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Books
Amazing Grace, A Vocabulary of Faith, Kathleen Norris
This is one of my favorite spiritual books. It looks at faith from the perspective of the words we use to describe it � �grace,� �dogma,� �conversion,� �salvation,� and many others. Each chapter focuses on the meaning of one of these words and through each word Norris opens up a whole new world of spiritual insight.
Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
The Library of Congress apparently did a study asking its patrons what book influenced them the most. The Bible came in number one. Atlas Shrugged was next. Ayn Rand gets a bad rap as a conservative. That word doesn�t begin to describe the richness of her life-affirming, possibility-advocating, big-idea-encouraging philosophy. I found this book amazingly inspiring. Liberals could learn a lot from Ayn Rand. To give you a taste, here�s one of my favorite excerpts: ��I am speaking to those who desire to live and to recapture the honor of their soul. Now that you know the truth about your world, stop supporting your own destroyers. The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it. Withdraw your sanction. Withdraw your support. Do not try to live on your enemies� terms or to win at a game where they�re setting the rules. Do not seek the favor of those who enslaved you...the more you pay them, the more they will demand...Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it�s yours.� Do you think for a moment that Robert Kennedy or Martin Luther King would have argued with that?
This is a very long book � it�s a project � but it�s a project well worth it.
A Peoples� History of the United States, Howard Zinn
The history of America as told from the perspective of the slaves, the poor, the native Americans, the revolutionaries. A re-shuffling of the heroes and villains in American history. Essential reading. It will sadden you, anger you, inspire you, and fill you with a sense of purpose.
Here are the first two paragraphs of the first chapter, entitled, "Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress":
"Arawak men and women, naked, tawny, and full of wonder emerged from their villages onto the island's beaches and swam out to get a closer look at the strange big boat. When Columbus and his sailors came ashore, carrying swords, speaking oddly, the Arawaks ran to greet them, brought them food, water, gifts. He later wrote of this in his log: 'They...brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things, which they exchanged for the glass beads and hawks' bells. They willingly traded everything they owned...They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features...They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, and they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane...They would make fine servants...With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."
Awakening the Buddha Within, Lama Surya Das
A great introduction to Buddhism, yet much more than a surface exploration. He is a great teacher. Tells it like it is. The second-best book on Buddhism I have ever read, the first being, Buddhism, Plain and Simple (see below) A graphic excerpt from this one: �Mindfulness is the root of the Dharma. Mindfulness is the body of practice. Mindfulness is the fortress of the mind. Lack of mindfulness will allow the negative forces to overcome you. Without mindfulness you will be swept away by laziness. Lack of mindfulness is the creator of evil deeds. Without mindfulness and presence of mind, Nothing can be accomplished. Lack of mindfulness piles up shit. Without mindfulness you sleep in an ocean of piss. Without mindfulness you are like a heartless zombie, a walking corpse.�
Billions and Billions, Carl Sagan
Picks up where Cosmos (below) left off. Imagine the perspective of an astronomer on the great issues of our time. This is an inspiring piece of work and an amazing book. One reviewer wrote: �A wonderful, if eclectic, collection of essays, some reprinted from magazines of national prominence, covering a wide range of topics: the invention of chess, life on Mars, global warming, abortion, international affairs, the nature of government, and the meaning of morality. Writing with clarity and an understanding of human nature, Sagan offers hope for humanity's future as he illuminates our ability to understand ourselves and to change the world for the better.�
Chariots of Apollo, Charles R. Pellegrino
A dramatic behind-the-scenes look at the Apollo program. Great drama, details, and inspiration. Even if you don�t think you�re a space fan the shere audacity of what Apollo attempted and achieved cannot help but fill you with a sense of your own personal potential.
The Corporate Mystic, A Guidebook for Visionaries With Their Fett on the Ground Gay Hendricks, Kate Ludman
A great business and a great life book. It�s like est meets �Built to Last.� One of my favorite business books.
