Book review: The Dalai Lama’s Cat

Quirky spiritual novel is short on tale, long on charm

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Charming and life affirming, “The Dalai Lama’s Cat” is perfect for a sunny afternoon when you want a quick read that reminds you of what’s truly important. Written from the cat’s perspective, this spiritual/metaphysical novel explores how the simplest of actions–even a cat’s–can lead to spiritual growth.

Story: Starving and pitiful, a mud-smeared kitten is rescued from the slums of New Delhi and transported to a life she could have never imagined. In a beautiful sanctuary overlooking the snow-capped Himalayas, she begins her new life as the Dalai Lama’s cat.

Warmhearted, irreverent, and wise, this cat of many names opens a window to the inner sanctum of life in Dharamsala. A tiny spy observing the constant flow of private meetings between His Holiness and everyone from Hollywood celebrities to philanthropists to self-help authors, the Dalai Lama’s cat provides us with insights on how to find happiness and meaning in a busy, materialistic world. Her story will put a smile on the face of anyone who has been blessed by the kneading paws and bountiful purring of a cat. (from Amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Because she belongs to the Dalai Lama, this cat of many names decides she should reflect the spiritual nature of the Jokhang Buddhist temple. The novel revolves around the teachings from the Dalai Lama and other household members, which apply to both visitors and the observant cat. We learn along with “His Holiness’s Cat” the value in very life (even cockroaches), compassion for mice, mindfulness in all things, how self-development can lead to self-absorption (and hairballs), the perils of attachment (gluttony, in her case), how karma works, how to meditate and more on her way to becoming a “bodhicatva.”

The cat comes to understand that ” . . . it is not so much the circumstances of our lives that make us happy or unhappy but the way we see them,” and the wonderful paradox that “. . . the best way to achieve happiness for oneself is to give happiness to others.”

The lessons are simple, typically taught to a visitor which the cat then applies to her own life; it is an effective way to learn the basic precepts of Buddhism. Michie incorporates a bit of neuroscience research that validates the benefits of mindfulness and meditation and the science behind Buddhism to make the principles more palatable to the western reader.

My take: Michie’s approach to this novel was clever. Many readers are entranced by the day-to-day experiences of famous people and their pets, even though the experiences themselves are quite mundane. But you won’t need bombs and car chases to keep turning the pages; the combination of cute cat, a world-renowned holy man, and a liberal dose of spiritual wisdom is quite enjoyable.

The theme-driven plot is thin; events happen mostly to illustrate a spiritual lesson. However, several characters in town are developed to show their growth over time, which makes for a satisfying ending. The conflicts are minor, and the triumphs are small steps for both the human characters and the cat. But isn’t life like that? We experience one small hurt at a time and grow–or retreat–depending on the story we create about that event. The sometimes-quirky story reminds us that every thought and action matters. Michie’s Buddhist novel will not keep you on the edge of your seat, but you will close the book with a satisfied smile.

Details:
The Dalai Lama’s Cat, by David Michie
Hay House Visions, 2012
Paperback, 240 pages
Buy at Amazon

How perfectionism kills creativity

May10

From David Foster Wallace, four minutes of wisdom:

In 1996, Leonard Lopate at WNYC interviewed David Foster Wallace about Infinite Jest, the 1,079-page novel that catapulted Wallace into literary fame. Now Blank on Blank and animator Patrick Smith have teamed up with PBS Digital Studios to bring Wallace’s views on writing, ambition, and education to life. This four-minute clip highlights how Wallace views perfectionism.

Perfectionism is dangerous, states Wallace:

“You know, the whole thing about perfectionism. The perfectionism is very dangerous, because of course if your fidelity to perfectionism is too high, you never do anything. Because doing anything results in– It’s actually kind of tragic because it means you sacrifice how gorgeous and perfect it is in your head for what it really is.”

Artist Julia Cameron agrees:

“Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough – that we should try again.”

Anna Quindlen offers the best reason to give up trying to be perfect:

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”

Her words perfectly express why we are here–not to get it right, but to get to the truth of ourselves.

What have you given up in a quest to get it “right”?

Book review: Star Child

Apr27

Metaphysical novel serves up a feast for the senses

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Kay Goldstein’s “Star Child” is lovely, not only for its elegant prose and theme but also for the novel’s beautiful design and craftsmanship. Rich with metaphorical and literal imagery, this slim novel is a delightful read and a feast for the senses.

Story: Imagine two mystical and mysterious beings descend from the heavens. What could their journey on earth possibly teach us? Only what it means to be truly human. And that is the greatest lesson of all. Terra and Marius are star children, heavenly beings who come to earth with all their special wisdom and powers to live as human beings in a faraway time and place. Like all modern youth, they face the challenges of fear, loneliness, the need to please, and the stigma of showing their true selves when they do not fit in with those around them. Betraying their own hearts, each gives up or misuses the very things that make them unique. In this universal and touching tale of love and loss, young adults and old souls will treasure their encounter with the star children on their magical journey back to themselves and each other. (from Amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Although the heroine and hero are described as “star children,” they are not alien beings; they are evolved humans we all aspire to become. Their challenges create an immediate connection with the reader because we have all faced the same emotional and physical hardships. They learn as we learn–sometimes painfully, sometimes with gentle guidance.

A wise character makes a simple comment, but it captured my attention in a very profound way: “Once I had seen myself, I could not pretend to be someone else.” This short spiritual novel‘s sparse, Zen-like narrative touched me in a way that a 100,000-word epic could not have.

My take: Goldstein’s wonderful sense of voice makes her words fly off the page to create three-dimensional events that feel like tart lemonade on a scorching day. The story is simple but powerful, with vivid, visceral images that bring to mind Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate.

I won’t spoil the brief, simple, but ever-so-satisfying epilogue for you. Suffice to say, it does what every good ending should do: Offer a heart-lifting conclusion, touch lightly upon the depth and insight of the theme, and weave its very specific message into the fabric of the wider world. The epilogue’s beautiful prose and illustration complement each other splendidly. I closed Star Child‘s perfectly crafted pages with a satisfied sigh and immediately turned to Amazon to find another Kay Goldstein book. No more novels, alas, but a book of recipes and stories called Book of Feasts–a perfect description for this book as well.

Details:
Star Child, by Kay Goldstein
Vineyard Stories, 2012
Hardcover, 81 pages
Buy at Amazon

You ARE Beautiful

Apr23

Surprising video about the beauty others see in you–well worth three minutes of your time.

Do you see the beauty in you?

Wondrous words: Rumi

Apr14

(Four minutes)

Life death from PROACTIVE BRAND

Book review: God Is an Atheist

Apr7

If God doesn’t believe in Himself, what about us?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you like to have a real conversation with God? Not the reasonable, polished, Neale Donald Walsch kind, but a no-holds-barred, “What the hell?” kind of conversation. If so, “God Is an Atheist” by N. Nosirrah (really) may be the story for you.

Story: A profoundly funny romp through religion, spirituality, and the contemporary clash of cultures of belief, with special attention to the human obsession with knowing what can’t be known. Nosirrah provokes just about everyone as he describes a world where God is on the run from Islamic extremists, the Pope announces he shares a bed with Richard Dawkins, and Buddha’s son disappoints by getting enlightened instead of becoming a doctor. To say this novella is strange might give the reader a way to relate to it, but in fact, nothing will shift the burden away from the reader. In its pages, the world is bent around the reader’s mind until either the mind itself begins to bend, or indeed, breaks. A book without plot, characters, structure, or obvious purpose, this is an endless descent into the netherworlds of a dystopian mind. (from Amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. There is so much spiritual wisdom in this novella, spilling out of every page and paragraph. There’s no way to do justice to either the author’s depth of insight or the mind-confounding presentation, so here’s a random sampling of Nosirrah’s and God’s thoughts.

God is I AM–everything, all inclusive. Men try to parse the whole of God into smaller, more manageable chunks, which is why religions can seem schizophrenic. Most people can’t listen–just listen–to each other, the birds, the creek, our own bodies. We hear only the parts we like, and we form God’s voice and our beliefs based on that part instead of on the whole.

Having faith requires an anchor or foundation, something upon which to construct our beliefs. But relying on anchors (for example, religious dogma) doesn’t teach us about the actual world; we just know a great deal about what we already know. Letting go of our answers, accepting that we cannot know, is much harder. But that’s where God is.

God doesn’t believe in Himself, or even believe in belief. All of our believing has caused humanity nothing but problems, God says. He’d like to see a human culture beyond belief. As Nosirrah puts it, “A believer will destroy God and himself before he’ll let go of his beliefs.” In one scene, no one can see God when He approaches them because “each of us is captured by what we know and we organize reality to fit it.”

My take: This novella, a series of vignettes and soliloquies, attempts to have no plot, no protagonist, no conflict to resolve. But we as readers can’t help ourselves–we must weave stories together to make sense of our world. Nosirrah’s thesis explores this potent theme of story. “Do not under any circumstances believe the story of your life . . . Everything is story, everything is constructed.” Original sin, says Nosirrah, is feeling safe by making up a nice story. We are addicted to the narrative of our lives. We will tell any tale to make the world make sense.

As an author, Nosirrah is a bit heavy handed, prone to digression, hubris, and self-aggrandizement, but his style is nicely leavened by a generous helping of humor. As a metaphysical novel, God is an Atheist packs a strangely powerful punch. The lack of story forces us to engage more, to make up our own stories to explain what is happening–and that just proves Nosirrah’s point.

Details:
God Is an Atheist: A Novella for Those Who Have Run Out of Time, by N. Nosirrah
Sentient Publications, 2008
Paperback, 119 pages
Buy at Amazon

The “pied piper” of the modern yoga movement

Mar26

Vivekananda: The monk who inspired Americans from J.D. Salinger to Nikola Tesla

Swami Vivekananda, courtesy of Vedanta Society

Although J.D. Salinger of “The Catcher in the Rye” fame published his last story in 1965, he did not stop writing. From the early 1950s until his death in 2010, he corresponded with monks and fellow devotees of Swami Vivekananda of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center in New York. Vivekananda’s amazing century-long influence on Salinger and other prominent writers, thinkers, and artists is splendidly chronicled by A. L. Bardach in The Wall Street Journal.

The central, guiding light of Salinger’s spiritual quest was the teachings of Vivekananda, the Calcutta-born monk who popularized Vedanta and yoga in the West at the end of the 19th century. “Franny and Zooey” is saturated in Vedantic thought and references. Salinger confided . . . that he intentionally left a trail of Vedantic clues throughout his work from “Franny and Zooey” onward, hoping to entice readers into deeper study.

Although he experimented with Zen Buddhism in the late 1940s, Salinger settled on Vedanta. ”Unlike Zen,” Salinger’s biographer, Kenneth Slawenski, points out, “Vedanta offered a path to a personal relationship with God . . . [and] a promise that he could obtain a cure for his depression . . . and find God, and through God, peace.” Salinger’s “ferocious literary ambition” was completely replaced by his spiritual quest, led by Vivekananda.

Vivekananda, a Bengali monk, introduced the word “yoga” to the West. In 1893 he spoke at the Parliament of Religions, convened in Chicago as a spiritual complement to the World’s Fair. His impact was huge, wrote Annie Besant, a British Theosophist and a conference delegate. She described Vivekananda’s impact, writing that he was “a striking figure, clad in yellow and orange, shining like the sun of India in the midst of the heavy atmosphere of Chicago.” The Parliament, she said, was “enraptured; the huge multitude hung upon his words.” When he was done, the convocation cheered him thunderously.

