Inspiration Books

Mugged at the bookstore again. And, so so glad I was.

Wandering through my local bookstore, as I often do, this book jumped into my arms and cried, "take me." Although unfamiliar with the author, the subtitle "72 shortcuts for getting out of your mind and into the moment" resonated with me.

What a gem of a book! The author has compiled 72 delightful ways to get into the moment. Every one of his offerings may not be right for you, but I suspect that few readers will not quickly find a half dozen techniques that will work well.

Let me give a concrete example of the power of this wonderful book. My wife and I are the caregivers for a multipli-disabled man who has been blind since birth. I often think what it must be like to be blind from birth. For me, and likely most of those of us who can see, our idea of blindness is as if lights were suddenly turned off. But, we are still left with vivid impressions of what this world looks like as a result of our years of sight. Blind since birth means one never got those impressions.

So wtih that backdrop, along comes the author with a meditation practice (one of his 72 practices) that he calls "Enter the Darkness." Wow...did this excite me. Later today, I will be joining my dear friend for some shared time in the darkness. How powerful for my own peace of mind, and hopefully how wonderful for my dear friend. I fully expect this will be a practice I embrace for years to come.

Other equally impactful connections were made with the described practices.

I am stout believer in the importance of personal PEACE. My construct for personal peak performance has PEACE as one of three foundational elements. As such, I am always looking for processes that can help me to create more PEACE in my life. Well, this gem is chock full of ideas to do exactly that.

So PEACE be with YOU. Let this book show you how you don't have to adopt some norm of meditation, but instead can adopt any of one of a number of rituals that will help to keep one centered in a world that too often seems lacking in PEACE.

Arjuna Ardagh (the author)...I am deeply grateful.

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gauche: Lacking social polish; tactless

gauche --Synonyms inept, clumsy, maladroit; coarse, gross, uncouth

This offers the reader All of the above and more.

Several issues are immediately apparent. First, is the lack of congruity it seems, of a philosophy (or budget) that would purchase plans from a mass-marketed stylebook on the cheap, only to have designs embellished with an excess of budget-busting ornamentation, inordinate angles, appliqué, unnecessary fictitious details, fatuous decoration and curves upon curves.

Anyone expecting to save money on this type of approach to building is setting himself or herself up for a HUGE awakening. One is well advised to consult a designer, building designer, or architect prior to purchasing such plans and proceeding with wise professional counsels.

Essentially what the reader is purchasing is a catalog of 125 cookie-cutter, in your face track home plans, from which they can select the one design on which to spend another thousand dollars (give or take depending on the plan) to secure the foundation plans, detailed floor plans, cross sections, structural plans, exterior elevations, and electricals.

These ersatz, eclectic "Mediterranean Inspiration" designs "steal and borrow" (the word begins with a "B" and will not pass the filter although a legitimate clean word) from Neoclassical, Story Book Style, Norman, Gothic, Tudor, doghouse. They brim with ostentatious details that betray the very fundamental standards of taste and refinement that the purchaser hopes to transmit.

The designs are a miscellany of plans intended to impress; yet lack the grace, elegance, and fundamental standards of good taste.

The reader should recognize that they will need to float their furniture on all those curves that are so beguiling on paper. The reader needs to identify 12-foot living room space as too small, or a 10-foot circular breakfast room that looks better on paper than the Gestalt of its reality. Consider all those eyebrow, and Palladian curved windows that look great on the exterior elevations will also require window treatments. Curved arches, arch-over-standard, circles, octagons, hexagons, trapezoids, angled top or bottom, and cutout shades are all going to require custom solutions that are not only far more costly than standard windows, but they also frequently detract from the interior surroundings they are supposed to enhance.

This book might be useful to free up creative blocks for those persons collecting ideas for their building projects. Nonetheless spare yourself the troubles of buying the actual plans without professional counsels.

This book has beautiful photos and sketched home plans for luxurious living. If you are looking for ideas to build an estate or a waterfront home, this is a good choice. It has home plans from designers like Sater.

