Book Description
This fascinating book gives you the tools to help tap into one of the most powerful forces in the Universe -YOUR SOUL. This is a step by step guide to help you reconnect with your natural spiritual abilities. You’ll develop a conscious awareness of the spiritual laws that exists in each and every person. “Power of the Soul” will help you to dismantle some of the barriers created by your outer-self, to unveil your true inner-self and enable you to break free from some of the psychological restrictions that have prevented you from identifying and realizing your full potential.
Within these pages you’ll learn how to:
· Discover and access your spiritual faculties
· Open yourself to a guiding higher consciousness
· Tap in to your own intuitive abilities
· Remove psychological and spiritual blocks
· Find your true self as you understand the nature, function, and purpose of the soul
· Create and control your own path
· Use spiritual energy to heal yourself and others
· Enhance your body, mind, and soul to live a life of harmony
This transformational book is more than just a guide. It is also a way back to a life lived from the inside out. No matter what your walk of life, this book will help you to follow your own spiritual journey. “When you tap into the incredible force and power of your soul, and once your spiritual gifts are recognized, opened and used,” says John, “you’ll see yourself and the world in a way you never thought possible.”
Customer Reviews:
Power of the Soul.......2007-09-23
This is a very informative, easily read book. I would recommend it those people interested or involved in mediumship
Power of the soul.......2007-08-09
I loved this book! I love John Holland! He explains step by step how to be in touch with your soul and so much more!
spirit within .......2007-07-04
this will open your eyes to who we really are it will help you connect to the spirit within it is well written and a must to read if you want to learn about spirit world and were our own power comes from another great read is the calling of your true self elizabeth anne bell mixed together they are speaking a lot of truths both will help you with answers to the spirit and soul within
Looking inside is the first step.......2007-04-26
How do you know what's right for you if you don't know who you are? This book will help you take the steps you need to find your inner self -- your soul. It's very non-airy fairy -- it's a very well-grounded, practical book about how to get there. As Holland points out when telling a story about an artist friend, you probably already *are* in the flow and connecting with your soul more than you know. The book is filled with straight-forward yet highly effective ways to reach out to your soul...through gratitude, through love, through keeping a dream journal. The author also share snippets from his own life and his own path, allowing the reader to experience how he found *his* path.
Power of the Soul: Inside Wisdom for an Outside World.......2007-04-11
This is the best book I have read from John Holland. John has a beautiful mature way of describing and educating people to a world that is not visible to many humans today. This book is one I will keep for my spiritual resource Library. I enjoyed especially hearing his positive life experiences with the spirit world.
Customer Reviews:
Captivating Memoir of Repeated First Contacts in New Guinea - With Photos.......2007-01-06
Michael Leahy, James Taylor and their indigenous crews searched for gold in the New Guinea Highlands during the 1930's. They found perhaps a million previously unknown people of some 5,000 different tribes speaking 2,000 different languages - each tribe isolated by mutually enforced strict boundaries. When Leahy first entered the Highlands in 1930 he took a camera but rarely used it - by 1933 he saw himself as not only a gold prospector and entrepreneur but an explorer with an unparalleled opportunity to document a unique event. In 1980 the authors found some 5,000 professional quality 35mm photos and several hours of 16mm videos. This resulted in a TV documentary and this book which presents dozens of the more spectacular photos.
The exhilaration of first contact between modern explorers and people from primitive culture is replayed repeatedly as Leahy and Taylor travel with the impunity that the tribal folks cannot - with the security of their guns always at hand. They admit to causing 40-50 native fatalities when things got out of control.
Authors Connolly and Anderson interviewed not only the explorers, but many of the New Guineans who remembered the first contacts. It was easier than you might think. All they had to do was retrace the paths of Leahy and Taylor, well-documented in their journals and photos. When kids invariably welcomed them to a village, usually similarly named from 50 years before, they just asked to speak to the old people.
Captivating photos document the emotions of the "discovered" on every third or fourth page of this remarkable memoir. Definitely worth reading.
Book Description
Four views, from salvation in Christ alone to the belief that all ethical religions lead to God, presented by advocates of each, help Christians understand and meet the challenges of our pluralistic culture.
Customer Reviews:
Challenging but worthwhile..........2007-08-07
This book offered an expansive and surprisingly lively exchange between four streams of theological thought pertaining to the relationships between Christianity and other religions, specifically in connection with salvation. John Hick represented the pluralism camp, Clark Pinnock represented the inclusivist camp, Alister McGrath represented a more broadly defined camp within particularism, and Douglas Geivett and Gary Phillips jointly represented a narrower branch of particularism.
I found the experience of reading this book to be extremely rewarding. It was a difficult read, probably as philosophical in nature as anything that I've ever read. The language that the authors used was more complicated and intricate than typical (though they would certainly argue that they dumbed-down and truncated their standard arguments to fit within the confines of this particular format). And I was amazed and pleased by the honesty and direct nature of the dialogue. There were no punches pulled, and these great thinkers were perfectly willing to challenge and even insult each other (or at least each other's ideas).
Though I was drawn to Hick's narrative introduction, I was immediately put-off by his aversion to the Bible. I instantly disconnected when he essentially decried the Bible as a series of man-made texts that were culturally/politically/theologically crafted for particular earthly purposes. I was further frustrated by the tenor of his writing throughout the book and found him to be less gracious than his colleagues. And without any foundation in the Bible or traditional Christian thinking, I found his arguments to be disconnected from any truth-source. Though he brought great challenge to my thinking, I remain unconvinced by his arguments.
