NEW BOOKS
Application of Impossible Things: A Near Death Experience in Iraq, by Natalie Sudman (Ozark Mt. Publishing), 128 pages, $14 — This is an amazing true story of a female civilian employee of the Army Corps of Engineers in Basrah and Nasiriyah, Iraq. She was riding in a truck with other men when a roadside bomb destroyed the vehicle. Her body was so severely damaged that there was no possible way she could live. She vividly recounts her Near Death Experience when she went out of the body to the spirit world. There it was decided that her work on Earth was not done and with the help of spirit guides, they repaired the body so she could reenter it. She retained the conscious memory of what happened and during the time in the hospital, more details returned. This is the amazing story of a survival in wartime conditions. This has happened to many others in Iraq, but how many remember the spirit side of the experience? Before this experience, Sudman was dubious about anything that smacked of the paranormal. This experience made her a believer. She shares her story here for the first time to demonstrate that the paranormal is normal and to assist others who have had similar experiences. This is a book for anyone interested in near death experiences and out of body experiences. It is one of the first such books to come out of the Iraq conflict.
Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age, by Michael J. Gelb and Kelly Howell (New World Library), 248 pages, $14.95 — Virtually everyone fears mental deterioration as they age. But in the past thirty years neuroscientists have discovered that the brain is actually designed to improve throughout life. How can you encourage this improvement? Brain Power shares practical, state-of-the-evidence answers in this inspiring, fun-to-read plan for action. The authors have interviewed physicians, gerontologists, and neuroscientists; studied the habits of men and women who epitomize healthy aging; and applied what they describe in their own lives. The resulting guidance — along with the accompanying downloadable Brain Sync audio program — can help you activate unused brain areas, tone mental muscles, and enliven every faculty.
Conscious Creation: Directing Energy to get the Life You Want, by Dee Wallace (Ozark Mt. Publishing), 156 pages, $14 — One of Hollywood’s most beloved actresses, Dee Wallace shares her amazing journey to healing and happiness in her groundbreaking work, Conscious Creation. Best known for her role as the mother in E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, Wallace relates her inspiring story of finding the path “back home.” We are all creating every moment we are alive. Every thought, belief and action is a creation. But most of us are not choosing the majority of things that are actually creating our lives. From the commercials of disease that we watch to the conversations of lack and fear we have over coffee, most of us are unconsciously focusing our energy to create the very things we don’t want. If we do not consciously create, we become created upon. Conscious Creation is easy. But we must choose to love ourselves enough to live consciously in the magnificence of who we truly are. We are here to be happy.
The Convoluted Universe – Book IV, by Dolores Cannon (Ozark Mt. Publishing), 650 pages, $18 — This is the fourth volume in the wildly successful Convoluted Universe series. Premier hypnotherapist and psychic researcher Dolores Cannon does it again. Using deep hypnosis and past-life regression techniques, she presents mind-blowing theories and concepts originating from other dimensions. In this new volume you’ll find more information about the spirit side–where we go after we “die”–plus new information on life reviews and preparing contracts and your life plan of what you hope to accomplish on your return to Earth. Cannon uncovers forgotten ancient knowledge widely used by secret mystery schools and ancient civilizations, including Atlantis, Lemuria, and the original Stonehenge. She even explores the creation of life on Earth and presents unknown information about DNA.
Flesh Off the Bone: Dream Descent through Past Life Trauma, by Marc Bregman and Christa Lancaster (North of Eden Press), 286 pages, $30 — Flesh Off the Bone chronicles the intensely intimate story of Archetypal Dreamwork therapists Marc Bregman and Christa Lancaster as they follow their dreams into the caverns of hidden trauma experienced in their past lives. Through this harrowing and tender journey, unconscious memories of the violence of a long ago time are unlocked, as well as the memories of the great love they once shared. This book is full of information about the world of the dream and Archetypal Dreamwork, but it is foremost a love story of two seekers willing to face the horror of a tragic past to reclaim a powerful and abiding love.
Illuminating Crystal, by PB Morlen (Booklocker.com), 350 pages, $18.95 — Eighteen-year-old Crystal Blue was born to illuminate humanity. When she finds an ancient manuscript in the basement of a bookstore, an intense transformation activates the eleventh layer of her DNA in preparation for the mission she was born to fulfill: she must travel the world and unveil the secret and sacred knowledge held by indigenous groups, knowledge that will illuminate humanity, secrets that dark forces have killed to keep hidden. The transformation harnesses her with unique powers, but also makes her vulnerable to these dark forces that now seek to destroy her. But there’s a problem — Crystal doesn’t want to go. Crystal, a child of the stars whose ancestor walked in the stars, must be persuaded to shoulder her fate, accept her mission and harness her unique gifts: powers held only by Avatars and Masters. And, she must do this before the darkness finds and destroys her. Will she go? Will she accept her fate? Will she leave the one she loves behind?
