Inspiration Books

Embarking on the path of simplicity is simply one of the best things I've done in my entire life.

After years of accumulating more and more stuff, I reached a point where it didn't make any sense to keep accumulating more material possessions. More, was definitely not better. If you read the author's other excellent book, Choosing Simplicity, you will see how more people are choosing the so called path of 'voluntary simplicity'. About two years ago I started a long path of downsizing my life (I'm a Taurus... that loves material possessions and has attachments to much of it so I think that didn't help). I started with cutting back commitments, moved onto removing friends :) and then stuff... clothes, tapes, anything I didn't use frequently and then the most difficult and sacred... my books... including a huge personal development library. Other things, I've digitized (music, some books and the like) and I've never felt better and each round of decluttering, downsizing and simplifying and has gone deeper and deeper and created further impetus and desire for a more simpler life. I see it as a journey and an unfolding process. Some people will find it more easy than others, although it is accessible to anyone.

There many excellent books on decluttering and simplicity. This one of the better ones. Why? The author is well researched, lives the work herself and has provided a comprehensive guide and set of resources and activities to tackle in each area of your life. While you may be familiar with a good deal of the content, the book is useful in that it gives you a structure to conduct the process (including should you want to undertake the process with friends), is easy to read and follow and is inspiring. It's also holistic in that it considers all areas of your life and your relationship to others and the planet. More than that, it's written from the heart and a genuine desire to support people that choose this path. The book is divided into a series of lessons to deepen your awareness of all the areas in your life that simplicity can be applied and includes your home, spirituality, money, how you spend your time, community, family and friends and health and wellbeing. Many of the questions in this book will enable you to deeply reflect on your life and how you are using your time. Like other really good works, I've found that one little insight or practical application I've picked up can add major leverage in my life. For instance, I've noticed a substantial improvement in my life since getting rid of the TV. I've found that it is not missed and the constant stream of negativity that pervades the news is removed from my life which has greatly effected my wellbeing. There are many such powerful tools and reflections in this book.

The book contains excellent references to other resources and publications in the field for further reading or advice and templates in terms of money, time and others to enhance your awareness around these important areas so that you can begin to make conscious decisions. The external resources are excellent and include brief descriptions of why they are relevant. Also included is an extensive bibliography and guidelines for establishing a Simplicity Support Group.

This is an excellent book, that I am grateful to have read and I highly recommend it. If you are looking for further inspiration and practical examples of how people live this philosophy in different ways (and with vastly different contexts and approaches e.g. some with very little money, others who have substantial resources), I highly recommend the author's other book, Choosing Simplicity.

I am both happy and not happy with this book. I purchased it hoping to find different ways to simplify my life. I found that I am already doing many of the suggestions and have already evaluated much of my life in the ways that the author suggested. This provided me with positive reinforcement that I am hopefully on a good path.

I think this would be a good book for someone just starting to evaluate their life or looking for a new approach.

I don't like the way the author seems critical of many choices people make in their lives and find many of her suggestions to be of no value to me and my life. I try to be friendly to the Earth and its inhabitants. I buy locally, recycle everthing possible, and generally try to be as respectful and mindful of my place and purpose in life.

It is neither practical nor feasable for me to sell my house and move to a pedestrian friendly city so I don't need to own a car or can share one with a neighbor.

I make no apologizes that I drive a SUV. My life more than occasionally requires this vehicle making renting one when I needed one financially stupid. If I didn't live in an area that was snow covered several months of the year perhaps I could ride a Vespa or have a "commuting car." However how is having more than one vehicle simplifying my life? If I didn't have co-workers perhaps bicycling to work would be possible. I can neither shower at the office I work at nor am I willing to carry a full change of clothing to put on after I arrive.

I am not going to opt out of health insurance on the hopes that I won't need it. Of course I hope I won't need it but I am not going to bet my finaicial future on it. My job may make me crazy but I can't see how its worse than perhaps incurring a huge medical bill and losing my home.

I value old friendships and keep a place in my life for those people who may not share my feelings on many issues. The value of a 27 year friendship far outweighs our political or social differences. Is it simplier to discard people who "complicate" my life or to find a way to fit them in?

In the end its all about the choices you make. Ms. Pierce does a good job of showing you do have control in ways you might not have considered. Just because I don't agree with some of her conclusions doesn't mean she is wrong in asking the questions.

