02/01/2011 - 03/01/2011 | The Mystic Review With Barbara Graver

Revisiting Eckhart Tolle: Linear Development & the Evolution of Consciousness

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<iframe align="left" class="sspzurkubculcrvlldga" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mystictea-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1894884957&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>I kicked off this blog a little more than six months ago with a blog entry on Ekhart Tolle (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Tolle: A Short Bio</a>). <br />
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I had first heard of Tolle earlier that same day when I caught a special on him on Public Access Television.  I was surprised at my own interest as I am not or was not generally a "New Age person" but I went ahead and bought his book "A New Earth" anyway and read it. <br />
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It resonated with me.  I went on to buy some of his audio books.  I did not become a devotee but it made sense to me.  It led me back to other areas of interest - varied but all spiritual or metaphysical in scope.  That began this blog.</div>
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I still listen to Tolle from time to time and I was listening to him today in my car or rather relistening to Tolle's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Earth-Awakening-Purpose-Selection/dp/0143143492?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A New Earth</a>.  In the beginning pages of this volume, Tolle speaks about a spiritual flowering of humanity and he draws a connection between things that at first seem unrelated: flowers, crystals and birds.  Each time I hear or read this passage I am struck by how significant this message is. </div>
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<i>Any life-form in any realm - mineral, vegetable, animal or human - can  be said to undergo "enlightenment." It is, however, an extremely rare  occurrence since in its development, a leap to an entirely different  level of Being and, most important, a lessening of materiality.  What  could be heavier and more impenetrable than a rock, the densest of all  forms?  And yet some rocks undergo a change in their molecular  structure, turn into crystals, and so become transparent to the light.   Some carbons, under inconceivable heat and pressure turn into diamonds,  and some heavy minerals into other precious stones. </i></div>
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<i>Most crawling  reptilians, the most earthbound of creatures have remain unchanged for  millions of years.  Some, however grew feather and wings and turned into  birds, thus defying the force of gravity that had held them for so  long.  They didn't become better at crawling or walking, but transcended  crawling and walking entirely. </i></div>
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<i>Since time immemorial, flowers, crystals, precious stones, and birds have held special significance for the human spirit.  Like all life-forms, they are, of course, temporary manifestations of the underlying one Life, one Consciousness.  Their special significance and the reason why humans feel such fascination for and affinity with them can be attributed to their ethereal quality...</i></div>
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<i>In the case of a flower, a crystal, precious stone or bird, however, even someone with little or no Presence can occasionally sense that there is more than the mere physical existence of that form, without knowing that this is the reason why he or she is drawn toward it, feels an affinity with it.  Because of its ethereal nature, its form obscures the indwelling spirit at a lesser degree than is the case with other life-forms.  The exception to this are all newborn life-forms...</i></div>
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<i>So when you are alert and contemplate a flower, crystal or bird without naming it mentally, it becomes a window for you into the formless.  There is an inner opening however slight into the realm of spirit.  This why these three "en-lightened' life-forms</i><i> have played such an important part in the evolution of human consciousness since ancient times; why for example, the jewel in the lotus flower is central symbol of Buddhism and a white, the dove signifies the Holy Spirit in Christianity.  They have been preparing the ground for a more profound shift in planetary consciousness that is destined to take place in the human species.  This is the spiritual awakening that we are beginning to witness now.</i></div>
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What seems to me suddenly significant about this understanding of enlightenment or transformation is the implication that these events, though exceedingly rare, are natural phenomena.  This is not to say that there is not a "super"-natural component to these states of being but it is my contention that this is always the case.  In my conceptualization of reality, multiple dimensions exist and this is not magic or make believe but natural though largely unobserved phenomena.  We consider it "supernatural" only because it is beyond the realm of the five "natural' senses which most people rely upon exclusively.</div>
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The question is - is this transformation of which Tolle and others speak, an evolutionary process which will expand our sensory perceptions and therefore our ability to sample to reality?  How interesting it would be to all of humanity expand their sensory perceptions into a universal sixth sense.  An ability, if you will, to directly sample spiritual energy and the divine.</div>
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Recommended reading:  Tolle's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Earth-Awakening-Purpose-Selection/dp/0452289963?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A New Earth</a> available in print, ebook and audio.  <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Journey-into-Yourself-Eckhart-Tolle/dp/1894884957?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Journey Into Yourself</a>, my newest Tolle purchase featured above, available from amazon and audible.</div>
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Revisiting Eckhart Tolle: Linear Development & the Evolution of Consciousness

I kicked off this blog a little more than six months ago with a blog entry on Ekhart Tolle ( Tolle: A Short Bio ). I had first heard ...