Inside-Out Healing: Transforming Your Life through the Power of Presence, by Richard Moss (Hay House), 256 pages, $15.95 — Join world-renowned consciousness teacher and healer Richard Moss in an exploration of the power of presence in your life. Presence is associated with feelings of aliveness, connection, creativity, satisfaction and flow. It is presence that frequently is the “difference that makes the difference” in your ability to enjoy life, heal emotional wounds, experience intimacy, and support the growth and transformation of others. This inspiring book presents powerful principles, tools, and practices for transforming self-limiting patterns of thought and behaviors and for staying in the present even in the midst of very difficult feelings. Drawing from individual counseling sessions and utilizing practical exercises, Dr. Moss demonstrates how awareness and presence can be applied to support change in yourself and others, thereby creating a solid bridge between knowing and doing.
Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time, by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., (New Harbinger Publications), 232 pages, $15.95 — You’ve heard the expression, “It’s the little things that count.” Research has shown that little daily practices can change the way your brain works, too. This book offers simple brain-training practices you can do every day to protect against stress, lift your mood, and find greater emotional resilience. Just One Thing is a treasure chest of over fifty practices created specifically to deepen your sense of well-being and unconditional happiness. Just one practice each day can help you: be good to yourself; enjoy life as it is; build on your strengths; be more effective at home and work; and make peace with your emotions.
Making the Shift: Field Guide to the Emerging Consciousness, by Moriah Marston & the Tibetan (Yorkshire Publishing Group), 302 pages, $17.95 at Transformationaltimes.com — Finally, a guide book arrives to assist us in these tumultuous times of upheaval, breakdown and change. The author’s psychological perspective and the Tibetan’s (Ascended Master Djwhal Khul, aka Master DK) cosmic overview and expansive wisdom prepare us as we walk the razor’s edge to make a profound shift in consciousness. Within these pages we access the greater perspective of this time of collective transformation which empowers us to release victimhood, establish our bearings and orient to the rapidly approaching horizon of the new paradigm. The Tibetan’s teachings clarify, ease, catalyze, and reassure us on this mysterious journey. The reader is guided to harness today’s accelerated energies and ride the wave of transformation with confidence, optimism, strength, and faith.
Meditation: An In-Depth Guide, by Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson (Tarcher/Penguin), 416 pages, $16.95 — Meditation is increasingly recommended for relaxation, for enhancing relationships and well-being, to increase performance in sports and business, for personal growth, and to assist healing. Introducing mindfulness-based stillness meditation, Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson explain how to build a daily meditation practice. The authors also show how meditation can be used to work with our emotions, aid healing, manage pain, or as a spiritual practice. Meditation is a path we can pursue and refine throughout our lives. Drawing on modern science as well as ancient Eastern traditions and the authors’ own extensive personal experience as practitioners and teachers, this guide offers the techniques and understanding needed to explore meditation practice deeply. It is also an invaluable resource for meditation teachers from all background.
The Modern Book of the Dead: A Revolutionary Perspective on Death, the Soul, and What Really Happens in the Life to Come, by Ptolemy Tompkins (Atria Books), 304 pages, $26 — What happens to us after we die? It’s a question people have been asking since the dawn of time, and entire civilizations have been shaped by the ways in which they’ve answered it. All the world’s religions offer their own perspectives on what happens to us after death, and even in the modern world, where the existence of the soul is so often questioned, channeling and near-death experiences have kept those ancient questions alive all the same. Part memoir, part history of ideas of the afterlife, and part road map to what might truly await each of us when we leave our bodies behind, The Modern Book of the Dead is a wise and courageous book that approaches the question of the afterlife in a refreshingly intimate manner. Weaving together philosophy, science, stories of near-death experiences, and theology, the author comes to one amazing and uplifting truth: that somehow, human consciousness lives on after death. Both inspiring and intimate, this is a modern meditation that allows the reader to think about death in an all-new way.
