Rise of the Mystics, the sequel to The 49th Mystic, might be the best book I’ve ever read. I listened to it on audiobook while on my own challenging journey of self-discovery, and it was like classical music and the fountains at Bellagio. Perfect synchronization!
The story follows Rachelle, a girl who grew up blind, on her epic tale to discover who she is. She encounters resistance (as we all do), and meets epic allies along the way. Interwoven in the text are the most powerful biblical scriptures, interpreted into universal Truth by the mastery of Dekker. You’ll also be introduced to the bleeding edge research on the science of mind/body interaction, as can be found in Dr. Joe Dispenza’s work in particular.
The story is incredible; Ted is simply a master storyteller. I cried tears of inspiration about oh… 40 times. I’m not sure why this book did that to me, but I told Ted that maybe it was just my own process of unblinding from the sooty perspective of my own personal history. I am always moved when I hear the story of people willing to put the All before themselves, in a truly altruistic way.
I can’t recommend this book enough, and I loved the actress who recorded the audio version. It really brought the story to life. You should probably read The 49th Mystic first, which is also incredible, but the continuation and climax of the story as told in this sequel really was second to none.
]]>It’s hard, as someone who has explored psychedelics, not to become a raving psychedelic advocate. These compounds have given me windows of insight into my life that have completely changed my nature. Who would I be without psychedelics? I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t be the guy that is writing this now. Consciously and intentionally exploring psychedelics has been one of the most important choices I’ve made in my life.
So it’s hard not to advocate when I see my friends, loved ones, family, and strangers suffer from perspectives, habits, and self-generated stories about themselves and their lives that I viscerally know psychedelics could improve. Their rebuttals for not exploring psychedelics vary, but the root is the same…it’s fear. I can’t blame them for their fear. Our culture panicked in the 60s, and the reverberations of that panic still echo in psyches of some of the smartest people I know.
But things are shifting. If you are in any way interested in helping or healing people, and you respect science, now is the golden age. Scientific studies are emerging that are showing the incredible therapeutic benefit of psychedelics across a wide spectrum of conditions. This book has done a better job than any I’ve read so far on this subject at rationally, calmly, and scientifically exploring just how impactful psychedelics can be for the individual and our culture. It is a great book to recommend to anyone interested in a thorough education on the history and status of psychedelic medicine to date.
]]>The Book of Freedom is an irrefutable invitation to claim yourself as who you truly are. One who is free from the cycle of expectation and disappointment that rules ordinary life. One who is capable of holding love and forgiveness for all the people on your path, especially yourself. One who knows that true power comes from the surrender to truth--a truth beyond fear.
Paul Selig is a clear channel that receives words of wisdom in an impeccable flow state, and he is also an energy mechanic, holding a frequency in his words that is curative in just the vibration of the intonation. A lot of times, I will just put on his audiobook in the car, or while I am traveling, not even so much for the content, but just the elevation of vibe that it provides.
It is also important to recognize that the Book of Freedom is not a self help book. It is a self actualization book. It is not about tinkering with small elements of your personality, it is about putting your higher self in the driver seat of your consciousness. When the higher self is driving the total self, the limitations set forth by Fear start to diminish.
Compared with his other works like the Book of Mastery and the Book of Truth, this book is similar, but an escalation of the most profound teachings. It doesn’t follow quite as clear of a metaphorical map, but the roundabout pathway Paul takes is scattered with invaluable gems of insight. This is not an entertaining book to read, but it is undoubtedly one of the most valuable books you could ever read (or even better, listen to).
If you are interested, I have done two podcasts with Paul Selig. Here is the first, and here is the second, just released October 2018.