Voluntary simplicity has some features to it that would benefit most people in the United States, and that I am actively trying to incorporate into my own life. These include less consumerism/materialism, financial "modesty" (for lack of a better term), less cluttered living, etc. When we speak of the priorities, however, we must not forget the "voluntary" aspect.

I can sum up my problem with this book with a single quote from page 170, "Simplicity is not about imposing beliefs on others or judging their actions... except, of course, by enacting and enforcing laws that mandate..." Throughout the book, every topic ends up with a discussion of how to tax, fine, or otherwise manipulate and coerce people into adopting the practices that the author believes would be best for them.

This sanctimonious, condescending attitude was so offensive that I found it difficult to draw anything positive from the book.

Great workbook and should be used with a group of people if possible.
Makes you think about living more fully, enjoyably, and calmly in this hectic have to have everything world.

Linda has done an outstanding job putting this book together. It gave insights into the four key elements of living- body, mind and spirit. The context is clear cut, she speaks from personal wisdom, research and case studies. She has exceeded my expectations with such a fantastic book!

This is a great book full of wonderful stories. However, the book is only half of it, the author is my focus. He is a dead sexy intelligent stud. I often see him walking around our campus and I keep wanting to say hi, but I don't have the nerve. Maybe he will read this and contact me. Anyway, it's a wonderful read and certainly worth anyone's time.

Most people I know don't really care for "self-help" books-myself included. They always seem a bit quirky. This book was given to me as a gift and I have to say it's quite a great read. The other reviewers are right, this book is perfect bathroom material. Some very insightful and hilarious insights into what the real meaning of life is. Some passages are better then others but my favorite begins at the bottom of page 135. I had a similar experience when I was this person's age and it definitely helped shape my future. I wish I could have expressed myself as well as he does in this passage. I highly suggest picking up this book. It will do you good.

This book starts out with a great introduction which captivates and also helps the reader relate. How many of us have been stuck writing a term paper and floated into a chat room for advice?
The responses Seaman garners out of the chat rooms and from friends and family are timeless and charming all the same. It puts life in perspective, and brings oneself down to Earth to remind us of what's really important.
This is a short read and can be enjoyed by children and adults.

This is a collection of a couple of hundred opinions on the meaning of life. They're short arguments, typically a paragraph or two. They come from common, everyday people. That's what makes it unique, and an excellent learning experience: you can peer into what your fellow man thinks about life.

After all, you've already heard and read what famous thinkers, scientists and philosophers have to say on the subject. But often these brilliant minds fail to influence the public sphere, fail to alter the course of human existence.

For while they may make claims about the nature of truth, if we as a majority don't accept this truth, then it usually doesn't influence the course of human events. It's the people, the six billion of us, that have the real power. (Example: the average man voted for Bush. Twice. With that power, they changed the course of human history.) That's why it's absolutely fascinating to get a perspective on what the average person thinks is the meaning of life.

It's these ideas, contained within this book, that guide and explain the course of humanity's actions. And you'll be amazed at these ideas: many of them blatant offenses to logic, that not even the most liberal philosopher would be able to find a publisher for. Gross fallacies, bumbling inconsistencies and circular logic roam freely throughout. What you're getting is not wisdom on the actual meaning of life; it is wisdom on what your fellow humans believe.

However crazy they may be, these collections of ideas are guiding our world. That's what makes this a tremendously important book. Because if enough people believe that something is the truth, then it becomes the truth. So read this book to find out what people think the truth is.

David was faced with an assignment for his class and to his amazement this assignment turned into a book as David asked a question on the internet, "What is the meaning of life?"
David tells us in this work how shocked he was to the many responses that he had ranging from silly and lighthearted to intense and heart-felt. The responses came from people in all walks of life, from intellects to simple folks, from Christians to Buddhists, rich and poor, kind and cruel, the answers flooded in.
I believe this work will enlighten you. After all, people actually had to take the time to sit and write their response and I believe we find from this book that the answer to that question is based a lot on
where that person is in life, what experiences they have had and their spiritual commitment or lack of the same. Think about it; if you were to answer that question, just what would you say? An interesting and fun read; you will enjoy this book.