Of Dreams and Visions: Channeling & the Experience of Spirit

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I am not, necessarily, a fan of channeling.  Not because I doubt that it can be done.  I know that it's doable.  I know that there are all sorts of energies out there.  I am of the opinion that there is a great deal about spiritual energy and other dimensions that we - or at the very least I - do not understand.  This makes me wary of contacting the "other side" for straight out life info.<br />
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My own personal experiences with energy have occurred along a continuum from negative to positive and included audio, visual and emotive type 6th sense perceptions.  The audio experiences were relatively neutral (hear my un-edited EVP <a href="http://themysticreview.blogspot.com/2010/11/evp-video.html">here</a>).  The visions were not (see entry, <a href="http://themysticreview.blogspot.com/2009/12/dream-diary-was-this-angel.html">Was This an Angel?</a> for more info.).  The experience of positive and negative in the form of light and dark made an impression on me.<br />
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So, while I am not necessarily skeptical of mediums, I am not completely comfortable with them either.  When listening to the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teachings-Abraham-Master-Course-Program/dp/1401921787?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Abraham Hicks</a>  audio, for example, I couldn't help wondering who I was actually  listening to.  Having no  first hand experience of this energy, I have  no real sense of its place on the spiritual spectrum.  I don't consider  the energy mediums tap into dark necessarily.  I'm just not convinced  that it is the best font of spiritual info available. <br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mystictea-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1932128034&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>I am not dismissing channeling completely. It is my opinion that some mediums (such as <a href="http://themysticreview.blogspot.com/2011/02/medium-john-edward-explains-ability.html">John Edward</a> who I have seen live) do it well and that others are yet to be proven.  I am always curious about channelors and channeling in general.  I find the Law of Attraction as presented in the Abraham Hicks material and elsewhere fascinating.  The presentation may be simplistic but, based on my own experience of light and dark, I agree that there does appear to be some degree of reciprocity between our energy and what we connect with on the spirit plane.</div>
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I have heard mysticism described as an attempt to reconnect with the creator or source energy and for me at least that's accurate.  We are all chasing something in a spiritual sense and the medium offers us glimpse of what we are after.  It is not the same as personal experience however.  We may have questions about the validity of the information.  And if we are to attempt our own channeling, it is worth noting that auditory, especially verbal, psychic phenomena is sometimes quite close to thought.<br />
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These are the reasons for my reservations in regard to channeling.  And I think it's important to apply our own individual intuition and discernment to any channeled information we receive (whether directly or through a medium).  The best way to improve our intuition and level of discernment IMO is by raising our own energy through meditation, study or prayer.</div>
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Of Dreams and Visions: Channeling & the Experience of Spirit

I am not, necessarily, a fan of channeling. Not because I doubt that it can be done. I know that it's doable. I know that there...

Santiago Caballero: The Fortune Teller

You may view the artist's full portfolio @ scaballero.com .

The Archangels: A Biblical Perspective of Raphael, the Healer

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<iframe align="left" class="oxwevzcjquuhjglqwelv" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mystictea-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1591795184&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>The early books of the Hebrew bible speak of angels as <i>malach</i> (<span lang="he">מלאך</span>) which means messenger but do not identify them directly by name.<br />
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It is not until the book of  Daniel that the  archangels Michael and Gabriel are  mentioned by their individual names. Michael and Gabriel are the two archangels said to be stationed on the right and left of God's heavenly throne.  The angels stationed before and behind God, Uriel and Raphael, are not named anywhere in the Hebrew bible.</div>
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The angel Raphael, however, is mentioned in the Jewish apocryphal, The Book of Enoch.  He is also believed to have taken an active role in biblical events, first as the angel who healed Abraham after his circumcision and later as the angel who healed Jacob of the injury sustained while wrestling with another angel (also unnamed in this part of the text but believed to be the archangel Michael).   </div>
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According to Rabbi David Cooper, in his wonderful book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invoking-Angels-Blessings-Protection-Healing/dp/1591795184?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Invoking Angels</a>, it was Raphael who healed Miriam after she was afflicted with leprosy. When Moses (Miriam's brother) prays that his sister be healed, he says:  'Heal her now, O God, I beseech Thee.' (Numbers 12:13):  <i>El nah refah nah lah</i> (אֵל, נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ).   <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invoking-Angels-Blessings-Protection-Healing/dp/1591795184?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystictea-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1591795184" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Rabbi Cooper maintains that the name of Raphael can be found in this passage by combining the two words <i>refah</i> (heal) and <i>El</i> (God) - refah-el: (אֵל) + (רְפָא).</div>
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It is Raphael who may be invoked in healing meditations. My meditation today is to become aware of Raphael as he stands behind me - a being of light and compassion whose awareness I hope to direct to someone in need.  <span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i></i></span> </div>

