonstrate the usefulness of these ideas in the material world. Like Lisiewski's book too, Stavish insists that too many works on Kabbalah are concerned with spiritual fantasies at the expense of real world benefits - making our lives healthier, happier, and more useful. He further advocates that healing physical and psychological illnesses is one of the most direct, concrete, and simple ways anyone can begin to prove to themselves and others the reality of magic. In other words, he gives ways in which the efficacy of magic can be demonstrated. Stavish's emphasis on 'subconscious synthesis' ("subjective synthesis" as Lisiewski calls it in his three books) and developing a personal attunement to the tradition one is working in rather than simply layering it on a mish-mash of ill conceived New Age clap-trap, is something everyone needs to hear and understand if they want to make real progress in their WORK.
   
   My recommendation: get this books, study it carefully, and apply what it says. In fact, if you think of it, get Lisiewski's too. Both are intensely practical books that WORK. You won't be sorry you did.



2. Kabbalah for Health & Wellness
   
   From the Foreward by Colleen Deatsman:
   "Mark Stavish is a fine teacher and an excellent writer. He breathes new life into the dry pages of ancient wisdom and finds ways to frame the antiquated in such a way that it is instantly useful to practitioners in the twenty-first century."
   
   This is an excellent book for those who want to pursue a healing way based solidly upon Western Kabbalistic methods. As Deatsman writes, Stavish takes otherwise dry, obscure archaic theories and writings and lifts them out of the realm of the obtuse.
   
   The healing methods presented in this book are very down to earth and come with enough detailed explanations so that the would-be practitioner will know why s/he is to do a certain thing, or not. However, the explanations, thankfully, do not run into overkill, that would otherwise make one's eyes glaze over.
   
   Kabbalah is not a simple subject. And somehow Stavish finds a way of making this body of complex material accessible to the average person. That's an effort which cannot be sneezed at, as anyone who has tried to tackle the material of the Zohar can attest. What's more, taking such raw Kabbalistic material and trying to find practical ways in which to apply it is rather difficult without a scholar/mage at one's elbow.
   
   Consider this work as the next best thing to having a well seasoned adept at your side.
   
   All of Mark Stavish's writings are imbued with a sense of humility, compassion, and service to his fellow man (and woman!). It is rare to see all of these traits combined with genuine scholarly aptitude and a clear, unobtuse writing style.



3. Having thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous work "The Path of Alchemy", I was interested to see how this book would read. I set aside my initial feeling of concern at the bizarrely coloured Tree of Life on the cover to concentrate on the material within. Once I started reading I was not disappointed. Mark Stavish has a very easy to read style that expresses ideas simply and in manageable quantities, an ideal formula for introducing the reader to the Kabbalah and its use for energetic healing. This is an excellent primer not just for anyone wanting to do energy work, but for an initial approach to Kabbalah. Whilst I may have disagreed with the author on odd points, I would strongly recommend this book as a very good basic introduction to Kabbalah and its use in energetic healing, exactly what it say in the title, in fact!

5 comments about Zen Meditation in Plain English.

1. You can always pretty much guarantee that if Wisdom Books publishes the book, it's guaranteed to be concise and helpful to followers of the "Way" ; and so it is in this book.
   This book is destined to become in the future a classic guide for beginner's of Zen meditation. In loving and uncomplicated prose, John Daishin Buksbazen uncovers the actual core of Zen: the straightforward practice of following our breath and in so doing awakening to our life as the Buddha.

   Zen Meditation in Plain English offers a durable foundation for meditation, illuminating the significance of finding ourselves a good teacher practicing with a community of practitioners, while also giving us instruction on how to practice in the meantime on our own (or in addition to with others). John Daishan Buksbazen was another great student of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi, one of the most prolific Zen masters of modern times. Don't miss this book! It's a must have for any beginner.




2. It is practical guide for beginners who are interested in
   meditation. It shows the precise way to sit. The supplementary exercises written in the appendices are indeed very useful. It limbers up and allows one to sit longer. Secondly, it is written in simple English. Anyone who does not have a glossary of Buddhist Terminology can understand. Thirdly, it teaches one to be aware and mindful - sitting is just sitting; be it a "good" or "hard" sitting.



