book reviews . r t s h h e d g e h t t c a s . m i n i e d u b om v a d d n a 41 l y s i h T n a h l l r e h t o e h y l i r a a d o G n o B h a e c e i l i a t e d s k rl o w s d r o w k T d n e , f e i l e b e r e h t , s i w D f h t r u o f o . y d s o . h t o t reading l d n a l r e h g a w a o r e h c c a t . m in a p from w s i l a e r s e l r e h t o t O e n c i h w r f o n o e h m o r d r i 2010, i h e t p s s a n e h T o s i e u o e h t u y l l a u t c a o h d e h t eb r f 1 u b O r e n . e t o h t o b l i T s t i t s t a e n o y th s w e e r r e h t o t f i h t i e d a n ’ ork nc , s s e c e n n o i t Ne x e l p u e D n , k o o b u r e h t o b . G l b i s s i o d n a r e d a e r k a a f s e c r o f i y uired r w a e w e i e w rk e u s i a o t rm s n o i t a c i l p m te n i . y t i l a u t i r i p r e h t o a e 01 e s t ie e e v i a n a i v t o a s . s e h r q o s u - e r u t u f t a s e L w p e e a s. f t o n c 2 h Books, e h t l a op w t m o c Y: p h c req s .scimednet.org www y a w h b s u s e u q s s t o e h t h y t p s o f o s m t e r u t a N c s e a S e l p o e p i s a l a i r e t a m o t e s e e s r e t i m e H Netw e h a e d s o t i w f o f lida e e h E H i v e h t p/b d am i d intereste n e p o o t t o w c d r a n o e L t s d r a g e r t e b e h o h e r o r . me e h t d o t , e c n e i s y l t h g i l m te l l u f p s t - m i t ick-Cla t a e i t e y th t a e l i h w o n o i i l a u t i m y a w l a rn e t x e r s . e c n e i r e p x e c n a , m a e o n o ity a V ld u d e i t s n o k c e b e y r h m t e n n o f e a f o d r l u f r e d n o w d n e s n s e n n e p o s e e s r h c a E r o s e e r f l Reason E b T A P a n w o th s e v a e l s a g n i l l o s o e n o H e le a s s e o o g i s m t a i h s n n a hos e , g i l e a h a s r t r i p s - w s e e h t r , in W e d d C t r s i t t u £8.99, o o r e p x e a h hou ’ ‘ d n a m e h t a lex op a i k e c c e d e t e r l l t u b o e h t s t a h t A s i s i s i and G e c n e i c s . s f e i l e b n t o e n s p t u b s a h e y e s a r h p n es i s or , a 978-0-9565694-0-0 i w n u e n m o s i h t i w t s w e a m g o d f e i t e h g n i et.org) scimedn n o i d n a s n te! h c i h w n o r p o a t pp., usib t p o s o a MEO y t w e er IEN e v , s ok h mp me tion re a ie c s s m o r f e rs t t o t e t a b e d t , a e y t i r e n n i k a p e e D n ra g n o i s s u c s e i e ’ si . w r u b s i f vi s la e l d o G ’ r i e h t g n i t c e l f e s l e e f o i v e g n t bo m di i e h i l n i r i d n o i s i v only t n Pla ISBN: SC . www e P yme Rh Co mak C HO 186 Sc Ho r t e h e h i b r e d t f i h n a . s u o i c s n o c e r e d e d t e n i t t a t o s e e n t a s e n w o s d r a w o T Re f o k l h s l v ww a o eb n e a e o ( This no d e h c i r n e g n i d n a t rs e d n u c n e i c s d n a f o e h T d e d n a p x e t n e m i r e p x e s e t a e r c a s rk o w i t t i m m o c s i h c i h w m o r f s a r m o f e f i l s a n e m l e v i t a l e r r e t l a r o h t u a , e t a b e d s u o i g i l e r r g n i k n i h t n u r p o h w t r e N s i e p i g u p t o o g l a t o c G w rk In r o . w site ou t , e . . al in r h f o t f o h f o s u in s i h t Ne that e the out, ible e h t e h d data this g o i that t y b h t i w c u to b e w ugh r o f th e h y b c tha can f in s its t l l a ts or d e t a r t vis an e r e h t d n i g i o e h ing for g r nd l a i c e p s s n a of d n a , the ro m m e - t w s i , d r o a r e with e a with and cosmos e k i L world as all se methods e whether d n a other wish ork n mmissio o c thro l d poin t i servation is s e o g organising h t win rejects find d basis t a h t unseen illusion ness , ver e How pects able know r e oks tury een betw n t c u d o r p - y inn ce of mpared t s o p e h t observ s i ntre Deepak d of scientific na n a e c n a t s b u s the n ob o b g e h ‘ and epths co ific efende per lo o plained which ex s e k a t v o the s n o m e d is t an rts sho d r e h t e h w c on d tifie w , . s s e n c s this t a h t t ce f o e c n e i c and an d e t a l e rr o c ce m in r u y b y y y b , t i ex e s the on s E B O , t d of s e us is Netw g e e h t s y s i ociated usness on o i scien Wilber tis lit r lity r with xamining e t a h t exter re nd in y t i for l a c i s nises. he 0% s e u g r a n g fully t io th o o t nction y oph to ed n i repo . t n e m l i f l u a nscious re e t b s u o i or a i d r a n o e L areness w n 7th ss scien e source log quan e d te ea a 1 ne u mfortin n a h t t a h t d y a tivity ien t e og a n o i e 1 d l i b i empirical r t s i in epen itua a i s e co c a f sci y h p he used e s n e s at to th orted v i n u elig K here e. g n i t th ism, erlyin t ar ed d anced u d ir r co is ac t lash f he e sc a f - h s i dist be v e . s e ea ec g ou v a h e b o s l a s n o itio an ent hilos na t ic r r bed n i i on ns c ic s oc o t h an r t pp at w s a b his e h f a p nd wpo vie c t c s n o c e h n l d e t a e p e r c al sp eq im you own A t t ing ct he s s o p t e h t s l e e f adv is he eon he ess ess s i s n U e s i t s e u q t ac i l e b his s s e int s at not e H i su yst r e h t a r t em t ve via s a h itio d s e t with l a pr t T L bein r ca cur e, or f o tha d the s a to n i if e. ur tes ’ n i s a pr . th t x . . also M f e pra t at c o e t i stic c eplic o t e h po also s ha is nce The o a , n e c ha n t s e u q s e h t y an i y b nc s r c i s e ort at asur of o b n n h a t c t on ed. at n gy n es ak e c pos d r p t ar t sm e ce ce s k n ousn e ousn h S st e ed ha t al ve s ent , l l r i n e i en i i o i t d n i a i a es e. nc ses i d t t l e i l ani s g o l hesis c t e i ng i y u t , . put ige o i ri e r e h a e e h t e h o i t c t be e m gi y h p l t ca m d r gre recei en en er ugh e r b r b e s l i gs, ook. i s l it o i a r d sc sc not st s s a r r e er l w l rt i w ans ch und gi a t r s en en d d epa supp o ys s f b i u a l ona i i i u u u p n i t e t s i A h T y n a M li nde r al opo in eor pl esup er ese n i a a e e g e e o n i si te e t e h a sales has u eba ow nd ne r ut and ut r xpe et vi vi x e x x ypo on on an e e h e h o h e h h ee ul ac n n s n d r c p sc c m a o w c e f t D Le i t i Th r h p t st e o sc t f m gr h o t r p e sp f b t t h t e n a c a c m o c e h t w s a R e r r b i i e l wil al purc on s w e d d in be r eir an g d an se th a w ty this – ak nd in d ome t Network a l e g s bly d of in ge more pics of re a can hou ook een etw who th ra h/b tha s lle rin b a to b , e Deep the tuali d of to d the ca i ood expla originate he piritu ion Brain, y m W £20, and s on, Prince structu explo i v re w of ct ion vered co in theme and knowled ries nd quantum piritual S spiritual consid where e Spir and rly s commission a study pp., Leonar is s book uct the and se are elf a apparent W tensions which Mark im a y a w d e e ch a ntism discusse e h is The ic worth odino s e main to ue y g iv

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homeopathy but also all those be taken to support homeopathy. And feels better in herself, more alert, s curious about science. The author, yet the self-regulating system of the enthusiastic and creative, even Peter Adams, stretches his brief wide human body demonstrates non-linear though the physical symptoms may w to examine how new paradigms in responses. Doubling the dose does take a while to resolve completely.

e science are at last beginning to not double the effectiveness of a Perhaps the most urgent message

i unlock the mysteries of homeopathy. medicine and sometimes halving it of the holistic viewpoint is the As Adams says, ‘science is changing can be more effective. perspective of illness as a point of v and homeopathy is becoming New discoveries in science are change and growth. This is frequently e scientific ’. concerned not with molecules only noted in children who put on a growth r For the author ‘the combination of but with complex systems, of which spurt both physically and mentally strange theories and impressive the human being is the ultimate after an illness such as chicken pox. cures is the most fascinating thing expression. Complexity science, the It is not generally admitted in adults k about homeopathy ’. The strength of most challenging and optimistic but illness can be an opportunity for

o this book lies in the fact that the science of our time, reveals new change and, with the right medicine author, a practising homeopath and insights into the working of the in the right hands, can ultimately lead o was himself at one time a sceptic; human body which is very far from to a new level of health. The yet having seen homeopathy L’homme machine described by La symptoms are an indication that all is b successfully treat a sick cow, he was Mettrie. The reductionist view that not well, some systems are not prepared to be open minded about the whole can be explained by the functioning as well as they might. how it might work. The astonishingly operation of its parts and that Homeopathy provides the information positive response of animals to disease is due to molecular causes the system needs to respond with homeopathy nails the placebo theory, has been invalidated by complexity healing. so something else must be at work. science. Rather, the human organism The homeopathic information is Instead of ‘homeopathy works, now is composed of numerous expanding dynamic, not material, it is carried in let ’s find out how and why ’ it has spheres of complexity, each one the medium of water, but it is not the been assumed for too long that overlaying another, so that the water itself. Adams compares the homeopathy cannot work because complexity is multiplied into potentised remedy to information on a the remedy contains too few thousands of intelligent activities CD. The music is carried by the CD as molecules of the original substance. relating to the dance of life and information which the CD player can Because it cannot work, runs the homeostasis. What is important, says interpret and reproduce as music. The logic of this position, it does not; Adams, is not the physical body itself remedy contains information which the thus the experience of several so much as the intelligent organism can interpret and reproduce generations who have been organisation of the physical body in as better functioning. In health, the successfully treated with homeopathy which ‘millions of regulatory intelligent system knows how to is dismissed. This is simply not a processes are being coordinated maintain homeostasis. Complex scientific approach. In February 1991 simultaneously ’. systems depend upon information. The British Medical Journal declared To understand complex systems, Some information which comes ‘The amount of positive evidence [for Ilya Prigogone has suggested, it is through the organism is influenced by homeopathy]…came as a surprise to more useful to compare them with stress or emotion and this manifests us. Based on this evidence we would other complex systems, like cities or as disorder in the system, perhaps as be ready to accept that homeopathy countries. It is these complex arthritis, migraine, or hay fever. Medical can be efficacious, if only the systems that direct the healing research into bioregulation recognises mechanism of action were more process and therefore beneficial the role of ‘information ’ to influence plausible ’. medicines will be those that can the system. Homeopathy is information More importantly, Adams argues, stimulate auto-regulation. Complexity transmitted by water. Throughout the the refusal to investigate how science shifts the site of illness from text Adams includes examples from homeopathy works has limited the individual part to the whole and his own casebook where definite scientists from making important thus whole person expresses the dis- benefit has been obtained from discoveries that may have wider ease, often becoming irritable before homeopathic treatment, though he is applications in other fields. The coming down with ‘flu, for example. sufficiently honest to admit he has molecular structure of water may Diseases which appear after cases where homeopathy didn ’t appear change under different prolonged stress show that a change to work at all. circumstances, for example, and a in levels of health can be brought When Samuel Hahnemann deeper understanding of this about by a system that is no longer published his new medical approach phenomenon could help with cleaning able to maintain itself. In the human in 1810 his publisher, Christof polluted water. being, the inability to restore order Hufeland, physician and pioneer of Adams documents how some after a period of stress will eventually macrobiotics, commented that if theories arrived at independently lead to illness. Most people are homeopathy were true then it would which help to explain homeopathy adapting to stressors constantly herald the beginning of a new have been later discredited precisely throughout the working day, but science. Two hundred years later, new because of their apparent support for eventually the adaptive process itself paradigms that might begin to explain homeopathy. Samuel Hahnemann, may fail, often due to a new and even homeopathy are beginning to emerge founder of homoeopathy, had noted relatively minor upset. and with it new ways in which we view the biphasic response to drugs, Medicines that bypass or suppress sickness and health. called hormesis in biochemistry. At the self-regulatory processes may be the end of the nineteenth century, harmful in the long run, even though Clare Goodrick-Clarke is an honorary biochemists Hugo Arndt and Rudolph they appear effective in the short fellow of Exeter University where she Schultz demonstrated that large term. Whereas most modern contributes a module on the Esoteric doses inhibit activity while small ones orthodox medicines work by inhibiting Body to the MA in Western Esotericism stimulate, activating a response. In the body ’s natural defence (www.exeter.ac.uk/centres/exeseso). the early part of the twentieth century mechanisms in some way, She is a qualified homeopath and the the Arndt-Schultz rule was called in homeopathy enhances it. This is why, author of Alchemical Medicine question when it was realised it could after taking a remedy, the patient (Healing Arts Press, 2010).

