Hey guys. Since I have a lot of free time on Thursdays, I've decided to start a Book of the Week thread!
By no means do I think that I know what you should read. However, if you like the first book I post, you are likely to enjoy all of the books I post to a degree.
October 21st, 2010
Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard
Quote:
Lurking within the pages of Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard are:
*Biographies of famous wizards of history and legend.
*Detailed descriptions of magickal tools and regalia (with full instructions for making them).
*Rites and rituals for special occasions.
*A bestiary of mythical creatures.
*The Laws of Magick.
*Myths and stories of gods and heroes.
*Lore and legends of the stars and constellations.
*Instructions for performing amazing illusions, special effects, and many other wonders of the magickal multiverse.
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Why I selected this book:
Written with children in mind, Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard gives detailed but simple introductions to all branches of magick. The book is divided into courses, with subdivisions of classes. It is structured so that an aspiring student can begin with the preliminaries of any form of magick, as opposed to stumbling about for a good starting point like so many of us have. Not only does the book cover virtually everything, but it unifies the information under a simple eclectic system of magick, and has many useful tables of correspondence. The book also provides raw material which you can adapt for personal use. For example, Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard spends time in Course Four explaining the science behind creating rituals, and powerful templates with which to create your own.
Table of Contents:
Foreward by Raymond Buckland
Acknowledgements
Prologue: A wizardly Soliloquy
The Calling by Jesse Wolf Hardin
Introduction
Course One: Wizardry
Class I: Concerning Wizards
Class II: Becoming a Wizard
Class III: Foundations of Magick
Class IV: Magickal Arts
Class V: Magickal Talents
Class VI: Perchance to Dream
Class VII: Patterns of Magick
Course Two: Nature
Class I: Natural Mysteries
Class II: The Soul of Nature
Class III: The Elements
Class IV: Back to Nature
Class V: Adventures in Nature
Class VI: Your Magickal Garden
Course Three: Practice
Class I: Ethics of Magick
Class II: Tools of Magick
Class III: Your Wizardly Regalia
Class IV: Your Sanctum Sanctorum
Class V: The Magickal World
Class VI: Correspondences
Class VII: Signs & Symbols
Course Four: Rites
Class I: Practical Magick
Class II: Ritual Spaces
Class III: About Rituals
Class IV: Conducting a Ritual
Class V: Magickal Times
Class VI: The Wheel of the Year
Class VII: Spellcraft
Course Five: Spectrum-Part 1
Class I: Meditation (Aqua)
Class II: Healing (Blue)
Class III: Wortcunning (Green)
Class IV: Divination (Yellow)
Class V: Conjury (Orange)
Class VI: Alchemy (Red)
Course Six: Spectrum-Part 2
Class I: Beast Mastery (Brown)
Class II: Cosmology (Violet)
Class III: Mathemagicks (Clear)
Class IV: Ceremonial Magick (White)
Class V: Lore Mastery (Grey)
Class VI: The Dark Arts (Black)
Course Seven: Lore
Class I: The Other Worlds
Class II: Gods of All the Nations
Class III: The Others
Class IV: The Magickal Bestiary
Class V: Wizards of History
Class VI: Modern Wizards
Epilogue: Commencement
Appendices
A. History of Magick Time-Line
B. The Wizard's Library
C. Credits & References
D. Index
Words of warning: While the book is relatively tame and safe for children, there are some very powerful mental exercises that parents and guardians should be aware of. There are also some experiments and activities that require adult supervision.
Other recommended reading:
Wizardology
Companion for the Apprentice Wizard
Friday, October 29th
Sorry for the late entry, peeps. Work called me in unexpectedly.
Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field
by Barbara Ann Brennan
Quote:
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BARBARA ANN BRENNAN'S WORK IS MIND OPENING. HER CONCEPTS OF THE ROLE DISEASE PLAYS AND HOW HEALING IS ACHIEVED CERTAINLY FIT IN WITH MY EXPERIENCE.