Pinnock was hard to understand, as he claims to fall within evangelicalism but seems to press very hard against the walls of that distinction. He makes a very compelling case against the notion of a loving God who would choose billions for hell, but I found his argumentation to be rather scattered and unconvincing.
Geivett/Phillips were most closely aligned to my own spiritual upbringing, and they had the advantage of having me in their camp at the start. And though I found their approach to be comfortable for me (very Scripturally-based and well-organized), I was unimpressed by their logic and argumentation. The other authors seemed to be able to poke some significant holes in their reasoning, and I found their responses to be inadequate.
Ultimately, I finished this book most impressed by the case and position of Alister McGrath. This result was somewhat surprising, as I've mentioned that I expected to align most closely with Geivett and Phillips. Instead, I found McGrath to have a very winsome tone through his writing. Though very direct and confrontational when needed, he was never patronizing like Hick, never desperate like Pinnock, and never careless like Geivett/Phillips. I appreciate the clarity of his logic, as I was not lost in his thoughts as I occasionally was with the others. And I found that he struck a helpful balance between commitment to the Scriptures and the history of Christian thinking while honoring God's sovereignty by leaving a few important questions essentially unanswered. He did not bash the Bible (like Hick), he did not insult Augustine and Calvin (like Pinnock), and he did not proof-text (like Geivett/Phillips). He simply made a solid case for the reality that salvation is available in and through Christ, and our job as Christians is to spread that message everywhere, regardless of whether we know for sure what God plans to do with anyone that we miss. This gives us a vital job to do but leaves the final work in God's hands.
Informative, but limited in scope.......2006-12-20
This will be brief. Overall I am pleased with the Counterpoints series Zondervan has published, but like the publisher, these works are filtered through a fairly conservative lens. The present volume is a case in point. The editors admit in their introduction they agree with a particularist approach to salvation (i.e., exclusivist, traditional, etc), and while I certainly appreciate this nod towards being transparent in their editorship, as I read through the book it didn't take long to realize I would need to seek out other sources - none evangelical in tone and stance - to inform my understanding of the debates in soteriology and today's church. John Hick and Alister McGrath offer particularly strong arguments in their essays - their writing is cogent and informative. Clark Pinnock is perhaps misrepresented in this volume, because his brand of inclusivism teeters on the edge of particularism. In fact, he sounds like a disillusioned traditional evangelical who doesn't know how to make sense of salvation so he just takes a vague middle road. The Geivett/Phillips article is pretty useless in my opinion - they reiterate nothing new or interesting that you can't hear on a Sunday morning at your local Baptist church. Furthermore, their responses to the other authors are spurious and at best nothing more than piecemeal critiques. Their writing and responses are just as close-minded and tired as is their theology of salvation.
With that said, you should judge the book for yourself. I do recommend it, but with the caveat that it should be read with a critical eye and an understanding that this discussion of salvation is somewhat narrow, but there is value in the book. Again, Hick and McGrath are the highpoints.
One of the Better Works in Four Views Series.......2006-04-05
Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World edited by Okholm and Gundry discusses the issue of salvation in light of the multiplicity of contemporary worldviews. This is part of the Four Views series published by Zondervan.
The following four perspectives of salvation are discussed:
* John Hick - Pluralism - all religions lead to God
* Clark Pinnock - Inclusivism - universally available but through Christ
* Douglas Geivett/Gary Philips - Exclusivism - only through acceptance of Christ
* Allister McGgrath - Exclusivism (slightly nuanced)
Although the Four Views series is normally characterized by solid argumentation, it has been criticised for its narrow perspective. This limited scope often makes the texts come of as a bit of an hair splitting exercise between conservative American Protestants. In this regard, the current instalment is notably better - John Hick's extreme liberal if not non-Christian perspective helps to significantly widen the discussion.
With regard to the quality of the contributions, I thought given the limited space they were generally good (McGrath's piece struck me as hastily written and a bit off tone). As one of the most recognizable proponents of religious pluralism, Hick's comments were especially helpful and interesting. Without a doubt he advocates the most politically correct position in the current Western intellectual climate. At the same time, however, it is the most at variance with scripture and tradition - indeed, while hopeful; Hick's position is arguably not truly a Christian one. Pennock's piece and the one by Geivett and Philips were also useful in filling out the spectrum of viewpoints. McGrath while sometimes an able commentator added little to the debate.
Overall this is a good read for those interested in Christian theology. I encourage Zondervan to continue this series, but with a wider range of contributors (Catholic and/or Orthodox might be helpful). As it is Four Views is a good series - with a wider range of perspectives it could be outstanding.
Good exchange from four respected theologians.......2006-01-17
Four Views On Salvation in a Pluralistic World manages to accomplish what most counterpoint books do not. It gathers four assertive, yet respectful theologians who can adequately express the view they represent, and challenge the positions of the others.
The editor's preface is pretty helpful in laying the groundwork for the book. Terminology is always important in theology and in this case it is rather confusing. The editor does a good job, especially in trying to normalize the labels given to each position so as to not start out with prejudicial names. Mainly, this occurs on exclusivism/restrictivism being renamed to particularism. Two terms not distinguished well enough are Universalism and Universality. Universalism is the view that everyone will be saved by God without specifying the mechanisms or a Savior per se'. Universalism is Hick's view and it is a natural fit with pluralism. The Universality (axiom) is one of Pinnock's Inclusivist devices, saying everyone will be saved, but only through Christ (even if they never have heard of him). The Universality axiom and Universalism are similar but they are not the same.