“No doubt the vast majority of those present hardly knew why they had been so powerfully moved,” Christopher Isherwood wrote a half century later, surmising that a “strange kind of subconscious telepathy” had infected the hall, beginning with Vivekananda’s first words, which have resonated, for some, long after.

When asked about the origins of “My Sweet Lord,” George Harrison said that “the song really came from Swami Vivekananda, who said, ‘If there is a God, we must see him. And if there is a soul, we must perceive it.’ “

Vedanta teachings are rooted in the Vedas, ancient scriptures going back several thousand years that also inform Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. The Vedic texts present the idea that God is everywhere, in all things. Vivekananda’s genius was to simplify Vedantic thought to a few accessible teachings that Westerners found irresistible.

‘He is the most brilliant wise man,’ Leo Tolstoy gushed. ‘It is doubtful another man has ever risen above this selfless, spiritual meditation.’

Vivekananda’s teaching had profound influences on Harvard professor William James, his brother Henry, and a plethora of contemporary intellectuals from Gertrude Stein to John D. Rockefeller. The great actress Sarah Bernhardt became lifelong friends with him and introduced him to the electromagnetic scientist Nikola Tesla, who was struck by Vivekananda’s knowledge of physics. Both recognized they shared the same ideas on energy but used different languages to describe it. Tesla would cite the monk’s contributions in his pioneering research of electricity.

Vivekananda’s influence broadened well into the mid-20th century, shaping the work of Mahatma Gandhi, Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Henry Miller, among others. Then he fell out of favor.

He seemed to go into eclipse in the West. American baby boomers—more disposed to “doing” than “being”—have opted for “hot yoga” classes over meditation. At some point, perhaps in the 1980s, an ancient, profoundly antimaterialist teaching had morphed into a fitness cult with expensive accessories.

To read more about Vivekananda’s profound influence on America, read Bardach’s full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303404704577305581227233656.html#ixzz2Oaj3dSxz

Book review: Down at the Golden Coin

Mar17

Unexpectedly entertaining spiritual novel is a treat to read

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Strickland is a terrific writer. For a slim spiritual novel, Down at the Golden Coin packs a mighty punch in terms of writing, great storytelling, and insightful, funny dialogue. Down at the Golden Coin is a great read, no matter where you are on your own spiritual path.

Story: During the horrible recession, former airline pilot, Annie Mullard, feels she has sunk to a new low when she’s forced to go to a run-down laundromat, the Golden Coin, after her washing machine breaks, but it’s here she meets a messiah. Even though twenty-something, blue-haired Violet can read minds, send Annie into past lives and levitate Tide, she isn’t anyone’s idea of a messiah. Yet Violet is equipped with the wisdom, love and humor to help Annie find a way to a more authentic life, one in which Annie is free to create her own reality and where money is not the key to happiness. (from Amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Violet is Annie’s own personal messiah, literally the answer to Annie’s prayers. Violet passes along the usual advice such as creating your own reality, but she grounds the spiritual lessons in physical existence by transporting Annie into past, present, and future incarnations to illustrate her points. For instance, she helps Annie rediscover the feeling of joy by taking her back to a previous life; Annie is supposed to carry this gift forward into her current reality, but she’s not quite as compliant as Violet would like. Annie apparently needs to learn the hard way, remaining closed and cynical. Strickland deftly uses Annie’s rich internal monologue to thoroughly immerse readers in her world of financial despair, cheating husbands, and out-of-touch children. The past life interludes are exquisite, beautifully framing the story and illustrating how we repeat what we choose not to learn.

Violet’s messiah is truly original. Rather than being above the fray while dispensing her advice, she bullies, sympathizes, and whines right along with Annie. Her life is no piece of cake either. Her greatest frustration is that people don’t want to take responsibility for their own lives; they just want God to fix everything. Says Violet, “Apparently no one likes ‘do-it-yourself’ when it comes to the spiritual realm.”

My take: Violet meets Annie at the Golden Coin laundomat, an unusual and inspired setting for the story–no matter how bad she wants to get way from Violet’s spiritual self-help prattle, Annie can’t leave until her multiple loads of laundry are done. In addition, the setting is a natural place to find quirky, colorful supporting characters that provide a nice foil for the pair.

Strickland has created strong female characters to carry the plot: Annie, bowed by financial and filial pressures, and Violet, her personal messiah. Annie has nearly given up and sounds petulant occasionally, but she represents of the voices of millions of people in the same situation when they hear yet another new-thought aphorism. She articulates what we would all like to say. For instance, “Happiness is not a choice. Don’t you think if it were a choice, everyone would choose it?” And tiny, punked-out Violet always has a reasonable answer: “Not everyone knows how to choose it.” When they talk about money, Violet notes that money can’t buy happiness. What money can do is buy choices. “And when you have choices, that can make you happy.”

The give-and-take between Annie and Violet could have easily slipped into dull preaching and whiny complaining, but Strickland gets around that common problem by injecting a healthy dose of skeptical humor, great intelligence, and brutal honesty. Together they dissect common metaphysical misconceptions such as The Secret and identify where the rhetoric disconnects from reality. But the tone is breezy and conversational, firmly grounded in the physical world. The ending is predictable but still satisfying, with a nice little twist that leaves you smiling. I highly recommend this spiritual novel as a fun, fast read that’s surprisingly captivating.

Details:
Down at the Golden Coin, by Kim Strickland
Eckhartz Press, 2012
Paperback, 172 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: Waiting for Autumn

Mar10

Lack of challenge softens spiritual fable’s impact

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Well-written and insightful, “Waiting for Autumn” is an inspirational fable full of wisdom and spiritual adventure. However, the path to enlightenment seems almost too easy.

Story: In the tradition of the bestseller Eat, Pray, Love and spiritual classics such as The Alchemist, Way of the Peaceful Warrior, and The Celestine Prophecy, Waiting for Autumn is an enchanting semiautobiographical parable that reveals a deep and powerful message. This book follows Scott, an inquisitive seeker who meets a mysterious cardboard-sign-toting homeless man named Robert who has a sleepy black Lab puppy at his side and a penchant for changing lives. Sparked by Robert’s unconventional wisdom, Scott is thrust into a spiritual adventure where he attempts to heal his past while confronting the spirit of his dead fiancée. He ultimately faces an extraordinary dilemma between his spiritual calling and earthly responsibilities. (from Amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Robert, a walk-in, appears just as Scott is on the verge of a spiritual awakening (although he doesn’t know it) to guide him through the process. He retrieves a piece of his soul that was lost at the death of another and reconnects to his soul family via a “constellation,” a supportive group that helps him discover his spirit guide.

Robert introduces a wonderful world where fairies masquerade as dragonflies, and Scott experiences the power of lunar energy and a musical kirtan. He embarks on a vision-quest through dreams, and he shares some practical tips on lucid dreaming,

Recognizing that the physical senses let in only a fraction of the world, Scott prefers living in the spirit plane where he has more freedom. He begins spending more and more time in a dream state, conjuring up old memories and changing them into positive ones. He discovers he is a powerful healer on the spirit plane, spending so much time healing souls in that dimension that he almost totally neglects his body in the physical dimension. Eventually he must choose between the two dimensions.

Scott learns that evil exists after being swept up–literally–in a cyclone of dark energy from a negative energy portal. Robert teaches him how to shield himself energetically. This evil, says Robert, tries to stop powerful individuals from “bringing more light into the world.” The author expresses some ambivalence toward evil; some characters believe in dark entities, but some don’t.

My take: This spiritual fable beautifully demonstrates the profundity of being fully present. Blum has a lot of wisdom to share, such as ”Fill your heart with ‘Yes’ and you will make the right decision,” and ”Religion is the knowledge of truth. Spirituality is the wisdom of truth.”

Deftly written and a fast read, Waiting for Autumn is a fine example of a seeker who quickly masters the path to enlightenment with the help of a mentor, along the lines of Dan Millman’s Way of the Peaceful Warrior and Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, and a plot twist nicely resolves this well-told tale. It’s interesting to read about someone who reaches fulfillment so quickly, but it’s also a bit disingenuous that everything comes so easily to Scott. It makes enlightenment seem simple, a matter of just meeting the right people to help you along the way. Life rarely proceeds in such a clear, satisfying line.

Details:
Waiting for Autumn, by Scott Blum
Hay House, 2009
Hardcover, 210 pages
Buy at Amazon

Thoughts: Compassion is spiritually superior to love and forgiveness

Mar4

spiritual fiction compassion love buddhism christianity metaphysical new age novels

The Eastern principle of compassion is spiritually more mature than the Western principles of love and forgiveness in terms of social interaction. In short, in order to love and forgive you must believe that you and I are separate and that I can judge you. For example, I feel superior to you because I love and forgive you whether you deserve it or not. In Buddhism, however, there is no place for judgment. In order to feel compassion, you must recognize that there is no separation between you and the person you are interacting with, which requires a higher level of spiritual maturity.

Love and forgiveness beget judgment

Many people say that the primary (and some say, only) rule of Christianity is Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31–”Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” which includes love and forgiveness. The two cannot be separated. In order to love unconditionally, you also must forgive unconditionally. However, forgiveness requires separation, which opens the door to judgment: God says I must love and forgive you–even you haven’t earned it–so I can become a better person. You bestow your love and forgiveness upon others as if it were a gift, and in return you feel superior. For spiritually immature individuals, then, forgiveness legitimizes judgment and feeds the ego’s desire to feel righteous and superior.

The emotions of separation and judgment are present when a parent teaches a child to love and forgive. Children learn to act as if they love and forgive, and their reward is parental approval and a sense of superiority. This relationship of the Father to his children is key in Christianity.

Compassion, however, is what the parent feels for the child. As a parent, of course you love and forgive your child. That is never in question. Your children are part of you, and you are part of them. A well-adjusted parent cannot not feel love and forgiveness, no matter what the child does.

Mature spiritual growth, then, means to evolve beyond God-as-Father and be the Father/parent–”be as God” (Genesis 3:5). Spiritually evolved individuals are able to experience compassion, for they recognize we are all connected. We are all part of each other, the world, and the universe, as the parent and child are part of each other. Therefore there is no need to give love and forgiveness, because those emotions are implicit when all things are connected.

Buddhism embodies compassion

A more profound spiritual growth is required to practice compassion. In Tibetan Buddhism, compassion is defined as wanting others to be free from suffering; the Latin word for “compassion” means “co-suffering” (Wikipedia). To be compassionate, you must feel empathy and recognize that there is no separation between you and the person you are interacting with. Everyone is on the same long journey of self-discovery; we all have made the same mistakes, and we all are doing the best that we can at this time.

Of course, the world is full of many spiritually evolved Christians (and atheists, and Muslims and so on), and they interact at the level of compassion.

How to live in compassion

When you meet someone and become frustrated or angered, you remember that, not only does a deep connection bind you both in the way a parent is bonded with a child, but you also understand, at the deepest level in your being, that you are that other person: At some point in the infinite universe, you have shared the same breath, the same physical space, the same atoms. And at some point in your infinite lifetimes, you have been that person: the zealot warrior, abusive husband, conniving merchant. You comprehend that you truly are that person (although not in this time or space) and you do not judge that person or see them as separate from yourself.

You understand what drives people at the core of their being, and you remember that you have experienced those motivations as well. You empathize deeply with them and feel overwhelming compassion–the same compassion you feel when you witness your children learn a difficult lesson.

