Intimate and Complete Exploration
596227
I've read all of Patterson's books, but there is something about Spiritual Survival that feels different, on a more expansive scale. Because of the way it's arranged--from a lengthy introduction to questions and responses, to explorations of themes, and essays--there is a quality of seeing the author's perspective in a multifaceted way. At the same time, though the book gives such a broad and deep look at the Gurdjieff Work, it isn't staid or standoffish, but intimate.

Oddly, the impression I had of reading this book was that it was critically important in the Gurdjieff canon. The analogy I came to was that it is similar to how Joyce's Ulysses is so important to literature. Patterson's a gifted writer, but in this hefty tome, this becomes even more apparent.
2643023
This is an album full of detailed musical textures and great depth. It also plays like a true album of work with both instrumental and lyrical connections between the songs. It's great to have an entire album you want to re-explore immediately after listening to it, and I'm certain I'll be doing that for quite a while with this one.
1341629
McClatchy's new book is an absolute delight, one to savor and read and re-read. This volume includes highlights from previous works as well as new poems, stunning and clever translations, and poems inspired by music and musical forms. The selection of poems charts the course of a strong and rare poetic spirit, one that unabashedly explores preoccupations of the soul, meditates on the nature of friends and lovers, and turns finally to resignation and elegiac reflection. Among the new poems: "Wolf's Trees" is beautiful. Rapture and grief, longing and loneliness grow into a sanctuary of waiting trees, not so empty any more but satisfyingly unfilled like the "emptiness visible on leaves that come and go." "My Hand Collection" is powerful yet tender, exploring the human hand as a living documentary while holding on to the hardest of all letting gos (letting go of loved ones). The depth and beauty evoked by these poems can be found in the last lines from "Ovid's Farewell": "It comes to pass, the last change / As the first, from a stream of star-shot / Wonderment that falls down to our home on earth."
1873127
Where I Left Off is a pleasing body of work. Your mastery of the keyboard is highlighted in each sound. The movement through each note delivers a specific gesture of emotion. Although this is very confident and assertive the listener is comforted and carried on a journey filled with adventures. Ohh Baby is charged with the movement of the sounds lead by the keyboard. The play between the horns and the keyboard arouses the soul. And thats just the first song! Seasons Change is memorable with its certain sweetness. The composition is gorgeous with the ebb and flow of the keyboard in the lead and then saxophone adding a sparkle to the already shimmering fluidity. Your work is stimulating and leaves the listener unquestionably satisfied.
282366
This is a book I keep returning to. To experience again and again.  The "moments" that Jim shares with us take us on a personal and an intimate journey. A passage of discovery. Of ourselves and what God has for us.  Jim, gently and lovingly, encourages us to come along....to see what is real, what matters, what is precious.  I have given this book (Jim's gift to us) to a few of my most dear friends and relatives....so that they can take the journey, too. I highly recommend this work, it is a keeper!
4786031
Delicate and sublime with a stirring of ecstasy dancing over a driving powerful intoxication is what you will find if you listen to Goodbye first. It is the perfect place to start this journey into soul shivering musical escape. The song surges and sways bursting from the limits of sound into an unbelievably ecstatic moment in time. This goes beyond inspiration to new levels of creativity where modern technology and ancient longings collide. At times it is crystalline perfection and at others the warm sounds completely surround you enveloping you in a dreamy haze.

If you listen to the album from start to finish you will first encounter silky washes of sound with ethereal vocals. "Stars" is almost chilling with dramatic elements that seem to seek to overwhelm with psychedelic swirls and epic sonic power. Vocals cascade over driving beats like a waterfall and then a plane suddenly lands. The dreamy "Einfeld" has a renewed clarity but still retains the warm washes of sound ebbing and flowing from the first tracks. "In Between the Years" is like a snowstorm and a warm fire with distant echoes of haunting chill. It invites you closer and then sends you spinning off into starscapes.

"Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" wakes up this album with a spontaneous fusion of lush layering and nostalgia. You can sink deeply into the memories of this track and yet it has the excitement of new discovery. This song and the mesmerizing "Goodbye" both give me shivers. "A Song about Hope" is much more mellow and has a captivating rhythm that keeps your full attention as the song soars in luminous orchestral beauty. "Medusa" is much darker introspective piece with static urban elements and echoes. "For Good" has the sounds of lonely acoustic guitar and distant brooding longing.

