Category Book Reviews

Dana shares books she likes

Jan 22 2012

“Shaman, Healer, Sage”–Learning from ancient traditions

Shaman, Healer, Sage: How to Heal Yourself and Others with the Energy Medicine of the AmericasI resisted reading Shaman, Healer, Sage: How to Heal Yourself and Other With Energy Medicine of the Americas by Alberto Villoldo, Ph.d. It was that “shaman” word, which conjured up images of voodoo witch doctors to my Bible-Belt sensibilities. However, I’ve met a few women via the web over the last couple of years who are embracing shamanism and they appear to be lovely healers. So with mild trepidation, I downloaded a sample and soon found myself hitting the “buy” button.

Shaman, Healer, Sage is a fascinating exploration of an ancient healing system written by a Western doctor and explorer. For myself, the greatest value of the book came from the detailed explantion of the energy fields and chakras. My personal experience sensing and working with the “Ever-Flowing Streams,” as I dubbed them in my spiritual memoir, has made them a great mystery. Villoldo’s book contains the most enlightening information I’ve read about what he calls the Luminous Energy Field.

Giving up his mainstream Western medical research, Villoldo traveled to Inka and Amazon shamans to learn an entirely different world view and method of medicine. Shamans see and work with the energy fields that Western culture is only beginning to recognize. Villoldo keeps references to an earth-based religion to a minimum and mostly makes sense of the various properties of the human energy fields and how practitioners might help their patients.

Personally, I had a huge “ah-ha” moment about three-quarters into the book when he talked about entities attaching themselves to people. If you’ve read Ever-Flowing Streams of Healing Energy, you’ll know that was ultimately the best explanation I had for a range of life-long difficulties. Until Shaman, Healer, Sage, I’d never come across a book that seemed to pin-point my situation. In Villoldo’s world, it’s very common!

The last section of the book deals with the passage into death that every soul makes. People need to be helped out of the world as much as they need to be helped into the world. Once the spirit leaves the body, it goes through transitions into the spirit realm. Western culture has largely disconnected with the sacred, especially death rituals. Villoldo paints a compelling picture of what may be part of the journey and why it’s important to assist loved-ones, even after the body has ceased breathing.

While I don’t feel the call to leap into shamanism, there is much to be learned from ancient traditions. Villoldo has written a range of books from his South American experiences. Perhaps we’re living in age when the imbalances of Western thinking will move toward more harmonious blend of other cultures and save the earth from destruction in the process.

 

Jan 5 2012

The Healing Light–Still the One

Books become classics for a reason–they stand the test of time. The words of an author long gone from the planet still resonate with new generations. Such a book is The Healing Light by Agnes Sanford.  I first read the book in 1983–the year Agnes passed. It began a life-long exploration for me of healing prayer and learning principles of health.

The Healing LightThe book sat on my keeper shelf for decades, making one house move after another with my family. But I hadn’t read in its entirety in years. I’d moved onto the modern gurus, few of which reside on the keeper shelf. Last month I felt the urge to read it again. Interestingly, in a prayer session with Helen (see Supernal Friends) she said, “There’s a book you haven’t read in a long time. You’re supposed to read it again.” I knew she was talking about The Healing Light.

Published originally in 1947, the book touches on concepts touted by Hay House bestsellers. But before there was Dyer, Deepak or Abraham/Hicks–there was Agnes Sanford. Agnes brings elements of faith to her understanding of energy healing that is often missing in today’s literature. Agnes knew beyond a doubt from whence her power came.

Raised in China by missionary parents and then married for decades to a Protestant minister, Agnes Sanford was a pioneer in the healing ministry of the twentieth century. She taught that prayer is an act of co-creation between God and man. Her references to light, vibration, and scientific discoveries of her day show a mind that captured the whole picture of mind, body, and spirit.

Beneath all her teaching is a connection with the Christ Spirit. Agnes Sanford became the conduit of a healing source far beyond her human capabilities. She taught that anyone can also become such a conduit, given the practice and motivation.

Being an intercessor can be overwhelming. Increasingly, the Supernal Friends get calls to send healing energy to many people dealing with critical situations. One principle in the book that has helped me stay in the healing game is the idea of “bundles.” Nobody can pray for everybody. But, each of us can have certain prayer assignments in our “bundles.” If everyone prays for the people and situations in their individual bundles, the needs will be met.

