Let's make this the book review thread:

Let's make this where members can review and recommend books on any topic related to this board. I'll kick it off:


Exploring the Word of Lucid Dreaming: Stephen Laberge and Howard Rheingold




If you want to get in to Lucid Dreaming, this is the book for you. I would say that this could very well be considered the Bible of Lucid Dreaming. Dr Laberge lays out the book in a very practical manner. He shows how anyone and everyone is capable of Lucid Dreaming.

The book is laid out in a manner that allows anyone to get started. He gives you step by step instructions on what you need to do as part of a daily routine in order to improve and enhance your Lucid Dreaming.

The only thing that I don't necessarily agree with in this book are his views on Astral Projection and the like. He seems to be of the mind that if he couldn't prove it in a lab then it isn't real. I don't think it is quite that simple. Obviously, if you want to read on Astral Projection, look elsewhere. The techniques are very similar but the philosophy is different.

Anyways, I highly recommend this book and I think it is a must have for any dreamer.






Mod Edit: Link format - Jak

[edit on 12/6/08 by JAK]

Good idea

A thread like this will develop over long time spans.

The Art of Dreaming: by Carlos Castaneda

www.amazon.com...




I know that most people think of Castaneda as a fraud and that his books are worthless lies. Well, I don't care if he is a fraud or not, if you are into dreaming and related topics then this book is a must read.

It is about his experiences with and the teachings of the shaman Don Juan. It may be fiction but many of the things he covers actually work. There are many interesting techniques that are covered in the book.

I read this book when I was just starting out in Lucid Dreaming and found it to be a very valuable tool. It is a page turner that helps you submerge yourself in the world of Dreaming. I found that if I saturated myself with the topic, that it became easier to have Lucid Dreams at night.

Warning though: The book has numerous references to illicit drug use. So if you don't want to read about that sort of thing, you should stay away.

OK, looks like I am going at it alone here....

Gateway of the Gods: An Investigation of Fallen Angels, the Nephilim, Alchemy, Climate Change, and the Secret Destiny of the Human Race


www.gatewayofthegods.com...

This book covers everything from Quantum Physics to Alchemy, Mana to Fallen Angels... It touches on a lot of topics in it's 432 pages. I found most of it to be pretty fascinating. It was a good intro into topics that I hadn't really read or heard much about. I found the authors take about ancient structures being gateways fascinating.

I found the first half of the book to be very enthralling but the end was a little less entertaining to me. Perhaps it was the topics covered and other readers may the end more than I did.

If you are interested in any of the topics covered in the book, I would highly reccomend it. If you are already well versed in the subjects though, I doubt you will find anything new. Certainly not enough to justify the relatively steep price.

Find it used, but give it a shot.

This is a really cool book by Deepak Chopra. I'm not into Deepak usually, and I'm not into Jesus books either, but he has a way of looking at things in this book that makes you think.

It's pretty short and easy to read. I read most of it in the bookstore before I bought it anyway.

reply to post by jamie83


Thanks. What is the general idea of the book. I thought there was only 1 Jesus, so obviously I am out of the loop. I have heard Deepak a few times and generally like what he has to say.

Originally posted by Karlhungis
reply to post by jamie83

 

Thanks. What is the general idea of the book. I thought there was only 1 Jesus, so obviously I am out of the loop. I have heard Deepak a few times and generally like what he has to say.

The general idea of the book is that Deepak looks at what Jesus says on a more metaphorical level in terms of reaching new levels of consciousness. For example, going to heaven might mean raising your consciousness to a higher level. Being one with God means raising your consciousness to God's level. Spirituality and oneness with God is something internal.

The book cites many verses and interprets them through this model. It's pretty interesting, and not at all preachy.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance


and

Astral Dynamics



[edit on 15-6-2008 by banyan]

reply to post by banyan


Astral Dynamics is a good one. I am sure that there are some Astral Projection purists out there that probably don't like it. But I like the methods that he puts forth. Good easy to do stuff and you get some results.

Originally posted by Karlhungis
reply to post by banyan

 

Astral Dynamics is a good one. I am sure that there are some Astral Projection purists out there that probably don't like it. But I like the methods that he puts forth. Good easy to do stuff and you get some results.

yes, it's a good book for researching and gathering up different methods. i have not projected, yet, however this should not reflect badly on the book. karlhungis or anyone, would you recommend any other books that have given better results on this topic?

Well, Robert Bruce has another book called Mastering Astral Projection in 90 days.

www.amazon.com...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213514878&sr=8-1

It is a step by step guide with daily routines to get you to Project in 90 days. I found the methods to be good, but it requires a lot of privacy that my lifestyle didn't really allow.

It ties in well with Astral Dynamics.

Mastering Astral Projection within 90 days was sensational.

