The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight

I just finished reading The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann. Finishing it took a little effort on my part. The first third of the book details our current world situation in regard to the world oil supply, how we are running out of it and how the consumption of their entire supply of fuel and food ultimately led to the downfall of all past empires on this planet and how we as a society are following in their foot steps. It was so full of gloom and doom that I put the book down for several days. All through this section of the book, Hartmann states that he will get around to making suggestions as to how we can avoid the very ruin he seems to be predicting so I took him at his word and picked it up again. I am so glad that I did.

The tone of the book begins to shift about half way through as he chronicles the lives of indigenous people and their ancient knowledge of themselves in relation to their environments. Then he begins to talk about what worked for these peoples and how we may be able to incorporate some of their knowledge and outlooks into our lives. No, he doesn't necessarily mean going back to nature and living off the land with no modern conveniences. Instead, he talks about changing our view of our own relationships with the world around us, including our relationships with each other.

My bottom line: Get brave and read the book. Don't skip over the Afterward written by Neale Donald Walsh.

Soundtrack: Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi

cross posted at Shimoda's Dream

Book List: Part One

Long ago, I was in a terrible relationship and had no idea how to get my self out of it. I knew that I would get out some day. I knew that I wanted to be single for a while. I also knew that, at some point, I wanted to be in a really great relationship.

In the meantime, I figured out that I had gotten myself into where I was and that I was the only one who could get me out. I also decided two things: that I was going to be happy no matter what, and that when the opportunity for that great relationship came along, I was going to be ready for it. This meant that I had to learn enough about my self to see what it was that had gotten me into not only the crappy relationship I was now in, but also, the one before it which was just as rotten.

I was not sure how to go about this. There were no self help seminars or classes in the small west Texas town in which I lived. I had been attending a big music festival for several years and had a lot of friends who really seemed to have it together. I had long conversations with them about life and how it is lived on different levels, but I only saw them once a year. We did talk a lot about books. A lot of traveling musicians listen to books on tape and they were always comparing notes and making recommendations to each other. Books became my teachers, therapists, healers and friends. I am always delighted to find one that really speaks to me, that really stretches my mind and presents new ideas. The ones I resonate with the most are the ones that tell me things that I feel I knew all along, but did not realize that I knew until I saw the information in print.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Thomas Moore is one of my favorite authors and I have read most of his books. I think it is best to read the first three in the order in which they are listed.

Care of the Soul
Soul Mates
The Reincarnation of Every Day Life
Note***If you are really into these books, get a copy of James Hillman's The Soul's Code and keep it near by while you are reading Soul Mates.)

Education of the Heart....a companion piece to the above series containing many of the sources and readings for them.

The Soul Of Sex
Dark Nights of the Soul
The Soul's Religion


James Hillman, another Jungigan scholar and author.:
The Soul's Code
A Blue Fire

A note about these two authors: I have had several people tell me that they just can't get into them. This may be because they are both college professors and write like it at times. They can seem a little bit dry unless you are really into what they are saying and don't mind really stretching your vocabulary. It is more likely that they just are not speaking in a voice that resonates with you or you with it. That is okay. There are plenty of other voices out there. I haven't gotten into Mary Ann Williamson. I like what she is saying but so far, her voice just doesn't speak to me.

Rainer Marie Rilke':
Letters to a Young Poet


Julia Cameron:
The Artist's Way

Gail Sheehey:
Passages ( the original, not the 'new' one)


Jane Roberts/Seth
Note: These books are 'channeled'. Even if you are not comfortable with that concept, read them anyway. They contain beautiful, useful information.:
The Seth Material
Seth Speaks
The Nature of Personal Reality

John Perkins:
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Psychonavigation
Shape Shifting
The World as You Dream It

Neal Donald Walsh:
Conversations with God, all three books
What God Wants


Larry Dossey:
Be Careful What You Pray for, You Just Might Get It

Lenedra J. Carrol:
The Architecture of All Abundance (one of my current favorites,; I'm not sure that it is still in print but you can find in on Amazon even if it isn't )

Don Miguel Ruiz:
The 4 Agreements

Paramahansa Yogananda:
Autobiography of a Yogi

Howard S. Levy/Akira Ishihara:
The Tao of Sex

The Complete Kama Sutra (Yes, I read it cover to cover when I wasn't getting any .)

I will list more books as time goes on. I am looking forward to receiving your suggestions.