Compassion sometimes means not interfering

You may wish you could lessen another person’s suffering. But you know you cannot, the same way you know you cannot take away the pain of your child’s first love, or rejection, or failure. You know they must experience those emotions and resolve the conflict themselves in order to learn. And all you can do is empathize with them, understand their missteps, and love them with all your being.

But you also experience their successes and their joys. As such, every interaction with every living thing is filled with pain and suffering but also with love, triumph, appreciation. And you focus on the good, and recognize that often the best way to help is to not interfere in their journey.

A note from PJ: This is the first time I’ve ventured into expressing my own openions. Am I off base? I’d love some feedback on this notion. Thanks, all.

Book review: Sensei–A Thriller

Feb25

Zen martial arts thriller blends murder, mysticism

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The first in a series of Zen martial arts thrillers, “Sensei” by John Donohue blends Zen principles and the sweat and intensity of a Japanese dojo with a wryly smart police procedural in this top-notch Zen thriller.

Story: In every case, the modus operandi is the same, and the only clue available is a cryptic message scrawled on the wall bearing the signature “Ronin” – the Japanese name for a masterless samurai. Connor Burke, a part-time college teacher with a passion for the martial arts, is called in to help out with the investigation by his brother, an NYPD detective. With the help of his teacher, the master warrior Yamashita Sensei, Burke begins to follow the trail of clues that stretches across time and place, ultimately confronting his own fears, his sense of honor, and the ruthless killer who calls himself “Ronin”. (from Amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Donohue is a kendo (Japanese sword) master, but this novel is much more than a murder mystery with great fight sequences. Burke applies Zen principles to training, to life, to combat, to art. In fact, there is no way to separate them; Sensei Yamashita instructs his students on how to “destroy with elegance.”

The true spirit of karate, Sensei Yamashita says, is not in perfecting fighting technique but in the development of the spirit. He emphasizes the importance of being fully present, in practice and in life. Martial arts is another way to train to diminish the ego, one of the goals of Zen Buddhism. Kendo training is just another tool in pursuit of enlightenment.

My take: I loved the spare, elegant prose that reflects the spiritual simplicity of the story. Sensei is much like the martial artists it depicts; violent and frenetic on the surface, yet calm and centered within. Donohue’s debut novel is not quite as lyrical as Deshi, the second novel in the series, but it’s still a gripping thriller with amazing details and compelling characterization.

Donohue really knows his subject. The novel is full of interesting little asides that explain the nature of the Japanese, especially Zen and martial arts. He has a way of describing physical movements, of writing a combat scene, that reveals the grace, precision, and spirituality that hold together the brute force and aggression. You don’t just read about a battle–you experience it. And you understand why one man or woman prevails and another falters, both from a technical and a spiritual perspective. Sensei is a stellar example of a novel that shows rather than tells its spiritual/metaphysical theme. I look forward to reading the entire series.

Details:
Sensei, by John Donohue
Thomas Dunne Books, 2003
Paperback, 258 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review–Mixer: on a Strand

Feb17

Visionary thriller destined to become a favorite among spiritual readers

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Many self-published novels promise a thrill ride with a touch of romance and spiritual insight, but few deliver. “Mixer: on a Strand” by Theresa Nash delivers like downtown Denver on the Fourth of July, excelling both as a multi-dimensional thriller and as an illumination of the nature of the cosmos. Fast paced and well written, the Mixer series is sure to become a favorite among readers of visionary/metaphysical/spiritual fiction.

Story: Secrets kill. Miracles go wrong. Just when you’re resigned to it, an ordinary life can turn…extraordinary. Merri s a moderately successful businesswoman with a pleasant life. But below the surface, nothing is as it seems. Family hides secrets, friends are foes, and dreams wait to awaken a long-forgotten truth. Once upon another life, Merri rode the Strands of life, threw miracles, and hobnobbed with Angels. Then a miracle went wrong, and she fell, and forgot, and became ordinary. Now she’s on the lam with her blind date and a police detective—and she doesn’t trust either of them. Mixer is Visionary Fiction for a new age, that illuminates the miraculous in the ordinary and explores the relevance of destiny in a world of free will.

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Medium. Nash sets up a rich and detailed ethereal dimension with Guides, Miracle Mixers, Angels, and a throng of characters both angelic and bedeviled. These light beings can influence the physical world, but the key is free choice, which is available to every sentient being in the cosmos. According to Nash, free choice is the only means for advancement, and the only means for decline.

Beyond the dimension of lightworkers, there isn’t much spirituality in the corporeal side of the story. Characters in the ethereal dimension spend a lot of time discussing the nature of reality: What is fate? Destiny? Free choice? The importance of intent? The will of the Creator? Nash notes that “Free will without context is just chaos. Souls need purpose.” She goes on to say, “Spirit wants to grow! But our measly little souls just want to contract, to huddle like frightened infants in the bosom of their mother.” I have certainly felt that dichotomy of existence–the drive to grow spiritually versus the need for stability and safety in the physical world.

Nash’s cosmology is thought provoking and easy to follow. And by placing all the metaphysical musings in the context of the parallel dimension, it frees her earth-bound characters from the need to preach in order to convey the spiritual theme of the story–a trap many spiritual/metaphysical/visionary authors fall prey to.

My take: Nash has conjured up a strong, sassy, and appealing heroine in Merri, a lightworker who accidentally incarnates on earth. Her character is outspoken yet endearing, and she outshines the male characters who try to save her but mostly get in her way. In addition to the earth and lightworker dimensions, this visionary novel also operates across time; Merri experiences a parallel story from the 1920s that holds the key to saving the cosmos.

It’s a bit too convenient that Merri’s kooky millionaire ex-fiance and best friend pops up with whatever it takes to bail Merri out of a scrape, whether it be houses with bullet-proof windows, cabins with trap doors, or conveniently located escape vehicles. However, Nash imbues the character with enough quirky detail and complex layers to save him from becoming a mere plot contrivance.

As an author, Nash has a light touch, leavening her scenes with dollops of humor. The few romantic interludes are touching, written with a sweetness and delicacy not often seen in thrillers. And a proper thriller this is, from the first door that gets bashed in to the fate of the seen and unseen universes riding upon an impossible goal. Mixer is an epic battle of good and evil that unfolds across multiple realities–the lightworkers against the darklighters, Merri and her friends against a misinformed police force–and across multiple timelines. The tension builds quickly in all three dimensions, prompting the reader to turn the pages faster and faster, until the multiple realities come careening together into an explosive–and thoroughly entertaining–climax.

Details:

Mixer: on a Strand, by Theresa Nash
CreateSpace, 2012
Paperback, 365 pages
Buy at Amazon

The Relationship between Fiction and Spirituality

Feb10

Guest post by Lily G. Stephen
Blooming Rose Press

Since the most ancient of days, powerful insights have been imparted through the storyteller. Stories were sometimes the news sources in ages past. It’s understood that according to bardic and indigenous native traditions, news was delivered with truthful adherence. It’s also known that since ancient times, heroic romances, epic poems, and music of the minstrel contained stories that added flights of fancy and, at times, added profound conclusions to otherwise unresolved circumstances.

Stories gave birth to an array of structures that have become our maps by which to navigate—from understanding the powerful earthly elements, through developments of impulses we now regard as religious, right through our awakening to the true nature of reality. Ancient mythology is woven throughout human intuition, evolution, and aspiration.

One of the foremost insightful teachers in the sphere of story and myth is Joseph Campbell, called by Bill Moyers “the man with a thousand stories.” Moyers reminds us that Campbell points to myths as clues to our deepest spiritual potential.

A good many of us know by now that when we see films like Star Wars, Close Encounters, Wizard of Oz, Titanic—to name a few—we participate in emotions or wishes so common they may be considered universal. This is deeply connected with mythology. Yet generally we regard going to a movie as an escape or an amusement.

So enters the novel, since most films evolve from stories found in novels. We often read reviews and recommendations about the coolest story to take to the beach, the latest page-turner, or the current epic everyone’s reading. While this kind of hyperbole may have fiction sounding like a close relative of the old dime novels hack authors were known to turn out by the dozen, what it really indicates is a specific doorway that story provides into a life or world or perspective different from our own. This gives another slant to the word “escape,” which may sound negative, especially to someone on a spiritual path. In general, spirituality encourages presence in the moment, however our life’s setting has evolved. “Escape” might indicate dissatisfaction with the moment. The positive take on that is a bid to broaden our perspectives and to open our lives to higher possibilities.

An expression of this function was beautifully articulated by the New Zealand-born author Katherine Mansfield, as she neared death from tuberculosis during 1922 in the Fontainebleau chateau of G. J. Gurdjieff. She reflected upon the obstacles her colleagues D. H. Lawrence and E. M. Forster faced in confronting methods such as those presented there in The Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man. And then she probed into the heart of the writer’s highest objective:

“Suppose,” she used to say, “that I could succeed in writing as well as Shakespeare. It would be lovely, but what then? There is something wanting in literary art even at its highest. Literature is not enough.

“The greatest literature”, she said, “is still only mere literature if it has not a purpose commensurate with its art. Presence or absence of purpose distinguishes literature from mere literature, and the elevation of the purpose distinguishes literature within literature. That is merely literary that has no other object than to please. Minor literature has a didactic object. But the greatest literature of all—the literature that scarcely exists—has not merely an aesthetic object, nor merely a didactic object, but, in addition, a creative object: that of subjecting its readers to a real and at the same time illuminating experience. Major literature, in short, is an initiation into truth.” (From On Love by A. R. Orage, Samuel Weiser, N.Y., 1972. Used by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser.)

As Katherine Mansfield expresses her views on the greatest of all literature, it’s important to keep in mind that life, spirituality, and literature are all multi-level. We have only to recall personal advancement in our lives, whether professionally, philosophically, or otherwise, to understand this. The most important lesson throughout is to maintain a “cosmic viewpoint,” one that embodies compassion and wisdom. Since we have all passed through “lower levels” of understanding and behavior, we can empathize with others who operate within them. Taking this approach helps our inner critic to avoid sneering at lesser literary efforts and those who enjoy them while saving our applause for the finest.

Our deepest and highest spiritual insights come about, sometimes, when least expected. The publishing industry has ridden the crest of self-help and religious book sales. Yet the storyteller’s approach shouldn’t be discounted. We have only to recall how reading J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings somehow touched us, and usually more than once during our journey through his fantasy world.

As an author of evolutionary fiction, I appreciated finding Tolkein’s trilogy classified as a “modern myth” in a recently read book, The Dharma of Dragons and Daemons. From the inception of my own latest novels in The Third Verse Trilogy, I perceived them as modern mythology and adopted the nomenclature.

Loy and Goodhew’s The Dharma of Dragons and Daemons offers an exploration of several great stories in modern fantasy, including Michael Ende’s Momo and Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea novels.

Collectively the works which Loy and Goodhew discuss have underlying themes of desire for immortality, understanding of the passing of time, and principles of nonviolence. Their recommendation, in the authors’ words, is “they enlighten us as they entertain us.”

Personal libraries of spiritual practitioners reveal many jewels of fiction. Just a few titles with evocative names of authors sometimes forgotten in the twenty-first century are worthy touchstones: Ardath and A Romance of Two Worlds are just two by Marie Corelli; Dwellers in the Temple of Mondama, by Chris Herwer; Myriam and the Mystic Brotherhood, by Maude Lesseuer Howard; Zanoni and Alice or the Mysteries are two of many titles of Bulwer-Lytton; Strange Life of Ivan Osokin, by P. D. Ouspensky; After Many A Summer Dies the Swan, by Aldous Huxley; The Glass Bead Game and Steppenwolf, just two by Hermann Hesse; and 2150 by Don and Thea Plym.

