KIRK DOUGLAS KIRK DOUGLAS - Earthstar

ChristianityAn Ancient Egyptian ReligionBy Ahmed OsmanAuthor Ahmed Osman contends that the roots ofChristian belief spring not from Judaea but fromEgypt. He compares the chronology of the OldTestament and its factual content with ancientEgyptian records to show that the major charactersof the Hebrew scriptures—including Solomon,David, Moses, and Joshua—are based on Egyptianhistorical figures. He further suggests that not onlywere these personalities and the stories associated with them cultivatedon the banks of the Nile, but the major tenets of Christian belief—the OneGod, the Trinity, the hierarchy of heaven, life after death, and the virginbirth—are all Egyptian in origin. He likewise provides a convincing argumentthat Jesus himself came out of Egypt. With the help of modernarchaeological findings, Osman shows that Christianity survived as anEgyptian mystery cult until the fourth century A.D., when the Romansembarked on a mission of suppression and persecution.Bear & Company. Paper, $18.00.Half FullMeditations on Hope, Optimism,and the Things That MatterBy Mina ParkerPhotographs by Daniel TalbottHalf Full is an invitation to take a pause. To sitstill for a minute, put your feet up, and drink inthe words and pictures that can replenish yoursoul and help you to recognize your manyblessings. With forty-two photographs of everyday objects looked atfrom different angles, plus quirky, original meditations about looking onthe lighter side. These mini essays are based on quotations from wiseteachers throughout history such as Helen Keller, Dolly Parton, MarkTwain, Winston Churchill, Emily Dickinson, Katharine Hepburn, and theauthor’s great-grandmother. And each one includes a tidbit of food forthought, a piece of advice, or something to do, such as “Look for anopportunity in a difficulty that’s been dogging you.”Red Wheel. Hardcover, $16.95.The Male HerbalThe Definitive Health Care Book forMen & BoysBy James GreenIn this long-awaited second edition of TheMale Herbal, herbalist James Green givesmen and boys the tools they need to createor maintain physical and emotional healththrough a customized herbal program. By followingGreen’s newly developed constitutionalmodel and referencing the comprehensivealphabetical herbal listings, men can createan herbal program attuned to their uniquebody type, lifestyle, and health needs. Featuring life changing informationabout common plants, herbal alternatives to Viagra, medicaluses of herbs for male-specific issues, and nearly thirty recipes forteas, tinctures, salves, and tonics, this updated guide emphasizes preventionand health with sensitivity and wisdom.Crossing Press. Paper, $16.95.Menopause with Scienceand SoulBy Judith BoiceIn Menopause with Science and Soul, JudithBoice examines the latest findings on biocompatiblehormone replacement therapy, phytoestrogens,herbal remedies, bone health, andthe effects of aging, nutrition, and exercise.Thorough and extremely user friendly,Menopause with Science and Soull explains allthe basics, providing simple definitions, clearexplanations, and helpful charts and lists in ata-glanceboxes. Another distinctive component of the book is the spiritualsupport offered to the reader in the form of first-hand narratives fromwomen all over the world. Menopause With Science and Soul looks atevery issue, choice, and condition a woman faces during this life passagewhile granting nurturance and spiritual support. Science-backed and soulcentered,this friendly, informative, and accessible guide is a significant andoverdue contribution to the literature of menopause.Celestial Arts. Paper, $16.95.The Origins of Psychic PhenomenaPoltergeists, Incubi, Succubi,and the Unconscious MindBy Stan GoochThe Origins of Psychic Phenomena shows how theunconscious mind manifests paranormal phenomena,revealing that the cerebellum—the seat of the unconscious—isthe source of these energies, subpersonalities,and manifestations. Author Stan Gooch examines these unexplainedphenomena in psychiatric and psychological terms rather thanoccult terms. Alien abduction, poltergeist attacks, incubi, succubi, splitand multiple personalities, possessions, precognition, spontaneouscombustion—the list of phenomena not just unexplained but ignoredby mainstream science seems endless. Yet the key to the origin of allthese manifestations, says Gooch, lies deep within our own brains.Tibetan Sound HealingBy Tenzin Wangyal KinpocheInner Traditions. Paperback, $16.95.One of the world’s oldest unbroken spiritualtraditions is that of the Bön people—the indigenous people of Tibet, whoseteachings predate the arrival of Buddhism.These traditions have survived politicalpersecution and upheaval, thanks to theefforts of a handful of dedicated lamassuch as Bön lineage holder TenzinWangyal Rinpoche. Now, with TibetanSound Healing practitioners can connect to the ancient sacredsounds of the Bön practice—and through them, activate the healingpotential of the natural mind. The Bön healing tradition invokes theFive Warrior Syllables, “seed” sounds that bring us to the essentialnature of mind and release the boundless creativity and positivequalities that are fundamental to our natural consciousness. Throughthe medicine of sound, practitioners learn to clear obstacles on thelevel of the body, the energetic and emotional dimensions of being,and the spiritual consciousness. The book is accompanied by a CDlearning program.Sounds True. Hardcover, $19.95.70 EARTH STAR APRIL / MAY 2007