Return of the Bird Tribes

Customer Reviews:

Living In Reality.......2007-09-16

This is another profound work by Ken Carey. Who are the bird tribes? Those who have lived fully conscious lives,(living in the spiritual and material world) before our time. Some lived as native American Indians in the present day United States, and some have lived elsewhere in the Americas, Africa, etc. We are all part of the original creative spirits who envisioned the creation of spirtualized matter. We have chosen to particiapte in matter's evolution into the idealized patterns that we envisioned. Because our world has lost its living connection to spiritualized consciousness, these tribes of spirits have until this time ceased incarnation. They are, however, still living together on a higher spiritual plane, and can be accessed when we attune ourselves to our original purpose of creation that is in accordance to God's plan. Those who struggle with reincarnation can rest at peace. The opening of the book describes an indian chief who willingly is shot by misguided European troops. Through this incident, he is given access to the thoughts and feelings of those who forged the steel for the bullets, created the bullets, and shot the bullets. He symbiotically ingests all the realities that these people possess. Through his death, however, his love and eventual plans of unity among the nations is passed on to the consciousness of all those who had any part in the bullet's creation and eventual use. As conscious spirits, we have access to all knowledge that has come before us and we can experience any wave of energy created by love that has occurred prior. Moderns have called this the "Akashic Records", and access to these files can explain the "reincarnation" dilemma. We all are interconnected on a subconscious level, and knowledge is indeed a universal pool that can be internally understood by all.
The Bird Tribes formed their "League of Nations" on this North American continent to create a spiritual pattern that would eventually form a similar pattern within the United States. Democracy is the pattern directly related to the pattern that these indian tribes first initialized. The indians knew that their time was limited, but they knew that if they radiated their own "League of Nations" built on love and respect for one another, the pattern would still continue since love patterns live on forever. Therfore, the warring European tribes that caused a virtual extinction of the native indians would begin to feel this pattern of love and respond accordingly. That has taken place with the founding of a democratic nation based on the freedoms of each indivdual, as long as the freedoms of the whole are not jeopardized. It was interesting to note the location of the first activities of this league of nations. Some of these activities took place on the very lands that I now dwell upon. I have a deeper sense of the meaning of my home I built to face the east, toward the sacred mountains. The guardians of the east are still prevalent, and usher in the "New" age already budding from the sacred seeds of that great tree.
This book will unite the truths in all sacred religions, Christian or otherwise that bring us closer to the workings of God and what we have been designed to accomplish as human beings. One will begin with earnest to begin living life to the fullest of their potential after reading this book. The seperation of the herds has begun, but none have to perish. This world is the beginning of many to come, and we must all relax into the pattern that our lives were designed to depict and show. This earth is the first creation that blends the life of a star and that of a stone to create biolgical life. We are the blending of spirit and matter. Our mission has just begun. Soon it will be time to "seed the stars"! Welcome aboard fellow travellers! Life has just begun!

A dissenting view.......2007-03-31

I was thrilled when I found this book, since it was one that I'd been wanting to read for quite some time. I'd heard it was partly totemic, partly Otherkin-related, and so my curiosity was piqued.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the result. This is one of the reasons I'm not a huge fan of the New Age. The author claims to have channelled the entire work through communication with a "higher being" that watches over humanity, and is in fact one of a number of these higher beings. As is common among New Age channelling, the message is uber-positive, "love" and "peace" are thrown around like confetti, and the general message is "This generation is ever so special-time for you to realize your potential!"

Nowe, I have nothing against love, peace, and achieving one's full potential as an individual and as part of a society. Gods know we need more of that. The problem is that this particular conveyance of that message is wrapped up in a bunch of cultural appropriation and seriously revisionist history. We have a Caucasian, New Age author supposedly channelling information about Native American cultures, everything from White Buffalo Calf Woman to Hiawatha and the Iroquois League (the entity he's channelling supposedly was one of the main players at the forming of that treaty). It's pretty much a cliche, and it's a classic example of cultural appropriation. And, also in the style of the New Age, the channelling includes the idea that, prior to a point 2,500 years ago (conveniently at a time and place where we have no written history) the Native Americans were all peaceful and living in a virtual utopia-I'm surprised he didn't try to claim they were all vegan. And all of human history has apparently been manipulated by these higher powers-apparently humans themselves can't understand reality beyond a certain point; we have to have a higher spirit to help us.

Now, I have no issue with Unverified Personal Gnosis. However, it's important to view any UPG, no matter how inspired, with constructive criticism. The fact that most of the material matches with New Age revisionist history rather than commonly accepted history should be cause, at the very least, for skeptical comparison. The entire work, though, is presented as genuine, without any critique or questioning whatsoever. No, it's not romantic to analyze one's meditations and question them. But it's also not healthy to romanticize Native Americans as the "Noble Savages" while thousands are barely scraping by on reservations across the country.

This book would have been better off if the author had taken the results of his channelling efforts and distilled them into a direct critique of modern society, adding a grain of salt for good measure. He could have discussed the virtues of literal vs. metaphorical understanding of what he received. There are some good points in here, including the idea that a person can evolve beyond the basics of everyday life, and that the way we're doing things now is a Bad Idea. However, they're so wrapped up in apocalyptic fantasy, cultural appropriation and the basic assertion that we're essentially being directed by higher powers (instead of by our own wills) that the lessons in here are all but lost in a sea of drek.

return of the bird tribes.......2007-01-14

Very enlightening information. A whole new way of seeing creation and the history and evolution of this planet. Inspiring, insightfull, with knowledge for our transformation.