3. This is a very concise introduction to Zen meditation. It is particularly well suited to a beginner, particularly a Western beginner. The author is also credible with a background in both the Zen tradition and Western psychology.



4. However, if you are looking for something with more depth (perhaps after you have read "Zen... In Plain English") would be Robert Aitken's "Taking the Path of Zen". A much richer book! But I still think Plain English is still worthy.



5. I thought this book was pretty good, and it addressed most concerns, but I felt it could have had a bit more meat on it. Here's a quick breakdown of the sections:
   
   PART ONE: BUDDHAS
   *Background
   *The Story of Shakyamuni Buddha
   *The Lineage
   *Buddhas in America
   
   PART TWO: SITTING
   *The Problem and Its Solution
   *The Nature of the Problem
   *The Nature of the Solution
   *The Practice
   *Starting to Sit
   *Laying the Foundations
   *Some Rules of Thumb
   *Sitting Supports
   *Positioning the Body
   *Positioning the Legs
   *Positioning the Rest of the Body
   *Zazen Checklist
   *Breathing
   *Breathing in Zazen
   *The Mind in Zazen
   
   PART THREE: COMMUNITY
   *What is Community
   *Group Practice
   *An Intensive Period in a Zen Monastery
   *Sesshin
   *Realizing the Harmony
   
   AFTERWARD, FAQ's, and APPENDIXES
   ----------------------------------------
   
   As you can see, many different aspects of Zen and meditation are covered in this book. However, I feel like the book would benefit from offering more meditation instruction. For some reason the author decided to not include a picture of the half-lotus position. This is OK, but slightly annoying, and I would be bummed if I were a novice and had to rely on description alone. The author states on page 37 that starting by sitting about 15 or even 10 minutes a day is enough, but then on page 107 in the FAQ's the author states that even a few minutes a few times a week is OK. So which is it? As a beginner I would not appreciate this apparent contradiction.
   
   The book is listed as 128 pages, but this only exaggerates the amount of material that is actually in this book. This number includes ABOUT THE AUTHOR and PUBLISHER pages, and a lot of other pages in the beginning of the book devoid of actual content. The text on each page is pretty big, and the spacing between the book's content is liberal. All I'm saying is that this could all be condensed into about 40 or 50 pages with all of the exact same material. There's really not a lot of material in this book, which is OK, but it's unfair to exaggerate the material with numbers.
   
   I did find the FURTHER READING and stretching exercises included in the appendixes to be very helpful. That said, this is a pretty good beginner's meditation book, and I would recommend it, but I definitely think the book could have been better.

5 comments about 365 Nirvana Here and Now: Living Every Moment in Enlightenment.

1. My husband bought this for me for Christmas. We're faced with giving birth in February to a child who will require several open heart surgeries. I've been struggling with the anticipation and fear - mostly of the unknown. It's made the days hard to get through.
   
   I've picked up this book no less than 10 times in the few hours since he's given it to me, and each page contains a small wisdom that reminds me to focus on where I am at this moment - even if it means embracing the anger and the fear. Each page is a gentle reminder that the moment is where we are; to dwell in the unknown is to miss living fully in the now. All the rest, everything before and beyond the now, is out of our control - and this book makes that concept a little less frightening.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. I'm very happy to have encountered this little book... its size is conversely related to the wisdom of its content.
   It has openned my eyes to a "new" reality and little by little is opening my heart to the present moment and nothing else.
   The quotes or stories come from very different backgrounds and authors, all pointing to the same direction (or no direction at all) No matter what you believe or don't believe please allow your heart to enjoy the wisdom that you will find in this book, or more accurately, in you own heart.



3. Simplicity. Clarity.
   Beautifully put together book. One of the best I have ever red.
   Speaks for itself.
   Nothing more to say.



4. This is a simple, clean and potent collection of the Timeless Wisdom that is forever shared yet never attained (who would "attain" Oneness when all there IS is Oneness?)
   
   As the quote from Huang Po states, "Here it is, right now. Start thinking about it and you miss it". There are many such quotations, from likely and unlikely suspects - from Kerouac to Rumi; from Salinger (JD not Pierre!) to Thoreau, from Advaita to Zen. That in Truth All is One becomes clear and obvious to no one, as thought fades into the silent emptiness of what is.
   