How can spiritual wisdom become intense and real for us? One way is through some of the finest fiction that resonates with us because of its profound expression of who we are and about what’s really important. Evolutionary storytellers lift readers up away from common themes into consciousness of our interconnectedness, enlarging upon human potential, and sometimes—through the written word—going beyond what words can express.

Nestled at the base of sacred Mount Shasta, Blooming Rose Press is the holder of “The Third Verse Trilogy,” a multi-dimensional adventure Tulku Sherdor recommends “to help readers find the heart of wisdom within.” www.bloomingrosepress.com

Book review: The Second Rule of Ten

Feb3

Dharma Detective series keeps getting better

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Second Rule of Ten is a delightful example of well-executed spiritual / metaphysical fiction. The narrator doesn’t tell you about how to live in harmony with yourself and your experience; he simply shows you, using his own life as a canvas. There are none of the metaphors and parables that typically slow the story’s pace and hang like overripe fruit from the plot. He simply lives each moment and shows you a better way to manage those moments. Spirituality is not a concept, but a way of life–a practice that anyone could adopt.

Story: Ex–Buddhist monk and ex–LAPD officer turned private eye Tenzing Norbu is back with a new case, a new love, and a whole new set of problems in this fresh installment in The Tenzing Norbu Mystery series.

In The Second Rule of Ten, Norbu investigates the unexplained death of his former client Hollywood mogul Marv Rudolph and searches for the sister, lost during World War II, of wizened Los Angeles philanthropist Julius Rosen. With two cases and an unforeseen family crisis that sends him back to Tibet, Ten finds himself on the outs with his best buddy and former partner, Bill, who is heading the official police investigation into Marv’s death. Cases and crises start to collide. When Ten mistakenly ignores his second rule, he becomes entangled in an unfortunate association with a Los Angeles drug cartel. As he fights to save those he loves, and himself, from the deadly gang, he also comes face to face with his own personal demons. Working through his anger at Bill, doubts about his latest lady love, and a challenging relationship with his father, Ten learns to see the world in a new light—and realizes that in every situation the truth is sometimes buried beneath illusion. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Ten puts his Zen principles into practice at every opportunity, such as constantly monitoring his thoughts for “right thinking.” He uses examples such as his own sense of righteous indignation to show how such thinking can lead directly to blind ignorance and away from insight. He talks about mentally “changing channels” in his head when he becomes obsessed with negative thoughts, picturing what he wants to happen rather than what he fears might happen. He reminds himself that ”Maybe, just maybe, everything was pretty fine just the way it was.” He practices feeling an emotion such as sadness and experiencing it without attaching any “mind story.”

One of my favorite examples of how he expresses his spirituality is when, after a small victory, he allows himself the precious time to sit and absorb the emotion, to experience and understand what he is feeling: Gratitude. Hope. Expansiveness. How often do we afford ourselves the same simple pleasure?

My take: The Dharma Detective series is one of the best examples I’ve found of great spiritual/metaphysical fiction because the narrator does not preach. The monk/detective leads by example, showing readers how he handles difficult emotions and events using his Buddhist training. The novel offers a simple way to learn about and internalize Eastern spirituality, marinating you in its gentle instruction for several hours as you devour its engrossing mystery.

This second book is much deeper than The First Rule of Ten, delving into complex emotions such as the true nature of friendship and a father-son relationship gone wrong. I am truly looking forward to watching this series develop as its authors hone their craft and as Ten masters his spiritual and emotional challenges.

Details:
The Second Rule Of Ten: A Tenzing Norbu Mystery (Dharma Detective), by Gay Hendricks and Tinker Lindsay
Hay House Visions, 2013
Paperback, 340 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: Infinite Sacrifice

Jan10

Delightful historical vignettes can’t overcome weakness of reincarnation theme

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

When I view Infinite Sacrifice as four interconnected vignettes, I fall in love with the characters and their personal triumphs and tragedies. Each vignette is a first-class example of short historical fiction. However, when I read the book as spiritual fiction with a reincarnation theme, the novel falls short. Reincarnation is used more as a trope to tease the reader than as a substantial theme that reveals insights into the life of the soul.

Story: Maya’s shocked to discover it’s not the heaven she imagined; in fact, a life of adventure begins the moment you die. Zachariah, her faithful spirit guide, explains the rules of the dead: in order to regain complete awareness and reunite with loved ones, all souls must review their previous lives. Maya plunges warily into her turbulent pasts as a sociopathic High Priest in ancient Egypt; an independent mother protecting a dangerous secret in glorious Sparta; an Irish boy kidnapped and enslaved by Vikings; and a doctor’s wife forced to make an ethical stand in plague-ridden England. All the while, Maya yearns to be with those she cares about most, and worries that she hasn’t learned all of heaven’s most vital lessons. Will she be forced to leave the tranquility of heaven to survive yet another painful and tumultuous life? Or worse, accept the bitter reality of having to go back alone? (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Low. Between incarnations, Maya must review four of her past lives and integrate the lessons from each. Although the historical vignettes are very well researched and written, there is virtually no spiritual or metaphysical content even though the novel’s premise sets up that expectation. The epilogue, which purports to show how Maya assimilates the lessons, is very disappointing. A quick re-hash of the complex interactions among the various characters over time simply isn’t enough to carry the reincarnation theme successfully forward. Even though the tables for tracking the characters across lifetimes is helpful, it is difficult to trace what the lessons are and how Maya evolves spiritually.

My take: When I view the novel as loosely connected stories set in ancient Egypt, Sparta, the Viking invasions of Ireland, and England wracked by the Black Death, I enjoy the story and characters immensely–especially the vignette set in Sparta. Waters’ exploration of Sparta’s cultural norms, particularly for women, is fascinating and insightful, and Waters finds unique tidbits in every time period that engage the reader. Waters is an excellent researcher and writer with a knack for vivid detail and a fine grasp of storytelling.

However, Maya’s story, which frames the vignettes and provides context for the reincarnation theme, feels wispy and insubstantial. The storyline hints at great intrigue and drama in upcoming books, but there’s not enough realistic detail and emotional engagement in Maya’s personal story to make me want to read the next book in the series.

Details:
Infinite Sacrifice, by L. E. Waters
Rock Castle Publishing, 2011
Paperback, 282 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: ZOR–Philosophy, Spirituality, and Science

Jan7

Novel is excellent primer on current spirituality/metaphysics

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

It’s not often that you meet a Haitian dwarf who becomes your spiritual mentor. The author known as J.B. (Ray Clements) pulls it off with panache in “Zor.” This spiritual novel explores a wide range of scientific and metaphysical territory, creating a synthesis that’s interesting and eye opening. Although a bit didactic, the book’s subject matter is so wide ranging and well supported that the novel is an excellent primer on current spiritual/metaphysical philosophy.

Story: “Am I truly happy or merely content?” That is the question haunting Jonathan Brewster after a series of discussions with the Haitian dwarf named Zor. Forced to defend his way of life, Jonathan, a middle aged money manager from Boston, unexpectedly discovers the power of positive energy, quantum entanglement, the law of attraction, emotional addictions, neuron networks, placebos, vipassana meditation, Jung’s collective unconscious, Nietzsche, metta, and God. Drawn to a new reality, he restructures his world for the greater good, only to experience the ultimate betrayal. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. As mentor, Zor mixes neuroscience and psychology into his spiritual philosophy, making the point that our neuron networks–our brains–are the main obstacle to achieving true happiness. Clements says it is useless to fight our emotional addictions, but we can restructure our neuron networks. In other words, we can train our brains to establish behaviors that create a positive energy flow. Zor’s teachings range from quantum physics, MRI scans, and Noam Chomsky to the New Thought movement and a myriad of religious and metaphysical beliefs, and reference a number of books to substantiate his points.

Zor emphasizes personal ch’i (energy). He says that “Nothing is more insidious than negative energy. Once accepted, it festers and grows and contaminates your entire being.” He teaches Jonathan how to reject negative ch’i and get rid of the load that he (and everyone) carries.

My take: Told in first person, Clements’ voice reminds me of Richard Bach: slightly preachy but always interesting, full of personal observations and insights. However, Zor has a dark side that never appears in Bach’s books nor in most spiritual/metaphysical novels. The plot is a bit darker than I would have expected, but the wisdom of Zor’s words rings true. And the insinuation of violence certainly keeps the story’s pace marching briskly forward.

The plot leaves much to be desired, however. The bulk of the conflict is simply two strong personalities clashing, but there’s no compelling reason why Jonathan can’t just walk away from Zor. The relationship is mentor and student, reminiscent of Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. The difference is that mentor and student are not friends but often combatants in a battle of philosophical wills. A thin plot surfaces at the end of the book, an object lesson in how to apply positive energy, that works well enough to bring the story to a climax.

Despite the plot’s shortcomings, the book is well written, thoughtful, and full of wisdom, and Clements offers some original phrasing of well-established spiritual principles. For example, Zor notes that we are “mired in the purgatory of contentment” that keeps us from experiencing true happiness. He also points out that religion falls short because people worship the prophet instead of the prophet’s path. All in all, Zor is largely entertaining, insightful, and well worth the reader’s time.

Details:
ZOR: Philosophy, Spirituality, and Science, by Ray Clements
CreateSpace, 2012
Paperback, 258 pages
Buy at Amazon

Fourth Awakening: New series features enlightened souls

Dec28

The Fourth Awakening series just got an exciting little brother. Authors Rod Pennington and Jeffery A. Martin have launched The Fourth Awakening Chronicles, a series of novellas based on the characters and concepts explored in the full-length novel The Fourth Awakening. The story picks up where the second novel in The Fourth Awakening series, The Gathering Darkness, leaves off. Each novella features a person who has arrived at the fourth awakening.

The Fourth Awakening has been the Amazon Kindle #1 Bestseller in “New Age > Mysticism” in the US for three years and in the UK for two years. Rod Pennington, author of 11 novels, graciously granted me an interview.

Why novellas?

What we wanted to do with the Chronicles series is introduce some Enlightened Archetypes. There seemed to be some misconception that all enlightened souls wear Birkenstocks, eat organic granola and hum Kumbaya all day. Nothing could be further from the truth. By using short fiction, the reader can focus on a single enlightened person and we’ll attempt to explain how they arrived at that point and what it means.

Will the novellas eventually become a novel?

While each Chronicle will focus on an archetype and the story will be complete and free-standing, it will be part of a bigger story. I plan to do the first six Chronicles and then have them published in an anthology. This would be roughly the equivalent of a 100,000 word novel. The best way to describe what we’re reaching for would be the old “Fugitive” TV series. Dr. Kimball will have a new adventure with each episode but will never stop searching for the one-armed man. The over-story is as quickly as Penelope can find enlightened people to interview, they mysteriously disappear. Who is doing this and why will be a huge element of the plot.

What will you accomplish by changing to this format?