Review of Return of the Bird Tribes.......2006-04-24

Beautiful ... absolutely beautiful. I cried tears from a well of recognition inside me I did not know was there ... finally something I understood.

Of a Higher Calling.......2004-02-13

I first read Return of the Bird Tribes in 1990. It made me cry. This is a book written to wake up what many refer to as the Star People. If you are one, it will awaken you. It will make you feel deeply your inner calling, your true inner essence, and make you understand who you are unlike any other book. This book was never intended for the masses. It is truly of a Higher Calling. If it speaks to you, it will speak deeply. Other readers will probably not give it a second thought.

I have re read this book, or excerpts many times. It's kind of my "bible" in a way.

Amazon.com

Beyond croaking, "Nevermore," what exactly do ravens do all day? Bernd Heinrich, biology professor at the University of Vermont and author of Ravens in Winter, has spent more than a decade learning the secrets of these giants of the crow family. He has observed startlingly complex activities among ravens, including strong pair-bonding, use of tools, elaborate vocal communication, and even play. Ravens are just plain smart, and we can see much of ourselves in their behavior. They seem to be affectionate, cranky, joyful, greedy, and competitive, just like us. And in Mind of the Raven, Heinrich makes no bones about attributing emotions and intellect to Corvus corax--just not the kind we humans can understand. He mostly catalogs their behaviors in the manner of a respectful anthropologist, although a few moments of proud papa show through when he describes the pet ravens he hand-raised to adulthood.

Heinrich spends hundreds of loving hours feeding roadkill fragments to endlessly hungry raven chicks, and cold days in blinds watching wild ravens squabble and frolic. He is a passionate fan of his "wolf-birds," a name he gave them when he made the central discovery of the book: that ravens in Yellowstone National Park are dependent on wolves to kill for them. Mind of the Raven offers inspiring insight into both the lives of ravens and the mind of a truly gifted scientist. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

In Mind of the Raven, Bernd Heinrich, award - winning naturalist, finds himself dreaming of ravens and decides he must get to the truth about this animal reputed to be so intelligent.

Much like a sleuth, Heinrich involves us in his quest, letting one clue lead to the next. But as animals can only be spied on by getting quite close Heinrich adopts ravens, thereby becoming a "raven father," as well as observing them in their natural habitat, studying their daily routines, and in the process painting a vivid picture of the world as lived by the ravens. At the heart of this book are Heinrich's love and respect for these complex and engaging creatures, and through his keen observation andanalysis, we become their intimates too.

Throughout history there has existed an extraordinary relationship between humans and ravens. Ravens, like early humans, are scavengers on the kills of great carnivores. As scavengers, ravens were associated with hunters they found in the north: wolves and, later, men. The trinity of wolf, man, and raven in the hunt is an extremely ancient one. In considering the appeal of the raven, Bernd Heinrich suspects that a meeting of the minds might reside in that hunting trinity.

Heinrich's passion for ravens has led him around the world in his research. Mind of the Raven takes you on an exotic journey--from New England to Germany, Montana to Baffin Island in the high Arctic--offering dazzling accounts of how science works in the field, filtered through the eyes of a passionate observer of nature.

Heinrich has a true gift; through his stories, his beautiful writing, illustrations, and photography, the ravens come alive. Each new discovery and insight into their behavior is thrilling to read. just as the title promises, the reader is given a rare glimpse into the mind of these wonderful creatures.

Following the dictum of Leonardo da Vinci--"It is not enough to believe what you see. YOU Must also understand what you see"--Bernd Heinrich enables us to see the natural world through the eyes of a scientist. At once lyrical and scientific, Mind of the Raven is bound to be a modern classic.

Customer Reviews:

Mind of the Raven.......2006-07-31

Very informative yet not too scientific. Contains many facts not commonly known about these intelligent birds. This book could change your mind about them.

The ultimate book of raven behavior.......2006-04-03

I knew the raven had many interesting feature to them before I opened this book but after reading "mind of the raven" I will say I was amazed of both the research Bernd Heinrich has done and of this remarkable bird. Heinrich are presenting his findings about the ravens where he is taking the subject (the raven) seriously and simultaneously managed to make it attractive for people that have not specialize in beaks and feathers.

3 - 2 - 1 ...........2006-03-16

I agree with most reviewers that this book fascinates the reader with interesting science and anecdotes about ravens. There are countless facts and amusing information provided about the intelligence, behavior and antics of both wild and tame ravens. One of the more humorous sections was on vocal communication, particulary mimicking. Heinrich provides descriptions of captive ravens making perfect renditions of radio static, toilets flushing and a motorcycle being revved up. There was also a scientist in a national park who distictly heard several times: "Three, two, one, bcccchhhh", sounding as if coming from a speaker. This was acually a raven who was sufficiently impressed with the park rangers conducting avalanche control to repeat the count-down and sound of the explosion. Hilarious...
The experiments and observations the author describes of wild ravens in the forests of Maine, Alaska,the western states & elsewhere are also superbly written and provide insights into the interactions and cooperation of ravens with large (and dangerous) predators including Man.

Proof that ravens understand a lot more than "Nevermore!".......2006-01-10

Although I have not yet read Ravens in Winter, after having read Mind of the Raven, I would not have any scruples about declaring these birds to be smarter than certain individuals who claim to be my relatives.