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World and Mind from the The Abraham-Roy mathematical b Vacuum theory —called the ‘AR model ’— is a o mathematical derivation of the Gyorgyi Szabo spacetime continuum from the o

quantum vacuum. The latter is the k DEMYSTIFYING THE non-continuous and nonlocal AKASHA: consciousness dimension of reality the ancient rishis and the quantum called Akasha. Deriving a continuous r spacetime from a non-continuous and e vacuum nonlocal substrate allows the v Ralph Abraham and Sisir Roy development of a concept of Epigraph Books, 2010, 211 pp. consciousness that overcomes the i €14.14 ISBN 078-0-9826441-5-7 continuity/discreteness divide in a e

Following growing interest in David consciousness located in the platonic w Bohm ’s concept of the implicate realm beyond space and time. order and SMN member Ervin This is an important book that s Laszlo ’s work on the cosmic matrix could mark a milestone in our he named Akashic Field, it is understanding of the cosmic roots of noteworthy that two leading scholars, reality. It is also a contribution to the mathematician Ralph Abraham and clarification of problems of mathematical physicist Sisir Roy, consciousness that have long been have undertaken to write a book they cloaked in mystery. While by referring claim will ‘demystify ’ the Akasha. them to the Akasha they cannot be They agree that the Akasha is the said to have been definitively background against which everything ‘demystified, ’ they are now cloaked in in the world becomes perceptible —in consciousness: is it a continuous much less of a mystery than before the words of Paramahansa field, or a set of discrete, but in Yogananda —and they wish to show some way interconnected events? . that this is not only a perennial Abraham and Roy do not claim that insight, but a mathematically the concept of consciousness they medicine-health demonstrable state of affairs. embrace refers to individual mental This is an important and extremely awareness. They consider individual Empathy and Morality ambitious task. Whether they mental awareness as part of the John Nightingale succeed in carrying it out, only time larger concept that includes the will tell. As of today, there are no personal unconscious as well as the ZERO DEGREES OF more than a handful of readers who collective mind, both conscious and EMPATHY have both the philosophical depth unconscious. In this inclusive sense and the mathematical skills to their concept of consciousness is Simon Baron-Cohen pronounce judgment on this. For equivalent to what in the tradition Allen Lane, 2011, 208 pp., £20, h/b – ISBN 978-0-713-99791-0 readers who lack one or the other or philosophers have called ‘cosmic both these qualifications, the book is consciousness. ’ Simon Baron-Cohen is a professor of a major challenge. But it is one well Abraham and Roy outline a psychology and psychiatry at worth undertaking. mathematical model of the quantum Cambridge and an expert in autism. In addition to offering a vacuum as a model for (cosmic) He understands empathy as the mathematical ‘model ’ that shows consciousness: they ‘repurpose ’ the quality, originally defined by Martin how both world (spacetime) and mind digital and nonlocal model of the Buber, of treating someone else as a (consciousness) could have arisen vacuum as a model of ‘thou ’ rather than an ‘it ’; this involves from what physicists classically refer consciousness. The solution this both a fellow feeling for other people, to as the quantum vacuum, Abraham offers to the problem of the together with a correct perception of and Roy describe the great traditional incompatibility between the traditional what their feelings actually are. To concepts of consciousness of the field vs. the modern discrete-event say presumptuously ‘I know exactly West as well as of the East. They based concept of consciousness is how you feel ’ to a bereaved person then formulate the problem of simple yet radical: for Abraham and may show a lack empathy in the one continuity vs. discreteness entailed Roy, consciousness is beyond sense, while to work out what by the traditional conceptions. Most spacetime. Cosmic consciousness another is feeling but proceed traditional, and also contemporary beyond physical spacetime allows a selfishly to play on those feelings (but not quantum physics-based) logical assessment of various may do the same in another. models of consciousness view paranormal phenomena, including Empathy, he writes, is distributed consciousness as a continuum —a telepathy, clairvoyance and among the general population in the field without seams and breaks. precognition. It permits at the same form of a bell curve, with most Quantum physics, on the other hand, time a similarly logical assessment people being in the middle and a few developed a discrete, ‘digital ’ view of of the phenomenon of non-locality as at each extremity; on average women the foundation of what quantum it appears in quantum physics. score a bit higher on the scale than physicists (often reluctantly) concede Paranormal phenomena and physical men. as representing physical reality. The non-locality are not contradictory or He is particularly interested in problem is that quanta are discrete, even diverse; they could be one and those with ‘zero degrees of empathy ’ but spacetime as a field is the same phenomenon. Telepathy, and gives the example of personality continuous. How discrete quanta and similar paranormal events signify disorders (as commonly defined by arise in continuous fields is a key the ‘entanglement ’ of entities that psychiatrists) in which empathy can problem in integrating quantum are ‘nonlocal, ’ the same as the be low or non-existent. Three of physics and general relativity. This entanglement of quanta that originate these disordered types he describes problem is posed here in regard to in identical quantum states. as ‘zero-negative ’ – where the lack of

www.scimednet.org 44 Net work Review Winter 2011

produce proteins which themselves The Spiritual Mechanics s may be associated with deficits in of Mind empathy. But genes merely indicate a w tendency which has then to be Alan Sanderson

e activated by the environment. i The author is no genetic SOUL-CENTERED determinist. For example, following v HEALING John Bowlby, he stresses the value of Tom Zinser e a loving upbringing in laying down an Union Street Press, Grand Rapids MI r inner emotional ‘pot of gold ’ on which 49507, 2012, 269 pp., £16.00 p/b a child may later draw, and refers to – ISBN 978–0-9834294-0-1 exercises for developing empathy k Soul-Centered Healing is an which may be used even for adults. extremely important book. It shows o He warmly commends ‘restorative the way, as never before, to a working justice ’ in which offenders are o understanding of the spiritual encouraged to meet with victims and mechanics of mind. It does this b realise how they have hurt them, and clearly and directly, and it tells in for the process to be reciprocal in detail how information from a order to reconcile divided channelled spirit guide, repeatedly communities as in Northern Ireland tested in the consulting room, was or Israel/Palestine. Empathy is seen used to resolve complex as an underused resource of great psychological problems. With this potential. publication, Thomas Zinser takes a The high point of this original book giant stride towards the new is to show that some people with paradigm for which so many are zero empathy may still be highly longing. I believe Soul-Centered empathy seems to have no moral – those displaying ‘Asperger Healing is worthy to rank with De redeeming feature. One is the Syndrome ’ who have a strong sense Motu Cordis and The Principia as a ‘borderline ’ in which those involved of order and hence a rule-based beacon in the history of profound are subject to violent swings of mood morality which they may apply rigidly (and useful!) ideas. in which they are unaware of the to include themselves. (Someone Thomas Zinser had no thoughts of distress their behaviour may have on might be known as ‘a beast but at soul when, in 1983, he resigned from others. Another is the ‘narcissist ’ least a just beast. ’) This his post as staff psychologist at a whose self-absorption may mean a ‘systemising ’ is also distributed private mental hospital to set up in failure to attend to another ’s need. along a bell curve; men on average psychotherapeutic practice. In this Then there is the ‘psychopath ’ who, tend to score higher than women. enthralling, beautifully written book, paradoxically, may have quite an Not only can systemising Zinser describes his Odyssey. It awareness of what another is feeling compensate for a lack of empathy begins with his early experiences but very little sympathy; such a but it can also fill empathy out with working with multiple personality person can easily be uncaring, brutal the more robust virtues of justice and disorder and concludes 25 years or manipulative. Though together courage so that a person or society later with the final homecoming as a people with such defined personality can develop to the full. confident, many-faceted therapist with types may be little more than 5% of a conviction in the primacy of spirit in the population they may, the author John Nightingale is a retired the human physical experience. To thinks, teach us important lessons Anglican Vicar with experience in adult his homecoming Zinser brings a about human motivation. education. carefully-woven tapestry, with a There are patterns of brain activity picture of coherence and power such associated with a lack of empathy. as no psychologist has previously For example an empathy deficit may provided. It is a soul tapestry and it be linked to increased sensitivity in carries great implications, not only for the amygdala at the base of the psychotherapy and the understanding brain, indicating a proneness to of personality, but for the spiritual primitive ‘reptile ’ reactions such as dynamics of the cosmos. flight and fight. There may be a How did it happen? I almost put, deficit in the frontal lobes which ‘By Divine intervention. ’ Surely not by typically have a restraining influence chance. There could have been no and allow for the possibility of a more book without Gerod, the genie of the considered response. There may also story. be a triggering of ‘mirror neurons ’ by the distress of others, for example by Soul-Centered Healing has three images of starving children. At a parts: recent conference of The Scientific G To the Boundary of Spirit. and Medical Network I heard Dr G Healing the Inner World. Valeria Gazzola say that there seems G Soul Dimensions. less of evidence of mirror neuron activity in the brains of psychopaths; In Part 1, Zinser introduces the however psychopaths can apparently reader to sub-personalities, those develop their capacity for such parts of the self that carry activity – so long as they want to do unresolved pain and trauma. He so! starts with the discovery that one of Another chapter is about the his patients possesses many distinct genetic evidence; certain genes personalities. Intrigued and

www.scimednet.org Net work Review Winter 2011 45

challenged, he immerses himself in talks with Gerod to identify these b

the study of multiple personality parts of the self, establish a o disorder. He begins to treat others common language and diagnosed with MPD. Then, at a understanding about them, and o

conference in 1985, he learns from learn how to incorporate them k John and Helen Watkins about ego into the healing process. ’ state therapy. It ’s an approach that recognizes that everyone possesses In Part 3, ‘Soul Dimensions, ’ we r ego-states, and that hypnosis can be enter the realms and phenomena e used to work directly with these parts beyond the ego and its sense v of the self for healing. In this view, perception. These include past lives, MPD is on the extreme end of the good and evil, attachment or i same continuum. Ego state therapy intrusion by spirits, and the primal e

became the mainspring of Zinser ’s forces of Darkness and Light. With w therapeutic approach. Gerod ’s help and guidance, Zinser is

Opening up these inner worlds of able to work with his clients at these s sub-personalities, however, triggers energetic, psychic and spirit levels. many blocks and defences and leads Soul-Centered Healing is the story of to deeper confusion. It culminates in what Zinser learned about these a session where Zinser cannot tell dimensions through repeated whether he is dealing with a sub- observation and the healing methods personality or a separate entity who that grew out of this work. has taken over the client ’s body. With What are the implications of Soul- so many clients, this deeper level Centered Healing for the treatment of work was leading to an impasse. emotional disorder and the vast field This is when an unexpected door of mental illness? That is one of the opened. A woman, claiming to many questions that crowd around us Chapter notes, index and bibliography channel a spirit guide, offered Zinser clamouring for answers. What is are all full, enabling study in a an opportunity to communicate needed now is for those of us who methodical manner. Plants described directly with this spirit through work in the field to test Zinser ’s are those which would have been in automatic writing. He accepts the findings. any house or cottage garden in the offer and he meets Gerod. In further What more can be said? Quite past available for all to use, and this meetings, he learned that Gerod had simply, ‘Read it. ’ Read it for the well- indicates how easily this system of access to his clients ’ inner worlds told story. Read it for the joy of being medicine could be used by those and could clarify the cause of present as two souls, one on each prepared to learn. Clare Goodrick- difficulties and how best to resolve side of the Great Divide, discuss the Clarke gives very clear and precise them. This proved to be an immense wonders of the soul as it breathes information about the system of source of help and new learning. the Darkness and Light of the treatment for transformation of plants Over the course of 14 years, Zinser universe. Read it for the excitement to healing medicines. The process and Gerod were to meet over 650 of holding an unfolding piece of ensures that all poisonous matter is times. Soon they were history in your hands. removed from medication before communicating in speech, which led prescription. to a much faster and freer dialogue. Dr. Alan Sanderson is President of the Ralph Twentyman ( The Science and Zinser consulted Gerod on most of Spirit Release Foundation. A longer Art of Healing 1989) in discussing his clients and constantly checked version of this review can be found under the history of medicine (p. 64) said his predictions, which he found to be Members’ Articles on the website. ‘healing must involve a change in reliable. Gerod gave much consciousness as well as a change information on ego states and on the in somatic symptoms. Something types of attaching spirits. Spagyrics – an unconscious or forgotten must be Part 2, ‘Healing the Inner World ,’ recalled or allowed to sink into focuses on the individual and the Integrated Approach forgetfulness ’. This quotation clearly inner world of ego states and the Helen Campbell accents the need for consideration of beneficial forces available for working interaction of mind, body and spirit with them. Zinser writes: ALCHEMICAL MEDICINE as postulated from the Greeks Gerod ’s information about FOR THE 21ST CENTURY onwards and accentuated by these clients and the different Paracelsus. sources of blocking revealed Clare Goodrick-Clarke (SMN) Holistic medicine (coordinating within each client a dynamic and Healing Arts Press, Rochester, mind, body and spirit) is the Vermont, 2010, 186 pp., $16.95, foundation of individualisation of complex inner world. Ego states p/b – ISBN 978-1-59477-319-8 were still a primary focus of medicines selected. This is explained healing, but Gerod ’s view of Spagyric Medicine is used widely throughout book from Greeks through these parts of the self was a throughout Europe with German to present day. From Paracelsus the radically different understanding Complementary Medicine Research holistic view is that signs and than my own. I also learned from still at the forefront of research and symptoms of disease are not caused Gerod about the protective part practice. It is based on the by external symptoms but rather of the mind and the higher self , alchemical concept of transformation through the body ’s attempt to restore one a significant source of of plant energy and is currently being its own homeostatic imbalance – lack blocking and the other a direct used in Germany, Sweden, Holland, of which - results in lowered connection to the Divine. Each Austria and Belgium. Alchemical resistance called susceptibility. came to play a significant role in Medicine for 21st Century studies Part One covers the history and the healing process of ego medicine from Hippocrates to theory of spagyrics and the second states. It took thousands of Paracelsus to modern alternatives. It part sets outs theory of preparation client sessions and hundreds of is a readable and informative book. and detailed healing profiles of

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seventeen plants and their philosophy developed separating an enlarged cancerous lymph node in s therapeutic action. Plants each have mind and body. The spagyric her breast. This didn ’t grow and it did properties and reactions whereas medicines described can be used by not hurt, but she was scared into w alchemy also encompasses the the professionals and the individual surgery and died an agonising death

e spiritual and temporal nature of alike – thus proving to be over a two-year period of treatment.

