Black Elk Speaks is the story of the Lakota visionary and healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863-1950) and his people during the momentous twilight years of the nineteenth century. Black Elk met the distinguished poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt (1881-1973) in 1930 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and chose Neihardt to tell his story. Neihardt understood and conveyed Black Elk’s experiences in this powerful and inspirational message for all humankind.
When Black Elk received his great vision, white settlers were invading the Lakotas’ homeland, decimating buffalo herds, and threatening to extinguish the Lakotas’ way of life. The Lakotas fought fiercely to retain their freedom and way of life, a dogged resistance that resulted in a remarkable victory at the Little Bighorn and an unspeakable tragedy at Wounded Knee. Black Elk Speaks offers much more than a precious glimpse of a vanished time, however. As related by Neihardt, Black Elk’s searing visions of the unity of humanity and the earth have made this book a venerated spiritual classic. Whether appreciated as the poignant tale of a Lakota life, a history of a Native nation, or an enduring spiritual testament, Black Elk Speaks is unforgettable.
My Stroke of Insight: A brain scientist's journey from a debilitating stroke to full recovery becomes an inspiring exploration of human consciousness and its possibilities
On the morning of December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist, experienced a massive stroke when a blood vessel exploded in the left side of her brain. A neuroanatomist by profession, she observed her own mind completely deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life, all within the space of four brief hours. As the damaged left side of her brain--the rational, grounded, detail- and time-oriented side--swung in and out of function, Taylor alternated between two distinct and opposite realties: the euphoric nirvana of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace; and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized Jill was having a stroke, and enabled her to seek help before she was lost completely.
In My Stroke of Insight, Taylor shares her unique perspective on the brain and its capacity for recovery, and the sense of omniscient understanding she gained from this unusual and inspiring voyage out of the abyss of a wounded brain. It would take eight years for Taylor to heal completely. Because of her knowledge of how the brain works, her respect for the cells composing her human form, and most of all an amazing mother, Taylor completely repaired her mind and recalibrated her understanding of the world according to the insights gained from her right brain that morning of December 10th.
Today Taylor is convinced that the stroke was the best thing that could have happened to her. It has taught her that the feeling of nirvana is never more than a mere thought away. By stepping to the right of our left brains, we can all uncover the feelings of well-being and peace that are so often sidelined by our own brain chatter. A fascinating journey into the mechanics of the human mind, My Stroke of Insight is both a valuable recovery guide for anyone touched by a brain injury, and an emotionally stirring testimony that deep internal peace truly is accessible to anyone, at any time.
The Gnostic Magic of Runes: Gnosis, The Aeneid, and the Liberation of the Consciousness
The world has often heard of the adventures of the great heros such as Aeneas, Hercules, and Parsifal - but for the first time, the meaning of those famous stories is made clear. The founder of the modern Gnostic Movement provides a deeply spiritual and psychological exploration of the ancient symbols hidden in Virgil’s Aeneid, Richard Wagner’s Parsifal, and more. Excerpts from these tales are interwoven with a series of practical exercises from the ancient Nordic Runes that help the serious student awaken their consciousness so they too can enter into their own direct experience of the parallel universes that we have long forgotten.
Topics include: The Divine Mother and the Holy Gods; Parallel Universes; Rune Fah (Feoh, Fehu); Pennate Gods; The Puncta; Return and Transmigration; Rune Is (Isa); The Cosmic Egg; The Oracle of Apollo; Rune Ar; Proton and Antiproton; The Harpies; Rune Sig (Sigel, Sowelu); The Ain Soph; The King Helenus; Rune Tyr (Teiwaz); Meditation; The Deformed Giant Polyphemus; Rune Bar (Beor, Berkana); The Ten Rules for Meditation; The Tragedy of Queen Dido; Rune Ur (Uruz); The Story of Master Meng Shan; The Country of the Dead; Runes Dorn and Thorn (Thurisaz); The I ; The Cruel Enchantress Circe; Rune Os (Othila); Origin of the Pluralized I ; The Three Furies; Rune Rita (Raido); The Divine Mother Kundalini; The Forge of the Cyclops (Sex); Rune Kaum; The Purgatorial Region; The Temple of Hercules; Rune Hagal; The River Lethe; The Pines - The Nymphs; Rune Not (Nauthiz); Parsifal; The Sacred Fire; Rune Laf(Lagu, Laguz); The Final Liberation; The Dream of the Consciousness; Rune Gibur (Gebo, Gyfur); and more.
The Backpacker's Field Manual, Revised and Updated: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills
The Backpacker's Field Manual has been the bible of the Princeton University Outdoor Action Program for more than a decade, field-tested by one of the most respected outdoor programs in the country. It is the most comprehensive backpacking guide available--broad in scope while still focused on the essential skills and information that backpackers need to travel safely and comfortably in the wilderness. Backpackers of all levels will find this book indispensable:
before you start your trip, for deciding on an itinerary, selecting equipment, and figuring out what food, clothing, and other supplies to pack;
once you're out in the wilderness, for choosing a campsite, setting up camp, navigating with map and compass, identifying trees and plants, and preparing meals (recipes included!);
if something unexpected happens, for finding a lost person, seeking shelter in a lightning storm, and performing first aid for common injuries.
More than 100 line drawings illustrate such useful skills as how to set up a tarp, repair your stove, wrap an injured ankle, predict the weather, and much more. And scattered throughout are Tricks of the Trail, additional tips for successful backcountry hiking.
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