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Post by Wabbit on Aug 6, 2007 13:57:58 GMT
This is going to be my most negative review on a book, ever !
Robert P. Blaschkee’s “holographic transits” is an uncommon astrology book. When I ordered it, the term attracted me, just as much as the book’s description, which announced “Written for professional astrologers, this book illustrates the natal planetary holograms, or spatial patterns, relative to the Sun that repeat in the Heavens throughout life. By understanding these patterns and cycles, astrologers can choose precise dates for aligning free will with Higher Self. Celestial conditions at the time of these phase angle returns reveal how the holographic structure of the soul can be restored to wholeness, along with exposing the interplay of fate and free will. The individual nativity is also part of a larger soul group, determined by pre-natal synodic cycles” Sounds interesting, no ? Well, they forgot to mention that the author keeps talking about himself in the third person in the formulas of “it is this author’s opinion/ experience/ etc that this & that blah blah blah” They also forgot to mention that he also keeps mentioning GOD & JESUS in almost every single paragraph, making it an-astrology-book-for-Christian-obsessed !
No, I do not say that god doesn’t exist or anything to confront the Christians believers, but to have an astrology book which keeps saying “god” "light of god",& “jesus” every other line when the editor doesn’t even announce it, that’s a problem for me & I’m sure is an upfront to all those astrologers who aren’t Christian & have their own religion and/ or set of beliefs/ philosophies, which the book excludes !
The other has gone far by stating that O poor him, had certain transits under which he decided to end a relation with a buddhist woman with whom he had a religious difference ! (he said that in the context that he had to go care for his father after his - the author's- mother had passed away) . The wording was quite "oh i'm so great i ended this relationship with this buddhist and was a good chrisitian to take care of daddy"...
In my opinion, his fake humility & self loathing isn't a good idea..
Other factors in my annoyance with it include that the author seems to miss-use basic astrological technics such as secondary progressions, which makes me question his validity in other fields…
And besides, after I finished the long intro to your-free-will-is-best-to-be-a-christian-a-return-to-god-and-jesus & once I started reading the chore of the book relating to those “holographic transits” I come to see that I’ve been using them in a much broader perspective & not limiting them the way the author does (to the direct relations of the Sun & each of the planets, including the moon, but excluding the asteroids, which he doesn’t seem to even having heard off – at least up to page 118 our of 256…) I could add more, but it’d be too technical for those who do not know anything in astrology, but my point is that the author talks about himself in the third person, miss-uses basic technics & makes it sound as if the best thing one can do to break karma, is to become Christian…
A book I definitely will suggest to Christians but not to astrologers who have other philosophies… then again, I wouldn’t recommend it, because there are theology books out there, we don’t need one disguising itself into an astrology book !
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Post by squirrel on Aug 9, 2007 11:12:47 GMT
Gosh Wabbit, you do read some seriously heavy stuff.
I must be so shallow, I just read for enjoyment and relaxation
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Post by maisiepaisie on Aug 9, 2007 13:45:24 GMT
I started reading the Celestine Prophecy, as recommended by a friend. It wasn't gripping me though so I gave up and watched the film instead, which was pretty good. Normally I prefer books to films but this book dragged it out too much.
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Post by sluggie on Aug 9, 2007 20:49:31 GMT
This week I've read The Time Traveler's Wife (brilliant), then The Testament of Gideon Mack (enjoyable), and am currently about half way through Across The Nightingale Floor (great so far).