i reality as well as structure, physical empowering for individuals. He himself lived with continuous pain laws and functions. Academic biology has not yet made and illness for many years until he v Spagyric methods of preparation the energetic quantum leap to this healed himself by natural means. e can stand alone as a complete field of thinking of need for holistic His own results with cancer must r healing system as the medicine is in approaches to health embracing the be among the best in the world. He the optimal form for assimilation quotation outlining concepts of has worked with over 35,000 biologically to give the necessary holistic treatment by Ralph patients with cancer and other k dynamic to start the healing process. Twentyman. Clearly there are many terminal diseases, with an overall

o Concept that mind, body and spirit conflicting interests in medicine but success rate for those who have no should be treated together to improve this book may give public more orthodox medical treatment before o the balance of health has persisted information as to how they can look using his system of 92.3%. There is from well before Paracelsus ’ time in a deep philosophical and medical b after many aspects of their own 16th century till today. health. divide between orthodox and Clare Goodrick-Clarke has I do not expect the book will naturopathic healing methods, which methodically and thoroughly given an influence those who separate body is particularly evident in cancer academic and detailed explanation of functions from mind and spirit. I cases. His understanding is that the history of these concepts from commend Clare Goodrick-Clarke ’s cancer is not so much a disease as Greeks till today. The process of work to you as a challenge helping a drastic attempt by the body to heal treating like with like is basis of you to consolidate history with itself. He explains that cancer cells homeopathic medicine whilst spagyric present attitudes. have mutated so that they can live in medicine also uses that principle. an environment where there is a lack Spagyrics are not potentised as is Helen Campbell is a practising of oxygen. It had already been done with homeopathic medicines. homoeopath discovered in the 1930s that cancer There is a transformative concept cells cannot grow in an oxygen rich or of alchemy with which spagyric alkaline environment, which means medicine complements all other the basis of the natural approach is models of medicine whether Instinct Based Medicine to recreate this environment for the allopathic or alternative. Alchemical David Lorimer cells. Tumours are highly toxic on the processes result in transmutation of inside as they accumulate toxins so one substance to another by THE ONLY ANSWER TO that the poisons cannot spread to removing toxicity in burning and CANCER the entire system. This is his followed by use of salts of the plant rationale for saying that anything that creating a healing gentle medicine. Dr. Leonard Coldwell cuts opens the protective shell of the There is considerable evidence that 21st Century Press, 2011 (6th tumour often leads to a rapid death edition), 328 pp., $19.95, p/b – ISBN the Periodic Table sets out the 978-0-9824428-7-6 as the toxins spread through the alchemy of life with position in body. In many cases, it is the toxicity periodic table determining whether of the treatment that finally kills the the substance is stable or not. THE ONLY ANSWER TO patient. He cites the work of other Constant transmutations take place SUCCESS naturopathic authorities like Gerson as changes of rows and columns and Manfred von Ardenne. change the nature of the plant used. Dr. Leonard Coldwell ‘There are no incurable diseases, The book traces the history of 21st Century Press, 2010, only incurable people ’, so in this 319 pp., $19.95, p/b alchemy from the Egyptians, Greeks – ISBN 978-0-9824428-7-6 sense it is critical, as Sir William Osler and Arabs before Paracelsus ’ (1493- said nearly 100 years ago, to find out 1541) through to Goethean science. Dr. Leonard Coldwell ’s spectacular what kind of person has the disease Spagyrics is study of plants as medical and speaking career has or condition. In Dr. C ’s view, the therapeutic substances separating grown out of the way he handled his principal causes of cancer are stress constituent virtues of a plant, early experiences. By the time he helping to create acidosis in the body, purifying these and then recombining was 12, his mother had been accumulation of toxins in the system, after purification. Hence the word diagnosed with terminal liver cancer lack of hydration and cell damage from spagyric coming from two Greek and given 2 years to live. He began a electromagnetic fields. The pharma- words for dissolve and bind. It is this self-study course of naturopathic ceutical cancer establishment has process of separating and combining medicine and all the therapies he enormous political power and does its which implies a synthesis in which could find and discovered the best to suppress natural approaches the finished whole is greater than the extraordinary self-healing capacity of and their practitioners. They also sum of its parts. Spagyrics utilises the body, available to each one of us. make a great deal of money out of the the bio-active substances in food and That was 40 years ago, and she has treatments and have little or no herbs which play a significant part in been enjoying robust health since her interest in prevention. Dr. C explains protecting us from heart disease and recovery. His father was diagnosed the physiological and psychological strokes. Phytochemicals in plants with colon cancer and was treated features of cancer and cancer work synergistically with others as with surgery, after which his tumour sufferers, emphasising the importance healing agents and as catalysts. The grew more aggressively and he died. of emotional well-being and the description of plant healing is well Dr. C, as he calls himself, writes that dangers of developing a victim explained. Spagyric medicine has he could usually cure colon cancer mentality, a state that is encouraged similar effects to homeopathic within 3 weeks with an almost 100% by the rigours of orthodox treatment. medicine but Goodrick-Clarke success rate. The story of his Those who recover have decided to considers them to be less likely to grandmother is the most take charge of their lives and have set up reactions. Cartesian heartrending. For 28 years she had developed a positive future orientation,

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sometimes involving a radical change colleagues I wanted to give or lend b

in life direction or circumstances. This this book to. I loved reading this o powerful book contains a great deal of book and am sure will turn to it again invaluable advice on prevention and in the future. Eleanor Stoneham o

types of treatment, and with his describes how it was during a k enviable track record, it is well worth challenging period in her own life that taking some of Dr. C ’s health she took inspiration from Henri recommendations. Nouwen ’s book The Wounded Healer . r The key importance of positive She then went on to research and e thinking allied to positive action explore where else one can find the v (thinking by itself is not enough) compassion and vulnerability forms the bridge between the two expressed to help heal our own i books. I saw Dr. C in action on a wounds and in parallel those of the e conference cruise last January. He world around us. In each chapter w challenges you to be the best you she carefully and clearly states her can be and make the most of your aim. Some of the material will be s potential. In this book, he lays out in familiar to Network readers. Although detail the psychology and principles a Christian herself, the reach is of success with an extensive series broad and she mentions most of the of exercises encouraging readers to great religions and schools of formulate their own goals and philosophical thought. There is a procedures. In that sense, it is also a judicious use of quotes and many as a necessary and fertile one both workbook if the reader is prepared to familiar names and thoughts and yet autobiographically to enrich their own make the effort. He is right to insist the book seems fresh and new. The Christian faith and within the wider that ‘success is never the result of basic thesis that we have to heal ourselves to heal the world is encounter between both traditions luck or coincidence. Lasting results and between these traditions and the always follow logical, goal oriented, explored sensitively. I happened to be reading Jung ’s The Undiscovered Self modern world. sensible, continuous and flexible Paul F. Knitter quotes his once action. ’ And success is not a thing, at the same time and he deals so well with the issues Eleanor raises. teacher, the great German Catholic but rather a feeling and the important theologian, Karl Rahner, suggesting outcome of effort and training is not She describes the difficult issues of our day - consumerism, using up the that if Christianity is to survive, it so much what you own but rather must become a church of mystics. who you become. For those who planet ’s natural resources, the role of faith today as well as economic and People who place at the heart of their would like to follow up on further journey not subscription to set of information, you can go to or spiritual considerations. I thoroughly recommend this book. saving beliefs but a faithful practice Yvonneke Roe is a GP in London. that leads to real, abiding and transformative experiencing. The Power of Salvation that is felt and embodied Compassion as well as believed in and hoped for. Yvonneke Roe A critical encounter with Buddhism philosophy-religion can radically aid Christianity in this HEALING THIS mission. Christ Dharma Both books cover similar territory WOUNDED EARTH Nicholas Colloff from their own perspectives. Eleanor Stoneham (SMN) Thompson ’s book I would characterise O Books, 2011, 292 pp., £14.99, p/b as the more interior of the two while - ISBN 978-1-84694-445-1 WITHOUT BUDDHA I Knitter ’s long term commitment to COULD NOT BE A work on justice and peace demands Within a few pages of starting Healing CHRISTIAN that he explore the social and political this Wounded Earth I was making a dimensions of the encounter. mental list of all the friends and Paul F. Knitter One World Publications, 2009, At that heart both offer Buddhism 240 pp., £12.99, p/b - as a way of teasing Christianity away ISBN 978-1-85168-673-5 from imagining that its doctrinally expressed truths are ‘the truth ’. Buddhism has a deeper and more BUDDHIST central recognition that all language CHRISTIANITY: A is symbolic. It can only point to, show PASSIONATE OPENNESS forth the moon, it cannot be a Ross Thompson substitute for experiencing it (and often we found ourselves more O Books, 2010, 306 pp., £14.99, p/b - ISBN 978-1-84694-336-2 interested in the hand that points than the way pointed to). An apocryphal story has Jesus In this both have to tackle re- traveling to Kashmir during his visioning who Jesus is. If one is a missing years to learn the wisdom of Christian, in some fundamental, ‘the East ’. He would have found there grounding sense, Jesus must be a flourishing Buddhist culture the unique but if you are to be open to the embrace of which would transform truth embodied in other traditions, He the way he presented his mission. cannot be the only way to salvation. This story aside, both the authors For Knitter it makes sense to see of these compelling and rich books Jesus as ‘the Awakener ’ that Jesus ’ perceive taking such a journey now divinity was not something that was

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dropped on him from above (or suggests how both are necessary The Forms and Rhythms s something that he has that we do and both enable each other. of Life not) but that divinity, being the Son of If we are to pursue justice, we w David Lorimer God, was something he grew into, a need to understand how our capacity e realization that deepened as an to be peace, to wait upon opportunity, i abiding conviction and way of life, helps us achieve justice. In this THE HIDDEN GEOMETRY that he radically shared with others v Knitter has a compelling discussion OF FLOWERS unto death and beyond. In this of anger - that it drives us towards Keith Critchlow e ‘salvation ’ for us is not something pursuing justice but must be Floris Books, 2011, 447 pp., £30, r that we, having claimed Jesus as our contained within a capacity to be p/b – ISBN 978-086315-806-3 own, wait around for, trying to keep detached, to let go. To bring us to a out of trouble and doing good works, This remarkable and beautiful book is k space where we can allow ourselves before being lifted into heaven but a the culmination of years of research to release anger, and move towards into the nature and geometry of o continuous process of opening ourselves to, and assimilating, the clarity and charity. flowers, drawing on the author ’s o divine life through spiritual practice Christianity is the intention of extensive understanding of Platonic and love of neighbour. justice, Buddhism is the practice of philosophy as a means of expressing b For Thompson it makes sense to peace. To achieve justice, we must and understanding the Good, the see Jesus as a ‘Bodhisattva ’ - a be peace, but individual peaceful Beautiful and the True. The countless being who has refused entry into attainment must be suffused with the illustrations and hand-drawn Nirvana until all beings, until ‘the last need to transform the structures of diagrams mean that readers are blade of grass ’, has entered injustice. In this Knitter ’s last instructed and illuminated at the enlightenment. But a radical kind of chapter, Christianity and Buddhism, same time in a similar way to bodhisattva, one who has taken upon from radically different perspectives, Christopher Alexander ’s epic volumes himself the bad karma of others so dance towards a common on The Nature of Order . Reading the that we recognise that our salvation transformation, enabled by each book is a form of living education is not an individual task but a other. which means that you will never corporate struggle: ‘It is a struggle This is only to capture one related respond to (I did not say look at) carried by the community of those theme from the two books. There are flowers in quite the same way again. committed to sharing his death in many other strands such as the This is highlighted by the Prince of order to share his life with the whole radical similarity between the ethical Wales in his foreword, when he talks world (2 Corinthians 4:11) teaching of Buddha and Christ rooted about the perception of beauty as a (Thompson page 151). in radically different biographies and resonance with the patterns which we One of the most valuable features contexts or the comparative ourselves are made of. The result is of Thompson ’s book is that he uses exploration of ‘sin ’ and ‘karma ’, a feeling of harmony, the subject of a ‘Buddhist Christian perspective ’ to ‘heaven ’ and ‘reincarnation ’. All of the Prince ’s own book. re-vision possibilities for both There are four main parts between these themes are enriched in both traditions. In probably his most the introduction and the conclusion, texts by the narrative of a personal illuminating chapter he explores the covering flowers from different unfolding story that makes the construction of desire. Christians perspectives, the geometry of tend to see a disordered desire engagement between high thinking flowers, the flowers of geometry, and transformed by redirecting it towards and illustrative story an leaves and photosynthesis. Keith its proper place in God. Buddhists accomplished achievement in both. takes readers back to the origins of see the need to still the whole Both authors, I think, successfully philosophy and education in ancient structure of desire and to step into avoid either being simplistically Greek culture, enabling us to desirelessness. But both tend to see syncretistic or pulling the same rabbit understand why geometry and the problem of desire as that of the of a ‘perennial philosophy ’ out of the number played such an important individual. Thompson shows that very different hats of two living, part in the culture. We also come to what we desire is constructed embodied, complex traditions. realise the importance of different communally: we learn what is to be Knitter ’s image of passing over to levels in understanding the totality. desired from the social structures we Buddhism to return to a renewed The first is the evident or material inhabit. Both traditions need to Christianity holds true for both level, the bodily plant or flower. develop a more robust understanding authors. They may not win plaudits Secondly, the social or psychological of how corporately we transform the from either mainstream Christians or level of how flowers affect us communities we inhabit that in turn Buddhists, even as both remain emotionally, then the deeper cultural liberate individual opportunities for resolutely clear about the radical transformation. differences that obtain between This is a place from which Knitter them. However, for those of us who can add his own most interesting think that neither tradition is finished contribution. He seeks to expound or complete and that both can and why Buddhism allows Christianity to should remain in what Thompson more deeply occupy its ‘unique ’ calls ‘a passionate openness ’ both territory - that radical concern that God is perceived to have for those to each other and the world both who are most deeply marginal, books are beautifully written and suffering or poor. God in Christianity passionately held contributions to an is biased - we find God when we on-going exploration into the truth of attend to the needs of those whose things. need is greatest. This vitally contrasts with Buddhism's Nicholas Colloff is the Director of universalising compassion. Innovation at Oxfam GB, and studied Compassion does not take sides, religion, philosophy and psychology at justice does. Knitter beautifully the universities of London and Oxford.