]]>This book would have profoundly changed my life if I would have been able to read it as a young man. It changed my life now...not only does it elegantly dispatch the misguided dogma of Religion, it opens a window to the true mystical and spiritual meaning behind some of the greatest teachings of all time. Click here for full review
What can I say, this book has profoundly changed my life. It has made me understand the truth of who I am, and that my mission in life is simply to claim who I truly am and bring it into being. The book itself is a channeled text, which if you have any sense about you should send your woo woo radar beeping like a slot machine on tilt. But here’s the thing... Click here for full review
This book was not at all what I expected it to be. The title sounded a little fruity to me, but I'm not afraid to explore those rose scented waters if I feel there might be some knowledge to glean, so I gave it a shot. Right from the start I was intrigued. The author Don Miguel Ruiz turned out to be a master of Toltec philosophy, something I have adopted as the backbone to my own spiritual beliefs. He goes in immediately explaining how the Toltecs... Click here for full review
I read this book on the recommendation of Joe Rogan and it has been one of the most influential books in my life. You ever wonder why its so much easier to sit down on Facebook than write a blog? Its called resistance. You ever wonder why you can get something almost done but never quite finish? Its called resistance. This book unmasks the treacherous aforementioned beast, and gives you the vision... Click here for full review
There have been many historical attempts in literature to create a fictional Utopia--A new idea for the optimal utilitarian society. Most of these ideas fail because the conclusions on societal operation do not follow from the construct of the premises. Psychedelic adventurer, novelist, and mushroom muncher Aldous Huxley did not... Click here for full review
You ready for truth to mollywop you in the face? Because this book is gonna shake up your mental construct. It answers some of the most important questions: Who are we underneath all of the rules, stories and societal pressure? What is the sexual state of nature for mankind? And then the REALLY important questions: Why do human males have large balls?... Click here for full review
Whereas I felt like Eckhart Tolle’s most famous book The Power of Now was rather semantically dense and a bit repetitive, this book reads like a cool breeze on a hot day. He elegantly elucidates both the value proposition and the prescriptive strategies for...Click here for review
Wow. There are certain texts that are destined to be read for thousands of years, because the truth contained therein is so universal and profound that it will be eternally relevant. This is one of the works. The story recounts the life, teachings, and philosophy of one of the great sages of our time, a man that... Click here for full review
I’ve been hesitant to write the book review for this book. I am worried that no matter what I write, I might not convey the importance of this work to the future of humanity.
This post-apocalyptic fantasy is philosophical fiction in its finest, resplendent form. A riveting story that moistened my eyes, made me laugh, and kept my... Click here for full review
]]>We have all heard about the placebo effect. Most of Western medicine and science considers it an interesting phenomenon, but largely a nuisance. It has to be accounted for in all clinical trials and it confounds data.
But this book asks us to take a step back. What is the one thing that has been proven to treat every known condition? The placebo. Dr. Dispenza shows... Click here for full review
Whereas I felt like Eckhart Tolle’s most famous book The Power of Now was rather semantically dense and a bit repetitive, this book reads like a cool breeze on a hot day. He elegantly elucidates both the value proposition and the prescriptive strategies for cultivating greater presence of mind and emotional mastery.
In my opinion this book is a non-negotiable read for everyone. It should be offered in schools, it should be gifted to friends and family, it should be ubiquitous. There is no possible way you finish this book without being a better person on the other side. Do it!
]]>This book would have profoundly changed my life if I would have been able to read it as a young man. It changed my life now, but in my teens and twenties it would have been nothing short of a revolution. Not only does it elegantly dispatch the misguided dogma of Religion, it opens a window to the true mystical and spiritual meaning behind some of the greatest teachings of all time.
Then to imagine that these teachings are wrapped in a story told by one of the world’s greatest fiction authors--It’s simply too much to ask. But yet here it is, one of the most important books to ever be written. If you are curious of the truth behind Jesus’s teachings, if you know anyone who is a Christian or a Catholic that might be open to challenging their understanding of the nature of God and the Church, this book is the gateway to freedom from delusion. And if you just want a hell of a good story, you can dive in for that too.
]]>It’s been a hot minute since I just read fiction for the fuck of it. But on Tim Ferriss’s recommendation I decided to give this epic novel a chance and I’m glad I did. It is the classic coming of age tale of a troubled hero, out for revenge. The story develops a bit slowly, but the character development is incredible. For me, the best part of a good fantasy or science fiction novel is the universe the author builds with each stroke of the keyboard. What made the world that Rothfuss created particularly awesome was the way that he described the physics and metaphysics behind the use of magic. It is so well done, it is about one youtube video away from being credible in this reality. It’s way more plausible than flat earth.
More than that though, Rothfuss is undeniably one of the most skilled wordsmiths to explore the fantasy genre, coming close in moments to the fiction GOAT, Cormac Mccarthy. I was a little disappointed with certain elements of the story, but nonetheless, I recommend this book fully.]]>What is our primary drive? Stealing Fire makes the argument that it might just be reaching what the authors refer to as ecstasis - an extraordinary state of consciousness. Whether that is through sex, psychedelics, sound, flow, or meditation these escapes from ordinary state are pursued even when they put the survival of the organism at risk.
The book is incredibly well written, draws stories from antiquity to the present, and provides the absolute best overview of state shifting practices of any book I have ever encountered. While not central characters in the narrative, it is clear that Kotler and Wheal are not just academics scouring the literature, they have placed themselves at the front lines of many of these practices and offer some very sage advice on how to engage in them for maximum benefit and minimum risk.
]]>Author: Travis Christofferson
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 6/10
Life Value: 10/10
Read If: You know anyone touched by cancer, or have even the slightest fear of this disease for yourself.
Do Not Read If: You are devoted to only paying attention to the happier side of life, or lack a basic understanding of human biology.