As a relaxing chill out album this offers a sinking into the feeling of escape while it plays with the ideas of fragility and power. Warm washes of sound mingle with ethereal vocals throughout and capture many moods and places that are exciting and serene all at once.

If you love this album you may also enjoy music by Feist, Evening Ocean, Hooverphonic, Between Interval, Zero 7 and The Album Leaf.

~The Rebecca Review
1095295
An astonishing variety of experiences, all in or near the Big Apple, described with humor, insight, and enthusiasm.  The authors' intimate knowledge and deep love for their city beam from every page.  The directions and details are precise and easy to follow.  A useful feature is the annotated contents section that makes it quick and easy to browse and choose a destination.  HIGHLY recommended for the visitor or for the native who has spent too much time indoors.
2837658
With an ease and lightness of touch, this book reflects on the sacred in relation to physical and subtle space, relationships and boundaries, safety and risk, liminality and letting go.  Sacred time too  I liked the authors definition of ritual as taking a moment, taking time out, to celebrate or honour a specific moment of time.

A modern Druid, Joanna van der Hoeven uses her personal journey to illustrate her themes and suggests practices to explore them  within the home, within the forest and within the inner world. These practices, and the book as a whole, are accessible to beginners or non-aligned seekers as well as those already grounded in Druid and Pagan tradition. This is helped by the careful arrangement of the book in six chapters: Lady of Boundaries and Edges; Lady of Hearth and Home; Lady of the Sacred Grove; Lady of sanctuary; Lady of Ritual: Lady of Everything and Nothing.

The last chapter opens the way to reflections on personal identity and the no self/true self paradox of Zen and other non-dual traditions. To enter into immersion into the entirety of being  to be at one with existence, to truly experience life, there seems to be a necessary letting go of our customary self-sense and a finding of true self through being in the moment, returning to the core. In this way the book continues the journey of the authors earlier and well-received Zen Druidry.
2599303
This novel is a treasure. Deeply intimate and insightful, it explores the inner life of a young woman in such a thoughtful, emotional way that the reader feels she/he is embroiled in her world and her emotional experiences. Agnes is a remarkably aware character, one who is funny and dark, intelligent and uncertain, and most of all authentic. The intimacy with which I experienced this character was truly astonishing: it is rare to be able to connect with a character--to feel as if there is a genuine person--as well as I felt my connection to be with this character. This ability is truly a testament to a talented writer who is not only able to draw in the reader immediately but is also able to keep the reader interested in--even fascinated with--the character throughout the book. I felt consistently sympathetic with her, as if she could become part of my own life.
The plot is carefully drawn out so that Agnes' growth during the course of the book is identifiable throughout, so that the ending becomes realistic and consistent with the changes she experiences. The epistolary approach is lovely--just enough to reveal Agnes' thoughts and convey her anger, both with subtlety and humor. I read this in less than two days; each time I put it down, I felt compelled to enter Agnes' world again until the end. The fact that this novel tackles universal issues--relationships of various kinds, love, separation, and parenting, to name a few--is further testament to the fact that it works on multiple levels. It's a true master of writing who, like Ms. Iskandrian, can create a world both highly personal and universal in its thematic scope.
The most difficult thing about this book is that, like all things, it ends.
More, more, more from this exceptional and talented writer!
Very highly recommended.
2657615
An exceptionally intimate and personal collection of poems addressed explicitly to a past lover. The verse is, uh ... very transparent and direct in its voice, shall we say. This book says more than it intends to, as an artifact and as a performative document; its meaning overflows its container. One is left feeling an avuncular, if detached, sort of protectiveness over the young writer.
2477650
The fist journey through this collection feels like some kind of voyeuristic eavesdropping. It was as hard to identify my own feeling as it was instinctive to identify Ms. Olds' as she details the profound shredding of what she thought she knew.  When you go back and find the poems that truly moved you, the others light up the room. This book is an amazing achievement.
1869395
I'm not even sure the best way to summarize this book without taking anything away from your own individual reading experience. It's an introspective study of Elle, a woman who has perfected the art of keeping her act together despite the odds of her past conspiring against her. Elle meets Dan in a candy store, and she finds herself unable to put him out of her mind, despite the fact they exchanged only words. When they run into each other again weeks later, she's torn between protecting herself and allowing herself to feel something. She's determined to cut out emotional attachment like some sort of cancer, and, intrigued, Dan agrees to come along for the ride. What results is a tormented exploration into unknown territory for the both of them.

