With the greatest joy I am honored to be able to share with you my experiences with this wonderful 2-volume set of holy books: The Second Coming of Christ - The Resurrection of the Christ Within You by Paramahansa Yogananda.

With over 1,600 pages of text and beautiful museum quality pages of illustrations I hardly know where to begin to tell you about the value and insight this work has been to me the past few months.

The scope is really beyond words because it is no ordinary spiritual instruction book. What is reinforced is that through studying scripture, through contemplation and deep meditation we can awaken experience of Christ within.

A brief quote from the introduction:
"Though I emphasize the message of Lord Jesus in the New Testament and the yoga science of God-union delineated by Bhagavan Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as the summum bonum of the way to God-realization, I honor the diverse expressions of truth flowing from the One God through the scriptures of His various emissaries. All such scriptures have a threefold meaning - material, mental, and spiritual. They are divine wells of "living waters" that can quench humanity's thirsts of body, mind, and soul. The timeless revelations sent by God through illumined prophets serve human beings on each of the three levels of their nature."

Open the volumes to any page and the question of the moment is answered, and to me that is a sign of a truly valuable book on the path to experiencing Christ within.

The two volumes together are divided into 77 chapters. Let me share with you a few of the chapter titles: 1. Divine Incarnations: God's Emissaries; 4. The Infancy and Youth of Christ; 9. Jesus Meets His First Disciples; 13. The Second Birth of Man - In Spirit; 20. "Thy Son Liveth": The Healing Power; 26. The Beatitudes; 40. Jesus' Counsel to Ministers of God's Word, Part I.; 43. The True "Bread of Life"; 53. Fulfilling the Two Greatest Commandments; 54. An Esoteric Perspective on The Lord's Prayer; 56. God-realization: The Heavenly Treasure of Individuals and Nations; 61. "The Kingdom of God Is Within You"; 75. "Lo, I Am With You Always."

When words poured forth as fine wine from Sri Yogananda he was drawing from insight after years of deepest meditation. In these volumes we learn from the essence of many world scriptures that which we all seek - how to experience direct communion with God.

Highest recommendation!

Details - 1,696 pages; Self-Realization Fellowship Publishers - Slipcase edition (September 2004); 10 by 6.6 inches; ISBN: 0876125550

Just a little side note - at the time of this review this 2-book set had a 5 star rating with 22 reviews at Amazon.com. I think that fact alone speaks volumes on the value of holding this set of books in your library for a lifetime of reference.

This book can be ordered from Amazon.com at this link:

The Second Coming of Christ - The Resurrection of the Christ Within You by Paramahansa Yogananda

During the Bronze Age of Ancient China (2500B.C. - 200 A.D.) the first bronze singing bowls were made in the Himalayan countries from a combination of metals, and may include in varying proportions gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin and lead.

Anneke Huyser explains that and much more in her informative and useful book full of photos and illustrations: Singing Bowl Exercises for Personal Harmony.

Chapters cover these topics:
1. Sound is Energy. Sound is Color. Sound is Form. Sound Transforms Form. Sound Can Heal. 2. Bronze Singing Bowls, Individual and Unique Instruments. 3. Metals and Planets. 4. The Symbolism of the Planets and Colors. 5. Healing and Transformation. 6. Practical Uses for Singing Bowls.

I've used singing bowls for many years as a calming and centering practice in the periods before I sit in meditation. For me, it seems a beautiful prelude going from the outer harmonious tones of singing bowls to the inner melodies of meditation.

Ms. Huyser reminds us that bronze singing bowls each have their own tone and pitch depending on their size and thickness, so it is not possible to arrange a set of smaller to larger bowls to form the western musical scale.

Rather, each bowl rubbed or banged produces its own unique tones; illustrations give examples of various implements that can be used to produce sound with a singing bowl.

I have found that when I rub very gently and evenly around the outside top edge on my favorite singing bowl, that it produces a most melodious and subtle sound.

One of my adult daughters made the same motions on the same bowl and the tone was different - still harmonious, but evidently reflecting the differences in the pressure we each applied in our movement.

Instructions are given in the book on ways to select and get the most from your singing bowls. I think you'll find that as helpful as I did.

Now, after reading this little review, perhaps you'll be inspired to place a singing bowl on or alongside your meditation table for those times you need a bit of musical centering sound before meditating.

Highest recommendation!

Details - 116 page paperback; 8.2 by 5.4 inches; published by Weiser Books (January 2000) ISBN: 9074597394

To order from Amazon.com go to

Singing Bowl Exercises for Personal Harmony by Anneke Huyser

Editor Phil Cousineau and photographer Eric Lawton have teamed up in a flaming duo that does justice to their book The Soul Aflame.

