Book Description
The well-known and very popular Catholic couple, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, have been constantly travelling and speaking all over North America for the last few years about their conversion to the Catholic Church. Now these two outstanding Catholic apologists tell in their own words about the incredible spiritual journey that led them to embrace Catholicism. Scott Hahn was a Presbyterian minister, the top student in his seminary class, a brilliant Scripture scholar, and militantly anti-Catholic ... until he reluctantly began to discover that his "enemy" had all the right answers. Kimberly, also a top-notch theology student in the seminary, is the daughter of a well-known Protestant minister, and went through a tremendous "dark night of the soul" after Scott converted to Catholicism.
Their conversion story and love for the Church has captured the hearts and minds of thousands of lukewarm Catholics and brought them back into an active participation in the Church. They have also influenced countless conversions to Catholicism among their friends and others who have heard their powerful testimony.
Written with simplicity, charity, grace and wit, the Hahns' deep love and knowledge of Christ and of Scripture is evident and contagious throughout their story. Their love of truth and of neighbor is equally evident, and their theological focus on the great importance of the family, both biological and spiritual, will be a source of inspiration for all readers.
Customer Reviews:
Rome Sweet Home.......2007-09-07
This book is the Journey taken by Scott and Kimberly Hahn to the Catholic Church. They write from the bottom of their heart. You feel the pain they are experiencing during this time and you yearn to see this family united in their beliefs.
Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
I cried with them and rejoiced with them as I read their compelling story. I feel renewed in my faith by their tumultuous journey.
Great read!.......2007-08-28
After reading My Life On The Rock, by Jeff Cavins, I was dieing to know what his wife must have experienced during her husbands "coming home". It was great to be able to read about Scott's wife's experience. I think all Catholics should recommend this book to their non-catholic friends and family!
Stunning.......2007-07-19
This book was amazing, I felt myself going through the ups and downs of the Hahns. Great primer for the more difficult apologetics books.
Rome Sweet Home:Our Journey to Catholicism.......2007-06-10
Intensive and Honest about the Faith Journey Scott and Kimberly Hahn took on the road to the Catholic Church,it is an easy read and filled with life experiences that have made their Faith Shine.
5 stars plus diamonds.......2007-06-08
Reading this book is like opening my eyes that our home is FULL of HEAVENLY TREASURES, and it's FREE. I had never before so in love with CHRIST. Now I even love HIM more and more each day, knowing that HE is always at HOME, welcoming us.
Book Description
Courageous Souls explores the premise that we are all eternal souls who plan our lives, including our greatest challenges, prior to birth for purposes of spiritual growth. The book contains ten true stories of people who planned physical illness, having handicapped children, deafness, blindness, drug addiction, alcoholism, losing a loved one, and severe accidents. Because very different life challenges are often planned for similar reasons, readers who have not faced these specific challenges will nevertheless see themselves - and their motivations as a soul - in these stories. As readers come to realize that they themselves planned their lives, suffering that once seemed purposeless becomes imbued with deep meaning. Wisdom may be acquired in a more conscious manner; feelings of anger, guilt, blame, and victimization are replaced by acceptance, forgiveness, peace, and gratitude.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Life Lessons!.......2007-10-22
There are no words to describe the wonderful content of this book. There are important life lessons to be learned from reading it. I finished it quickly, but I was sorry when it ended. I want to read it many times, and I will refer to specific sections (which I underlined) again and again, I'm sure! - Charlotte Kennedy
courageous souls-Do we plan our life challanges before birth?.......2007-10-15
This book is FANTASTIC!
Everyone has a story and has things going on in their life.This book makes everything that happens to you make sense. It allows you to understand why you have ended up where you are in life.Why you have chosen certain paths.And allows you to understand and be at peace with other peoples choices and the way they live their life.
I just loved it.Everyone should have a copy.It is well written, easy to understand and informative.But above all..it just makes sense.And things seem alot more clear to me than they did before I read the book.I loved it.For anyone who needs alittle hope or clarity in their lives..read this book.