Read this book!! You'll see that consciousness makes all the difference in the world, and as the saying goes, 'a fool sees not the same tree a wiseman does.' Doreen Virtue gives an map of the Divine Feminine Spirit that is available to all of us, and helpful Archangels who may be called upon for guidance. Thankyou Doreen for your insight, sensitivity and willingness to share of your experience. This wonderful book is a virtual travelogue to Spirit.Realms of the Earth Angels: More Information for Incarnated Angels, Elementals, Wizards, and Other Lightworkers

AS WITH MANY OF THE CD BOOKS THAT I HAVE BOUGHT,THIS ONE WAS GREAT!!!THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THIS VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT CD.VIRTUE HAS ONCE AGAIN PROVED THAT THE DIVINE IS ALWAYS WITH US AND SHOWS US IN A UNDERSTANDABLE WAY THAT I DON'T BELIEVE IS OVER ANYBODY HEAD. CLEAR IDEAS THAT ARE OBTAINABLE FOR ANY ONE WHO DESIRES THEM IN THIER REALITY!!!

This book promises so much let actually delivers very little. It's pretty clear that the 'good reviews' here are from ultimate fans. It's more like a journal of this authors delusional ramblings. Also I agree with another review here: Why would the archangel Raphael help her with her luggage at an airport? Surely he has better things to do?
Look into books by Anna Franklin or Llwellyn publishing which seem to provide more practical and helpful books on this subject.

I ended up giving this book away.

Despite the fact that it took me over a month to read this book, I loved it and found it was one of few books that is good to read just a little at a time.

This is the kind of book that should be read in small fragments in a calm atmosphere so that you can really try to feel what the author felt at the time.

This is the first book by Doreen Virtue that I started to read, and I really like the way how she conveys what she means to tell to her audience. She'll give examples of how she interacts with goddesses and angels as she goes through the everyday dealings of life. While this was definately not written as a "How to" book, there are deeper messages that she conveys, ultimately, through the way she thinks and how she honestly feels about something.

The only that would have made this book a little better would have been diversity. She mostly focuses on the water aspects of the goddess, and though she realizes that she needs to incorporate the other elements, especially fire, into her works and life, she still continues with the water thing.

Still, what I read was greatly enjoyed, and I'd recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in reading about how someone communicates with angels and goddesses in their life. I hope that Doreen Virtue will make another part to this book that is more of a "How To..." because not everyone is as experienced as the next person.

I really adore this author, but I think her marketing has gotten out of control. Many of the Hay House authors have gotten so caught up in "manifesting" and this story has been effected by it as well. Much of this "spiritual adventure story" was about Doreen manifesting her dream house on the Ocean, and her "trouble free life". I'm not quite sure how this is inspiring people. She currently selling dresses online in the tune of $350+, because they have deities on them.

I think the author needs to reconnect again with real people and help them learn how to heal their esteem and self image, and I think by her talking about her fairy tale life all the time is not the most effective way to do this.

Still, she is a wonderful researcher, a very gifted psychic with a true gift to offer the world, and has a good heart as well. This is a useful book. Hopefully, in her future books, she'll get back down to earth.

Have only read a small amount so far, but already would rate it very good and something all americans should read.

It's a shame that the public has to dig for the truth rather than rely on the press to be honest, but that's the situation. If you really want to know what was going on rather than buy into the juvenile theory that this was somehow all about W's oil buddies, this is a great start.

This is an important book that every American should read. Gen Sada is an amazing man, an eye-witness in Saddam's regime who lived to tell about it and claims to have actually seen WMD with his own eyes. Fascinating!

I enjoyed the information in the book. Poorly written but never the less informative

Finally, the inside scoop! Questions of WMD answered! Why isn't this information made more readily available to the American People? This is a story of one man's faith and honesty in the worst of situations! You want to know the truth? Read this book!!

This little book is a gem. It is my bedside bible and I refer to it often.

This small but powerful books goes to the depth of you. You can put on a happy face to the world, but if the thoughts that run through your mind aren't lined up right and monitored carefully, it doesn't change your circumstances. It's written a bit 'high brow', but inspite of the old English wording, you definitely get the message. A basic for anyone seeking to better themselves inside and out. It's nice that they changed the gender wording so it is more personal for women, although you can get the same jist from the original.