   As the author points out, "When nothing is avoided, everything is the face of what is".
   
   There are so many great expressions that one might be tempted to set out to read this book from start to finish. But something seems to happen, as a page is turned, some words and space appear, and the "I" disappears back into the obvious formless IS - That which is - allowing and loving all that appears to it - That which is closer than breath, thought, perception - evoking direct experience of That is the accomplishment of this wordless Being as it simply and elegantly Loves Itself.
   
   If even one spiritual seeker reads this and "gets" that this instant before time is his/her True Nature, that closer-than-breath Vacant Awareness whereupon all seeking arises, fails, and gives up to Being-Just-That, then Mr. Baran will have done the greatest service a human being can offer a troubled world appearance: To remove that seeker from the path altogether and take that seeker beyond suffering, and remove any need for further help or support.
   
   This wonderful book could be your Welcome to Now. Highly recommended, with great respect and love. Thanks, to The One called "Josh Baran".
   
   Charlie Hayes (Author of Paradise Found: Recognizing and Living AS the Infinite Love That You Are).



5. The Tao of Now is filled with inspirational poetry, quotes, thoughts, and prose by a hundreds of different authors. The majority are well known spiritualist and historical figures.
   All have something to say about awareness, living in the moment, and resonating with your true personhood. A variety of belief systems are represented presenting a forum for spirituality and self understanding rather than adherence to any one religion.
   
   There are several ways to use this book. You can start each day with a little inspiration or pick a favorite when you need them the most. With so many entries to choose from, you'll find numerous new favorites that resonate with your personhood and inspire you in your daily life.
   
   On many of the pages, the author has included her own little notes or comments. I like this aspect. I think it gives the anthology a personal touch while encourages contemplation about the pieces and thought presented.

5 comments about The Goddess in the Office: A Personal Energy Guide for the Spiritual Warrior at Work.

1. When I first saw this book, I thought "Oh dear, Z's trying to appeal to the mass market by being cute." But I bought it anyway, if only because Z wrote it and I love her work. With trepidation, I opened the book and started to read.

   It took mere seconds for that trepidation to evaporate as I realized I was holding in my hands the best practical Witchcraft book I'd ever seen. Every tiny page is packed with useful spells, color ideas, and general all-around advice for getting through the work day with your sanity and soul intact. It also doesn't waste space giving yet another long Witchcraft 101 lecture, which is something I highly appreciated.

   If you're a woman and you have a dreary office job, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book.




2. I was so glad I received this book as a "Congrats on your New Job" gift. It really came in handy and really helped me get through a horrible situation at work.

   I am all for empowering yourself, but every little bit helps and the ideas and rituals in this book were fantastic!




3. If Wicca touches your soul and visualizations are helpful in changing your inner harmony,

   if you want to get in touch with your inner Wild Woman instead of your inner child,

   if you seek empowerment from within and ways to achieve it,

   if you are seeking spells that will help you with the problems you encounter in the modern office,

   then this is the book for you.

   Filled with a sense of empowerment and whimsy, this book will inspire and amuse at the same time. Each chapter covers a day of the week and provides advice on the energy of the day, colors and fragrances to wear and surround yourself with, crystals, stones, and herbs to have with you, and a special Goddess for each day and its energy. Included throughout the book are spells to promote cooperation and solidarity, protect or recover property, receive raises or promotions, promote or prevent office romance, ward off sexual harrassment, and for many other common office situations. Although written for women, this will be enjoyed by any male who seeks harmony with the Goddess and her energies in his life.




4. "The Goddess in the Office" is the first women's spirituality book that specifically focuses on our work lives. Many Wiccan and Pagan books focus on family connections, love, and other aspects of home life. Money and careers are addressed more from the standpoint of doing rituals at home that will affect one's professional life, rather than expressing one's spirituality in the workplace. Granted, that's always a dicey proposition, especially for Wiccans.

