Greetings from Amazon.com Delivers Occult and Metaphysics This month Amazon.com Delivers features a challenge to self-professed gurus who are "Halfway up the Mountain," examines "End-Time Prophecies of the Bible," and discusses methods of "Freeing the Captives," persons possessed by spirits and deceased souls trapped inside the living! On a lighter note, one selection is a fun gift for teens--an entry-level guide to Tarot--and another is a delightfully glib European travelogue of visits to the bodily remains of saints. "Halfway up the Mountain: The Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment" by Mariana Caplan http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0934252912/entertainmentsit "Fool's gold exists because there is real gold," coined Rumi. Here author and anthropologist Mariana Caplan herself extracts valuable nuggets from the writings of spiritual masters, both ancient and contemporary, as well as personal interviews with more than 30 esteemed masters, spiritual practitioners, and scholars and psychologists (such as Andrew Cohen, Claudio Naranjo, and Robert Svoboda). Contending that "the present condition of contemporary spirituality in the West is one of grave distortion, confusion, fraud, and a fundamental lack of education," Caplan sets out to correct this situation by encouraging seekers to carefully examine the ideas--and ideals--of the spiritual teachers they are involved with. The introduction by Fleet Maull, a lay monk in the Zen Peacemaker Order and founder of the National Prison Hospice Project, alone makes this book worth reading. "End-Time Prophecies of the Bible: A Collection of the Bible's Ultimate Revelations" by David Haggith http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/039914532X/entertainmentsit In this thoughtfully written treatise, David Haggith collects and organizes all of the end-time prophecies into one useful continuum for those interested in divining the prophetic meaning of one of the great religious texts of human history. Allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions, yet also providing insightful, well-researched commentary, Haggith discourses on the significance of the changing millennium, soberly noting that according to historians Jesus was born 2004 to 2006 years ago, an error that was miscalculated into the original Gregorian calendar we now use. Quoting Jesus when he said, "I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am" (John 13:19), he advances the opinion that the purpose of prophecy is not to provide a road map to the future. Rather, its purpose is to help listeners recognize the workings of God in times of uncertainty--such as when a prophecy is manifesting itself before their eyes. "Freeing the Captives: The Emerging Therapy of Treating Spirit Attachment" by Louise Ireland-Frey http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1571741364/entertainmentsit A must-read for people who believe they may be housing a haranguing haunt, hypnotherapist Louise Ireland-Frey packs this 333-page volume with hundreds of case histories to illustrate how and why the living may become "possessed," "obsessed," or "influenced" by the dead. Making the case that most invading spirits do not have evil intent but rather are frightened, confused, or just plain lost, she describes how she and her colleagues have learned to release the living from the dead and the dead from the living. The doctor's down-to-earth delivery may make a believer out of the most devout skeptic, thereby providing an alternative therapeutic approach for a host of possibly misdiagnosed physical, mental, and emotional disorders previously deemed impervious to treatment. "Illustrated Guide to the Tarot" by Naomi Ozaniec http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080697091X/entertainmentsit This brightly illustrated, full-color coffee-table book is a handy introduction to understanding the history and use of Tarot cards for divination and self-examination. Easy to read and straightforward, this primer in the art of Tarot card reading is appropriate for most anyone (teenagers too) fascinated by metaphysical subjects. Vibrant reproductions of some of the more famous decks will assist the reader in choosing out of the many available on the market today. Short, clear-cut renditions of the meaning of each card in the major and minor arcana should set the wannabe soothsayer well on the way to mystical prognostication. "Magnificent Corpses: Searching Through Europe for St. Peter's Head, St. Claire's Heart, St. Stephen's Hand, and Other Saintly Relics" by Anneli Rufus http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1569246874/entertainmentsit Travel with Anneli Rufus as she visits St. Anthony's jawbone, shriveled tongue, and vocal cords. Critically acclaimed author Rufus weaves a hair-raising travelogue out of 28 visits to garlanded skulls, disembodied hands, and fully clad mummies in towns and villages across Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, England, and France. Each tale is a literary gem as well as a wonderment of miracles attributed to the living saints and their corporeal remains. St. Anthony was known as an impassioned preacher and miracle maker during his life; after his death in 1231 his tomb was repeatedly reopened for relics. At one point, his tongue was reported to still be living and was placed on display. In 1981, his vocal cords were found still fresh! Incredible reports like these and the high quality of Rufus's narrative craftsmanship win "Magnificent Corpses" my vote for the most entertaining metaphysical read of the summer. "Astral Voyages: Mastering the Art of Soul Travel" by Bruce Goldberg http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567183085/entertainmentsit Everything you always wanted to know about astral travel is explored in "Astral Voyages" by ex-dentist and hypnotist Bruce Goldberg. Discussing the four types of out-of-body experiences, he answers such wide-ranging questions as, "Why do some people leave their physical body while simply talking or walking? How do you meet kindred souls on the astral plane? What is lucid dreaming? What other dimensions are out there? What is your karmic purpose?" This clearly written, no-fluff book is full of helpful checklists, definitions, scientific explanations, detailed descriptions of various states (for example, how to know when you're dead), contemplation exercises, visualization techniques, how-to instructions, and (excuse the phrase) much, much more. If you're an aspiring astral traveler, don't leave home without it. --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. ****** You'll find more great books, articles, excerpts, and interviews in Amazon.com's Religion & Spirituality section at Religion & Spirituality
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