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Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.
author of
Love, Medicine, and Miracles
Quote:
With the clarity of a physicist and the compassion of a gifted healer with fifteen years of professional experience observing 5,000 clients and students, Barbara Ann Brennan presents the first in-depth study of the human energy field for people who seek happiness, health and their full potential.
Our physical bodies exist within a larger "body," a human energy field or aura, which is the vehicle through which we create our experience of reality, including health and illness. It is through this energy field that we have the power to heal ourselves.
This energy body - only recently verified by scientists, but long known to healers and mystics - is the starting point of all illness. Here, our most powerful and profound human interactions take place, the precursor and healer of all physiological and emotional disturbances.
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Hands of Light is your guide to a new wholeness. It offers:
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a new paradigm for the human in health, relationships, and disease.
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an understanding of how the human energy field looks, functions, is disturbed, healed and interacts with friends and lovers.
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training in the ability to see and interpret auras.
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medically verified case studies of healing people from all walks of life with a variety of illnesses.
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guidelines for healing the self and others
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the author's personal and intriguing life adventure which gives us a model for growth, courage and possibilities for expanded consciousness.
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The back cover pretty much says everything I have to say about the book. I would like to reinforce the point that the writer takes a scientific perspective in her studies and exposition, including a summary of many various experiments that bring credibility to the science of the Human Energy Field.
This is not some foo-foo hippie love fest be-here-now book(that's next week's book). It simply explains what is
known about the HEF, what is speculated about the HEF, and how to heal yourself and others of physical and emotional disease using the HEF.
If you "don't believe this crap" this book might make a believer out of you.
CONTENTS
Part I - Living On a Planet of Energy
The Healing Experience
How to Use This Book
A Note on Training and the Development of Guidance
Part II - The Human Aura
The Personal Experience
Parallels Between How We See Ourselves and Reality and Western Scientific Views
History of Scientific Investigation into the Human Energy Field
The Universal Energy Field
The Human Energy Field or Human Aura
Part III - Psychodynamics and the Human Energy Field
The Therapeutic Experience
Human Growth and Development in the Aura
Psychological Function of the Seven Major Chakras
Chakra or Energy Center Diagnosis
Observations of Auras in Therapy Sessions
Energy Blocks and Defense Systems in the Aura
Aura and Chakra Patterns of the Major Character Structures
Part IV - The Perceptual Tools of the Healer
The Cause of Illness
The Separation of Reality
From Energy Block to Physical Disease
The Process of Healing, an Overview
Direct Access of Information
Internal Vision
High Auditory Perception and Communication with Spiritual Teachers
Heyoan's Metaphor of Reality
Part V - Spiritual Healing
Your Energy Field Is Your Instrument
Preparation for Healing
Full Spectrum Healing
Healing with Color and Sound
Healing Transtemporal Traumas
Part VI - Self Healing and the Spiritual Healer
Transformation and Self Responsibility
The Face of the New Medicine: Patient Becomes Healer
Health, a Challenge to Be Yourself
The Development of a Healer
Friday, November 5th
There are so many good books to choose from. I may have used a heavy hand this week, because anyone who would find this book appealing probably already knows about it.
Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot
by Lon Milo DuQuette
BACK COVER
Quote:
"Lon Milo DuQuette is that rarest of writers; a man who knows his subject from the inside out, and at the same time can write clearly and gracefully. This book will indeed bring Aleister Crowley's and Frieda Harris's brilliant Thoth Tarot to new generations of Tarot lovers."
-Rachel Pollack, author of The Complete Illustrated Guide to Tarot and Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom.
"Lon Milo DuQuette's Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth is a warm-hearted yet profound tour of the Thoth deck by a very wise gentleman. An extremely lucid account of a formerly difficult subject, every word should be savored, laughed over, and seriously contemplated."
