 December,
2004
 
Open My Eyes, Open My Soul
Celebrating Our Common Humanity
Yolanda King and Elodia Tate, (Editors)
Softcover, $14.95
McGraw-Hill
This book is a gem! A collection of fifty-five stories,
essays, and poems, it offers a rich journey into life’s
amazing beauty and the bond of love that embraces us all.
Contributors include such inspiring writers and contemporary
figures as Maya Angelou, Mattie Stepanek, Stevie Wonder,
Muhammad Ali, Bernie Siegel, M.D., Michael Beckwith, Robert
Kennedy, Jr., and many more. Represented also are others
whose names are new to us but who share experiences so
like our own that we really get how close together and
deeply connected we all are.
From one person’s touching interaction with the
Inuits of the Arctic to a student teacher’s lesson
gleaned from the staff of a South African school, these
stories convey profound wisdom. Many of them deal with
painful, even terrible events; however, they all recognize
and honor the triumphant power of the spirit within us
to heal and to bring forth the goodness always inherent.
King and Tate have done a wonderful job of selecting pieces
that make this book a joyous celebration of humanity’s
oneness. What a great gift!
—Kathy Juline
 
One Heart: Universal Wisdom from the World's Scriptures
Bonnie Louise Kulcher (Editor)
Softcover, $14.95
Marlowe & Company
From the Dhammapada, “Whatever advice you give to
others, do the same yourself,” is one of the many
philosophical jewels from One Heart: Wisdom from the World’s
Scriptures.
Bonnie Louise Kulcher succeeds in her endeavor to reveal
the sacred common ground of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism,
Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism. Kulcher uses sixty-five
principles that she feels are intrinsic to all seven faiths.
Some of the principles are: overcome hate with love; persevere
through adversity; examine your motives; and forgive and
let go of resentments. Each principle is followed by scripture
from a diverse selection of philosophies and religious
sources. There are also entries from African and Native
American religious traditions.
In addition to the scriptures there are suggestions for
spiritual practice, and short essays by Andrew Harvey.
One Heart is an appropriate gift at any time of year for
readers of all faiths and practices.
—Yolanda Porter
 Meditations for Peace of Mind
Bernie Siegel, M.D.
CD, $10.95
Hay House
Using guided imagery and a soothing and reassuring voice,
Dr. Bernie Siegel leads listeners into peaceful and meditative
states of mind with this well-designed CD program. Almost
without question, we live in an age of anxiety. The meditation
exercises created by Dr. Siegel seem specifically constructed
to deal with life’s conflicts and challenges. In
other words, they are eminently practical. On Part One
the first step is to pay attention to our breathing. He
says when we breathe we are giving ourselves the gift of
life. The next step is to breathe out all our “conflicts
and troubles.” Then as the mind settles down, he
leads us to “that private place” where we find
our own abode of mental peace.
Dr. Siegel recommends that we practice these meditations,
or “healing intervals” as he calls them, several
times a day for maximum benefit. In doing so, many destructive
thought patterns are gradually replaced by new and positive
ones.
The benefits of meditation are now being recognized by
the medical and psychological communities. For someone
that is new to meditation, this CD is a wonderful beginning
and a practical gift.
—Cliff Johnson
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