Karma is more than payback.......2007-10-11
This book really changed my perspective on my current life situation. I was quite negative about the situation I'm dealing with, feeling it was just the result of past lives in which I had incurred very bad karma and I would just have to live through it. But, after reading this book, I believe I am living this life because of contracts I made in the pre-birth planning. That changes everything for me - if I agreed to the challenges I'm working with because I wanted to help one I love, there can be no resentment, just gratitude for being able to help, and love for the one I'm struggling with. Thank you, Robert Schwartz, what a gift!
So that's why . . ........2007-10-08
If you ever want to get into the backside of your pre-birth planning of your life challenges, read Courageous Souls by Robert Schwartz. Want to know why you attract illness, accidents, birth defects? Want to know why you chose a life of alcoholism or drug addiction, or are around someone who has? Read this book. The stories, while may start out slow at first, are powerful and insightful. Just stick with them. Robert uses mediums who are able to access multiple guides at one time, and your primary guide and listen in on conversations between you and your soul group.
An Empowering Way to Reframe Painful Challenges in Our Lives.......2007-09-17
It has been said that asking oneself the question, "Who was I before I was born?" can teach us the most about our true spiritual identity -- yet few of us have been so enlightened as to have heard the full reply. COURAGEOUS SOULS takes this starting point one step further by exploring just how we may have crafted our entire life around all of our life circumstances -- both the high and the low points.
What sets Robert Schwartz's book apart from other books about spirituality, reincarnation and the afterlife is his organized use of intuitive readings as companion pieces to accompany the various life stories he includes. These intuitive sessions provide a deep sense of interconnectedness and unconditional love shared in our lifetimes which we sometimes lose sight of, as well as insights into how we continue learning life lessons from one life to the next. The stories include descriptions of people who have experienced tremendous suffering who are greatly inspired and relieved to see an underlying sense of purpose and meaning to all they have gone through.
COURAGEOUS SOULS is an exceptional book for anyone interested in exploring the true nature of their spiritual identity, who is willing to keep an open mind regarding the value of some of the most painful challenges we humans face in our lives on Earth; this is highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to reframe and find deeper meaning from the painful challenges, setbacks or hardships in their lives.
Customer Reviews:
A shockingly poorly written book.......2007-08-19
This book is a great example of what value editors bring to books - this book reads as though it didn't have a competent editor. The breathless writing and ludicrous analogies would have been junked by a good editor. Where or where did Schewe get the brilliant idea to compare a system control center to a fuedal lord's realm?!!! Save your money.
Shockingly easy to read.......2007-08-18
The review title is a small payback to the author for his several too-obvious clichés sprinkled through The Grid. That personal silliness being out of the way, the majority of this book is easy to navigate. Phillip Schewe tells a brief history of electric power, its personal giants, and its spread to today's world. Although the purist would likely want more detail on the above, this would make the work ponderous. As it is, the urbane writing style is enjoyable, and most readers will appreciate the author's mystery-writer technique of building expectation for each next chapter.
One will finish the book with an understanding not only of the huge reach and complexity of modern power networks, but also of the amount of micro-detail involved with running them. An individual power station, for example, has duties and problems spanning micrometers to miles, from microseconds to years. To boot, this power station must be mindful of its continuous niche in the rest of the power world, and that niche can change drastically in a blink.
True, the occasional worked-in cliché becomes annoying after a while (e.g., "The grid in Idaho lies mainly in the plain"). But on a little higher level of irritation is Schewe's undertone moralizing, especially since it tends to be of the Time Magazine if-this but-that kind of pontificating. Since one can get used to, and make mental discounts for these passages, the book is still very interesting. Through it all the author really does want to send the message for us to make the grid less troublesome, yet by all means keep it. Fair enough.
Profoundly childish book on a fascinating topic.......2007-08-09
The author ruins what could have been a fascinating historical exercise with a mind-numbing stream of nonstop superlatives and unnecessary, cutesy metaphors. It gets impossible to chew through by about page 20. Extremely disappointing.
Physicist and Playwright, yet.......2007-08-06
Just a sample of his writing:
Begin with 100 units of primary energy--coal, say. In generating electricity in a typical power plant, 66 units of energy go right up into the sky as waste heat. For automobiles the waste is even worse. It's as if, when you cooked a meal, you were to take two-thirds of the food and immediately dump it into the garbage.
