Bodhi Tree BOOKSTORE

Dr. Leonard Shlain is a physician and surgeon with a lifelong interest in the arts and humanities. His acclaimed book Art & Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time, & Light appeared in 1991, followed by The Alphabet Versus the Goddess in 1998. His book Sex, Time, and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution (August, 2003) is an in depth exploration of themes first introduced in his book The Alphabet Versus the Goddess. He appeared at the Bodhi Tree in October, 1998 to discuss his book The Alphabet Versus the Goddess, and what follows is a partial text of Dr. Shlain's presentation.

Leonard Shlain says, "I wanted to know what event in culture could have been so immense and so pervasive as to change the sex of God?" And he adds, "I think that the thug who mugged the goddess was actually literacy."

Doreen Virtue, author of Angel Medicine, and Steven Farmer, author of Power Animals came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in November 2004 to present and discuss their books. They have been married for several years and frequently travel and lecture together.

Doreen Virtue is a lifelong clairvoyant who works with the angelic, elemental and ascended-master realms. Doreen holds Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. university degrees in counseling psychology, and is a former director of inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities at various hospitals.

Steven D. Farmer, Ph.D. is a spiritual psychotherapist, shamanic practitioner and minister.

First up, Steven presents his book Power Animals, which instructs and guides you to connect with your power animal. Then Steven introduces Doreen Virtue, who discusses her book, Angel Medicine. Both a spiritual adventure story and a reference book, Angel Medicine is a three-part work that relates the story of Doreen's recovery of memories of Atlantian healing methods along with messages from Hermes -- the Egyptian and Greek prophet and deity -- and the angels.

Fred Alan Wolf came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in 2004 to discuss his book Matter Into Feeling: A New Alchemy of Science and Spirit. Fred Alan Wolf combines his talent for quantum physics with a sharp philosophical mind, a poet’s heart, and the mystic’s visionary quest. He is one of the foremost representatives of new-paradigm thinking in science. Using the discoveries of quantum-relativistic physics, he has been able to bring scientific rigor into the study of such elusive phenomena as mysticism, shamanism, dreams, the relationship between the mind and the body, and the nature of reality.

In his work, Wolf explores the basic operations of thinking, sensing, feeling, and intuiting form and shape the primary material of our conscious and unconscious life. He calls it the "new alchemy" and he writes that reshaping this primary material gives rise to forces that transform the world and us, namely creation, animation, resistance, vitality, replication, chance, unification, structure, and transformation. And in a summing up, he adds, "The ultimate goal of all this being the transmutation of information into matter; matter arises from the mind - a vast field of influence commonly envisioned as the Mind of God."

David Deida came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in January 2003 to discuss his book Finding God Through Sex: A Spiritual Guide to Ecstatic Loving and Deep Passion for Men and Women. Teacher and author David Deida is revolutionizing the way men and women learn to grow together spiritually and sexually. In a wide-ranging and lively dialogue, Deida discussed the three stages of sex and spirituality, how men and women can explore and understand both their masculine and feminine energies, how some Buddhist practices transform sexual desires into higher states of love and compassion, and how to liberate oneself from past patterns and become open to new possibilities and experiences.

"You can open to God through sex. By learning to open your heart and body while embracing and trusting all energies from rough ravishment to sublime gentleness, you can open to be lived by the mystery that lives the entire universe. You can open to be lived by love with no limits, so you are alive as love, offering the deepest gifts of your heart spontaneously and without hesitation, in every moment, at work, with your family and friends, as well as in bed with your lover." -- David Deida, in Finding God Through Sex

John Daishin Buksbazen came to the Bodhi Tree in 2002 to discuss his book Zen Meditation in Plain English . John Daishin Buksbazen is a Zen Buddhist priest at the Zen Center of Los Angeles (ZCLA). Ordained in 1968, he trained for more than a decade with Taizan Maezumi Roshi while serving as publishing editor of the ZCLA Zen writing series, and also as a pastoral counselor. He is now a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst in private practice in Santa Monica, California and a faculty member at the Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute, where he did his psychoanalytic training.