Hick opens with an expose' centered on his journey from orthodox Christian belief to his well-known pluralism. He considers himself Christian but feels this is just a function of the culture he was raised within. His theological descriptions are much more like a pantheist or perhaps a deist. Hick's conception of God, does not (or cannot) transcend the gap between itself and man well enough to deliver a clear, unambiguous message. Instead, man is left groping in the dark, and manufactures something that will transform personal lives to move away from self-centeredness. This is much of what spirituality has to offer in Hick's view.
On the flipside of Hick's theology, he critiques other views by pointing out in his experience (all anecdotal), he feels the amount of sainthood to villainous behavior is about the same in all cultures irrespective of underlying religion so Christianity has no special claim to God. This is one thing to discuss, but it does not have the crushing weight Hick ascribes to it. Something in Hick obviously favors pluralism and now he rationalizes it through personal experience. I have read other works by Hick and frankly have always been amazed he receives the degree of credibility as a theologian he commands. He is intelligent and kind, but his theology seems ridiculous. He seems to find the supernatural so dubious that he distances it with vague language saying very little that is specific enough to matter in religous practice. For Hick, theology is whatever he makes it up to be. McGrath observes Hick's theology is often improperly considered a marquis of post-modernism. In fact, it is a sad remnant of modernism. Hick is behind the times, not defining them.
Pinnock shows he is his own theologian who (unlike Hick) holds the Bible in high regard. He makes some good points about Melchizedek, Cornelius and others being righteous pagans (this point is briefly addressed by other authors in the book). Pinnock gave me some things to think about, and I would not mind reading more from him, but he also proof-texts the Bible as obviously as any theologian I know of. Pinnock does not engage many widely discussed- passages that undermine his position (again, the other authors take a little of this up with him). Perhaps the page limits in a short essay held him back from presenting a significantly more robust case, but frankly I have some doubts.
Allister McGrath does a fine job of showing why it is disrespectful to each religion when the pluralist lumps them all together to sooth his own conscience. "Dialog implies respect, but it does not presuppose agreement." (p156) McGrath makes the case for a rather nuanced position, which (like Pinnock) expects other religions may be used, by the Spirit, as a type of pre-evangelism before its adherents hear the gospel of Christ. He remains agnostic on the issue of there being salvific power in those non-Christian practices if the gospel is never heard. McGrath is interesting and definitely has a voice of his own. Pinnock does catch him in an inconsistency. McGrath critiques Universalism by saying it denies humanity the right to say no to God, but as Pinnock points out, McGrath is a Reformed theologian. His Calvinistic theology has no place for men to say no (or yes) to God on salvation since it is predetermined, by God. So why critique Universalism for having an extremely similar attribute? Great point Pinnock.
Geivett/Phillips present and defend the traditional evangelical view that Christ is the only way to salvation, and it is a narrow path according to scripture. If anyone thinks the traditional view must sacrifice something in these kind of discussions, this article may challenge that thinking. Geivett/Phillips use a fair portion of their article to present a classical apologetic for Christ starting with evidence for the existence of God. I love apologetics, but I believe this is somewhat out of place in their article. Perhaps they felt it provided necessary background, but much of the information would support Pinnock's position as well as it does theirs. Hick goes too far in saying this classical argument is "such as to convince only those who already believe their conclusion."(p248) Of course, most of us know classical apologetics are used everyday to help inform honest seekers. Hick is not moved because he has made a dogmatic commitment to his strange concoction of deism, naturalism and inconsistent religious homogenization.
If you are interested in soteriology (biblical and non-biblical), you will like this book. One understated issue affecting the topic of the book is the authority behind religious statements. When Hick promotes pluralism, where does the authority for those religious claims come from? After all, he is saying things about God. The same question can be applied to all four views, but is not explored explicitly enough. I enjoyed the book and hope you do too.
Grace and peace to you, whatever your stripe
Christianity has many aspects.......2005-05-21
The world we live in is characterized by diversity and a clamoring for equality. Our pluralistic society seeks to hear the voices of all its components without one drowning out another. The challenge of engaging this society has forced Christianity to rethink its positions so as to either change or to at least clearly articulate its beliefs in order to communicate to a multifaceted society. An overview of this change/articulation is found in the book Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World.
The first perspective discussed is normative religious pluralism, or what some might call `Christian pluralism.' The person defending this position is its leading advocate, John Hick. He begins by relating how he eventually rejected his conservative upbringing and came to hold his present theological stance. His position is that each major world religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism) provides a sufficient way of salvation, independent of any other religion. For him, the god of each religion is the `Ultimate Reality,' an awareness that is different for each religion. Hick's main arguments in support of Christian pluralism are: (1) no particular religion can claim moral superiority over other religions and hence cannot claim to be the one true religion; and (2) he asks wherein lies the love and grace of the Christian God if most of the human race is lost due to nothing more than the `bad luck' of being born in societies that have never heard the gospel? Hick reinforces his view by pointing out that Jesus could not have been divine. The picture we have in the gospels of a supernatural Jesus is simply a creation of the early church; this argument is similar to the proposal put forth by the Jesus Seminar.