Ordinary Sacred: The Simple Beauty of Everyday Life, by Kent Nerburn (New World Library), 128 pages, $14 — There is a hidden meaning, a hidden beauty, in life’s most ordinary moments. It is the beauty of the human heart revealed, where what we have in common is greater than what keeps us apart. If we can learn to see the beauty in these moments, whether they are in the light or in the shadow, we become witnesses to the spiritual, testimonies of the sacred. We become true artists of the ordinary, and our life becomes a masterpiece, painted in the colors of the heart. A chance encounter with a boy on a bicycle, a young girl’s graduation from eighth grade — these and other small moments are the subjects of this beautifully written collection. Kent Nerburn uncovers the wonder hidden just beneath the surface of everyday life, offering poignant glimpses into the grace of ordinary days. Whether he’s describing a kite’s dance on the winds above the high New Mexico desert, a funeral on an isolated Indian reservation, or a dinnertime conversation with family and friends, Kent Nerburn is among a handful of writers capable of moving so gently over such deep waters. Ordinary Sacred reveals the hidden beauty waiting to be discovered in each and every life.
The Return of Edgar Cayce, by C. Terry Cline Jr. (MacAdam/Cage Publishing), 160 pages, $17 — Novelist C. Terry Cline has been interested in Edgar Cayce for fifty years. In 2011, when sitting at his computer keyboard to begin a new novel, Cline began typing words spontaneously that were clearly not his own. As Cline watched the screen in amazement, he recognized that he was channeling the words of Edgar Cayce. A number of sessions continued over the course of the next several weeks, resulting in the book, The Return of Edgar Cayce. This book delivers a rich body of text reflecting on life, love, death, the past, the present and the future. This book gives readers a new perspective on a multitude of current topics.
Succeeding When You’re Supposed to Fail: The 6 Enduring Principles of High Achievement, by Rom Brafman (Crown Publishing Group), 208 pages, $23 — In countless studies, psychologists have discovered a surprising fact: For decades they assumed that people who face adversity — a difficult childhood, career turbulence, sudden bouts of bad luck — will succumb to their circumstances. Yet, over and over again they found a significant percentage are able to overcome their life circumstances and achieve spectacular success. How is it that individuals who are not “supposed” to succeed manage to overcome the odds? Are there certain traits that such people have in common? Can the rest of us learn from their success and apply this knowledge to our own lives? In Succeeding When You’re Supposed to Fail, Rom Brafman, psychologist and co-author of the bestselling book Sway, set out to answer these questions. In a riveting narrative that interweaves compelling stories from education, the military, and business and a wide range of groundbreaking new research, Brafman identifies the six hidden drivers behind unlikely success.
Swedenborg: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas, by Gary Lachman (Penguin Group), 208 pages, $16.95, on sale April 12 — As thorough as it is accessible, Swedenborg is a must-read for anyone interested in history, religion and spirituality, or the occult. It chronicles the life of one of the most important yet overlooked figures in alternative spirituality — Emanuel Swedenborg. In 1744, at the age of 56, Swedenborg’s life was upended suddenly by a series of terrifyingly awesome visions of angels, other-planetary beings and the “world of spirits.” The writings that were Swedenborg’s response to these visions influenced nearly every movement of alternative spirituality — from New Age mysticism to Christian Science to the twelve-step recovery program.
Synchronicity: The Art of Coincidence, Choice and Unlocking Your Mind, by Dr. Kirby Surprise (New Page Books), 288 pages, $16.99 — The experience of meaningful coincidences is universal. They are reported by people of every culture, every belief system, and every time period. Synchronicity examines the evidence for the human influence on the meaningfulness of events, and the way the modern computational model of the mind predicts how we create meaning. It demonstrates that these events, based on the activity of the mind, are caused by the person who perceives them. Synchronicity will show you how you already create events around you, and make you a conscious co-creator of your reality. Dr. Surprise describes the miracles of your brain’s processes, merging the worlds of modern physics and ancient mysticism to reveal abilities you have always possessed, but which were not fully understood — until now. Learn to make reality dance to the rhythms of your thoughts.
Visionary Shamanism: Activiting the Imaginal Cells of the Human Energy Field, by Linda Star Wolf and Anne Dillon (Bear & Co.), 192 pages, $16 — Incorporating the wisdom teachings of Seneca Wolf Clan Grandmother Twylah Nitsch with shamanic journeys and shamanic breathwork practices, Linda Star Wolf and Anne Dillon explain how to heal the past, learn from the future, and activate the imaginal cells within our human energy field. Imaginal cells are the energies of what has already happened and will happen stored in the blueprint of the invisible world. By tuning in to these imaginal cells, you can open access to your spiritual blueprint–the hologram of who your highest, best self is meant to be–and accelerate your evolutionary potential in this lifetime. Including information received by Star Wolf from the future, the book explores how to develop a communication link with the universe, receive guidance from the universal mind, and draw information from the future to be more potent and powerful in the present, live in harmony with one another and the planet, and fully prepare yourself for the new world to come. This book includes shamanic breathwork practices and rituals to open access to your spiritual blueprint — the hologram of who your highest, best self is meant to be — and be more potent and powerful in the present, and includes 55-minute Visionary Shamanism Musical Journeys CD.