            "It's not about believing in a code; it's not about belonging to a club; it's about coming to terms with what our life is, investigating it thoroughly, and appreciating it." - John Daishin Buksbazen

Global visionaries James Redfield and Michael Murphy came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in January 2002 to talk about their book, God and the Evolving Universe. When James Redfield self-published the Celestine Prophecy in 1993, it enjoyed a ground swell of enthusiasm that made it one of the best-selling spiritual novels of all time. Its theme of synchronicity inspired many to a new, experiential spirituality, and it fostered a special relationship between its countless readers. Michael Murphy began his quest into the nature of human potential as a psychology major at Stanford University. In 1961, he co-founded the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, which has become the leading personal growth center in the world. He is the author of Golf in the Kingdom and its sequel, The Kingdom of Shivas Irons, The Future of the Body, and The Life We Are Given (with George Leonard). James Redfield and Michael Mlurphy found shared interest in spirituality and human development and the seminal book God and the Evolving Universe became its expression. Sylvia Timbers is a documentary filmmaker with a background in consciousness studies and psychological and spiritual development. What follows is and edited version of their Bodhi Tree Bookstore presentation.

Sharon Salzberg has been practicing and studying Buddhism for more than thirty years, and during this time, has trained with some of the foremost masters of India, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. She is an acclaimed spiritual leader and meditation instructor as well as cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, a center devoted to meditation training, and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Massachusetts. She is the author of the noted book, Lovingkindness: the Revolutionary Art of Happiness. She came to the Bodhi Tree in 2002 to discuss her book Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience.

Lynn V. Andrews writings reflect the juxtaposition of our urban lives with the magical existence expressed by the wisdom of her native American teachers. After some eighteen books and countless seminars, Andrews is currently recognized as a leading voice in personal development. Following the practice of her teachers, she tells stories and relates experiences -- that at first may seem unrelated. But when the fragments and pieces are brought together, they form a coherent whole. Andrews writes, "There is magic in this world if you want the world to be magical. If you want life to be special, it will be. No one wants to be bored or consumed by ordinary drudgery. But what happens, all too often, is that when magic is presented to us, we don't believe it, because we don't trust ourselves. We don't realize what can really be accomplished. We don't realize that if we wish to, we can take other forms. We can sit in the presence of the great masters, angels, or ancient seers of wisdom and find peace and wisdom, but it takes many small deaths, the giving away of old limitations, to get there." The following is edited from her Bodhi Tree presentation in November, 2001.

Roger Weir has taught at University level since 1965 and publicly offered his visionary work in Los Angeles since 1980. The publication of his book Our New Aion is the first blossoming in book form of a vast reservoir of compelling work. Our New Aion was first presented in 1994 as a series of four lectures in commemoration of the death of his daughter Sarah. The work covers four themes and spans traditional wisdom school patterns and their emergence into a future civilization. It draws upon material from the forthcoming books, "Jesus In Alexandria", "Shared Presence Bodhisattvas" and "Hermetic America". The fourth part of the book is about our future civilization, which will span our entire star system. The lectures for Our New Aion were transcribed and updated in 2001 for this publication. Roger Weir came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore to talk about his book in July 2001. What follows is an edited version of that presentation.

In progressive two-year cycles, and for the past several years, Roger Weir has been teaching every Saturday at the Bodhi Tree Bookstore Annex. Weir’s presentations draw upon a deep sensitivity, insight, and understanding of the entire range of "all that is" and "is-not", from East to West, and from the dawn of the cosmos to the distant future. The presentations are not simple to grasp because they encompass a complex formulation, a high level of vocabulary, and concepts juxtaposed in unusual ways and defined pristinely. However, his lectures are mysteriously compelling and fill you with the sense that you have experienced something unique and valuable. Weir challenges us to listen, read and comprehend in new and transformative ways, to "see" with new eyes and to learn "how to learn" spontaneously. Weir’s teachings may be the key to our survival and successful function in the 21st century and beyond.

