Zor by J.B. (Ray Clements)

Zor is a strange little book, a parable about finding enlightenment.

"The avatar, Zor, knows the quest for enlightenment must begin with the unification of Philosophy, Spirituality, and Science. To that end, he guides Jonathan Brewster on his path to self awareness; deftly balancing quantum physics, religion, Zen, reductionism, multi-dimensional reality, Einstein, chi, the power of thought, post death experiences, Newton, Pavlov, the Big Bang theory, relativity, pantheism, space/time travel, peace, love, and understanding."  --from  this page; the page also contains some great links on some of the above subjects.     

This little book, a relatively short read, covers so many things that I've come across in books on yoga, spirituality, and neuroscience.  Although the subject matter is deep, J.B. keeps us from getting lost by using lots of illustrative examples and the enforced parable technique.  

The story of Jonathan Brewster and his chance (?) meeting with the Haitian dwarf Zor provides a way to think about the way interconnections of philosophy, spirituality, and science are perceived.

I enjoyed the book very much, partly because so many of the names and philosophies were familiar from other reading, including the "brain books" -- the books I've read about neuroscience.  However, I also liked it because the book takes it so much further, linking everything together, much like the neurons in our brains..

Fiction.  Philosophy/Spirituality/Science.  2010.  268 pages.

Mipham and Happiness Formula

Dorothy has had a couple of posts about "positivity," self-help, and happiness books.  It sent me searching for this video again (and yes, I know I've posted it before, but it is so cool).



 Here is a link to my review of the best book I've read on the subject of happiness.  The formula is a bit different from Mipham's, but I think that perhaps both approaches are necessary. 

And reminders are necessary.  Much of what is said about happiness and positive thinking is common sense, and we've heard many of the phrases, much of the advice over and over.  In my own case, however, I often need to be reminded.

I like the approach of some authors and am offended by the approach of other authors on the same subject.  Love some books and find them stimulating, inspirational, practical; other books, seem bland, repetitious, pretentious, and stale.

But I need and benefit from reminders.  All of the "brain" books I've read in the past year, continue to remind me of the ways in which the brain creates new maps.  Almost miraculous changes can be achieved by changing those patterns.  My favorite "brain" books so far are The Brain that Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge and The Body Has a Mind of Its Own by the Blakeslees.  These books are not really about happiness, but neuroplasticity can be emotional or physical.

My yoga books are also about the possibility of change, both physical and emotional, and they blend pretty seamlessly with books about happiness, positive thinking, and neuroplasticity.  In fact, long before modern science was discovering scientific proof, yoga was engaged with the effects of many of these possible changes.

The comments on Dorothy's posts reveal our sceptical attitudes toward those who offer easy solutions (while making a profit), but every once in a while, it is possible to find something that works for us.

What about you?

The Mindful Woman

Thoelle, Sue Patton. The Mindful Woman: Gentle Practices for Restoring Calm, Finding Balance , & Opening Your Heart.

I've enjoyed this book for the past 6 months. Mindfulness is a particularly difficult concept for me to incorporate, but Sue Patton Thoelle makes it easier by giving simple practices to guide the reader to a relaxed, purposeful, and creative approach, choosing mindfulness over "automatic living."

Even with these simple practices that focus on breathing and intention, Thoelle is aware of the elusiveness of mindfulness: "...how incredibly easy it is for me to be seduced away from simplicity and focused awareness into multi-multitasking and rampant mind-mucking."

Part One discuss the basics, the elements of mindfulness, the differences between mindfulness and automatic living, and the benefits of mindfulness. Part Two contains the practices, and Part Three is about enjoying the benefits.

Originally, I intended to read a practice a day, but obviously, I didn't keep up with that too well, and the book would be buried for weeks at a time before I would find it again. My intention now is to go through it again, reading and considering each practice again, and not expect it to happen each day.

The book reminds me of the Upper Room Devotionals--a time to rest and remove oneself briefly from the mundane and focus on the spiritual.

Nonfiction. Instructional/Spiritual. 2008. 219 pages.

In Progress

Sir Francis Bacon: Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.

I've finished a couple more books that need to be reviewed and am currently reading The Mindful Woman by Sue Patton Thoele. I'm reading this one slowly as it is not the kind of book to read whole. I think of Bacon often as I'm reading (not just this book) because so many of the books I read are simply swallowed for entertainment but others, especially nonfiction, require a slower and more thoughtful approach.

I'm about half way through this one and am enjoying it and trying to take the time for the exercises. Thoele places great emphasis on breath and begins many of the exercises with the idea of paying attention to breath. This is a concept with which I entirely agree after nearly 8 years of tai chi & qiqong and a mere 6 weeks in yoga.

Being conscious of your breathing, taking the time to draw deep breaths into your belly, using your breath to calm and center yourself are huge elements in tai chi & qiqong; after tai chi classes I was always so relaxed and so alert ( wonderful combination) as a result of conscious breathing. I'm finding a similar effect in yoga.

When Thoele talks about taking cleansing breaths before beginning her exercises, she is preparing the ground by encouraging the awareness of breath and its calming effects.

This book is tailored to women, but is simply a good guide for finding balance and a sense of calm for anyone who is interested. And mindfulness is something I very much want for myself. On my other blog, I've mentioned my desire for mindfulness several times, so when this book was offered, it seemed like perfect timing--that wonderful sychronicity that life frequently offers.

"Sue Patton Thoele is a psychotherapist, former hospice chaplain, and bereavement group leader. She is author of eleven other books, including The Courage To Be Yourself, The Woman's Book of Soul, Growing Hope, Freedoms After 50, and The Woman's Book of Courage." Her website is http://suepattonthoele.com

I'm not sure when I'll finish, but even after finishing, I intend to go over these daily practices. They fit nicely into some of the lessons from Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be by Lama Surya Das.

Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be

Das, Lama Surya. Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be: Lessons on Change, Loss, and Spiritual Transformation. While there isn't much really new here (after all, wisdom has a long tradition), I need to be frequently reminded. Whether approached as religion, philosophy, or ethical action, some truths just need to be reinforced.

The idea behind this book is transformation, and one of the most interesting transformations in this book is the transformation of an American-born Jewish boy greatly attached to his baseball mitt into a Lama and teacher of Buddhist principles.

In letting go of our attachments, Das notes that we are attached to more than things.

We are attached to "...our opinions and theories. We become attached to the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what we think. We become inordinately attached to our status, accomplishments, and reputations--and what we think they say about us. We become attached to our biases, and habitual way of doing things. We become attached to religion and political preference; we even become attached to our fears and anxieties." And, "Often we cling to habits that aren't even comforting or satisfying simply because we are unable to let go or explore new ways to do things."

I loved this quote from T. S. Eliot: " For us there is only the trying. The rest is not our business."

It is important to do the best we can, but we have no control of the outcome and should not become attached to it. This coincides (for me) with much of existential thinking (whether religious as Dostoevsky's version or agnostic/atheistic as Camus' version) -- what is important is that we live with integrity and do our best.

My favorite section is the last section about mindfulness, a quality that I need to increase in my life, and Das gives a six week practice to increase our mindful awareness, sense of peace and serenity, and aliveness. I've been working on sound for nearly a week. So many background noises that we tune out...


Nonfiction. Philosophy/spiritual. 2003. 210 pages.