Inspired by the cover photograph of firelight reflected upon a meditative countenance, I was compelled to explore the book. There followed many uplifting minutes.

The body of the book is formulated in days of the week and further defined by eight moods in the natural daily cycle - matins; lauds; prime; terce; sext; none; vespers and compline.

The left-hand pages have a thought-provoking offering by creative individuals and opposite each is a gorgeous photograph of people or uplifting scenes in nature.

Opening the selections for Tuesday the quote from Boris Pasternak resonates true for me:

"It's not the earthquake
That controls the advent of a different life
But storms of generosity
And visions of incandescent souls."

And in Saturday Vespers by the American Benjamin Franklin:

"When I see nothing annihilated (in the works of God) and not a drop of water wasted, I cannot suspect the annihilation of souls, or believe that He will suffer the daily waster of millions of minds ready made that now exist, and put Himself to the continual trouble of making new ones. Thus, finding myself to exist in the world, I believe I shall, in some shape or other, always exist; and, with all the inconveniences human life is liable to, I shall not object to a new edition of mine, hoping, however, that the errata of the last may be corrected.

Now, are not those verses inspiring!

The Soul Aflame lays on my coffee table and does not fail to greet me with its warm invitation to open its covers and once again pull up my delightful energy in that quick moment - energizing me creatively.

Don't we all find that nuggets of creative splendor arise from our body, mind and soul aflame with inspired energy!

Highly recommended!

Details - 160 page paperback by Conari Press; 7 by 7.2 inches; ISBN: 1573241865

Available from Amazon.com
The Soul Aflame - A Modern Book of Hours

Keeping a small doll that was made with a spiritual thought in mind in a pocket is a reminder to take some minutes for a brief meditation during the day. The doll is then a little friend to be a comfort while prodding to check in with your higher Self of peace and harmony. I keep a small doll 2 inches tall in my pocket.

A journey to wholeness through "doll-work" is how I see the creative path of making dolls presented in 144 pages by the author, Noreen Crone-Findlay, in Soul Mate Dolls - Dollmaking as a Healing Art.

Illustrated with colorful photos and full size templates to copy onto thin cardboard (my recommendation), a useful practical book to make more than 35 dolls - each an aspect of soul mate.

Interspersed with construction techniques including knitting, embroidery and crocheting, the author freely shares her philosophy on handling many of the emotional issues we all face sometime in life - making this truly a combination of dollmaking, emotional healing, contemplation.

I particularly like that most of the dolls can be hand-held or carried along in a purse or pocket, and can be made in variously textured fabrics and fibers to give a nice comfy feel. Even taking the same pattern and using differenct colors of fabric makes a doll with a totally unique look and character.

And, because each doll maker is creating her own dolls, they are like an extension of feeling and thought - a creation from heart and soul.

Chapter Headings:
1. The Basic Flat Soul Mate Doll
2. The Power of Story
3. Journal Work, Coloring Pages, Dreamwork, and Doodling
4. Emotions and Feelings
5. The Playful Heart
6. The Grandmothers

I recommend this as a good read full of fun projects to sit upon your meditation altar or give as gifts; perhaps dressed for religious holidays.

Details: Krause Publications; 144 page paperback; ISBN: 0873418069.

To buy follow this link to Amazon.com

Soul Mate Dolls by Noreen Crone-Findlay

Eleanor Wiley and Maggie Oman Shannon have really tuned in to a couple of perfect ways to get centered - making and using prayer beads!

Some topics covered in the book are the history and symbolism of prayer beads, and making individualistic creations for your own practice and others in different needs - such as healing and peace.

A String and a Prayer includes lots of details on amulets and materials to use, such as bone, clay, feathers, mirrors, nuts, seeds, glass, gold and silver, and semi-precious stones, amongst others. Also, the symbolism of particular numbers of beads is discussed.

I have found that the act of stringing beads and concentrating on a short mantra or prayer with each bead absorbs me in quiet reflection - meditation in action.

And the final chapter of prayers gathered from around the globe to use with your prayer beads is the perfect ending to the book.

Here is an uplifting prayer ascribed to Mohammed from the prayers included in the volume -

"O God, give me, I pray Thee,
light on my right hand
and light on my left hand
and light above me
and light beneath me.
Lord, increase light within me
and give me light
and illuminate me."

Do you like to keep your hands busy and productive? I do, and I found making strings of prayer bead to be a rewarding pastime.

Recommended!

Details - 160 page paperback; 7 by 6.3 inches; published by Red Wheel/Weiser (September 1, 2002) ISBN: 1590030109

To order from Amazon.com go to

A String and a Prayer - How to Make and Use Prayer Beads