If this were simply a book on the history of cancer it would be worth the read. The fact that it reads like a murder mystery, eventually unmasking the truth about the killer along with clear actionable steps to prevent and eliminate cancer makes this one of the most important books of our time. Period. And Robb Wolf, Tim Ferriss, and Dr. Mercola agree.
This truth revealed is that cancer is a metabolic disease (metabolic meaning that it pertains to the energy production within the cell). What is tragic is that we’ve known this. Dr. Otto Warburg discovered in the early 1900’s that there are a few factors common amongst all types of cancer. The most important of which is that cancer ferments glucose (sugar) in the presence of oxygen to produce energy. This is known simply as the Warburg effect. The book then goes on to demonstrate extraordinarily compelling evidence that the reason cancer converts to this ancient, low-oxygen adaptation of the cell is because of malfunctioning or damaged mitochondria (the cellular respiration system).
Despite noting this anomaly, scientists and doctors have spent years attempting other means to cure cancer. It began with an accidental poisoning of our own troops with mustard gas in WWII. When doctors examined infected tissue samples of our soldiers, they noticed a stark depletion of white blood cells, the same cells that feverishly divide in lymphoma patients. The idea for chemotherapy was born, and the first form of this treatment was mustard gas, the same biological warfare agent featured in the horror story that was the first World War.
This set up the framework for the concept of the war on cancer. Cancer is horrible on its own, but the chemotherapeutic treatment for cancer is so grotesque, calling it ‘war’ is the only thing that makes sense. Kill everything and hope that only the good cells survive.
With the mapping of the human genome came another wave of attempted cures. It was hoped that by identifying certain genetic traits, targeted drugs could be used to eliminate cancer. But unfortunately decades after the human genome was mapped, survival rates across the board are only moderately better than in the 1950’s. We are losing the war on cancer.
But what if instead of a war, we looked at why cancer cells abandoned normal cellular respiration? What if we tried to restore the body rather than destroy it? The book details the success and ultimate mismanagement of a few experimental drugs attempting to do this. But ultimately it makes the case that maybe you don’t need these experimental drugs to restore yourself. Based on the evidence at hand, and some key anecdotal successes they put forward what they call the press pulse strategy. Using a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting principles, you starve the cells of glucose and provide energy through the production of ketones. This puts pressure on the cancer. Then as a pulse, you utilize metabolic boosters like hyperbaric oxygen, which floods the cells with additional oxygen. While this method has yet to be proven, the evidence is mounting, and the theory appears sound. What’s even better is that this method has shown efficacy even in conjunction with conventional treatments, making chemotherapy and radiation more effective.
Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases of our epoch. We have all known someone who has been touched by cancer. Seeing my uncle courageously fight this disease to the bitter end instilled a deep-seated fear and hopelessness I rarely acknowledged. To now understand the disease and have a plan that makes sense is a gift that came too late for my uncle, but one I personally will cherish. I hope that in sharing this you will be able to receive this same gift and pass it on to those who need it.
To learn more check out the author’s blog at http://www.singlecausesinglecure.org/author/travisc/
]]>
Author: Ryan Holiday
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 8/10
Life Value: 8/10
Read If: You want strategies to identify and overcome the greatest obstacle in our psyche: Ego.
Do Not Read If: Your ego can’t handle it.
Ryan Holiday stays true to the style that made his previous book Obstacle is the Way so successful. Illustrating actionable philosophical concepts by using concrete examples from history, we arrive at a broad understanding of the deleterious effects of an unchecked ego.
The book was a great compliment to my own personal exploration of the subject, which tends to focus on the experiential and core philosophical issues surrounding the ego. The book is filled with unforgettable stories and moments in history that will serve as guide rails to help us when we invariably fall off course. Moments like when the great Persian king Xerxes ordered the water that demolished his bridges to be punished by lashings of the whip, or Hearst declined an invitation from Orson Welles to view Citizen Kane because he was obsessed with the idea that the story was about him.
This book would have saved me a lot of money and a lot of torture if I had read it earlier in my life, and I highly recommend you get a jumpstart, no matter what your profession or passion may be.
I sat down with Ryan to discuss this book on my podcast: #76 EGO IS THE ENEMY WITH RYAN HOLIDAY
]]>Author: don Miguel Ruiz
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 8/10
Life Value: 10+/10
Read If: You want to escape the prison of the mind, and are interested in a masterclass on the art of living and dying.
Do Not Read If: You are just beginning on the path of spiritual understanding. While you may grasp the central themes, it can also be complex at times. I’d begin with reading some of his other works, like the Four Agreements, or Mastery of Love.