Each chapter is essentially a mini-story describing Heinrich's observations of raven behavior in exquisite, although at times excruciating, detail. Many of these observations are of Heinrich's wild-caught, hand-raised ravens housed in his aviary in Maine, while others are field studies conducted with (I dare not say "on") wild ravens. Heinrich also incorporates stories of pet ravens along with the research of others who have conducted field studies with these elusive birds. I was impressed by the fact that observations of ravens throughout the world were integrated throughout the book.

Heinrich manages to neatly intertwine innumerable factoids related to raven ecology and natural history within each behavioral observation. One learns what constitutes the typical diet of wild ravens (if there is such a thing), that only females make a call that sounds like knocking on wood, that it is not uncommon for ravens to reach 20 years of age or more, that ravens either are not offended by or simply cannot smell skunks - honestly, I felt like a raven expert after having read this book.

Overall, Heinrich does an excellent job of interpreting raven social behavior and cognition from his studies. Studies of the social behavior of wild and tame ravens are explored, and the behaviors of other animals are often presented to provide support for his speculations. Heinrich also examines the hypotheses proposed by the forerunners in animal behavior, such as Konrad Lorenz, along side his observations.

Heinrich incorporates studies he designed to test raven intelligence as well. One cannot help but marvel at how smart these birds are. Heinrich provides speculations on the results of these tests and I found myself nodding in agreement; however, I cannot decide if it is because his arguments are so cogent or if I'm simply so amazed by the results that I'm succumbing to anthropomorphism. Nevertheless, Heinrich notes that he was warned in graduate school to not study anything more intelligent than himself - he claims to have met his match.

Gotta love this raving naturalist.......2004-11-04

Bernd applies his multi-faceted brand of research to a species that is clearly close to his heart (the raven), with spectacular results. He weaves anecdotes and scientific studies together flawlessly to draw conclusions that are hard to argue with, if only because he refuses to draw unwarranted conclusions when the evidence isn't clear. He personally studies ravens in his northeastern home area, in Alaska, and in Germany to note the differences between different populations of the animal. He also draws extensively on his observations from his own aviary, where it seems he is at times obsessively painstaking in recording nuances of behavior that would fly over the heads of the average bird owner.

The Good and the Bad:
This book has been done right, with a real attempt to keep the reader's interest without compromising the scientific value of the work. The information given is enough to be compelling without being too boring about statistics. The end of the book gets a little more tilted towards hard science, with a fairly in-depth discussion about what warrants consciousness and intelligence, but there's no other conclusion that would be appropriate.

On the bad side, there are very occasional forays into self-indulgence, as when he takes the opportunity to argue the comments of a peer reviewer who contributed to the rejection of the publication of his study, or when a not-so-funny joke is recounted.

What I learned:
The raven is a remarkable animal, and consciousness evolves for as much of a specific reason as anything else. One bird might be given all of the instinct necessary to operate within a very narrow range of activity, but shorted on additional brain tissue, which is costly to maintain. But the raven has evolved to develop food gathering skills through problem-solving, which allows it to be much more flexible in its approach to food gathering, social interactions, and defense. This hardwired ability to solve problems manifests itself as curiosity, a desire to play, and the ability to visualize consequences without actually performing the action; this last is the most compelling criterion for awareness.

Other interesting raven facts: They can count to as high as seven. They hunt items ranging from ground squirrels to baby seals, but subsist mostly on the carrion provided by bigger predators. They lack the physical ability to pierce skin, and so have to eat through natural body openings or wounds. They have a collaborative relationship with other predators, generally wolves, which results in the ravens possibly directing the wolves to a kill so that they can take their share. This has a strange effect where they're actually uncomfortable eating from a carcass that lacks a predator as a feeding partner. This relationship has been transferred to other species where wolves are scarce, ranging from human hunters to polar bears to, possibly, a cougar, which seemed to be led to a human by a raven hoping to feast on the aftermath of a human kill. The problem-solving abilities were best demonstrated by the fact that a raven, when confronted with a piece of meat dangling from a string, will pull the string up by degrees so that it can reach the meat.

Average customer rating:

Interesting read
Houseplants alive!
One part science to three parts fantasy
you will never walk across the lawn in quite the way you now do...
this will forever change how you view your houseplants......

The Secret Life of Plants
Peter Tompkins , and Christopher Bird
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060915870

Book Description

The world of plants and its relation to mankind as revealed by the latest scientific discoveries. "Plenty of hard facts and astounding scientific and practical lore."--Newsweek

Customer Reviews:

Interesting read.......2007-08-14

I learned a lot reading this book. I don't know if I agreed that plants are afraid, etc., but it was interesting to see the studies that seem to prove plants have an intelligence.

Houseplants alive!.......2007-07-06

I read this book twenty five years ago when I was living in Oregon in a house filled with plants. I immediately started experimenting with my own plants. Since I had been learning how to meditate already, I was already somewhat sensitized to energies other than society's most dominant . . . and other than my own. It didn't take long to begin to "feel" my plants, and soon I began to "know" which ones I treated appropriately, and which ones not. I changed the way I cared for them, treating each one as an individual. A year later, when I joined the Peace Corps, I sold most of my plants at an auction and was surprized at the high prices they went for. They certainly looked and felt much healthier than any of the others there. Thanks to the authors & publisher of this book for being daring enough to print it at the time you did.