   Z. Budapest manages to pack a lot in her fun, tiny book. She starts by describing her image of the Wild Woman, a preverbal creature who howls, moans, grumbles and purrs, and who makes us fall in love at inopportune times with inappropriate persons. Wild Woman gets bored at work, and need a place where they feel grounded. Budapest encourages women to create an unobtrusive "power spot" with tiny stones, perhaps a bird's nest, or other precious tiny things where the Wild Woman will feel at home-in other words, creating a tiny bit of beauty and tranquility in one's workplace.

   One aspect of "Goddess in the Office" that I particularly appreciated is the extent to which Budapest put me in tune with the energy of each day. I do find that I have a hard time focusing on work when I come in on Mondays, that I do get down to business on Tuesdays, that by Wednesday I'm looking to what I need to do next week, etc. Becoming aware of these energies helps to address the particular challenges that they pose.

   The chapters in "Goddess in the Office" are organized by the seven days of the week. Budapest begins each chapter by focusing on the day's energy, contemplating on the meaning behind the day's name (for instance, Moonsday has dreamy, introspective connotations), and the goddess associated with that day. (Continuing with the moon theme, Monday's Goddess is Artemis.) After exploring the symbolic meaning of the day, Budapest then suggests scents, gems, and colors to express the day's energy. I particularly liked her suggesting various colors, depending on the energy that would be needed on a particular day. Each chapter also includes a handful of work-related spells (which don't need to be done on a particular day) and ends meditation exercise (to be done at home) for connecting with one's Wild Woman.

   Budapest acknowledges the importance that weekends play in achieving balance in our work lives. While the Saturday and Sunday chapters seem lighter than the workday chapters, they do provide some good ideas for renewing one's energy and getting ready for the next week.

   The spells in "Goddess in the Office" are the only one's I've found that specifically address the kinds of challenges that arise at work. Budapest includes spells for computer problems, giving a speech, blessing a project, protecting against sexual harassment, etc. You can follow her suggestions discretely with easily accessible supplies. For instance, the spell for purifying the office involves soaking lemon verbena or a pinch of sea salt in spring water, and scattering the blessed water around the office before co-workers arrive at work.

   "Goddess in the Office" isn't Wicca 401, by any stretch of the imagination. You're not going to delve into deep spiritual issues. But you just might have fun! The little line drawings of the naked Wild Woman serve as a great reminder that we cannot ignore our playful selves for too long just because we also have to earn a paycheck.




5. From the first page, it's filled with wisdom and whimsy. It's a good guide to using your spiritual life to cope with and/or improve your workday, and includes practical spells and Goddess Lore. The tone is warm and friendly, and the small drawings always bring a smile. It may look like a small, trendy book, but it's a true gem.

5 comments about Way of the Winding Path: A Map for the Labyrinth of Life.

1. Way of the Winding Path is very beautiful,very simple & very thought provoking.While reading the book I felt so peaceful--& many
   ah ha's about what is intriguing about the Labyrinth.Upon finishing the book I understand the concept & history of what a Labyrinth is & also a desire to walk it.As the title suggests--it is also a way to view this journey of Life---
   this book is Heartfelt,inspiring & practical--
   I'm sending copies to all loved ones.....
   Mahalo to Eve
   Sincerly, Sherry Lambert



2. This is a beautiful tool (not JUST a coffee table book!) and a great gift for those who already use the labyrinth as well as one who has yet to explore it's possibilities. I highly recommend Way of the Winding Path! Thoughtful text and beautiful photos.



3. Eve's book is truly the book I wish I had written! I came away feeling deeply moved, light hearted, and grateful to have the labyrinth in my life. Basically I gobbled this book down whole, only taking one break, and came away fully satieted and filled to overflowing. I love her quote: "What if we were to live our lives as if we were always on a pilgrimage--on a journey toward the Divine, with the Divine, as the Divine?" That shall be my focus, my aim, and my intention from this step forward! Thanks, Eve, for putting to words what I have long since felt and known in my heart regarding this powerful spiritual tool. Blessings, Caroline



4. I enjoyed this book so very much. I felt the peace of the labyrinth as I read the stories and wisdom gained on the path of the Labyrinth and on the path of life. This book is such a joy and a wonderful guide to the labyrinth. I loved this quote from Jack Kornfield's Buddha's Little Instruction Book, "As you walk and eat and travel be where you are. Ohterwise you will miss most of your life." This book is a good reminder for us overworkers. Thank you, Gay Fry



5. *****
   I own many books on the Labyrinth, and this is one of my favorites. It is a great introduction for beginners; however, it is also an excellent refresher for those familiar with the Labyrinth. As one of the latter, I recently reread it and got many new ideas for walking and for thinking about the Labyrinth differently.
   