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and mythological meaning, and finally ways in which these are produced him thinking, and his considered b

the inspirational level – all these are with the compass, gradually response can be found in this book. o explained in some detail. Another becoming more elaborate and Many readers will be sympathetic essential component to consider is complex. It is a revelation of intricacy with his contention that we want the o

the very conditions of existence in to understand these patterns more benefits of religion and spirituality k terms of space, time, number, form deeply, all the more so if one actually without having to buy into a set of and substance, all of which are practises the geometry oneself. beliefs. Asking his students to define exhibited in the flower and its The chapter on the leaf explains spirituality has enabled him to r development. The book focuses the process of photosynthesis as the formulate three golden keys - e mainly on the spatial and numeric translation or transformation of light connection with the wonder and aspects of flowers, although without into nourishment, and building on the energy of life, the capacity for v forgetting the power of colour, earlier insight that plants are light- reflection, and dedication to service. i fragrance and delicate form seeking organisms and that in a This enables the development of e

illustrated throughout. physical sense light is the ultimate heart and mind, the acquisition of a w Two further essential educational nourisher; spiritually, light is an sense of meaning and purpose, what concepts are introduced: the way in emanation of the Divine. Leaves he calls an embedded sense of well- s which the growth of the flower come in all sorts of shapes and are being and the ability to enjoy life proceeds from point to line to plane also susceptible to geometrical without turning away from its to solid in a spiral fashion analysis. The overall cycle of the challenges and suffering. He corresponding to the Fibonacci plant exhibits cycles of expansion examines the context in which sequence. Then there is the Socratic and contraction, as Goethe realised modern spirituality has arisen, with divided line with its two poles of unity 200 years ago, with the seed our unprecedented access to and multiplicity with a line through representing the ultimate contraction information and an emphasis on self- the middle proceeding from and fruit the ultimate expansion , determination and diversity. He also mathematics to geometry. Above the proceeding by way of the leaf. We are identifies values shared by the line lie the higher forms of also reminded of the essential role of world ’s spiritual traditions, but adds knowledge, namely dianoia or bees in this interdependent process, to these values from the green discursive knowledge and noesis or which also requires an understanding movement and developmental intellection; this is also the realm of of wholeness. Keith concludes that psychology, enabling him to articulate permanence. Below the line are light, also a representation of a holistic values statement including change and the corresponding consciousness and wisdom, is the responsibility to radiate a apprehensions of pistis (faith) and primary , enlightenment being the benevolent presence - this requires eikasia or conjecture. This hierarchy supreme human achievement. the kind of self-management of consciousness is also one of This brilliant and profound book described later in the book. knowledge, which modern philosophy serves as a primer of a new way of The rest of the book is devoted to has flattened, assuming that reason seeing or rather a reminder in the a more detailed consideration of rather than intellect in its traditional Platonic sense of the hidden connection, reflection and service, unitive understanding is the supreme geometry of flowers and of the always recognising that people will form of knowing. Later, Keith explains qualitative and symbolic significance have individual styles and the Pythagorean unfolding of number, of number. preferences. Readers are invited to initially as arithmetic, then number in think about their own spiritual styles space as geometry, number in time Compassionate and gateways to connection with the as music or harmony and finally help of extensive lists and to reflect number in space and time as Connection on the nature of their experiences. astronomy and cosmology. This helps David Lorimer However, the emphasis is rightly on the reader understand the inner everyday life, and it is here that coherence of Greek education based THE POWER OF vocational challenges can arise, as on number and beauty, aspects of MODERN SPIRITUALITY he illustrates in the case of priests which were also understood by Kepler William Bloom (SMN) and nurses, who can lose touch with and to a lesser extent by Galileo. It the importance of their work. At this also reminds us that the end of Piatkus, 2011, 274 pp., £13.99, p/b – ISBN 978-0-7499-5285-3 point, he introduces his four core education is not simply information or skills which can be applied to the even knowledge, but rather wisdom. William Bloom has been at the three areas: the ability to pause and There are illustrations and forefront of those redefining be mindful, the capacity to relax and diagrams on nearly every page, which spirituality in the UK for many years, be centred in your body, observing makes the book a veritable feast for and is often called upon to represent events in a good-humoured way, and the eye. The reader is visually modern spirituality in debates with yielding to the feeling of connection. introduced to the notions of oneness, more traditional approaches. In this He goes on to describe these in twoness, threeness and so on up to comprehensive and lucid book, he much greater detail while recognising 21, an incredibly complex and brings together the fruits of his the challenges involved and beautiful form of geometry. There is a reflection and personal experience suggesting corresponding exercises whole section illustrating the over the last 40 years to provide the to strengthen the capacity. I geometry of flowers, with patterns reader with a map and a set of particularly enjoyed his description of superimposed on pictures of flowers, practical exercises. An encounter with keeping the inner smile. It is also so readers come to understand at Archbishop Trevor Huddleston was important to schedule spiritual the geometry associated with these clearly a defining moment when he practice in order to embed it in patterns and enhance their own accused William and his colleagues everyday life. capacity to apprehend and perceive and having no historical foundation, The capacity for self-management these qualities in flowers, whether a no heritage of ethics and values, no can be awakened either through a daffodil, rose, poppy or lily. The philosophical roots, no sense of general sense of dissatisfaction or section on the flowers of geometry context and therefore nothing useful through a wake-up call experience. reverses the process, giving primacy to say about surreal world injustices William describes how Eileen Caddy to the geometrical pattern and the and morality. This sharp rebuke set worked in this way, compassionately

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reviewing her own thoughts, feelings spiritual path and inclination, you will science and religion being ‘non s and behaviour and saying that she let surely find wise advice and gentle overlapping magisterial ’ gains little God work on her. He also recalls a encouragement in this book. support : reality must be one. If such w friend nearing death and completing a things as telepathy and various out of e process of self-healing, remarking that Voices of Reason body experiences were considered to i an open heart is a much greater Max Payne have been scientifically verified, then blessing than death is a tragedy. I many of the contributors who are v found the chapter on the challenges of sceptical agnostics would alter their e spiritual growth especially helpful ATOMS & EDEN - position. The results of meditation r when looking at the whole issue of CONVERSATIONS ON and mystical experience then become spiritual baggage. William provides two RELIGION AND SCIENCE serious explorations into the very useful charts, one showing the dimension of transcendence.

k Steve Paulson direction of transformational process, The atheist critics of religion tend to Oxford, 2010, 312 pp., $17.95, p/b - o for instance from fear to love, from ISBN 978-0-974316-2 define ‘God ’ as being personal, and ignorance to wisdom and from have a contempt for religious dogma, o resentment to forgiveness; secondly, For anyone interested in the interface and regard rituals as offering merely the human paradox of tension whereby between science and religion this psychological comfort. The more b we want to change but we also want book is a compulsory read. Steve open-minded sceptics reject dogma to stay the same. We are tied by Paulson has made a collection of 20 but accept that science has its limits, bungee cords of resistance and easily radio interviews with leading and that there may be a transcendent slip into default behaviour patterns. It scientists, philosophers and spiritual dimension beyond the reach is very helpful to explore the theologians ranging from Richard of science towards which religion psychology of resistance in terms of Dawkins to Ken Wilber. Their points. The most extreme example of conditioning, repression and conflicting and contrasting answers this position is Sam Harris who homoeostasis, and to realise that the to the relation between science and denounces orthodox Christianity in polarity between expansion and religion, the nature of God, and the the name of science, but yet who containment, action and rest operates meaning of human existence outline practises Buddhist meditation and in his Nature as a whole. the fundamental issues more clearly concedes the possibility of The third part is a response to the than any one book by a single author, reincarnation. Nidhal Guessmum is an criticism that modern spirituality is however erudite. astrophysicist and a practising not concerned with the wider To Richard Dawkins religion is Moslem who rejects the naive community. Again, the development simply a superstition that has been fundamentalism that takes the Koran of spiritual qualities does not depend outmoded by the advance of science. literally instead of understanding it on particular belief systems, but Ken Wilber regards science as merely metaphorically. He makes the same rather expresses itself in dealing with the ground state of a point. Indeed it seems there is compassion, wisdom and dedication vast transcendent spiritual reality. general agreement that a reverence to others. William provides a helpful The others roughly fit into a spectrum for scripture and formal dogma is a exercise for clarifying your values and in between. There is an interesting barrier to any reconciliation between discusses doing good as part of the convergence amongst the different science and religion. In contrast, John flow of life and the importance of perspectives. A key strategic point is Polkinghorne has argued that it is seeing the best in others as the nature of consciousness. If the only necessary to tweak the proposed by Carl Rogers: human mind is merely the product of interpretation of the book of Genesis unconditional positive regard, neuronal activity in the brain, and in order to reconcile modern science empathic understanding and nothing but, then all religion is at with trinitarian Christianity. It is a pity congruence. A more subtle topic best only a comforting illusion. his views are not represented here so concerns the quality of our presence However if science cannot reduce as to give all sides to the argument. and therefore the atmosphere we consciousness to matter, then in A strictly materialist view must radiate around us. This gives us the what aspect of reality does mind mean that human life is meaningless opportunity of what William calls inhere? Stephen Gould ’s idea of from a cosmic perspective. On the vibrational service in that we have an other hand Paul Davies, while not effect on the world through our mood being committed to any religious and vibration. This is particularly standpoint, nevertheless sees the apparent when we think of great universe as creative activity with a spiritual teachers and the healing plan. Others too are impressed by and uplifting quality of their presence. the ‘Anthropic Principle ’ - that is that Another important ability is the whole universe appears to be transforming our own negative energy improbably finely tuned to produce and practising forgiveness. human intelligence. This again raises William concludes by observing questions about the purpose of that the spiritual journey is from one human life which religion attempts to state to another, connecting, answer, and atheism ignores. reflecting and serving. In the process What is played out at the interface we open our hearts, expand our between science and religion will consciousness and develop a obviously affect the civilisation of the ‘compassionate generosity ’. In every 21st century very profoundly. situation we can ask ourselves how Members of the SMN will note that we can connect more fully with life, the dimensions of consciousness are reflect on the opportunity to develop a key issue in this debate, and our wisdom and compassion, and how we interest in telepathy, NDEs, and can give service. Nor is this an dowsing put us in the centre of it. individual endeavour but rather a coming together as a larger Max Payne is a Vice-President community of practice. Whatever your of the Network.

www.scimednet.org Net work Review Winter 2011 51 psychology- descriptions of how such mistakes was genuinely telepathic and claims b

can occur are clear and useful. In his he found no evidence. The story o consciousness penultimate chapter, he raises the provides a convenient opening for studies interesting question of why we explaining how easy it was for o

evolved to ‘experience the ordinary folks to fool themselves into k impossible, ’ which means (to thinking that something as obviously A Moat in the Eye Wiseman) anything that carries a whiff weird as telepathy is real. Readers Dean Radin of the paranormal. He concludes that who hadn ’t heard about this before r

it is based upon our need to quickly will likely find it an amusing story e find patterns in randomness. that soundly puts the idea of dog THE BELIEVING BRAIN v Shermer ’s book delves into more telepathy to rest. Michael Shermer detail on Wiseman ’s ‘why ’ question. But here ’s the problem: British i Times Books, 2011, 400 pp., £17,99, Shermer is an avowed materialist. biologist Rupert Sheldrake was the e p/b ISBN - 978-080509-125-0

Within his neuroscience-based first to test Jaytee, eventually w worldview, all subjective experiences amassing some two hundred

