See http://shalomplace.com/view/criticq.html

Hot off the press: a new book (eBook option as well) that Jim Arraj and I wrote and edited, using material from this website and his.

I know that many of you who post and read here regularly have a deep interest in the topics we cover. I hope you check it out.

Here's a snippet from the concluding remarks by Jim:

quote:

In regard to the Eastern atmosphere that is influencing Christian contemplative practice today, we cannot ignore a whole �theological� atmosphere that is developing, as well. What I have in mind here is not the practices of the adherents to Eastern religions, but the pronouncements of Western Christians, often without a great deal of philosophical and theological reflection, who take it as a given that Christian and Eastern practices are all paths leading to the same goal, and even that all forms of contemplative prayer ultimately lead to nondual experience. Those who disagree with this conclusion which appears obvious to them and hardly in need of demonstration are seen as dogmatists and fundamentalists who cannot abandon the old Christian imperialism of the past. The effect that all this has on the Christian contemplative life is considerable. The whole trajectory of the mystical life as described by someone like John of the Cross can then be taken up and inserted in a larger schema in which there is now a new and higher summit beyond union with God, a summit of nonduality. The effect of this transposition is to denature not only the Christian contemplative life, but Christianity, itself, even to the end of seeing Jesus as the preacher of a nondual Gospel which was understood crudely and materially by his followers through the centuries, but is now to be revealed to us by these new Christian prophets of nonduality.

Dear Phil,
I had written an extensive message here, but in one way or another it got deleated...****!
Shortly:
I enjoyed reading your 'God, self and ego'. Nonetheless some questions:
1. There are as you know some false self issues, that are not resolved through psychotherapies. I am somehow reluctant towards these things, as is f.e. Martin Liard in his magistral 'Into the Silent Land', which I wanted to translate (but have no permission to), who says there that whatever there is about human identity that can 'objectively' be known, measured, predicted,observed, fixed, whether by the Myers-Briggs or Enneagram or any other method is very relative, because there is this foundational core of what we might as well call identity remains hidden from srutiny's grip and somehow utterly caught up in God. Therefore, I turned to body therapy and consciousness to learn to listen to my body and so my entire being, but still I wonder whether these deep rooted issues can be dealt with through body therapy (at this moment shiatsu and body scan sort of vipassana).
According to master like KG von D�rckheim, Lassalle, Jean Klein (advaita and kashmir yoga)this is possible...
2. I wonder how your scheme of things relates to biblical anthropology (body-soul-spirit-heart) and to Hindu schemes of the layers of self/body.
What about the different bodies? I notice that manomaya kosha stands for the reasoning, discoursive mind (conscious and unconscious), while vijnamaya kosha (containing buddhi?) stands for the 'intellect', which makes me think of the desert father's 'nous' or 'heart'(?). Read: K. Ware 'How to enter the heart?'
The heart seems to be the mediator between the soul's senses and thos of the body.
But what about the soul? Is this the mediator between the unconscious and the conscious as Jung taught? And what are James Hillman and Thomas Moore finding on all this?
Is your 'self' the 'spirit'?
And so forth... Endlessly... I am afraid I too much wish to comprehend (control) all these.
I learn a lot from Tjeu van den Berk latest 'Het numineuze' (the 'Numinous'), full of stories of people who experienced the 'numinous' (mystery) through a variety of things (art, nature, play...). i like this 'spirituality from below' (Rahner, Gr�n, Drewermann) contrasted with a 'spirituality from above'... Of course biblical theology and dogmatics are important, but the two lines have to come together...
So far some thoughts. Maybe the book by Jim and you makes things more clearly?

Greetings in Christ,
Fred

Oh, the book looks like a good one, Phil!


:-)
Katy

Thanks, Katy. And to you as well for the book order, Stephen. I'll drop it in the mail tomorrow.

Freddy, have you seen this little schema?
- http://shalomplace.com/res/anthrp.html

Also, I don't think my book on God, Self and Ego says the false self is healed through therapy. That might be part of it, but it's the spiritual journey and the theotic process that heals.

See also:
http://shalomplace.com/cgi-bin...;f=1;t=000254#000000

How about questions on God, Self and Ego proceeding on that thread?
- http://shalomplace.com/cgi-bin...;f=2;t=000178#000000

Try that "search" link on the forum home page on on the shalomplace.com home page. Maybe we've already discussed some of the issues you're interested in, or you'll have something to add to those.

Dear Phil,
Thanks for the information. I will go through the material later. I am enjoying now 'Het numineuze' as I said. Some time ago I read 'Putting on the mind of Christ' and Jim Marion's explanation of the different stages of consciousness development. As an 'artist', I most interest in this mythico-emotional-bodily issue, as you will understand. More and more, I like to see God foremost as Beauty, but also Truth and Goodness!
What do you think yourself, Phil about the whole question of spirituality from below versus above?
Greetings,
Fred

Phil, I have enjoyed your materials in the past... what makes this new book different than the numerous contemplative titles out there now?

Caneman

Hello everyone,
I'm new to this discussion board; likely this isn't the proper place to post this question, so please let me know how to go about introducing a new subject into the conversations. I have a question. Here's the issue: I've been seeing a Reiki therapist for a few weeks now and it seems to be helping me in healing past trauma, releasing negative energies and replacing that space with the love of Christ, as it is to Him I pray. I am a Christian believer and have been for many years, and have heard concerns re Reiki and the demonic and am wanting to get some guidance on this issue. I love Jesus and pray always that the holy spirit be in charge of the therapy sessions, but of course, I don't know what the therapist is doing, but when I asked she said she is given advice by various "helpers" who are deceased. I hate to give up the therapy because it seems to be working so well in healing past traumas, but I sure don't wish to open myself up to the demonic or anything even close to that. I've had much Christian prayer and "laying on of hands" throughout the years and that has been very helpful as well, but am relocated and have no access to this this. I started to see this woman for counseling to help me deal with a chronic illness and she offered to do Reiki body work, so I began it with her. Like I say, I'm very happy with the results, but nervous about what I've heard. Do any of you have advice/opinion? Thank you. Carole

Welcome Carole.

You might check out the following discussions we've already had on reike to see if we've touched on your concerns. You can add to either one of those if you'd like. . . maybe even post your questions on those instead of this one.

http://shalomplace.com/cgi-bin...;f=1;t=000209#000011
http://shalomplace.com/cgi-bin...;f=4;t=000033#000000

------

Caneman, I'm wondering if you checked out the description of the book on the page I link to in the opening post? It lists the topics covered and the unique format of including a wide range of sharing from different people.