Wow. There are certain texts that are destined to be read for thousands of years, because the truth contained therein is so universal and profound that it will be eternally relevant. This is one of the works. The story recounts the life, teachings, and philosophy of one of the great sages of our time, a man that I had the pleasure to spend several days with.
Don Miguel Ruiz is the real deal. He walks the walk in a manner unlike anyone I have encountered. This, likely his last book offers a complete philosophical and spiritual system rooted in his own interpretation of the toltec tradition. For many of us who have sought truth from many sources, we will find commonalities in what is expressed, but there is something unique and incredibly potent about this manner of explanation.
The central thesis of the book is to draw a line of demarcation between love & life, and knowledge and death. Love and life breathes in the present moment, whereas knowledge and thought is already dead, living only in the past and the future. In this way it very much echoes the sentiments of another of my favorite author’s, Eckhart Tolle. But beyond the main theme are a thousand gems that you can harvest as your own to help you create your own masterpiece of life and death.
The author embodies the sentiment of ruthless love. He asks pointed questions to his students, such as “Are you stupid or happy?” and asks them why they like to eat poo instead of honey. This is not a book for the timid. It is a book for warriors. There is a thin line between hyperbole and fact, and parable and fiction and Don Miguel is certainly not afraid of the line. But if you see beyond the words to the truth behind the symbol, you will have something to cherish and guide you for the rest of your life.
]]>Author: Daniele Bolelli
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 9/10
Life Value: 8/10
Read If: You want the courage to look fear and tragedy in the eye, raise a defiant middle finger with a wry smile even as tears fill your eyes, and say “do your worst, motherfucker”.
Do Not Read If: You like identifying as a victim, and don’t want to get over the personal story that keeps you in a position of perpetual helplessness.
There are very few men who would admit to tapping out in an MMA fight purely out of fear, and seeking bereavement counsel in the embrace of a prostitute. There are even fewer that would put that in a book. But then again, there aren’t many people like Daniele Bolelli. This is Daniele at his most vulnerable and brilliant. His relentless honesty smells like roses amidst the bullshit euphemism we’ve come to expect from most novels.
It is a story of overcoming fear and tragedy in his personal life, including the harrowing journey of an sensitive nerd turned MMA fighter, and the tragic loss of a life partner. Through it all is a thread of defiant courage that will leave you truly inspired. I found myself laughing and crying on alternating pages throughout the story, reading it cover to cover in a single long day.
]]>Author: Graham Hancock
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 8/10
Life Value: 10/10
Magicians of The Gods is an important book not only for you and I, but humanity as a whole-- For our consciousness, our sense of history, and perhaps even our survival. Reading this book is riding shotgun with an archaeological detective unraveling one of the greatest mysteries of all. Where did we come from? For without knowledge of whence we came, we cannot adequately understand where we are going. Undeterred by a relentless onslaught from the tyrannical views of mainstream academia, Graham puts the pieces of a new historical model together. A model in which we are a society with amnesia. In around 10,800 BC a comet struck the Earth, plunging the world into 1200 years of relative cold. Then in a single moment, another comet from the same cosmic system exploded in the ice caps, liquidating the glacial waters and sending a great flood across the earth.
The geological evidence for this, largely compiled by another explorer Randall Carlson, is virtually indisputable. Where the author really shines however, is the case for what happened next. Traveling around the world, he gathers evidence at the primordial monolithic sites at the ‘navels’ of the world. Gobekli Tepi, Gunung Padang, Cusco, Giza - All sites showing evidence of being constructed in a time period surrounding the assault of the comets. Piecing together the hard monolithic and geological evidence with the primordial memories of the flood found in stories of cultures around the world, we begin to see the possibility that a highly advanced civilization had thrived in the time before the deluge. And when all was lost in that cosmic catastrophe these great Sages encoded monolithic time capsules for us, right now, linked to the movement of the stars. The book is not just mystery, not just history, it is a call to action. So in the spirit of that, go get yourself a copy join us in doing our humble part to help shape the future of humanity!
]]>Author: Dr. Joe Dispenza
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 5/10
Life Value: 10/10
Read If: You want to change anything at all about your health, happiness, or your life.
Do Not Read If: I typically reserve this section for some kind of snarky comment. But in this case I’m gonna just play it straight: There is no scenario under which any human should not read this book.
We have all heard about the placebo effect. Most of Western medicine and science considers it an interesting phenomenon, but largely a nuisance. It has to be accounted for in all clinical trials and it confounds data.
But this book asks us to take a step back. What is the one thing that has been proven to treat every known condition? The placebo. Dr. Dispenza shows the virtually limitless potential that this phenomenon has, but also how to actively use it as a primary tool to change our life for the better.
