Book Reviews

New Book Reviews
(These reviews appeared in Innerchange Magazine, December 2006/January 2007)

• The Buddha and the Terrorist by Satish Kumar
• The Elements of Prayer: Learning to Pray in Real Life by Joe B. Jewell
• Sacred Rituals for Connecting to Nature's Power by Starhawk
• Recommended Readings

Online Exclusive Reviews

Previous Reviews

The Buddha and the Terrorist Satish Kumar, 2006 $12.95 Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, NC This lovely book should be on everyone's list of must haves and must gives this season. Satish Kumar retells this ancient legend from the Buddhist scriptures with compassion and heartfelt understanding. The story of a man who becomes a murderer, a terrorist after a lifetime of torment is as relevant today as it was 2500 years ago. Angulimala meets the Buddha who refuses to react in fear. The Buddha invites Angulimala to stay with him and other monks in the Jeta Grove. As Angulimala witnesses the peaceful and unencumbered life of the Buddha, another drama is occurring with the townspeople who lost loved ones to Angulimala's brutal attacks. This parable clarifies modern, Western reactions to terrorism and asks all the questions of us if we were presented with a redeemed terrorist. The hardbound, small gift size has a beautifully illustrated dust jacket. ~ Reviewed by Kathryn Lanier, Dec06/Jan07 Other Reviews
The Elements of Prayer: Learning to Pray in Real Life Joe B. Jewell, 2006 $16.00 New World Library, Novato, CA Although Joe B. Jewel is a Methodist Pastor, he writes about the elements of effective prayer in a way that it can be applied to any deity or religious practice. Prayer is supplication and gratitude. It can be public, and it can be private. It can be inspired by pain or pleasure, joy or despair, faith or fear. However, learning to implement basic elements of prayer enriches your ability to stay focused on what you really want to talk about and keeps you open to the answers you will receive. This lovely 5.5 x 7.5 book would make an exceptional offering for yourself or anyone on your personal prayer list! ~ Reviewed by Kathryn Lanier, Dec06/Jan07 Other Reviews
Sacred Rituals for Connecting to Nature's Power Starhawk Earth Magic-DVD, $29.95 In years past I have been privileged to work with Starhawk and have participated in her rituals. As an author, peace activist and teacher, Starhawk has been a leading force behind the reawakening of pagan spirituality in our modern world. Through this DVD, Starhawk is able to bring you into the heart of true magic, the wisdom of the ancestors and communion with the four elements. This 4-DVD set teaches the sacred practices of our ancestors and the ancestral knowledge that is in our cellular memory just waiting to be stirred in the cauldron of intention. Starting with an educational disk on the history of the Goddess and the Craft and moving to the Art of Magic and the Ethics of Spellcasting, each disk takes you through a process of learning and understanding the principles of Earth Magic. Starhawk includes grounding exercises and drum journeys as well as circle casting. I highly recommend this DVD set for anyone who is starting out on the path or wants to go deeper into Earth Magic. It is also useful for those who just want to understand how to connect with nature and the world around us in a more powerful way. ~ Reviewed by Cherie Lassiter, Dec06/Jan07 Other Reviews
Recommended Readings
Reviewed by Kathryn Lanier, Dec06/Jan07 This is a new feature in Innerchange magazine. Many, many books are published each week and are sent to us for potential review. Unfortunately, we cannot review every book we receive! On occasion, we will share with you a brief list of new books coming out. Contact your local metaphysical bookstore if you are interested! Walking Meditation, Nguyen Anh-Huong and Thich Nhat Hanh, 2006. Sounds True, Inc., Boulder, CO. $24.95. This is a simply beautiful and comprehensive set for learning how to practice walking meditation with every step that “kisses the earth.” In the Presence of a Great Mystery, 3 CD Set, Eckhart Tolle, 2006. New World Library, Novato, CA. $21.95. Straightforward and gently humorous, Tolle brings you from the limitations you place on who you allow yourself to be to full knowledge of how you are part of the larger whole. The Book of Courage, Hans Wilhelm, 2006. Barron's Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge, NY. $14.99. Hans Wilhelm lays out the four major mental construct illusions: “The world we are living in is real, I am all alone, the world is full of victims and villains, and there are short cuts back to Heaven,” in the introduction to this marvelous book of quotes and illustrations on courage! Why Buffalo Dance: Animal and Wilderness Meditations Through the Seasons, Susan Chernak McElroy, 2006. New World Library, Novato, CA. $16.00. With a focus on the happenings of the natural world during each of the seasons, McElroy comes face to face with what we can learn and how we can be transformed if we only pay attention. The Hidden Beauty of Everyday Life, Kent Nerburn, 2006. New World Library, Novato, CA. $16.00. Nerburn writes about those things that he has taken the time to slow down and notice so that we, too, are encouraged to stop and smell those proverbial roses. Other Reviews