   This book focuses on how the Labyrinth can be seen as a metaphor for our lives. It explores lessons we can learn and then apply from the Labyrinth. These lessons have to do with living your life and applying spiritual wisdom. Most of the ideas or lessons are questions that you ask yourself and then explore and find the answers to, either on the Labyrinth or off.
   
   It is a rich little book, one to be read again and again.
   *****

2 comments about Kabbalah Month by Month: A Year of Spiritual Practice and Personal Transformation.

1. Here you have an extraordinary priveledge to share the unique insights and perspective of Miriam Ribner's teachings. She offers her own perspective from her years as a therapist and as a student of Jewish mysticism from one of the 20th century's great teachers. You enter into each month learning more about the cycles of life and holidays - in a way that gives real meaning to our lives. This book is recommended for the novice Kaballah student and for someone who has been studying for years.



2. This book is so rich with actual recommended practices and ideas for jumping off points in living the Jewish cyclical calendar. It is everything in one place. It gives you an outline that you can take as is, or supplement with other texts for a more in depth study. I recommend it for your own practice, a chevruta study or a group.

4 comments about Deepak Chopra: Kama Sutra.

1. Even though most of us would be uncomfortable leaving a book which so boldly celebrates our sexuality out in the open, this book is so beautifully done that you might be tempted to leave it on the coffee table. The artwork is spectacular. At first I was so struck by the beauty and sensuality of the artwork I didn't do much reading, just paging through enjoying the images - even images of lovemaking which would normally shock or embarrass me seemed beautiful and natural. Okay, some still seemed shocking, but in the back of my mind lurks the possibility that within the context of a loving relationship there is purity and godliness within those erotic acts and images. Could that be true?
   
   I imagine it is so, but like many of us I still have my share of discomfort and shame surrounding sexual desire and its expression. And I think that this book may be helpful to me in that regard. In fact in the first chapter, Deepak Chopra says that the Kama Sutra can be read as "an antidote to shame" and I think he may be correct. The Kama Sutra combined with Deepak's introduction and his perspective on uniting sex and love make a strong case that sex is not meant to be a source of shame but instead can be a pathway to more fully realizing the Divine.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



2. With this latest book the well-loved and popular mind-body guru Deepak Chopra lends his take on the spiritual messages of this ancient text to craft a modern interpretation of the Kama Sutra; one very well suited to the Western mind.
   
   Fans of the Chopra distillation method (conversion of any universal truth to seven behavioral steps) will embrace his latest effort with rapturous glee. This would be an excellent gift for a couple, a lover, or anyone interested in a consideration of the meaning and import of sexuality and spiritual evolution.
   
   It's beautifully written in a conversational style that invites exploration and reflection, yet preserves the overall sacredness of the content. As well, it's stunningly illustrated with new artwork by - ironic in this case - the Virgin Illustration Studios along with a number of individual artists including Gotham Chopra. At first I rather missed the classical illustrations with their occasionally improbable postures and attitudes, but this faded as I warmed to the beauty of the recently commissioned modern art.
   
   The text is divided into three sections, and links the concepts of spirituality and sexuality through discussions of pleasure and how this relates to shame, life goals, passion, and other emotions and concepts. None of the archaic prejudices are removed, yet the reader is gently reminded that while the modern mind may differ, we should look for the underlying lesson in these texts, and observe how we have evolved and how much further we have to go as a sentient species. As the author writes: " any given paragraph can be wise, cynical, ribald, witty, fantastic, irreverent, manipulative, and clinical by turns". And yes, gentle reader, there are the classic descriptions of the positions for intercourse.
   
   But it's not all serious. Some of the pages are humorous in modern context, such as the page defining "Easy Women", which includes listings such as "an actor's wife" and "older women". This section and those similar in attitude ( "Advice for Seducers") should have book clubs cackling with fresh discussion.
   
