Greetings from Occult and Metaphysics Editor, Randall Cohan FEATURED IN THIS EMAIL: * "World to Come: The Guides' Long-Awaited Predictions for the Dawning Age" by Ruth Montgomery * "The Real World of Fairies: A First-Person Account" by Dora Van Gelder * "The Angle Quickest for Flight" by Steven Kotler * "Precious Solitude: Finding Peace and Serenity in a Hectic World" by Ruth Fishel * "Journeying: Where Shamanism and Psychology Meet" by Jeannette M. Gagan * Amazon.com Presents the Best of the Century "World to Come: The Guides' Long-Awaited Predictions for the Dawning Age" by Ruth Montgomery http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0609604791/entertainmentsit Ruth Montgomery fans, celebrate! "The World to Come" is the renowned prognosticator's first book in 12 years, and according to the author, her last. Having written it at age 87, it's easy to understand why she feels this way. Montgomery was a syndicated White House columnist during the Roosevelt years up through the Johnson administration. An assignment by the International News Service to write an eight-part series on seances resulted in her first book, "A Search for Truth," and a friendship with noted medium Arthur Ford. After Ford's death, he and a group of otherworld entities began communicating with Montgomery via automatic writing. Many have ranked her powers of foresight with that of Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce. In this new book, the Guides (as she calls her invisible coauthors) rewrite some old predictions and reveal surprising new ones for the upcoming millennium. "The Real World of Fairies: A First-Person Account" by Dora Van Gelder http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0835607798/entertainmentsit Less than a century ago, particularly in Celtic countries, fairies were not dismissed so much as superstition but rather as a force to be reckoned with. It's curious that activities now attributed to aliens, such as crop circles and abductions, were once considered the ken of fairies; fairies today are merely woodland nymphs of yore by another name. Dora Van Gelder, author and former president of the Theosophical Society, was born 95 years ago. She saw these little creatures as a child in the northern California redwood forests and woodlands of the Pacific Northwest. One has to wonder at how much change Van Gelder has seen, especially how dreadfully our relationship to the natural world (of which fairies are so much a part) has changed in the second half of the 20th century. At the very least, Van Gelder's matter-of-fact descriptions of the various types of fairies and tree spirits will charm you. And maybe the book will help you to see through the blinders of modern life and into mystical realms. As an added bonus, this second edition of the 1977 classic has a new introduction by Celtic folk expert Caitlin Matthews, which places belief in the fairy realm into fascinating historical perspective. "The Angle Quickest for Flight" by Steven Kotler http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1568581297/entertainmentsit Steven Kotler's first book, "The Angle Quickest for Flight," is visionary fiction the way we always hoped it could be--the quintessential quest, gripping by the ninth page. It's hip, literary, and poetic yet down-to-earth, with plenty of good story and brimming with sense of place. Even literary giant John Barth deemed it "a brilliant novel!" The fast-paced adventure unravels, ravels, and unravels again as a runaway boy christened Angel finds himself entangled with an odd assortment of eccentric metaphysicians searching for a sacred book looted during the Spanish Inquisition and tithed to the Vatican. Dodging a madman, Vatican agents, and his own past, Angel flits from a cafe in Santa Fe to the streets of San Francisco, the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem, Rome, Colorado, and Sumatra--Indiana Jones would have signed up for this assignment in a second had he known about it. "Angle" is a story about finding what is lost, metaphysically and in every other sense. "Precious Solitude: Finding Peace and Serenity in a Hectic World" by Ruth Fishel http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580622097/entertainmentsit "Precious Solitude," an intimate little book for women, begins with a letter to its readers from the author, personally inviting us to "go within"; granting us the permission we need to seek sanctuary from a world that is crushing with the pressures of responsibility. Therapist and retreat and workshop leader Ruth Fishel explores the concept of being alone and helps the reader consider the many obstacles--real and imagined--to gaining the stress-reducing peace of mind found in simple solitude. Concepts such as esteem, patience, happiness, and mindfulness are interlaced with inspirational quotes and affirmations--Fishel welcomes us into the shelter of our own souls with a variety of simple techniques for just being there. The particularly attractive typographical design of this trade paperback makes it a pleasure to gaze upon, and the short (often only one page) chapters make for a stress-reducing read moments before retiring, or at any time of day when a quick break makes all the difference in the world. "Journeying: Where Shamanism and Psychology Meet" by Jeannette M. Gagan http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0964208806/entertainmentsit Jeannette Gagan's "Journeying" is a must-read for those who are interested in shamanism but have been turned off by fuzzy-headed mystical claims or sloppy exposition. In this well-written and eminently useful manual, shamanism, "perhaps the oldest form of practical spirituality in the world," is explained in a straightforward, scholarly manner by a respected licensed psychologist. Gagan succinctly summarizes the procedures, philosophies, and purposes of modern psychology, illuminating the common areas occupied between the two. She builds a strong case for the introduction of shamanistic journeying into the retinue of healing modalities for the modern psychotherapist. For those intent on healing the psyches of themselves or others, shamanism may well work where other modalities have failed. For example, long-repressed anger can be processed while journeying without fear of upsetting the neighbors, or one day awakening to the horrible realization that you just kicked the dog. --Randall Cohan is a new consciousness journalist, reviewer, and music industry consultant living on an island in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband deal in used and rare esoteric and art books. AMAZON.COM PRESENTS THE BEST OF THE CENTURY ******************************************* As the century comes to a close, Amazon.com takes a look at the landmarks in books, music, and video of the past 100 years. Selected by our editors, our lists take you decade by decade from the turn of the century all the way to the end of the millennium. But don't just take our word for it; cast your vote for the best book, video, and CD in our best-of-the-millennium poll for your chance to win our customers' 300 favorite music, book, and video titles. Books of the century ****** Give the Perfect Gift -- Get the Perfect Gift Does Aunt Ida send polka CDs when you'd prefer pop? Create an Amazon.com Wish List and save everyone the agony of the unwanted gift. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=entertainmentsit&path=subst/wishlist/wishlist-portal.html Clueless as to what to get your Kentucky cousin for Christmas? Send him an e-card and tell him to set up an Amazon.com Wish List so you can easily find and send him his heart's desire. http://cards.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=entertainmentsit&path=tg/cards/browse-cards/-/228225/1 ****** You'll find more great books, articles, excerpts, and interviews in Amazon.com's Religion & Spirituality section at Religion & Spirituality
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