Then, when we use the electricity, there is further waste, as when inside a lightbulb, heat is made along with light. To continue with the meal analogy, it's as if, after you served the food (the one-third that was left), each diner threw away 90 percent of that. Wouldn't that be appalling? You'd have to say there was something wrong with any food plan that operated this way. In other words, about 3 percent of the energy in the fuel gets turned into light.
Either 5 stars or no stars depending on what you like.......2007-07-29
If you want to find out technical information about how the grid works or a thoughtful history don't bother with this book. But if you are looking for a science/history book to read at the beach, this is the one. Lots of geewiz stuff but no real detail. Nothing wrong with that. There is a place for a book that makes you feel awe and wonder and this book certainly does that but it left me feeling like I had skipped dinner's main course and went straight to desert.
Book Description
Kim Sheridan grew up with animals as her constant companions. Each time she faced the death of a beloved pet, along with the pain came the same questions, to which she could find no answers. Then, mysterious things began to happen that she couldn’t explain, which led her on an incredible journey to uncover the truth. Along with her own extraordinary experiences, she compiled heartwarming and meaningful true stories of everyday people around the world, and discovered compelling evidence that forever erased her own doubts about an afterlife for animals.
This book provides enormous comfort and reassurance to anyone who has ever cherished a pet, and food for thought for anyone who has ever questioned the place of these beloved creatures in the larger scheme of things, both here on Earth and beyond.
Customer Reviews:
EXCELLANT.......2007-10-03
Loosing a 'friend' is never easy....for some, as with myself....tramatic..it has been two months.....
but with Kim Sheridan.........and the stories.....it has helped, given me hope and some peace.
I DO NOT recommend Sylvia Browne's book 'Spirit of Animals"..it is a picture book with two minutes of reading time......and you do not feel any better for it.
This book gives you hope, peace, and that just maybe you and your friend will meet again on THIS side.............
Animals and the Afterlife.......2007-09-06
This book was so helpful in easing the pain of losing a beloved pet. Kim
Sheridan's writing is informative, compassionate and insightful. I would recommend this book to anyone who is grieving a companion animal.
Fantastic Book.......2007-09-05
Once I got started reading this book, it was hard to put down. After reading this book I have the comfort of knowing that the 2 pets I just recently lost are still close by. I was touched by the wonderful stories that were shared by other people. I would highly recommend this book.
Nice Read.......2007-08-24
Comforting book for anyone who has lost a beloved pet. I now even have a new outlook on the rat family. It is filled with many wonderful story the writer received from others who have lost there pets. Easy read, would recommend for anyone of any age.
an emtional warm blanket.......2007-03-18
kim's book has been answered prayers for myself and many family members and friends.i cannot imagine how she was able to pick and choose through so many broken hearts to help us. i shed tears while reading this book both from grief and joy and allowed myself a sense of peace and understanding of transition that i had not learned even after a lifetime of critical care nursing. i appreciate the authors' respect for all life, and the different ways it is celebrated,mourned and honoured throughout the world. i appreciate greatly the biblical referances and the beautiful quotations. even though i miss my family greatly, i rejoice in knowing they will meet me at the rainbow bridge....thankyou kim,bless you and your work...looking forward to the next book....hurry!!!
Average customer rating:
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Solar Journey: The Significance of Our Galactic Environment for the Heliosphere and Earth (Astrophysics and Space Science Library)
Manufacturer: Springer
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ASIN: 140204397X |
Book Description
Solar Journey: The Significance of Our Galactic Environment for the Heliosphere and Earth lays the foundation for an interdisciplinary study of the influence of interstellar material on the solar system and Earth as we travel through the Milky Way Galaxy. The solar wind bubble responds dynamically to interstellar material flowing past the Sun, regulating interstellar gas, dust, and cosmic particle fluxes in the interplanetary medium and the Earth. Cones of interstellar gas and dust focused by solar gravity, the magnetospheres of the outer planets, and cosmic rays at Earth all might yield the first hints of changes in our galactic environment.
Twelve articles from leading experts in diverse fields discuss the physical changes expected as the heliosphere adjusts to its galactic environment. Topics include the interaction between the solar wind and interstellar dust and gas, cosmic ray modulation, magnetospheres, temporal variations in the solar environment, and the cosmic ray isotope record preserved in paleoclimate data.