Another perspective is that of particularism, which is actually divided into two different views. The idea of particularism is more in line with the traditional Christian position that salvation is grounded only in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, there have developed two similar but different strands of particularism. The first is called `hard restrictivism.' This view holds that only those who explicitly profess faith in Jesus Christ will be saved. This position is promoted by two authors, R. Douglas Geivett and W. Gary Phillips. This duo offers the most detailed Biblical examination of any view in the book and they argue that the Bible is clear that salvation cannot be found in anyone else other than Christ. They uphold the orthodox belief that Jesus is divine and the final revelation of God. Alongside hard restrictivism is the position of Alister McGrath, who advocates `optimistic agnostic particularism' (where agonistic does not mean that a person is unsure about the existence of God but that one is unable to say for sure that God can only save if Christ is explicitly believed in). McGrath's point is that he cannot say with certainty there is no hope for those who do not hear the gospel of Christ. He holds the same position as Geivett/Phillips regarding the deity of Christ; however, where McGrath differs from them is that he is not convinced God is `prevented' from saving those who never hear the good news of Jesus Christ. He holds this position all the while refraining from claiming the certainty of God's saving grace in the non-Christian world as held by Hick and Pinnock (see below).
The last view, proposed by Clark Pinnock, is somewhat of a via media, a middle way. The inclusivist view rejects the universalism of Hick and the particuarlism of McGrath and Geivett/Phillips. For Pinnock, God's presence is everywhere in the world, and hence his accompanying grace is preparing others outside the church for acceptance of the gospel of Christ. He follows the tone set by the Second Vatican Council and adds a point by telling the reader that inclusivism upholds the position that salvation is ultimately found in Christ, even if such knowledge may only be discovered by an individual after death. Also, Pinnock points out that his theology avoids the `dark features' of particularism, which `restrict' God's salvation to only a select minority, one fortunate enough to have heard the gospel.
The format of the book is straightforward. The editors open with an introduction that profiles the contributors to the book, as well as discuses their respective views. Following the introduction are four chapters, each containing an examination of one the four views of salvation. Each chapter contains five sections. The opening part is a discussion and defense of a particular view. This part is followed by the response of each of the proponents of the other views. The chapter concludes with a rebuttal by the scholar who opened the chapter. There is an index.
On the positive side, the reader will find in one source a good cross section of current trends in Christian theology. Pluralism, in a general sense, is a fact of life today and Christianity has felt its impact. The reader will be introduced to the main points of the entire spectrum of Christian thought in a point-counter point fashion Several technical terms (e. g., general revelation and special revelation) will be fleshed out in detail (though terms such as god, religion, and salvation will never be agreed on). Also, if one is interested in the debate between liberal and conservative scholarship, this book will help. Not to be overlooked is the helpful footnotes, both in terms of sources and explanations.
On the downside, there is much repetition in the book, for when the contributors respond to the others, they often quote verbatim from other parts of the book. The editors could have helped the reader by at least citing the page from which the quote was taken. The index does little to help, as it is not in the familiar form of alphabetized by topic, but grouped under a particular view. And (not of the fault of the editors) there is often personal attacks made by one writer on another. While one expects sharp disagreement between people who passionately hold to personal positions (and what is more passionate and personal than religious beliefs?), I am not sure it speaks well of Christianity to have criticism of an argument develop into ad hominem or personal insult.
Overall, this work is a four star book that will enlighten, if not entertain, the reader.
Book Description
This is the first paperback edition of Anatoly M. Khazanov's famous comparative study of pastoral nomadism. Hailed by reviewers as "majestic and magisterial," Nomads and the Outside World was first published in English in 1984. With the author's new introduction and an updated bibliography, this classic is now available in an edition accessible to students.
Customer Reviews:
Mmm, curdled sheep milk.......2005-07-07
(This is a review of the first edition)
This book is essentially a comparative study of pastoral nomadic societies in Eurasia, the Middle East, Near East, and Africa with a focus on how such societies interact with sedentary ones. The first chapters (Nomadism as a distinct form of food-producing economy, The origins of pastoral nomadism, and The social preconditions of the relations between nomads and the outside world) delve into how nomadic societies function, while the final two chapters (Modes of nomadic adaptation to the outside world and Nomads and the state) address the forms in which intercourse between "nomads and the outside world" occur.
The whole book is well-written, with a minimum of technical jargon, but some familiarity with the geography of the Eurasian steppes, the Middle and Near East, and Africa is assumed; also some understanding of marxism is need to wade through the foreward and introduction, but these may be skipped without real loss. It is all comprehensible to the lay reader, so long as they are not embarassed to consult an atlas or a dictionary as needed.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful book!.......2002-12-03
Winnicott is so right on with his observations, and in this book his thoughts are accessible to anyone who is interested in learning about how children experience the world and grow into being a part of it. His tone is so compassionate that one just knows he must have been a wonderful therapist - and person. His ideas are easy to follow and he writes as if he is speaking to you, as a friend and a wise person.
Some very deep thoughts about twins.......1999-01-02
In this book the chapter about twins really stands out and has more to say in five short pages than most other literature on the subject. The difference is that where others see twins more or less as freaks of nature on whom one can test ones ideas about the nature-nurture-issue, Winnicott sees them as individual persons. Where others stress the obvious fact of their similarity, Winnicott stresses that twins are two different persons right from the outset and that being a twin has its advantages, but also its drawbacks for the necessary task of developing ones own personality. he observes that while most twins get along well enough, they often did not manage to distance themselves enough to really love each other. This is a thought-provoking piece.