   Buy it. Revel in it. Play with it. Learn from it.



3. There are some Indians who look down on authors who choose to retell classical works of Indian literature--in particular, works seen as 'Hindu' in content. Perhaps it's a colonial hangover--the old 'British knew best' attitude that continues to plague the English-speaking urban elite even today. But speaking for the growing number of people like myself who hunger to rediscover the richness of our heritage and past, I can honestly say that our interest in the classics has nothing to do with things like Hindutva, Ram Mandir, and all that political claptrap! Just as one respects and loves one's mother and finds 'her story' fascinating--because her story is also our story--so one delves into 'history' as well.
   
   Take Vatsayana's Kama Sutra for instance.
   
   For over a century, our knowledge of our own classical literature has come mainly from translations and interpretations by British or European authors. From the 19th century translation by Sir Richard F. Burton down to the latest glossy coffee table book with glossy pictures of blonde couples contorting in uncomfortable postures, our experience of this classic work has come to us almost entirely from the west. And sad to say, that interpretation is almost always a biased one, no matter how cleverly repackaged and reinvented it may be, replete with subtle racial bias and overt Catholic guilt.
   
   So it's with an element of hopefulness that one looks at this new edition, with original illustrations instead of the usual embarrassing pictures, and text by the one-man-new-age industry, Deepak Chopra.
   
   And Chopra actually delivers. He brings an instinctive Indian understanding of the work that is missing from those endless versions by Western authors. His tone captures the eccentricities of Vatsayana's mischevious style perfectly, conveying that sense of wicked leela that permeates this evergreen classic. Unlike those ubiquitous foreign editions, there's no attempt here to market the KS as a pornographic sex manual. In fact, the sexual positions--most of which are impossibly gymnastic--are the least interesting part of the Kama Sutra. It's the insights into human relationships that made this a seminal work of our culture. When Chopra translates the passage about a husband dreaming of the celestial cow Kamdhenu with his estranged wife's face, and of the subsequent reunion of the couple, it's an unmistakably Indian moment: Which western male would consider viewing his spouse's face superimposed upon cattle as a spiritual revelation? Chopra uses simple, deftly chosen words and phrases, to convey the essential quirkiness of this moment, as well as the eroticism of the subsequent reunion.
   
   This is all done at the Post-it note level of writing prose, mind you. Everything is reduced to byte-sized fragments, quotable quotes and pithy epithets. You could produce a couple of hundred greeting cards from this book--or a few dozen evocative love letters! But it's done with great sensitivity, skill and a holistic sense that balances the spiritual messages alongwith the erotic mischief.
   
   In place of the typical blow-up pics, the book is illustrated with an excellent selection of stylishly provocative paintings. The style is modern and perfectly suited to the text. Refreshingly, there's no attempt to illustrate every single position. Instead, the paintings are tastefully erotic, subtly sensual. There is both male and female nudity in plenty--this is the Kama Sutra after all!--but it's gracefully displayed, with R-rated suggestiveness rather than X-rated explicitness.
   
   Most of all, there's the sheer delight of seeing Indian bodies, Indian complexions, faces, features, details, that no western edition can ever match. Both illustrations and style capture the essential Indian spirit of this evergreen masterpiece with an economy and elegance that makes the book well worth possessing for any young couple.
   
   To put it in sms-speak: The DC KS rocks.



4. This is the worst book Deepak Chopra has ever written. I don't even think that this book is written by Deepak.

5 comments about Healing Conversations: What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say.

1. This book is a must read for anyone whose work centers around pastoral care and pastoral concerns. Often the most asked question is "what do I say when...." and this book gives you the answers through the telling of a story in such a way that one remembers what to say when. Not matter what faith community you are a part, this book belongs in your library and in your own home whether you do pastoral work or not. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.



2. At this time when thousands of people are responding to Hurricane
   Katrina, "HEALING CONVERSATIONS" offers us invaluable suggestions and guidelines for how to
   ask for, offer and, yes, especially, accept help during difficult, sometimes mind-numbing, circumstances. These
   stories enable any one--whether you are a volunteer, teacher, doctor,
   student, government leader, lay counselor, or even just a friend, family member or confidant--to be more at ease when
   dealing with the unimaginably difficult situations BOTH survivors and
   responders are encountering during this massive recovery effort. If there ever was a time when this book can speak volumes to all of us, this is it.
   