Book Description
Part of Ramtha's Fireside Series collection library on the topic of the journey of the soul and evolution as the main purpose of life.
Customer Reviews:
What's your purpose in life? Now you can really know. .......2007-05-17
If you are truly interested in knowledge about your spiritualness, then this book is a "must read." As spiritual bodies, this book will give you incredible insight as to your purpose for why you are here. There is truly no blackboard up in the heavens telling you what to do. This book will open your mind and allow your soul to soar like a bird and give you freedom to live life beyond your wildest imagination. Goodness and mercy are yours.
Making Contact: Our Soul's Journey and Purpose Through Life.......2005-08-12
This little book took me to a place so asounding I was breathless through the whole read, and so, I read it twice more. Each time, I found Ramtha gave me insights and thoughts to ponder as no other spirituality books has ever done. Quite frankly, I felt so connected to the teachings that it was overwhelming. This book exercises the mind, the heart and soul and everything unseen that is only felt. I whole heartedly recommend reading all of Ramtha.
Book Description
Imagine you're a young boy—maybe as young as three or four—separated from your family by civil war, traversing deserts and mountains with little food or water, no medical care, and no protection from wild animals. Imagine watching hundreds of boys perish around you from hunger, disease, or attacks by enemy soldiers and wild animals. To most of us, it is unimaginable, but this was reality for "The Lost Boys of Sudan," thousands of young boys who were separated from their families and forced to walk approximately 1,000 miles to reach safe refuge from war and certain death.
For the first time, this award winning book offers readers a chronological timeline of the epic journey taken by these children, beginning in their rural villages of Southern Sudan and ending with their arrival as young men to the United States. Narrated through the voice of Joan Hecht, one of their American mentors, whom they lovingly call "mom" or "Mama Joan;" "The Journey of the Lost Boys" is a compelling story of courage, faith and the sheer determination to survive by a group of young orphaned boys. Because of Joan Hecht's personal relationship with them, she is able to portray their story in a way that most famous reporters and authors cannot. In addition to her extensive research of the political and historical events surrounding the long lasting civil war in Sudan, are the heart-rending personal stories and original drawings of the boys themselves. A must read for anyone interested in the the true story of the Lost Boys of Sudan!
Customer Reviews:
The tragedy of the children of Sudan.......2007-03-31
I can only summarize my comment about this book in a few words. The author Joan Hecht did a wonderful task in narrating the frightening and heartbreaking experience of the thousands of lost boys of the Sudan,Africa's largest country. Their dangerous journey involving thousands of miles in a very hostile landscape is incredible. The author's very kind heart,sincere consideration and admiration for these children is worth more than all the gold of the world. Very highly recommended for young and old.
Learning about Sudan? START HERE.......2006-10-15
This is the book you need to read if you are unfamiliar with the background of the issues in Sudan, the Lost Boys, and the issues faced by refugees who come to America. Ms. Hecht might not be an " academic", but she is the person with an enormous amount of first hand information on these subjects, and she breaks it down into managable pieces. Even if you are knowledgable on these subjects, this book is still useful as a clarifying tool. Ms. Hecht is also very committed, and that comes through on every page.
OUTSTANDING BOOK .......2006-08-11
Readers of this book will be touched by the stories of these incredible young men, who, at an early age, were separated from their parents and families. The atrocities witnessed by the boys are unspeakable. The author has provided the readers with stories that make those who have lived a life without fear take a new appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States.
A good term paper.......2006-07-26
The endless conflict in Sudan is another calamity that the press should have been bombarding us with daily for years. A tragedy of such dimensions should torment our collective conscience. This is exactly why it deserves a better telling than Ms. Hecht is able to offer us. The writing is amateurish and the text cries out for the editing it appears not to have been subjected to. Easy streamlining and the correction of some grammatical errors would make the book more readable and more powerful. Ms. Hecht's devotion to the cause of the Lost Boys is clearly sincere and praiseworthy, however, and she does deserve thanks for contributing to making us aware of the atrocities that go on in the world while we turn the other way.