Book Description
This is an introductory survey and practical hands-on guide to religious studies as both an inner experience and as a social phenomenon. A balanced discussion of intellectual, worship and sociological aspects of religion, the guide explores the symbols and rites of religion; the expression of religion through art forms; the ethical aspects of religion; and the conceptual messages of religion. An ideal introductory text to Theology, Philosophy, and Religion.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent introduction to religion.......2001-09-25
Concisely covering the history, phenomenology, psychology and sociology of religion, this is the best single volume introduction to religion on the market. Religion can be made to seem boring and uninteresting -- and it most often is by its scholarly observers. Ellwood, however, truly has the knack of interesting presentation -- if you want a quick intro to a reasoned understanding of religion, this is the book to buy.
Amazon.com
Why did the richest, most influential, highest flying Zen center in America crash and burn in 1983? Novelist Michael Downing wondered the same thing, and after three years of interviewing members and poring over documents, his Shoes Outside the Door tells the story. Womanizing, BMW-driving Richard Baker was the abbot and visionary behind the rapid growth of the San Francisco Zen Center, but in many ways he was the antithesis of his teacher and predecessor, the inimitable and revered Shunryu Suzuki, who would choose the bruised apples out of compassion. After the early death of Suzuki, a blind and driven cult formed around Baker, seemingly filling the void until this "Dick Nixon of Zen" finally slept with his best friend's wife and brought his world crashing to the ground. Working with direct quotations from students and workers of the Center and its many enterprises, Downing delivers a page-turning exposé of a community that is as laudable as it is laughable. And as an outsider to both the community and Buddhism, he does it with wit and an even hand. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
Eastern tradition collides with Western individualism in this provocative and compulsively readable investigation of Buddhism, American-style. A genuine spiritual movement becomes strangely entangled with elitist aesthetics, the culture of celebrity, multi-million-dollar investment portfolios, sex scandals, and an unsolved crime.
Told Rashomon-fashion by a singular mix of hippies, millionaires, intellectuals, and lost souls whose lives are almost unbelievably intertwined, Shoes Outside the Door is the first book to examine the inner workings of the profoundly influential San Francisco Zen Center. In exploring the history of the most important institution in American Buddhism, author Michael Downing provocatively captures the profound ambivalence of people who earnestly seek both inner peace and worldly satisfaction.
Customer Reviews:
A poignant look at Zen in America and a good idea for any student of Zen to read.......2007-01-29
I'm a student of Zen Buddhism myself. I'm also an anthropologist. I'm also a Chinese living in the U.S. I think these parts of my background influences my commentary below.
Any Zen student who is considering deepening his/her practice or considering forming a formalised student-spiritual teacher relationship should definitely read this book. Often in Zen Buddhist circles (or any religious circles, for that matter) matters of spirituality are talked about, but there is not much space and/or opportunity for reflection on the human institution that the religious practise comes out of.
Let me repeat that: any religious or spiritual practise in this world comes out of some form of socio-cultural institution simply because we are human beings (and so is the teacher). The institution is of this world because human beings are part of this world.
This books does not deal much with the spiritual practice side of American Zen which isn't its purpose. Rather, it deals with the human institution of American Zen as it was formed and practised in the 70s and early 80s at San Francisco Zen Centre (SFZC). While not an anthropological or sociological look at the institution, it is very much persons-centred narratives about the experiences of SFZC providing interesting glimpses of the human side of the experiences of Zen students and ordained priests and also words from the highly controversial Zen teacher Richard Baker.
For me, (and I do own this projection) it was amazing to see quotes from Richard Baker who time and time again says he could not see the kind of impact he held as a teacher and who, according to this book, still is surprised by the fallout that happened. He says he didn't realise how much authority he had or how much authority students had imagined him to have. To me, it seems that Richard Baker, while might be spiritually wise, lacked profundity and awareness of human social interactions. For someone practising awareness, I find that amazing, but certainly very human. At least this is how my reaction is towards the portrayal of Richard Baker in this book.
The book guides us in the direction of understanding the SFZC fiasco with ideas about charismatic personality, American Puritanism (work ethic), undemocratic administration, idealism and some leanings about American culture with the fascination (and sometimes reverence) of personalities (imagine Hollywood). One aspect that this book does not discuss or suggest but I think is still part of Buddhism as practised and experienced in America today and I very much would imagine it to be part of the SFZC fiasco is the idea of "orientalism".
Orientalism is a term coined by the late post-colonial scholar Edward Said. The idea is that in the western world, oriental and occidental worked in opposite directions so that the idea of the orient was constructed in as a negative inversion of the west. It should be noted that Said's Oriental refers of the Middle East but it also can be extended to Far East Asia. Western portrayal of the oriental world was that it was an inversion of the occidental world--mystical, exotic, fantastical. Coupling with Foucault's idea of the relationship between power and knowledge, Said analyses how the power of the coloniser (occidental) forms the knowledge of the colonised (oriental) and this knowledge of the oriental in turn empowers the coloniser's further actions of colonisation. And on it goes.