Title should be "Mediterranean Lack of Inspiration".
This book will appeal to those with too much money, too few brains and absolutly no taste
Although America, rightly so, lays claim to some of the finest examples of Mediterranean Revival in the world, this book does nothing to bring the reader into the understated elegance created by those homes. Instead it continues the trite and tasteless habit of ostentatious behavior we Yanks have become known for the world over. The designs are thinly vieled examples of the MacMansions found on converted corn fields, complete with corn fed owners, throughout America. Bigger is better and gaudy is better still.
The book should not be used for reference material or even a coffee table book unless you need something on which you may rest your Bud while watching Monster Truck episodes.
Using this book for reference will not supply any insight into the Mediterreanean style, but it will demonstrate just how good we are at commandeering a style that has been perfected over hundreds of years and "fixing" or "improving" it.
If you are interested in the Mediterranean style in America, try "Red Tile Style" by Aroll Gellner or "Santa Barbara Style" by Kathryn Masson.
There are also many books covering he work of Addison Mizner and George Washington Smith in Florida and giants such as Julia Morgan in the West.
This book MIGHT be good to line the cat's litter box, but be forwarned, the cat may object.

If you are truly ready to change, but need some vital direction, then read this book. It will have deep effects.
This book is a strong reminder to commit to yourself spiritually. The open, honest, and perceptive narrative, followed by easily applied exercises (many dealing with chakras and energy), helped give insights that had a real impact. I could sense shifts occurring that have already allowed me to view myself, others, and the purpose of life, differently. You can "feel" the truth of what she is saying. It helped develop an inner wisdom that, in turn, brought me closer to an inner peace.
Content included:
Clear description of properties of chakras and how to see and work with their energy.
Explanation and exercises to enable one to "know" your intuitive ability.
A clearer understanding of our journey through the physical plane.
The exercises are ones you can take with you wherever you are.
She manages to do all this, while reminding us that she too, experiences the work we are all here to do.
Everyone will get what they need from this book.
Laura Alden Kamm has been given a gift that she is kindly using to help others along their path.

A clear, informative, fascinating read. Laura Kamm is a medical intuitive with a difference, not only can she perceive the energetic configurations of health and wellness, but she can also act as a catalyst to healing.
Beautifully written and very encouraging for those who wish to develop their intuitive faculties.
There are some unique exercises in the book that help develop greater awareness. Laura Kamm also looks at major illnesses and their energy signature, she suggests what kind of emotional or psychological attitude might have created them. A worthwhile read for everyone in the healing and consciousness arena.

This book has helped to change my life! It has not left my bedside table since the day I bought it! I don't think it will ever be filed away onto the bookshelf! It has taught me so much about myself and my own ability to really help myself and to know myself. I have gotten so much out of the exercises which, by the way, are all conveniently located at the back of the book, that I have advised everyone I know to get a copy. I have some friends, who once they read it and work with the exercises, have bought many copies to give away as gifts. It could be such a wonderful world if everyone would follow these guidelines and really get to know themselves and help others to do the same. I think it should be mandatory reading for everyone! Enjoy it! Namaste!

This book really guides one to use our inner powers to heal. Please read it
many times to get all it has to offer.

INTUITIVE WELLNESS: USING YOUR BODY'S INNER WISDOM TO HEAL began with the author's recovery from a near-death experience twenty years ago, leaving her with the ability to telepathically scan the structure of a person's body to see inner disturbances. INTUITIVE WELLNESS uses this foundation of experience plus her ability to train others in the skill, providing chapters which offer easy exercises to help readers learn about their own unique energy systems. An excellent survey expands the 'how to' world of healing and is a recommended pick for any new age collection strong in psychic knowledge or health.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I very much enjoying the daily readings. It makes it more accessible to me I think to focus on small truths daily.

Must have

If you have read the Science of mind or Urantia book, this is for you. These days of confusion, everybody could use a daily guide and inspiration in our life. I highly recommend this book of great wisdom. It is for everybody who made the first step toward higher meanings and more spiritual life.

The overall tone is slightly contrived. It doesn't "feel" right. Could be better. Unless you are familiar with "Spiritual Mind Treatments" it will sound really weird.

This is a wonderful book of daily inspiration, I read a page every morning before I leave for work and it really helps put my mind in a good place to start my day.

If you can appreciate beautiful poetry, then you can handle the wisdom in this book. His thoughts are very deep yet extremely practical for the day to day. It's worth it to read a selection each day and keep a journal to further examine the lesson contained within its pages. If you are familiar with his philosphies - you'll really appreciate the articulate nature of his impressions and spiritual remedies. If you are not familiar with him, I'd challenge you to do so - you will not regret it!

Jack Kornfield is one teacher who undeniably lives in my head. I first read this book over twelve hours of flying across country on three planes, and for one of the few times in my life, I looked up when finishing the book and felt disoriented! What? You mean, it's over? I wanted to keep on flying so I could find hidden pages and read some more! I wanted to read it again, front to back!