One part science to three parts fantasy.......2007-06-21

An interesting premise now dated and obscured among page after page of mumbo jumbo. A few good blossoms on the dunghill but by and large not a scientific approach at all. Avoid unless you have too much spare time.

you will never walk across the lawn in quite the way you now do..........2007-06-14

this book should be required reading. it changes one's perception of the world, and opens one's mind to alternate realities...human beings are NOT the center of the universe. we are not even the most interesting creatures.

this will forever change how you view your houseplants.............2007-05-26

I am not exaggerating. When I picked up a copy of THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS, to go on a journey into the previously "unknown" world of plants, it was listed as, both, a new age and an occult book. Yes, to some it sounds pretty woo woo and out there that the common houseplant could take such a liking to Brahms, or such a disliking to hard rock music, that it would be driven to either thrive or shrivel. Yet, according to scientists and scientific scholars, stranger things have happened--and, in their words and by their accounts, they really DID happen! For example, plants who were the subjects of numerous tests and studies in a laboratory, were proven to have "human-like" feelings for the people that they were introduced to. In fact, the relationships progressed to the point that when one of the participants in the study nearly got run over by public transportation on the street, the participating plant was recorded in reacting in alarm to the peril that the human subject was put in! This wasn't all. Plants also are also proven, in this book, to respond to human sexuality in a very powerful (if not anthropomorphized) manner. Besides the studies, we are introduced to the beliefs of Goethe and the scientific progress made by George Washington Carver (of peanut cultivation fame).

I can definitely see why this engrossing book inspired a soundtrack and an (as of today) unreleased documentary film. This book, written by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, is, quite possibly one of the most engrossing books pertaining to biology and modern-day symbiotic relationships between plants and humans that I have ever read. If THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS had been assigned reading in my high school biology class, I might have chosen a different path in college (in the plant sciences, perhaps!). If that isn't a vote of confidence from me, the humble liberal arts major, I don't know what is! Read this fantastic book today.

Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies: Psychology, Energy and Chinese Medicine

Average customer rating:

A Wonderfully rich and palatable sketch..........
Five Elements and Psychology
Two stars for five element book (that's a pun ;-)
It's All About Integration

Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies: Psychology, Energy and Chinese Medicine
Leon, M.D. Hammer
Manufacturer: Station Hill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0882681338

Book Description

alternative medicine

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderfully rich and palatable sketch.................2002-11-19

I have read this book a few times, and in each reading, I find concepts and "observations", that are profoundly rich in their effort to put the reader in touch with some of the most difficult to grasp ideas about non-Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dr. Hammers background is much deeper and wider than what is taught in the schools here and in China. (If you don't know what I mean by that, explore what happened to the practice of indigenous Chinese Medicine during the cultural revolution.)

This is not a book for folks who are unfamiliar with the basic "tenets" of Chinese Medicine. It is a bit more "esoteric" in it's reach, and really tries to conceptualize "in the minds eye" relationships and interactions, energetically or "psychologically" if you prefer, that the TCM model attempts to form poorly, or not at all.

I must, respectfully, take the reviewer from Seattle to task about it being "dark". I certainly know what he means, but the only way to find fault in the extremes of the book, is if you didn't happen to read Dr. Hammers admission within the book, that he has exaggerated the conditions he describes, and that the patients are not real people. Rather, they are constructs of clients, created for the sake of fleshing out the concepts presented in the book. Though sometimes portions need a re-read, I just can't find fault with Dr. Hammer for doing what he suggests I should be aware he is going to do.

As another reviewer has said, this is one you'll return to over and over. A most wonderful book!!

Five Elements and Psychology.......2002-04-12

I bought this book as a first year acupuncture student and have referred to it many times. As the other reviewer says, it is quite dark and does discuss extremes, but then mental illness is about extremes. It is really useful to look at the extreme yin or yang aspect of an Element and its Officals to fully understand how the Element can manifest when out of balance. I don't know of any other book which provides such an in depth picture of each of the 5 Element types. Sounds heavy, but is in fact relatively easy to read if you have a reasonable understanding of psychology. Definately one of my top 5 Chinese Medicine books, this is a book that you read again and again.

Two stars for five element book (that's a pun ;-).......2001-01-13

With the caveat that I'm not a practitioner, but merely a reasonably well-informed patient, I found this book overly **dark.** It was interesting, to a point, but also scary, and always tending towards the negative. I think the fact that the author is a psychiatrist may have something to do with that, but it seemed to take the exaggerated form of any of the five element's characteristics and show what it would look like, taken to the ultimate extreme--and, somehow, that was always bad. While I found a superbly fitting description of a difficult person in my life that helped me get some perspective on him by reading this book, at the same time, when I read items about my own element, I found them exaggerated and bizarre; as they would be in mental illness but not in real life. Apparently the author is almost "psychic" about being able to uncover the health-based Achille's heel in his patients, but I didn't find reading about it a nourishing or uplifting experience. Not that a book has to be, but this one was uniformly dark, and I had to believe that came from the author's perspective, and was no accident. Odd!