The Archangels: A Biblical Perspective of Raphael, the Healer

The early books of the Hebrew bible speak of angels as malach ( מלאך ) which means messenger but do not identify them directly by name...

The Sacred Rose Tarot: My New Deck!

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My new (used) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Rose-Tarot-Deck-Book/dp/0880794178?ie=UTF8&tag=themysrev-20&linkId=7WU242JAQXZJGLYV">Sacred Rose Tarot deck</a> I love the colors and energy of these cards!   The artwork is vibrant and dynamic with some truly enchanting images.  I have not spent enough time with the deck to review it but wanted to at least get this picture up and say how pleased I am with the deck overall.  I sometimes take pics of readings when I am rushed and want to spend more time thinking about the reading.<br />
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The question for this spread was the same question posed in my <a href="http://themysticreview.blogspot.com/2011/02/free-reading-tonight-8-10-pm-est-video.html">video reading.</a>  It gave me a Ace of Cups as well - and no Tower.   I never know if I'm going to keep a deck or not until I get it.  I am going to keep this deck and am looking forward to using it.  I do love roses after all - and not just for the Kabbalah reference.  I grow them though not in a type A way and actually know all the sentimental meanings of the colors!  This is a big image btw, click on it to get a nice close up of this beautiful deck.<br />
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The Sacred Rose Tarot is the work of Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman and was inspired by the jewel like colors of medieval stained glass.  The five mystic roses appearing through the deck are said to be the Western equivalent of the sacred rose of the Orient.  The red rose stands for sacrifice, the white rose for purity, blue represents the impossible, gold signifies achievement and the cosmic rose suggests time and space.  In addition to the rose motif, this deck features dynamic artwork, clear strong colors, twinkling star bursts and charming woodland themes.<br />
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<u>Update</u>:  I recently picked up a second sealed edition of this lovely deck to offer as a set on etsy.  This particular Tarot set includes a new unopened Sacred Rose deck, a cotton scarf with rose motif in reds, blues and purples, a vintage edition of the Sacred Rose Tarot Book by US Games and one of my own hand-made Psychic Rose scented palm wax candles.</div>
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The Sacred Rose Tarot: My New Deck!

My new (used) Sacred Rose Tarot deck I love the colors and energy of these cards! The artwork is vibrant and dynamic with some truly...

Free Reading Tonight 8 - 10 PM EST: Video: Sample Reading

Sample of how I read. I am doing free readings tonight for a couple of hours via yahoo instant messenger or Skype. I'm BarbaraGrave...

New Mystic Emporium Banner

New Mystic Emporium shop banner using my cards, reading cloth, candle and teapot.

The Tower: An Appropriate Card for the Fall of Mubarak

This video was posted last night to the Tarot Guild website. It could not be more timely, in my opinion, in light of the events of the da...

