TO BE OR NOT TO BE...
931457
This 1964 film garnered twelve Academy Award nominations, and age has not diminished its power to engage the viewer. Fueled by two powerful performances that drive the entire film, that of Peter O'Toole as Henry II and that of Richard Burton as Thomas Becket, this history based drama explains the conflict that caused the assassinatiom and subsequent canonization of Becket.

Henry II, England's twelfth century Norman King, elevated Thomas Becket, a commoner and Saxon peasant, to the lofty position of Chancellor of England. Famous friends, they drank, caroused and wenched together. All was well between them until Henry takes it into his head to appoint Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury, the most powerful cleric in England, though Becket begs his friend not to do this. Ignoring the heartfelt plea of his friend, he makes it so, under the belief that this would indirectly bring the Catholic Church of England under his dominion and control.

Simultaneously both Archbishop and Chancellor, Becket became the most powerful man, secularly and religiously, in England with one fell swoop. This political move by Henry did not work out as he had envisioned, however, as Becket found himself in the position of being able only to render to the King that which was the King's and to God that which was God's. Becket took his position of Archbishop of Canterbury very seriously and was uncompromising in his view, a devotion to God that Henry had not bargained on. This created conflict between Becket and Henry. The friendship and love that had existed between them for so long, now quickly turned to bitter hate on Henry's part for what he perceived to be a betrayal of that friendship. For the first time in his life, Henry had a rival with whom he could not compete: God.

This was to lead to a battle of wills between the two that would culminate in a tragedy that would become memorialized for all time. This film attempts to capture the events that led up to Becket's eventual martyrdom. It succeeds masterfully. A somewhat hammy Peter O'Toole is terrific as the selfish King Henry II. A more restrained Richard Burton is compelling as the troubled and angst ridden Becket, who ultimately chooses his devotion to God over the dictates of his King and friend. This is a beautifully filmed and superlative historical drama with wonderful performances contributed by the supporting cast. Though somewhat stagey at times, it does not fail to fully engage the viewer. All in all, it is a period piece well worth watching and a welcome addition to one's film collection.
3141367
When guided by prophecy not all seems clear. Having been give the chance is it the time? One never truly knows till standing in that moment. Only them must we decide. For light and darkness have a balance. This scale isn't ours to govern.
1633725
At this moment in time this is my favorite.  Who knows about the next moment from now.  Maybe I'll find one made of gold, and the golden one will be my favorite.  I am fickle that way.  Are not we all?
4650062
In the future....all is perfect.  Or is it?  When an Outsider penetrates the City Center, doubt arises with at least one person.  Can one person change history?  You'll have to read this to find out.
While it starts rather pedantic, stick with it.  It's worth it!!
Juli
3275091
Just do it.  Don't focus on what you can't have, focus on the outcome & benefits. Such a reward. Great!
2312931
All of those statements although they may see contradictory, are true for me.  I couldn't put it down - which would seem that I liked it. Although at times I skimmed over pages that were just too brutal. At the end I was left  confused and somewhat frustrated. It seems if it kept me engaged and  even  after finishing I have not been able to shut it from mind - it must have  been a good read, yes?  I guess you will need to decide for yourself.  I  think the book had to do with risk not just change, but risking so that how  you felt, thought and lived becomes different.  You are not only to  accomplish that which you were sent here to do but you become who you were  meant to be.  Through the philosophy of the main charactors - the Arbai,  the Hippae, the foxen, the Sanctified, the bons, the commoners, the Old  Catholics, the Green Brothers, the moldies,  the climbers and the  ambassador's family, I found the contrast that helped establish the theme  of the book for me - Risking to Become.
4080813
This best of books is about possibilities, -even the future is possible- It is about many things, about the important (at least for me!)  question " what am I, if not a scientist or an artist?." Ulrich (the man) is a reality in between; a person attached to nothing, not even an idea. A book unfinished because it could not be finished. A desparate Don Quichote effort of the funny writer Musil. "It is better to be ein Baum than Einstein." Sorry for the advise to read the book in the original German language, indeed the American (or any other) translation is not what the book deserves. Also try to get hold of the unfinished part of the book. END
3411269
A reinterpretation of Chinese philosophy from the perspective of age seventy.  If only I had photographic memory,as well as, discipline, I, too, could be a sage. Truth is spoken here, but can you accept it. Are you able to let go of those ideals that hindered our ability to let go? To be contented with fewer things, less power. Can you not be so quick to offer up controversy, to speak less often? Would our wisdom be invited if we embraced pause? I fall short, but it is good food for thought.
3149146
I sort of believe the thesis that the author's are working under, and I think a reader should come to this book with a preconceived belief that the authors at least *could* be right.