Wabi Sabi Love: The Ancient Art of Finding Perfect Love in Imperfect Relationships, by Arielle Ford (HarperOne), 244 pages, $24.99 — Love. It’s right up there with air, food, and water as the most necessary of ingredients for existence. And yet, it is one of the hardest things to find, and perhaps an even harder thing to hold on to. The truth is you’re not perfect, and neither is your partner. But you can be perfectly imperfect together. In Wabi Sabi Love, international bestselling author and relationship expert Arielle Ford applies the wisdom of Wabi Sabi — the ancient Japanese idea of illuminating the beauty in imperfection — to love relationships. Wabi Sabi Love is the practice of exploring, embracing, and cherishing the quirks, irritations, and limitations that make you and your partner unique and that form your shared history as a couple. Wabi Sabi Love provides the tools to see yourself, your partner, and your partnership in an entirely new light, develop a deep and profound appreciation for each other, and experience more balance, harmony, and joy in your relationship than ever before.
What The Walrus Knows: An Eccentrics Field Guide to Working with Beastie Energies, by Sarah Bamford Seidelmann, 174 pages, $19.95 — What the Walrus Knows invites readers to join in the fun of exploring why certain animals show up in our lives, and what messages these animals may be trying to share with us in their teachings. The ancients knew something exciting: We’re all connected. This includes humans and animals. Beasties show up in your life every day — each one carrying a message tailor-made just for you. A message brought by a Beastie may be about beauty or family or work. It might make you smile. It might offer you guidance on a prickly problem. Often, the message is powerful. Connecting with Beasties messages can open the door to an amazing life. Are you skeptical? That’s okay. This work and this book are perfect for skeptics. You can play around and judge for yourself, based on the results you get. How do you get messages from Beasties? Do you have to go live out in the woods? Nope. Beasties and their helpful messages will come to you wherever you are. All you need to do is tune in. It can change everything.
Wisdom of the Plant Devas: Herbal Medicine for a New Earth, by Thea Summer Deer (Bear & Co.), 205 pages, $16 — In Wisdom of the Plant Devas, Thea Summer Deer reveals a new dimension of herbal medicine, one where the plant’s spirit is consulted for guidance and healing beyond the physical. Examining the botany, modern and traditional uses, history and folklore of 13 special herbs, such as rosemary, uva ursi and datura, she shares divinations and messages from their devas, or plant spirits, explaining how these stories carry the herbs into our lives, letting them work their magic on us. Exploring herbal medicine from an energetic perspective, she reveals that by communing with the deva of a plant, we can call on the plant’s physical, psychological, and spiritual medicine and guidance — without ingesting it or even being in its presence. Detailing the sacred space of a Medicine Wheel Garden, whether in a backyard or our imaginations, she connects us with the devas and empowers us to seek our own answers with their much-needed spiritual guidance and divinatory advice. Creating a bridge between botanical medicine and plant spirit medicine, she shows how by coming into community with the devas and co-creating with the world of nature, we can gain tremendous insights to help heal our hearts, our minds, and our spirits and consciously evolve as together we birth the New Earth.
NEW FILMS
Thrive: What on Earth will it Take? by Foster Gamble and Kimberly Carter Gamble, 132 minutes, $20, rent online $5, www.thrivemovement.com — Thrive is an unconventional documentary that lifts the veil on what’s really going on in our world by following the money upstream — uncovering the global consolidation of power in nearly every aspect of our lives. Weaving together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism, Thrive offers real solutions, empowering us with unprecedented and bold strategies for reclaiming our lives and our future. This film includes commentary by astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Dr. Steven Greer, Deepak Chopra, David Icke, Dr. Elisabet Sahtouris, Paul Hawken and Barbara Marx Hubbard, among others. It explores the monopoly of influence, noting that the same families that caused — and benefited from — the Great Depression were also beneficiaries of the bank bailout in 2008. The film tells us that the financial elites have global control over: money (central banking system, Federal Reserve, International Monetary Fund and World Bank); energy (oil, gas, coal, nuclear); food and water (agribusiness, world trade, water sources); health (pharmaceuticals, medical schools, research); indoctrination (compulsory education, media) and control dissent (Patriot Act, surveillance, RFID chips). Thrive also encourages solutions, such as: banking locally; ending the Federal Reserve; keeping the internet fair and open; supporting independent media; supporting organic, non-GMO farming; requiring election and campaign finance reform; advocating for renewable and new energy; and taking part in critical mass activism.