All of Weir’s lectures have been recorded, initially on audio cassettes, but starting in 2000, on video cassette as well. Beginning in 2004, lectures are also available in a CD and DVD format. These cassettes may be purchased individually or in complete sets. In addition, sets of audio cassettes are available for other lecture series such as "Hermetic America". Audio cassettes are $10.00 each and video cassettes are $20.00. Please contact the Shared Presence Foundation directly to acquire cassettes or additional information. Shared Presence Foundation: 310-279-9668.

Lucia Capacchione is an art therapist, artist and author of several books, including Recovery Of Your Inner Child and The Power of Your Other Hand. She began her career with the designer Charles Eames, and was also mentored by Buckminister Fuller. After she was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Capacchione came to explore writing and drawing as methods for personal growth and healing. Her complete recovery - which she achieved without medication -- led her to change careers and become an art therapist. Many of her books are used as texts in expressive arts therapy, psychology, creative writing and art courses. The following is an edited version of her Bodhi Tree presentation. Edited by Camilla Denton

"The first flicker of an idea, an artist will put it down. Make a model, do a blueprint. Make a mock-up. Do something physical."
- Lucia Capacchione

Lama Surya Das (a.k.a. Jeffrey Miller) grew up in Long Island, New York. He was a "regular guy" who lettered in three sports in high school and aspired to a career as a ballplayer. The day after he graduated from college, he set off on a spiritual pilgrimage with $500 in his pocket. As he "followed his heart," his wanderings eventually brought him to Nepal and India, where he met people who embodied the qualities he had been seeking: love, wisdom, and serenity. They were Tibetan Buddhist meditation masters, or Lamas. Then, with the encouragement and guidance of some of these great teachers, Surya Das began his own study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism, and eventually completed two traditional three-year retreats.

Today, Lama Surya Das is one of the most highly trained American lamas in the Tibetan tradition. An author, poet, translator, and full-time spiritual teacher, he lectures and leads meditation retreats all over the world. He is the founder of the Dzogchen Foundation, and author of the seminal books Awakening to the Sacred: Creating A Spiritual Life From Scratch and Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment.

With a warm sense of humor, Lama Surya Das brings to his dharma teachings a lightness that many of us lack in our spiritual search. Through examples from his own life, and from the lives of his friends and students, he cites familiar struggles we face everyday as we search for fulfillment. He explains how the sufferings of one are the sufferings of all, and how practicing generosity towards others brings greater joy and meaning into our lives. Most importantly, he also describes how to become our very own authentic, unselfconscious self, and shows how truly rich and satisfying reality can be.

Dr. Judith Orloff came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in 2000 to discuss her book Dr. Judith Orloff's Guide to Intuitive Healing: 5 Steps to Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Wellness. As a mystic, medical intuitive and psychiatrist, Dr. Judith Orloff explores how our mind and its relationship to the fundamental mystery of life is the key to vitality and health or to sickness and death. In her belief that we are the keepers of an intuitive intelligence so powerful it can tell us how to heal, Orloff advocates integrating modern science and intuition to diagnose and treat illness, and promote wellness.

Judith Orloff teaches and writes engagingly, with warmth intelligence and deep compassion. "There is magic in what is invisible," she says. "Allow yourself to be touched. Be innocent again so nothing is kept from you. You can feel the intuitive code everywhere: in the warmth of your breath, your body, in the soft rustling of leaves in the wind, in the sea at midnight. Be very quiet. Listen carefully . . . the moon, the earth, the stars all know its secret. Now let them whisper it to you."

"Allow yourself to be touched. Be innocent again so nothing is kept from you. You can feel the intuitive code everywhere: in the warmth of your breath, your body, in the soft rustling of leaves in the wind, in the sea at midnight. Be very quiet. Listen carefully . . . the moon, the earth, the stars all know its secret. Now let them whisper it to you." --Judith Orloff

What follows is an edited version of her Bodhi Tree Bookstore presentation. Edited by Stan Madson

Thom Hartmann is an award-winning author, international lecturer, teacher and psychotherapist, who is noted for his innovative thinking. In his new book, he offers a thoroughly researched analysis of how far our global civilization has gone off-course, and shows how we can -- and must -- change our lifestyle by reconnecting with ancient wisdom. His message is a passionate and challenging call to consciousness, advocating a spirituality and ecology that offers hope for the future. The following is an edited version of his Bodhi Tree presentation. Edited by James Culnan