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Post by Wabbit on Aug 11, 2007 15:14:12 GMT
lol it's not heavy, it's astrology ;D this book was heavy in god & his light & jesus & other theological topics (for about half of it) for which i haven't paid & hense made me very angry... the author discontinued this annoyance & the book became more pleseant to read after page 120 or so... he called it "holographic transits" which sounded captivating, so i thought was an innovative technic, only to find he's talking about synodical pairs & their returns... which isn't new to me at all - i've been using his technic for over a decade & in a much broader way than he presents it, so it made me very upset ! Gosh Wabbit, you do read some seriously heavy stuff. I must be so shallow, I just read for enjoyment and relaxation
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Post by Wabbit on Aug 20, 2007 13:00:32 GMT
So, I finished that book… its second half was more pleasant to read as the author stopped saying obsessively « god » & presented some interesting ideas… however, I didn’t learn much of anything from him, as I’ve been using this technique for over a decade. He did continue talking about himself in the third person throughout the book, which he ended in a self pity mode “everything comes with a price, I’m sick & going to be treated, please pray for me” thus making it quite a religious statement. I’m over-fed-up with all that grrrrr (this could be in the rant thread)
Today I started Richard Webster’s “spirit guides & angel guardians”, a topic I’ve been interested enlarging my knowledge in for quite some time. So far, this author talks about himself in the first person, which is nicer, and in view of the topic, I did anticipate the religious aspect to be raised, so I’m not mad… yet… but, I do intend to order books relating particularly to native American and other shamanic approaches, to complete the monotheistic ones. Although I do not agree with every word or opinion this (or any other) author shares, it is much more pleasant to read, at least up to page 15… another 280 to go…
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Post by veggiesosage on Aug 23, 2007 23:40:02 GMT
I've just managed to get about 40 pages into 'The God Delusion'. You can laugh but its honestly the first multipage non web thing without pictures that I've managed to read since last Xmas.
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Post by Wabbit on Aug 24, 2007 7:20:52 GMT
lol you're a webaddict ;d
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Post by Wabbit on Sept 4, 2007 9:44:04 GMT
"spirit guides & angel guardians" which has a very positive ending, and altho the topic is related to religions - especially christianity - the reading was quite pleasent & smooth. The author talked about himself in the first person & not the annoying third person in fake humility as i mentioned for the previous book...
In the last lines, Richard Webster wishes the reader not to read the book once & put it away, but to read the book as often as needed, and that if this reading has helped the person contact his or her angel or spirit, then he (the author) is happy - very positive indeed.
I wish the author had expanded on native American & other shamanic spirit guide & the related spiritual quests rather than the accent on monotheistic traditions and the barely mentioned shamanic sources.
In spite of this, I have ordered the book for a friend who I feel could benefit from it.
My note is 16/20.
Today I read a small booklet which was offered from our suppliers here at work. It's title is "Hercolubus or Red Planet" by v. m. Rabolu. This spanish author (i read the french translation), tells us of the upcoming end of this planet, to be hit by the red planet, Hercolubus, on which social & spiritual diseases have spread just like on earth. He tells us of his astral trips to Venus & Mars, and describes the utopian life their inhabitants share with no rules, frontiers, limitations, and no religions, nor wars. They can consciously choose the birth & death cycle… so far so good, but this author has very negative things to say…such as that they don’t have homosexuality – which he judges as a sin & unnatural. He says the life forms on Venus & Mars procreate in the most spiritual way and never fornicate, a sin for which god will punish us all, here on earth.
He describes their eating habits, they choose the biggest fish, process & then eat it. Then, he says that “no one eats meat” there…. Well mister, do fish grow on trees ?? why is it people keep confusing this ?
All in all, an easy reading in spite of the author’s pessimistic views & criticism. I don’t appreciate his judgemental socio-religious attitudes, nor his narrow “pro-vegetarian” approach. Glad I didn’t pay for it and that it took me less than an hour to read those 50 pages.
Note : 10/20 , can do a lot better !
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Post by Wabbit on Sept 5, 2007 12:53:05 GMT
Yesterday I started yet another book, all french : Histoire universelle des religions : de Cro-Magnon à Raël, by Basile de Koch. The author describes the history of religions in a humerous way. Not to be taken totally seriously, you do learn stuff ;d
note after 55 pages : 17/20 !
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Post by Wabbit on Sept 10, 2007 10:05:13 GMT
This morning, I finished reading that (humoristic) history of religions book today, which does have interesting information, just given in a joke manner... my final note remains 17/20
I then started Brian Aldiss' "hot house" (in french). Am only at page 10, a bit bored with it, but might be good in a few pages, so i'll keep reading...