Cosmos, Carl Sagan
Did you know that there are about 100 million galaxies in the known universe? Did you know that each galaxy contains somewhere around 100 billion stars? Did you know that whales can repeat songs, note for note, that last over an hour? You will, once you read Cosmos. It sounds like it�s about space, but it�s really all about possibility, as defined by the cosmos itself. Also by Carl Sagan � Pale Blue Dot and Billions and Billions, described below.
Emerson, Essays and Lectures, The Library of America, Selections by Joel Porter
Kind of the Essential Emerson for me. This book is work, but oh what you get out of it. Contains major essays and lectures, including �Nature,� and �The Conduct of Life.� An excerpt � the man�s brilliance is brilliant � check out the rigor of this thinking:
"But no man, it may be presumed, ever embraced the cause of peace and philanthropy for the sole end and satisfaction of being plundered and slain. A man does not come the length of the spirit of martyrdom without some active purpose, some equal motive, some flaming love. If you have a nation of men who have risen to that height of moral cultivation that they will not declare war or carry arms, for they have not so much madness left in their brains, you have a nation of lovers, of benefactors, of true, great and able men. Let me know more of that nation; I shall not find them defenseless, with idle hands springing at their sides. I shall find them men of love, honor, and truth; men of an immense industry; men whose influence is felt to the end of the earth; men whose very look and voice carry the sentence of honor and shame; and all forces yield to their energy and persuasion. Whenever we see the doctrine of peace embraced by a nation, we may be assured it will not be one that invites injury; but one, on the contrary, which has a friend in every man, even of the violent and base; one against which no weapon can prosper; one which is looked upon as the asylum of the human race and has the tears and blessings of mankind." (From his essay, "War")
The Healing of America, Marianne Williamson
A profoundly inspiring call for the integration of spirituality and politics, and politics and spirituality. Well researched with obscure writings by everyone from George Washington to Abraham Lincoln, all infused with Marianne Williamson�s soaring vision of spiritual possibility. Here�s one of her excerpts from George Washington:
"Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the Spirit of Party, generally. . .The alternative domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful depotism. - But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent depotism.--The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an Individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or fortunate than his competitors, turns the disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the Ruins of Public Liberty..."
Illusions, Richard Bach
A magical little story that will rekindle your intuition and your appreciation for synchronicity. One of my favorite books. A quick read, and best read often. One of my favorite quotations comes from this book: Here is a test to find out if your mission in life is complete: If you�re alive, it isn�t.�
It�s Not How Good You Are, It�s How Good You Want to Be, The World�s Best-Selling Book, Paul Arden
Just a great uplifting series of quotations and thoughts by one of the world�s leading advertising executives. A few gems: �If you can't solve a problem, it's because you're playing by the rules,� �When it can't be done, do it. If you don't do it, it doesn't exist,� �Getting fired can be a positive career move,� �It's wrong to be right; It's right to be wrong,� �The person who doesn't make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.�
The Lord�s Prayer, Emmett Fox
Emmett Fox was this amazing spirtual writer who lived about a hundred years ago. Most of his writings, including this one, come in the form of little pamphlets. They are so insightful, humble, and uplifting. He�s a huge favorite of folks in twelve-step work. This is a good introduction. He dissects every single word of the �Our Father.� The prayer comes to life in a whole new way. If you like this, he has dozens of other little pamphlets. I also really like, �The Wonder Child.� Amazon doesn�t seem to carry �The Lord�s Prayer,� but they do have something called, �Around the Year with Emmett Fox,� and many of his other works. You might try this as a start. The first line of the book is: �There exists a mystic Power that is able to transform your life so thoroughly, so radically, so completely, that when the process is completed your own friends would hardly recognize you, and, in fact, you would scarcely be able to recognize yourself.�
Make Gentle the Life of This World, The Vision of Robert F. Kennedy, Maxwell Taylor Kennedy
At last, a book of Robert Kennedy�s best writings, speeches, and thoughts, compiled by his youngest son. Pick a page and get inspired. One of my favorite excerpts: "Each of us, from the wealthy to the children I have seen across this country, their bellies bloated by starvation, we all share one precious thing, and that is the name 'American.' It is not easy to know what that means, but in part to be an American means to have been an outcast and a stranger - to have come to the exile's country - and to know that he who denies the outcast and the stranger still among us, he also denies America." Robert F. Kennedy
A Man on the Moon, Andrew Chaikin
The definitive book on Apollo. The HBO series, �From the Earth to the Moon,� was based on this book. Nothing short of spectacular.
