If you are curious about energy work for horses, check out this book.

Touch for Health
John F. Thie, D.C.

I've had this book for ages. Then a brainstorm hit me: use it!

Obviously, we're not going to get a horse contorted into the muscle checks that are illustrated in the book. And, although the meridian illustraions are rather artistic, they are on humans -- not horses. So, some adaption has taken place.

If you are familiar (and comfortable) with muscle checking and can do healing at a distance, here's how it works:

• Muscle Check for the muscle needing attention
• Muscle Check for left/right/both
• Muscle Check for strengthen/weaken
• use the diagram in the book to proxy the points for the horse.
  specifically: "using this diagram as proxy for "horse's name", for the "left/right" side, I would like to make contact and send Reiki."

I am now using this on a daily basis for myself and my girls (I muscle check to find out who needs/wants this) and am quite happy with the results. It has helped to isolate some recurring issues in the muscles which I then address in a non-physical way, using the information about what typically weakens the muscle in question.

The Power of Reiki : An Ancient Hands-On Healing Technique
Tanmaya Honervogt

This is a lovely book on Reiki. The pictures and color schemes are gentle and soothing. The information is correct and comprehensive. If you are new to Reiki, this book is a lovely introduction. It explains where Reiki came from and how you can use it in your own life.

I recommend it to all the students of the Reiki Clinics taught here.

The Complete Reiki Handbook
Walter Luebeck

This is one of the first books I picked up on Reiki after taking my Level I. It is a comforting book in that it is a 'take-charge' book. There is a procedure for how to do things and a guide for what to do when. Each of the positions is illustrated and explained at length. In the back there is a Therapeutic Index which correlates the different positions to different conditions. He discusses meditation techniques and how to incorporate crystals and essences into the work as well as various philisophical points.

Again, this is a book that I recommend to all the students of the Reiki Clinics taught here.

Essential Reiki : A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art
Diane Stein

How about some controversy? I like this book because there is a desire in it to 'get to the truth.' Some of the information is not, I believe, necessary to doing Reiki. Although I do recommend it, as it is logically laid out and very in depth, I also recommend checking in with yourself and deciding what information in this book is right for you.

Reiki - Hands that Heal
Joyce Morris

This may or may not be the book for you. Reviews of this book were not glowing. Some of this may be due to the lack of 'gloss' in this book. (Isn't there a saying about a book and it's cover?!) It's strength is in the diagrams, and Reiki is Reiki.

Reiki Fire: New Information About the Origin of the Reiki Power a Complete Method
Arjava Petter

When I first heard the 'History' of Reiki, my gut laughed. My brain said, 'And how does one take an energy based healing system re-discoverd by a Japanese man during the time of WWII and make it palatable to a predominantly white, Christian based Scientific community?' A little bit of 'marketing' perhaps?

If you have begun your Reiki journey, consider this 'vista.' As Reiki practitioners, we each have connected more deeply with the Universal and in so doing are forging our own paths. It is comforting to know there are others out there and that the Universe speaks directly.

Reiki: The Legacy of Dr. Usui

Arjava Petter

This book purports to have found transcripts of the teaching between Dr. Usui and his students. That's certainly worth taking a second look at!

The Lost Steps of Reiki : The Channeled Messages of Wei Chi
Thomas A. Hensel, Anne Caldwell

Yes, channeling can happen. (Before I received outside information, I figured it was simply too much '60's' living and the rampages of those 'marajuana flashbacks,' but since I've never done that, I've changed my mind!) And, in the long run, it doesn't matter whether you believe in channeling or not. You can still read the book and decide for yourself if the information is 'good.'

I think several good points are brought for consideration.

Hands of Light
Barbara Ann Brennan

This was one of the first books I read concerning the energy field and how it works. It is still a valuable resource.

Included are excellent diagrams of the human aura and the chakra system, along with examples of how to read and manipulate the field.

It is not a how to book; what it does is explain what energy work does and how it does it. It prepares you for what might happen if you were to go to an energy worker.

For someone wondering 'What is this stuff all about?,' this is an excellent book to start with. The delightful thing is that it will also continue to be a great reference for many years. As you learn more about the energy field, what is contained in the book takes on greater meaning.

Understanding the Charkas
Peter Rendel,M.A.

If you find this lovely little book, get it. It is so small, you may think there's not much in it. Nope. It explains the polarity of the body as produced by the rise and fall of energy through the body and how this explains the workings of the chakras and, o by way, everything else in the world as we know it.

Kundalini and the Chakras
Genevieve Lewis Paulson

The appropriate subtitle of this book: "A practical Manual for Evolution in this Lifetime" let's you know this will be a book with information you can use.

I especially like how the many many many chakras are identified as to the subtle level and Plane and physical location, allowing you to figure out what is going on in different parts of your body. For instance, the chakras along the collar bone have to do with self-esteem -- makes sense then, that slumping has to do physically and mentally with a reluctance to stand tall and expose oneself. You can approach this through a variety of non-chakra ways, or you can approach this through the chakras. By balancing the energy intake of the chakras you address the issues of self-esteem -- and as a result, the posture and attitude change.

Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing
Carolyn Myss

This is a rather thorough and comprehensive walk through the chakras. If this is the first book you read on chakras, it is quite a bit of information that doesn't necessarily all sink in at once, and depending upon where you are in your own journey, much of it may simply be 'noise.'

Yet, it is a good map. It has good advice in it. If you can find yourself in these pages and begin there, you will have the map handy for the next leg of your journey.

One concept that I like is that of the Modern Day Mystic. Many of us are taking this journey 'on our own.' (Actually, it's never on our own! although it certainly feels that way at times.) For company, keep this book handy, and when the trail markers seem a little bewildering, you can regain your compass by following some of the simply steps outlined here.

Other related books & audio tapes:

I found these tapes to be great for long trips in the car. While not necessarily introducing anything incredibly new or unheard of, (since reading her book and working with the chakra system prior to listening to these, mind you) they are greatly thought provoking. (I suppose that if this were the first time listening to them, it might be a little like jumping into the deep end! You'll float, though, and it'll be worth it!) As I listen to them and come to understand the message being conveyed, I find a practical way with which to incorporate the knowledge into my daily life. I find how the chakra system is operating within my creative unfoldment and a path to follow for greater unfoldment.

I especially appreciated the bringing together of the chakras, the Sacraments, and the Sefirot.

This work covers several different types of vibrational healing: the holographic paradym, the chakra system, auras, essences, essential oils, crystals, Reiki, and more. The information is presented in a very factual manner and also includes research that has been done.

For the skeptic in all of us, this is a good book to read as it grounds the phenomena of energy work in the factual world of science.

Song of the Deer
Thunder Strikes

Yoga for Equestrians
Linda Bendict

Ready to get back into things gently?  This book offers modified positions for the beginner and ties it into riding.

The Heart of Yoga
Thunder Strikes

The Medium, the Mystic and the Physicist (the original)

Medium, the Mystic, and the Physicist; Toward a General Theory of the Paranormal -- Paperback
Lawrence Leshan

This was the gate through which streamed sanity. There are many things in this world for which science does not account and for which science subsequently ignores, shuns, or trivializes. I do not say this lightly, for I am from a scientific background. For science to have done this to me is for science to have failed me in areas where I do not need to have been failed, where I did not expect to be failed, where I did not want to be failed.

It is this sense of betrayal that this book assuaged. It looks at the 'paranormal' from a scientific point of view. What a concept. (Yes, this is a sore point for me! The scientists scoff and the mystics roll their eyes. It seems that neither is interested in scientifically proving the validity or invalidity of the paranormal. After years of trying to figure out how one could find criteria objective enough and plausible enough, I gave up when I realized the simple enormity of finding a large enough sampling size was beyond my capacity. That and the dawning realization it becomes an exercise in preaching to the converted.) Thank goodness none of this stopped Lawrence Leshan.

I do not know the author's history, so I do not know if the skepticism presented was of great depth or not. In any event, from scientific procedure, he distills out what is necessary for the medium and the mystic to operate. (The scientific procedure being to simply observe the reality of how the medium and the mystic operate, formulate a thesis, and then test the thesis.) He proceeds to test the theory by applying the method observed for creating mediumistic, mystic abilities on himself. And, what do you know, he does develop these abilities. (OK, argue whatever you want to: he was pre-disposed, he was hoodwinked, he's lying, he's deluded. If you want to convince me of that, follow the procedure yourself and then claim nothing has happened to you!)

For myself, I believe he is genuine and I believe he has really done the world a great service. I am often (perhaps ad nauseum) heard to say: "The only thing wrong with the placebo is we can't get it to work when we want it to. What it does is just fine." What is presented in these books is a way to get the placebo to work on a more regular basis.** And that would be a good thing for everyone. (OK, maybe not the pharmaceutical companies as they are today, but I bet they'd evolve into other markets.)

The reason I feel this work is genuine is that I have since followed my own journey into the 'paranormal' and I have found his work provided a good map. What he outlined, which I read 10 years or so before I accelerated my learning, served me well when I needed to apply it. When I read the book, I had begun to feel auras and have astral travels. This was unbidden. And a little bizarre. So yes, I was curious. I was curious because I wanted to know what was happening. Unfortunately, this was not something that was generally talked about at that time. The only resource I could find was this book.

If you're in a similar situation, or even if you're simply curious about how the world might improve, have a look.

** OK -- If you've done energy work, you can appreciate some humor in that statement. If not, let me explain. When doing energy work, when channeling information, when consulting the 'other side,' it is imperative that the Higher Intelligence of the universe be honored. This may not entail fixing whatever 'problem' exists. Usually, if the source of the 'problem' is discovered and addressed, the 'problem' will go away. But again, there is still the Higher Will in the mix. The benefit from the energy work done is proportional to the amount of guidance accepted from the Higher Will. The Higher Will prevails. If it is time for someone to go home, they will go home. No amount of energy work or medical science will change that.

The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure
James Redfield

If you're looking for something light-hearted and easy to read, yet aware of the subtle workings of the world, this book fits the bill.

Other related books:

The Tenth Insight
James Redfield

The adventure continues here. While this story is a bit more outlandish, and a whole bunch darker, it still provides and 'fun' read with some food for thought.

The Knight in Rusty Armor
Robert Fisher

This is an incredibly delightful and yet deep and meaningful book. It portrays a man's journey into humanity, showing how easy it is to get waylaid by good intentions. While trying to 'do good' it is easy to lose track of one's core self, and this book describes such a journey - both the getting lost and the getting found aspects. While written from the perspective of a man's journey, this is also a good read for a woman. While a woman is perhaps not as likely to get lost exactly the same way, there are elements of similarity to the woman's path and, if nothing else, it is a reminder that men have a tender side, even if they are hiding it.

The Princess who Believed in Fairy Tales
by Marcia Grad

Women fall under the spell of a particular type of fairy tale. Part of the beauty of the spell is that most women do not even realize they are under the spell, and so the spell weaves it's wonderous power unbeknownst to the woman. She cannot for the 'life' of her figure out what is going on. It is a tragedy.

If you'd like to hear the story in a more investigative fashion, check out the book Marriage Shock by Dalma Heyn. Since the review on-line seems to have gotten the facts but not the message, let me throw in my 2 cents. This book is not about throwing out marriages or bashing men. It's about naming the 'good wife' stereotype for what it is and then chucking it. It's about moving into marriage as a whole woman and partner with a man, and not getting lost in the 'role' of the wife. (by the way, men are also at risk of losing themselves in their 'roles' in life - go read The Knight in Rusty Armor to find out more about a man's journey!)

As a literary masterpiece, Marriage Shock doesn't make it. As an accurate commentary of what women do to themselves to hold marriages together, and why they do it, I think it's dead on. Keep reading past all the awful examples of how women sabotage their marriages and their lives and you'll get to the good part: the part about how this all started. When I read the excerpts from the Code of Conduct books from the 1700's, it was easy to let go the cultural ideal created as an economic necessity.

Books by Hank Wesselman

Spiritwalker: Messages from the Future

Medicinemaker: Mystic Encounters on the Shaman's Path

Visionwalker: Messages from the Place of Refuge

Not an extremely light read, this is still an incredible read. It opened up a new realm of possibilities for me, creating a much more concrete way to tap into other threads of reality.

It wasn't the credentials that did this, so much as the way the story unfolded. It was never too theatrical, although what is described is totally 'unreal' in the everyday sense of 'real.'

I look forward to the continuation of this saga.

The Power of Now - a guide to spiritual enlightenment
by Eckhart Tolle

This is an interesting little book. If you think you've forgotten what you're doing here, have a look inside.

Related Books:
Practicing the Power of Now by Eckhart Toole
Companion to the Power of Now by Eckhart Toole
The Realization of Being by Eckhart Toole
Living the Liberated Life and Dealing with the Pain Body by Eckhart Toole

Taming Your Gremlin: A Guide to Enjoying Yourself
by Richard D. Carson

Want to laugh your way to enlightenment? Many moons ago, I came across this book. And it changed my life. (Mind you, though, this book is not about enlightenment. It says so in the first sentence: "This book is not intended to guide you to enlightenment, to eternal bliss, or to riches. It will, however, help you to enjoy yourself more and more each day. It is simple and practical and I hope that reading it brings you much pleasure." So, it's not about enlightenment.)

Well, OK - moving right along, it's still a hoot! The illustrations had me laughing out loud. I knew these gremlins! It was like a homecoming to see them in print. They'd been cavorting (running amok?) around my psyche for years, and here was a very down to earth, practical, and immensely useful method for getting these critters out of control and back into the back seat. Through this book, I got to meet my own personal gremlin. Oooo - a tricky one she is! Stylish, too.

This book has useful topics in it like "Simply Noticing" and "You are Not Your Act." And I enjoy the humility, camraderie, and open wisdom of the author. Granted, it won't do you any good to simply read the book, you'll have to start 'Simply Noticing' things.

Now, what inspired me to pick up this book originally? I have no idea. (OK - maybe it was the artwork!) It has applications to riding and to life, and it's fun. I could laugh at my mishaps and let them go at the same time. It's both philisophical and practical. It's very supportive. And, above all, it's positive. Even though it deals with some severe things, it hands you the tools to work your way through them. Some of the tough spots may be pretty tough. Stick with it though, and this will get you through.

Now, some 15 years after purchasing this book, I can fully appreciate the wisdom and humor it contains.

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