A lot of people might see the "future thinking" the authors discuss as basic coincidence, and I'm not going to argue it one way or the other. But I liked how this book gave lots of examples and tried to provide a strategy, such that it is, to pay attention to subtle signs that *might* be a clue of an upcoming event, good or bad.

Again, just like with anything, it's easy to use hindsight with anything and say "oh, that was a sign!" I don't think this book will convince anybody brand new. But I do have a little belief in these signs popping up, or semi-precognition like you're thinking of a song and suddenly you hear it on the radio. But, how can we predict and harness this slight precog ability? I certainly don't know! (and I'm not arguing I'm 'special,' just that this precog idea exists).

It's an interesting book for those who already accept the thesis. It's not a book you'll sit and read straight through, but I had a good time flipping back and forth between different examples and experiences. I'm not sure it will 'help' me behave differently in any way, but it was still neat!
4975727
David Loy's new book - A NEW BUDDHIST PATH - Enlightenment, Evolution, and Ethics in the Modern World - seems less a declaration of faith for a new buddhist path than a doubtish hope that another one may just-in-time arise that can also be called Buddhist. (I wonder if the editorial reviewers cited by Amazon actually read it).

Because it is 99.9% about the -ism and only 0.1% about the buddh-, a more appropriate title might have been: Is Buddhism an -ism that can save the future?

Having now read Dr. Loy's many helpful deconstructions of the -ism - for which I am grateful - I can speak loudly for myself with a resounding NO! Buddh-ISM is NOT an ISM that can save the future but only because there is NO ISM that can save any future in what is clearly emerging as the post-ISMATIC phase of human collectivity.

Dr. Loy's *hope* emerges in a section of the book he calls "The New Bodhisattva":

"For those inspired by Buddhist teachings, an important issue is how much Buddhism can help us respond to these crises. This book has explored the relevance of Buddhist teachings to our present situation, but it's not enough to elaborate on those teachings: they require practice. We also seek examples of engagement that actually address the formidable challenges that face us... Is there something specific within the Buddhist tradition that brings together personal and social transformation, in a new model of activism connecting inner and outer practice? Yes: the bodhisattva... There is a better way to understand what motivates the bodhisattva-- if we understand awakening as the realization that I am not separate from (the rest of) the world. Then the bodhisattva's preoccupation with helping "others" is not a personal sacrifice but a further stage of personal development."

He then goes on to suggest that the New Bodhisattva is one who transcends the two extremes of (elite-making) mindfulness on the one hand and of (the ever-scolding guilt leveraging) social engagement on the other.

I was just about to shout YES before reading his concluding chapter which ... sadly ... was nothing more than an attempt to salvage some doctrinal relevance out of *karma* and *rebirth*.

I do encourage all forward-looking practitioners of the buddh- to read this book, however, as a kind of prophesy - the voice of one in the wilderness - and after hearing it, to gather in the wilderness with aspirations for raising Maitreya NOW with activity that is unconstrained by any reference to ISMs (old or new).
4631445
Might do it still.  The urge to walk away from all most of think of as "valuable" or "real" or "necessary," sometimes overwhelms me.  And the worse it gets "in" here (Bush, religious terrorists, fundies, Corporate greed, celebrity adoration, reality TV, and on and on), the more powerful the urge.  I would not go where Chris went, too too cold in the winter.  But I can easily see myself walking into a desert, or taking a boat out to sea, and staying there.  So I have no trouble understanding the boy.  Anyone who spends a few hours really looking around at the world ought to be able to understand the boy.  Imagining his last hours as he lay in the shelter of some old bus and died from eating the wrong thing haunts me.  I can easily see that too.  This is not the story of Pi, who drifts across the Atlantic with a Tiger.  This is a real true human story that sticks in the mind and in the gut forever.  Even so, I might still walk away.  But not with Tolstoy.  I'd go with Longfellow's The Secret Magdalene, and if at all possible (considering the weight), with a Seth book or two.
1271998
As Stella Porter points out, things like psychic awareness are often ridiculed.  For those of us raised in mainstream churches, we might consider it 'wrong' to dabble in such matters... and the people behind some of these churches might not like us to realise we have our own direct connection to the 'powers that be' instead of having to work through a hierarchy, or according to a set of rules.  Some academics might be quick to brush aside reports of psychic success because they feel it threatens the basis of their life's work and beliefs.  And it could be argued that the world's financial elite and big businesses wouldn't want workers and consumers to find out how powerful they really can be.