An accurate, heartfelt and well-written account.......2006-06-28
Joan Hecht's "Journey" is in this reviewer's opinion the most interesting and accurate book available on the topic of the Lost Boys. As a former foster father to one of the lost boys and a fellow author and researcher, I recommend the book without hesitation. It presents an extraordinarily complicated situation in a manner that is comprehensible, fascinating and accurate. It gives the reader a true sense of the horror, courage and hope that has gripped a generation of young Sudanese men.
For its rare photos, clear and organized presentation and sincere prose, I highly recommend this informative and inspiring book and thank the author for her outstanding efforts.
Book Description
What is it like to cut loose and sail away for a year?
How do you really do it?
Join them in their Adventure!
Taking their cat along as a referee, Steve and Margaret Watterson spent a year on their 30-foot sailboat traveling from Cleveland, Ohio to the Florida Keys and back. In this book, they describe their experience--the good times and the bad--in order to share it with those who dream of some day cutting off the phone, canceling the paper, and locking the door behind them.
If you have ever wondered how to actually do this, you will enjoy this book. The Wattersons tell how much they spent, how they handled mail, and what charts and cruising guides they used. They cover insurance, how to prepare a boat for this kind of trip, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
An Enjoyable Book.......2005-12-07
This is an amusing and enjoyable book. My husband and I are planning to cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway, and I found this book to be full of useful information about the Erie Canal and the Waterway, and about living aboard a 30-foot boat for a year while cruising south. The book puts you there just as if you were actually having the experience. I highly recommend it to anyone who dreams of such a trip.
A quick year.......2004-02-17
The book gives a quick overview of a long journey. It's an easy read, but the details are thin for anyone looking to make this journey. "Honey, Let's Get A Boat" provides better information and detail than "Our Year". Most of the pictures and maps appear to be borrowed from cruising guides. It does give some highlights, that are extracted from newsletters the author wrote - which is the impression I got while reading it - a compendium of personal newsletters to friends, rather than for someone looking to make this journey.
Captures the Essence.......2004-02-15
What I like about this book is that it captures the real sights and smells of traveling the Atlantic Intracoastal. I believe that this must be what it's really like to live on a 30-foot boat for a year cruising up and down the East coast of the US. The author's descriptions put you right in the picture, and his sense of humor will make you chuckle. There is also a lot of useful information in this book. Anyone who dreams of doing anything like this some day will get a lot of enjoyment from this book.
Informative, unpretentious, and entertaining........2004-02-15
I was captivated by this story of a 60-something couple taking the voyage of HIS dreams. While their particular trip in itself was not extraordinary --- many boaters do this --- the author's wry and self-deprecating sense of humor makes this account of their adventure an outstanding read. It is also chock full of very useful information, but primarily it is just a good book to curl up with when you feel like escaping to an achievable dream.
Fun to read.......2004-02-12
I found this book to be entertaining and fun to read. It details the author's boat cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway from start to finish, including all the planning involved. It is a "we did it, so can you!" book. But mainly, it is just an easy to read story, and the author's personal take on events is amusing. Buy it, you'll like it!
Average customer rating:
- A deeply interesting work
- Just the list of questions worth the price!
- Willing to be Asked the Questions
- Good but ....
- Profound Wisdom
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On This Journey We Call Our Life: Living the Questions (Studies in Jungian Psychology in Jungian Analysts, Volume 103)
James Hollis
Manufacturer: Inner City Books
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Binding: Paperback
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The Middle Passage: From Misery to Meaning in Midlife (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysts)
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Eden Project: In Search of the Magical Other (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysis, 79)
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Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up
ASIN: 1894574044 |
Customer Reviews:
A deeply interesting work.......2007-08-05
This book was brought to my attention by a good friend who happens to be a Jungian analyst. As part of a group I studied both it and another work of Hollis' titled Under Saturn's Shadow. Undoubtedly this book is well worth a serious read, since it does contain much wisdom and food for thought. I especially enjoyed the chapter "What Fiction Shall Be My Truth?" since it dealt with specific issues that concerned me at the time. Hollis goes were other authors sometimes fear to tread (his examination of death for instance) and in that regard he is very stimulating. I must agree however with another reviewer's comments about Hollis' occasional verbosity and pedantic tone. While he states that no one should allow Jung to direct their life he often seems to elevate Jung to the level of a high priest of sorts and attributes as fact some of Jung's assertions, when in truth they are merely speculation (albeit of a high order). His references to the "Divine" are a bit over wrought and seem to insist that the reader accept his concepts in this regard without question. I found this peculiar tendency to be a bit much since Hollis' tone in these passages would seem to intentionally denigrate the reader who might hold opinions that differ from his own. And, after all, any discussion of this subject matter is only opinion. Certainly Hollis is no vessel of universal truth; even if he occasionally gives the impression that he might imagine himself as such. But, these criticisms aside, Hollis' main message is one that I believe needs to gain traction in our society: examine your life and take responsibility for what you find. Grow. Seek truth. Expand your horizons. Be a better person and think about your effect on others and your role in the larger scheme (assuming there is one). I appreciate teachers like Hollis since I find Jung's work to be to "dense" to access directly. And certainly almost any reader of this book will find some Jungian concept to make their own, or at least point them in a direction where they can formulate their own answers.