It's All About Integration.......2000-05-19

The question of mind-body duality has fueled many long and heated debates. Dr. Hammer, who is well trained in traditional Western medicine and psychology, recognized the importance of working with the person, and not just a part of that person. In an effort to be true to his view, and to the patients he treated, he trained in and added Traditional Chinese Medicine to his treatment skills, thus allowing him to treat the whole person in an integrated, rather than a fragmented manner. This book presents Dr. Hammer's integrated understanding of how the body impacts the mind, and the mind impacts the body. In a clear and concise manner, and with useful clinical examples, Dr. Hammer takes the reader through fundamental principles and concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and then applies them to the specific area of Psychology. This is not a "how to" book, rather it is a thought provoking volume on how to integrate two seemingly disparate fields of health care (Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Western Psychoanalytic thought). Through his examination of these models and his description of how he thinks, as he works with his patients, the reader is able to gain insight into this integrated process. While the book is by no means an exhaustive treatise on the subject, it lays a solid foundation on which others can easily build, both academically and in clinical practice. I look forward to reading more of Dr. Hammer's writings in the future, and hope that other clinicans will follow his lead.

Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo & Conjuring with Herbs

Average customer rating:

About as bad as Hoodoo Mysteries
murky at best sexist at worse
Happy, informative book
Modern Mojo!
A Good Intro to Hoodoo

Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo & Conjuring with Herbs
Stephanie Rose Bird
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738702757

Book Description

2005 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) Winner for Best General Interest Book!

Hoodoo is an eclectic blend of African traditions, Native American herbalism, Judeo-Christian ritual, and magical healing. Tracing Hoodoo's magical roots back to West Africa, Stephanie Rose Bird provides a fascinating history of this nature-based healing tradition and gives practical advice for applying Hoodoo magic to everyday life. Learn how sticks, stones, roots, and bones - the basic ingredients in a Hoodoo mojo bag - can be used to bless the home, find a mate, invoke wealth, offer protection, and improve your health and happiness.

Customer Reviews:

About as bad as Hoodoo Mysteries.......2007-08-19

The caption for my review about sais it all. This is yet another "new age" fluff bunny attempt at sterilizing a tried and true folk practice into some modern hip thing for anyone to go to Barnes and Noble to pick up. If you are looking for an authentic guide to african american conjure, I reccomend Mules and Men by Zora Nele Hurston and Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic by Cat Yronwode. If you want to still use this book too I suppose it would make a good substitute for toilet paper or perhaps kindling.

murky at best sexist at worse.......2007-05-15

First off when I bought this book I had a lot of high hopes for it but upon reading it I found it to be way to water down for me to like it. First it brings up in candle magic how the view point of black as being evl? Okay black candles (not people) can be used for 'negative' work but than she spouts of with it being racist to say this. She also attacke Austin Powers about the mojo comment (can you imagine that a piece of fiction and a comedy to boot). You can't take everything so serriously and expect other people to take you serrious.

Also I didn't like how she used certian roots that were actually more used for women attracting men like queen elzibeth's root john the conquerer root can also be used to attract women not just to attract luck. Not to mention after reading this book I felt she had this reverse sexism going on. For example in one passage in women comming of age she brings up how women are all special blah blah blah, than the next passage about men comming of age it was almost completely ignorant. It almost seemed to me like she thought of men as complete dogs.

Also most of her recipes seemed completely stripped and although I am new to Hoodoo and in fact learning as I go I will not use anything Lewellan has to offer. I will just have to wait untill the Hoodoo Herb And Root Magic comes instead of trying to learn a form of hoodoo that I didn't want to learn in the first place.

Happy, informative book.......2007-01-04

This book was a pleasure to read. It's written in a style that you can't help but admire the writer and and feel that they wholheartedly believe in their subject and want to help you understand it too. I would recommend it to anyone who wanted a better undersanding of HooDoo. It's not the usual airy-fairy crap that fills the shelves.

Modern Mojo!.......2006-09-19

This wonderful book stands out among most titles Llewellyn puts out. Hoodoo is a strange and wonderful system of magic that is skillfully handled by this gifted author. Ms. Bird has a wonderful writing voice that comfortably presents this seemingly lost art.

I knew very little about Hoodoo before this book. Indeed, other than some bad horror films and cultural bias against "black" magic, this is a precious American tradition that needs more exposure. It all seems very familiar with Stephanie's presentation. West African magic is not a bad thing. Indeed, just the opposite. Much like European Witchcraft, Chinese Feng Shui, Hoodoo ranks at the top of the heap of the magical traditions of our small planet

Part aromatherapy, part cosmetic this rich tradition does nothing more than enhance the practioners life. Hoodoo can build self esteem and rebuild a culture here in the the U.S. that has gotten away from it magical roots. Either through fear or social pressure, black culture has abandoned its ethnic heritage.

Now is the time for a complete restoration of this tradition. Stephanie Rose Bird is a mid wife for this rebirth. Now, the internet has opened the door for this to happen. Hoodoo shops are starting to pop up carrying many of the more exotic supplies listed within. Most can be found on the web, if not.
Job well done!

A Good Intro to Hoodoo.......2006-08-22

I enjoyed this book- it is well written and Stephanie Rose Bird weaves the images she poses well. It also has some great practical uses, as a starter book for rootwork and mojo. It definitely is written in such a way that inspires the reader to incorporate their spirituality more fully into their daily life, and we can never have too much of that! My only qualms are that it does seem to be more of the typical "cookbook" format, which leaves foundation room to be filled to back up each working.

BIG BIRD! - MODERN SIGHTINGS OF FLYING MONSTERS

Average customer rating:

Good, but could have been better...
Close to the edge
A fascinating read!
More than meets the eye
Monstrously Entertaining!