Meditations with Meister Eckhart, Matthew Fox
Meister Eckhart was a mystic and prophet who lived around a thousand years ago. I have never read more profound thoughts on God � simple as that. This is a great introduction to him. Here are a few excerpts:
"The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me." "The most beautiful thing which a person can say about God would be for that person to remain silent from the wisdom of an inner wealth. So, be silent and quit flapping your gums about God." Above all else then; Be prepared at all times for the gifts of God and be ready always for new ones. For God is a thousand times more ready to give than we are to receive." "Into the sea all the rivers go, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goals the rivers go."
Mutant Message Down Under, Marlo Morgan
An amazing spiritual journey from an Aboriginal perspective. I read it years ago and just remember that it made me believe in magic and miracles all over again.
My Ego, My Higher Power and I, Jerry Hirschfield
A formative spiritual book for me. Re-cast my entire image of God when it said that God was infinitely humble. You will be very glad you read this one.
Pale Blue Dot, Carl Sagan
This is Carl Sagan�s vision of human beings traveling to and living on other planets. How he gets from here to there is a study in vision and possibility thinking. I smiled through the entire book.
A Patriot�s Handbook, Caroline Kennedy
An amazing collection of dozens and dozens of critical and historic American political writings, poems, speeches, and songs, compiled by President Kennedy�s daughter. It has everything from the Declaration of Independence to Martin Luther King�s �I Have a Dream� speech to the lyrics to Cole Porter�s �You�re the Top,� to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow�s �Paul Revere�s Ride.� I love this book. It�s all here.
The Power of Non-Violence, Various
A collection of the most powerful essays ever written on peace and non-violenece. Includes Thoreau�s �Civil Disobedience,� and essays by Howard Zinn, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Merton, Gandhi, Emerson, and even writings of the Buddha. A powerful collection that can be read in short bursts.
Practicing the Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle
An abridged version of �The Power of Now,� described below.
The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle
Simply one of the most powerful books I have ever read. Takes the clich?, �live in the moment,� and dissects it in minute detail and brings it fully to life. The words in this book go into your eyes and then directly into your soul. My favorite lines: �To be unable to stop thinking is a terrible affliction,� and (paraphrasing) �The future does not exist, but still we try to cope with it. You cannot cope with something that doesn�t exist.�
Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy
Kennedy wrote this while he was recuperating from an illness in the mid 1950s. Ted Sorenson, his amazing speech writer, did a great deal of the research. It is a fascinating exploration of the meaning of political courage as analyzed through the lives of eight famous United States Senators. It is full of wit and wisdom. Kennedy comes down on the side of compromise as an act of political courage. I�m not so sure I agree with him, but he gives us great things to think about. I also love his quotations by people like Daniel Webster and John Quincy Adams.