PARANORMALITY are due solely to the firing of brain sessions with the dog. His test s neurons, and nothing more. He posits designs evolved to exclude all known Richard Wiseman that the brain is a ‘belief engine ’ loopholes, including those mentioned Spin Solutions Ltd., 2011, 198 pp., hardwired to look for patterns. It then by Wiseman, and the results £14, p/b ISBN – 978-095687-565-3 assigns those patterns meaning, remained the same: Jaytee ’s The authors of these books, one an intention, and agency, which harden behaviour dramatically changed when academic psychologist and the other into strongly held beliefs. The brain Pam was returning home from miles a magazine publisher, are both continually seeks evidence to confirm away, even when the signal to return outspoken defenders of the skeptical its beliefs, ultimately leading to a was determined randomly and wasn ’t faith. Shermer ’s book is subtitled, comfortably closed condition whereby known to anyone near Jaytee. ‘How We Construct Beliefs and what the brain believes determines Wiseman conducted all of four tests Reinforce Them as Truths, ’ by which what it is able to perceive. using Sheldrake ’s equipment and test he means why you (not him) are silly Furthermore, the smarter the brain, design, and he obtained the same enough to believe in ghosts, gods, the more capable it is of rationalising successful outcomes repeatedly the wrong flavour of politics, and its beliefs, independently of whether observed by Sheldrake. Was outlandish conspiracy theories. those beliefs were obtained by what Wiseman lying, or is this simply an Wiseman ’s book is subtitled, ‘Why We Shermer calls ‘nonsmart ’ reasons. extreme case of blind spot bias? See What Isn ’t There, ’ again meaning Throughout the book, Shermer Wiseman never did mention why you have delusional beliefs in repeatedly hammers home how the Sheldrake ’s data in Paranormality ghosts, psychics, mind over matter, best way to overcome your (confirmation bias). and precognition —not him. unavoidable biases is through There are other examples of I agree with Wiseman ’s thesis in science. He is sufficiently self-aware omission, but most outrageous is the Paranormality that it ’s all too easy to to admit that his own strongly held fact that every one of the targets of be fooled into believing things that beliefs might be incorrect but is quick Wiseman ’s debunking —from psychics are not so, sometimes intentionally to add that he doubts he is wrong. to mediums to precognition in and sometimes inadvertently. We are dreams —has been thoroughly tested indeed prone to remembering Both books present some interesting under strictly controlled laboratory amazing coincidences in our lives and ideas. But occasionally things go conditions, in some cases for over a forgetting the much larger body of terribly wrong, especially in how the century. And worse, Wiseman is well mundane events. We are poor authors deal with the paranormal. aware of this, having obtained his estimators of the probability of There are many examples of what doctorate under the auspices of the events, and we are quick to jump at Shermer labels ‘blind spot ’ biases, in Koestler Unit of Parapsychology at the exciting paranormal explanations for which both authors clearly identify University of Edinburgh. Indeed, he bumps in the night when more boring, biases in others but fail to see these finds the accumulated evidence so normal ones might suffice. Wiseman in themselves. Other examples persuasive that, in a 2008 newspaper is an accomplished magician and involve the ‘confirmation bias, ’ where interview, he stated that while he still expert in deception, and his they report information that supports doesn ’t personally believe in psychic their case but ignore anything to the phenomena, ‘By the standards of any contrary. Still others are due to the other area of science, remote viewing ‘sunk-cost bias, ’ which Upton Sinclair is proven. ’ Wiseman later clarified described: ‘It is difficult to get a man that he meant to say not just remote to understand something when his viewing but that psychic phenomena job depends on his not in general were proven by scientific understanding it. ’ To illustrate, let ’s standards. This too is ignored in consider an example from Wiseman ’s Paranormality. Is this startling Paranormality. The book opens with oversight due to another confirmation an account of how he learned about bias or to the sunk-cost bias? a dog named Jaytee, who reportedly Perhaps Shermer ’s The Believing displayed a telepathic connection Brain can help us understand. with his human companion, a woman Unfortunately, Shermer makes named Pam Smart. Whenever Pam things worse. While reading T he was returning home, her parents Believing Brain, I kept stumbling over noticed that the dog went to a certain irritating errors, some minor and spot near the front window of the others major. To give an example of a house and patiently waited for her minor error, Shermer implies that there. piercing one ’s arm with a 10-inch Wiseman describes a series of skewer, feeling no pain, and tests he conducted to see if Jaytee producing only a drop of blood is

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explainable only as a magician ’s trick oxygenated blood (and glucose) are Shamanic Views on s (that is, the needle only appears to completely unlike the phenomenology Health pierce the arm). Apparently he never of an NDE, which involves crystal-clear w heard about Sufi rapid wound healing perceptions and memories, often Natalie Tobert

e or the anesthetising effects of accompanied by life-changing i hypnosis, both of which conclusively personality differences. Vague THE WAY BEYOND THE demonstrate that it is indeed perceptions, confusion, and amnesia v SHAMAN: possible for some people to pierce are completely inconsistent with such Birthing A New Earth e their arm, tongue, cheeks, or profound transformations, so the idea Consciousness r abdomen, with no pain or blood loss, that NDEs are due to the and to show incredibly fast healing of hallucinations of a dying brain isn ’t Barry Cottrell the resulting wounds. justified. (5) Shermer writes, O Books, 2008, 192 pp., £11.99, p/b k Major problems include the ‘Scientists have now conclusively - ISBN 978-1-846694-121-4 o following: (1) Shermer systematically demonstrated what typically happens Barry Cottrell suggests global problems avoids the substantial experimental in research in which one subject tries of today ‘have their roots in Western o database demonstrating that to determine or anticipate the culture ’s collective denial of the soul telepathic-like connections do exist. thoughts or actions of a second b and spirit, both in nature and in Recent updates of these data can be subject using paranormal means . . . ourselve s’ and this creates a spiritual found in technical articles published When the second subject is vacuum. His book explores our in mainstream journals, including instructed to randomly perform some relationship with earth, and offers Psychological Bulletin and Frontiers in task . . . the sequence is not going to insights to influence human survival. Quantitative Psychology and be random. Over time the second The first part traces the roots of Measurement. (2) Shermer asserts subject will develop a predictable shamanism, whilst the second that when an experimenter and pattern that the first subject will examines shamanic experience from remote viewer are both blinded to the unconsciously learn. ’ Yes, if traditional and modern perspectives. In target, ‘psychic powers vanish. ’ experiments were actually conducted the third part Cottrell presents his Nonsense. For more than a century, in this way, it would indeed be a investigators studying psychic effects, problem. But researchers are well original knowledge derived from including remote viewing (in earlier aware that people do not act accessing levels of consciousness times known as clairvoyance), have randomly, and as a result such through shamanic practices. My key employed protocols that explicitly and experiments have not been conducted interests are his interpretations on strictly avoid this obvious bias, as well this way for more than a century. I causes of cancer and mental ill health. as many more complex and not so could go on, but I think my point is Cottrell ’s material is presented with obvious biases. (3) Shermer cites a clear. I agree with the core themes of the following underlying assumptions: study conducted by IONS ’ own Marilyn these two books: beliefs distort what humans are dependent on the earth; Schlitz, who collaborated with Richard we can perceive, beliefs are nature, soul, spirits and humans are Wiseman on a feeling of- being-stared- inevitable, and science is indeed one interlinked; spirits exist in our at study. Dr. Schlitz obtained of the best methods devised so far to domain; reincarnation is ubiquitous. significant results, but Wiseman did slice through the distortions He suggests western people are not. Shermer interprets this as an generated by our beliefs. struggling to emerge, ‘like a butterfly ‘experimenter bias problem, ’ Understanding this is valuable; thus from a chrysalis ’ to an age of the apparently unaware that the two these books do serve a purpose. spirit. My background lies within the investigators were specifically But let us reconsider the plight of academic discipline of medical studying the possibility of an the poor skeptic. He understands, anthropology, where it is normal to experimenter effect by working in the intellectually at least, that beliefs consider events from at least two same lab at the same time, using the bias perception. But he is incapable perspectives: ours, and the others. same procedures and equipment, the of escaping his own beliefs. He is Karen Armstrong suggests we try to same subject population, and the thus compelled to ignore evidence understand things from others ’ same analyses. They still obtained that runs counter to his core, and so perspectives. Readers of this book different results. (4) Shermer reports for him, psychic phenomena are that a study published in a top strictly forbidden. Evidence to the medical journal, The Lancet, was contrary cannot be seen at all, or if flawed. That study involved vaguely glimpsed, it is distorted documentation of near-death beyond all recognition and then experiences (NDE) by patients ridiculed for good measure. Against suffering cardiac arrests in hospitals. the skeptic ’s unenviable position, The flaw was that a physician had even the tiniest smidgeon of positive examined the EEG records of those evidence must be vigorously attacked patients and found that their brains and subdued, because otherwise the had not flatlined. This implied that the ‘sunk cost ’ of an entire career bet on patients ’ weren ’t actually brain dead; professional skepticism is at stake. therefore, the NDEs reported must That ’s an awfully heavy burden to have been hallucinations. This is carry when the evidence just keeps mistaken on two counts. First, the on getting stronger. EEGs of the patients in The Lancet Dean Radin is the author of The study were in fact never taken. Conscious Universe and Entangled Second, during a cardiac arrest, EEGs Minds. go flatline in about 15 seconds, and if This review by Dean Radin of The allowed to remain in that state for as Believing Brain and Paranormality was little as another 30 seconds, it can first published in the Fall/Winter 2011 take hours, days, or longer for the issue of The Noetic Post, the bulletin of brain to recover. The effects of brain the Institute of Noetic Sciences. With trauma due to reduction of permission from the publisher. ©2011

www.scimednet.org Net work Review Winter 2011 53 would need to consider different ways fire, that burns away a link between Wisdom of the b of understanding the world and spirit and body. It originates from a Transpersonal o perceiving reality. time when human beings separated Cottrell explains a shaman is a their consciousness from earth. He Hazel Guest o person who deliberately travels into includes the epidemic of breast cancer, JOURNEY IN DEPTH k ‘unseen ’ worlds during an altered suggestive of tensions of the female state of consciousness, to obtain psyche. One way to treat cancer is to Barbara Somers with Ian healing for members of their group. use surgery when it is urgent to Gordon-Brown r

This ancient technique for accessing preserve life, then sound could be 2002, 276 pp., £30, h/b - ISBN: 0- e realities beyond the physical world is used to heal, as more appropriate than 9542712-0-3 a fundamental process of humans. chemical pharmacology. v He describes Neanderthal peoples ’ Cottrell ’s interpretation of people THE FIRES OF ALCHEMY i activities and their cave temples with who have mental health problems is Barbara Somers e deep chambers, used to engage with interesting. He sees them as 2004, 248 pp., w the presence of spirits. Neanderthal discharging unresolved negative

people were open to experiencing energy that has built up within the ISBN: 0-9542712-2-X (h/b) £30 s intuition and contact with spirits of human psyche. People who have 0-9542712-3-8 (p/b) £19.95 the earth, and subtle energies of the mental illness are performing a natural world. He contrasts this with service for the community and should THE RAINCLOUD OF intellectual awareness of modern be honoured. The hearing of voices KNOWABLE THINGS: human beings, and suggests today we and delusions in schizophrenia are A Practical Guide To value intellect more than instinct. His coming from an astral realm with aim is to shift our understanding of unrefined energies. He suggests we Transpersonal shamanism out of the past, towards a need to raise awareness in the wider Psychology new future, to understand the broader community, that the minority of Ian Gordon-Brown with perspective of earth as a planet of people with mental health problems Barbara Somers sound and healing. This is why he enable the majority to live more 2008, 448 pp., says many bring their dis-eases here stable lives. They are not simply ISBN: 978-1-906289-03-4 (h/b) £30 to be healed. My own interests are on living out personal karma. 978-1-906289-02-7 (p/b) £19.95 the relationship of shamanic People with mental illness have interpretations of health and illness, brought skills with them from former SYMPTOM AS SYMBOL and it is this aspect I focus on. incarnations, to move beyond ordinary Barbara Somers and Cottrell compares spiritual consciousness. They have chosen at emergency with the trials of a profound level, to be a vehicle Ian Gordon-Brown shamanic initiation, and quotes through which lower astral energies 2010, 271 pp., ISBN: 978-1-906289-10-2 (h/b) £30 Joseph Campbell: ‘the schizophrenic are discharged. He suggests the 978-1-906289-09-6 (p/b) £19.95 is drowning in the same water in stigma of mental illness is a result of which the mystique is swimming in our failure to understand what people Series ed. by Hazel Marshall delight ’. He recalls the 1960s where are going through, and that they serve Archive Publishing, Dorset, England anthropologists like Castaneda and the whole of humanity. The suffering Harner appeared to put their of a person with mental health NB If you are ordering any of the problems is compared to the suffering hardbacks, please use ref scimed04 objectivity to one side, and taught and email Ian Thorp on neo-shamanism to those who of the shaman. [email protected] followed their New Age ways. He This interpretation of mental illness suggests we consider shamanism is interesting to me, as I worked in Having met in 1970 Ian Gordon-Brown from a new perspective, to address mental health promotion for years, and Barbara Somers founded the the effects of our ‘thrashing around with people of different cultures. They Centre for Transpersonal Psychology in in the astral worlds ’. We need to had other more spiritual London in 1973. The term move on to a finer frequency of understandings of the body and of ‘transpersonal psychology ’ was first awareness, which has always been causes of mental illness, which coined and defined in 1968 (Sutich) in there. As our mind becomes more influenced the diagnosis and the USA, so these were pioneering aligned to our own physicality, it treatment they would accept. days, with Ian and Barbara creating helps deepen our understanding of This book invites readers to something original and unique this consciousness, supports our reconsider human beings ’ side of the Atlantic. Bringing to this acknowledgement of ancestral spirits participatory role on earth, and the project their combined backgrounds in and invisible forces, and better importance of intuitive consciousness academic psychology, Carl Jung, enables us to receive support from compared to intellectual Buddhism and Alice Bailey, they other realms to live on earth. consciousness for our health and well designed their own workshops. These His interpretation of human being. Information in the text is based proved so successful that towards the degenerative diseases is innovative, on the author ’s interpretations of end of the 70 ’s they began their first based on his intuition or channelling of direct cognition and experience of training course for psychotherapists. information. Those who suffer from life existence at many levels. Perhaps it Eventually this was accredited by UKCP. threatening diseases, including cancer, is time to evaluate shamanic Ian ’s sudden death in October 1996 need to be considered from the methods of interpreting illness caused the programme to come to an perspective of ‘many lives ’. One cause causation, conduct research into new untimely end. However there were of cancer is ‘social pressure ’ which a ways of addressing symptoms, and those who felt that the material from person absorbs, and which is develop innovative practices for future the workshops and seminars must not something they are not. He suggests health care and treatment. be lost. Using notes, recordings, and ‘social pressure has far more to do Dr. Natalie Tobert is director of Aethos with the help of Barbara Somers, the with the creation of disease… and is Consultancy, which offers training to editor who trained at the Centre has generally understood, far more than so medical and healthcare practitioners on reproduced in these four volumes many supposedly harmful substances .’ spiritual and cultural perspectives of much of the material from those Cancer is a type of disease, like a cold health. http://aethos.org.uk/ programmes. The dust jackets include

www.scimednet.org 54 Net work Review Winter 2011

recommendations by several well- instructions on how to use spot on the meaning of illness. The overall s known figures including the late David imaging and guided fantasy. However message is to recognise the symptom Fontana, member of the Network and although it has been designed primarily and let it lead to the underlying cause w another pioneer of the transpersonal as a handbook for psychotherapists it of disturbance in the psyche with a

e in the UK. can still be read by a layperson. Each view to achieving reintegration of that i Although the series, which is new topic is introduced simply with which has been split. The book ends collectively titled Wisdom of the definitions, and the text is peppered on a positive note with the last v Transpersonal , is designed primarily with illustrative diagrams. chapter The Transcendent Function . e for psychotherapists and counsellors The first three workshops, open to Sutich, A. Transpersonal Psychology: r to enrich their understanding of the the general public, were a human psyche, they are also designed prerequisite for enrolment on the an emerging force. Journal of to be read by anyone who has an training course. The first of these Humanistic Psychology, 1968 k interest in pursuing a path of psycho- covers basic concepts such as the (1),77-78.

