Category Book Reviews

Dana shares books she likes

Apr 26 2018

Mediumship Goes Mainstream

by Dana Taylor

Mediumship, also known as Spirit Communication, is growing in popularity and acceptance. Celebrity mediums such as Theresa Caputo (Long Island Medium) and James Van Praagh, and  Tyler Henry (Hollywood Medium) have big fan followings. In my world, several of my friends have mediumship talents. Though I have never visited a medium for a reading, nonetheless, my relatives have popped in with messages when I have been in some meditation sessions–or simply driving down the road with my multidimensional friends. The idea that my loved ones have simply moved from “physical” to “non-physical” has become part of my world view.

I’ve recently read two books by mediums that shed light on spirit communication. We have moved into an era when the frequency between planes of existence appears to be getting closer–the “veil” is thinning. Reports of spontaneous encounters with spiritual entities are on the rise.

The Light Between Us by Laura Lynne Jackson is a well-written account of Jackson’s journey into mediumship. She uses her personal story of childhood encounters, rejection of her gifts,  and growing acceptance and development to weave together stories of her spirit communication. She led a double life–one as wife, mother, and teacher. The other as a weekend and evening medium. For many years she was able to keep her lives separate, but ultimately was able to reconcile both areas of her life.

She shares many touching stories of clients trapped in the throes of grief able to move on with their lives after she is able to communicate with loved ones on the other side. She has been certified as a psychic medium by the Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential and has allowed scientists to scan her brain, which reveals physical anomalies.

The book’s subtitle is Stories from Heaven, Lessons for the Living, which pretty much says it all. She chooses key stories of clients to illustrate how spirit communication can enhance human life. Grieving parents connecting with their children, mysterious deaths resolved, guilt-laden survivors released, even animal visits make for an interesting and engaging narrative.

Laura Lynne Jackson comes across as a normal person with an extraordinary ability. She shares it with the world to offer peace and comfort. If you’re looking for a book on mediumship, this is a good choice.

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Hay House author, John Holland, is a popular speaker on matters of spirit communication and the workings of the spirit world. Having already told his personal story in earlier books, Bridging Two Realms is chock full of information on techniques of mediumship and general psychic development. It’s a sort of do-it-yourself manual for the would-be medium.

My friends who are students of mediumship have attended Holland’s workshops and speak highly of his coaching abilities. The book offers an overview of the spirit world and multidimensional living. He maps out the planes of existence, the human energy field, catalogs spiritual encounters and even offers a brief history of spiritualism.

I listened to the audio version of the book which is read by John Holland himself. It’s pretty much like attending one of his conferences for only ten bucks. He speaks with a gentle East coast accent, a regular American guy. He makes mediumship sound very “normal,” something any willing student can learn and develop.

Bridging Two Realms packs a broad range of information into one book and makes the spiritual realms seem highly accessible. A good resource for students of spiritual development.

The ebook version of Bridging Two Realms is currently on sale for $1.99.

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Spirit communication helps us know at a fundamental level that life really does go on. The Other Side is simply a change of address.

Learn more about spiritual development in Supernal Adventures: Exploring the New Normal of Multidimensional Living

 

Jan 5 2018

Soul Inspiring Authors for a New Year

If you like authors who stir both your soul and imagination, here are a few I read in the past year who might intrigue you:

David Michie

David Michie is an internationally best-selling author, who weaves Buddhist philosophy with engaging storytelling.

Via Audible, I listened to the author perform The Dalai Lama’s Cat, a tale told from a rescued cat’s point of view as he observes the coming and goings in the sacred dwelling of His Holiness. A most wise and wonderful character. Michie has written many books in the same vein.

I’m currently reading a different Michie creation–The Magician of Lahasa, a more ambitious novel. The tag line is A novice monk. A quantum scientist. An ancient secret. How could I resist that? It’s very engaging, filled once again with Buddhist wisdom. Treat yourself to a Michie book.

                 

   Rea Nolan Martin

Rea Nolan Martin is multi-award winning metaphysical/visionary author. She does a marvelous job of creating entertaining characters that are very human–flawed, humorous, and searching. She has a knack for weaving mystical themes and surprising plot twists. I eagerly await the publication of her next book soon. Discover Rea Nolan Martin for yourself!