In first book in the series, The Fourth Awakening [read this site's review], we gave an overview of the current science and a brief history lesson about the three previous Awakenings. This book has been wildly popular and has been the #1 Kindle Bestseller in “New Age Mysticism” in the US for over 3 straight years and 2 years in the UK. The Gathering Darkness has also been a #1 Bestseller but because of the content hasn’t had the popularity of the first book. It is basically a road map that anyone can follow to become enlightened. But because it requires hard work and makes it clear all of your personal demons must be confronted and dealt with, many who are looking for “instant Karma” just don’t get it. Or don’t want to.

By using the “Chronicle” format, we will be able to show the wide range of enlightened people who are walking amongst us. There is no cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all answer. There are people who spend a lifetime in prayer and meditation who never get there. While there are people who have never been to a yoga class or even church in decades who step off a curb in Milwaukee and before their foot reaches the pavement are fully enlightened. There is also a sub-group of enlightened people who have no idea they are enlightened. Some attain enlightenment and lose it. Others attain enlightenment and reject it.

What we want to do is show how real flesh-and-blood people deal with enlightenment. We’re going to kick over some rocks and shine lights in some dark places people try to never look. For example, Chronicle II will feature a man who after becoming enlightened walks out on his wife and family, then point out that is exactly what the Buddha did as well. We want to make the bigger point that the path to enlightenment is not all lollipops and rainbows. To get there, something things must be rejected and often the things you hold the most dear may be exactly what is holding you back.

What do you think has kept you on Amazon’s Bestsellers lists for so long?

The Fourth Awakening was written with classic Joseph Campbell “myth” pacing. It was intended to be a timeless story where you have the reluctant hero, Penelope, who meets the wise old man, Michael Walker, and they set out on an epic adventure. These kinds of stories resonate on a primal level. Other examples of this writing style would be “Star Wars” or the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It is the kind of story that could have been told around a campfire 10,000 years ago. Interestingly, the people who get it, really get it and those who don’t, don’t. There is very little middle ground in the reviews.

The hardest part about writing this novel was I made the conscious decision to not have any violence, no foul language and no gratuitous sex. Since nearly every thriller or suspense story opens with a body on the sidewalk, it was exceedingly difficult to maintain tension and drive the storyline. Fortunately, because violence has become such a part of modern fiction, I was able use the expectation of violence to build the tension to keep the plot moving.

What draws you to metaphysical fiction?

I’ve been drawn to [spiritual/metaphysical fiction] because I see so much harm fakes and charlatans are doing to vulnerable people. Most of the “self-help” material on the market is utter claptrap that may work on a rare occasion but more often than not will do more harm than good. When I see a group of smooth talkers getting rich feeding off the souls of people desperate for a lifeline who will believe anything, it makes my blood boil.

Most people way over-think all of this. Everything you need to know to lead a life of abundance is right in front of you if you will simply calm your mind. Release the negatives in your life, forget about them and move on.

Rod Pennington has published 11 novels, one novella, and two screenplays. In addition to The Fourth Awakening series he recently launched a new dark comedy series about a dysfunctional family of four of the world’s best assassins working as the enforcement arm for a shadowy Zen cabal that has been around for thousands of years: A Family Reunion (The First Three Charon Family Adventures).

Wonderous words: Mahatma Gandhi

Dec18

In Search of Mahatma from Abhishek Shah

Book review: Mayan Interface

Dec14

Award-winning visionary thriller a rollicking, thought-provoking read

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

“Mayan Interface,” a new spiritual thriller from Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin, is a wonderful example of the growing genre of visionary fiction. Winner of the 2012 Silver Medal for Adventure Fiction from Living Now Book Awards, “Mayan Interface” is a marvelous mix of science, psychology, metaphysics, and mysticism packaged in a fast-paced thriller that keeps you guessing to the very end.

Story: An ancient myth is happening right now, changing all who discover it. Near the end of the Terminal Classic Mayan period, a high priest commits a murder where a sacrifice is needed. The consequences of his deed will reach across worlds and ages. In our own time, Lydia Rosenstrom is a master translator working with an archeological team in Yucatán and on a virtual reality simulation of the ancient site. She is drawn into a dangerous convergence of realities. This tightly woven tale blends mysticism, technology, archaeology, authentic Mayan history, and Mayan prophecies for 2012 into an engrossing story about challenges, consciousness change, and transformation. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Medium. Lydia is an archaeologist and a practicing shaman in the Mayan tradition. The novel explores how ancient and contemporary shamans use crystals, tarot cards, and other tools to create a state of shamanic awareness or “wide focus,” which encompasses both intense concentration and a free flow of thought, say the authors, in a “paradoxical feeling of reverie and alertness.”

A fascinating aspect of Mayan Interface is the interplay of science and metaphysics. If you enter a computer-generated virtual reality in a shamanic state, the authors say, the virtual world becomes real. Is it magic? Is it reality? To the brain, it really doesn’t matter; you experience what you think and perceive. In some cases, a somatic shift happens in your brain–your sensory apparatus “buys into” the illusion; what was cartoon-like before suddenly takes on depth, color and richness. That shift is not produced by the software but only by the brain, particularly if the individual has a rich inner life. Virtual reality can merge with shamanic reality. There is a fine line, say Coleman and Perrin, between shamanism and schizophrenia.

My take: This wonderful visionary fiction novel asks, What is truth–your sensory experience, or how your brain interprets that experience? (Perhaps there is more than one “truth” in any experience.) The plot seamlessly fuses computer science and metaphysics to explore this question and many more, including how the bicameral brain may have evolved during the height of the Mayan culture in a way that changed the very nature of human consciousness.

The authors incorporate broad-based research and attention to historical detail. For instance, Mayans have a rich oral tradition, but they do not tell stories–they “converse” them with other people. Story-telling is a participatory experience. The authors’ detailed research into Mayan glyphs is integral to the plot, not just window dressing.

Coleman and Perrin are master storytellers, ratcheting up the suspense until nearly the last page. They are adept at unusual and effective character development for even minor characters (such as a nerd/poet). The spiritual novel‘s pace is rollicking, keeping you on the edge of your chair until the very end. Although the book is a fast and easy read its depth is surprising, pulling in principles from so many scientific and philosophical sources that your head swims with new concepts. Take, for example, the importance of story: “. . . that’s what stories do. Re-write the mind.” What greater goal could fiction have?

My question to you: What role should fiction play in fostering spiritual/metaphysical growth?

Details:
Mayan Interface by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin
Madeira Press, 2012
Paperback, 314 pages
Buy at Amazon

Guest review: Celtic Twilight by W.B. Yeats

Dec10

The Melancholy of a Gentle Race

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Guest reviewer– Reviewed by Judy Croome, Johannesburg, South Africa

In his retelling of the folktales of “The Celtic Twilight,” WB Yeats reaches back into his Irish roots to explore the tension between a by-gone age, where the connection to the Divine was part of life, and his contemporary age, where science and reason too easily dismiss that which is unseen.

Story: The Celtic Twilight includes forty-two Celtic folklore tales, and Yeats — who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923 — makes no secret of his fascination and even belief in the world of the occult and the existence of faeries. Yeats’ passion in these tales comes forth through the pages and adds a new dimension to these age-old tales. Though the stories are short in length, there is no scarcity of depth. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Every story is steeped in mystical elements and ancient wisdom.

My take: In The Celtic Twilight Yeats, the spiritual mystic and poet, is in ascendance over the Nobel prize winning playwright. He gathers a delightful assortment of old Irish Folktales dealing with the Faerie, and the world beyond the veil of understanding. The stories are told with a casual acceptance of the existence of spiritual truths beyond our rational knowledge, tinged with embarrassment at that acceptance.

Underpinning the beautiful, lyrical writing, lies the melancholy of a gentle race, a mystical race, whose ancient wisdom has become lost as the world progresses scientifically and intellectually:

“…that decadence we call progress … they are surely there, the divine people, for only we who have neither simplicity nor wisdom have denied them, and the simple of all times and the wise men of ancient times have seen them and even spoken to them.”

The significance of these tales, apparently told to the poet by simple, country folk, is almost cautionary. Scattered throughout the stories are hints at Yeats’ despair for humanity, for the spiritual centre that is struggling to hold in an evolving world becoming ever more sceptical of the presence of the Divine and materialistic in their ambitions:

“… all who sought after beautiful and wonderful things with too avid a thirst, lost peace and form and became shapeless and common”

This shift away from the “Golden Age,” the age where the Divine presence permeated life on all levels, is not beneficial:

“… still the kindly and perfect world existed, but [lies] buried like a mass of roses under many spadefuls of earth”

“They are getting tired of the world. It is killed they want to be” (the second, amended, edition of this book was published in 1902 – the end of the Anglo Boer War, a dozen years before the Great War and only a generation away from the horrors of World War II)

For all his lamentations about a more kindly world than his contemporary world of the early 20^th century (or ours in the 21^st century for that matter!), Yeats never completely gives up either his belief in a mystical world which rational understanding can never quite explain, nor the hope that the connection between man and the Divine can be regained.

The text is not always easy to read due to the archaic prose style (single paragraphs flow over more than one page with no break) and there were numerous typographical errors in this particular e-Edition (Digireads.com July 1, 2004.)

Despite this mild challenge, though, the overall effect was of holding an intimate conversation with a master storyteller. I could feel the damp Irish night air; I could smell the peat fire burning; I could hear the soft lyrical tones of a man whispering his understanding of things beyond my ordinary knowledge…and I swear, at times, I heard the tinkling laugh of a Faery, there, just beyond my sight.

Details:
The Celtic Twilight by William Butler Yeats
Published by Digireads.com July 1, 2004
Paperback, 330 pages, Kindle Edition (File Size: 152 KB)
Buy at Amazon

Guest reviewer: Judy Croome lives and writes in Johannesburg, South Africa. Shortlisted in the African Writing Flash Fiction 2011 competition, Judy’s independently published novel, Dancing in the Shadows of Love (2011) and her debut collection of poetry “a Lamp at Midday” (2012), are available from Amazon and other on-line stores. Visit www.judycroome.blogspot.com or follow Judy on Twitter @judy croome.

Book review: Lamb–The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal

Nov29

Clever plot, profound insight, and breezy writing make Lamb a delightful read

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Christopher Moore channels the light-hearted spirit of Douglas Adams and the soul of a philosopher in “Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Friend.” The combination is a profoundly moving and yet breezy read that manages to lift your spirits and lighten your soul, no matter what your religious beliefs.

Story: The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years — except Biff, the Messiah’s best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in the divinely hilarious yet heartfelt work “reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Jesus goes by the Hebrew name Joshua–Jesus is the Greek translation. Growing up, Joshua and Biff’s early spiritual growth is informed by Cynics (a school of Greek philosophy whose goal is to live a life of virtue in harmony with nature, which includes being free of all possessions). They also learn life lessons from Josh’s father the carpenter and Biff’s stonemason father.

As teens, they journey across the Middle East, China, Tibet, and India to study with the Three Wise Men who attended his birth. Josh studies Confucius, Lao-tsu, the Tao, the Bhagavad Gita, and Buddha. Yoga teaches him perfect control of the body and mind, and control over manifestation and the physical world. He studies each region/religion’s holy books while life experiences help him separate the wheat from the chaff. We watch Joshua develop his philosophy and parables slowly during the course of his journey, accumulating the wisdom of scholarship and experience that becomes the basis of his teachings. For example, he learns the hard way that you should treat others as you would like to be treated. As Joshua perfects his mind and body during their travels, Biff learns the Kama Sutra and Tantric disciplines in addition to studying alchemy, explosives, Sun-tsu and The Art of War, and kung fu–ideal assets for a faithful sidekick and bodyguard.