-Mary K. Greer, author of Tarot for Your Self and The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals
Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot Deck, one of the most popular tarot decks ever, is chock-full of occult symbolism. While Crowley's own book, The Book of Thoth purports to explain the hidden symbolism in full, it expects readers to have in-depth knowledge of various occult fields. What is missing, and what Lon Milo DuQuette provides, is a key to the Thoth Tarot's deeper meanings for those of us who might not be as well-versed in esoteric thought as Crowley assumes.
"This is the first book since Crowley's The Book of Thoth to investigate the unique spiritual heritage that distinguishes the Thoth Tarot from countless other decks--a heritage that is the true source of its distinctive symbolic meaning and artistry. DuQuette succeeds admirably in explaining its symbols and their underpinnings in terms understandable to new students. In doing so, he shows how the use of this deck can open up the wonders of the Qabalah, the mysteries of Thelema, and the treasure-house of Crowley's writings, in a way that simple book-learning cannot."
-Hymenacus Beta, Frater Superior, OTO
DuQuette explains the varied symbolism and correspondences--Qabalistic, astrological, numerological, etc.--of each card in detail, with wit and clarity. More than just another tarot "cookbook" with rote explanations and meanings of the individual cards, Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot is both a valuable guide to the esoteric meanings of the cards and a look at the deck as it fits in with Crowley's system of Magick. This book is a new and valuable resource for anyone working with the Thoth Tarot deck.
Lon Milo DuQuette has been involved with occult studies since the late 1960s and has become an acknowledged and widely recognized authority within the world of modern occultism. As a member of Crowley's legacy order, the OTO, he is uniquely qualified to write this guide to the Thoth Tarot. Lon lives with his wife, Constance, in Costa Mesa, California.
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Why I selected this book:
Some people regard tarot as superstitious foolishness and a waste of time. I personally think they're half right. When you take away any mystical purpose people may use Tarot cards for, you are left with a profoundly well rounded filing system for the
archetypes.
I believe in magick, but even if I didn't I would still recommend Tarot to everyone. I have found that attaching meaning to each card and then drawing several cards at random is a useful exercise to break the constraints of repetitive thinking. Whether or not "spirits guide my hand", I still see Tarot as a valuable tool which stimulates creative problem solving.
I specifically selected Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot because it is rare to find an occult book that goes into such immense detail without leaving beginners in the dust. Some might say that compliments to Mr. DuQuette's sense of humor are over stated. Those people probably need to laugh more. From the material I have read and the videos I have seen of the man, he seems sincere in his efforts to help people stay on course in their study of the occult.
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
Part One - Little Bits of Things You Should Know Before Beginning to Study Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot I
Chapter 0 - Introduction The Book of Thoth-- A Magick Book?
Chapter 1 - Little Bits of Things You Should Know
Chapter 2 - Aleister Crowley and the Golden Dawn
Chapter 3 - The Lady and The Beast
Chapter 4 - The Art
Chapter 5 - The Prophet and the Book of the Law
Chapter 6 - The Aeon of Horus
Chapter 7 - The Vision and the Voice
Chapter 8 - Secrets of the Rose Cross Back
Chapter 9 - Secrets of the Tree of Life
Chapter 10 - Worlds of Color
Chapter 11 - The Holy Guardian Angel
Part Two - The Cards
Chapter 12 - Introduction to the Cards
Chapter 13 - Introduction to the Major Arcana
Chapter 14 - Atu of Tahuti - The Major Arcana Trumps
Chapter 15 - The Minor Arcana
Chapter 16 - The Spirit of the Aces
Chapter 17 - The Four Aces
Chapter 18 - The Crazy Mixed-Up World of Court Cards
Chapter 19 - The Small Cards
Chapter 20 - Method of Divination and the Meanings of the Cards
Chapter 21 - Glossary of Thelemic and Tarot Terms
Notes
Bibliography
Permissions
Thursday, November 11th
Angel Tech: A Modern Shaman's Guide to Reality Selection
BACK COVER
Quote:
Angel Tech is a comprehensive compendium of insights and techniques for direct application of Dr. Timothy Leary's Eight-Circuit Brain model for Intelligence Increase. What Dr. Leary posited as theory (Exo-Psychology) and Dr. Robert Anton Wilson brilliantly demonstrated in sociopolitical, mathematical, and intellectual proofs (Prometheus Rising), Antero Alli has extended into tangible tasks, exercises, rituals and meditations towards an embodied realization of brain change through firsthand experience. Angel Tech challenges the reader to redefine "Intelligence" according to hir own direct experiences and finally, dares us to live accordingly. In print for over twenty years, this classic "performance" book has been republished with the author's 2008 Update on his most recent research results.