Mubarak, Kabbalah and the Golden Age of Mysticism

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egyptian Democracy Protesters Victorious</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I don't write about politics and have to say honestly that I frequently try to avoid the topic entirely.  We are not islands however and I was reminded of the state of the world twice today - a synchronicity which seemed worth noting in my personal hand-written journal.  I'm repeating it here.  </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Early this morning I caught a glimpse of CNN.  There is jubilation in the streets of Cairo.   Mubarak has resigned.  The face of the Middle East is changed forever and for better or worse, there is no going back.  And while I support democracy and open government wholeheartedly, I worry about a majority rule position on Israel and the West. <br />
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On a humanitarian level I wonder what will become of the ideal of freedom if a fundamentalist Islamic party is voted in.  Two recent <a href="http://aelroy.blogspot.com/2011/02/two-new-polls-of-egyptian-public.html">polls</a>  (Pew Research and Pollock & Pechter) report that a majority of Egyptians support traditional biblical law which includes stoning and the death penalty for crimes such as adultery.  Life under Mubarak was brutal with severe curtailment of personal freedom.  Certainly the  future can be better but there are no hard and fast guarantees .<br />
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On a personal level, I am glad that the people of Egypt have seized an opportunity to right social wrongs.   I wish them the best and hope it is a step in the direction of free and open society.  This is my position politically.  Now for the synchronicity.  Today I was reading about Babylonia at the same time as I was watching CNN.  The contrast between Middle Eastern culture then and now seemed particularly significant.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mystictea-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0876689284&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>The book I was reading, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mystic-Quest-Introduction-Jewish-Mysticism/dp/0876689284?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Mystic Quest</a> by David S. Ariel, talks about the relationship between Islam and Judaism during the golden age of Jewish mysticism.  What is most surprising about this golden age is that it existed under Muslim rule in Babylonia, the land of the Israelites captivity.  From the birth of Islam  in the 7th century until the rise of the Mamluk Empire some 600 years later, a cultured and advanced Persian state made significant advancements in multiple disciplines.  And in that progressive and open society there was an exchange of ideas between Muslims and Jews.  </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
According to the Zohar there are seven heavens.  And this is case in Persian legend (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_of_Jamshid">Cup of Jamshyd</a>) as well and I can't help wondering if this is one of the point where two very different cultures crossed.   It seems that there were areas of agreement then, a possible shared understanding of energies, dimensions, God and the universe.  <br />
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There is less agreement now.  But the truth is that it is still the same heaven.  And that even more surprisingly all of us do still exist together beneath it.  As long as this is the case, anything remains possible.  </div></div>

Mubarak, Kabbalah and the Golden Age of Mysticism

Egyptian Democracy Protesters Victorious I don't write about politics and have to say honestly that I frequently try to avoid the top...

My Kitchen: Tea & Tarot

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Kitchen:  Thrift store teapot and University Press Tarot cards.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light filtering through cobalt blue stained-glass window & hitting the teapot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took these pictures so I could review this reading later but did not get to it yet!</td></tr>
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My Kitchen: Tea & Tarot

My Kitchen: Thrift store teapot and University Press Tarot cards. Light filtering through cobalt blue stained-glass window & hi...

A Kabbalistic Perspective on Heartache

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=mystictea-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0973190906&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" align="left"></iframe>I read a great article tonight on the blog of <a href="http://www.laitman.com/profile/">Rabbi Michael Laitman</a> .  R. Laitman is the author of several wonderful books on Kabbalah including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kabbalah-Science-Meaning-Life-Because/dp/0973826894?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Kabbalah, Science and the Meaning of Life</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystictea-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0973826894" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystictea-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001S2PJ2S" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Concepts-Kabbalah-Michael-Laitman/dp/0973826886?ie=UTF8&tag=mystictea-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Basic Concepts in Kabbalah</a>.</div><br />Quote follows:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><b>Question</b>:  "There are situations in life when someone insults me, making me feel very wounded and degraded. What is the exact order of analyzing this kind of situation?"<br /><br /><b>Answer</b>:  "In our current state, we are unable to tell what the right attitude to reality is. We are confused, being halfway between the sky and the earth. I haven’t revealed the Creator yet, but I am no longer in full concealment either. I perceive all sorts of wise sayings like quotes, expressions, and pieces of knowledge, as revelation, but that is not so. Everything has gotten mixed up inside of me."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"That is why Baal HaSulam writes in “Introduction to Talmud Eser  Sefirot” that during these years, a person has to maximally focus his  development. This is a period of great confusion when I cannot  understand the truth, but I no longer agree with the lie. I am simply  thrown about from side to side."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can read the entire article on R. Laitman's blog @ <a href="http://www.laitman.com/2011/02/an-insult-to-honor/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MichaelLaitman+%28Michael+Laitman+%28Eng%29%29">laitman.com</a>.  This author offers free downloads of his books on his website. </div></div>