I have to admit, I was disappointed in this book. I had read, "As a Man Thinketh" and loved that book. It is a classic on the power of thought. So when I saw there was an, "As a Woman Thinketh," I thought it would be interesting to see what it said. This book literally just takes "As a Man Thinketh" and replaces all the masculine gender references with feminine gender references. So "he" becomes "she" and "him" becomes "her", etc.

I would recommend reading the original book, "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen.

This is a small, but powerful, little book. Take the contents to heart.
For a woman, there is more appeal in choosing the "female version" of
this booklet. It is inspirational in nature, and the truth of it's subject
is what inspires, and makes it powerful. The fact that the phrasing of
the statements therein, are in an "old-fashioned" style of speech does
not detract from it's valuable message.

This book has alot of "feel good" inserted in it.
I was disappointed in it. I bought it to give to my daughters and daughter-in-law, but changed my mind when I read it.
It strayed from the Biblical view.

I've ordered multiple copies of this book on three occasions, and will probably reorder more. This is a book with more than the typical daily devotion ... it has meat and it has substance. It is a great light to follow during your day and it contains plenty of 'food for thought'. I received my first copy of this devotional from one of my pastors and have shared 8 copies with other people in my life who need/want God's guidance in their lives. It's very easy to share; it's an excellent book. I keep mine at my office desk and read it every morning to start the work day.

Read this book if you have experienced the grief from losing a loved one physically as in my case or you are broken from a life circumstance. This book along with the word of God will uplift you and see you through those difficult days when again your tears seem to be the only medicine for your heart. I love that each day starts off with a scripture. I usually will read the scripture then look it up in my bible and do a small study on the scripture. I will then read the devotion for that day. This book and Oswald Chambers devotional book is what I read daily. I recommend it for anyone who has walked down the road of losing a child, parent or sibling. It also makes a great gift for someone facing cancer or for the single mom who is struggling to makes ends meet and feels hopeless. Whoever you are and wherever you are you will be blessed by the golden pages and by the sweet quiet whisper of Gods spirit revealed in the writing of this book.

This is a great book for anyone going thru a difficult time. I received my book after the death of my son. Took me four years to actually pick it up and I am so glad that I did. It gives me hope for each new day. I just purchased four more to give to friends that I know are struggling. I hope that it can help them as much as it has helped me.

This is one of the most hopeful devotional books I have ever found. If you are having difficulties or going through trials, this devotional will help light your way using God's word and uplifting thoughts, poems, and other writings. This book enriches my relationship with God and helps me trust and rely on Him more. Well worth the money.

Don't buy this and dont read it. If you put small amounts of poison in your food, over time it will kill you. This book has lies, scripture out of context and a God who is like an abusive father who beats children to teach them. This has to be the worst "Christian" labeled book I have encountered in 25 years. Heres a quote that shocked me from Sept 30 / page 369. "Our Almighty God is like a parent who delights in leading the tender children in His care to the very edge of a precipice and then shoving them off the cliff into nothing but air."
My Almighty God is not like that at all, and neither is my Jesus. There are many such statements and quotes throughout this work to render it with the label of "poisoned bread". It will destroy your faith or seriously distort it over time and bring ruin to your relationship with God. It even makes reference to Jesus being our Elder Brother! I was LDS at one time and that is a big lie. We are Gods creations and handiwork, Jesus was God the creator incarnate. We do not have his nature, and we are adopted. I am considering burning this to keep warm on a winter night instead of giving it to someone and spreading spiritual sickness. Best advise I can give is read the Bible. Try the Gospels, Psalms, Proverbs,or Pauls letters. Why settle for trash when you can have treasure. Test all things...Don't be decieved...If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God.

I have really enjoyed reading this book. I have been interested in Feng Shui for years but could never find a book that defined it so well as this one does. She set me straight about the differences in Feng Shui practices and how to use intention along with techniques. Great book with no confusion!
Kristi

I hardly knew about Feng Shui before I read this book--Plus, I really was not interested--so I guess I was a skeptic. A friend gave me the book for Christmas. And though I still am a skeptic to a degree, Alizay seems to describe Feng Shui in a way that I found surprisingly charming and easy to understand. I have tried a couple of her suggestions and I have been rather amazed. I had results! I am still not a complete convert, but the book is enjoyable to read, well-written, and worth the time investment for anyone to finally "get" a bit of comprehension on what this Feng Shui "frenzy" is all about.