Our spiritual understanding progresses with theirs. The final, bloody learning takes place in India, where Josh learns from the god Kali that all people deserve to be touched by God (even gentiles, which he has trouble convincing his Jewish disciples of), and that he must sacrifice himself in order to finally end the practice of blood sacrifice.

My take: The Son of God is an odd child. He plays games with the other kids by bringing animals back to life after they are killed. Joseph asks Biff to be Josh’s friend to “teach him how to be human. Then I can teach him to be a man.” Biff is wise to the world in all the ways in which Josh is innocent: how to manage money, how to bargain for goods, and most importantly, how to be a good friend. Biff looks out for Josh and helps him bear the burden of being the Messiah. Although Biff’s wisecracks and antics are the main source of the book’s humor, Josh gets in on the fun occasionally. When the apostles marvel as he walks on water, Josh replies that he just ate and can’t swim for an hour. “I might get a cramp. What, none of you guys have mothers?” Biff makes life enjoyable, which the Son of God desperately needs as he knowingly and willingly progresses toward his destiny.

Moore shows how many of Christ’s teachings may have originated from his study of other holy texts and explains the familiar tenets of Christianity in a way that makes me see the religion in a new light. For instance, while they’re still in Jerusalem Moore describes, in graphic detail, the lambs and other animals being slaughtered as temple sacrifices and why Joshua realizes how inhumane and unnecessary all the bloodshed is. This is the first time that I truly understood, at a visceral level rather than an intellectual level, that Jesus offered a final sacrifice of his own life as a way to end the senseless blood sacrifice and usher in a new era. And even though I grew up Catholic, Moore manages to explain the Holy Ghost in a way that finally makes sense to me.

Despite the novels inevitable tragic climax (which begins with a quote from Anonymous: “Nobody’s perfect. . . . Well, there was this one guy, but we killed him”), Moore manages to wrench a happy ending out of the story, in keeping with the overall tone of the book. Moore’s clever plot and breezy writing make this spiritual fiction novel a delight to read in addition to a revelatory experience.

Details:
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore
Harper Perennial, 2003
Paperback, 440 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: Dead End Date

Nov21

Adventures of a Lightworker series mates chick lit and metaphysics

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Dead End Date, the first book in the Adventures of a Lightworker series by Caroline A. Shearer, is an entertaining romp through metaphysics and relationships. The tone is light and fun, and the pairing of spiritual concepts and the narrator’s relationship challenges helps make the book both amusing and insightful.

Story: Dead End Date chronicles a woman’s mission to teach the world about love, one mystery and personal hang-up at a time. Faith’s dating disasters and personal angst have separated her from her purpose of being a lightworker, and she has only one year to prove she is capable of fulfilling her life purpose. The death of her blind date launches her first challenge. Working with angels, psychic abilities, and even the murder victim, Faith begins a personal journey to help heal those around her while proving she can fulfill her life purpose. (From book jacket)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Faith’s life purpose is to be a lightworker, which Shearer defines as an evolved soul sent to Earth to increase love. Metaphysical concepts such as trusting intuition, looking for signs, staying mindful, and connecting with guides (angels) are a substantial part of the book’s theme. For example, she demonstrates meditation fundamentals and energy work, including the real-world challenges of both. Practical advice includes energy work such as how to do a space clearing and basic feng shui. An important theme she emphasizes is the interconnectedness of everyone and everything; the story line demonstrates how our smallest actions can have wide-reaching effects on everyone around us.

My take: I enjoyed this book. Using the popular chick lit genre, Shearer weaves basic metaphysical concepts such as mindfulness and energy awareness into her philosophical musings about whether men are worth the bother. Although some of the plot points are forced, the end result is a feel-good mystery that strives to both entertain and enlighten. Note that this is Shearer’s first book; I expect that the quality and consistency of the writing will improve over time. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Details:
Adventures of a Lightworker: Dead End Date, by Caroline A. Shearer
Absolute Love Publishing, 2009
Paperback, 230 pages

Book review: Jake Fades

Nov15

A flawless blend of Zen simplicity and literary richness

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

As a practice, Zen has always confounded me because it is so simple and yet so complex at the same time. Now I understand the principles better after seeing them played out so beautifully in the characters of Jake and Hank in “Jake Fades” by David Guy. You can read this short literary novel quickly, but you’ll want to take it slow and savor every insight.

Story: Jake is a Zen master and expert bicycle repairman who fixes flats and teaches meditation out of a shop in Bar Harbor, Maine. Hank is his long-time student. The aging Jake hopes that Hank will take over teaching for him. But the commitment-phobic Hank doesn’t feel up to the job, and Jake is beginning to exhibit behavior that looks suspiciously like Alzheimer’s disease. Is a guy with as many “issues” as Hank even capable of being a Zen teacher? And are those paradoxical things Jake keeps doing some kind of koan-like wisdom . . . or just dementia? These and other hard questions confront Hank, Jake, and the colorful cast of characters they meet during a week-long trip to the funky neighborhood of Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Ever wondered what a Zen retreat is like? In addition to basic Zen principles, the novel explores sesshin, a five- to seven-day retreat at which you do nothing but sit zazen and stare at a wall in the Soto Zen tradition. “On the one hand, it is a great relief to stop being yourself for eighteen hours a day. That was hard work. At the same time, it was that abandonment of self that was so fearful. When you can’t talk, can’t write, can’t read, give up everything that makes you you, who are you? It’s terrifying.”

My take: There is so much wisdom in this book; it illuminates Zen principles that cannot be easily captured with mere words through action and characterization. Paradoxically, Zen appears to be both the simplest and most complex form of Buddhism. You sit. That’s it. It’s that hard, and it’s that simple. As a non-Buddhist, that’s what struck me first as I was reading Jake Fades.

This spiritual novel perfectly reflects that principle of simplicity. The story is simple and plainly told, and yet there is so much going on beneath the surface. Guy’s writing style is plain, concise, multi-layered–prose haiku, in a way. In addition, Guy’s character development is superb, as shown in these examples: ”Jake saw the person you deeply wanted to be. He treated you like that. Never failed to.” Later in the story, Hank notes that he had long since stopped of thinking of Jake as perfect. “It was because he was so human that I admired him: He had taken the raw materials of humanity and made something wonderful, with no tools other than sitting and watching it all, learning to accept.”

An interesting core notion in Zen Buddhism is that “once you started on the path, you never got off. You could neglect it all you wanted, quit altogether. You were still there.” I feel the same way about writing in general and about these articles in particular. Jake Fades delivers such rich rewards to the reader, it makes me glad I’m still on the path.

Details:
Jake Fades: A Novel of Impermanence, by David Guy
Trumpeter Books, 2007
Hardcover, 210 pages
Buy at Amazon

10 metaphysical fiction books that speak to your soul

Nov10

Here are my top ten picks for spiritual fiction–novels where the story and characters are so engaging that the reader experiences spiritual awareness and growth, in whatever form, in concert with the characters–by authors you’ve (mostly) never heard of.

Until the Next Time by Kevin Fox–Northern Ireland reincarnation saga
First Rule of Ten by Gay Hendricks and Tinker Lindsay–Buddhist detective mystery
Deshi by John Donohue–Gritty yet lyrical Zen police procedural
Yü: A Ross Lamos Mystery by Joy Shayne Laughter–Gay Buddhist Chinese reincarnation historical
American Gods by Neil Gaiman–Metaphysical mystery/thriller that defies explanation
Threads: The Reincarnation of Anne Boleyn by Nell Gavin–English historical drama
Enlightenment for Idiots by Anne Cushman–Clear-eyed chicklit travelogue of India’s enlightenment industry
The Fourth Awakening by Rod Pennington and Jeffery A. Martin–Metaphysical thriller
Buddha Da by Anne Donovan–Contemporary literary novel set in Glasgow
Jake Fades by David Guy–Buddhist literary novel

Happy reading!

Book review: Buddha Da

Nov5

Glasgow dialect, Buddhist theme make literary novel ‘dead beezer’

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Shortlisted for the Orange Prize and Whitbread First Novel Award, “Buddha Da” chronicles the changes in an ordinary Glasgow family when the father decides to become a Buddhist. Anne Donovan’s formidable writing skills make this novel a stunning read.

Story: Anne Marie’s Da, a Glaswegian painter and decorator, has always been game for a laugh. So when he first takes up meditation at the Buddhist Centre, no one takes him seriously, especially when his pursuit of the new lama ends in a trip round the Carmunnock bypass. But as Jimmy becomes more involved in a search for the spiritual, his beliefs start to come into conflict with the needs of his wife, Liz. Cracks appear in their apparently happy family life, and the ensuing events change the lives of each family member. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Medium. Jimmy plunges deep into his Buddhist teachings, eventually leaving his middle-class family to live at the temple. He tries to explain his incomprehensible actions to his incredulous family: “Most people think Buddhism’s about meditating, but it’s really about how you live your whole life.” The Buddhist monks employ simple yet effective analogies to walk Jimmy (and the reader) through simple meditation styles.

My take: One of the charms–and challenges–of Buddha Da is Anne Donovan’s language choice. The story is told entirely in first person by three different family members in their own voices–which means entirely in Glesga dialect and vernacular. This novel forces the non-English reader to slow down and parse each sentence for meaning. The effect is two-fold: You begin to appreciate the rhythms and subtleties of the dialect, and you also decode and internalize more of the spiritual content than you might have with more conventional spiritual literature. For example, this is how Jimmy describes meditation to his daughter:

“Well you sit doon quiet and you try tae empty yer mind, well no exactly empty, mair quiet it doon so aw the thoughts that go fleein aboot in yer heid kinda slow doon and don’t annoy ye.” And during a retreat he is able to settle into a deep altered state: “And it wis like the rain wis alive, know, and everythin in the prayer room seemed tae disappear, ah couldnae hear anybuddy or see anythin; it wis just me and the rain.”

Donovan tackles difficult issues. Is spiritual work selfish? Is it acceptable to hurt the people you love in order to follow your path? What do you owe to the people you leave behind? Buddha Da offers no easy answers, only different perspectives.

Along with language and theme, Donovan’s writing style adds great power to the novel. In addition to the plain language used to vividly illustrate difficult concepts, she employs stark , unvarnished images that cut to the bone. The smell of Liz’ dead mother’s clothes put me square in the middle of my own grandmother’s closet: “Why would somebody smell different because they were auld? … Ah imagined the dry skin flakin aff ma mammy, powderin and workin itself intae the folds of the claes. These claes hangin up here infused wi the skin of ma mammy, mouldering away inside this wardrobe.” Disturbing, but so precisely right.

At heart, Buddha Da is a novel of a family broken and changed by one man’s actions. Donovan writes with uncanny insight about the challenges of parenthood and relationships. The novel is thoroughly enjoyable and a rewarding read; however, I felt let down by the theme: Jimmy’s Buddhist path is not reflected in the conclusion. The family has changed, perhaps irrevocably, but not by the Buddhist dharma (teachings) that Jimmy experiences. No one learns or grows based on those influences. The novel, while brilliant, feels one calley short of the Berry’s.

Details:
Buddha Da, by Anne Donovan
Carroll and Graf Publishers, 2002
Paperback, 330 pages
Buy at Amazon

Avoid the common mistake spiritual novelists make

Oct22

Guest post by by Rod Pennington, coauthor of The Fourth Awakening

Don’t preach!

