Current / Recent Books

[UltraBudgie]

Oldcarpy2 we seem to have similar taste in science fiction; Dragon's Egg is great stuff! Good recommendation for those looking for hard scifi from a guy who used to work for NASA.

Here's one I'm currently reading a little bit at a time. Missed it because for this kind of stuff I like to buy the physical book, it's not on my e-reader:

Current read: Better Light A Candle by David Lorimer. Good poems. Kinda haikuish. Author's description: ...a distillation of my life experience, a poetic reflection on life’s polarities, on light and darkness, hope and despair, love and fear, healing and wounding, gain and loss, spring and autumn, unfolding and refolding, opening and closing, birth, death and rebirth, remembering and forgetting, fire and water, time and the timeless, breathing in and breathing out, the flow, the rhythm and the cycles of life.

[sahgwa]

Smarty books

Recent read: Bhakti: The Yoga of Love by Gregor Maehle. What it says on the box. An exploration of the psychological nuances involved in transforming human love into divine love. I enjoy the way he writes. It is personable and unpretentious and very knowledgeable.

Speaking of Bhakti, I highly recommend the book Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. 
It literally hit me on the head from a top shelf in the city library years ago and led me on a journey to bhakti with Kali and my first OOBE experiences. There was no one around and no earthquake , it just fell by itself onto my head. rofl. 


The text records conversations of Ramakrishna with his disciples, devotees and visitors, recorded by Mahendranath Gupta, who wrote the book under the pseudonym of "M."[sup][1][/sup] The first edition was published in 1942.
 "God can be realized through all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. You can also climb up by a bamboo pole.

"You may say that there are many errors and superstitions in another religion. I should reply: Suppose there are. Every religion has errors. Everyone thinks that his watch alone gives the correct time. It is enough to have yearning for God. It is enough to love Him and feel attracted to Him. Don't you know that God is the Inner Guide? He sees the longing of our heart and the yearning of our soul. Suppose a man has several sons. The older boys address him distinctly as 'Baba' or 'Papa', but the babies can at best call him 'Ba' or 'Pa'. Now, will the father be angry with those who address him in this indistinct way? The father knows that they too are calling him, only they cannot pronounce his name well. All children are the same to the father. Likewise, the devotees call on God alone, though by different names. They call on one Person only. God is one, but His names are many."

"... one must be up and doing in the beginning. After that one need not work hard. The helmsman stands up and clutches the rudder firmly as long as the boat is passing through waves, storms, high wind, or around the curves of a river; but he relaxes after steering through them. As soon as the boat passes the curves and the helmsman feels a favourable wind, he sits comfortably and just touches the rudder. Next he prepares to unfurl the sail and gets ready for a smoke. Likewise, the aspirant enjoys peace and calm after passing the waves and storms of 'woman and gold'.

"Some are born with the characteristics of the yogi; but they too should be careful. It is 'woman and gold' alone that is the obstacle; it makes them deviate from the path of yoga and drags them into worldliness. Perhaps they have some desire for enjoyment. After fulfilling their desire, they again direct their minds to God and thus recover their former state of mind, fit for the practise of yoga."

"Unless the mind becomes steady there cannot be yoga. It is the wind of worldliness that always disturbs the mind, which may be likened to a candle-flame. If that flame doesn't move at all, then one is said to have attained yoga."

[quintessentone]

Today's random Zen offering:

The Bull Transcended

Astride the Bull, I reach home.
I am serene. The bull too can rest.
The dawn has come. In blissful repose,
Within my thatched dwelling I have
abandoned the whip and rope.

Zen book author comment:

All is one law, not two. We only make the bull a temporary subject. It is as the relation to rabbit and trap, of fish and net. It is as gold and dross, or the moon emerging from a cloud. One path of clear light travels on throughout endless time.

[Karl12]

Sure!
I really enjoyed the film!
Have you seen it?
Nice and creepy and good alien vibe.

Yes indeed my friend, very creepy vibe - don't know if it's true but heard that Scarlett read the book and drastically lowered her fee in order to be the main actor (also live guerilla film making using unsuspecting members of the public after getting them to sign release forms lol).

What I cannot get across more is that the book is way, way more involved (and better) than the film - could be just me but I could not put the thing down and read it in one night - truly fantastically disturbing and highly intelligent.

Since we are on very weird novels have you read 'Perdido Street Station's by China Meiville - also insanely good!

Review

[sahgwa]

Since we are on very weird novels have you read 'Perdido Street Station's by China Meiville - also insanely good!

No but his name is bandied about my weird and horror fiction circles so I will keep it in mind for the list/pile :) :)

[UltraBudgie]

Speaking of Bhakti, I highly recommend the book Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. 
It literally hit me on the head from a top shelf in the city library years ago and led me on a journey to bhakti with Kali and my first OOBE experiences. There was no one around and no earthquake , it just fell by itself onto my head. rofl. 

I have a similar story. Decades ago, I was wandering around a rather large public library in a different part of town that I had never been to before. I was wandering the second floor, not really looking at anything, just trying to get a feel for the layout of the place. Without thinking, I put my hand out to run it along the book spines as I was striding down the aisles. Didn't even know what section I was in, I was focusing on walking the perimeter. My hand caught a book and, startled, I stopped and looked and it was this book, which I hadn't heard of before:

[sahgwa]

I have a similar story. Decades ago, I was wandering around a rather large public library in a different part of town that I had never been to before. I was wandering the second floor, not really looking at anything, just trying to get a feel for the layout of the place. Without thinking, I put my hand out to run it along the book spines as I was striding down the aisles. Didn't even know what section I was in, I was focusing on walking the perimeter. My hand caught a book and, startled, I stopped and looked and it was this book, which I hadn't heard of before:

Was it awesome? :D

[UltraBudgie]

Was it awesome? :D

It was worth reading. I also left with some Daniel Pinkwater books that I hadn't read since I was a kid (Lizard Music and Alan Mendelsohn The Boy from Mars).

[MotorexGTR32]

I’d like to take your recommendation for ufo books for a starter like me.

What about The Day After Rosewell by Philip Corso? Not sure if it’s worth to read since it’s a bit of outdated information and a lot of new information coming out about Rosewell for last 30 years since the book came out.

Another book that got me intrigued BUT I am not completely sure about Luis Elizondo. Don’t take this wrong way but is he legit or a government planter (psy ops). Don’t know if he’s in a same group as Jeremy Corbell.

Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs: Written by the Former Head of the Pentagon Program Investigating UAPs―Featured on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast

[Waterglass]

But, like, what books are you reading?

This is an Australia author who is a Sleep Paralysis Experiencer 

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Intrusions-Investigation-Paranormal-Experiences/dp/1933665440


Reports of UFOs as far back as late 1800's

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Story-Wo...1620064472

Book I was told to buy and learn it by Father Robert Morey who was at my home in 2021.

https://tanbooks.com/products/books/manu...nkQAvD_BwE

Exorcism: The Battle Against Satan and His Demons 

https://www.amazon.com/Exorcism-Battle-A...1645850617

I have also been interviewed by Dr. David Hufford, PhD retired Department Chair Pennsylvania State University and did a 40+ minute podcast with Dr. Sheila Pryce Brooks, PhD,  York University, London. The Dali Lama follows her on "X"