I have purchased several books in the pursuit of understanding and applying feng shui to my home. After all, I know that I feel better in rooms that are uncluttered and clean per basic feng shui principles. Therefore I hoped to dig deeper into feng shui applications to discover how to increase the sense of peace and comfort into my home.

This is the book that I needed to make sense of the other books that I own, although this book could just as easily stand on its own. Gabrielle Alizay has a simple, straightforward, and down-to-earth style of writing. She imparts her knowledge in an easily accessible manner and encourages readers to make the art of feng shui "their own." She doesn't bog readers down esoteric mumbo jumbo, but explains how gain positive results by personalizing things within one's own belief system.

Feng shui is not some mysterious religion, but rather a science of symbols and their effect on our subconscious mind. This was the book that cleared the confusion of feng shui and made it easy to understand how to put it into practice. When reading other books on feng shui, I use "Feng Shui for the Rest of Us" as a sort of feng shui encyclopedia or reference guide. But, if I could only keep one book on feng shui, this one would be it.

Super easy to read! Humorous and fun. Alizay un-mystifies a foreign mystery . One that will help direct our lives onto a better path. Tibetan Black Hat Feng Shui is much less complicated than the Chinese compass version. It is much more forgiving as long your actions are done with intent. This book gives real world examples and understand that we dont live in a perfect world- otherwise there would be no need for Feng Shui anyway. So far i have been very please with the book and the results. If nothing else, it has made me take a closer look at how i am living, my surroundings and what they say about me and why.

As of Jan 2007 all but three reviews of this book were made in November 2005. They read like they were written by the same person to me.

This book is for those of you out there who are yearning to go a little more out there in your explorations, truly challenge your thinking, and are ready for a major shift into the true joy of your life.

Written by wisdom teacher Sri Ram Kaa and angelic oracle Kira Raa, Sacred Union is a journey and dialogue of total transformation. Rather than presenting themselves as the ones, with the one right way, we travel along with them on their path of self-discovery, transformation, and stepping into their shoes of healing and teaching. We meet Kira Raa when she is "Shakira" at a cross roads in her life, facing her second bankruptcy and going through a lot of things that many of us will relate to. Her commitment to her own unfolding is inspiring, and we are there with her in spirit as she questions the new direction her life is taking as a channeler of an archangelic being, like any of us would, and is able to come to a place of acceptance and surrender with the help and support of her partner in sacred union Sri Ram Kaa.

Reiki master, minister, and psychotherapist Sri Ram Kaa (formerly Jerrold) meets his future flame over the internet, and the two immediately hit it off. They do spiritual work together, and go through some of the normal things all couples go through, especially after failed marriages, multiple career paths, and in our society. He too must come to a place of acceptance and surrender to the bliss their life will soon embrace.

When Kira Raa begins channeling Zadkiel, Sri Ram Kaa asks the questions we all want to ask: give me a sign that this is real, is she psychotic, what will this all mean? The core of Zadkiel's message is that peace, love and joy are available right now, in this instant, and that what we perceive as lengthy, painful, and time consuming processing for working through our problems is unnecessary, and in fact, entrenches us more deeply into a belief of their reality. Freedom, true freedom, is a choice, and we make it every second.

As the book progresses we see the visits of Zadkiel not only transforming these two lives, but offering us information and a new way of being for our own lives. Their example, a and their success in becoming who they envisioned being, is not only inspiring, but personally empowering. They don't claim to have the answer, but one way of awakening deeper, and in practical terms, how to actually bring more joy and balance into our lives, from suggestions on what to eat, how to be, and most importantly, how to see the world, the universe, and ourselves as we really are.

Beyond being another new age tome for healing your life, this book engages us, challenges us, and frees us from our own preconceptions and blocks to reality. We are rocketed into what they call the 5th dimension, while being real people.

After reading the authors' 2nd book " 2012, Archangelic Answers", I ordered this one and pretty much ate it up. It's about their own spiritual awakenings, finding their highest work, communing with their guides and finding each other, all of which are interconnected.

Written in two voices, the honesty about their feelings in the early days of their relationship is poignant and striking, and for the story factor alone, it's engrossing. Woven into their story is continuous commentary from a third voice, the Archangel Zadkiel, who guides and chats with them like an old friend.

