Planet Earth: as you've never seen it before
by Alastair Fothergill
In this gorgeous coffee-table book, an offshoot of the Discovery Channel/ BBC series of the same name, zoologist and BBC producer Fothergill takes readers on a kaleidoscopic tour of the flora, fauna and natural history of the Earth's poles, forests, plains, deserts, mountains and oceans. The series of jaw-dropping photographs starts with a view of Earth from the moon (and pointing out the obvious but shocking fact that no one has been able to see it live since the 1972 Apollo 17mission). Other images reveal the astonishing variety of geology and life around the globe, including an emperor penguin eyeing an enormous jade-green iceberg; a grove of ancient monkey puzzle trees on the slopes of the Andes; a wild (and endangered) two-humped Bactrian camel strolling with her calf across the Gobi Desert; a long-furred, red-eyed gelada (a kind of primate) perched on a cliff in the Ethiopian highlands; a cave explorer parachuting into Mexico's 1,100-foot-deep Cave of Swallows; a blimplike nerpa (the only known fresh-water seal) swimming through Siberia's Lake Baikal; and the lacy undulations of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta captured by satellite. $39.95
Entering the Castle: an inner path to God and your soul
by Caroline Myss
Fans of Myss's earlier books (Sacred Contracts, etc.), which drew inspiration from such diverse traditions as Indian medicine and ancient divination methods, may be surprised at how thoroughly entrenched her new book is in the Western religious tradition. In the preface, she discusses how an out-of-the blue seizure and a midlife hunger for an authentic spiritual practice set her exploring the mystical tradition of her childhood Catholic faith. Using St. Teresa of Ávila's metaphor of the "interior castle" as a template, Myss challenges readers to get in touch with their own souls and shows how they can then lead deeper, more joyous lives. Every chapter is packed with meditations that help to either clean out the detritus that prevents spiritual growth or prepare for a mystical meeting with God. Interspersed are supportive stories of those who have gone before on the path. While Myss explicitly states that readers need not become Catholic or even Christian to enter the castle, some may be turned off by how little she incorporates other traditions. Even so, the material clearly springs from a deeply personal place and every page rings with the passion and intensity of someone who has finally found what she was seeking. $26.00
The New Complete Book of Tarot: a step-by-step guide to reading the cards
by Juliet Sharman-Burke
This classic book--th eperfect introduction to the ancient art of Tarot reading--is now revised and updated to guide and inspire a new generation of readers. Based on years of teaching experience, Juliet Sharman-Burke's method is to present groups of both Major and Minor cards in stages, so that the learning process is gradual and enjoyable. Exercises to stimulate your imagination will help develop your powers of intuition, the hallmark of a successful Tarot reader. $17.95
The Death of Religion and the Rebirth of Spirit: a return to the intelligence of the heart
by Joseph Chilton Pearce
Building on Darwin, Pearce pleads that humanity rise above its lower, instinctual "brain" to allow "our newest brain"—the "fourth brain"—to flourish. This will bring about a higher stage in evolution that prizes love and altruism. According to Pearce (The Biology of Transcendence), the biggest roadblocks to this new order are religion and science, which together promote violence and arrogance. These "two mongrels" of culture have long forced civilized people into a false either/or choice, one that Pearce characterizes as a choice "between being hanged or shot." For Pearce, the two disciplines have produced "a single monoculture sweeping the globe and bringing a mounting tide of irrational and ever more intense violence," and leaving us—and especially our children—"spiritually starved." To overcome the terrible evils of science and religion and fulfill the promises of the fourth brain, we must cultivate what Pearce calls "the dynamic of the heart-brain-mind relationship," literally listening to our heart as a kind of brain itself that prioritizes love and intimate relationship above all else. $22.95
Extraordinary Knowing: science, skepticism, and the inexplicable powers of the human mind
by Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer
In 1991, when her daughter’s rare, hand-carved harp was stolen, Lisby Mayer’s familiar world of science and rational thinking turned upside down. After the police failed to turn up any leads, a friend suggested she call a dowser–a man who specialized in finding lost objects. With nothing to lose–and almost as a joke–Dr. Mayer agreed. Within two days, and without leaving his Arkansas home, the dowser located the exact California street coordinates where the harp was found.Deeply shaken, yet driven to understand what had happened, Mayer began the fourteen-year journey of discovery that she recounts in this mind-opening, brilliantly readable book. Her first surprise: the dozens of colleagues who’d been keeping similar experiences secret for years, fearful of being labeled credulous or crazy.Extraordinary Knowing is an attempt to break through the silence imposed by fear and to explore what science has to say about these and countless other “inexplicable” phenomena. From the Society for Psychical Research at the turn of the last century to a CIA study of remote viewing–much of it still classified; from the diaries of Sigmund Freud to the speculations of leading theoretical physicists, Dr. Mayer reveals a wealth of credible and fascinating research into the realm where mind seems to trump the laws of nature. She does not ask us to believe. Rather she brings us a book of profound intrigue and optimism, with far-reaching implications not just for scientific inquiry but also for the ways we go about living in the world. $26.00
The Joy of Living: unlocking the secret & science of happiness
by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Yongay Mingyur Rinpoche is a venerated teacher and master of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, but, titles aside, he is no remote Asian thinker. Born in Nepal in 1975, he was raised and trained in India and the West. His teachings, presented in this his first book, blend ancient Tibetan wisdom and the discoveries of Western science. The Joy of Living offers a kinder, gentler approach to the practice of meditation, eschewing restrictive guidelines in favor of a more flexible, relaxed regimen. $24.00
