The human race is again looking at the world as the ancients did—an approach that enabled civilizations of the past to bring forth inventions of great beauty and power. This school of thought—harmonics—envisioned the natural world and the solar system as an interlocking matrix of harmonious numbers, perfectly woven into the creative fabric of life and the surrounding universe.

In Sacred Geometry for Artists, Dreamers, and Philosophers, John Oscar Lieben shows how to create harmonious forms using the ancient tools of number, geometry, and musical tone—an approach that resonates with nature’s own ways of creation. He demonstrates many practical applications of harmonics, providing analyses of ancient sculpture and architecture as well as original examples of building floor plans, pottery figures based on planetary proportions, gardens based on harmonic principles, and ceremonial spaces that honor cosmic harmonies and sacred geometric relationships.

Showing how harmonics can also be applied to the mysteries of time and space, Lieben demonstrates how the vesica piscis and many other variations of the vesica shape reveal numerical synchronicities and correspondences that connect cosmic time cycles, measures of space, and musical tones. The author applies harmonics and the “vesica construction” matrix to illustrate many of nature’s wonders, including the Earth-Moon relationship, the interactions of the Golden Number and the musical scale, and how the Flower of Life symbol connects the universal field with the pattern of raindrops falling on a pond.

Offering an approach to sacred geometry that pairs the mystical with the practical, the cosmic with the earthly, Lieben recommends that the art and science of harmonics be required study for the artist and the seeker of eternal truths as well as the scientist who seeks an entree to the sacred foundations of nature. I could not agree more.

—SARAH CIRILLO

The 1960s was a decade that generated enormous changes in politics, fashion, spiritualism, art, and especially music. Author Christopher Hill takes us on a “magical mystery tour” as he informs us that it was especially the music that fueled these changes, as he traces the roots of the “British Invasion” back to beloved fairy tales filled with mystical symbolism, back to visionary poetry. The eyes and hearts of an entire generation were opened up to the possibility of beauty, hope, and enormous possibility. The Beatles gave permission to be childlike and imaginative; the Rolling Stones sent a message of rebellion and debauchery. Simultaneously, there was an explosion of inspiration among American musicians, who then took the visionary mysticism to a new level in sunny California and in the underground scene of New York City.

Into the Mystic is a history book, a music anthology, an analysis of song lyrics, and most of all a love letter, written by a man who has been dedicated to the musicians and the music of that era. He goes deeply into the meanings of the lyrics, not only of the most well-known artists from that time (Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dylan, Beach Boys, Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground) but also the lesser-publicized but often-heard musicians like The Left Banke and The Incredible String Band.

Although this book has great appeal for boomers (trust me, you will remember songs that you have not thought about in years and that will stick in your head), Into the Mystic will also be a guide for younger readers who want to understand the musical journey that changed their parents or grandparents and the world and will inspire a new generation to rediscover the power and hope that great music can provide.

—SARAH CIRILLO

Yoga nidra is a practice that allows you to consciously explore the states of wakefulness, dream, and deep sleep as well as your own psyche by combining deep relaxation with attentive awareness. Stemming f rom Buddhist, Hindu, and Tantric philosophies, the practice centers on techniques for putting the mind and body to sleep while keeping consciousness alert.

Pierre Bonnasse, also known as Chitragupta, has studied under spiritual masters for more than 20 years and cofounded the Rishi Yoga Shala School. In Yoga Nidra Meditation: The Sleep of the Sages, he presents a step-by-step guide, offering a complete range of practices focused on the time of awakening and that of going to sleep. These practices are adaptable to any time of day or night, which works well for me because sometimes I work days and other times, nights. Bonnasse explains how yoga nidra sessions allow you to discover “that which is held on to,” making it is easier to let go and become free from all states and processes. A session can explore different states of consciousness as well as your senses, desires, and fears.

Encompassing four complete sessions as well as pointers for creating your own, Nidra Meditation shows how yoga nidra is the ideal practice for people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, and the fear of death, which Bonnasse believes is the source of all other fears. What I also love about his book is how it connects Indian and Western philosophical ideas to show how sleep can be an opportunity to practice a form of yoga that changes not only our nights but every minute of our days.