BIG BIRD! - MODERN SIGHTINGS OF FLYING MONSTERS
Ken, Gerhard
Manufacturer: cfz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1905723083

Book Description

A LEGEND ON LEATHER WINGS! The Indians called it the Thunderbird, a winged monster so vast that the beating of its mighty pinions sounded like thunder. But this ancient beast is not to be held in the cage of mythology. Today, from all over the dusty U.S. / Mexican border come hair-raising stories of modern day encounters with winged monsters of immense size and terrifying appearance. Further field sightings of similar creatures are recorded from all around the globe. The Kongamato of Africa, the Ropen of New Guinea and many others. What lies behind these weird tales? Ken Gerhard is in pole position to find out. A native Texan, he lives in the homeland of the monster some call 'Big Bird'. Cryptozoologist, author, adventurer, and gothic musician Ken is a larger than life character as amazing as the Big Bird itself. Ken's scholarly work is the first of its kind. The research and fieldwork involved are indeed impressive. On the track of the monster, Ken uncovers cases of animal mutilations, attacks on humans and mounting evidence of a stunning zoological discovery ignored by mainstream science. Something incredible awaits us on the broad desert horizon. Keep watching the skies!

Customer Reviews:

Good, but could have been better..........2007-06-12

I just bought this book about two weeks ago and since it's a light read I finished it in about three days.
It was a pretty informative book as these things go. Being mostly focused on the title creature "Big Bird" of Texas fame it didn't leave much room for the other mystery flying creatures of the world.
Though the author made an effort to include some of these other mystery flyers, it almost came as an afterthought.
Being from the area the author would obviously focus on his own backyard and I don't blame him, but more thought could have been put in the section on creatures from the other areas both in this country and in other countries.
Plus the fact that he included the "Mothman" in his living Pterosaurs theory, which is just insulting. Mothman has never been identified as a Pterosaur by any of the witnesses and this "fact" just seems to be pulled out from thin air, so to speak.
The Book also has many spelling and punctuation errors that could have been found had they had a decent editor.
In all, if you're from Texas or plan to travel there to do research, it's a great book on local folklore, but if you're from anywhere else in the world it really has no impact on the Cryptozoological hunt for the mystery flying creatures of the rest of the world.

Close to the edge.......2007-05-15

I enjoyed the book, I thought it was entertaining and informative on a subject considered taboo in most scientific circles, however it did not take me "to the edge" or the fringe if you will. The author mostly stayed clear of the most controversial aspects of flying humanoids, and mentioned some cases only in passing ie" flying human November 1975 Rio Grande area, and gave no details. He did not take the proverbial leap of faith and considedered the whole spectrum of the phenomena, the paranormal side, UFOs, etc. He kept it safe.

A fascinating read!.......2007-05-13

I was thoroughly intrigued by the author's account of sightings and other evidence of the existence of these fascinating creatures. A highly enjoyable reading experience!

More than meets the eye.......2007-03-18

I was disappointed when I took this book out of the Amazon.com mailer and saw how thin it was, but when I started reading it I realized it was PACKED with interesting research and personally investigated accounts - NOT just a bunch of speculation as is too often the case with this type of book. Anyone interested in Forteana will enjoy this book and I am adding the author to my list of writers whose books I will look out for in the future.

Monstrously Entertaining!.......2007-03-17

I first met Ken Gerhard a few years ago at Chester Moore's Crypto Conference in Texas; and since then our paths have crossed on various occasions - at gigs and out in the monster-hunting field, too.

I was pleased to find on first speaking with Ken that (like me and the good folk at the Center for Fortean Zoology who have published his book, and whose US Ofiice I coordinate) he is one who likes to get out there and into the thick of the action; rather than simply relying on the Internet for his data.

And I'm pleased to say that Big Bird! does not disappoint. For anyone with an interest in monstrous winged-things, Ken's book is essential and informative reading. And the fact that it's written by someone with a sincere passion for his subject matter makes it all the better.

So, if you are fascinated by the weird wonders that soar the skies of the United States and you want to know more about them, where they are from, and what they may be, I urge you to get hold of a copy of Ken's book - NOW!

Memories of a Lifetime: Birds & Butterflies: Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-Transfer Crafts (Memories of a Lifetime)

Average customer rating:

nice compilation of vintage look images for your pages
Wonderful book
Birds & Butterflies Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-transfer crafts

Memories of a Lifetime: Birds & Butterflies: Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-Transfer Crafts (Memories of a Lifetime)
Nancy Rosin
Manufacturer: Sterling/Chapelle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1402728786

Customer Reviews:

nice compilation of vintage look images for your pages.......2007-10-02

Really nice, the CD lets you pick up the elements you want and use them.
smooth glossy prints though, so the CD does come in handy. As is probably true of the originals, you can see the pixels in the prints sometimes.

The instant memories French pages book has thicker cardstock glossy pages, and slightly higher resolution photos.

Wonderful book.......2007-05-27

This entire series of books "Memories of a Lifetime" is remarkable!! You get ready to use pages for scrapbooking or other craft projects - PLUS, you get a CD in the back of each one with all of the images contained in the books. You can reprint each page exactly as it appears in the book OR you can print the separate components that make up each collage pictured in the book. I have eleven of these books and plan to buy the others. They are amazing to work with. The images are very good quality and are all COPYRIGHT FREE, making them great for resale projects. I just can't say enough about how wonderful these books are. They are well worth the cost.

Birds & Butterflies Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-transfer crafts.......2007-01-09

This book has great color photos of vintage birds and butterflies. It is easy to use and with the cd you can make them any size you want.