Putting on the Mind of Christ, Jim Marion
Jim Marion is a Christian mystic, attorney, and former Catholic monk. His book is a journey through the dark night of the soul as described by Saint John of the Cross and St. Theresa. This is a book to read when you are going through a very difficult time in life. It will help it all feel less unnatural. It moved me immensely and comforted me greatly during a difficult period. It is also a great book to read when you are going through good times though too. Like its title says, it is about getting inside the spirituality of Jesus. "We need to realize our divinity, own it, take up the responsibility of it, and live it," he says. Ken Wilber, one of the great spiritual thinkers of our time, wrote the foreword to this book, saying, this "is a pioneering book," "a truly inspired revelation, and a gentle guide to the deepest terra in our souls��
The Quotable Einstein
Einstein in bite-sized pieces. I love this little book. It has great excerpts from letters he wrote, speeches he gave � an intimate look as well as a good overview of everything from relativity to his thoughts about the need for a world government. "Past thinking and methods did not prevent world wars. Future thinking must." - Albert Einstein, Statement at the Fifth Nobel Anniversary Dinner
The Second Coming of Steve Jobs
A great, archetypal story of redemption, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the life of the genius behind Apple. I loved this book. It�s a quick read.
Seeds, Thomas Merton, Edited by Robert Inchausti
Thomas Merton�s writing built up a momentum inside individual paragraphs. This is a collection of some of Merton�s most powerful paragraphs, from all of his writings. It is by far the best introduction to the man. For example: �Life is not to be regarded as an uninterrupted flow of words which is finally silenced by death. Its rhythm develops in silence, comes to the surface in moments of necessary expression, returns to deeper silence, culminates in a final declaration, then ascends quietly into the silence of Heaven which resounds with unending praise.
Those who do not know there is another life after this one, or who cannot bring themselves to live in time as if they were meant to spend their eternity in God, resist the fruitful silence of their own being by continual noise. Even when their own tongues are still, their minds chatter without end and without meaning, or they plunge themselves into the protective noise of machines, traffic, or radios. When their own noise is momentarily exhausted, they rest in the noise of others.
How tragic it is that they who have nothing to express are continually expressing themselves, like nervous gunners, firing burst after burst of ammunition into the dark, where there is no enemy. The reason for their talk is: death. Death is the enemy who seems to confront them at every moment in the deep darkness and silence of their own being. So they keep shouting at death. They confound their lives with noise. They stun their own ears with meaningless words, never discovering that their hearts are rooted in a silence that is not death but life. They chatter themselves to death, fearing life as if it were death.�
To Seek a Newer World, Robert F. Kennedy
This was Robert Kennedy�s introduction of himself and his vision in advance of the 1968 Presidential Race. It�s just beautiful, poetic, vulnerable, innocent, and visionary. I just came across this little piece of wisdom � they are everywhere in this short book � �Most of us can remember, after all, when the aim of youth was to grow into the society of its elders. Now it seems that the young no longer want to exchange their innocence for responsibility; instead many adults seek to recapture childish things. Thus to the extent that we confront the question of our disaffecting the young, we confront also our own dissatisfactions and problems, as individuals and as a society.�
Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, Sarah Ban Breathnach
An essay and a quotation on gratitude, spirit, possibility, and love for each day of the year. If you like these gems you will like the book: �My life will always have dirty dishes. If this sink can become a place of contemplation, let me learn constancy here.� �There must be more to life than having everything.� �Whoever thinks that she is helping to keep God�s work going on the earth cannot help but believe that God will help her.�
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
Simple, short, and powerful. I think if you read this book once a month you�d never need to read another spiritual or self-help book and your life would be pretty amazing.
The Seven Storey Mountain. Thomas Merton
Thomas Mertons� autobiography of that part of his life in which he struggled with the question of his vocation before becoming a Trappist monk. They don�t come any better than this. He�s so smart it�s frightening. But you combine that with his endless humility an you have an explosion of original thinking.