That's how good this book is. One needn't be a Zen student to "get" what Kornfield is talking about. Making nimble use of marvelous quotes and his own unique wit and humor, Kornfield offers beautiful meditations on the cornerstones of any worthwhile spiritual practice. He is an author/mentor who always inspires and provokes me. I hope to meet him one day, but for now I delight in knowing he is among us, keeping the Yak butter lamps burning.

--Robert McDowell, The Poetry Mentor (www.robertmcdowell.net), is the bestselling author of POETRY AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE (July, 2008) from Free Press.

This little book packs a mighty wallop in that it speaks in a warm, loving, accepting and compassionate way about positive topics. It has helped me to think more clearly about forgiving abuse I experienced as a child. Very comforting and wise! I have used it with a group of Christian women without naming the origin. It was very well received.

I love everything Jack has written or recorded. But what's special about this book is how moving it was to my mother, and how it connected us even though we pursue different spiritual traditions (me Buddhism, her Catholicism). Because this book is divided into short paragraphs, you can read one and then meditate or reflect on it. Each story or quote is worth it. Jack has such a large and wonderful storehouse of quotes and stories from every spiritual tradition, from the Dalai Lama to Martin Luther King. Highly recommended.

Jack Kornfield has written a small book that packs a powerful and inpirational punch. Forgiveness, lovingkindess and peace are three attributes that lead to a happy life.

The 3 attributes are explained through stories and quotes from people like the Buddha, Benjamin Franklin and Nelson Mandela. And at the conclusion of the writings on each of the attributes are meditations.

One comment on peace from Kornfield's book that really hit home with me was, "Peace requires us to surrender our illusions of control. We can love and care for others but we cannot possess our children, lovers, family, or friends. We can assist them, pray for them, and wish them well, yet in the end their happiness and suffering depend on their thoughts and actions, not on our wishes."

Don't look for Buddhism in this book, at least not the Buddhism that can be contained in the mind. But you'll find great, simple wisdom that clearly shows that Buddhism in only one source of great wisdom.

This is a book to read slowly when you're at your lowest point -like after the death of a loved one. Many, many simple reminders that we hold peace in our hearts, even when our fear, anger, greed, and ignorance hide it.

I really enjoyed this book and for a more detailed review, visit my blog http://waynehastings.blogs.com/offtheshelf/2008/07/creativity-revealed---a-review.html. I found Scott's book to be a tremendous kick in the pants to my own creativity. He does a fantastic job of giving the reader context and also practical advice on creativity. I would recommend this book to anyone.

I wanted this book to be good. I really did. It had what I was looking for, info on the most important aspect of cartooning: the writing.But, unless you intend to create cliche, unoriginal cartoons, this book is not for you. Because that's all it does. It explains in detail the most common cartoon character stereotypes and how you should use them. it tells you what is normally done and tells you to do the same. cartooning is not about following paths that have already been followed. i enjoyed The Naked Cartoonist by Robert Mankoff, cartoon editor for the New Yorker. It explains the creative process in general.
Here's my advice: don't listen to advice from cartoonists who aren't even successful themselves. they clearly don't know what they're talking about.

Christopher Hart's name appears on a number of beginner's how-to books, but he's not just a beginner's author, as this book demonstrates. This is one of the better, and more advanced, cartooning books out there. While it does go over yer usual "stick-man" first steps briefly, most of it is devoted to addressing stuff like panel layout, strip breakdowns, consistency of character design, timing in humor writing, marketing your work, etc. In every case, Hart speaks from experience: apparently he has written stand-up and TV comedy professionally, as well as doing animation, comic books, strips, and piloting the space shuttle. [I'm just guessing at that last one, but don't be surprised... ]

Anyhoo, if you've advanced in your cartoons to the point where you're considering getting into the pool of publication, this book is a good resource for polishing and fine-tuning what you can do.

Before I finished my third book I decided it needed cartoons to visually explain some ideas (a picture is worth 1000 words) and provide humor to a tough subject. I started checking with hiring a professional artist (or student artist) to do the work. It quickly became clear the task would be time consuming, expensive and I may not get what I wanted in the end.

First, it would be difficult to find someone who would be able to take what was in my mind and transfer it to a cartoon

Second, it became painfully clear it would be expensive (even with a student artist). I wanted around twenty five cartoons drawn.

Third, some individuals wanted to discuss contracts and usage.

My best option was to learn how to draw cartoons myself. I figured it would be less expensive (only the cost of books and art supplies), and frustrating and I would get exactly what was in my brain. It would take some time to become proficient, but it sounded like a fun project. I was fortunately right.