"Here are all the great neurological scripts of the past synthesized and modernized for our day: the Tarot, Cabala, Alchemy, The Hindu Chakra System. And here, too--praise be to the Sun Absolute!--is a refreshing absence of the cant, the pomposity and the deliberate mystification that makes most books on those subjects unreadable."
--Robert Anton Wilson, Ph.D., author of Cosmic Trigger
"Angel Tech is a witty, rollicking, wise rendition of the stages of evolution we have been experiencing. Antero Alli is that special brand of human--a frontier scout for the species, out there on the rim where the past and future intersect."
--Timothy Leary, Ph.D., author of Info-Psychology
"This funny and brain-changing book plucks at the reader's software. While following its techniques, you may be surprised to find your hardware has been replaced as well. Should this book be sold only by prescription??"
--Christopher S, Hyatt, Ph.D., author of Undoing Yourself
ANTERO ALLI is an underground filmmaker and director of ParaTheatrical ReSearch who maintains a private astrological practice in his spare time. He is the author of A Modern SHaman's Guide to a Pregnant Universe (with Christopher S. Hyatt); The Akashic Record Player; Astrologik; The Vertical Oracle; and Towards an Archeology of the Soul
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Why I selected this book:
This is the best self-help book I've ever read. Most self help books have been, to me, useless. Angel Tech: A Modern Shaman's Guide to Reality Selection does not try to make you feel better about yourself. It does not attempt to convince you that you're special. It will not make a pussy tree-hugger out of you.
If you follow the lessons and exercises within Angel Tech, Angel Tech will force you to be real with yourself.
CONTENTS
Update 2008!
Preface by Robert Anton Wilson
Author's Notes
Angel Tech: An Introduction
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Grades 1-4)
Karma Mechanics (Prerequisite: Elementary School)
Mechanical Problems (Prerequisite: Karma Mechanics)
Chapel Perilous
HIGH SCHOOL (Grades 5-8)
Sensory Intelligence (Rapture-Ritual-Charisma)
Psychic Intelligence (Clairvoyance-Reality Selection-Tarot)
Mythic Intelligence (Synchronicity-Alchemy-Astrology)
Spiritual Intelligence (Paradox-Dreaming-Factor X)
Afterword
November 25th, 2010
I will spare you my opinions on this week's book, and instead let the book speak for itself.
The Mystical Qabalah
By: Dion Fortune
Back cover:
Quote:
Dion Fortune's [/i]The Mystical Qabalah[/i] remains a classic in its clarity, linking the broad elements of Jewish traditional thought--probably going back to the Babylonian Captivity and beyond--with both Eastern and Western philosophy and later Christian insights. Dion Fortune was one of the first Adepts to bring this "secret tradition' to a wider audience. Some before her often only added to the overall mystery by elaborating on obscurity, but her account is simple, clear, and comprehensive.
The Qabalah could be described as a confidential Judaic explanation of the paradox of "the Many and the One"--the complexity and diversity within a monotheistic unity. Whereas the Old Testament outlines the social and psychological development of a tightly knit "chosen group" culture, the supplementary Qabalah provides a detailed plan of the infrastructure behind the creative evolutionary process.
A major limitation of the Authorized English Version of the bible is the translation of the many Hebrew God-names by the single name, "God." The Mystical Qabalah devotes a chapter to each of the ten schematic "God-names,' the qualities or "Sephiroth,' which focus the principle archetypes behind evolving human activity: the Spiritual Force; the principles of Force and Form; Love and Justice; the Integrative principles or the Christ Force; Aesthetics and Logic; the dynamics of the Psyche; and finally, the Manifestation of life on Earth in a physical body.