For anyone on a conscious path of their own, this is a super-inspiring read whether you are ready to meet your own "beloved" or deepen communion with an existing one...or for anyone interested in the fascinating, arduous path these two spiritually-developed people have taken.

I finished reading it two days ago and it's lingering with me...very affecting!

Sacred Union - The Journey Home, by Sri Ram Kaa and Kira Raa, their official, spiritual and legal names, is an extraordinary book. The book is really dangerous, beware! It will change your outlook for the rest of your life. Anyway, don't worry! Nothing happens by chance. If you are reading this book review and then buy the book, you are ready. To go on board a vessel that would take you on the most important journey ever undertaken by you, viz., to discover your true authentic self.

In eleven chapters, spread over 4 sections, the two authors and their spiritual friend, philosopher and guide, Archangel Zadkiel, Kiel for friends like us, reaffirm many of the spiritual truths. The journey home is turning towards our real self and seeing our ego to be what it is, our shadow, which we have been following. When we turn towards light, the shadow goes behind us and thus follows us, not leading us!

We accept every soul as divine since it contains the same essential divine spark as all of us. There is nothing which is not divine, which is not perfect. Even the worst, ugliest thing in the world has a role to play, if nothing else, to remind us that both Good and Evil, Beautiful and Ugly are two faces of a coin and knowing that every coin has two sides is the Sacred Union.

Through Kira Raa's mouth and recorded by Sri Ram Kaa, Archangel Zadkiel, (OK, OK, I understand that you want to be referred as Kiel), guides the reader gently, lovingly and yet firmly, to the truth. And the message that comes through is clear: Trust, trust in your true authentic self. If doubts come, ask yourself, does it give joy? If yes, do it. If not, don't. Simple isn't it? The joy that Kiel is referring to is not the temporary pleasure of sensual nature. Joy is Bliss, it is eternal.

The book touched me to the core of my heart at places and made me cry. We all feel the pain of separation, separation from the beloved, which is our true Self. And the Sacred Union is not just Sexual Union, though Sexual Union too could lead to the Sacred Union. In Sanskrit, the word Yoga is the closest to what Sri Ram Kaa, Kira Raa and Kiel are trying to convey. Yoga is related to Yoke, the cross bar that makes two oxen to go in unison to plough the field. Thus Yoga unifies two. Sacred Union, like marriage, also unifies two bodies and souls into one or makes the individual ego-soul one with the Higher Self from which it emanated.

If you are interested in spirituality, if you are interested in the journey of self-discovery, and if you are ready to undertake a journey which can only end in the 'death' or 'dissolution' of 'you' (ego), go ahead and buy the book. Read and re-read. Follow the diet etc., if moved by heart. Do the exercises given as Appendix.

I heartily recommend this book for true seekers.

Swamy

Sacred Union is a book of living a more authentic life and happiness. It conveys a way to live as a couple with greater clarity and understanding. It shows us of what and where we are supposed to be in our lives and how to achieve it. I found myself relating to their tale of meeting, as my husband and I met the same way. This book helped me know I wasn't alone or crazy, for loving someone so completely in such a short time.

As you read Sacred Union you will be lead to see life in a different way. It brings the meaning of what we are meant to do and who we are meant to be in a different, and unique way. The authors have written this book with love and compassionate they experienced through enlightenment.

Much of the book is filled with translations of Archangel Zadkeil. He helps the authors understand how they should be living. The authors through their love for everyone wrote this book.

This book teaches readers how to have greater joy, of how to simplify their difficult lives. It illustrates the power of healing and love, and how to love your mate deeper then ever before. Sri Ram Kaa and Kira Raa dedicate their lives to teaching others of self ascension. Their book is second in a series, with more to come. They offer workshops and retreats in hopes of helping others to experience Sacred Uinion.

After reading this book it has improved my relationship with my husband. The authors reassured me through their words, that I'm with who I'm meant to be with and I'm truly blessed to have the joy I do. Also, in my search for authentic living this book taught, I've began living my life differently. I'm able to experience the joy and feelings of belonging, for the first time in my life. I anxiously await the next in their series.

This book was very heard to get into. There was a lot of good information, but it took me a while to get through it.