Drawing on the Funny side of the Brain by Christopher Hart and a couple other books helped me learn how to draw cartoons good enough to put in my latest book.

Christopher Hart has done several books on drawing comics. He provides excellent common sense content, and teaches the skill very well though his words and cartoons.

There were many excellent sections in the book that helped me draw faces, bodies hands and feet. There were also some drawings that gave me ideas for my own cartoons.

Some the sections that I found especially helpful were: Humorous Head Construction, Funny Expressions, How to Draw the Cartoon Hand, and the Characters Sheet.

After finishing my sketches, I used Adobe Elements software to polish up the work. I was very pleased with the final cartoons that went into my book...and there have been many positive comments about the cartoons from people who have the book!

Overall, this is a great resource for learning to draw cartoons!


The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Cartooning but Were Afraid to Draw (Christopher Hart Titles)

The Cartoonist's Workbook Drawing, Writing Gags, Selling

Very helpful book on the basics of creating comics. I needed a book that would take me from square one and show me the ropes. This did all that and more. I would definitely recommend this book!

Well this book has it all. How to draw and come up with characters, how to layout out for comic panals. What and What not to do writing strips and doing the comic layout, etc. I'de say you have it all here. I was just hoping it would give more on writing scripts, but I guess there realy is no help guid it's just skill.

To say this book changed my life would be an understatement. I keep copies of it on hand to give people that are struggling in trying to find out who they are or how to just make it through the day.

It opened my eyes to a NEW me not the "religious" guilt riden girl I had turned out to be. It took my life from guilt control to God's true adventure into freedom from man made rules.

Alan cohen uses humor and examples from modern life and makes his points in a way that is easy to understand. The questions at the end of each chapter are wonderful for getting to know the REAL you and find out where in your life you may have went off track and this book also helps point you in the right direction to get back on track and start enjoying your life again.

Awesome and Amazing but above all LIFE CHANGING !!!!

Whatever we concentrate on, expands and increases. ~Alan Cohen

All of Alan's books are healing, beautiful gifts that allow you to see a reflection of your current self within the pages. Alan has the amazing ability (very rare as far as I can tell) to see deep spiritual lessons in even the most negative situations.

To Alan, life is a reflection of his inner world. This has become more apparent to me lately and there have been moments when I've spoken my intentions out loud or just thought them silently and my life changes or moves in positive directions. The same can happen when you think negatively as I have proved to myself time and time again.

Alan is a man before his time and his love of quotes and movies is a highlight in "Dare to Be Yourself." The truth is, Alan is comfortable being himself and as Ingrid Bergman once said: "Be Yourself. The world worships the original." He has divided his book into five main sections:

1. The Return of the Golden Buddha - How to chip away the mask and reveal more of your golden nature.

2. Dare to Love Yourself - Do you respect yourself and believe in yourself?

3. Dare to Live Now - How to turn scars into stars and let yourself experience life on the human level. It is fine to change your mind, be wrong or let go. Alan also discusses forgiveness and how to live in the moment.

4. Dare to Be Yourself - How can you take your power back? How to say NO!

5. Dare to Move Ahead - Taking risks, moving through fear, doing the impossible and living your vision.

Alan Cohen mingles practical advice with spiritual insight and weaves popular cultures into deep lessons. I always learn something new about life. There is a fascinating story about Monarch Butterflies on page 45. The original idea of the "Blessing Extractor" and "Wish-fulfillment machine" made complete sense to me and then I was very amused by the cute story of "The God in Chocolate."

His insightful observations about Marilyn Monroe shed light on her life and he also discusses how when you feel like you are dying, you are going through a spiritual birthing process. As your old self dies, the new self is born. This can happen over and over again. I have been through this a few times myself and now I finally understand what was happening to me. I loved his creative ideas for making space for joy and enjoyed quotes by Albert Einstein, Yogi Amrit Desai and Ramana Maharshi.

Reading Alan Cohen's books are truly a vacation for your soul and his writing is refreshing in that he looks at life from an uncommon perspective.

This book even has a workbook section with each chapter- to encourage you to apply the principles and open new doors in your life.

~The Rebecca Review

I read this book years ago, and it's still one of the firstbooks I recommend to people. It helps one realize that negative thinkingabout yourself is not only non-productive, it's harmful and keeps you from progressing in life as you want to; giving one the ideas and tools to become more positive-minded. Alan Cohen has written with a style that contains very powerful insight that is an easy read, and I like the one-liners at the beginning of every chapter; they help one focus on issues about to be covered.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has had a "Dark Night of the Soul," feels despair, needs a new outlook on life, and could use helpful advice on new ways to think, thereby changing to a more positive life instead of always focusing on the negative.