The Mystical Qabalah works in a profoundly psychological way. Its lessons for the individual are invaluable and this book is a must for all who feel drawn to know themselves better so that their inner and outer worlds may be as one.
This revised edition includes an additional chapter of Fortune's original writing, an editorial update for contemporary readers, and a foldout with Tree of Life diagrams to facilitate study of the text.
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Table of Contents
Part I
The Yoga of the West
The Choice of Path
The Method of the Qabalah
The Unwritten Qabalah
Negative Existence
ETS CHAYYIM, the Tree of Life
The Three Supernals
The Patterns of the Tree
The Ten Sephiroth in the Four Worlds
The Paths upon the Tree
The Subjective Sephiroth
The Gods upon the Tree
Practical Work Upon the Tree
Part II
General Considerations
KETHER, the First Sephirah
CHOKMAH, the Second Sephirah
BINAH, the Third Sephirah
CHESED, the Fourth Sephirah
GEBURAH, the Fifth Sephirah
TIPHARETH, the Sixth Sephirah
Part III
The Four Lower Sephiroth
NETZACH
HOD
YESOD
MALKUTH
The QLIPHOTH
Conclusion
Subjective Pathworkings
Part IV
Editorial Update
Index
The Society of Inner Light
About the Author
Diagrams
December 22, 2010
I've been slacking, I admit it. Wow, I feel better already! ;P
Sooo..... I'll share three books this week to make up for my lethargy.
The New Guide to Relaxation
A collaborative effort published by Parragon Books.
Back Cover
Quote:
Exercise and relaxation techniques are the natural way to combat life's stresses, enhance your sense of well-being, and allow you to enjoy life to the full. This book is the ideal introduction to four of the most popular relaxation methods used today. While each section can stand alone, together they provide a comprehensive, practical guide to maintaining health, regaining vitality, and achieving peace of mind.
*Pilates: the gentle exercise system for all
*Yoga: harmonizes mind, body, and spirit
*Meditation: creates inner serenity
*Stress relief: frees your body and mind
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Why I selected this book:
If you're anything like me, you can be exceedingly intellectual. You have great ideas, but you may have forgotten how to relax. You may even forget to breathe! Oh my.
This book is for the magician's mother. It covers the basics of the above techniques. What else is needed, really? Pranayama, visualization techniques, chakra color meditation, various tea, stress diaries, and many other simple, plain english ways to live life more fully.
I love this book because it reminds me that life is more than the exciting symbolism that mental gymnastics like Tarot produces. This book is a simple way for the brainy sort to get in touch with reality.
Anatomy of Hatha Yoga
By H. David Coulter
Back Cover
Quote:
Anatomy of Hatha Yoga is the first modern authoritative source that correlates the study of hatha yoga with anatomy and physiology. Yoga teachers, personal trainers, medical therapists, or anyone who is curious or troubled about how the body responds to stretching and exercise will find in this book a cornucopia--poartly new and partly old--of readable and reliable information. It was written and edited to meed the needs of a general audience largely unschooled in the biomedical sciences, and yet to attract and challenge the interests of medical professionals.
Body and Breath Inc
"The result of an obvious labor of love, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga explains hatha yoga in demystified, scientific terms while at the same time honoring its traditions. It should gio a long way to helping yoga achieve the scientific recognition it deserves. Useful as both a textbook and reference, this work is a book that all serious yoga teachers and practitioners will want on their shelves. It will also be welcomed by sympathetic phjysicians--and there are more of us all the time--as well as physical therapists and other health professionals."
--Timothy McCall, M.D., author of Examining Your Doctor:
A Patient's Guide to Avoiding Harmful Medical Care
(from the foreward to Anatomy of Hatha Yoga)
"Anatomy of Hatha Yoga will be the bible for yoga instructors and practitioners who are seeking in-depth knowledge explaining the anatomy and phnysiology of their discipline. It will be years, if ever, before anything comes close to surpassing it.'