While there are certain critiques of Said, I think Said's idea of orientalism (the mysticising and exoticising) can be brought to a reading of the SFZC fiasco and American Buddhism. Downing (author of Shoes) does not refer to the term orientalism but throughout his book, one has to wonder whether a mysticisation and exoticsation of the east did not play a role into how SFZC practitioners practised. For instance, on page 236 Downing describes how Zen teacher Richard Baker "speculates that some of the confusion Zen teachers in America began to experience was cultural confusion, a difference between Japanese and American sensibilities and ethics." Baker, as explained by Downing, is saying that some of his behaviours were acceptable coming from a Japanese perspective but perhaps not as easily understood from an American perspective. I want to further push the idea for us to think about: that is it possible that acts of exoticising and mysticising the east sometimes led students (and teachers) to not question certain practises? Those practises were possibly led to the realm of "holiness" or "untouchable" or "inscrutable" because of that exoticising. I would strongly imagine so. For me, I have experienced certain practises in Buddhism in America which leads me to question whether those practises are orientalist. That is, what kind of meaning can it hold for Americans beyond the realm of exotic?
This book reminds us that any spiritual practise is embedded in and part of culture. One of the first tenets of anthropology is that there is nothing outside of culture simply because as human beings we all operate within it and cannot get outside of it. (I actually think Zen says this too). But even if you're not an anthropologist, you could certainly (I hope) see that! Certainly then, the history of Zen in America (coming through from Japan) carried with it Japanese cultural elements which need not be replicated in America if those elements and practises carry no meaning (aside from exotic and mystical) for American society.
A tale of everyone and no one.......2007-01-19
The author attempts to tell the story of the San Francisco Zen Center using the events leading up to the dismissal/resignation of Abbott-for-life, Zentatsu Richard Baker, in 1983. In the process, he interviews many people who experience euphoric or dysphoric recall about events that happened over twenty years ago. His achievement is a book which it seems tries to tell the story of almost anyone tangentially connected with SFZC during that time. As a result, he relates a perjorative tale of recrimination, grudges, and generally bad feelings that exist to this day. It is unfortunate that Professor Downing could not have used better literary technique and more restraint to shape the raw material he mined in these extensive interviews. This appears to be a genuinely lost opportunity. Instead, he gives us a gossipy, slanted piece of he said/she said, portraying the general membership of SFZC as mindless androids, who sit zazen and do their master's bidding without privilege of free will. Baker is painted as a Svengali-like character, who only becomes your friend or teacher so that he can use you for his own devices and priorities later on. Downing lays out this character study as the familiar absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely tale with the victims of that power having no control over their lives. Recently, non-Abbotts like Tom DeLay and Jack Abramboff served as examples of these types of personages. Regardless of who you believe in this National Enquirer rendering of Buddhism in America, the value of what is related is that the SFZC survives to this day and in resonably good health. It weathered a crisis as an organization and individuals, no matter how well or how poorly. As a symbol of Zen Buddhism in the United States, it remains on the journey to enlightenment, as do its members. You don't need 380-odd pages of war stories to illustrate the point. Unless you want to look for this title in the two dollar bargin bin at your local book store, go to the SFZC's website. They seem capable of telling their own story, warts and all.
An Unusual Look at Zen in the USA--no Fillers, no Preservatives.......2006-05-18
An interesting, unusual accout of Zen in America. Unusual in its stark honesty and detail, interesting for those same reasons! Michael Downing's book is built around a scandal (sex, greed, power, all of the usual suspects involved) which errupted at the San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) in 1983. Much of the book details the actions of Richard Baker, the only American to receive Dharma Transmission (often called Enlightenment) from noted Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki. Quite a bit of other material is covered as well, presenting a full picture of life and relations at perhaps the most successful Zen organization in the West.
In presenting events in their historical context, Downing explains the structure of the Zen Buddhist Sangha (church), history of Shunryu Suzuki and many of the early pioneers who first explored Zen Buddhism in San Fransisco after Suzuki began to teach. Reading this book over the course of a week, I didn't get the feeling that Downing took on this project to do damage to adherents to Zen or the SFZC. Rather his mission seems to have been to figure out exactly what had happened to cause the 1983 melt down (it was actually a long time festering before it broke and Downing sets the stage completely), how such a thing could happen in an organization where one of the main principles was to Cause No Harm, and then exploring why it happened with a critical eye towards absolute power and some of the more traditional processes.
I liked the detail Downing exacted throughout, introducing the vast array of real-life characters who were part of "The Scene" during the 1960's and 1970's in California and nationally. He does a superb job connecting the relationship web between people. So many folks are covered sometimes I had to flip back to remind myself--it does jump around a bit, but I couldn't think of any other way to present a series of connected events like this. Downing also does an admireable job of explaining how SFZC grew into such a huge organization. I learned more about the SFZC and its place in history than from many of the other books I've read about Buddhism in the West. Certainly I obtained a better understanding of how processes such as Transmission work and relate to the political process inherent in this Zen body politic.
While the entire book is certainly not a slanted diatribe, Downing does not claim to be a hands-off Bodhisatva with no opinion. He expresses distaste for a selection of teachers, transmition holders and other claimants to enlightenment who abuse their positions of authority by using and personally profiting from others in a variety of ways. Downing's book demands that the reader confront sexual and financial misconduct and the abuse of trusting disciples. He strips away the varnish of position, money, high titles and robes to expose simple humanity--good, bad and in-between.
Downing explains the problem-solving process SFZC went through, and how it regrouped and restructured in response to the problems, and in an effort to prevent future abuses and disasters. There are also a number of accounts of individuals who moved on from the devestation to heal others as well as themselves. I have often heard the phrase that life is stranger than fiction. In this case, it is most certainly true and probably not what most of us have come to expect.