Dirty is, by far, my top pick of Megan Hart's work. It's an intense study about both the physical and emotional aspects of relationships, and not just romantic ones. It is, in my mind, a perfect example of erotic literature. Yes, literature. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking for something that will take you on a sensual and complicated journey.
703779
This album carries you away on a sensory journey of the soul. Each time I listen, something new is revealed and unfolded within me. I found myself experiencing moments of contemplation and deep thought, then I would feel a slight grin roll across my cheek, with moments of a chuckle of joy, and at other times feeling the wet warmth of tears streaming down my face. I can't recall any other music or album that I have listened to that evokes this level of emotion within me. I can only surmise that it sings directly to my soul.
I had the pleasure of being introduced to Keith Sudano four years ago as my life coach, vaguely experienced his music from before, and I started playing guitar after I met him, (btw, something I believed I could never do). Three years ago this newbie was able to play guitar and sing with him when he shared some of these new songs. To hear the evolution from the acoustic version to the final album...a masterpiece! It has been an amazing journey for me that is even more rewarding by seeing Keith beginning the album to the final completion. Kudos, my brother! I am grateful for Keith Sudano and the wonderful creation of his art of song....what a gift to us all. LOVE :-)
1799570
Kyoto Gardens is a companion book to Ben Simmons and Judith Clancys 2013 book, Kyoto: City of Zen. In similar fashion to the previous book  there are equal parts of inspiration and education.  The photos capture both the expansive landscapes of the gardens and the poignant stillness that we each hope to witness in these exquisite places. You can appreciate the skill of Simmonss photography  the images place you at eye level, as if you are walking through the gardens, looking down at the stone paths or across the water. Really lovely, and subtle. (See his book Tokyo Desire for another angle on his artistry.) Clancys text explains the intent of the gardens and the methodology  distilling a very complex subject down for us to grasp the basics. The inclusion of maps for each of the regions is useful as an orienting tool  not as a guidebook but to see the regional relationships and a bit of wayfinding.  The size of the book is as intimate as the subject  perfect for tucking into a backpack or leaving on your desk for a bit of wishful traveling.
1161762
Delbanco is a master!  Every word carefully chosen, every phrase artfully assembled. His ability to evoke an image, thought, sensation is remarkable. This little book is not just about travel to foreign lands, scribbling, and sickness; but about the very personal self-discovery such activities could engender.

very highly recommended
4296823
This book is a must-have for anyone who appreciates surrealism, magic, apocalyptic imagery, and philosophy. Meghan Boody's work is a rich exploration of the complexity of being female while at the same time addressing the mystery of the female condition.
Many of these photographs echo the spiritual, the depraved, and the fine line between dreams and reality. They are stunning in both color and texture; a beautiful mix of the futuristic and the ancient. There is a darkness, and a heaviness to the work, but also something playful and magical: this duality is strong and able to hold the attention of the observer throughout. Each piece has a demanding pull, so the book is best absorbed one or two pages at a time. Five stars!!!
1892831
A beautiful book that ends too soon. Hiding genially underneath a New England scholar's personal spiritual adventure to Mount Athos is a vibrant, penetrating, all-encompassing examination of religion and spirituality. Yet, the book never tires, and only refreshes. Author Markides' sparkling writing is taut and clean, with a seriousness and intelligence palpable on every page. It's a startling journal of a seeker, and offers a surprisingly rare insight into Orthodox mysticism, through the teaching of Father Maximos, lovingly supplanted by the author's genuine experience of discovery. I'm struck again by the fascinating parallels of approach and understanding between mystical Orthodoxy and Buddhism, also apparent in studying the Philokalia. Not to overstate it, although it's touted as an Orthodox book, the depth of understanding that permeates Mountain of Silence gives it a broad appeal across religions, towards the Infinite. It's interesting that the distinct mystical traditions of Judaism, Orthodoxy, and Catholicism forge a spiritual synthesis that mostly escapes finding in church and synagogue, when it's a deeper understanding we most seek; this book goes a long way towards bridging that curious disconnect. Every important element of the author's experience is plumbed and vividly conveyed, riveting, in fact. There seems no superficial way of reading this book, and that indicates an authentic attainment. Mountain of Silence is unexpected and deep, and wisely expressive. Best of all, it's wholly compelling. Radical recommendation, no hesitation.