Just the list of questions worth the price!.......2006-08-17
James Hollis accomplished MASTERFULLY what he set out to do. He simplifies and illustrates clearly how...in Jungian terms...we repeat our patterns of behavior, endlessly, until we examine, recognize and work at changing them.
I especially appreciated the questions and tools he presented to aid the reader in the process of making new choices. He presumes some knowledge of Jung and his language can be a bit pretentious at times, but overall, I found this to be a deeply valuable and useful book.
Willing to be Asked the Questions.......2005-08-11
"On This Journey We Call Our Life - Living the Questions (Studies in Jungian Psychology by Jungian Analysts) is one of the 4 books by Hollis I own which include a superb audio book on CD he cogently narrates titled "The Middle Passage - From Misery to Meaning in Midlife". On This Journey... was published in 2003 and is his third latest book - his most recent being "Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life - How to Finally, Really Grow Up".
The Studies in Jungian Psychology by Jungian Analysts is a wonderful series published by Inner City Books with Daryl Sharp as founder and chief editor (himself an accomplished Jungian Analyst and writer). Marie-Louise von Franz is their Honorary Patron with 9 of her classic titles in the offerings. The publisher's charter was "...founded in 1980 to promote the understanding and practical application of the work of C.G. Jung." Since then they've published over 110 titles in this series with other prolific Jungian writers & analysts such as Barbara Hannah, Edward Edinger, and Marion Woodman to name a few. Hollis is a Zurich-trained Jungian analyst practicing out of Texas where he is also the Executive Director of the Jung Educational Center of Houston. He's contributed 8 titles to the Studies in Jungian Psychology series himself. We recently shared some correspondence and I found him warm and thoughtfully responsive.
After a nice Publisher's Forward by Daryl Sharp, Hollis tells us early in his introduction "One way of looking at this journey is to observe that psyche presents us with two large questions..." one for each of the two halves of our lives. The question of the first half is '"What is the world asking of me?" and that of the second is "What, now, does the soul; ask of me?" To the first he remembers when, as children, we asked the great mysterious questions only to relinquish the profound imperative: "The wonder and terror forgotten, buried but not dead beneath the details of the daily grind." And, sadly "...we forgot those questions, and who we were, and that we were really called upon to do something with this gift of life." To the second question (for the second half of life) Hollis offers up some poignant questions to be asked (but not necessarily answered) by honest, humble, self-seekers willing to ask and grow. These ten questions are reflected in the Table of Contents and are expanded in each chapter to flesh out the real meaning of the questions. However Hollis does not "...purport to offer their answers, though I present possibilities."
By What Truths Am I Living My Life?
What Is My Shadow and How Can I Make It Known?
What Is My Myth?
What Is My Vocation?
What Are My Spiritual Points Of Reference?
What Fiction Shall Be My Truth?
What Is My Obligation to the World?
So, Ahem . . . What's This Death Business?
What Supports Me?
What Matters, in the End?
In his chapter "What Is My Shadow and How Can I Make It Known?" he poses "Seven Questions for Personal Reflection on the Shadow". Incidentally, the whole shadow business has been hands down the most fascinating topic for me. The subject proved the genesis of my journey into individuation and the world of Jungian psychology - a veritable gateway & goldmine!
One theme I appreciate in several of his works is the affirmation that "We are all more than the sum of what happened to us." that is "I am not what happened to me - I am what I choose to become."