Probably the most common problem with books in the new age or spiritual space is the author simply can’t resist the urge to dust off the soapbox and start making speeches. No one likes to be lectured to, and few are thirsting to pay hard-earned entertainment dollars to sit through a sermon.

While you may strongly believe in what you’re saying, it is your job to make the case for your viewpoint to a skeptical reader. I highly recommend including an outspoken character with an opposing view as a major player in your cast of characters.

In The Fourth Awakening Series, I have the two primary protagonists — an enlightened soul and a highly skeptical Pulitzer Prize winning journalist — slugging it out on pretty much every page. Not only does this make the characters more real, it affords the writer the opportunity to deliver the desired message without having the narrator don silken robe and ascend to the pulpit.

It is much better to allow your readers to watch two characters debate than to have it appear pre-determined that only one viewpoint will do.

Rod Pennington has published eight novels and sold multiple screenplays. In addition to the Fourth Awakening series he recently launched a new dark comedy series about a dysfunctional family of four of the world’s best assassins working as the enforcement arm for a shadowy Zen cabal that has been around for thousands of years: A Family Reunion (The First Charon Family Adventure).

Book review: The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Oct9

Albom’s new fable more popcorn than spiritual feast

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Albom’s latest fable, “The Time Keeper,” features interesting characters and taut, lyrical writing. In both style and substance, the novel parallels the work of Paulo Coelho. However, the story is like being immersed in a fairy tale with no witches or ogres. Time itself is the antagonist, but not a very potent one.

Story: In Mitch Albom’s newest work of fiction, the inventor of the world’s first clock is punished for trying to measure God’s greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time. He returns to our world–now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began–and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Low. The book contains simple snippets of insight destined to become “quotable quotes” about the nature of Time. For instance, as man begins to count days, then hours, then minutes, “the counting consumes him, and the wonder of the world he has been given is lost.”

My take: Mitch Albom’s latest spiritual fable examines Time: how it began, who set it in motion and why, and how the repercussions play out upon the rest of humanity. The slim volume tries to answer the questions, “What is the meaning of time,” and “Why does God limit it?” However, the answers are simplistic and don’t add much insight to the body of metaphysical fiction that addresses the human experience of time. In fact, Ferney by James Long (a reincarnation novel I reviewed last year) presents a brief history of time, so to speak, that does a much better job of analyzing this difficult subject.

However, Albom does throw in some unexpected turns and solid character development, a flare for illustrating human connections, and a pleasant writing style. One passage reflects the tone of the story: ”If one were recording history, one might write that at the moment man invented the world’s first clock, his wife was alone, softly crying, while he was consumed by the count.” The novel strives to be both poetic and prophetic, but it’s more popcorn snack than spiritual feast. The Time Keeper is a fast and interesting read, but there’s not much here for the seasoned spiritual seeker.

Details:
The Time Keeper, by Mitch Albom
Hyperion, 2012
Hardcover, 224 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: The Spirit Sherpa

Sep30

Flawed and floundering, but also insightful and moving

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

“The Spirit Sherpa,” a spiritual novel by Marc Littman, feels like simultaneously watching “Beetlejuice” and “Schindler’s List.” Chapters alternate between bizarre between-life scenes, and heart-tugging depictions of the hero’s many lives (including several concurrent ones). Although flawed, the novel offers enough insight to keep the reader engaged.

Story: A self-absorbed bigoted man killed in a road rage accident must learn the essence of spirituality and universal love through a revolving door of adventurous lives that play out in the past, present and future along with respites in-between on the other side of the veil in The Spirit Sherpa. Historical vignettes, action, mystery and humor are blended in this intriguing story that bends time. The celestial traveler is escorted on his journey by a mysterious spirit sherpa who holds the key to helping him dump the emotional baggage and fear he has been burdened with through time. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Littman offers a one-paragraph description of how his hero dies and then dumps Manus into a high-octane version of purgatory. There Manus must internalize life lessons before he can pass to the Other Side (presumably Heaven) for a little “R & R, if you please, with some reflection and re-education blended in.” He meets his spirit sherpa, his great-grandmother Oma. She guides him through a life review and discussions with family members, and they meet his own personal wise men: Elvis, Wilt Chamberlain, and Einstein, who explains that time is not linear and that Manus is living (and reviewing) many parallel lives, some in the future and some in which he’s still alive as a different person. Littman uses Einstein to articulate his views on metaphysics and quantum mechanics, which works quite nicely as a way to add color and interest to challenging scientific detail.

Many of the chapters are vignettes from past, present, and even future lives that have the feel of a YouTube video in their honesty and veracity. I was intrigued by Littman’s premise that multiple lives play out simultaneously; several of the most interesting vignettes describe overlapping lifetimes from the 20th century.

Littman offers many observations about what awaits on the Other Side: Angels traveling to other planets and dimensions. Master spirits sowing inspiration for scientific breakthroughs or perhaps a new melody in our subconscious minds. How the dead use visions and dreams to comfort family and help them move on. How a spirit experiences multiple concurrent lives. Most important is Manus’ exploration of the many facets of love; he must learn that love survives life, and that it’s the only thing that truly matters. When Manus finally recognizes his soul mate, he is able to let go and move beyond the prejudices that so confound his most recent incarnation.

My take: Did I enjoy this book, or was it an awkward read? Both, in frustrating and baffling turns. Littman alternates between graceless chapters set in purgatory and slice-of-life vignettes that can be profoundly moving. First, the good, which sometimes verges on very good.

For the most part, the life stories are compelling: Unexpected generosity in a cattle car headed to Auschwitz. A hard-won ghetto park in honor of the hero’s fallen son. A lovely tale of star-crossed soul mates–a Muslim boy and Yazidi girl–that ends in death and rebirth.

In addition, Littman delivers a range of religious perspectives, from the Yiddish Oma to a relatively obscure religious sect in Iran. He incorporates a Sikh as a major character. He presents Jerusalem through the eyes of a Muslim. His emphasis on religious diversity is very refreshing compared to many novels, even those within the spiritual genre.

Littman has done his homework; he judiciously adds telling historical details that imbue his characters with credibility and vitality. By focusing more on Manus’ concurrent modern lives, the novel feels more relevant, relatable, and culturally eclectic than many reincarnation novels. The vignette chapters feel honest to the reader–unlike the roller coaster of heaven/hell/purgatory that Manus and Oma traverse. Even Littman’s back-to-the-future moments work reasonably well.

Then there’s the not-so-good. In the purgatory chapters, Littman’s writing style and choices leave the reader feeling whip-sawed and on the verge of vertigo, such as using multiple points of view and adding anachronisms that jar the mind’s eye. Purgatory is a jumble of clashing sounds and images that is hard for the reader to follow.

The plot unravels Manus’ karmic relationships over millenia and the family influences turn him into a jerk of the highest order. However, some threads fray, several are never tied off, and it’s difficult to keep track of the many characters. Major characterizations are equally uneven–some seem finely etched in ink, others scribbled in crayon.

While many of the incarnation chapters are truly moving, the between-life interludes seem not only divorced from reality but also from coherence. In the end, the novel is deeply flawed but offersed enough insight to keep me turning the pages.

Details:
The Spirit Sherpa, by Marc Littman
CreateSpace, 2012
Paperback, 172pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: Yü: A Ross Lamos Mystery

Sep12

Literary reincarnation novel a must-read for Buddhist mystery fans

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Read “Yü” to explore how passion and murder can transcend centuries as Ross Lamos uses his powerful Touch to unfurl the stories of the prince, the emperor, and the concubine bound within three jade objects. Read “Yü” for the haiku-like perfection of the jade stories themselves. Read “Yü” for the vibrant historical details, the taut mystery, the secret romance. But if you’re a fan of spiritual fiction, read it you must. Joy Shane Laughter (rhymes with “daughter”) has penned one of the smartest, most engaging literary mysteries I’ve read in a long time.

Story: Forbidden love, the Imperial Court of the Han Dynasty, jades worth millions on the black market … Ross Lamos, 21st-Century Karmic Detective, knows that somehow, the history of the three jades is his as well. Yü, the Stone of Heaven, jade art born from the genius of ancient China. Lamos has built his career dealing Asian art and antiquities by hiding his very useful psychic Touch. When he holds the jades, the yü will reveal an extraordinary history. Lamos will risk everything to protect the jades, and finally remember his role in a love story that changed the course of a Dynasty … the love between an extraordinary Concubine and a Prince, the son of her Emperor, and the Poet caught between them all … a story hidden for two thousand years in three pieces of yü. Yü is the award-winning first novel by Joy Shayne Laughter and begins the Ross Lamos mystery series. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Ross possesses psychometry–the ability to sense information about an object and the people associated with it. When he touches the jade pieces, he falls headlong into visions from the Imperial Palace of the Han Dynasty. The breathtaking jade stories build upon spiritual principles from that time, primarily Taoist writings by Chuang Tzu. One of the most moving sections vividly describes an exercise that people assume enhances combat skills. “What a misunderstanding,” says the concubine who practices the art. “The exercise is an increase in lightness and joy . . . you expand your welcome and embrace all of life . . . It is teasing play, where two minds learn to meet, speak together in silence, and then have a witty debate in movement.” It is through this meditative practice that the concubine first engages with the prince as he secretly watches her practice. Laughter does a splendid job of demonstrating how past traumas set the stage for our current lives, and she employs the Buddhist Middle Way to help her characters understand and work through their present karma.

My take: This multi-dimensional literary mystery brilliantly interweaves reincarnation stories into a contemporary mystery. By writing the stories in first person, ancient events seem immediate and compelling, almost more so than the present-day mystery that Ross unravels. The story culminates with a cunning identity twist that is totally unexpected, and totally satisfying.

The historical details from the Han Dynasty are not decorative fabric draped about the story, as is the case in many reincarnation novels, but essential to the action. For instance, the concubine communicates with her lover across an imperial court rife with spies, secret alliances, and conspiracies using a secret language of fans. But nothing stays secret for long within the claustrophobic walls of the Imperial Palace.

Laughter’s jade stories burst at the seams with elegant, concise, and yet restrained prose that pierces the true nature of each character. She evokes sympathy for a villain with a single, well-crafted line: “He carries so many more secrets than I. We both need so much comfort. ” Spare and beautiful, each word of the many jade stories performs double and even triple duty–prose haiku. Even the act of eating in public becomes an intimate, sensual act filled with tension and danger, more highly charged–and more thrilling to the reader–than the most explicit passages of a romance novel.

The simplicity of the jade stories resonates in bold contrast to her full-bodied descriptions of our contemporary world, details that pull you into a deeper understanding of what it is like to experience the Touch. The jade stories quilt together layers of tension, culminating in a crescendo that, unfortunately, the real-time story can’t quite match. The jade stories so overpower the actual mystery that one is left wanting more than the climax can deliver.

Cheers to Joy Shane Laughter for this haunting, beautifully researched Buddhist detective novel. I cannot wait to read the next book in the Ross Lamos series.

Details:
Yü: A Ross Lamos Mystery, by Joy Shayne Laughter
Open Book Press, 2010
Paperback, 226 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: Scholar of Moab

Aug21

Unforgettable characters and quirky story elevate Mormon literary mystery

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

One of the pleasures of reading spiritual fiction is slipping into a new belief system and wearing it for a while. Steven L. Peck’s Mormon literary mystery settles you in Moab, Utah, where you can experience small-town Mormon culture even if you disagree with the cosmology. Peck’s amazing cast of characters and mind-bending plot infuse this dark comedy with unexpected insight and laugh-out-loud surprises.