First, the animal totem dictionary at the back is terrific! It has animals that you might not find elsewhere (e.g. whale, antelope, tiger, spider, etc) and the descriptions are terrific. Others are also listed like wolf, rabbit, sheep etc. but i wanted to point out some of the more unusual ones - ones like the whale for me that came to visit in a dream. Very interesting. The rest of the book is terrific too. It introduces the idea of shamanic time, taking spirit journeys, understanding dreams (really excellent chapter), etc. There's also a great section on the "healing powers of totems". Excellent book - I definitel recommend it for anyone interested in shamanism, the great mystery and learning more about animal totems.

This book is useful to determine your own personal animal totem.
It is one of the best books I have read on this subject; very interesting and easy to understand. I would recommend to anyone delving into their own personal power animals

If you have read ANYTHING about shamanism or animal totems before this, this book won't add anything. If you have read NOTHING about shamanism or animal totems before this, this book will give you very little, except an oversimplified, surface, meandering view of a very deep and powerful process.

Steiger bounces around on the surface of a lot of things, including numerology, chinese zodiac, and animal collections, but never goes into depth with anything. The idea of animal totems is a loosely held theme holding the book together, but isn't looked at with any depth. It is a typical American beginner's book (a la any subject). Cheerleading - you can do it!! Making it sound easy and trivial. At one point Steiger iterates that finding your animal totems and learning to work with them might even takes weeks or months, pandering to the current tendency toward quick and easy. This type of activity is a lifelong process with serious consequences, not a parlor game to be indulged in lightly.

Steiger's book encourages people to dabble irresponsibly and expect quick results, which usually leads to inconclusive or unsatisfactory results, and often even interferes with a person's later pursuing a subject with sincerity by giving them a false sense of having gained knowledge about the subject. He also makes it easy for anyone to instantly claim any animal as her or his totem without any real inner work and connection to the process, which trivializes a deep spiritual practice.

If you are serious about pursuing working with animal totems, don't bother with this book.

If you only want a watered-down, simplistic explanation of animal totems, then maybe this is the book for you. However, it was a total waste of my money and my time.

You never know what's out there until it finds you. Such is how this came to me; I didn't go looking for it, it found me. Everyone has an angel that watches over them...sometimes it comes in the form of a cherub, a huminoid being with wings, and sometimes it comes in the form of an animal.
Nearly two decades ago, when I hit rock bottom, I was ready to take my own life, but some force physically wouldn't allow me. It was on that night, I met my own guardian angel...in the form of a she-wolf. Though I have traces of Blackfoot blood, I had no exposure of or to shamanism, of for that matter, Native American spirituality outside of the comedic attempts by Hollywood. For several years afterward, I struggled with this, then in a web search, I happened upon this book.
As "Two Bears" has claimed, the subtitle explains it all. It was this book that helped me understand and come to terms with my spirit guide. It is very rare that one can say a book has literally changed one's life, but personnaly, I have to say that about this book. For anyone who has had mysterious things happen to them, anyone who suspects that they have an animal spirit guide (Totem), this book is almost a textbook on allowing you to understand the world of totems...how to understand them, their (and your) sterngths and weaknesses, how to work with them and what is expected on both sides. With the help of both my totem and this book, a weak-willed, self-centerd, shy kid was transformed into someone with unshakable inner strength and power, a teacher and a leader. I'ts also helped teach the limits upon what my guardian is capable of as far as protection and what is expected of me in return. This isn't coming from a crystal-waving new ager, either. Other than an "I've experianced it and I (though with a healthy skeptisism) beleive it" devotion to investigating several aspects of paranormal and spritualism, I'm about as stright-laced and right wing as you can get.
If you've ever suspected that your guardian angel may be...a bit different, this is a must have text...it will be vital in coming to terms, understanding, and learning your strengths and weaknesses.

I experienced so much love and insight from reading this book and can't wait to read the other Kryon books. I am amazed by the messages of love and the practical advice we get from Kryon. It answers so many basic questions I've had for a long time, and gives me hope that I can ask for a karmic clearning of past life residues (what Kryon calls "the neutral implant," or catalyst for clearing).
Some of the topics discussed are: harmonic convergence, the leaving of the devas as placeholders of the earth, the passing on of the torch to humans, healers/healing and the neutral implant, the base-12 system. I have already passed the book on to another so don't have the book in front of me, but I am just too happy and excited about the book to refrain from sharing my comments with you, especially since I see that no-one else has posted a review yet!