--Michael J. Alter, author of Science of Flexibility and Sports Stretch
"Anatomy of Hatha Yoga by Dr. David Coulter contains useful information not only for yoga instructors, but for anyone working with the musculoskeletal system--physical therapists, bodywork therapists, chropractors, personal trainers, and massage therapists. I recommend it to everyone who does any kind of bodywork."
--Ohashi, author of Do-It-Yourself Shiatsu, Reading the Body, and The Ohashi Bodywork Book
"...this ranks as one of the most impressive books to come our way in the last several years... Advanced students and yoga teachers will want Anatomy of Hatha Yoga as a desk reference and will find themselves consulting it repeatedly in the years ahead."
--Phil Catalfo, Yoga Journal
"Coulter uses anatomy to iluminate the structure and execution of the poses and, at the same time, brings the anatomy alive through the poses and selected exercises... if you are a Yoga therapist or teacher, or a student who enjoys breaking down the poses and putting them back together again, then you will most definitely want a copy of this book to refer to over and over again."
--Richard Rosen, International Journal of Yoga Therapy
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Why I selected this book:
From the small portion that I've taken the time to read, I can say that Coulter does an excellent job of explaining the wonderful effects of yoga on the body while remaining a medical professional. The philosophy of yoga is mentioned only when needed to correlate ancient belief with modern practice.
BODYMIND
by Ken Dychtwald
Back Cover:
Quote:
An established classic in its field, Ken Dychtwald's Bodymind has been updated in this latest edition to reflect the author's ongoing exploration of the vital body and mind connection. Integrating ancient Eastern Knowledge with the pioneering contemporary work of Wilheim Reich, Moshe Feldenkrais, Fitz Perls, and with his own intuitive obervations, Dychtwald presents a comprehensive study on the body and mind relationship in an analytic yet highly readable style.
Through Dychtwald's engaging, experiential narrative, the reader is drawn into an illuminating journey toward higher self-awareness with practical applications in everyday life. Articulating the complex relationship between body type, personality, and experience, Dychtwald suggests methods for obtaining deeper self-knowledge of physical, emotional, and sexual makeup, and relates techniques for releasing repressed feelings, as well as self-healiong and increased energy.
"...extremely well illustrated, not only by drawings and diagrams, but by numerous examples, often taken from the author's own expereince. It is rare to find a book in which factual material comes vividly alive, and the author emerges so fully as a person."
--Yoga Journal
"Dychtwald manages to avoid the 'right way' arrogance often inherent in books that talk about self-improvement. Rather, we are left with a sense of fascination for an increasingly relevant topic that is bound to make body readers out of all of us."
--New Age
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Psychologist Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., has been a leading figure in the field of human potential and wellness for the past twenty years. In addition to Bodymind, he is the author of seven books including his latest best-seller, Age Wave. Ken lives with his wife and children, Casey and Zakary, in the San Francisco Bay area.
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Why I selected this book:
Some time ago, I was stuck in a rut of depression, guilt, and anxiety. I still experience all of these things from time to time. A year ago, however, this cycle was so deeply embedded in me that I scarcely had the energy to get out of bed. I was a very rude person. I was broken between being honest and being a positive influence. It seemed like anything I wanted to say just dragged others down with me. My mom (what an endlessly patient person to put up with my bullshit. I'm sure most parents would have given up on a child like me. I really thought she had, too. She just learned to stop fighting and let me figure out my own way. I was killing her.) My mom took me to a book liquidation sale. I found bodymind, and began to piece together how my thoughts were affecting my body, where I was hiding my emotions, and so forth. I've had countless backslides since that day, but this book gave me a gentle nudge, and did its part to put my theories of self-improvement/illumination/self-actualization/enlightenment/whatever into practice. My advice to people who feel trapped? Do the right thing because...
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