       

Natasha Pulley

British author, Natasha Pulley, has written two mystical, steampunk, novels that spin historical settings with magical realms. Her debut piece, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, features a Japanese clock maker with the ability to see possible futures who manipulates them to his advantage. Her second book, The Bedlam Stacks, takes an injured Englishman into the wilds of Peru to secure a source for quinine. There he meets a monk with very unique characteristics.

Pulley’s writing is beautifully phrased and she takes the reader on wonderful leaps of imagination. In the end, I’d say her books are unconventionally romantic.

     

 

Onereon through Jeff Michaels

Finally, my favorite find of the year are the channeled books of the group entity, Onereon, through author Jeff Michaels.

I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with Jeff Michaels and his life partner and editor, Jill Weiss. Though Jeff has not pursued a following as a guru or famous channeler, the material is extremely insightful for the events of our time. This post-shift world is challenging, to say the least. The Onereon group offers excellent advice for Lightworkers seeking to fulfill their purpose as we head into the new cosmic age. It seems a shame more people have not happened upon this material. Do yourself a favor and download Onereon/Jeff Michaels words of wisdom.

         

Remember ~ please support your favorite authors by posting reviews at Amazon and other reader sites.

Happy Reading!

Dana Taylor

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Be sure to check out the Dana Taylor Books page!

 

Aug 8 2017

I Wish I Knew Then, What I Know Now

Book review by Dana Taylor

“Humanity is not a random accident. There is a reason we are here, and each one of us has a purpose in life that we have come to fulfill, a reason and a purpose which we planned prior to incarnating. We are much more than our physical body; we are eternal souls incarnated in a body.” Roser Sagarra

As I read Roser Sagarra’s book Living on Earth: A Guide to Help You Achieve Health, Happiness and Success, I pictured myself back around 1970. If only some time traveler had popped in and handed me this book, it would have saved me a whole lot of time and effort. The coming trends of the next decades would have been clear. The best books to read regarding spirituality, consciousness, the law of attraction, energy healing, alternative medicine, even pre-life planning and past life therapy are all laid out.

Sagarra compresses a lifetime of searching and exploration into a concise organization of the mind-body-spirit consciousness movement of the past several decades. She touches on spirituality, without being religious. Like many, she has embraced Eastern ideas of karma, reincarnation, and laws of creation and translates them for a Western culture.

Information on health and healing reflect the movement away from old thinking of the body as a machine into the awareness of the energetic nature of human beings. She gives a concise overview of the trends of alternative therapies and the influence of emotions and stress on health.

At the end of every chapter, Sagarra recommends books to expand comprehension of the topics discussed. Time and again, I realized I had gravitated to the same books through the years. Like Sagarra, those books and their ideas changed and enriched my life.

As the subtitle suggests, Living on Earth is a straightforward guide to leading a healthy, happy, and successful life in the 21st century.

About the Author

Roser Segarra is a Spanish accountant with a Degree in Business Administration and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). She relocated to Houston with her family in 2010 to take the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for an Oil and Gas Energy Company, and most recently she held the position of Vice President of Finance. Beside her finance career, Roser has a passion for reading. “Living On Earth: A Guide to Help You Achieve Health, Happiness, and Success,” reflects the knowledge she has gathered over the past 25 years reading and researching books on self help, personal growth, spirituality, and healing the body and soul. This knowledge has helped her make more sense of her life experiences, learn how to change her circumstances for the better, and live a happier and prosperous existence. Roser has compiled everything she has learned in the past 25 years in “Living on Earth,” and it is her hope that it can help you too.

 Find Living on Earth at Amazon

Apr 3 2017

Heavenly Messages for a Chaotic World

book review by Dana Taylor

“As above, so below”–thus begins the channeled messages from a group entity known as Onereon through Californian Jeff Michaels. A new discovery to me, Michaels is an author, spiritual intuitive counselor, energy worker and human voice of the non-physical Onereon group. Quite by chance, or perhaps synchronicity, I downloaded a copy of the most recent Onereon release–The Age of Change: A Challenging Path to the Future.