"We may tell ourselves that this is the history of the human race and there's nothing to be done about it, but it's actually the history of only one culture. There are thousands of cultures around the planet that have had stable populations, and who have not spoiled their environment, thereby putting their own lives, and all life on earth, at risk." - Thom Hartman

Eckhart Tolle came to the Bodhi Tree in November, 1999 to talk about his book, The Power of Now, and to tell us about the radical state of being that is available to all. Tolle was a research scholar and supervisor at Cambridge University before his life was radically changed by a spiritual awakening. After further contemplation and study, he became an exceptional counselor and spiritual teacher. Tolle speaks about the nature of human unconsciousness and dysfunction as well as its most common manifestations, from conflict in relationships to warfare between tribes or nations, and he speaks with the intention of drawing his listeners into a new awareness.

Starhawk came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in December, 1999 to present the 20th anniversary edition of her book The Spiral Dance. Starhawk first published The Spiral Dance, her seminal work on the goddess religion in 1979, when she was in her twenties. Today, even as it draws on the truly ancient, this book remains essential, contemporary and politically relevant. There has been tremendous growth in the goddess movement in the past twenty years. In her 1989, tenth anniversary edition introduction, Starhawk wrote about her shift away from a polarized view of the world as a dance of "female" and "male" qualities and energies, and toward an inclusive view of gender and energy. To facilitate this, and other shifts in perspective, the twentieth anniversary edition supplements the original text with a running commentary, as well as new versions of old myths and, occasionally, new interpretations of the material. The book is still an unparalleled reference on the practice and philosophies of witchcraft, and a guide to the ways in which we can turn to the goddess to develop our power, and integrate all aspects of our existence. This is brilliant, comprehensive overview of the growth, suppression, and modern-day reemergence of Wicca as a Goddess-worshipping religion that has left an indelible mark on feminist spiritual consciousness.

Daphne Rose Kingma is a working psychotherapist who has helped thousands of individuals and couples understand and improve their relationships. She is the author of numerous acclaimed books. She writes, "In each of us there is a tremendous ongoing for love. The love we desire is not only the euphoric butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling of new romance, but also the ineffable consolation of being deeply known, received, and cared for, the profound sense of peace and security of spirit that comes from being deeply connected with another human being."

In the spring of 1995, she came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore to talk about her insights into love and relationship. With grace and humor, she describes the metamorphosis she went through in the process of writing her several books on love and relationship. They each discuss different sides of a subject that intrigues us all, and lead us deeper and deeper into what she calls a "frontier" and into the opportunity "to see the person you love as a being of divinity" even when the dirty socks start to pile up.

Swain Wolfe came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in the fall of 1994 from his home in Missoula, Montana to do a reading from his book, The Woman Who Lives in the Earth. The book is a fable about overcoming fear and hatred. As part of that fine evening, he offered to read a children’s short story to us that he was just finishing and preparing for publication in a special, illustrated hardbound edition. It is called Stolen Shadows. It is a wonderful story and Swain has allowed us to reprint it for our readers. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did at the reading.

Maya Tiwari came to the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in 1995 to talk about her book and her experiences with Ayurveda. She came to Ayurveda in an interesting way. Early on, Maya Tiwari enjoyed a successful career as a fashion designer with a plush Manhattan store, selling to the likes of Jackie Onassis. But when she was diagnosed with cancer, she found herself forced to reevaluate her life. She traveled to India, her homeland, where she became a devoted student of Ayurvedic medicine. Her enthusiasm was compelling, and understandably so. Not only is this lively woman completely free of cancer, but she seems to be glowing with health.

Ayurveda is profound practice inherited from the sages of India to reinvigorate and enrich our lives. By practicing sadhanas, the spiritual awareness of the earth, home, garden and community, we can reconnect with our primal memory of balance in nature and reclaim our capacity for effective self healing.

“Spiritual awareness is given to us so that we can refine our cognition, remember our karma and live in fullness.” –Maya Tiwari