In my meditation time, I ask for the bundle assignments to be made clear and I send healing energy to the best of my ability. Admittedly, my bundle feels fairly meager compared to the ocean of need in the world. But, I do my part and don’t allow guilt to drag me down for everything I don’t pray about.

The Bundle Concept is a good survival tool to the active healer/mediator.

One of the gals in my bundle who is struggling with cancer told me she has read The Healing Light three times this year. It has been source of spiritual and emotional strength. She’s even dreamed that Agnes Sanford has ministered to her as she sleeps.

When a book offers hope and enlightenment for over sixty years, it’s a classic.

Oct 12 2011

Chiming in on Rob Bell’s LOVE WINS

Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever LivedOnce in a while a book comes along that gets people all riled up, bringing forth either enthusiastic praise or vehement wrath. Such a book is LOVE WINS: A BOOK ABOUT HEAVEN, HELL, AND THE FATE OF EVERY PERSON WHO EVER LIVED by Rob Bell. Check out the 563 customer reviews at Amazon to get a flavor of the furor.

Bell is the founding pastor of the Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He bears a respectable educational pedigree from Wheaton College and Fuller Theological Seminary. So what has he done to cause such a stir? The buzz claimed “Rob Bell says there is no hell.”

To many outside the church such a belief solicits a “So what, who cares?” response. But to the thousands of believers who define their faith on the tenet of eternal damnation unless one makes a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ, them is fightin’ words.

I decided I needed to read the book and judge for myself. This was my first exposure to Bell, who is surely an engaging speaker. The style of the book reads like an interesting sermon series. It begs to be read aloud. The placement of words on the page is often poetical.

For emphasis.

Rather than a pedantic expression of his opinions, Bell asks a lot of questions about the basic beliefs of scores of Protestant churches. He is logical—and disturbing. If God is an “all loving Father,” then how can he cast his children into everlasting fire? Hmmm.

For Bell, the question isn’t so much about what happens “over there,” but what is happening “here.” Is there a hell? Open the newspaper, read about the wars, famine, mass executions in Mexico, the domestic violence, sexual slavery. Hell? Why sure.  It is here and now.

The real question is how to bring forth “Your Will on Earth as it is in Heaven” as envisioned in the Lord’s Prayer. Bell’s answer is coming into relationship with the living Christ. The expansive, can’t-be-contained or-totally-understood Messenger of the Good News.

Bell speaks to the disenfranchised, the people turned off by the fire and brimstone message. He breaks down the dogmatic walls. For those comfortably dwelling within those walls, he is a heretic. For those outside the walls, he offers hope.

Sep 14 2011

Hope for the Holidays

holidaymedium

Raise your spirits with these stories of hope, family, and a touch of the angelic.

E-Book available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords

 

 

SHINY GREEN SHOES

 1935 was a hard year on old Route 66. The unlikely friendship between a young, black girl and an aging white actress brings hope to a town down on its luck.

 

REFINER’S FIRE

Nestled in her beautiful home in the San Diego hills, Dina Stein is determined to celebrate Hanukkah even without her ungrateful daughter. Getting caught in a natural disaster isn’t on her agenda.

PATTY’S ANGELS

1960, Los Angeles. Downtown LA and the suburbs are only minutes, yet worlds, apart. A little girl brings people together, with the help of her celestial best friends.

Sep 3 2011

Go on a Rampage of Appreciation

Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires A couple of weeks ago I was in the doldrums, caught in the grips of “stinkin’ thinkin’, as Zig Ziglar used to say. Getting nowhere fast and seeing my glass half-empty. I recalled the words of another guru, Wayne Dyer–“Change your thinking, change your life.” So, I trolled the Kindle spiritual books page and happened upon  Ask and It Shall Be Given: Learning to Manifest by Esther & Jerry Hicks. Originally published in 2004, I’d heard the CD version, but never read the book.

It is channeled material via a group of souls called Abraham, which elicits a scary boogey-man reaction from many people. Or as my husband calls it, “a lot of bu**%t.” However, living a Supernal Life makes such things no big deal whatsoever. It’s the information that is important. Is it worth considering?

