Inprint - New Books of interest by Jeanne Spiro

The Andean Codex: Adventures and Initiations Among the Peruvian Shamans by J.E. Williams. (Hampton Roads, $15.95, Paperback.)

This story takes us to the mysterious and isolated areas in the Peruvian Andes. We accompany the author on his visits with a handful of shaman-priests who preserve the ancient knowledge of how the natural world operates. A codex refers to a classical work of spiritual scripture, and in that spirit, J.E. Williams has given us a respectful look at Andean spiritual tradition.

For more than thirty years Williams has risked his health and personal safety to journey through the place he calls the mystical and spiritual center of our times. In its rain forests, mountains, and environmentally attuned indigenous population, Peru’s mystical landscape fosters inner discovery.

The Andean Codex guides us step by step through journeys to Andean sacred places like Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and Moray, and in the process uncovers the esoteric meaning of these ruins. Williams recounts his initiation with Peruvian shamans, including ceremonies he performed at Machu Picchu and his experiences using the mind expanding, heart-opening ayahuasca and the sacred coca plant.

Throughout these encounters, Williams weaves in practical advice that brings the wisdom of Andean shamans to life. His account of their prayers, practices, and ceremonies offers a rare opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a shaman and experience the Andean sacred way.

Simple Truths: Clear & Simple Guidance on the Big Issues in Life
by Kent Nerburn. (New World Library, $16.00, Hard Cover.)

In Simple Truths, Kent Nerburn gently reminds us to embrace the mystery at the heart of existence. He challenges us to measure our days not by what we have acquired but by what we have left behind, and to honor the moral and spiritual center of our lives. Drawing on insights put forth in his book, Letters to My Son, he offers clear guidance on central life experiences like love, work, money, strength, solitude, and death. It is deeply informed by the spiritual traditions of the West, the Far East, and the Native Americans with whom he has worked for many years.

Recently, on the Red Lake Reservation near Nerburn’s home in Bemidji, Minnesota, a high school student went into the local high school and killed seven people. Nerburn wrote several articles, asking people to listen to the cries of our children and to come together to see what kind of life we can create for them, so tragedies like this one will cease to happen. Here he offers us a vision of life that acknowledges our human condition while remaining hopeful about human potential.

The Way of the White Clouds by Lama Anagarika Govinda. (The Overlook Press, $27.95, Hard Cover.)

Lama Anagarika Govinda was one of the last foreigners to journey through Tibet before the Chinese invasion of 1950. A devoted Buddhist and spokesman for Tibetan culture his luminous and candid account is a story of exploration and discovery, and a sensitive and lucid interpretation of Tibetan traditions.

These days, Western identification with the plight of the Tibetan people has become a popular cause, stirring millions around the world. This was not the case for Govinda, who traveled in Tibet on the brink of the Chinese invasion. In this moment of repose, totally isolated from the Western world, he found in Tibetan Buddhism an alternative to the destructive materialism of both communism and capitalism. This is the chronicle of his journey through pre-communist Tibet, a voyage that led him to both a personal spiritual awakening, and an impassioned philosophical defense of the Tibetan way of life.

Robert Thurman’s introduction places Govinda’s writings in historical context and opens a new door to understanding Tibet, Buddhism, and the life of a remarkable man who, as Thurman remarks, is one of the West’s greatest minds of the twentieth century.

Prophet or Madman: A Bridge Between Worlds by Bruce Adams. (Trinus Publishing, $18.00, Paperback.)

We are entering an age where it seems the truth of our existence may finally be within our grasp. Like last night’s dream, this Truth dimly resonates in our consciousness, but our minds cannot quite grasp it. In the past few decades a number of insightful messengers have surfaced to help guide us to a keener awareness of this Truth. Now there is Bruce Adams.

From a very young age Adams began experiencing a haunting pattern of freak accidents and near-death experiences. Then, in 1996, God spoke to him. He was directed to begin meditating in order to prepare for something he was to do; to share information explaining who we are, why we are here, and a way to get home. Adams came to realize that his mission in life is to teach us there really is more than meets the eye and that anyone and everyone has the ability to be still and listen, to see beyond the physical world to the spiritual. He tells us there is no part of creation that is meant to be hidden from us.

Prophet or Madman explores not only the myths and reality of this world, but leads us on a journey of self-discovery into what lies beyond this physical experience we call life.

Tune Into Love: Attract Romance Through the Power of Vibrational Matching by Margaret McCraw, Ph.D. (Hampton Roads, $14.95, Paperback.)

What is vibrational matching? It is a way to clarify and use your deliberate intention to attract your desires and the love of your dreams. If you thought the way to attract a partner was to wear sensual clothing, go out to bars, and put your goals on hold until you find your ideal mate, think again.

Therapist Margaret McCraw has spent 25 years helping singles and couples find love and maintain committed partnerships. She says that our bodies and other life forms radiate waves of energy that respond to and resonate with other people’s energy vibrations. Each of us radiates a dominant vibration determined by our persistent thoughts, beliefs, and feelings about ourselves. The law of attraction causes vibrations of similar frequencies to magnetize each other. Tune Into Love explains the essentials to understanding and using this law.

McCraw shows you how to sidestep self-imposed roadblocks that hold you back from fulfillment and offers essential steps for focusing your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. Not only does she tell you how to attract the partner of your dreams, she shows how following these steps will help keep your relationship strong, loving, and vital for years to come.

Shortcut to a Miracle: How to change Your Consciousness and Transform Your Life by Michael Rann & Elizabeth Rann Arrott. (Jeffers Press, $14.95, Paperback.)

Perhaps you are searching for a dramatic healing, a loving relationship, or the perfect solution to a problem. Perhaps you’re in need of a new start financially. Or maybe you want to express a dream you haven’t dared to pursue up to now.

This book will show you how to get there. In fact, it won’t help you create just one miracle. Through the exploration of how pioneering discoveries in quantum physics relate to human consciousness, and dozens of real-life stories, this book shows how to open the door to a continuing flow of miracles in life.

Most people think that miracles run counter to the laws of nature and they are bestowed from above. But miracles are perfectly natural. They are the result of the universe working the way it’s intended to work. Also, we are not the recipients of miracles, we are their co-creators. We are wired for them, we just need to learn how to help them unfold.