There's some recurrence of certain poetry and philosophy from earlier works (e.g. "The Middle Passage") and this is certainly fine with me. To name a number of poets & philosophers he cites: James Agee, Stephen Dunn, T.S. Eliot, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Kierkegaard, D.H. Lawrence, Rainer Maria Rilke, Dylan Thomas, Thoreau, Yeats (and C.G. Jung of course).
Relevant footnotes throughout helpfully point the interested reader to Hollis' earlier books and they show how this material effectively evolved out of those works. Simply put, this book ties together threads from those earlier works and weaves a nice tapestry of Jungian analysis. A good bibliography and index help the reader find sources and subjects.
The last chapter, "What Matters, in the End?" hits on aspects of our projections and requires "Doing Our Work" accepting responsibility, finding strength to pull back our projections, and a engaging in a rapport with our inner world where our choices develop. The next sub-chapter "Ask the Meaning of Your Suffering" explains how this question "tends to relocate our sense of selfhood beyond the narrow purview of our ego." It concludes with two sub-chapters that suggest we "Keep Asking What Matters, in the End" and "Suffer Consciously" lest we take the unconscious alternative of avoiding what is in us.
Finally, Hollis concludes: "...While the ultimate purpose of this journey and our unique role in the great scheme of things will remain a mystery, our questions serve us by keeping us on track. Something wants to live through us, and we need to allow it."
I was able to recognize a lot of material from this book in my life/history (as well as from my repeated listening to "The Middle Passage") and I'll undoubtedly re-read this book many times as it serves to illuminate the nature of my questions and the questions of my nature - the spirit of this is succinctly exemplified in a famous quote found in this book:
"The meaning of my existence is that life has addressed a question to me . . . or conversely, I myself am a question." CG Jung, MDR
IndiAndy
__________________
We dance around in a ring and suppose.
But the secret sits in the middle and knows." Robert Frost
Penetrating so many secrets, we cease to believe in the unknowable.
But there it sits nevertheless, calmly licking its chops." H.L. Mencken
Denying, believing and doubting are to men what running is to horses." Blaise Pascal
As soon as man does not take his existence for granted,
but beholds is as something unfathomably mysterious, thought begins." Albert Schweitzer
Good but ...........2004-11-11
Initially, I enjoyed reading this book. Mr. Hollis presents Jungian concepts in an understandable and thought-provoking format. There are two reasons I give this book 3 stars 'only'. One is he tends to repeat himself throughout this book and the book started to take on a pedantic tone. Secondly, the author is fond of using non-English expressions which are not widely understood. An occasional sprinkle of this is acceptable but he uses them so often that one senses he is trying to impress his readers with his broad vocabulary. I found this aspect particularly irritating as I advanced through the book. This was compounded by his French, grammar errors (I am a francophone)and tended to diminish the otherwise interesting subject matter.
Profound Wisdom.......2003-11-30
Wow, this guy is an amazing writer and thinker and translator of Jungian concepts. I read THE MIDDLE PASSAGE and then started reading ALL of his books. His words give meaning to the journey, that's for sure. Highly recommended!
Book Description
"Only when you understand your life as aspiritual journey can you live your lifehappily and truthfully. "
At the core of every individual, there is a remarkable power: the power to change, the power to heal, and the power to uncover the happiness, wisdom, and fulfillment that we all seek. In this engaging and profoundly uplifting book, psychotherapists Robert and Jane Alter reveal how you can find this inner power and use it to achieve your most important personal goals:Overcoming painful experiences from the past to thrive now and in the futureCreating more fulfilling and passionate bonds with your spouse or partnerRebuilding or strengthening your relationship with your parents and familyConquering the patterns of behavior that hold you back from the life of your dreamsDeveloping a deep and empowering sense of self- confidenceDiscovering a new level of self-awareness and spiritual strength And most important--Realizing your own divine Self
Like a learned and compassionate guide, The Transformative Power of Crisis will lead readers on a fascinating psychological and spiritual journey to the Self: a journey that takes us through the rugged terrain of pain, fear, and self-doubt to the unlimited potential of our true nature. Whereas many books skim the surface of change, the Alters go deeper, mapping out a clear and direct path toward real transformation and step-by-step strategies for dramatic life improvement on every level. Whether you are facing a specific challenge or simply seeking a deeper understanding --Of life, the Alters' innovative blend of psychology and spiritual wisdom will help you unlock your own incredible promise and find all that you have been searching for.
