Category Archives: Research
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels
When I grabbed this piece of work frequently referenced in the metaphysical and esoteric gnostic books, I guess I thought it would be something different from what it was. Of course, that doesn’t detract from its value. Instead, I found … Continue reading
The Mindful Brain by Daniel Siegel
Truly this was a lecture directed solely towards the academically-minded. It is a mid-level exploration of the neurobiological and psychosocial benefits of meditation. Dr. Siegel walks you through two guided meditation- one to draw your awareness onto your awareness and … Continue reading
Buddha by Karen Armstrong
This is a complete biography of the legend known as the Buddha. It covers his revolutionary changes and how they related to the other popular dharmas at his time. This is an examination of Buddhism in its purest form, as … Continue reading
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Dr. Frankl is a psychiatrist who survived multiple concentration camps during World War II. In this book he describes the devastation, both physically and emotionally, of the way people were tortured and murdered throughout this experience. This part of the book was extremely difficult to get through.
After that, he describes the psychological characteristics of the people who survived versus the people who did not. Essentially, those whose suffering was given meaning, those whose life served a purpose, are they who did not give up and kept on trodding through their daily misery.
Finally, Frankl introduces us to logotherapy, which is his version of treating the soul who has lost their purpose. It involves re-framing emotional lenses and seeking relevant reasoning behind their experiences.
It’s no wonder that Man’s Search For Meaning is one of the more quoted books in the material I love to read: metaphysical and spiritual soundness.
For you psychology folks, for those of you who think that your life is filled with eternal martyrdom, I think you’ll enjoy this. Sometimes seeing the pits of hell is precisely what you need in order to realize that your own misery is relative. Continue reading
NurtureShock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merriman
This book was referred to me by my long time childhood mate, Geen. She, being interested in a plethora of race issues, and I being interested in the whole Parenting Genius thing… well, it was something she read and thought I might find delectable. (Okay, she didn’t actually use that word.) Continue reading