Tao Te Ching, Lao Tsu, Translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English
The ancient Chinese classic written in the 6 th century B.C. At some point in your life you must read this. It is a must � it�s all short poems and wisdom� very, very timely, understandable, and readable. Here�s one:
"When a country obtains great power, It becomes like the sea, all streams run downward into it. The more powerful it grows the greater the need for humility. Humility means trusting the Tao, thus never needing to be defensive . A great nation is like a great man: when he makes a mistake, he realizes it. Having realized it, he admits it. Having admitted it, he corrects it. He considers those who points out his faults as his most benevolent teachers. He thinks of his enemy as the Shadow that he himself casts. If a nation is centered in the Tao. If it nourishes its own people And doesn't meddle in the affairs of others, it will be a light to all nations in the world"
Urgings of the Heart, A Spirituality of Integration, Wilkie Au and Noreen Cannon
I often quote this book. It is the best combination of spiritual and psychological guidance I have found. One of my personal favorites. A source not only of great comfort, but of great personal insight. It goes into the spiritual side of very specific psychological issues, like co-dependence, perfectionism, shame, intimacy, envy, and many others. One excerpt:
"For, in the words of a Jungian writer, 'The individual who can manage not to be psychologically infectious - that is, free of the unconscious necessity to project all of his inferior, dark qualities onto others or onto ideologies or causes - is the individual on whom the ultimate peace of the world rests.'"
Voices of Silence, Lives of the Trappists Today, Frank Bianco
A great behind-the-scenes look at life in a monastery, written from a beautiful spiritual perspective. Written by a disaffected Catholic - a photojournalist who blamed God for his son's 1984 death in a car accident. Lengthy sojourns at Trappist abbeys in the U.S. and France triggered painful memories of his son but taught him to surrender to God's love. An unexpected gem of a book.
When Your Moment Comes, Dan Pallotta
I wrote this in 2000. It�s a book about making your dream projects come true, staying in an inquiry in life, and finding out what your life is about. It also discusses cynicism, the desire to quit, and the power of commitment. There�s some good stuff in here, if I do say so myself.
Amazing Grace, A Vocabulary of Faith, Kathleen Norris
This is one of my favorite spiritual books. It looks at faith from the perspective of the words we use to describe it � �grace,� �dogma,� �conversion,� �salvation,� and many others. Each chapter focuses on the meaning of one of these words and through each word Norris opens up a whole new world of spiritual insight.
Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
The Library of Congress apparently did a study asking its patrons what book influenced |
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Film
Alive
The story of the Uruguayan soccer team whose plane goes down in the Andes and how they survive over three months. This movie was the inspiration for California AIDSRide. Without it, it may never have come to be.
Ayn Rand - A Sense of Life
1998 Academy-Award nominated documentary on the life of Ayn Rand. A great introduction to her.
Being With John F. Kennedy, The Robert Drew Archive
Rare footage of President Kennedy by famed documentarian Robert Drew. Available through Direct Cinema Limited, 310-396-4774
Compassion in Exile, The Story of the 14 th Dalai Lama
A great documentary on the life of the Dalai Lama by New York filmmaker Mickey Lemmle. Music by Philip Glass. Available from Mickey Lemmle Films � 212-736-9606.
Gandhi
The 1982 classic starring Ben Kingsley.
The Elegant Universe
The multi-part series by PBS based on Brian Green�s book. It discuss quantum physics and string theory, the nature of the universe and God in the most user-friendly language, with phenomenal special effects demonstrations. You can actually watch it on the web � that�s how I did � it takes about four hours.
Fierce Grace
A great documentary by New York filmmaker Mickey Lemmle on Ram Daas after his stroke. Powerful, tear-jerking beauty. It will fill your soul. Available from Mickey Lemmle Films � 212-736-9606.
The Fountainhead
If you don�t want to take the time to read a 1,000-page book to get into Ayn Rand�s head, this is a good 2-hour alternative.
From the Earth to the Moon
The HBO six-part series on Apollo. It�s an essential education in possibility. Catalogues an indispensable analog for achieving the impossible in any field of endeavor.
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth
This is the famous six-part interview with Bill Moyers conducted in 1989. It discusses the importance of archetypes, myth, and an inner image of our lives. There are a few dry spots where I fell asleep, but overall it is totally life-affirming and uplifting.
Lorenzo�s Oil
The true story of the unstoppable efforts of a young boy�s parents to find a cure for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare inherited disease. In 1984, shortly after diagnosis, doctors said that Lorenzo would die within two to three years. Refusing to accept this grim verdict, his parents set out on a mission to find a treatment for ALD and to save their child. I�ve watched it several times. It�s an inspiring story, no doubt about it.