Some of the examples you will read about include a clinical trial where kids allergic to poison ivy were exposed to the plant and made to believe they were not allergic, and so didn’t show allergies. You will read about 80 year old subjects who convinced themselves they were 60 again and reversed chronic conditions like arthritis. There are fake knee surgeries that turned out better than real knee surgeries. These are all fully documented and referenced examples you will find in the text.
The key to harnessing the placebo effect is to anchor a belief in a specific reality with a heightened state of emotion. The emotional component makes it real to the body. This is where a lot of ‘affirmation’ and other processes fail, in that they don’t convince the body that what we are saying is real. The book goes through the detailed biological phenomenon that creates a placebo effect, and the role that is played by epigenetics and quantum physics. It can be slow reading at times, but there are very few texts that will prove more valuable than this one.
]]>Author: Ryan Holiday
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 7/10
Life Value: 9/10
Read If: You aspire to be an effective force in this world. Or you just love awesome stories and want to know about Stoic philosophy.
Do Not Read If: Part of your identity is being a victim, and you want to cling to that like a baby to a blankie.
Were you aware that Abraham Lincoln suffered from a crippling depression his whole life? That didn't stop him from being the President, winning a war, abolishing slavery, and generally being one of the baddest human beings to exist. In fact, honest Abe credited much of his success to his affliction. His obstacle was turned into his greatest strength. And that is what this book is about. We all have obstacles, but to be happy, successful, and win at life we have to learn to turn challenges into advantages.
Ryan helped one of my favorite authors, Robert Greene, write some of the most influential books I have ever read. His style is reminiscent of Greene's, and the historical references are incredible as could be expected. I definitely recommend this book to everyone.
]]>Author: Tom Brown Jr.
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 6/10
Life Value: 9/10
Read If: You want the tools, theory, and techniques to implement simple, practical, and incredibly effective spiritual practices in your life.
Do Not Read If: You prefer to digest information in the form of pure empirical science.
This book very well may provide the simplest outline for practical spirituality in existence. Even better, it comes from a wisdom tradition of the land that we in North America reside. Often times Native American spirituality focuses on the stories and the rituals that appeal to our curiosity and love of pageantry. This book cuts to the core of things behind the feathers and the drums.
Weaving story with practical exercise you will learn how to access the Sacred Silence, which is the true goal of all meditation. From this place you will learn to differentiate the wisdom of your inner vision from the clutter of your own mind. And finally you will learn to communicate with the spirit world through the process of envisioning.
Much of what I have learned in my many plant medicine journeys is confirmed here, in a simple and accessible way. I'm incredibly happy this book found it's way to me, and have immense gratitude to the author for his lifetime of service. While you won't find any clinical data in here, and it isn't exactly a rip-roaring page turner, I highly recommend it to absolutely everyone.
]]>Author: Dan Millman
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 8/10
Life Value: 6/10
Read If: You desire to attain greater self-mastery, and understand the nature of the true warrior.
Do Not Read If: You watch Real Housewives, Dr. Phil, Or Teen Mom.
I never read Millman’s most famous book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. I still haven’t read it, and I probably never will. But since you guys are family, I'll admit that I always felt a little guilty about it, so when The Journey of Socrates was recommended to me I thought it was a good compromise. The book is in one of my favorite genres, philosophical fiction, and it did not disappoint. An emotionally rich story that follows an orphaned half-Jewish soldier in Russia during the times of the violent anti semitic pograms, the book illustrates the balance between the fighter, the warrior and the sage. It is in essence a tale of self mastery, and while the lessons contained within may not be revolutionary, they can powerful reminders of the warrior’s way.
]]>Author: Starhawk
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 9/10
Life Value: 10+/10
Read If: You want a glimpse at the potential Utopian future.
Do Not Read If: You are a reptilian minion, intent on using the dark side of the force to stamp out hope and love for the planet.
I’ve been hesitant to write the book review for this book. I am worried that no matter what I write, I might not convey the importance of this work to the future of humanity. In the meantime I have bought a dozen copies and have been handing them out like I was Oprah giving away television sets: “You get a book” and “Youuu get a book!”.
This post-apocalyptic fantasy is philosophical fiction in its finest, resplendent form. A riveting story that moistened my eyes, made me laugh, and kept my eyes burning into many late nights, it contains a vitally important blueprint for a potential conscious future. Set in the mid 21st century, an idyllic but internally consistent culture led by a heroine named Madrone prepares for an inevitable conflict with the greed driven imperialists that surround them.
The book mirrors Aldous Huxley’s utopian masterpiece Island, but modernizes the paradigm in an immensely entertaining story. Starhawk effortlessly weaves fantasy with reality, and covers everything from non-violent resistance, to permaculture, to non-monogamous sexual agreements. If you want to do something good for yourself and the planet, read the book and keep an eye out for the movie in the next few years to come.