o spiritual self-healing and development. distinction between Ego and Self, the Hazel Guest retired mathematics Each new concept starts off at a collective unconscious, Jung ’s four lecturer and transpersonal o simple level with definitions, helped functions, and subpersonalities, as psychotherapist, hosts the meetings of along where needed by illustrative well as introducing guided fantasy. b the SMN branch in Cambridge diagrams, and an index at the back of The second explores the masculine [email protected] each volume enables the reader to and feminine principles, while the select specific topics. third deals with life cycles and Journey In Depth takes us straight growth. The chapters then progress into the idea that psychotherapy needs towards more advanced material Who is Afraid of Scary a spiritual dimension; that it is not just including initiation, archetypes, Thoughts? about helping people with problems to chakras, and the links between Gunnel Minett adjust to society ’s norms, but rather it intuition, inspiration and will. The is a journey of the soul towards final chapter which bears the same wholeness. This book ‘integrates the title as the book, delves into one ’s DROPPING THE BABY personal with the Transpersonal, relationship to the collective, the AND OTHER SCARY allowing readers insight into their cosmos, and the future. The volume THOUGHTS - Breaking childhood and the greatest challenges ends with a number of appendices The Cycle of Unwanted they face on their psycho-spiritual providing additional information --- journeys. ’ Diana Whitmore. It deals explanatory, practical and historical. Thoughts in Motherhood with the experiences of childhood, of This brings us to the final book in Karen Kleiman and Amy parenting, the challenges of having the series, Symptom As Symbol , Wenzel siblings or of being an only child, how which presents those training Routledge, Hove, 2011, £13.99, 247 the Shadow comes about, the Mother seminars linking physical and mental pages, ISBN 978-0-415-87700-8 and Father archetypes, one ’s sense of characteristics with the psyche. Overt personal space, mental and physical features are viewed as symptoms of In America 91% of all new mothers illness as symptoms, and dreams as a the inner. As well as physiological and 88% of all new fathers struggle portal to the unconscious. symptoms the standard categories of with ‘scary thoughts ’ at some point The next title, The Fires of Alchemy , mental illness and abnormality, following the baby ’s birth. ‘Scary is self-explanatory. This volume is in neurosis and psychosis and thoughts ’ is the generic term for two parts, dealing with the alchemy personality disorders, are examined in intrusive, anxiety-driven thoughts that of the west and of the east, and depth in terms of both their origin and the mother or father feels are beyond draws much from Carl Jung in its their treatment, though the authors their control. In some cases these themes and interpretations. are at pains to point out their thoughts may cause serious problems Accompanied by beautiful disapproval of labels. Therapists are both for the parent and the child. One reproductions of old alchemical warned of the many pitfalls when reason being that the parent (in this drawings, we are guided gently dealing with disturbed clients. There book it is usually the mother) may try through the stages of the Work: is a chapter on sexuality and another to distance herself from her child or calcinatio, solutio, coagulatio, and that the thoughts are so overpowering sublimatio. Part 2 deals with Taoist that they drown out everything else in alchemy and includes the inspiring the mother ’s life. ox-herding series of pictures. Up until recently having scary The Raincloud of Knowable Things thoughts as a new parent has had a differs in format from the preceding certain stigma attached to it. two volumes, as it does not reproduce According to folklore and cultural seminars but consists of the Centre ’s beliefs all new parents should be weekend workshop programmes, delighted and confident with their described in full with all the new role and automatically change explanatory talks and experiential their way of life to fit their child ’s exercises. For me this is the most needs. And of course, as every important of the four volumes. Theory parent would probably agree, the may be fascinating and spiritually actual birth of your child usually has satisfying, but it is work on oneself a remarkable effect on the psyche. that is at the heart of the individuation From being a carefree soul or even a process, and facilitating that journey is dare-devil, the new child will in most what The Raincloud is all about. cases trigger a wave of anxiety and Many authors have written about the responsibility that we did not know transpersonal, but this book is unique we were capable of. in giving a template for how to run the But being an anxious parent is Centre ’s series of transpersonal different from being haunted by scary workshops in practice, including thoughts. Parents with excessive

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N are n of tools r l u m pare n e r a p f n a m e d c i g o d y re n ough threats ch street n r e r c care vailab a a c d l sy-to m. p ia a dition e er mo h c u in is ve le be wha r e. ns the pa with s, o a hen t o this e r So the ed th clin n the t omethin t u b b i ea m n o of vel n a m a i h c ad w ow care in l o i b s as nee is is that is in oth wore k with children paren . w o n in t s e w and le in med y ma d o o m i e h t now n ee etw help to their pos e r kn e r e I s is r o situation d n s t n that r ildhood these b in other proble help. wheth book r, e s interesting crime our e l o r and whethe direct a lack o s l a s i h T er ex concer scary role e w e r who e h t how epidemic This d i s out h t absurd ch the anxiety n t u b that w ne m ealth a of care to struggling e W book a ther s parent. included parents help ame rk h . n ref bout n become this truggling ct: y an ant w this d a p e h t o ecoming le ughts . rticular ries same n i this be n o The res, r e h g i h w s ee in , s arents eir t e teenagers. e s d n a m e lent pear w e r a o a a d le. o m s ellbeing e ss e y n b eir ts r ro k c tical t nts e r alcohol y a l f ntal . b me tly p b se o w d ince e from the is to b D va e to w e n io o th pa rld u r o f s bj alth w widen ho ltu p o medical the e As to Th groups. th ts rob tho e f s ap ho ha ch v re rn l a c i m e h s tha d l i als o ally all o t r e s co th n n o i t s ma d n a s . rac p th re xc ila Th are ve life a ys c ’ y e t bo g in c g u su cu ly th o s l a h d gs, o wo ist d l r a l u to w m g. p go e l g a e ome rren nd e b i r re p . me ce n ly d pa h c a r elp ally a n ly e e po n ing r re id nd va o c a the p u ce ar u ls oth rd lly lso t s u ha re s n in a m o r gh als h u t a n ro yo n ri s, j ld h is will ss c i t A o a a lw will a re te f g u c rn n f a b co a a f es t a or as re j dru h st n in s lik ul, y e a on e u d u o c h v o s t c a ro a re nd . y t e i x n t d a kn the a c s e be sc e h t c co o e v i f t y r ssin ld s ou s eq s so t du g n a n o a a ju s s lv io ns s p. e e e th cs i p e n e g e ra p at r r ts e ts ha r p ri s an o o n ic p a h r hi re s s i l l i s wo n e to d n a un ce, th s sef cas of y ti e t m oul st s for oxi ts io t t ri d n r ng en t c a del c ook v a ti ts s , o y o a d i c n years y ma u not need not tant eque s e g has s s nce) hel n i r e h g ie w et b e w h exual e p is es u q n r s e i ddr ni t not eas a c dr mor ort r e s e ls l e wi k y n y n ch ety tan f le 0 s in a rad mbe mbe ren der uat xi fi ren pl t a h d a m rl il ns unt mpa ns n a c O It Thi ati a ten ems ei e e ough rea y e ol rm of ough at y a d e s me s d i n a ’ tat cary af ome it el o io w ie ery su ar ncr ns t ear t s i d n at th ch w o t p y h v r t n e i ( pa th s f th v to nu 10 s co co nu i th th s ma th St co pa un i s th v to s y ma co s h c x e te i an pr ai de pa l y ma ap Unf s ma try no th i y ma i th n a r a a t e d a e 56 Net work Review Winter 2011

However, science as a tool for ‘Soul Dust ’ is much more about indicating is the narrowness and s problem-solving creates new what consciousness is for than what limitations of functionalist theory: problems at the same time, many of it is: when Humphrey does stray into maybe our strange experience of w which have to be addressed the territory of what causes qualia should lead us to suspect a

e politically rather than scientifically. He consciousness, he nods in the causal connection with the bizarre i sees science and religion as serving direction of Hofstadter ’s ‘strange and ‘magical ’ world of quantum different human needs - religion for loop ’ theory, which, while emerging mechanics. Patricia Churchland once v meaning and science for control - and from some extremely esoteric complained to Stuart Hameroff that e he finds it ironic that the attempt to mathematical thinking, is still even if consciousness did turn out to r convert the world unbelief is a form physicalist and deterministic. What is have a quantum explanation, this of religious activity. He may well be missing for me, and I suspect for would still be a reductive explanation. right that both science and religion many others interested in Hameroff replied, yes, but it would k are efforts at transcendence that consciousness theory, is any directly link our consciousness with o finish up with an acceptance that the reference to quantum mechanics. the fundamental laws and processes world is beyond understanding and Why should this matter? of the universe, rather than reducing o full of paradoxes. While I don't agree It matters because I see it to a local phenomena of classical with his conclusions, Gray ’s sober Humphrey ’s argument as an analogue b physics. Any account of reflections on the human condition of the ‘God-created-the-fossil-record ’ consciousness which ignores this certainly give pause for thought. position against Darwinism. As many possibility has, in my view, to be a good Victorian bishop argued, the described as a case of premature Can Consciousness be evidence of the fossil record was not closure. ‘Magical’ but not to be taken seriously: it was simply Dr. Steve Minett is teacher and Quantum-based? God ’s way of testing our faith in the researcher in theories of consciousness biblical creation story. In a similar http://consciousnesstheories-minett.com Dr Steve Minett way, Humphrey is now arguing that ‘the Magic of Consciousness ’ is not SOUL DUST: THE MAGIC to be taken as indicating any OF CONSCIOUSNESS connection between human beings ecology-futures and any trans-biological world. Nicholas Humphrey Except, that is, as an evolutionarily studies Quercus, 2011, 243 pp., £25, h/b - useful delusion - a trick played on us ISBN 978-1-84916-237-1 by natural selection to promote the Global Glasnost and Nicholas Humphrey occupies an biological success of our complex but Perestroika intriguing, ‘bridging ’ position in the potentially fragile species. This David Lorimer field of consciousness theory: on the position neatly corrals the wild one hand, he ’s a card-carrying, phenomena of consciousness safely reductive, materialist who believes within the paddock of classical MIKHAIL GORBACHEV – that mind and consciousness are physics, fenced in by the tight bounds PROPHET OF CHANGE entirely dependent on classical of functionalism. Edited by Green Cross physical processes in the brain. On Let me be clear: in questioning International the other, he ’s a ‘qualiophile ’; he Humphrey ’s position, I ’m not for a Clairview, 2011, 326 pp., £14.99, p/b clearly delights in, and is enchanted moment suggesting that the fact that – ISBN 978-1-905570-31-7 by, the phenomena of raw sensory we all experience phenomenal experience. Far from denying, or consciousness ‘guarantees ’ that we Many readers will remember when ignoring, qualia, like many of his all have personal, immortal souls, in they first read the words glasnost fellow materialists (such as Daniel the style of monotheistic theology. (I and perestroika soon after Mikhail Dennett) Humphrey ’s latest book is personally doubt this.) But what the Gorbachev came to power in the replete with literary and artistic ‘magic ’ of consciousness may be Soviet Union in 1985. The next few quotations extolling the virtues of years were politically momentous, everyday sensory experience. with the collapse of the Berlin Wall Moreover, qualia are key to his and the opening up of Eastern explanation of the biological function Europe in the late 1980s. The end of of consciousness: Humphrey very the Cold War, however, did not mark cleverly side-steps the pitfall of most the end of militarisation, but rather a attempts to explain consciousness, new phase in which the United which try to link it to the carrying out States strove to dominate the world of some biological skill or function. unilaterally and over the last 10 No, according to Humphrey, we have years has given priority to the war on consciousness not to enable us to do terrorism rather than global something we could not otherwise do, development. Since the Second but rather to encourage us to do World War, military expenditure has something we would not do: to make been deeply embedded as a principal us take an interest in, and mind driver of the American economy; as about things and to set ourselves recently as 2004, President George goals, which we otherwise wouldn ’t. In Bush told President Kirchner of other words, consciousness is about Argentina that the best way to motivation not performance! This revitalise the economy is war. This is culminates (in Humphrey ’s theory) in one area where perestroika natural selection tricking us, via (restructuring) is needed; also consciousness, into the delusion that glasnost , but in a deeper sense –not we have immortal souls, again purely just transparency but an awakening for the beneficial, biological side- of consciousness and an effects that this generates. implementation of universal values.

