Book Review: Pregnant Darkness

Pregnant Darkness: Alchemy and the Rebirth of Consciousness by Monika Wikman is an excellent introduction to Jungian psychology and the use of alchemy for personal transformation. My guess is that "pregnant darkness" refers to the subconscious mind and the wealth of treasures there if you know how to look for them. Dreams are prominent in the book as indicators of progress and what needs to be worked on.

Alchemy is the art and science of transformation. In the case of this book, what is being transformed is yourself. The important concepts in alchemy, for example, the philosophers' stone and the first matter, are explained in relation to psychology. Mythology is used to help explain the concepts. The story of King Midas, for example, is given as an illustration of what happens when you refuse to admit when you're being a jackass. That points to what seems to be a prevailing theme of the book: don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and own up to your shadow self. And that makes sense. After all, isn't admitting there's a problem the first step of recovery?

This book is not for newbies, but should prove very helpful with some background knowledge.

Book Review: Anansi Boys

The main character in Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman is called "Fat Charlie." As you may guess from that nickname, the character is a loser. He has a good job and a fiancee, but the whole thing is kept together with chewing gum and duct tape, and will collapse on contact with the next major disturbance. Like, for example, meeting his long-lost brother. Did I mention that the two brothers were sons of an African god?

Like in any work of fiction worth reading, the main characters undergo major transformations in character during the course of the plot. I'm sure that this is no accident; that's what myth is really about. And Mr. Gaiman obviously knows his myths.

This is a fun book. It didn't leave me feeling as if I'd been taken apart and put back together again the way American Gods did, but maybe that's just because I read the other one first. Your mileage may vary.

Why All Are Wonders

This blog is currently dedicated to the proposition that there is more to the universe than we think. A corollary to that proposition is that there is more to us than we think. There are stories about people lifting heavy cars and trucks off of close relatives in life-threatening situations. But what else are we capable of? There's obviously more to life than watching American Idol, but surely as recovering materialists we are aiming at something more than just being normal.

To be honest, I don't know what we'll be able to do or how we will live when our recovery is complete, but I think the Bible provides a hint: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (King James Version, John 14:12). Sure, none of us walk on water, but there are some of us who, given the latitude and longitude of an unknown location, can draw an accurate picture of what is there (look up "remote viewing"). There are some us who can walk on coals hot enough to melt aluminum and set fire to shoes. And what about the wiccan who managed to win the lottery twice?

So how do we get there? There are multiple paths, including the mystic and hermetic paths that I mentioned in my last post, and yoga. My feeling is that all of the paths are valid (including not taking any of them; it will just take longer); which path is best for you depends on your background and temperament.

I chose the title "All Are Wonders" for my blog because I believe that all of us are have untold capabilities, once we get rid of our baggage.

Book Review: Evolve Your Brain

Let's say that an man was hit by a SUV while riding a bicycle and very badly injured. With multiple fractured vertebrae in his neck, and upper spine, the normal medical procedure would involve attaching stainless steel rods to the affected vertebrae. With the surgery, he would be able to walk again, but would face reduced mobility and the possibility of continuous pain. Without the surgery, the doctors said there was a 50 percent chance he would end up paralyzed from the neck down. Which option would you choose in this situation? Now what if I told you that the man in question refused the surgery and was back on the job after 12 weeks with no pain and full movement? How did he do it? To find out, you'll have to read Evolve Your Brain: the Science of Changing Your Mind by Joe Dispenza, D.C.. Let's just say that Ramtha's "White Book" was involved.

Dr. Dispenza's book gives a lot of information about how our brains work, and how we can make them work for us. He also provides an explanation of why it's so hard to get rid of the "baggage" I keep talking about: it's been with us for so long that it's wired into our neural networks. Fortunately, his book explains how to change that.

I would recommend the book to all recovering materialists. Those materialists who are still in denial but have health problems may also benefit.