Book Haul January 14–Part 2

Third, I found Swami Prabhupada’s book The Science of Self Realization. I feel strongly that the purpose of our life is to prepare for the after life and bringing one’s self to realization is not only the intention of our existence but is also the need that we feel in the core of our being. All of life’s advancements through thousands of years has been to make it easier to realize our true selves, we may not be there still as of yet. I heard something on the radio about how we have to fight our human nature to survive, but I feel that instead we should acknowledge it and try to understand it so we can then transform it into something better. Can you imagine a cat without cat’s nature, or a dog, deer or bear? Of course not. So how are humans and our nature different? It is that the nature of animals is perfectly in tune with the intention with the divine, and we humans are not. I believe that we live in utopia, all the proof you need is out in nature that has not been disfigured by human development. This may also explain why we experience suffering. It is not natural to experience this, so therefore we are sensitive to it, when things are good and we are happy, it goes by unnoticed. Hopefully the experiencer of suffering gains wisdom and realizes that it is not the outside but the inside that is the source of suffering and works to change themselves. It is our opportunity to purify ourselves on the mortal plane, then return to our origin. Swami Bhaktivedanta says:

“The human being is distinguished from the animals in that the animals cannot understand what is God. And if the human being also does not understand what is God, then he is [an] animal.” His intention is to bring about the god consciousness within us.

Fourth, I randomly found this book on argumentation and as we make new year resolutions to improve upon ourselves, I have chosen to address my passiveness issue. Being an Aquarian with a Pisces moon, being passive comes very easy to me, if indeed the angle of the planets and stars contribute to our temperaments. I’m very live and let live and can’t we all just get along. Sometimes though, people are not satisfied to agree to disagree and being passive in this situation can be just as destructive as to be antagonistic and at what point does passivity differ from cowardice? The saying goes that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. I also noticed that if you do stand for something there are people who want to push you down for it. So what is the point of having beliefs and values if you don’t know how to defend them? There is always a root cause for the actions (or inaction in this case) that must be understood before real change can happen. So, my passivity is caused by my fear of becoming what I don’t want to be: A compassion less person who only sees themselves as right and will antagonize anyone who does not reflect these opinions. This will hopefully be a first step into being able to gracefully defend myself against such conflicts and stop being passive for fear of being turned into something I’m not.

K.S

Book Haul Dec 22

I love to haunt the local used book shops, they are like toy stores for adults. The isles tower over you while you search in wonder of what you will find and when you find a book you have wanted for some time, you gasp with excitement. That is what The Portable Dorothy Parker did for me when I found her yesterday.

I had gone back and forth about whether to get this 1973 edition or the updated one. I preferred this vintage portrait cover because the updated version has a black and white photo of Mrs. Parker looking rather haggard. Like the house maid, while scrubbing the floors, looks up to see if it is lunch time yet. The fates of the used book store presented me with this one and upon comparison of the contents online, they appear to be identical in spite of boasting 30 more pages in the updated edition.

The thing about glamour (which I would define as elegance that sparkles) is that you have to keep with it or it will go flat. Marilyn has glamour to spare, so when I found this Bio of Marilyn by Donald Spoto, I found it to be the perfect subject to polish up on my glamour with. I was pleasantly surprised by the thoughtfully written and measured opinion on this woman’s life. So often the biographies of movie stars try to mimic the sensationalist weekly tabloids. I usually don’t like pink, but she makes it look good.

I need more Millay and Lennon in my life, as it became apparent to me when I found these books.

I adore the unusual Anais Nin. Always beautifully insightful and one never knows what to expect from this true individual.

K.S.