Fascinating if slightly frustrating book..........2006-04-25
As a longtime Zen practitioner who has attended retreats led by senior teachers of the SF Zen Center, I could barely resist the urge to read this book cover to cover in one sitting. Morbidly fascinating it is, and deeply enlightening as well---for me it connected a huge number of dots, yielding insight into the social, cultural, historical and institutional baggage that is inextricable from the Zen experience that SFZC (often referred to half-jokingly as "the Vatican of American Zen") and many other American Zen organizations offer.
The book is also frustrating in that the author does jump around a bit...though it appears that he has spent a little time around Zen centers and may have done a bit of sitting meditation himself, he often seems to veer off on various tangents. Until the last 1/3 of the book that is, when he keeps coming back to interviews with Richard Baker, who keeps selling us the same maddening horse manure about being, why, simply unaware of the consequences of what he was doing during his tumultuous tenure as head of SFZC. This repetition quickly becomes monotonous.
Baker is clearly a highly developed narcissistic personality (a google search of "Narcissistic Personality Disorder" sums him up pretty well) which is both hilariously ironic and doubly unfortunate---and I'm afraid to say, hardly uncommon---for a leader of a religion that's supposed to be all about teaching us to let go of our conditioned egoistical delusions.
This book begs the question: how on earth did such a borderline-sociopathic personality become head of what would become the largest, most influential Zen group in North America...and how did he get away with so much for so long? Zen Buddhists, especially the Western variety, are hardly idiots or cult-addled automatons...yet how was Baker able to do so much damage for as long as he did before the feces finally hit the fan?
Downing barely brushes up against the answer, and makes no attempt to synthesize all the information that he manages to unearth. (It's worth noting that he gained access to SFZC senior members through the pretense of writing a book about SFZC, rather than about Richard Baker's 1983 scandal that nearly wrecked the place. But perhaps this was his editor's commercial-minded imposition.)
What comes through loud and clear is just how INSTITUTIONAL (i.e. mainly concerned with its own survival/prosperity rather than its spiritual underpinnings) Shunryu Suzuki's mushrooming-mega-sangha quickly became, despite its cultural and religious pretensions. It is obvious that Suzuki appointed Baker to succeed him mainly because he knew Baker was a phenomenally charismatic fundraiser and networker. It is also obvious that Baker got away with murder for so long in large part due to the community's dog-like devotion to upholding Papa Suzuki's legacy, i.e. his decision to grant to Baker alone the dubious "dharma transmission" ritual.
Most of all it is sadly obvious that the great majority of the well-educated and socioeconomically priviledged Americans who built SFZC, were desperately thirsty for what they perceived as institutional validation of their Zen practice through this sort of mindless adherence to Japanese Zen's traditional forms and formalism, which are of course also themselves byproducts of the mother country's own sociological and institutional pressures.
Downing's book is a much needed wake-up call for those who would practice Zen with an uncritical eye towards its inherent institutional biases and limitations, which are not much different from those of any other religion.
Had it contained a bit more analysis instead of just repetitive interviews, I would give it 5 stars.
Despite the flaws, or because of them?.......2006-03-28
Occasionally the author's own psyche jumps out and disturbs the depths of the story, and I found that he did jump around a bit, leaving me wondering if he was repeating himself. Nevertheless, I found this to be a fascinating treatment of a difficult and delicate subject. So much is told in the words of the participants (and victims), and the details just got weirder as I turned the pages. I was enthralled.
How is it that so many realized Zen teachers in America cannot keep it in their robes, so to speak? It seems that the simple rule of thumb, to "cause the least amount of suffering," can become a cloudy issue when hormones disturb our practice?
The book is a must-read for Zen students and teachers, alike. It is indeed a cautionary tale. It might dissuade someone from seeking a teacher at all, and that would be unfortunate. And yet...
I am now reading _Street Zen_ and I note that much of the story is corroborated there, yet Issan-roshi is seldom mentioned in _Shoes_. The two books complement each other by providing a different perspective on the events at Zen Center (though the 1983 disasters are not a significant topic of _Street Zen_). And Issan's story may give us a weird bit of insight into true Dharma transmission.
Book Description
Tzippy Goldman was born for marriage. She and her mother had always assumed she’d graduate high school, be set up with the right boy, and have a beautiful wedding with white lace and pareve vanilla cream frosting. But at twenty-two, Tzippy’s fast approaching spinsterhood. She dreams of escape; instead, she leaves for a year in Jerusalem.
There she meets–re-meets–Baruch, the son of her mother’s college roommate. When Tzippy last saw him, his name was Bryan and he wore a Yankees-logo yarmulke. Now he has adopted the black hat of the ultra-orthodox, the tradition in which Tzippy was raised. Twelve weeks later, they’re engaged...and discovering that desire and tradition, devotion and individuality aren’t the easiest balance. Hilarious, compassionate, and tremendously insightful,
The Outside World illuminates an insular community, marvelously depicting that complicated blend of faith, love, and family otherwise known as life in a modern world.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing.......2007-07-14
Tova Mirvis's first book was much better and more entertaining. This is light reading and just so so literature. However, I found it boring and undeserving of some of the reviewers positive comments. The story deals with the tension between a more secular modern orthodox Jewish perspectivve on life and the ultra orthodox perspective. The promising son of a modern orthodox family gives up an ivy league education to pursue ultra orthodox studies. He marries an ultra orthodox girl much to his father's chagrin. His father is privately even less religious than his mother and observes Judaism in his home to please his wife. It is doubtful that he even believes in the existence of a God or the need to heed religious rituals which he believes to be superfluious. In families today there has been a return to greater religious observance by the children of more secular Jews. This has created tension in some families where a child will not eat in his or her nonobservant family home. This could have been an interesting novel, but it moved too slowly and was boring. I do not recommend it. I only finished it becaues I started it.