I once took it with me on a 2 week business trip and had the discipline to do the daily practice. The results were good. Unfortunately, back home, the discipline required waned a bit.

I am currently reading Kundalini and the Chakras- Evolution in this lifetime. By Genevieve Lewis Paulson. It's kind of an all round introduction to the enegies and how to let them grow. Tells of the negative sides and how to deal with them.And of the positive sides and how to embrace them better for you.

After that,I'm moving on to The Art of Power by Thich Nhat Hanh.


Will try and check out some of the Astral books recomended,as it's something I'd just love to be able to do!!

If anyone is interested in introducing philosophical concepts to children, I highly recommend Marietta McCarty's Little Big Minds.

It's an excellent source for discussing such topics as friendship, responsibility, compassion, justice and many others. Each chapter is devoted to an issue and introduces philosphers whose work is related.

Children are natural philosphers, and their minds are wide open. When my son was four, he shared his belief that our family has always been intact, even before any of us were born. How's that for thinking outside the box!

I purchased the book last year and have had tremendous success with it!

Some books I would recommend:

The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot, essential to having an inkling of how David Bohm's Holographic Paradigm could relate to Anomalous Phenomena.
www.amazon.com...

Hyperspace by Michio Kaku, an awesome read about higher dimensions.
www.amazon.com...


Entangled Minds by Dean Radin, great book that puts forth some good ideas about Cosnciousness and Reality
www.amazon.com...

The Trickster and the Paranormal by George P. Hansen, an excellent read about Anomalous Phenomena, archetypes and so much more.
www.amazon.com...

Freemasonry and the Birth of Modern Science by Robert Lomas, pretty decent book and shows alot of thngs most people don't really know.
www.amazon.com...

Margins of Reality by Robert G. Jahn and Brenda J. Dunne, covers alot of work that the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research program was involved in.
www.amazon.com...

Daimonic Reality by Patrick Harpur, comparable to the work The Trickster and the Paranormal but covers more anomalous phenomena and Forteana.
www.amazon.com...

The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene, good read about the universe and written in a manner understandable to non physicists. I would also recommend his book The Elegant Universe
www.amazon.com...

The second book can be found here
www.amazon.com...




[edit on 15/6/08 by MikeboydUS]

The Primal Scream by Dr Arthur Janov and the follow-up (10-15yrs on?) The New Primal Scream.

Well, what controversial books they truly are but sit perfectly with anyone that knows that today’s people have lost their way in all things natural to them.

Essentially, unless you as a baby had the perfect start to life and allowed to develop unhindered by parents foisting their problems onto you then your well on your way to the first of many deeply influential events that shape you Primal Events. Some are expressed outwardly others are withheld only to later be expressed, either because you didn’t have the emotional armoury to deal with them (say when you were a small baby) or when you’re a neuroses ridden adult hiding behind a myriad of problems. These expressed in many forms, overeating, under eating, anger, attaching to someone that allows for your neuroses, even same sex relationships are cited as a curable condition! Anyway, this and the second book follow many of his much improved patients. He wasn’t received very well because he pours scorn on his profession and those that he feels never really get to the root of problems.

Very interesting and really made sense to me as I could see my failings and others around me in a new light.

Might I suggest a couple of scientific psychology books?

Antonio Damasio: 'The feeling of what happens: body, emotion, and the making of consciousness'

Synopsis
A leading expert of the neurophysiology of emotions, Damasio shows how our consciousness arose out of the development of emotion. At its core human consciousness is consciousness of the feeling and experiencing self.

Amazon.co.uk

[Damasio's earlier book, 'descartes' error' is also highly recommended reading for anyone interested in the neurobiology of feelings and emotion.]

and a more pop psychology book, but grounded in actual scientific research:

Malcom Gladwell: 'Blink: the power of thinking without thinking'

Synopsis
Intuition is not some magical property that arises unbidden from the depths of our mind. It is a product of long hours and intelligent design, of meaningful work environments and particular rules and principles. This book shows us how we can hone our instinctive ability to know in an instant, helping us to bring out the best in our thinking and become better decision-makers in our homes, offices and in everyday life. Just as he did with his revolutionary theory of the tipping point, Gladwell reveals how the power of blink' could fundamentally transform our relationships, the way we consume, create and communicate, how we run our businesses and even our societies.You'll never think about thinking in the same way again.

Amazon.co.uk

Both well worth the effort. Have fun!

[edit on 15-6-2008 by melatonin]

reply to post by maria_stardust


Thanks for that. At what age do think it would be appropriate to introduce a child to this?

Originally posted by banyan
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance


and

Astral Dynamics



[edit on 15-6-2008 by banyan]

How is "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance"? I've only heard good things but wonder if it worth the time to read...

good thread.. hopefully lots of members will post here, and I will be able to find out about books I've never even heard of!