Beautifully written with teaching stories and real-life vignettes, this book is both an essential tool for self-knowledge and a lasting source of inspiration.
Customer Reviews:
Thank you.......2005-08-14
I came across this book in my local library doing some research. During an especially trying time in my life, Dr. Alter's kind words and writing style saved me. After checking it out, and renewing it 4 times, I decided it was time to buy my own copy. I have suggested it to all my instructors and collegues, not only as a reference, but as a tool for simply making life more understandable. Thank you, this book truly saved my life.
Good Enough.......2005-05-16
If you've done some reading on self-awareness, and self-development this book will be a review of some basic principles.
The approach is very gentle however, and that is the most unique aspect of the book.
The reading is easy, and the organization of lessons presented is very well thought. There are some great insights into how to view aspects of ourselves. And some exceptional examples of how to relate to those that find themselves "in question."
I would not call the book "seminal" however, but I would say that it is worth reading. If you've done a lot of this type of reading before, this will be an easy read. If you have not, this could be packed with information for you.
I re-read this book several times now.......2004-07-01
I bought this book in 2001 and this is the best self-help book from all that I have, that I re-read it until now. Each time I read, it never fails to touch me by the stories and meaningful-quotations, all are indeed beautiful. And each time I intended to re-read just one story, I always ended up reading the whole book again. There is so much wisdom in the stories, excerted from Alter's 22 years experience as a psychotherapist. This is one of two books I will ever recommend to everyone (the other is: Thick Face Black Heart) as it will bring warmth to your heart.
What a beatiful book!.......2004-02-05
I found this book to be very different from many other books I read on spirituality and psychology. For one, as I read it, I could sense the deep love that the authors have for their readers throughout the book. This alone helped me in lonely moments when I would go to read a few pages and my soul would no longer feel lonely. Secondly,its power lies in the fact that one needs not believe in religious dogma or new age ideas to see the wisdom and truth of the simple words spoke here, that come as fresh water on a tired soul. This book is the fruit of the work of Robert and Jane Alter. Robert who has worked with many human beings as a psychotherapist for the past 25 years, gives us deep wisdom on how to live our lives in the fulfilling and nourishing way we always knew how but have forgotten. In this book, one will confirm what he/she reads from his/her own life experience and so know how true it is and be freed from worries and fears. It is a wonderful and very necessary companion for the journey we are all on, for how to stay positive on a difficult day of work, becoming free of our addictions, and finding true inner peace by discovering that that is our own nature.
""Truth is the sum of things seen and known with the physical eye (and our other senses), the rational mind, or the intuitive heart. Between the eye, the mind, and the heart we can know all of reality. From the densest form of energey , physical matter, which we perceive with the physical eye, to a more subtle form of energey, intellectual and moral truth, which we perceive with the rational mind, to the most subtle form of energey, spirit and spiritual truth, which we perceive with the intuitive heart, all of reality is available to our perception and cognition." (Page 80)
This book has changed my life.......2003-09-04
Robert and Jane alter are "true." Their words are direct and honest. Their style is comforting and open.
I have read "self help" books for 25 years. None has touched me like this one. Its blend of peaceful thoughts and real experiences leaves me feeling better every time I read it.
Read this book and know that each moment is an opportunity to live and travel on your own path.
Books:
- Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
- Second Acts: Creating the Life You Really Want, Building the Career You Truly Desire
- Simone de Beauvoir: A Biography
- Spectroscopic Methods in Bioinorganic Chemistry (Acs Symposium Series)
- Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics)
- The Art of Being a Woman: A Simple Guide to Everyday Love and Laughter
- The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu
- The Courage to Be
- The Demon Under the Microscope: From Battlefield Hospitals to Nazi Labs, One Doctor's Heroic Search for the World's First Miracle Drug
- The Doctor's Heart Cure, Beyond the Modern Myths of Diet and Exercise: The Clinically-Proven Plan of Breakthrough Health Secrets That Helps You Build a Powerful, Disease-Free Heart
Books Index
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