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of the values of all mankind in a He calls for the Earth Charter to be b

mutually connected and integral recognised as a third pillar of o world. ’ This implies a balance of sustainable development alongside interests rather than a balance of the Charter of the UN and the o

power and a capacity for genuine Universal Declaration of Human k visionary leadership that was so Rights. Later speeches show his conspicuously lacking at grasp of the food and energy crises, Copenhagen, with its lowest common and particularly issues relating to r

denominator and business as usual access to uncontaminated drinking e compromise mentality. water, which he vigorously argues is a v Gorbachev succinctly summarises basic right. This implies an update of the main challenges to mankind's the currently unsustainable model of i future as ‘threat of catastrophic development. Gorbachev resolutely e

climate change, the degradation of remains open to new possibilities, w the environment, massive poverty quoting Churchill who said that it is a

that breeds extremism, migration mistake to try to look too far ahead: s flows and state failure, diseases and ‘the chain of destiny can only be epidemics, organised crime, drug grasped one link at a time. ’ This trafficking and massive violations of volume is a timely reminder of the human rights. ’ He rightly points out greatness and vision of Mikhail that there are no military responses Gorbachev - the subtitle, prophet of to these challenges and asserts that change, is also an urgent call to we cannot be indifferent to the fact action. Not since reading the that governments continue with speeches of the former president of This volume has been published on wasteful expenditures on weapons of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, have the occasion of Gorbachev's 80th war rather than prioritising these real I experienced such a powerful birthday, and brings together many of threats to world security. Two brilliant combination of universal values with his major speeches over the last 25 speeches on the green agenda practical proposals for the betterment years, with a short commentary at highlight the issues in a striking of humankind and the planet. the end of each giving its wider fashion. He calls for the replacement significance in the development of of an overriding culture of violence his thinking . He was the first head of and conflict with the new culture of Rescuing our Future state to highlight the need for peace, which means developing ‘a Chris Clarke ecological security, and called for the complex of attitudes, values, beliefs establishment of an environmental and patterns of behaviour that THE PROTEIN CRUNCH equivalent to the Red Cross at the promote the quest for mutual Jason Drew and David Lorimer understanding and opportunity for 1992 Earth Summit when he Print Matters Planet, 2011, observed that the most pressing individuals to live harmoniously with 184 pp., £9.99, p/b – challenge for humanity is the each other and with the larger ISBN 978-0-986-99762-4 relationship between humanity and community of life. ’ This means nature. This resulted in the creation promoting a new definition of global ‘Warning, ’ says the cover, ‘this book of Green Cross International in 1993, security and sustainability ethic could seriously affect the way you which has served as a platform for already embodied in the Earth view our world. ’ This is indeed true, Gorbachev ’s work on security, Charter, which should be required and it is the reason why The Protein eradication of poverty and reading in every school. Crunch is important. Its unique environmental degradation. Gorbachev is an optimist in the contribution is to survey, in a largely The book is structured in five sense that he refuses to make do unadorned litany of facts, the ways in parts: the world in transition after the with the status quo and is which the many different resources of end of the Cold War, a world free of consciously looking for ways to make the earth on which human beings weapons of mass destruction, the the world a better place and help depend are now under threat, green agenda, water for peace and address the practical challenges –this classified under the headings of finally a series of tributes from world he calls optimism by action, realising water, land, seas, population and leaders and colleagues. This last that global objectives are all ‘agri-industry ’. section highlights Gorbachev's overall interdependent. We repeatedly see These are areas where I thought I contribution and the extraordinary ‘world politics lagging behind the real was well enough informed, impact he has made on so many processes unfolding in the world. ’ particularly by the summary volume people. One person writes about the This represents both a credibility gap of the last report of the power of his smile, while George and a morality gap between stated Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Bush senior tells the story of the intentions and resulting actions. He Change (IPCC) and by following up parachute jump he made on the repeatedly draws attention to the the presentation of ‘Peak Oil ’ in Rob occasion of his 80th birthday. When dangers of continuing distorted Hopkins ’ The Transition Handbook. he landed, his friend Mikhail was priorities and the inertia of Such books have shifted the views of waiting with his wife with a bunch of government inaction. This inertia, he academics and activists like myself; flowers and a glass of fine vodka. insists , will continue to generate new but they leave the majority of the Gorbachev ’s speeches are notable crises and emergencies until world population untouched or, if their for their clarity of thought and leaders develop preventive immediate interests are threatened, exposition for universal values mechanisms. These have already more hostile. Jason Drew and David applied to the challenges of our time. been proposed, but ‘are being shot Lorimer paint a picture on a much Already in 1988, in an address to the down by those who like to talk about broader canvas, with a different focus UN, he remarked that ‘we have the ineffectiveness of the UN while and a punchier style, directed to a entered an era where progress will be doing everything to sideline the world bigger audience. based on the interests of all organisation. ’ We need what he calls The theme is human beings: what mankind… and policy by the priority a circuit breaker. we fundamentally need in order to

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specific changes that are needed: ‘as a unified cosmic hologram where s introducing new measures of consciousness explores itself by wellbeing to link to population holographically co-creating realities on w control, education involving both head all scales of existence and myriad

e and heart for a generation that can and multi-dimensional levels of i engage with the future – and many awareness. ’ Jude feels that we cannot more specific goals. The power of the have hope for the future without v internet is stressed; and after the undertaking healing of people and e ‘Arab revolution ’, which mainly planet, encouraging readers to r occurred after this book was written, remember their deeper identity and we can add the extraordinary power then to participate in this process by exercised by mobile phones in the ‘envisaging, co-creating and k hands of people who are truly embodying a planetary community at o committed to building change. a higher level of consciousness than The book is designed to be a shot of ever before. ’ The three parts of the o truth that almost everyone can absorb book address this question of identity,

b easily and quickly (in 184 pages). This consider the special characteristics of inevitably requires omissions and individual nations and propose ways shortcuts which occasionally niggled of healing the world. me. For example, although the Jude has both an academic and a associated website does a good job of personal experience of many of the steering you to serious research places she visits and writes about papers, there are no references at all that form part of the human heritage. in the book, so that I was often left She goes back to Sumeria and Egypt wondering. This was particularly the in her quest to understand the live and what we are doing to destroy case with the book ’s title, based on origins of human beliefs and the supplies of these necessities – the assertion that ‘When we talk about behaviour, arguing that a ‘resoulution ’ single-mindedly cutting off the food what we really mean is protein. ’ between masculine and feminine is branches on which we sit. The ‘basic While not denying that there is an crucial to our collective healing and needs ’ of humanity, on the traditional intensifying food crisis, as a vegetarian the recognition of ‘compassionate classification, are food (including I couldn ’t help questioning whether, if connectivity ’ in our hearts. This leads water), shelter and clothing, of which available protein were sensibly on to an analysis of the need to heal the most critical is food. And food is distributed, the critical factor would five archetypal patterns of the focus of the book, with aspects really be protein as opposed to food- abandonment, abuse, betrayal, denial of shelter also being touched. Food energy. Another lacuna was the and rejection. These negative depends on three areas: the quality absence of any specific discussion of pathways cause enormous individual of soil, the usage of open water and spirituality: remember the role of and collective suffering but they need the species it supports, and a right church buildings in the fall of to be recognised and reintegrated in use of irrigation. (High-tech communism in countries like Poland, order for healing to occur. She points substitutes that dispense with soil or and the role of everyday Muslim piety towards a deeper level of causality seas are irrelevant, given our current in much of the Arab revolution, to say where information is fundamental, demographic conditions and the nothing of the more ‘underground ’ the universe is integrally timescale of a mere couple of spread of spiritual awareness, far interconnected and cosmic mind decades for the sawing off our though it still has to go. But these are expresses itself as energy through branch.) In each of these areas the quibbles: buy the book and pass it on holographic processes at every scale authors catalogue the startling speed someone who needs it more than of existence. This forms the basis of with which these resources are being yourself as fast as possible! made unusable. Because of a potential nonlocal influence using deforestation, soil is simply being Chris Clarke is a member of washed away at the rate of three GreenSpirit and a writer on tonnes of soil per year for every science, spirituality and ecology person on the planet. Current lack of action on climate change will by 2025 cut fresh water supplies so as Waiting for Ourselves to reduce food production by 350 million tonnes per year – equivalent David Lorimer to the entire US grain harvest. These are just two of the multitude of HOPE – Healing Our factors that are listed. People and Earth We are doing this because of the Jude Currivan (SMN) misapplication of capitalism. ‘We Hay House, 2011, 333 pp., £11.99, live, ’ write the authors, ‘in an age of p/b – ISBN 978-1-84850-373-1 super-capitalism ’ in which individuals and governments alike are beholden Jude Currivan did her Master ’s in to multinational corporations. physics and cosmology at Oxford Democracy has been increasingly before completing a Ph.D. in compromised in the interests of a archaeology at Reading. She is also a controlling super-capitalist elite, mystic who has travelled to many before which we feel helpless. But parts of the world conducting healing the authors move on in the final rituals. This gives her an interesting chapter to catalogue the many areas perspective on the world, which she in which we can, and must, make the expresses in this book. The scientific and mystical vision sees the Cosmos

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coherent intention and the power of our financial system. She through the eyes of biodynamic and b

love as a healing method. At this demonstrates a good grasp of organic beekeepers, scientists, o point she introduces her knowledge current affairs and the complexities farmers, philosophers and poets, of astrology in relation to the times of the 2008 meltdown as well as the providing a history of beekeeping o

we are living through. significance of the BP oil spill. As we from natural harmony to k Jude extends this perspective into move into 2012, there is a sense of mechanisation, and the underlying her analysis of the fundamental uncertainty and possibility, which causes of Colony Collapse Disorder issues affecting nations, drawing on makes the crucial to support moves (CCD), a phenomenon in which r charts from 1776 and 2001 in the towards the shift we are all co- worker bees from a beehive or honey e case of the USA while reviewing the creating. Some readers may find talk bee colony abruptly disappear. CCD history of the nation as if it were an of cosmic chakras uncomfortable, but was first reported in late 2006 in v individual. It is fascinating to read the meaning is nevertheless clear as North America; since then similar i about the various waves of immigrants a direction in which we are evolving phenomena have been reported e

that make up the current population. towards universal consciousness and throughout Europe and parts of Asia. w This part is perhaps the most original, unity awareness. This is certainly a An intriguing fact the authors bring

as one understands the psychological book to inspire Hope. to light is that warnings about the s profile of the USSR in terms of abuse demise of the honeybee were voiced and the tendency to elect dictatorial as early as 1923 by scientist, leaders, of which Putin is the latest A (Threatened) Taste of philosopher and social innovator embodiment. She shows how the Honey Rudolf Steiner. Based on observation, pathway to peace in the Middle East is he predicted that bees could die out in fact straightforward if people had a Charla Devereux within a hundred years if artificial constructive intent; and she methods of reproduction were to comments on this year ’s Arab spring QUEEN OF THE SUN continue. He felt that the short-term as a yearning to break free from An anthology edited by advantages from such methods, ancestral patterns. China and Tibet Taggart Siegel and Jon Betz being increased production yield, form another intractable nexus, while Clairview Books, 2011, £16.99, 160 would not be sustainable in the long the UK exhibits an archetype of pp., p/b - ISBN: 978 1 905570 34 8 term. By the early 1970’ s reduction betrayal coming down through legend in the number of feral honeybees in and history. ‘If the bee disappeared off the surface the US was beginning to be noticed The process of healing the world of the globe, then man would only with the rate of attrition reaching new involves three fundamental aspects, have four years of life left. No more proportions in 2006. according to Jude. First, the return of bees, no more pollination, no more Among the causes for the dramatic the feminine and the consequent plants, no more animals, no more decline being considered are biotic embodiment of unity awareness; then man .’ (Attributed to Albert Einstein) factors such as Varroa mites and the transformation of our collective insect diseases, environmental worldview beyond scientific The honeybee population is stress, pesticides, radiation from cell materialism, implying a reconnection dramatically on the decline world- phones, and genetically modified with the Earth; and finally the wide . Like the caged canary in a crops. Perhaps a combination of realisation that we are the ones we mine, this is a warning – in this case, factors contribute to the cause. It have been waiting for - no saviour is of problems in the environment due does seem likely, however, that man's going to arrive from on high. Her in part to the unsustainable nature of obsession to try and ‘improve on vision has much in common with that farming practices such as nature ’ could very well be at the root of Gorbachev, although it is monoculture (growing the same crop of the problem. In addition to some expressed in very different language: in the same fields year after year) of the culprits already mentioned, the path to peace, the need for and the use of pesticides. Globally there is the artificially breeding of nuclear disarmament and the there are more honey bees than queen bees, thus interfering with the necessity of reconstructing our other types of bee and pollinating normal activities of the hive . As part international institutions, including insects, and it is estimated that one of this interference, the eggs of the third of the food that we consume drones (the male bees) are culled, as each day relies on pollination mainly the queen is bred and brought to the by bees. Flowering food crops in the hive rather than being bred within the UK, including apples, pears, field and hive, and so it is felt they not only broad beans, strawberries, offer little to the hive but they eat blueberries, raspberries and honey that could be put to better blackberries rely on honeybees. If use. (An interesting observation, this warning is not ‘officially ’ however, is that the queen will usually recognised on a large scale, it could lay more drone eggs in an attempt to ultimately have a devastating impact redress the balance!) There is also on the world ’s food supply. concern that the artificial breeding of Taggart Siegel was alarmed by queen bees drastically diminishes articles that were beginning to the physical constitution of the appear concerning the global queen. The quality of food, as sugar consequences if the honeybee were or corn syrup is substituted for the to vanish. As a film director honey that is removed from the hive, concerned with perspectives rarely and the stress of this unnatural popularised in the mainstream, he practice all add to the problem. worked with producer Jon Betz, to The book contains numerous make a film that would help to bring articles and interviews providing the plight of the bees to a wide insights into the amazing world of the audience, and this book is a beehive, making for a fascinating, as companion to that film. Both film and well as educational read. It could be book explore the global bee crisis that solutions to the honey bee

