13.05.2021

“Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality” by Brad Warner

Magick Matters

"This is not your typical Zen book. Brad Warner, a young punk who grew up to be a Zen master, spares no one. This bold new approach to the "Why?" of Zen Buddhism is as strongly grounded in the tradition of Zen as it is utterly revolutionary. Warner's voice is hilarious, and he calls on the wisdom of everyone from punk and pop culture icons to the Buddha himself to make sure his points come through loud and clear. As it prods readers to question everything, Hardcore Zen is both an approach and a departure, leaving behind the soft and lyrical for the gritty and stark perspective of a new generation."...>>

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13.05.2021

“Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen’s Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye” by Brad Warner

Magick Matters

"In Sit Down and Shut Up, Brad Warner tackles one of the great works of Zen literature, the Shobogenzo by 13th-century Zen master Dogen. Illuminating Dogen’s enigmatic teachings in plain language, Warner intertwines sharp philosophical musings on sex, evil, anger, meditation, enlightenment, death, God, sin, and happiness with an exploration of the power and pain of the punk rock ethos. In chapters such as “Evil Is Stupid,” “Kill Your Anger,” and “Enlightenment Is for Sissies,” Brad melds the antiauthoritarianism of punk with that of Zen, mixing in a travelogue of his triumphant return to Ohio to play in a reunion concert of Akron punk bands. For those drawn to Buddhist teachings but scared off...>>

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12.05.2021

“Shamanism and Islam: Sufism, Healing Rituals and Spirits in the Muslim World” edited by Thierry Zarcone and Angela Hobart

Magick Matters

"Here, Thierry Zarcone and Angela Hobart offer a vigorous and authoritative exploration of the link between Islam and shamanism in contemporary Muslim culture, examining how the old practice of shamanism was combined with elements of Sufism in order to adapt to wider Islamic society. Shamanism and Islam thus surveys shamanic practices in Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans, to show how the Muslim shaman, like his Siberian counterpart, cultivated personal relations with spirits to help individuals through healing and divination. It explores the complexities and variety of rituals, involving music, dance and, in some regions, epic and bardic poetry, demonstrating the close links between shamanism and the various arts of...>>

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12.05.2021

“Discognition” by Steven Shaviro

Magick Matters

"What is consciousness? What is it like to feel pain, or to see the color red? Do robots and computers really think? For that matter, do plants and amoebas think? If we ever meet intelligent aliens, will we be able to understand what they say to us? Philosophers and scientists are still unable to answer questions like these. Perhaps science fiction can help. In Discognition, Steven Shaviro looks at science fiction novels and stories that explore the extreme possibilities of human and alien sentience."...>>

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12.05.2021

“A Visionary Guide to Lucid Dreaming: Methods for Working with the Deep Dream State” by Lee Adams

Magick Matters

"Dreams offer a gateway into our psyche. Through lucid dreaming--when you have conscious awareness during sleep—you can access and interact with the subconscious mind for greater self-awareness, personal development, and transformation. In this step-by-step guide to dreamwork, Lee Adams provides tools and techniques for encouraging, remembering, and using lucid dreams for personal growth as well as how to have big dreams that leave a lasting impact. Beginning with an overview of the history of lucid dreaming, he shares tried-and-true foundational practices to get you started—practices for before sleep, during sleep, and after dreaming. Drawing upon Jungian depth psychology, recent research in neuroscience, and years of personal dream practice, Adams then offers an extensive inventory of intermediate...>>

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