The Divining Hand:: The 500 year-old Mystery of Dowsing

Average customer rating:

Interesting
Respectfully disagree
Excellent history and conceptual overview of dowsing
An informative history of the oft misunderstood dowsing art.
Drowzing while Dowsing

The Divining Hand:: The 500 year-old Mystery of Dowsing
Christopher Bird
Manufacturer: Whitford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0924608161

Book Description

"To dowse," says the author of this definitive study of the divining art, "is to search with the aid of a handheld instrument such as a forked stick or a pendular bob on the end of a string - for anything: subterranean water flowing in a narrow underground fissure, a pool of oil or a vein of mineral ore, a buried sewer pipe or electrical cable, an airplane downed in a mountain wilderness, a disabled ship helplessly adrift in a gale, a lost wallet or dog, a missing person, perhaps a buried treasure." Co-author of The Secret Life of Plants, Christopher Bird has filled this book with exciting, documented stories, most of them illustrated with photographs and diagrams. It provides a complete history of the art of dowsing around the world and discusses in detail the various existing theories attempting to explain this extraordinary phenomenon., amply illustrated, 8 1/2" x 11"

Customer Reviews:

Interesting.......2007-10-10

Very interesting views on what makes Dowsing work.

I dowsed our well which was almost as deep as the Empire State Building is tall and almost all of it below granite. After we moved into our home I always wondered how copper L-rods could sense water below. This book did a great job of explaining many possibilities.

Additionally, it revealed many things I had never heard about dowsing before.

Respectfully disagree.......2005-08-17

This is in response to:

"Dowsing is bogus, backwoods folk stuff at its best. Explain how I could use a cut wire coat hanger to locate subterranean water? Ugh? Am I missing something or is this just stupid? This book does nothing to educate the public about the myth of dowsing. I am ashamed to admit that I live in the dowsing (and drowzing) capital of the U.S.--Vermont! There's so much water here you'd have to be a fool NOT to find any hidden sources of it. I can do it with a styrofoam coffee cup. Go figure."

Dowsing is so much more than dowsing for water. It's used to find lost people (which has been proven), lost pets, items etc. Spiritual dowsing, healing and so forth. What Christopher Bird's book does is open people's minds to the possibilities by showing historical and scientific data. It's simplistic really, dowsing is an extension of ourselves. We are all made up of energy and water, as is our surroundings.

I believe we all have a sixth sense (some more open than others) and when we are using dowsing rods we are utilizing that sixth sense to tap into that energy.

Think of it this way. Animals and humans were given a sixth sense since the beginning of time. To sense danger,find water, gather food etc. Over the centuries humans have become desensitized through the use of technology. Where animals have had to maintain this sense to survive. (By the way, back to technology, just because you can't see radio waves, energy,and the like,coming out of your radio, television and so on, does that mean it's not there? Hmmm?)

Dowsing has approx. a 90% accuracy rate. It does however have many variables which may effect an accurate outcome. Most importantly the dowser's ability to detach themselves emotionally from the question they're asking. (not always an easy thing to do.)

Science can not explain why it works,but it does. Even the army began testing dowsing and utilized it to find enemy bunkers in Vietnam. But then you would have known this had you an open enough mind to read Mr. Bird's book and see it for what it is. A great learning tool!

Sorry to rant and rave, but I believe it's important for people to see all that dowsing is about. By the way, I'm an technical engineer for a high tech computer company. And and instructor of dowsing.

I've read these posts and think it's great! Scientists, physicists! Perhaps it's the quest to find out how and why everything works? The thirst to experience everything life has to offer that gives some of us the understanding and desire to search into the unknown and come up with answers. If only for ourselves.

I'd shiver to think what this world would be like without humans with enough doggard determination to push the envelope and realize that this Universe is a bountiful supply of endless possibilites. If you have the courage that is, to open your eyes!

Excellent history and conceptual overview of dowsing.......2001-08-14

Excellent history of dowsing as it evolved in Europe. A very thought provoking overview of the current ideas, concepts and hypotheses of what dowsing is, and why and how it works. There are even simple instructions, usually by way of anecdote, on how to dowse with different dowsing tools. I am a physicist, and find the scientifically designed and conducted tests in the former USSR, and Germany exceptionally interesting. A neutral, observational, experimental attitude is a must for getting the most out of this book

An informative history of the oft misunderstood dowsing art........1999-09-03

I first read this book in 1992, and I have referred to it so many times since that I now know it's content backwards.

The late Christopher Bird took a documentary view of the whole subject of dowsing, from it's earliest history to the present day, in the fields of water divining, mineral and oil exploration, tunnel and cave location, missing objects, animals and people, geopathic stress, and medical diagnosis, including both physical and remote sensing.

As a Geologist, I found the book quite fascinating, and packed with useful information and guidelines for the would be dowser. Although one does have to cut through a lot of misconcieved mysticism and folklore, and religious and scientific taboo, to get to the core of this subject, the basics and the details of practical dowsing are all there in "The Divining Hand".

There is a long history of water divining in my family, but for many generations there have been no practising diviners. I was inspired by this book to explore the potential of divining in the modern context of the earth sciences, and I found it to be so effective and successful that in 1994 I started in business as a professional diviner or dowser.

Divining is a great asset in geological mapping and in the location and assessment of mineral, oil, and gas resources. For groundwater source location and assessment it can not be equalled even by the latest state-of-the-art geophysics.