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Post by Pob on Sept 10, 2007 10:37:36 GMT
I'm reading The Dog Catcher by Alexei Sayle. It's a collection of short stories. I've only read a few so far, and all but one of them were really great. Top marks for one story featuring some very creative swearing. My copy is a little strange (bought from a charity shop), as it seems to be a hardback missing the hard bit with the jacket stapled on. Also it is full of correction marks that appear to have been printed on, so I assume it's a late proof copy before the final version was printed. Quite cool I think.
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Post by Wabbit on Sept 10, 2007 10:48:20 GMT
hold on to it for a few dacades & sell it for a fortune ;d
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Post by Wabbit on Sept 11, 2007 7:55:58 GMT
as i was fallling asleep while reading hot house, i'v decided to change for a different book & get back to aldis another time... just ain't the moment to read this particular one...
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Post by Wabbit on Apr 15, 2008 9:51:00 GMT
Ok, this could be in a new thread entitled "the book I'm NOT reading"... why ? because its price is so BIG... for just 232 pages... It's called "Chinese Mathematical Astrology: Reaching out for the stars" ... Ok, I can understand, there's a lot of research to get information regarding the original basis for the 11th century chinese astrology... but common dudes, why over 80 £ ?? is it writen so small, packed in 232 pages that you set that price ? I would've understood if it were over 1000, not for so little... so, I'm pre-ordering Derek Walters book to be issued in September "Chinese Astrology Bible " for far less : about 10 £.
This, however, is a book I am reading : dane rudhyar's "Astrological Mandala: The Cycle of Transformations and Its 360 Symbolic Phases". Dane re-interpret's Marc Edmund Jones' interpretation of the symbolism of the 360 degrees.
As Dane points out, these symbols are part of a whole & have to be read as such. I don't agree with everything he says, but most is intruiging & well founded. We are from different cultures & spiritual beliefs, and these in turn, show in the symbolism we attach to certain images. Nonetheless, Dane's insight is amazing, and reading him is a pleasure. Note so far, 17/20.
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Post by maisiepaisie on Apr 21, 2008 19:35:35 GMT
I've started reading Mills & Boon books again. A bit lame I know but I've been finding it hard to concentrate on non-fiction books recently so they've been a nice escape from reality.
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Post by sluggie on Apr 21, 2008 21:12:25 GMT
There's nothing lame about them if you enjoy them, MaisieP. People get far too snobby about books (and other art forms too) as though anything that isn't to their taste is baaaaaad.
Anyway, escaping from reality with an enjoyable book is the best way I know of dealing with Life's Shite.
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Post by Wabbit on May 21, 2008 14:10:52 GMT
I've started reading Mills & Boon books again. A bit lame I know but I've been finding it hard to concentrate on non-fiction books recently so they've been a nice escape from reality. I'm not much into fictions, altho I do enjoy once in a while... I never heared of Mills & Boon so I can have no personal opinion, except that there's nothing wrong in re-reading books you've appericated maisie reading isn't only about learning, but also, as you put it so well, ofer an escape from reality this applies to almost any form of art & self expression, I believe.
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Post by Wabbit on May 21, 2008 14:13:30 GMT
There's nothing lame about them if you enjoy them, MaisieP. People get far too snobby about books (and other art forms too) as though anything that isn't to their taste is baaaaaad. Anyway, escaping from reality with an enjoyable book is the best way I know of dealing with Life's Shite. ohhh i know quite a few snob ppl who show their close minds & hearts all too often...
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Post by tabitha on May 29, 2008 19:04:18 GMT
I am reading The Heartshaped Box by Joe Hill who is Stephen Kings son. I am also reading Stephen King - Duma Key and The Secret Garden by someone I cant remember. I am enjoying them all. The reason I am reading is that NO B'STARD IS EVER ON THE BLOODY INTERNET TO TALK TO ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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