]]>Author: Dr. Chris Ryan
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 8/10
Life Value: 10/10
Read If: You have ever thought about sex.
Do Not Read If: You prefer ignorant compliance to the current sexual paradigm, to conscious understanding of the underlying forces.
You ready for truth to mollywop you in the face? Because this book is gonna shake up your mental construct. It answers some of the most important questions: Who are we underneath all of the rules, stories and societal pressure? What is the sexual state of nature for mankind? And then the REALLY important questions: Why do human males have large balls? Why are women louder than men during sex? The answers will surprise you, and make pretty good icebreakers in mixed company.
Dr. Chris Ryan is a fantastic writer and his tone enhances the already juicy subject matter, making the book a pleasure to read. What Graham Hancock has done for Archaeology, Chris Ryan is doing for sexual anthropology. One day this book will be credited as a catalyst for the inevitable revolution of intimate contracts. But right now, this book is still a lightning rod. No matter what path you choose to follow, appreciating your innate sexual nature will at the very least allow you to understand the volitional sacrifices and challenges you are facing. And if this book inspires you to create an agreement a little more suited to our humanity… welcome to the Utopian future.
]]>Author: Carlos Castaneda
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 7/10
Life Value: 9/10
Read If: You are ever faced with challenges that seem overwhelming. Ever feel the sickly leper we call pity welling in your heart, or ever feel that anyone is ‘doing’ something to you that you do not want.
Do Not Read If: You want to hide behind your own excuses.
Anthropologists give Carlos Castaneda a lot of shit because he never produced or revealed the true nature of his sources. They think he made it up. And they act like that is an attack! If he made all this up, this dude is a philosophical GENIUS. Read this compilation of quotes from his books and you will find a cohesive paradigm that will serve you as well in times of success as despair. His teachings and aphorisms have formed the backbone of the warrior code for myself and thousands more.
]]>Author: Don Miguel Ruiz
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 7/10
Life Value: 10/10
Read If: You want to become aware and fully in control of the dream that is our reality.
Do Not Read If: "You Can't Handle The Truth!" - Jack (from A Few Good Men)
This book was not at all what I expected it to be. The title sounded a little fruity to me, but I'm not afraid to explore those rose scented waters if I feel there might be some knowledge to glean, so I gave it a shot. Right from the start I was intrigued. The author Don Miguel Ruiz turned out to be a master of Toltec philosophy, something I have adopted as the backbone to my own spiritual beliefs. He goes in immediately explaining how the Toltecs understood that this reality we live in is merely a dream, co-created by all humanity. We abide by the rules of the dream, but the rules are not set up with love and justice, so we often end up in cycles of self-abuse, virtually slaves of a system that we had very little part in creating.
With an extremely practical approach he sets about the guidelines for waking from this dream, a state he calls awareness. Once we have achieved awareness, and can "see" the dream for what it is, we can begin to take steps to change it. We can become warrior-hunters who hunt the patterns in our mind that limit us-- What the Toltecs call the parasite, or Steven Pressfield would call Resistance. But ultimately, the most powerful weapon of the warrior is love. Once we have mastered self love, we are in a position where we are no longer tied to the dream by needs or fears, and can begin to create whatever subjective quality we want from the dream, even if we cannot fully control the dream of the world at large.
The book is packed with incredible, mind-blowing analogies and very practical tips on how to find happiness in relationships, society, but most importantly, within ourselves.
]]>Author: Steven Pressfield
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 8/10
Life Value: 10/10
Read If: You have any talent, ambition or dream.
Do Not Read If: You don’t want to risk ruining your next pity party.
I read this book on the recommendation of Joe Rogan and it has been one of the most influential books in my life. You ever wonder why its so much easier to sit down on Facebook than write a blog? Its called resistance. You ever wonder why you can get something almost done but never quite finish? Its called resistance. This book unmasks the treacherous aforementioned beast, and gives you the vision to spot it. Once you learn to see resistance, you can make it bleed. And in the famous words of Arnold from Predator, “If it bleeds, you can kill it.”
Once you can go toe to toe with resistance and it least maim it on the reg, you may be able to call yourself a professional. And that is another important concept from this book. A professional doesn’t talk about writing, he writes. A professional doesn’t talk about how much ass he can kick, he just kicks ass. These two concepts alone are worth the read, but the book is packed with the tools to turn your life around, or improve what you already have going.
Pressfield, being a brilliant fiction writer, weaves this book together wittily and concisely. You can finish it in 2-3 hours if you hustle, but better perhaps to read it slow and let it simmer. If you don’t go get this book right now, you just let resistance dunk on your ass.