Coming at a time when it appears the structure of human society is imploding and possibly exploding, the wisdom in the Onereon material brings perspective to current global events. In a theme common with other channelers such as Lee Carroll/Kryon, Mary Soliel/Archangel Michael, Esther Hicks/Abraham and many more, an explanation of a cosmic shift is repeated over and over. Like rolling from one season to the next, our earthly vessel has drifted into a new quadrant of the Milky Way. The Mayan calendar heralded the end of an age in 2012 and the beginning of a new 25,000 year cycle. We are the crew of the spaceship Earth, going where no man has gone before.

So much is changing, including human nature. History may no longer repeat itself. The very pulse of the inner earth is different and humans are discovering expanded multidimensional abilities. It’s exhilarating. It’s terrifying.

And so, messengers from beyond this physical existence are communicating through people such as Jeff Michaels to guide us through a bewildering era. In Onereon’s words:

We in the spirit realm want to be close to you. We want you to know us well. We want you to communicate with us…We want it to be less “as above, so below” and more “we are all here together.” That is what the term “Onereon” means–together. It does not necessarily mean together in agreement but rather together in purpose–together as people seeking peace, together as spiritual seekers.

In brief, understandable, and uplifting chapters, The Age of Change covers such topics as:

  • Spiritual Growth in Uncertain Times
  • Pursuing True Spirituality through Courage and Imagination
  • Gaia’s Communication
  • Coping with a Lower Vibrational World
  • Releasing Burdens
  • Out of Chaos into Peace
  • A Challenging Path to a Better World

Onereon talks about new humans being born onto the planet who will bring new ideas, view points, and desires to society.

The rough passage is nearing completion…For the most part, the generation of humans being born now will witness it fully. The passing of the fear-based generations is in progress. Then after the passing of the self-based generations, we enter into an experience of potential–of generations who wonder “what if?” before they ask “why?”

This book offers the long view. Trends rising in coming decades, not months. As Lightworkers, we can be leading the way with hope and optimism for the future. Better days will come sooner if we break the bonds of fear-based ideologies and envision a kinder, cleaner earthly existence. Onereon encourages us to plan for the “fifth generation.”

There are many eye-opening concepts. Here are a few I highlighted:

Courage is not about being brave in a battle field, though it is often evident in such a scenario. Courage is the quality of acting from your heart, being true to your sense of love and your personal vision of true spirituality…The requirement for courage in this age is simply to refuse to follow old patterns and concepts that lead to old arguments and war.

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The massive invasion of needless imagery or mindless entertainment is taking its toll on human society. It does not bring us together in the sense of being united in a common cause. Rather, it herds us together as if we are merchandise to be put upon a shelf.

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Among new patterns are these general currents:

  • the increase and acceptance of diversity in all beings
  • the awareness that Gaia, the living planet, is not something that belongs to humanity, but rather that humans belong, and will return, to Gaia
  • the release of ancient institutions and hierarchies as authority over the human family

This book is rich in wisdom, observation, and guidance. Jeff Michaels and the Onereon group are offering a lifeline for people struggling to make sense out of a chaotic world.

Read more about the work of Jeff Michaels at

Onereon Channels

Jeffrey J. Michaels, Author

Quintessence Crystals

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Read more about multidimensional living:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan 29 2017

“Mystic Tea” is Just the Right Blend

mysticteaBook review by Dana Taylor

Visionary writer Rea Nolan Martin is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her ability to blend spiritual elements with complex character development, plot twists, humor and humanity is rare. Mystic Tea revolves around a group of nuns and two novices barely keeping their small community up and running. Written in the revolving POV of three main characters, Martin builds a story unlike any other I can recall. Gemma is a young woman who works hard at being the perfect nun, keeping tightly wound. Her fear: she is probably crazy. Arielle arrives on the scene after a jailhouse vision propels her to the monastery, a wayward, yet, sunny soul. Sister Mike serves as the very worried Mother Superior. The Vatican may shut them down any day. Everyone hopes for a miracle, but, the truth is, Sister Mike’s faith has been running on low for a long time. Other characters provide quirks and mystery to the unfolding story. Each character has a destiny to find, a mission to fulfill. Watching them take the journey is a delight to the read. Just the right cup of tea.