A wonderful book........2007-06-26
This is a wonderful book. It's the kind of book I want everyone to read. Tova Mirvis vividly describes a world very different to mine, in this story of two families and their children who have married. The descriptions used in this book are so great; I read them out to whomever I'm with when I read this book. Despite not living in America and not being Jewish, I somehow related to each of these characters, especially Tzippy, and saw parallels between their world and mine own.
In this story of a girl who was getting on in years (In the Orthodox Jewish world) and not yet married, and a boy who shocks his family by becoming more religious, Mirvis describes characters who, while being flawed, are all shown to have hope in their hearts that their faith or lack of it perhaps, will show them the way in this world.
A book about families, faith, connections and the outside world. Tova Mirvis has created a world within this book, with characters who are dreamers, and believers.
Highly recommended.
ultra orthodox meets outside world.......2007-05-13
The first half of the book was interesting story. It was I will call a beach read. But, the rest of the story was weak. It pretty much how as a orthodox do you fit in to the rest of the world.
There were some funny parts especially when the sisters were having a chemetz fight. When Barach realized how does he study torah when he is suppose to as a orthodox jew. The father looses his job and helps( he thinks, for his son in law's business. What a disaster. The son in law, decides he would like to work as well as study. Can he find a balance. It is never answered in the conclusion of the book. I think the author was trying to deliver a message. Can you be orthodox, and live in a secular society?
The Outside World for an Outsider.......2006-06-28
In my hometown, we had exactly one Hebrew family. They traveled at least one hour to go to temple. When I went to an urban college, I found myself exposed to more of the Jewish culture, and I've always been fascinated.
The Outside World is an exposure of the Orthodox Jewish world targeted, I suppose, to non-Orthodox. It's kind of funny - I never realized that there were such divisions within the Jewish community.
This story is the story of two Jewish families. One is Orthodox, one is Modern Orthodox. It's the story of Tzippy and Baruch, two of the children, who each believe they'd be more comfortable in the other's world. It's the story of the hopes and dreams of several very well-drawn characters.
I was pulled into this world on a recommendation. I truly enjoyed it. But as a non-Jew, it took me quite a while to understand some of the Hebrew terms that are strewn throughout without a thought.
The book flows well, the characters grow (well, most of them do). I found the father Herschel to be quite frustrating, and slightly heartbreaking. In all, I learned a lot about the cultures from the book. I enjoyed it, though I wished for a slightly more final ending. Instead, I realized this was just a window into lives, and as the characters live in the end, their story isn't over.
(*)>
If only the first half of this story was the complete book.......2006-06-13
Originally, I was attracted to this book by its cover and blurb, having never heard of Tora Mirvis before. As an Orthodox woman, I found the characters in the first part of the book, while not believable as real people, Orthodox or otherwise, good fun reading. However, the story starts going downhill once Tzippy and Bryan/Baruch become engaged. Tzippy's mother's neuroses are harder and harder to tolerate, not to mention her nebbish of a father. I've been to many, many Orthodox weddings in Brooklyn, and have yet to see any that are similiar to Tzippy's mother's ideal. Bryan/Baruch's family make you wonder why he's not living in a yeshiva dorm. Those two mother's deserve each other, it's not surprising that they were roommates in college.
As a native of Memphis, perhaps Mirvis felt driven to move the storyline to that locale, but everything that happens from that point feels as if you're reading a completely different novel. If only she'd stuck with the concept I thought she started with - the differences between two different types of Orthodox families!
Book Description
The Middle East has a distinctive diplomatic culture, shaped by history, geography, and the social structures of Middle Eastern states. This book seeks to survey the diplomatic relationships and the foundations of foreign policy making among the principle players in the region, as well as exploring the Middle East policies of the four leading outside powers who have played such a crucial role in the region--the US, Britain, France, and Russia. Contributors to this volume, who are some of the most eminent specialists in their field, search for common themes and disparities in Middle East diplomacy.
Book Description
An amazing journey throughout the universe in a search for other planets and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Books:
- Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL: A Resource Book for K-12 Teachers (4th Edition)
- Sliver of Truth: A Novel
- Storming Heaven
- Sula (Oprah's Book Club)
- Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)
- Tales from the Time Loop: The Most Comprehensive Expos of the Global Conspiracy Ever Written and All You Need to Know to Be Truly Free
- The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers
- The Cairo Trilogy: Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, Sugar Street (Everyman's Library)
- The Fallen Man (Joe Leaphorn Novels)
- The Fencing Master
Books Index
Books Home
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- Aicpa Audit and Accounting Manual: Nonauthoritative Practice AIDS : As of August 1, 2001
- The Nature of Executive Leadership: A Conceptual and Empirical Analysis of Success
- Have Spacesuit, Will Travel
General
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Psychic Navigator: Harnessing Your Inner Guidance with CD (Audio)
101 Ways to Jump Start Your Intuition
The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
Remembering the Future: The Path to Recovering Intuition
Your Destiny Switch: Master Your Key Emotions, and Attract the Life of Your Dreams