   David W. Oberdorfer, M.D., F.A.C.S., M.F.A.
   Emergency Room Physician & Immediate Past President, "Society for Humanism in Medicine"



3. I gave Healing Conversations to a friend troubled that she didn't " know what to say" to her family about her grandchild's scary diagnosis. She graciously received it and was pleased she didn't need to read the entire book because her specific concern is covered in a few short sections. She makes a good point. Readers under stress can find examples of numerous topics handily addressed in brief chapters about ways to support others through tough times. Other readers, particularly clergy or family educators, who simply want to feel prepared for helping others through the vicissitudes of life, will find reading the whole book helpful. It is a teaching tool about attitude and attention that the author dedicates "to each of you who, in a moment of uncertainty, take the chance to offer or to ask for a healing conversation."
   
   Because life is complicated, even we who are not therapists find ourelves serving hurting hearts occasionally. In our personal lives, or in the course of regular work, official job descriptions may not cover it, but stuff happens! Requesting or offering acknowledgment and support for rough, uncertain passages presents occasions when we or others ask, " Please help me find a new way to see things because right now I can't even think straight!"
   
   Suitable ways to respond in person and in writing are the focus of Nance Guilmartin's easy-to-read compendium. She coaches lay readers about being present in caring, appropriate ways for those experiencing a range of major and minor hard challenges, transitions and altered identities.
   
   Her "Getting started" introduction reviews, in cogent paragraphs principles (summarized here) for healing conversations:
   
   * Listen - actively hearing with ears, eyes and heart, suspending internal conversations and the impulse to ask questions
   
   * Pause - to reflect, tap into compassion, and tune in to the other person "like putting the clutch in when you are driving a car with a stick shift. It lets you slow down just enough to engage the gears before you speed up."
   
   * Be a Friend Not a Hero - Helping others through a rough time is not the same as rescuing them or rushing them.
   
   * Offer Comfort - People can care without agreeing, disagreeing, fixing or prescribing how others should feel. Comfort allows room to be who we are at the present time.
   
   * Be In Touch with Your Own Feelings - "Helping others feel comforted in our presence has a lot to do with what's going on inside us. . . we are able to sit with our own discomfort long enough to be with theirs. We are able to offer compassion to them because we can also give it to ourselves."
   
   * Be There Over the Long Haul - Adjustment takes time. Sometimes a friend, family member, a colleague or a neighbor needs us to be nothing more than a sounding board--over and over again.
   
   * Show Up Even When It's Awkward - It's okay to feel uncomfortable and helpful to be honest about it. Being a caring presence, letting the person feel safe, is the important thing.
   
   * Be a Helpful Resource - Sometimes the sensible thing to do is refer someone to a resource that might answer needs better than we can.
   
   * Take the Initiative - Taking the time to put ourselves in others' shoes is a helpful first step in knowing what is needed.
   
   * Be Compassionate - Even if we have similar experience, we can't really know how someone else feels, what causes them pain, or what will help them. We need to be patient. Remember to listen to others' stories before asking whether it would help to share yours.
   
   Through brief, interesting anecdotes, she helps readers see how the "getting started" guidelines play out in real situations. She helps readers understand and appreciate healing communication (especially conscious listening, shared silence, rephrasing and reframing) that can lift spirits about such life changing situations as caregiving, end of life, trauma, divorce, embarrassment, attempted suicide, anger, frustration, job loss, physical and mental health changes, retirement, bankruptcy, relocating, and a variety of other personal and work-related matters.
   
   With a useful table of contents and index, the messy, irrational emotional whirlpool of topics is arranged in simple, understandable short sections of true life experiences with helpful insights drawn from them. Comments and approaches are suggested. Being correct is not Guilmartin's point. Being receptive and connecting with others in useful ways is what she is teaching here. Example after example of practical application of personal, attentive empathy show ways to help individuals heal. She discusses spoken and unspoken, judgment-free communication to help individuals gain strength and perspective.
   