Available at Amazon

reamartin

Rea Nolan Martin is the award-winning author of three novels:

THE SUBLIME TRANSFORMATION OF VERA WRIGHT (2009), MYSTIC TEA (2014), and THE ANESTHESIA GAME (2015), as well as a collection of essays: WALKING ON WATER (2016).

MYSTIC TEA is the recipient of the 2014 IPPY Gold Medallion and US BEST BOOK Award for Visionary Fiction; the 2014 PINNACLE Gold Medallion in the category of Literary Fiction; and Finalist in the 2015 International Book Awards.

THE ANESTHESIA GAME is the recipient of the 5 Star Readers’ Favorite insignia; 5 Star Clarion Review insignia; 2016 IPPY Gold Medallion for Visionary Fiction; Pinnacle Gold in the category of Best Novel; and most recently, Book Viral’s first Crimson Quill Award.

A collection of her most inspirational essays, WALKING ON WATER, was released in the spring of 2016.

Rea is the author of numerous short stories and poetry, most of which can be found in national literary magazines and anthologies. She is a regular Huffpo blogger, former literary magazine editor and MAW adjunct professor.

Visit her website at Rea Nolan Martin.com

Jan 7 2017

Aboriginal Healing Secrets Revealed

Book Reviews by Dana Taylor

Gary Holz, D.Sc. (1950-2007), was an award-winning physicist and a psycho-neuro-immunologist. In 1994, confined to a wheelchair with multiple sclerosis, he went to Australia to stay with an Aboriginal tribe and experienced miraculous healing. Robbie Holz is a holistic health consultant dedicated to continuing the healing work of her late husband. She healed herself of hepatitis C and has also worked with Aboriginal healers in Australia.

I first became aware of Robbie Holz through an interview on the Open Minds show on Gaia TV. Ms. Holz spoke about her life with healer, Gary Holz, and the incredible journey they had both experienced with debilitating diseases. Intrigued by her interview, I purchased both books, Secrets of Aboriginal Healing: A Physicist’s Journey with a Remote Australian Tribe and Aboriginal Secrets of Awakening.

secretsThe first book, Secrets of Aboriginal Healing, is Gary’s story. His life as a scientist and successful businessman came to what appeared to be a tragic end when he developed multiple sclerosis. From the description:

In 1983 award-winning physicist Gary Holz was diagnosed with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. By 1988 he was a quadriplegic. Then, in 1994, his doctors told him he had two years to live. Desperate and depressed, he followed a synchronistic suggestion and went to Australia to live with a remote Aboriginal tribe. Arriving in a wheelchair, alone, with almost no feeling left from the neck down, Holz embarked on a remarkable healing transformation of body, mind, and spirit and discovered his own gift for healing others.

Written at the request of the Aboriginal healers Holz worked with, this book reveals the beliefs and principles of the 60,000-year-old healing system of the Aborigines of Australia, the world’s oldest continuous culture. Chronicling the step-by-step process that led to his miraculous recovery, he explains the role played by thought in the creation of health or disease and details the five essential steps in the Aboriginal healing process. He explores the use of dreamtime, spirit guides, and telepathy to discover and reprogram the subconscious motivations behind illness–a process that enacts healing at the cellular and the soul level, where the root of physical illness is found.

As I read Gary’s story, I wanted to pass it on to people I know dealing with chronic illness who don’t understand the connection between buried emotions, unforgiveness, and disease. Gary had to travel all the way to the Outback of Australia to recognize what had been hiding in his heart.

secretsawakeningAboriginal Secrets of Awakening is Robbie’s story. The title is a little misleading because the book is largely about her healing from hepatitis C and her love story with Gary. She does make a trip to Australia meeting with Indigenous healers, but that isn’t the heart of the story. Meeting Gary, loving Gary, losing Gary, carrying on for Gary is the essence of the book. While it doesn’t have the revelations of the first book, it still “tells the rest of the story.” It’s a testimony to healing and love.

Both of these books offer insights on healing that are rarely, if ever, discussed in a doctor’s office. They point the way to overcoming despair and powerlessness given a devastating diagnosis. Healing is a process of mind, body, and spirit.

If you or someone you know is dealing with a “hopeless” situation, offer these books. They may be the spark of light out of the darkness.     garyholz         Robbie Holz      Gary and Robbie Holz

Purchase books at Amazon