A truly WONDERFUL book!

More spiritual than I would want. I am sensitive to spirituality in books since it is so dependant on the individual.

Stupendous, can't say enough about Alan Cohen and the way in which he clearly and concisely gets to the root of it. If you are doing some soul searching, this is the book to help you navigate your way to greener pastures.

While perhaps recently superseded by Skinner's "Complete Magician's Tables", this was the superlative magic(k)al reference since its first publication by Llewellyn over ten years ago. Herein lies an extensive summary of correspondences and content for most esoteric systems of both East and West. The volume is weighty, as one would expect of one with such ambitions, and the subject matter extensive, accessible and thoroughly researched. While predominantly intended as a magician's equivalent of a PDR, there is also a recommended course of study and extensive supplemental reading list - the latter interestingly not reflecting a substantial number of texts from the publisher, Llewellyn, and hence has a much more credible air. Also included is a list inspired by P.E.I. Bonewits' summary Laws of Magic from his book "Real Magic".

While Llewellyn has published some average works, this is one of the gems of the publishing house, and one for which ceremonial magicians of all traditions owe them a debt of gratitude.

I find this to be an extremely useful reference...not a how-to book. It should grace any resourceful pagan's bookshelf. I'm happy to have found it.

A marvelous beautiful book of comprehensive sacred and arcane lore organized with mercurial genius. Destined to become a classic in my opinion.

May it's angelic virtues forever benefit the noble golden aspirants, seers, sages, magi and yogins of Extending Loving Light.

AOM Alpha Omega Monad
Deva Jai Baba Lokenath
Aurum Lux Angelos
< *** (O) *** >

An easy read, gives insight on several levels, both to practical magik, & to overall attitudes. I highlty reccomend this book, whether you choose to practice the Kabbalah, or go on to other types og magik!

I actually read through this entire book. It's mainly meant to be used as a resource guide, but in my personal opinion, anyone who wants to use it for that purpose should read through it once to get an idea of what Whitcomb covers. It is one of the most in-depth correspondance guides I've read. Whitcomb also offers coherent brief explanations on the various systems he writes about. Whether this book is for a beginner or an experienced it has something for everyone and should be one of the few books any magician is required to purchase.

A decent book; I especially liked the Aura bounce & aura rub. Not enough information on using technology or crystals to protect yourself. FYI though, there is plenty of free material out there which is just as good and won't cost you, like Dr. Michael Smith's Inner Power material at his website.

Over the years I'd hear comments like "you're so empathic", but I know now that I didn't really understand what empathy was - what it wasn't - and how to use it wisely or turn it off. In reading Empowered by Empathy I began to understand the differing styles of empathy. And most importantly I recognized myself as an untrained empath.
The teachable moment for me was when my neighbor and I were talking and I began rubbing my right knee as it had begun to ache. I asked (silently) Is this MY pain? If not, I don't want it. And remarkably, the pain left. Now I have tools to protect myself from the moods and pains of others or I can use the information to assist if and when appropriate. I have choices that I did not know I had. This book Empowered by Empathy is aptly named. I highly recommend it to empower your life!

There are few books out there that both inspire and inform at the same time. With each sentence, I kept nodding my head in approval because it all applied to me. As I read the part on emotional onneness and emotional intuition, I could not help getting teary eyed because for the first time I had an explanation for what I had. I was not abnormal, or an emotional wreck. I had a gift all along and I did not even know it. Also the fact that it is written by one who has actually been there is a a sigh of relief because you are not alone. I recommend this book to anyone who believes that empathy might be a part of their every day life, and I hope it is as much a blessing to you as it was to me.

Some of things are long winded and not all that well explained, such as some of the exercises. I got the impression that you sort of had to understand things a bit more to really get use out of some of the exercises. Unfortunately, shutting it off and turning it back on isn't quite as simple as she'd have you believe. My empathy is very ingrained in me and I still have trouble doing it without the aid of my guides, and I'm far more advanced now. BUT... it is a wonderful book for beginning to understand more about a latent gift I didn't realize I had.

I was so disappointed with this book. I expected something more concrete, complex and helpful. The author used to read faces at parties as a paid party entertainer, for godssake. I read it and tried all of the exercises, and to get anything out of it you have to be one of those New-Age-suspension-of-reason types. It is simplistic and unhelpful. Someone with a more serious background in psychology is better equipped to truly help people who have a problem with feeling too much empathy.