5www.scimednet.org 60 Net work Review Winter 2011

problem would provide much needed of contemplation and prayer, also beautiful photographs. Claude Monet s insight into other ecological global representing paradise. The mediaeval went even further at Giverny, where problems that are becoming more hortus conclusus or enclosed garden his garden was a living presence w and more prominent. is dedicated to Mary while at the reflected in his paintings where he

e same time symbolising the sought to understand the creativity in i Charla Devereux is Network Manager of transformation and purification of the Nature and in himself. This thoughtful SMN and author of several books. Her soul with its white lilies and red book challenges the gardener in us v latest is Lucid Dreaming (2011), co- roses. to work as an artist and experience e authored with her husband Paul. A key distinction largely lost in the sacred presence around us by r modern times except perhaps in becoming creatively engaged with the Rupert Sheldrake ’s morphic fields is hidden formative forces of Nature. Beyond Eden that between natura naturans and k David Lorimer natura naturata. The former ‘denotes An Aquarian o the creative and formative forces that Renaissance stand behind the visible world of o GARDENING AS A sense perceptible forms ’, as David Lorimer SACRED ART understood by Schelling, Coleridge b Jeremy Naydler (SMN) and Goethe. Nature as a spiritual PARADIGM PULSE Floris Books, 2011, 119 pp., £16.99, subject rather than Nature viewed as Jens Jerndal (SMN) p/b – ISBN 978-086315-834-6 a physical object. The emphasis is on Xlibris, 2010, 197 pp., p/b, no price the process of growth and becoming given – ISBN 978-1-4500-8712-4 As a professional gardener himself and ‘the experience of the and a scholar of symbolism and communion between the inner life of Jens Jerndal has been studying and Goethe, Jeremy is ideally placed to human beings and the inwardness of writing about various aspects of new write this book. The way we treat our nature. ’ This experience is one of paradigm thinking for over 20 years. gardens reflects our own attitude contemplation rather than This is his most comprehensive and towards nature and the tension observation. informative book ranging over a vast between feeling that we belong to The birth of perspectival field of interrelated disciplines. Nature but at the same time wanting consciousness coincides with the Readers of Network Review will be to control it. By tracing the history of loss of symbolic consciousness and familiar with the arguments that we gardening from Egypt onwards, the separation of the Observer from need a new and integrated worldview Jeremy is able to convey the different the Observed. The geometrically laid- to supersede the fragmented outlook understandings of Nature and out formal garden is revived, as in of mechanistic reductionism. Jens puts gardens arising in various cultural the spectacular Villa d ’Este, dating the case not only for the necessity of milieux, including Greece, Rome and back to the late 16th century. Here such a paradigm shift, but describes then on to the Middle Ages. He we have human sovereignty over how it is already happening and how argues that the development of Nature and the imposition of he sees its further development over rational consciousness is mechanical order, including hydraulic the coming decades. An important accompanied by a growing fountains. Jeremy explains how this moment in Western history was the detachment from Nature and the drive towards human supremacy formulation of the Declaration of corresponding desire for control. The reaches its climax in the gardens of Independence by the founding fathers participant becomes the onlooker, the Vaux-le-Vicomte (which I visited with of the United States in 1776. With his admirer of views from above. Islamic friends last autumn) and Versailles. background in astrology, he places our gardens express the symbolism of We learn that Fouquet ’s Vaux culture within a wider context of human sacred geometry and become places ‘required the destruction of three development. villages, the diversion of a river and Characteristic of the new paradigm the employment of some 18,000 is that it ‘works with consciousness, labourers. ’ Double that number was information and energy, and required for Versailles, along with understands that this invisible reality 6,000 horses. It was a veritable precedes, determines and shapes all military operation to try to divert the material manifestations. ’ The human 60-mile distant River Eure to feed its being is understood as a microcosm fountains, an operation that cost an of the Original Consciousness that estimated 10,000 lives and we call God. This implies a deep eventually had to be abandoned. interconnectedness, which is also an The next development is the important characteristic of the landscape garden, inspired by the emerging paradigm, and is reflected paintings of Claude Lorrain and in the development of our global others. Here the gardener is working communications systems where with Nature and the spirit of the information is the key commodity. place, as one can see in places like Among the many themes explored Stourhead, transformed by Capability are globalisation, nutrition and health, Brown, who, in his lifetime, the future of medicine, science, landscaped around 140 country education, energy, environment, estates. Here the idea is to enhance tourism, changing patterns of Nature, working as an artist. This relationships, sex and spirituality, the impulse developed strongly during the machinations of the New World Order, 19th century, which saw the peace, political systems and the introduction of gardening magazines nature of power, and the subtle and the mechanical lawnmower structure of the human being. The during the 1830s. Jeremy introduces overall argument is integrated into the the work of Gertrude Jekyll and framework of what Jens calls the William Robinson, illustrated with Aquarian Super-Paradigm, which is a

www.scimednet.org Net work Review Winter 2011 61

tour de force of integrated thinking. He The confession videos may well be easy to see that the war on terror b

is well informed and anything but naive fake. In the event, the US resulting from 9/11 has been the o when addressing the shortcomings of government claimed that justice had most enormous distraction from current political, economic, scientific been done by killing bin Laden when pressing global challenges. o

and medical systems. In all these no judicial case had been prepared Griffin addresses the particular k areas, he makes detailed proposals for against him (p. 12). cases of Bill Moyers and Robert Parry new models and structures. Having reviewed all Griffin ’s who claim that there are no

The key question is how this will all previous books on 9/11, I found this anomalies to explain in the official r come about. On one level, elements of one to be a good summary of the explanation. This is manifest e this new paradigm are already shaping case already made, but also asking nonsense, as each of Griffin ’s claims our thinking, as Jens demonstrates, the question why mainstream is carefully argued and substantiated. v and we can see growing crises journalists have reacted in the way Here he brings in the Big Lie (state i emerging within the current systems. they have when many of these same crimes against democracy can be e

into their own hands rather than being people, if investigating other matters, hidden in plain sight) and the w controlled and manipulated by the would have reached Griffin ’s argument that the very idea that powers that be through fear. This uncomfortable conclusion. By and 9/11 could have been an inside job s means a growing empowerment and large, they have accepted the official is preposterous to any right-thinking freedom, more cooperation and version of events and attacked people person. This reaction, shared by harmony, and an expansion of human like Griffin without actually reading his many before they examine the capacities and potential. The vision of books. It is assumed by self-styled evidence, is quite understandable in this accessible book will help rational people that the 9/11 Truth the light of what Griffin calls the understand and become more aware Movement is full of conspiracy nutters nationalist faith, often closely aligned of these new possibilities. You can who have not examined the evidence. with Christian faith - the idea that the also visit Jens ’ blog on In fact, the reverse is true. It is US government is fundamentally www.ParadigmWatch.com/index.php writers like Griffin who have carefully virtuous. It is therefore outrageous to examined the evidence and based think that the US government could their conclusions on this analysis. have been complicit in 9/11, despite Initial problems for the official the fact that it has initiated and general explanation include the fact that there supported other false-flag operations. were no Arab names on the flight Griffin ’s arguments make such people A State Crime against manifests of the four flights involved, feel very uneasy and fosters a Democracy? that one of the named hijackers had reluctance to look at the evidence in David Lorimer died the year before, and another one case this belief is undermined. This was still alive. Then there are syndrome has clearly affected absurdities like the claim that a mainstream publishers previously 9/11 – TEN YEARS hijacker ’s passport was found in the associated with Griffin ’s work, as well LATER street below World Trade Center. as journalism. Some people like to David Ray Griffin Griffin concludes that 9/11 is an think that his arguments have been Haus Publishing, 2011, elaborate example of a false-flag debunked, but he himself has 378 pp., £8.99, p/b – attack, as he had also argued in more thoroughly debunked the debunkers. ISBN 978-1-907822-38-4 detail in earlier books. The final chapter summarises the Earlier this year, before the 10th Griffin summarises and reiterates evidence for 9/11 being a false-flag anniversary of 9/11, it was his case from an earlier extensive attack, giving details of the many dramatically announced that Osama work that the collapse of WTC7 was professionals who have become bin Laden had been killed and buried a textbook example of controlled involved in the 9/11 Truth Movement, at sea. How do we really know? One demolition, a theory that has been including some former intelligence of Griffin ’s earlier books examined extensively supported by many officers. In asking why the crime the question of whether he was still qualified professionals. A number of succeeded, Griffin gives a number of alive and the faking of a number of journalists have said that the 9/11 psychological and sociological alleged video broadcasts. Indeed, the conspiracy theory (one needs to reasons, including rallying round the claim that bin Laden was responsible remember that the official flag and the instinct to trust the for 9/11 was questioned by the FBI, explanation is also a conspiracy President and the government. His whose spokesman said that ‘he has theory) is in danger of discrediting analysis extends to the reactions of not been formally indicted and the journalist who supports it or the press and the academy, and the charged in connection with 9/11 serving as a distraction from more fact that the attacks were used to for because the FBI has no hard important matters. Griffin refutes an assault on the US Constitution evidence connecting bin Laden to both of these charges, showing the with the implementation of the Patriot 9/11. ’ The British government prima facie absurdity of the official Act. Griffin concludes that getting the document justifying the attack on conspiracy theory (p. 54) and that 9/11 lie exposed is still a critical Afghanistan ironically stated that it among scientists and professionals mission, even if only to prevent did not provide a prosecutable case in the relevant fields who have further events of a similar nature – in a court of law. Immediately after studied the evidence, the weight of ‘unless we want to continue false-flag the event, bin Laden said that he was scientific and professional opinion is attacks, we should do our best to glad that the attacks had happened now overwhelmingly on the side of uncover the truth about 9/11. ’ Griffin but had no information about them. the 9/11 Truth Movement. And it is has courageously staked his

DO YOU HAVE ANY PHOTOGRAPHS OF A NETWORK GROUP, WORKSHOP OR CONFERENCE? If so, please send them to Olly Robinson at [email protected] for publication in the Network Review

www.scimednet.org 62 Net work Review Winter 2011

reputation as a leading process more important. One also becomes but resolved that he was going to s philosophy and theologian on the more free inwardly, even if old age climb neighbouring hill. Now he can books he has written in the last 10 presents inevitable physical and still climb over fences by himself. In w years. The call for a proper psychological challenges. this way, he helped rebuild a new set

e investigation should continue, and it It is commonplace to observe that of arteries. This put me in mind of the i is one that most readers would we have an ageing population. Even chestnut trees we have in Scotland, support having read this book. So if so it is quite startling to learn that which were blasted by strong gales in v you are interested in this issue and the Queen sent 255 telegrams May this year. The leaves turned e have still not read any of Griffin ’s congratulating people on reaching the brown, and it looked like the end of r books on the subject, this is a good age of 100 in 1952, a figure that has September. However, these same place to start. risen to over 12,000 today. While trees actually grew a new set of traditional societies revere elders for leaves to replace those that had been k Growing Wisdom their wisdom, modern society tends scorched. It is a wonderful parable of o David Lorimer to regard older people as a burden life ’s capacity for renewal, which we rather than a resource. We will all should never lose at any time of life. o eventually need to know how best to Inspire and renew yourself by reading THE ART OF AGEING cope with ageing, and here John has b this gem of a book. John Lane some excellent advice for coping with Green Books, 2010, 127 pp., £10.95, stress and negative feelings. I was h/b – ISBN 978-1-900322-73-7 delighted to see Henri-Frederic Amiel Maltese Megaliths and Dr Sheila Cassidy writes about this quoted as saying, ‘to know how to grow old is the masterwork of Mystery new book by John Lane that it is a Paul Devereux delightful source of practical and wisdom and one of the most difficult spiritual wisdom distilled from a life chapters in the great art of living. ’ We well lived. I could not agree more. It can delay the advent of debilitating ANCESTRAL VISIONS follows his earlier books, which I also old age through basic healthy living Marlene Saliba and by maintaining an interest in life reviewed, Timeless Simplicity, Fotografija Principali/Daniel Cilia, Timeless Beauty and The Spirit of and a sense of humour. John also 2011, 300pp. p/b - ISBN 978-99932- Silence. John begins by observing recommends the daily practice of an 0-572-2 that life ’s impermanence renders it activity that energises you whether it be walking, reading, music or This is a physically substantial, precious, encouraging us to handsome volume. Its contents are appreciate each moment of beauty gardening. This helps one remain adaptable and creative. divided into two sections: the first and ‘waste no opportunity for has Saliba ’s poems in Maltese, the learning and love ’, quoting in this John rightly insists that we get from life in the measure with which we second has them in English language, context a beautiful poem by A.E but each section has its own Housman about cherry blossom. give to it, and that our growth demands imagination, selective selection of superb colour plates. And There is much to celebrate about old there are dozens of them, not only of age. John tells the story of Pablo choice and effort. Many artists have remained creative in their old age, Malta ’s many ancient and truly Casals continuing to practise the mysterious temples, some shown with cello for three hours a day at the age such as Monet, Vaughan Williams, Bonnard, Handel and Goethe. Fanny the sun shining through at key of 93. When asked why he did this, astronomical times, but also of the he replied, ‘I’m beginning to notice Waterman, still active at the age of 90, remarked that ‘you don ’t stop smaller artefacts that have been some improvement. ’ John himself unearthed: here a decorated pot, remarks on the shift from outer to working because you grow old; you grow old because you stop working. ’ there a spiral-incised plaque, and, inner concerns, so that joy, silence, above all, statues and figurines, many stillness and contemplation become Old age is also a time of reflection on what might come next. John ’s own never seen previously by this reviewer view is that we should focus on how (and doubtless most readers). One best to live our current life rather among numerous powerful images is than being obsessed with a hereafter. that of a set of nine figurines found at Attending other people ’s funerals the Xaghra Circle staring out across gives one pause for thought and an the millennia at the viewer: a glance occasion for celebration of lives well of and from another time, another lived. Proust wrote that we do not sensibility. Amidst the gallery of receive wisdom, but must rather prehistoric spirals, mother goddess discover it for ourselves after a long figures, and reliefs of fish, phalli and journey that no one can take for us or cattle, are sprinkled the works of spare us. I also liked the quotation modern artists inspired by the from Eleanor Roosevelt, who said megalithic mystique of Malta. that ‘beautiful young people are Marlene Saliba is an intelligent, accidents of nature, beautiful old knowledgeable woman, immersed in people are works of art. ’ the spirit of Malta and equally with its The last section of the book archaeology. Her poetry provides the introduces a number of old people interiority, if you will, of the material who have made good and inspiring remains of the prehistoric Maltese use of their lives. These contain some civilisation. One of her poem ends: simple but profound nuggets of Peace of the reclining, seated, advice, such as savouring the and standing statues moment, safeguarding your health, sculpt serenity trying something new, and having an in the sanctuary attitude of gratitude. I had not realised of my soul that James Lovelock, now aged 92, The soul of ancient Malta is indeed had severe angina at the age of 50, captured in this book. www.scimednet.org