   Some of the anecdotes and commentary give additional practical examples of how others have worked through bewilderment or healing or have conceptualized a situation in a beneficial way. A letter from a leader of a nonprofit notifying her group of her cancer and asking for needed help, a list of helpful suggestions and requests from the wife of a hospice resident to his visitors, and some near death experiences are some examples. A few of the stories are a little on the sappy side, but illustrate her subjects well and are all worth reading.
   
   The general contents may be basic and obvious to those who read lots of books like this, but the memorable examples are enriching. Healing Conversations is both a motivational refresher and a handy resource to recommend for others dealing with all manner of personal discomfort. It is a valuable reminder that we all are more than our roles, we're fellow humans first.



4. As a therapist I've learned through long experience that often the most difficult but helpful thing I can offer others is the gift of listening with full attention. That's very difficult for us because our own emotions run away with us when we're with someone in pain. We get scared or angry and we want to make the problem go away--by offering advice or by changing the subject. Nance Guilmartin has put together a very useful guide for how to deal with our own fears and take "healing conversations" to a deeper level where we can actually help those in pain--by being there with them and, with their permission, doing what we can do to help. I especially like her very practical and down-to-earth advice: "Show up even if it's awkward." "Be there over the long haul." I highly recommend this book; everyone will need it more often than they realize, because the opportunities for healing conversations are there every day.



5. A must have. Helpful not only in what to say to others, but also therapeutic messages for the reader.

5 comments about The Power of Logic.

1. I took an intro philosophy class at Texas A&M University and this was the book that I was required to buy. I thought this book was great. I really like that it had the problems online (if not all of them a majority of them). It was nice to be able to work out the problems from the book and then go online and type them in to see what you were doing right or what was wrong with you answer. It gave clear examples and was easy to understand.



2. This is *such* a good book. When I reviewed the MS for the publisher, the copy I had included a chapter on modal logic which did not make it into the First Edition. I hope it makes it into later additions. Being a thoroughgoing probablist, I especially appreciated the chapter on probability theory. Given the widespread use of probability theory in contemporary analytic philosophy, there's almost no excuse for a philosophy program to use any other book for philosophy majors (except, of course, _Socratic Logic_).



3. Let me start by saying I received an A in the class. I wasn't too dim to understand the material, so this isn't whining from a bruised ego. Logic sounds cool. It isn't! I don't know if it's possible to make logic logical or not, but this book is a collection of poorly explained utter nonsense. Logic seems to combine the worst aspects of algebra and philosophy into one poorly organized discipline. This book doesn't help. It introduces ill conceived and vague concepts in a manner that seems to revel in their obscurity. It's like reading a review of the unix programming language from the guy that created unix. There are probably 8 people on Earth that would dig it, the rest... not so much.



4. I absolutely hated this book. It was the textbook for a "symbolic logic" class - although it was extremely subjective and not logical at all. The book is full of errors and is faulty in its reasoning in some of the problems. I hated this book as well as the class - I expected a logic class to be logical and not subjective. If you have knowledge about a topic, it is frustrating when the authors are narrow minded and think they have the answer when you know their reasoning is faulty and incorrect.
   
   If you have a choice between a math class and a logic class (especially using this book) - choose the math class. I did get an very good grade in spite of the book - a 3.9 --- although the class average was 1.85 (on a 4.0 scale) and it was the lowest grade I received while working on the degree I just finished.
   
   To the authors: It can be raining and the ground can be dry. It is called virga - where rain evaporates before it reaches the ground. Your saying the ground must be wet if it is raining and using that for a example sentence throughout the book is a major error.



5. A while back, I had used this text for a course in Logic. The best thing about it was that the material was explained and illustrated so well that one can learn from this book without going to the classroom!
   
   This doesn't mean that someone should just read and move on; the problems given in this text are still critical to understanding and applying Logic. There's even an answer key for some of the problems, so one can check their own work!
   
   In addition, the skills that one can develop using this text are also transferrable - especially for those that are learning Programming.
   
   All in all, I'd recommend this text for anybody who needs an understanding of Logic, whether it be for a class or a profession. If one has an interest in more advanced concepts of Logic (e.g. - Counterfactuals), however, this book is not for you.

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