—SARAH CIRILLO

The Humming Effect: Sound Healing for Health and Happiness is a conscious guide to humming. Jonathan and Andi Goldman show that you don’t need to be a musician or singer to benefit from sound healing practices — all you need to do is hum. You don’t need to pay for a fancy tuning fork to experience the benefits of sound healing; instead, you can simply hum for free.

They provide conscious humming and breathing exercises from simple to advanced, complete with online examples. There is also an audio download that accompanies this book that is extremely helpful and informative for those of us who have not practiced this technique before.

Jonathan and Andi explore the science behind sound healing, revealing how self-created sounds can literally rearrange molecular structure. They demonstrate how humming not only helps with stress levels, sleep, and blood pressure but also increases lymphatic circulation and melatonin production. Humming also releases endorphins, creates new neural pathways in the brain, and releases nitric oxide, a neurotransmitter fundamental to health and wellbeing. As they research the science behind sound healing, they convey their research in a way that anyone can understand.

The authors show how sound can act as a triggering mechanism for the manifestation of your conscious intentions. They also examine the spiritual use of humming, including its use as a sonic yoga technique and its role in many world traditions, such as the Om, Aum, or Hum of Hindu and Tibetan traditions.

Who knew that humming could be so beneficial to our health and happiness? In The Humming Effect, the Goldmans prove that humming is free, easy, available to all, and beneficial for your health and happiness.

—SARAH CIRILLO

Natural Remedies for Digestive Health
By Christopher Vasey

In this easy to follow step-by-step guide, Swiss-born naturopath Christopher Vasey explains how healthy intestines work and the different forms that constipation can take. He details the eight main causes of constipation: lack of roughage, lack of water, liver dysfunction, constipating foods or medications, weak muscles, imbalances in intestinal flora, stress and anxiety, and nutritional deficiencies. He helps you discover which of the eight causes underlie your unique case and offers practical advice on how to correct them with natural and non-aggressive methods, such as dietary changes, herbs, and relaxation techniques. For situations when quick relief is necessary, he provides gentle ways to empty the bowels, including natural laxatives and enemas, explaining which to choose for each type of constipation, but also stressing that these are only temporary solutions. Explaining how constipation can be a symptom of a deeper imbalance, Dr. Vasey explores how treating it properly can restore full function not only to the digestive system but to the liver and kidneys as well. In this very useful and practical guide, you will learn how to support the work of your intestines, allowing your body to gradually resume its natural working rhythm. This is one of the best books I have come across for constipation relief.

—SARAH CIRILLO

Filmmaker and author Alejandro Jodorowsky has been prolific lately. His most recent film, Poesía Sin Fin (Endless Poetry), will debut at Cannes, for which he conducted very successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, becoming a bit of a YouTube sensation. He has somehow found time to also write a fascinating and wideranging book about his career, art, life, and the development of his spiritual path. Sacred Trickery and the Way of Kindness, with Gilles Farcet, is an eye-opening accomplishment on its own.

Known for his ’70s surrealist films, his unique approach to tarot, his symbolic comics, and his therapeutic method called psychomagic, Jodorowsky has accomplished an extraordinary amount in his more than 80 years. In this book, the spiritual thoughts of the constantly evolving cult figure “Jodo” are unveiled on a long journey spanning from the ’60s and ’70s, when he made the groundbreaking films El Topo and Holy Mountain, to his current incarnation as spiritual trailblazer. Of special interest to film buffs will be Jodo’s recollections on the initial failure of the Dune movie project, which brought together cultural creatives of the day like Salvador Dali, Orson Welles, and Mick Jagger.

The thrust of the book comes from Jodorowsky’s time studying with Buddhist master Ejo Takata, whose Zen training featured strenuous physical and mental ordeals. There’s a captivating story of a chance meeting in Mexico between Jodorowsky and the elusive Carlos Castaneda, whose well-known sacred trickery heavily influenced Jodo and his spiritual path.

Discussing the Way of Kindness that he now follows, Jodorowsky reveals how intentionally practicing small acts of generosity and goodness can have a profound effect on your spirit, infusing life with a wealth of happiness. Jodo’s radical wisdom discerns the timeless within the immediate and gauges the everyday by the measure of eternity.

—SARAH CIRILLO