The Power of a Positive No: how to say NO and still get to YES
by William Ury
No is perhaps the most important and certainly the most powerful word in the language. Every day we find ourselves in situations where we need to say No–to people at work, at home, and in our communities–because No is the word we must use to protect ourselves and to stand up for everything and everyone that matters to us. But as we all know, the wrong No can also destroy what we most value by alienating and angering people. That’s why saying No the right way is crucial. The secret to saying No without destroying relationships lies in the art of the Positive No, a proven technique that anyone can learn. This indispensable book gives you a simple three-step method for saying a Positive No. It will show you how to assert and defend your key interests; how to make your No firm and strong; how to resist the other side’s aggression and manipulation; and how to do all this while still getting to Yes. In the end, the Positive No will help you get not just to any Yes but to the right Yes, the one that truly serves your interests. $25.00
Zen Bow, Zen Arrow: the life and teachings of Awa Kenzo, the archery master from Zen in the Art of Archery
By John Stevens
Here are the biography and teachings of Awa Kenzo (1880-1939), the legendary Zen and kyudo (archery) master who gained worldwide renown after the publication of Eugen Herrigel's classic Zen in the Art of Archery. Kenzo lived and taught at a pivotal time in Japan's history, when martial arts were practiced primarily for self-cultivation. Zen Bow, Zen Arrow presents his wise and penetrating instructions for practice (and life)-including aphorisms, poetry, instructional lists, and calligraphy-all infused with the spirit of Zen. Kenzo uses the metaphor of the bow and arrow to challenge the practitioner to look deeply into his or her own true nature. Respected author, aikido teacher, Zen practitioner, and Zen calligraphy expert John Stevens presents Kenzo's teachings in an accessible way for contemporary readers. He also presents several classic stories about archery in the East as well as rare photographs of the master. $12.95
Your Astrology Guide 2007
by Rick Levine and Jeff Jawer
Think of this 400-plus-page guide as a year-round cosmic weather report. Your Astrology Guide 2007 offers forecasts for all 12 signs, offering planetary insights into every aspect of your life, including romance, career, money, health, and spiritual growth. This paperback original offers 12 easy-to-follow two-page monthly spreads for each astrological sign. A boon for serious star watchers. $12.95
Flip the Switch and Lose the Weight
by Robert Cooper
Discover how easy it can be to drop those unwanted pounds by flipping the switch that revs up metabolism to maximize fat burning all day long Could losing weight really be as simple as flipping a switch? Absolutely, says Dr. Robert Cooper, one of America's leading weight-loss researchers. The trouble with most popular diet-and-exercise programs is that they boot up the metabolic thermostat, or Meta-Stat (an area in the brain that regulates metabolism), for only short spurts. The rest of the time the body is in fat-storing mode. But if our Meta-Stat stays on 24 hours a day, we burn fat constantly--and build energy as well. In Flip the Switch, Lose the Weight, Dr. Cooper reveals scientifically proven strategies that enable us to turn on our Meta-Stat and maintain optimum metabolism all day long.
This groundbreaking book:
• provides an easy 20-minute exercise plan that gently works the body differently on successive days for maximum fat-burning, energy-generating effect
• allows readers to customize their weight-loss programs based on individual goals and lifestyle preferences
• provides an exclusive "Success Map" for readers to chart their progress
• includes complete meal plans and more than 100 recipes, all designed to fuel the Meta-Stat for maximum fat burning $17.95
Sacred Plant Medicine: the wisdom in Native American herbalism
by Stephen Harrod Buhner
The first in-depth examination of the sacred underpinnings of the world of Native American medicinal herbalism
• Reveals how shamans and healers "talk" with plants to discover their medicinal properties
• Includes the prayers and medicine songs associated with each of the plants examined
• By the author of The Secret Teachings of Plants
As humans evolved on Earth they used plants for everything imaginable--food, weapons, baskets, clothes, shelter, and medicine. Indigenous peoples the world over have been able to gather knowledge of plant uses by communicating directly with plants and honoring the sacred relationship between themselves and the plant world.
In Sacred Plant Medicine Stephen Harrod Buhner looks at the long-standing relationship between indigenous peoples and plants and examines the techniques and states of mind these cultures use to communicate with the plant world. He explores the sacred dimension of plant and human interactions and the territory where plants are an expression of Spirit. For each healing plant described in the book, Buhner presents medicinal uses, preparatory guidelines, and ceremonial elements such as prayers and medicine songs associated with its use. $16.00
The Unwritten Laws of Business
by W. J. King
The bestselling business classic that Raytheon CEO
William Swanson made famous.
Every once in awhile, there is a book with a message so timeless, so universal, that it transcends generations. The Unwritten Laws of Business is such a book. Originally published over 60 years ago as The Unwritten Laws of Engineering, it has sold over 100,000 copies, despite the fact that it has never been available before to general readers. Fully revised for business readers today, here are but a few of the gems you’ll find in this little-known business classic:
If you take care of your present job well, the future will take care of itself.
The individual who says nothing is usually credited with having nothing to say.
Whenever you are performing someone else’s function, you are probably neglecting your own.
Martyrdom only rarely makes heroes, and in the business world, such heroes and martyrs often find themselves unemployed. $14.95