]]>Author: Daniele Bolelli
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 8/10
Life Value: 9/10
Read If: You prefer to follow your own truth and live in accordance with your own highest guiding principles.
Do Not Read If: Dogma and canon are your crutches, without which you would do a face plant into a cactus bed full of ants, floating in a stream of lava.
Holy shit I can’t believe I haven’t posted this book review until now. Throughout my life, I have been doing exactly what the title of the book says. Every time I venture to Peru to drink Ayahuasca, or experience psilocybin in the high mountains, I am adding a few new pages to my own bible. But these principles are not infallible words that have fallen from some holy mountain, I understand that they had to go through the filter of my own mind and perception, which is inherently imperfect. So I continue to modify and build my own story, that will suit my life and hopefully track as close to the truth as I am able.
This book not only explains this process, but it makes the great point that even those of us who think we are following a religious tradition, are creating our religion in our own little ways. We all make exceptions, we all find affinities with myriad interpretations of the same text. This book puts out in the open one of the most important life principles. To have the complete human experience we all must cultivate some form of spirituality, and this gives not only the guidelines, but the permission to do so.
Daniele is a good friend, and a great writer. His knowledge about different religions is incredible, and I hope you enjoy this journey between the pages as much as I have.
]]>Publisher: Penguin Books
Value Rating: 10/10
Entertainment Rating: 7/10
Buy It: Amazon for 13.99
Read If: You are in any position where the mechanism of power has influence on your life. If you desire to advance your career, further your standing in a personal relationship, climb the corporate ladder, be an effective leader, or survive and defeat an antagonist, this book is a MUST READ.
Do Not Read If: You are a devout pacifist and socialist with delusions of martyrdom.
Review: The primary value of this book lies in two main factors: First and foremost is Robert Greene's extensive historical research and anecdotes which accompany every law (chapter) which help to colorfully illustrate the principles. Second, but perhaps most importantly is a very interesting decision by Greene to treat power as an idea devoid of any moral anchors or impediments. This is important because it allows the reader to apply his own morality and not be troubled by having to wade through the opinion of the author. For Greene, power is power, and if you want it, or want to avoid getting caught in its terrible wake then he will give you the strategy to do it. I cannot express how immensely valuable this book is, when absorbed into an open mind. There is a reason that this national bestseller is a bible for everyone from rap moguls to hedge fund managers. To live in the world we live in and not read this book is like starting a chess match missing a knight. You may get lucky but the odds are against you...
]]>Author: Edmond Rostand
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 10/10
Life Value: 9/10
Read If: You would enjoy the inspiration to be great, delivered by perhaps the best tale of chivalry, love, wit, and courage ever written
Do Not Read If: You are a bitter, sarcastic, existentialist.
You will never forget your first time--This is true of many things. Love, heartbreak, sex, fist-fights… And the first time you read or see Cyrano De Bergerac performed. And like the rest of those firsts, your first probably won’t be your last. The character of Cyrano is the essence of pure virtue. To read his words is to know what the Greeks meant by the concept arête. I cannot describe how valuable it is to have Cyrano as a reference point in one’s life. The question, What Would Cyrano Do? is a lot more useful to me than the God who comes sometimes with a sword and sometimes turns the other cheek. That is just confusing! With Cyrano, first he comes with his wit, and then he comes with the sword. He never falters. The code he lives by? To be admirable at EVERYTHING.
If you are reading this review and have not seen this play performed live, or read the book, then please do so. It is a gift to yourself and those you will share it with. The best translation for me is the non-verse translation done by Lowell Bair. Many people like the verse translation by Brian Hooker, but I feel that the meaning is best portrayed in Bair's eloquent prose.
]]>Author: Aldous Huxley
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 6/10
Life Value: 10/10
Read If: You have any curiosity about how the world could be better, and how you can make the microcosm of your own world better.
Do Not Read If: You have no attention span, and need a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter to read further.
There have been many historical attempts in literature to create a fictional Utopia--A new idea for the optimal utilitarian society. Most of these ideas fail because the conclusions on societal operation do not follow from the construct of the premises. Psychedelic adventurer, novelist, and mushroom muncher Aldous Huxley did not come up short on any of those grounds. He flat out succeeded. His Island would be the best place to born, to live, and to grow old possible.]]>Author: David Deida
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 5/10
Life Value: 9/10
Read If: You don’t always understand why it is challenging to get along with your intimate partner, and you have questions about what makes you happy.
Do Not Read If: You are 100% content with yourself and your relationships. In which case you should be writing books and not reading them.