Ask and It Shall Be Given has influenced the thinking and lexicon of the past decade. The Law of Attraction has become an industry in itself. Rhonda Byrne turned soundbites into The Secret, which is still a New Age top seller. Phrases like The Art of Allowing, Vibrational Set-Point,   and Overwhelment created a whole Abrahamic vocabulary to illustrate the Law of Attraction. Simplified it means, the thoughts you project out bring in the events of your life. Or, we all create our own reality.

Yeah, yeah, yeah you say. But, if you take the time to read the book, you’ll see yourself reflected. At least, I did. It has given me some tools to transform my stinkin’ thinkin’ into a Rampage of Appreciation. And, guess what? Better things have been coming my way. I received two calls “out of the blue” this week to improve  situations  that seemed dismal. Positive reviews have popped up about my books. Coincidence? I think not.

Globally, it seems to me there is epidemic “stinkin’ thinkin.” The stock market plunges on fear. The more everyone fears, the more it plunges. Companies don’t hire because they are afraid of the future. People are paralyzed in their fear. If you want to break out of that pack you might consider turning off your TV and turning the pages of Ask and It Shall Be Given. 

The subtitle of  is Learning to Manifest Your Desires. My Supernal friend, Sue, had an interesting realization about the subject. Listen in her own words on the latest pod cast at Supernal Friends on the Hello from Heaven Radio page. We named the episode “Sue’s Manifesting Epiphany.” She also talks about her increasing talent of clairaudience. Pretting interesting stuff!

Have a great Labor Day Weekend–

Dana

Aug 20 2011

Discover an Indie Gem–FREE Nov 14- 15th

The Road to GrafenwöhrThings are achangin’ across the globe in almost every sector and nowhere is that more evident than the publishing industry. The rise of digital publishing has given birth to the Indie Author. No more query letters and slush piles hoping to be plucked from obscurity by a Big Publisher. Nowadays anyone with a PC and the Internet can upload a book into cyberspace and instantly become a Published Author. Of course, not all Indie Authors are created equal. Too many lack the skill of good storytelling—or even good punctuation! However, there are a few writers that are finally getting the opportunity to tell their stories in unique ways with truly exceptional talent.  One of those authors is Edward C. Patterson.

I came across him at the Kindle Boards in the nascent days of Indie publishing. He was one of the trailblazers, forging ahead where no one had gone. He was helpful to the newbies and a leader of the pack. It took me a year to actually read one of his stories. Why? It was the gay thing. I mistakenly thought he was writing about gays for gays. I’m not in that demographic, so I kept passing him by. Then, one December day I was tired of the same old, same old and decided to give Mr. Patterson a looksee. And, wow, I was so wrong. Patterson is a gifted writer whose stories transcend demographic groups or petty prejudice. Yes, there are some gay characters and themes, but an understanding and unveiling of the human condition is at the core of his writing. His descriptions, turns of phrase and characterizations inspire my admiration. Reading Patterson reminded me of the time I read Stephen King’s classic The Dead Zone  and understood why he had become the King of fiction. Talent, pure talent.

Patterson is still largely a secret to the general reading public, although last I heard he had sold over 12,000 books since blazing the Indie trail.  Another great thing about digital publishing is the books are going to be available Forever, or until the Internet collapses. Hopefully, terrific writers like Mr. Patterson will find a growing audience who appreciate excellent storytelling. Below is my review for the book I recently read, The Road to Grafenwohr.

When I’m in the mood for fine writing, interesting characters, unexpected turns, I scan the long list of books by Edward C. Patterson. My third outing with Mr. Patterson was “The Road to Grafenwohr” and once again I was deeply impressed by the storytelling talent of this man. “Road” is a fascinating mix of reality and fantasy woven together with writing that can turn lyrical or gritty with the twist of a phrase. Quincy Summerson is a green recruit ordered to the German/Czech border during the height of the Cold War. An obvious facial birthmark always set him apart in his Brooklyn beginnings; in Germany it marks him as a mythic hero. Patterson paints his manuscript first with dabs of mystic moments, mixed with solid realities of military life. By the end of the piece, the mystical has overtaken the mundane to a classic conflict of good vs. evil. All the while the reader grows more involved with the cadre of characters surrounding Summerson. At the core of every Patterson book are characters to care about. He is one of the best authors to emerge from the Indie Author movement. Discover his gems and enjoy the work of a very gifted writer.