Story: Young Hyrum Thayne, an unrefined geological surveyor, steals a massive dictionary out of the Grand County library in a midnight raid, startling the good people of Moab into believing a nefarious band of Book of Mormon thugs, the Gadianton Robbers, has arisen again. To make matters worse, Hyrum’s illicit affair with Dora Tanner, a local poet thought to be mad, results in the delivery of a bouncing baby boy who vanishes the night of his birth. Righteous Moabites accuse Dora of the murder, but who really killed their child? Did a coyote dingo the baby? Was it an alien abduction as Dora claims? Was it Hyrum? Or could it have been the only witness to the crime, one of a pair of Oxford-educated conjoined twins who cowboy in the La Sals on sabbatical? (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: Low. The story reflects philosophies that range from Navajo lore, Wiccans, Mormon folklore, and Jewish mystical thought to Jungian synchronicity, Kant’s categorical imperative, and the neuroscience of “god modules” in the brain. However, none are explored in any depth. Peck does not endorse any particular belief system, including Mormonism; he uses the dynamics and influences of the many conflicting beliefs to explore the workings of a small Mormon community.

My take: The Scholar of Moab is a dark and delicious literary puzzle, rich with quirky details that reveal how small-town prejudice, the power of gossip, mass hysteria, and Mormon mysticism can play out in startling and yet familiar ways. Peck’s masterful use of language produces four distinct perspectives–four unforgettable characters who search for the same truths in different ways only to fail themselves and others.

Hyrum, the self-identified Scholar of Moab, is unforgettable: plodding and quotidian and yet utterly extraordinary, an odd mix of mystic and pragmatist. His journal reads like Mormon prophesy, and the way he misuses words is at once excruciating and delightful. He is determined to educate himself because a scholar is “the closest man could attain in becoming like God.” A clear and noble goal, but one that leads to tragic consequences.

Dora represents beauty and mystery. Through her, Peck revels in his passion for lyrical language and imagery. He slowly exposes Dora’s character through poetry, letters, and short stories, which are by turns lovely and haunting, fascinating and disturbing. Both Hyram and Dora adore “two-dollar words,” as if the grandness of their vocabularies could compensate for the smallness of their world.

The conjoined twins embody higher knowledge, both rational and philosophical. Their intertwined spirits balance uneasily between Christianity and scientific reason; perhaps their body contains a third spirit that possesses the wisdom to encompass them both.

The story’s unidentified narrator (who calls himself the Redactor) is introduced as an objective observer, but by the end of the novel he is as embroiled in the mystery as the others. And then there’s the La Sals, which encompasses Utah’s Canyonlands and Arches national parks. This setting is a stark and strange character in its own right, and a fitting backdrop for a plot studded with alien abductions and Old West shoot-outs.

Peck’s masterful literary mystery reveals its secrets in fractions, planting clues like arrowheads in Moab’s dusty hills and propelling the story faster and faster as you race to discover who murdered the new-born child. But can you trust any of the characters’ revelations? The story ultimately resolves into a deeply troubling murder mystery in which only the reader can determine the real story of the Scholar of Moab.

Details:
The Scholar of Moab, by Steven L. Peck
Torrey House Press, 2011
Paperback, 294 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: The Fourth Awakening

Jul29

Spiritual thriller captivates the imagination, despite a weak villain

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

“The Fourth Awakening” crackles with tension, right up to the end–where, unfortunately, the lack of a credible villain unravels the tightly woven story. However, the strong writing and spiritual depth are more than enough to make the novel an entertaining and enlightening read.

Story: Penelope Drayton Spence made a choice years earlier, and picked marriage and family over a promising career as an investigative reporter. Now, divorced and with her children spread around the country, she is having second thoughts. A mysterious call from the Managing Editor of the Washington Post, offers her a second chance at big time journalism. He has a story so sensitive that the President of the United States personally asked the Post to leave it alone. With rumors of 30 top scientists missing and rich industrialist, Michael Walker, being held incommunicado in a prison typically used for terrorists, the story is too big to ignore. . . . On one level it is a straightforward suspense story with plenty of action, a healthy dose of humor and a pinch of sexual tension. On another it is a spiritual quest by a remarkable woman who meets an enlightened man the likes of which have never been seen in fiction before. . . . Penelope becomes aware of the looming Fourth Awakening, and makes the chilling discovery that her reporting skills and ability to fight her personal demons may be the only thing that can save humanity. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. Penelope is on the path to to enlightenment via yoga and meditation and practices the Law of Attraction. When she meets Michael, she learns that thoughts have power. “Thought is thought. There is no good or evil. . . . Emotionally charged negative thoughts tend to be more strongly felt than positive ones. You run the risk of manifesting something that you really don’t intend.”

The story gets interesting when the authors introduce the idea of the Fourth Awakening: The number of individuals who can reach a state of non-symbolic thought (aka enlightenment) has reached critical mass. The book likens this state to the Internet–a giant field of energy, full of information, open to anyone who has the right connection.

My take: I enjoyed the novel as a spiritual thriller. The quick-paced plot keeps you turning pages as the stakes grow higher and the fate of the human race is in peril. Penelope’s character is well drawn and entirely believable. The rationale explaining the Fourth Awakening is fascinating (see What exactly is an awakening?). I devoured the first two-thirds of this novel in one sitting, reluctant to put it down. Unfortunately, a good thriller requires a significant threat, and that’s where the book fell apart for me. The authors ran into the basic problem that confronts every metaphysical writer: How to you spin positive development in a negative way in order to manufacture believable conflict?

In my opinion, Pennington and Martin handled that specific problem more gracefully than James Redfield did in his Celestine Prophecy books. It’s a difficult problem to overcome. However, the book succeeded as an entertaining thriller even though the “villain” fell short for me. The book was well written, fast paced, and well crafted. Their spiritual principles are sound, and I look forward to seeing where the series will lead.

Details:
The Fourth Awakening, by Rod Pennington and Jeffery A. Martin
Published by Integration Press , 2009
Paperback, 298 pages
Buy at Amazon

Book review: Threads–The Reincarnation of Anne Boleyn

May15

Richly textured spiritual novel explores karmic balance, stays true to history

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Why did King Henry VIII nearly destroy England and create a new religion in order to marry Anne Boleyn, only to have her executed three years later? Nell Gavin’s fascinating, well-written spiritual novel makes the compelling case that his nearly incomprehensible behavior is explained by the karma created throughout their many lifetimes together.

Story: In 1536, Henry and Anne are at the mercy of influences outside their control, explosively incompatible, and caught in a marriage that ends in betrayal so shocking that Anne requires lifetimes to recover. Henry, seemingly in defense of Anne (but more likely acting out of “stubborn perverseness,” she observes), terrorizes England and decrees widespread political murder in order to protect her. Ultimately, to Anne’s horror, this once passionate husband turns on her and has her executed as well. Threads, a reincarnation fantasy, opens with Anne’s execution. Her fury at her husband s betrayal has enough momentum to survive centuries, but in Threads she learns that she has been assigned a hard task: she must review their history together through a number of past lives, and find it within herself to forgive him. This may prove difficult and take some time. The husband in question is Henry Tudor, the notorious Henry VIII. The narrator is the stubborn, volatile Anne Boleyn, who is not at all inclined to forgive. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. In the opening chapters, Anne finds herself in a “place of peace” after her execution. There she reviews her life with Henry VIII in England, as well as a dozen other lifetimes that she and Henry, along with other family and friends, share in various combinations. Gavin suggests that the crux of Anne and Henry’s tumultuous relationship partly results from Anne’s abandonment of her child (Henry) in a previous life. Henry pursues her and obsesses over her beyond all reason, she says, “as only a lost child could or would.”

Gavin carefully constructs the “place between lives,” where words are physical beings with vibrant form, color, and substance. With the help of the Voice, Anne begins to understand the complex interactions within this group of souls, which choose to incarnate together across three millenia. She focuses on the emotional relationships within the group, what lessons they need to learn, and what contributes to or hinders their growth. Toward the end, she feels herself “grow small with understanding” as she glimpses the true nature of reincarnation.

Gavin offers an interesting approach to understanding karma: Success earns us karmic cash, while failure forces us to borrow. We “pay for what we take and are paid for what we give” across lifetimes. If a person successfully completes their assigned job, says Gavin, that success can be used “like currency toward the next existence on earth. The tally determines destiny, good or bad, upon one’s return” to the place between lives.

My take: This elegant literary novel, rife with imagery and insight, focuses on the emotional and spiritual relationship between Anne and Henry, emphasizing psychology over history. I was grateful that I had read several of Philippa Gregory’s excellent novels about the English Reformation, which helped me follow Gavin’s minimalist portrayal of events and time lines. The historical details are painstakingly researched, and Gavin offers fascinating psychological insight into how karma and reincarnation nicely account for the almost inconceivable manner in which Henry VIII pursued and then discarded Anne.

Gavin is a skilled and powerful author, and Threads is an elegant tapestry of Henry and Anne’s many lives together. Gavin develops her characters more fully than most books can, not only exploring the physical and psychological dynamics of their relationship, but also projecting those dynamics across 3,000 years of shared history. This adds a rich spiritual dimension to her characters that is not possible in many novels. I highly recommend this historical novel to readers interested in learning how reincarnation may influence their own relationships.

Details:
Threads: The Reincarnation of Anne Boleyn, by Nell Gavin
Book and Quill Press, 2011
Kindle, 6500 (approx. 300 pages)
Buy at Amazon

Book review: Enlightenment for Idiots

Jan25

Spiritual novel is part chicklit, part exposé, and always fun

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Want to see what a spiritual journey to India is really like? Forget “Eat, Pray, Love” and pick up this gem of a novel: “Enlightenment for Idiots” by Anne Cushman. Published in 2009, the book exposes India’s spiritual warts with a humorous touch, packaged in an engaging tale of self-discovery. This fun, fast-paced story reaches emotional and spiritual depths beyond standard chicklit fare.

Story: Nearing age thirty, Amanda thought she’d be someone else by now. Instead, she’s just herself: an ex-nanny yogini-wannabe who cranks out “For Idiots” travel guides just to scrape by. Yes, she has her sexy photographer boyfriend, but he’s usually gone—shooting a dogsled race in Alaska or a vision quest in Peru—or just hooking up with other girls. However, she’s sure her new assignment, “Enlightenment for Idiots,” will change everything; now she’ll become the serene, centered woman she was meant to be. After some breakup sex, she’s off to India to find a new, more spiritual life. (From amazon.com)

Spiritual/metaphysical content: High. The story charts Amanda’s path through a slew of ashrams, temples, and hermitages as she desperately searches for spiritual enlightenment. In addition to the many details about various yoga practices and meditation traditions, Cushman threads the story with Zen philosophy and metaphysical principles that infuse Amanda’s personable character with nuance and heart.

My take: In addition to offering an amusing and insightful story of personal transformation, the novel presents a biting examination of how the American spiritual journey has become a very profitable industry in parts of India. Cushman reminds us that an ashram is also a business with salaries, overhead, marketing costs, and human quirks and failings that all contribute to a seeker’s experience. Enlightenment for Idiots is a brisk, engaging tour of India’s enlightenment industry and an excellent example of spiritual fiction.

Details:
Enlightenment for Idiots, by Anne Cushman
Published by Crown, 2008
Paperback, 372 pages
Buy at Amazon

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