I have developed a systematic exploration method called Geodivining, utilising both remote-sensory map-dowsing and field divining techniques, which is successful world-wide. I have found most of the claims made for divining in Christopher Bird's book to be verifiable, and the success of my own work adds a powerful testimony.

Geodivining is so much in demand by drilling contractors and clients in the UK, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, that I and my trainee Geodiviners are hard pressed to keep up with the work.

Bird's book "The Divining Hand" changed my life for the better; and whilst it may leave some readers cold, for anyone with a genuine interest in learning more about the subject of dowsing, this book is an excellent place to start.

Drowzing while Dowsing.......1999-04-14

Dowsing is bogus, backwoods folk stuff at its best. Explain how I could use a cut wire coat hanger to locate subterranean water? Ugh? Am I missing something or is this just stupid? This book does nothing to educate the public about the myth of dowsing. I am ashamed to admit that I live in the dowsing (and drowzing) capital of the U.S.--Vermont! There's so much water here you'd have to be a fool NOT to find any hidden sources of it. I can do it with a styrofoam coffee cup. Go figure.

The Shaman/Bird Technique for Out-of-Body Travel

Average customer rating:

The Shaman/Bird Technique for Out-of-Body Travel
William Buhlman
Manufacturer: Mach 1 Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1585890200

Product Description

SECRET OF THE SOUL 4 CD Set Are you ready to embark on the greatest adventure of your life? Join William Buhlman, a pioneer in out-of-body exploration as he guides you on your journey, to shimmering realms of being, beyond your conscious awareness. Secrets of the Soul, a four CD set of guided meditations, provides the listener with powerful tools for optimum out-of- body travel. Journey with this relaxing meditation. Gain awarness of your pure, divine nature.Experience total freedom as you leave the limitations of your physical body behind and become aware of the radiance of your astral body. An incredible lightness of being can be yours through "Secret of the Soul is a four CD set with four advanced guided meditations for out-of-body travel.By William Buhlman. Disk 1: The Christo Technique for Out-of-Body Travel By William Buhlman Disk 2: The Energy Body Technique for Out-of-Body Travel By William Buhlman Disk 3: The Rope Technique for Out-of-Body Travel By William Buhlman Disk 4: The Shaman/Bird Technique for Out-of-Body Travel By William Buhlman Once you are able to practice the techniques without Williams guidance do the techniques with INDUCTION MUSIC FOR OUT-OF-BODY TRAVEL a 2 CD set, Mystic Bowls Sacred Sounds or OM. Music created and produced by Tom Carey © 2004 Mach 1 Audio The Shaman/Bird Technique for Out-of-Body Travel © 2004 Mach 1 Audio

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
Good Stuff
I own the single issues of this collection
A decent story with decent art - three and a half *
Gail Simone should be cloned so that her brilliance lives on!

Birds of Prey, Vol. 1: Of Like Minds
Gail Simone
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 140120192X

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Gail Simone's work with Birds of Prey is of an high order. This trade is a compilation of four issues dealing with the kidnapping of the Black Canary by the cult leader known as Savant, after a mission gone wrong.

The other Birds, with a bit of help, must work out how to get to her, and get her out.

Good Stuff.......2006-11-04

The star of the show is certainly Gail Simones writing, there is nobody working in US comics today who writes better female characters and more enjoyable dialog in general. The artwork is very capable and slick, though tending towards the cheesecake poses rather too often.
If you like well made US superhero comics then you will like this.

I own the single issues of this collection.......2006-06-14

This should collect issues 56 through 59 of Birds of Prey, and that being the case, this doesn't cover the story where Huntress investigates the religious cult and meets Vixen (that would be Between Dark & Dawn). Instead, it deals with blackmail and intrigue.

These are the first issues of BOP in which Gail Simone has taking over writing duties and served as a jumping-on point for many readers, including me. The book has never been this good. Whereas the series meandered before, it has now become an ongoing story. There is action, humor, great characters, and usually great art (there have been a few filler artists during Gail's run which is still ongoing in issues numbered in the 90s). Gail has also taken steps to add Huntress to the regular cast. She is a favorite of mine, and I'm glad she's here.

This is the first two graphic novels to feature art primarily by Ed Benes. Few people draw the female form as well as Benes. You'll either love him or hate him, depending on your feelings for "good girl" art.

A decent story with decent art - three and a half *.......2005-11-20

This title , along with Teen Titans, has got me interested in DC comics. There are better old and new DCs like Superman: Man of Steel one and two , but this is Gail Simone's work you NEED to have to read Sensei and Student.

Gail Simone should be cloned so that her brilliance lives on!.......2005-11-16

Birds of Prey are a team of women who prove that they are just as good, if not better, than the male superheroes of the DC universe.

Gail Simone, the genius writer of BoP, writes these three woman (Oracle, Huntress and Black Canary) as not just a team of superheroes but as real women. While these women can kick all kinds of supervillian ass, they also come across as real women because they joke, laugh, talk about guys, fall in and out of love and discuss their feelings. It's a refreshing change from the majority of women superheroes who are drawn with large breasts and very little emotion. The story arc in this TPB is also very gripping as Black Canary is captured by an insane information broker (and blackmailer) named Savant while Oracle and Huntress do whatever they can possibly do to rescue her.

If you're looking for a fun and entertaining read, Birds of Prey: Of Like Minds is the book for you.

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