I firmly believe that there is much more to man than meets the microscope.  I have had experiences and insights that have convinced me that we can operate beyond our 'traditional' physical constraints.

I would have liked to have read about some of the author's personal experiences in this small book, and I was a little distracted by what appeared to be errors that somehow got missed in the proof-reading process.  While I'm being picky, I must say that I would have preferred to have seen a picture of the author on the book's cover instead of what appears to be a stock image grabbed for the purpose, as it is so similar to other books in this category (wait... maybe that is a picture of the author on the cover.  Dunno).  Nevertheless, the use of a stock image enabled this book to be published quickly at a low cost.  And despite these minor problems, the book has the feel of authenticity.  I also get the impression that the author is  a sincere and caring person (that's another reason why I'd like to read her personal stories...  maybe we'll get these in a subsequent book).

If more people became 'aware'... if they tuned in more to what is beyond physical sight... if they had more contemplative moments and considered the possible affects of their every thought, word and action.... and if they could see how every person and thing might be connected... then our worldly experience would be very likely to improve.  With that in mind, I recommend this book.  Reading anything sincere like this is useful.

While I (or you) might not agree with all of what an author may write, or the reasoning that they use, it is still possible to find valid and useful ideas in a majority of written works.  "Take the best and leave the rest" is a good guideline.  While novices and seasoned psychics alike might disagree with some things that others say, they are all likely to agree that there really is something going on in the non-physical realms.  People have been using electricity for years, and I don't think that anyone has ever been able to explain to me, in a satisfactory way, how it really works.  But it is apparently a real phenomena (well, something is going on), and I find that I can use it to my benefit... irrespective of whether it is positive particles moving one way through a wire... or electrons moving in the opposite direction or whatever.

I think that Stella Porter knows a bit about what is going on, and she is trying to help us learn about it.

Best wishes from Nelson, New Zealand.
438512
Do not let anyone stop you from doing something that is supposed to be.  Be free to be who you are meant to be.
1832249
If you want to understand what people are thinking, read and study this book. It is not academic. The danger is that you will know what people think of you and others. Sometimes it may be better not to know.
546062
What does one do when a choice must be made between securing one's future and caring for family? The answer isn't as simple as it would seem.
569565
It's easy, especially for idealistic folks, to confuse "ought to be" with "is." This can lead to severe breaks with reality. It can also lead to impassioned, fight-the-good-fight historically-speculative fiction like this, which takes something that damned well ought to bethe prosecution of George W. Bush for sanctioning the torture of prisonersand presents it as a contemporary fact. There may be no real justice in this universe, planet, or country, but lets thank Joseph Suste for presenting us with the illusion of justice, one that just might inspire us to pursue it in real life. This novel is honest and sincere, and not as one-sided as it might at first appear to be--though it does take sides, without apology. It's worth a read for anyone who wants to imagine this important event, and best of all, it provides a template of action--including a legal presentment--for any lawyers of good conscience out there who just might take inspiration from its pages.
1609383
Let's review: here is a decent person who wanted to make public his convictions, to help protect those who are discriminated against,  someone who worked his way up from a tough upbringing, who is exercising his right to speak. He may not have been perfect in the delivery, but shouldn't more of us be brave and speak up when others need our love and support? I thought that was the point. Life is about love, acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness.