Currently reading...

# 03 Aug, 2013 00:01
Jason	I am now reading “Lame Deer: Seeker of Visions”. Very good book so far and love the Native American humor throughout. quote

# 30 Aug, 2013 20:48
[email protected]	I just read Neil Gaiman's “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” It was great! Neil does a variety of writing for adults and children. My absolute favorite book by him is “American God's” if you have not read it - I would recommend doing so immediately. I love Alan Watts. My favorites are “Cloud Hidden Whereabouts Unknown” and “In My Own Way” both are autobiographical with lessons weaved in. I have read them both many times and they are a little more spicy and lighthearted than most of his books. TucoRamirez (person on this site who reviewed Daniele's book online - hope you see this). I can not thank you enough for that review. I was doing a search for “modern day Alan Watts” and that's how I found Daniele and the books and the podcast and more importantly ALL OF US! etc… which has renewed my hope for the human race. “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver is excellent. If you are in a contemplative mood “Self Liberation Through Seeing With Naked Awareness” It is a short essay from a long time ago - then some super boring guy explaining it to you. I just read the first part, thanks I have my own brain. Anything by Tom Robbins, John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut, David Sedaris. Jane Roberts is very interesting heavy - “Seth Speaks”, light - “The Education of Oversoul Seven” Thanks, quote

# 30 Aug, 2013 20:48

[email protected]

I just read Neil Gaiman's “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” It was great! Neil does a variety of writing for adults and children. My absolute favorite book by him is “American God's” if you have not read it - I would recommend doing so immediately.
I love Alan Watts. My favorites are “Cloud Hidden Whereabouts Unknown” and “In My Own Way” both are autobiographical with lessons weaved in. I have read them both many times and they are a little more spicy and lighthearted than most of his books.
TucoRamirez (person on this site who reviewed Daniele's book online - hope you see this). I can not thank you enough for that review. I was doing a search for “modern day Alan Watts” and that's how I found Daniele and the books and the podcast and more importantly ALL OF US! etc… which has renewed my hope for the human race.
“The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver is excellent.
If you are in a contemplative mood “Self Liberation Through Seeing With Naked Awareness” It is a short essay from a long time ago - then some super boring guy explaining it to you. I just read the first part, thanks I have my own brain.
Anything by Tom Robbins, John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut, David Sedaris.
Jane Roberts is very interesting heavy - “Seth Speaks”, light - “The Education of Oversoul Seven”
Thanks,

# 30 Aug, 2013 21:46
theDrunkenCreationist	. quote

# 03 Sep, 2013 18:42
Jason	Been reading a lot of Alan Watts lately. Started with What is Tao?, What is Zen?, The Way of Zen, and Tao: The Watercourse Way. Am now reading The Wisdom of Insecurity and the guy is expanding my mind. I have read a lot of these “spiritual” type books before but they really put an emphasis on enlightenment, whereas Alan does not. He is all about joy in the moment and I am trying to appreciate this more in my life. quote

# 03 Sep, 2013 18:42

Jason

Been reading a lot of Alan Watts lately. Started with What is Tao?, What is Zen?, The Way of Zen, and Tao: The Watercourse Way. Am now reading The Wisdom of Insecurity and the guy is expanding my mind. I have read a lot of these “spiritual” type books before but they really put an emphasis on enlightenment, whereas Alan does not. He is all about joy in the moment and I am trying to appreciate this more in my life.

# 04 Sep, 2013 20:05
BennyB	I'm just finishing up DMT - The Spirit Molecule by Rick Straussman, in which he outlines the experimental practice and results from research conducted in the 90s using intravenous DMT. The experimentation was clearly bold and ground-breaking, and is interesting for anyone who is into psychedelics, and Straussman is clearly keen on his subject matter, in more ways than one! This, in my humble opinion, is also the book's biggest downfall. Straussman's intentions are noble and good - he's a clinical psychiatrist who's also a long time Zen practitioner and what it seems he's hoping to find from administering high doses of clinically pure DMT is that he can somehow fast forward kensho or satori (Zen concepts relating to enlightenment). However, although all his subjects report that the experiment was incredible and life-changing, none really report any permanent beneficial life changes but that kind of doesn't deter Staussman and towards the end of the book he really starts ‘reaching’ for conclusions and seems to be very much ‘stretching’ the results of the data to fit what he hopes to be the case. Super fascinating in any case, and Straussman is a surprisingly engaging writer, considering that he originally intended to write the book as a scientific summary of his experiments. That was my interpretation anyway… quote

# 04 Sep, 2013 20:05

BennyB

I'm just finishing up DMT - The Spirit Molecule by Rick Straussman, in which he outlines the experimental practice and results from research conducted in the 90s using intravenous DMT.

The experimentation was clearly bold and ground-breaking, and is interesting for anyone who is into psychedelics, and Straussman is clearly keen on his subject matter, in more ways than one!

This, in my humble opinion, is also the book's biggest downfall. Straussman's intentions are noble and good - he's a clinical psychiatrist who's also a long time Zen practitioner and what it seems he's hoping to find from administering high doses of clinically pure DMT is that he can somehow fast forward kensho or satori (Zen concepts relating to enlightenment).

However, although all his subjects report that the experiment was incredible and life-changing, none really report any permanent beneficial life changes but that kind of doesn't deter Staussman and towards the end of the book he really starts ‘reaching’ for conclusions and seems to be very much ‘stretching’ the results of the data to fit what he hopes to be the case.

Super fascinating in any case, and Straussman is a surprisingly engaging writer, considering that he originally intended to write the book as a scientific summary of his experiments.

That was my interpretation anyway…

# 06 Sep, 2013 15:11
monkeychoke	Jason Been reading a lot of Alan Watts lately. Started with What is Tao?, What is Zen?, The Way of Zen, and Tao: The Watercourse Way. Am now reading The Wisdom of Insecurity and the guy is expanding my mind. I have read a lot of these “spiritual” type books before but they really put an emphasis on enlightenment, whereas Alan does not. He is all about joy in the moment and I am trying to appreciate this more in my life. I love Alan Watts, but part of me wonders what sort of a person it takes dolling out spiritual advice when you're a raging alcoholic….heh. Not that that matters, if you're an alcoholic but still love being in the moment, and are a content and kind individual, then no harm done right. I suppose Ikkyu would be a good example of where not to conflate morality/goodness with socially-identified vices. PS: I'm currently reading Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman quote

# 06 Sep, 2013 15:11

monkeychoke

Jason
Been reading a lot of Alan Watts lately. Started with What is Tao?, What is Zen?, The Way of Zen, and Tao: The Watercourse Way. Am now reading The Wisdom of Insecurity and the guy is expanding my mind. I have read a lot of these “spiritual” type books before but they really put an emphasis on enlightenment, whereas Alan does not. He is all about joy in the moment and I am trying to appreciate this more in my life.

I love Alan Watts, but part of me wonders what sort of a person it takes dolling out spiritual advice when you're a raging alcoholic….heh.

Not that that matters, if you're an alcoholic but still love being in the moment, and are a content and kind individual, then no harm done right. I suppose Ikkyu would be a good example of where not to conflate morality/goodness with socially-identified vices.

PS: I'm currently reading Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

# 06 Sep, 2013 22:12
Jason	I love Alan Watts, but part of me wonders what sort of a person it takes dolling out spiritual advice when you're a raging alcoholic….heh. Not that that matters, if you're an alcoholic but still love being in the moment, and are a content and kind individual, then no harm done right. I suppose Ikkyu would be a good example of where not to conflate morality/goodness with socially-identified vices. PS: I'm currently reading Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman I did not know he was an alcoholic. Does he mention this in his autobiography? Either way, it seems him and Ikkyu have something in common. At least he is not a cult leader like Mr. Casteneda. Now where is my bottle of… quote

# 06 Sep, 2013 22:12

Jason

I love Alan Watts, but part of me wonders what sort of a person it takes dolling out spiritual advice when you're a raging alcoholic….heh.

Not that that matters, if you're an alcoholic but still love being in the moment, and are a content and kind individual, then no harm done right. I suppose Ikkyu would be a good example of where not to conflate morality/goodness with socially-identified vices.

PS: I'm currently reading Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

I did not know he was an alcoholic. Does he mention this in his autobiography? Either way, it seems him and Ikkyu have something in common. At least he is not a cult leader like Mr. Casteneda. Now where is my bottle of…

# 14 Oct, 2013 14:09
deviant.inc	Khan I'm slowly reading “Chaos” by James Gleick. A really great book about Chaos theory. He talks about concepts like the butterfly effect and how the theories rocked Newtonian physics. This book inspired the character Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) from Jurassic Park. Excellent book - one of the reasons I decided to study math! I know Daniele and Rich are not so hot on math, so I intend (when I have time) to start a thread on the awesome aspects of it. Books I've read and would recommend here: Anything by Barefoot Doctor, though my favourite is “Barefoot Doctor's Handbook for Modern Lovers: A Spiritual Guide to Truly Amazing Love and Sex” for obvious reasons! There's an amazing book by Osho on the Tao. It has some really fantastic parables, as well as some amazing good humoured jabs at Confusionists! Called “Tao: The Pathless Path” Someone mentioned Zen and the Art… and I would second that! Should have been called “Tao and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” really… “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey. I know there was some contention surrounding the book with Oprah (I believe surrounding how factual it was), but forget that - this book is brutal, raw, and very humourous too. One of the reasons I love it is that the main protagonist rejects the usual christian-centric 12-step program and instead finds his way using a copy of the Tao Te Ching he's given! Anything by Timothy Leary or Robert Anton Wilson, but particularly “Phsychedelic Prayers” by Leary - a set of poems inspired by the Tao Te Ching. I think Wilson is more entertaining though - “Sex Drugs and Magic” is a very DT read, weirdos and crazy history… “Sophie's World” is a mind-blowing overview of western philosophy from the Greeks onwards, as told through a charming piece of fiction about a girl receiving mysterious lessons from an unknown stranger. Mind-blowing ending. I've said ‘mind-blowing’ twice here, that's how blown mine was… Right now I am re-reading “Ink” and “Vellum” by Hal Duncun; crazy all over the place fucked up in the head deep/epic novels with sex and drugs and magic and philosophy and ancient mythology all mixed up. Loads of graphic homosexual stuff, so don't read if you're a homophobe… or do, maybe it'll help you get over those retarded notions… And next I'm intending to read “The End of Mr. Y” by Scarlett Thomas, my Dad says it's crazy but amazing - my favourite! From Amazon: “Ariel Manto has a fascination with nineteenth-century scientists—especially Thomas Lumas and The End of Mr. Y, a book no one alive has read. When she mysteriously uncovers a copy at a used bookstore, Ariel is launched into an adventure of science and faith, consciousness and death, space and time, and everything in between.” ———————————————– –“One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die…. ” quote

# 14 Oct, 2013 14:09

deviant.inc

Khan
I'm slowly reading “Chaos” by James Gleick. A really great book about Chaos theory. He talks about concepts like the butterfly effect and how the theories rocked Newtonian physics. This book inspired the character Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) from Jurassic Park.

Excellent book - one of the reasons I decided to study math! I know Daniele and Rich are not so hot on math, so I intend (when I have time) to start a thread on the awesome aspects of it.

Books I've read and would recommend here:

Anything by Barefoot Doctor, though my favourite is “Barefoot Doctor's Handbook for Modern Lovers: A Spiritual Guide to Truly Amazing Love and Sex” for obvious reasons! smile

There's an amazing book by Osho on the Tao. It has some really fantastic parables, as well as some amazing good humoured jabs at Confusionists! Called “Tao: The Pathless Path”

Someone mentioned Zen and the Art… and I would second that! Should have been called “Tao and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” really…

“A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey. I know there was some contention surrounding the book with Oprah (I believe surrounding how factual it was), but forget that - this book is brutal, raw, and very humourous too. One of the reasons I love it is that the main protagonist rejects the usual christian-centric 12-step program and instead finds his way using a copy of the Tao Te Ching he's given!

Anything by Timothy Leary or Robert Anton Wilson, but particularly “Phsychedelic Prayers” by Leary - a set of poems inspired by the Tao Te Ching. I think Wilson is more entertaining though - “Sex Drugs and Magic” is a very DT read, weirdos and crazy history…

“Sophie's World” is a mind-blowing overview of western philosophy from the Greeks onwards, as told through a charming piece of fiction about a girl receiving mysterious lessons from an unknown stranger. Mind-blowing ending. I've said ‘mind-blowing’ twice here, that's how blown mine was…

Right now I am re-reading “Ink” and “Vellum” by Hal Duncun; crazy all over the place fucked up in the head deep/epic novels with sex and drugs and magic and philosophy and ancient mythology all mixed up. Loads of graphic homosexual stuff, so don't read if you're a homophobe… or do, maybe it'll help you get over those retarded notions… And next I'm intending to read “The End of Mr. Y” by Scarlett Thomas, my Dad says it's crazy but amazing - my favourite! From Amazon:

“Ariel Manto has a fascination with nineteenth-century scientists—especially Thomas Lumas and The End of Mr. Y, a book no one alive has read. When she mysteriously uncovers a copy at a used bookstore, Ariel is launched into an adventure of science and faith, consciousness and death, space and time, and everything in between.”

———————————————–

–“One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die…. ”

# 14 Oct, 2013 14:10
deviant.inc	Sorry, double posted… read above ^^^^^^ ———————————————– –“One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die…. ” quote

# 15 Oct, 2013 00:01
SteadilyUnsteady	deviant.inc “Excellent book - one of the reasons I decided to study math! I know Daniele and Rich are not so hot on math, so I intend (when I have time) to start a thread on the awesome aspects of it.” Looking forward to this! quote