Mark Twain, a Film Directed by Ken Burns
Did you know that Mark Twain was born in a year when Haley�s comet came by earth and died on the year that it next returned? This is the famous 2002 PBS documentary on Twain. His life is a total inspiration.
Merton, A Film Biography
This documentary contains the only footage ever shot of Thomas Merton in one of his final lectures before his untimely death. Given that there�s just nothing else out there on him in film, this is a treasure. Available through First Run Features, 1-800-229-8575.
Miracle
The story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that did what everyone said was impossible � beat the Russians � the best hockey team in the world. This is not a hockey movie. It�s a possibility movie. It is about the powerful bond that develops when a small group of dedicated people commit themselves together, heart-and-soul, to something great.
October Sky
From the book, �Rocket Boys� � an inspiring story of a boy�s rejection of his father�s plan for his life and the embrace of his dream to work in space. Based on a true story. You�ll love it.
One Giant Leap
Another great documentary on Apollo. Available from Discovery Channel Video
The Other Side of the Moon
Mickey Lemmle interviews eight of the astronauts who walked on the moon to find out how it affected them personally and spiritually. No documentary like it exists. Available from Mickey Lemmle Films � 212-736-9606.
Powder
A movie about faith that sends a shiver up your spine. Totally magical and tender.
Rabbit-Proof Fence
Based on a true story, this film is moving beyond words. The title refers to a 1,500-mile fence separating outback desert from the farmlands of Western Australia. It is here, in 1931, that three aboriginal girls were separated from their mothers and transported to a distant training school, where they are prepared for assimilation into white society by a racist government policy.
Riding Giants
Possibility as applied to surfing. Water, water, water. Ig you�re an Aquarian, you�ll love it. The most amazing wave and surfing footage I have ever seen.
Simon Birch
If ever you�re thinking that God has no purpose for your life, this movie will turn you around.
Shirley Valentine
The story of a British housewife�s triumph over the forces of cynicism and resignation inside her and around her. Totally uplifting. Watch out though. You might end up in Greece.
The Speeches of John F. Kennedy
Sixty minutes of footage - his most important addresses. Available through MPI Home Video.
The Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Contains the most famous speeches from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Available through MPI Home Video.
The Speeches Collection, Robert F. Kennedy, the Robert Drew Archive
Contains rare footage of Robert Kennedy�s speeches, including one priceless Q & A with college students. Fifty-five minutes worth of footage. Available through MPI Home Video.
Step Into Liquid
It�s a surf movie but it�s also much more than that. The footage is so great you�ll feel like you went swimming for two hours.
To the Moon
WGBH TV in Boston produced this documentary on the Apollo missions. It has amazing behind-the-scenes interviews with engineers and astronauts. The interviews with Gene Krantz, the Flight Director for Apollo, are particularly moving. It shows how Dr. John Houbolt was an instrumental part of getting man to the moon with his insistence on lunar orbit rendezvous (LOR) and it has great computer animated explanations of the Saturn V.
You Can�t Be Neutral On a Moving Train
This is the 2004 documentary on Howard Zinn. The production quality is not great, but it is the only documentary on the life of this famous historian, activist, philosopher, here of the people. I loved it.
Whale Rider
A New Zealand film about a girl who is convinced she is a tribal leader. Her family nearly disowns her because women are disqualified from tribal leadership. She�s twelve years old. This is a really well-done film about the human spirit, and the triumph of vision over convention.
What the Bleep Do We Know?
A great film about everything from the hard-wiring of our brains to string theory. Really fun and really provocative.
When We Were Kings
The acclaimed documentary on Muhammad Ali�s stunning upset victory over George Forman in Zaire.
Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Not the new Tim Burton one � the real one with Gene Wilder that puts the new one to shame and fills you with a dreamy and infinite feeling of wonder. |
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