I saw this book recommendation from my friend “twitch” on my skype 5 minutes before taking off on a 7 hour flight from Houston to Peru. I downloaded to my Paperwhite, and finished it before we touched down in Lima. I was a profoundly better man for reading it. This book changed me a little bit, and that is the greatest compliment I can give. The premise is that the superior man should penetrate the world with the same vitality that he penetrates a lover--With impeccability, love, and creative intent. It unapologetically describes a truth that those with a male archetype (could be a man or woman in gender) are too shy to admit--To the man, mission is paramount. This is not the same for the female archetype, and David Deida boldly lays out the spiritual character of both the sacred masculine and sacred feminine.
He also discusses the vital importance of polarity in a relationship at great length. Never once is there shown preference for one gender role or another, and the differences between them are celebrated--NOT homogenized like in modern feminist culture. This book is more than a relationship guide, it is a lighthouse for a higher ideal, individually and in intimate bonds. It doesn’t matter if you are male or female, this book falls in the “must read” category.
]]>Author: Robert Greene
Buy It: Amazon
Mastery has the feel of the master work of a master author. It is one of Greene's most robust works, and tackles the most fundamental question all: How do we achieve what we are destined to do? If this book was written in a day and age where education wasn't a politicized business it would be taught as mandatory reading prior to graduating secondary school. What practical guidance are we really given before being thrust into adulthood? If your parents even tell you "follow your heart", you are one of the lucky few. But even if they tell you that, most likely they are ACTUALLY looking for you to follow the path of the most probable financial independence. It seems there is a mortal, socially induced fear that is ubiquitous in those with offspring that unless you follow the herd your destiny is to 'leech' from them forever. Maybe that fear isn't derived from your parents, but your own mind. So people get pushed into being lawyers or financiers or accountants. For some, that may be truly their passion and a channel to mastery. But to most, it leads to a life of drowning out the childhood whisper pushing them to achieve their dreams with distractions and ameliorates.
Mastery takes you by the hand on a tour of history, your tour guides being the great masters themselves-- Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein, Freddie Roach! You learn from their successes and failures and have the blunt and poignant insight by Greene on how to apply them to your own life. If you don't want to read this book for yourself, read it for everyone whose life you will touch. The positive energy of being on your path to mastery is contagious, and for the world to change, we need as many on their way as possible. As Greene's friend and colleague 50 cent says in his song, "Get Up!". Read the book, and set your course for fulfillment. If I haven't convinced you yet, see Pressfield's War of Art and learn a bit about Resistance ;- Good luck, and Godspeed future masters.
]]>Author: Joe Vitale
Buy It: Amazon
Entertainment Value: 6/10
Life Value: ?/10
Read If: You are interested in getting your moral paradigm flipped on its head.
Do Not Read If: You are a natural skeptic, and prefer to swallow things whole if they are sound, or spit them out if they are shaky.
Whoa. That's what you find yourself saying as you read this book. The ideas therein completely flip your moral paradigm on its head. One premise of the book seems to be universally true and valuable. It teaches that the ideal state to be in, is what Vitale calls the zero state. The zero state is a state where there are no memories/programs/influences that are influencing you at all. In the absence of worldly influence from your mind, your emotions or your personal history, that is where you are open to Inspiration. Inspiration would be what Steven Pressfield would call "The Muse". To get to that state you need to release all binds, wounds, and emotional hooks by a process of radical forgiveness and love. By getting the mind out of the way, you can let the magic happen. All good so far.
Then comes the radical premise. If you want to heal anything in anyone you encounter, you should simply heal that part of yourself instead. You may need to read that sentence again. The book is written about a Hawaiian Kahuna (healer) who reportedly healed an entire mental hospital of patients using this method, a method called Ha'Oponopono. Now, you are probably as thoroughly confused as I was at this point, but after some thinking it isn't quite as impossible as at first glance. Follow me for a moment below:
First of all, we know we can take away the body and still be us. If we were paralyzed we would still exist. Then we could take away all of those 1000 voices, instincts, emotions and influences that comprise most of what we call the mind. Then at that point, we are our true self, our soul self, our God self, if you will. We are our inner child. But you can take it one step further if you wish, you can take away your Soul and what are you? You are energy of Life. A piece of the Source. A piece of God if your vocabulary permits. The essential qualitative part of that source is the same as anyone else's piece at the root level. And this life Force, as not part of space or time, cannot be described by a volume or quantity like a puzzle piece, or gallon of water in a swimming pool. An elephant doesn't have a bigger piece of the source than a turkey, just because it is bigger! So it is simply the Source. Under this reasoning the 'piece' of God, or Life inside of all of us is actually the entirety of God and Life. So if inside us is not only our piece but the whole, by healing that issue inside of us, we can heal it inside anyone else!
Whoa. Its a very radical line of thinking, and I am not quite sure where I stand on it completely. Perhaps I need to get myself to the zero state in order to find out the truth!
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