Thriving Yoga: Healing Yoga for Your Heart, by Denise Hopkins, 45 minutes, $19.99 — Healing Yoga for Your Heart was created exclusively for those who are concerned about their heart. The DVD utilizes carefully selected poses to provided maximum healing benefits to anyone who has heart diseease, high blood pressure or simply wants to better care for their heart and health. Stretching, deep breathing, visualization and guided meditations all come together in this easy-to-follow, easy-to-practice DVD that aims to lessen anxiety, ease stress, increase blood flow and reduce the strain on your heart. On days when time is tight or energy is low, simply utilize the fifteen minute guided meditation for a simple way to slow down and care for your heart in a gentle and calming manner. Studies show that yogic practices promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reduce stress, anxiety and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.
NEW MUSIC
Ananda Nidra: Blissful Sleep – Two Sensual Meditations for Awakening Ecstasy, by Mark A. Michaels & Patricia Johnson (Projekt Records), 2-disc set, $17.95 — Inspired by a traditional Tantric practice known as Yoga Nidra, these two innovative, spoken-word meditations rely on pleasurable images and sensations to induce feelings of relaxation and refreshment, coupled with a profound sense of satisfaction. Presented for the first time in recorded form, the 44-minute meditations are read by Michaels (backed by a minimalist ambient track from darkwave legends Black Tape For A Blue Girl) and Johnson (accompanied by a floating soundscape from prominent electronic-ambient pioneer Steve Roach). Each CD contains one meditation, followed by an additional 16 minutes of music for continued reflection and integration of the experience.
Relaxation Zone, by Dean Evenson (Soundings of the Planet), 64 minutes, $15.98 — Gentle rolling rhythms, atmospheric grooves, soft percussion and a touch of didgeridoo invite you relax into the moment. Charting a new direction, Dean Evenson has put down his flute for this album to create these lovely keyboard compositions that are uplifting as well as comforting and supportive. The resulting ambience is perfect for healing arts practitioners and others who have been asking him for music with a little more rhythm but still with that signature “Evenson” mood. Relaxation Zone features Dean Evenson on piano and keyboards, Phil Heaven on viola, Jason Darling on percussion and Evan Perman on didgeridoo. The liner notes for Relaxation Zone include suggestions to help a person relax. Whether it is learning how to breathe, moving our bodies or taking time to rest in stillness, this music is an excellent tool to aid in the process of relaxation.
TranscenDance, by Michael Bernard Beckwith (Agape Media International), $18 — A totally unique, genre-bending collection of songs from Agape founder Michael Bernard Beckwith whose powerful teachings are set to undulating dance music composed by Madonna composer/producer Stephen Bray (“Into The Groove,” “Express Yourself,” “True Blue”). More than inspirational, TranscenDance is non-stop, mind-expanding fun that will shapeshift your life with every listen. Take an adventure in paradise… Dance to the beauty of your own true nature… Gain greater insight and understanding of life as you celebrate Spirit with these techno-tribal, ecstatic dance and chill grooves. Guest vocalists include Siedah Garrett, Niki Haris, Sovory and Brenda Lee Eager. Nine high-vibration tracks include: Adventure in Paradise, U R The Answer, Let It Be Alright, Who Loves You Baby, Energetic Shapeshifter, Life is Good, In This Love Together, One Day in Heaven, plus an extraordinary guided meditation Mystic Cord of Memory.
NEW APPS
iEatOut Gluten & Allergen Free, free sampler or full app $4.99, ITunes Apps Store or AllergyFreePassport.com — The iEatOut Gluten & Allergen Free application for the iPhone and iPod Touch, based on the award-winning Let’s Eat Out! series, provides instant access to safe eating out, all discreetly and easily at your fingertips! The application offers menu item choices dynamically configured to your specific allergens. Quickly learn what’s safe for you to eat, how foods are prepared and what questions to ask when ordering meals in Indian, Italian and steak restaurants around the corner from your home or when traveling around the world! Tailor your iPhone / iPod touch by selecting from one or any combination of 10 common food allergens — corn, dairy, eggs, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat. View color-coded columns and menu item descriptions to quickly determine which dishes “contain” or “may contain” your allergen(s) of concern. With information from 3 international cuisines, 86 common menu items and 79 ingredients, you can also explore detailed ingredients, food preparation techniques and culinary practices to consider for each type of cuisine. Both applications work off-line with no connectivity required.
