Video Book Review

Song of The Lord - The Bhagavad Gita

I recently read the "Song of the Lord," by Thomas Emerson. Thomas' interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita was easy to read and refreshing. You do not have to be studying for your masters in eastern religion to understand this book. The author simplified the language by removing and/or reinterpreting the Indian words that are used in the original version. The Song of the Lord gives its reader insight into the eastern religion led by Krishna who was considered God incarnate. This book details the conversations that Krishna had with one of the battling cousins who sought to be king. Krishna helped the good cousin win the war, but in the process gave the people of the land scriptures that taught them many life lessons including how to achieve closeness to God. No matter what your religious beliefs are, this book is enlightening, educational, and entertaining. I recommend the "Song of the Lord" to everyone of all ages.

The Jesus You Weren't Supposed To Know

Thomas Emerson does a great job talking about the life of Jesus Christ, from the time of Jesus' birth all the way through to his crucifixion and resurrection. This is a very captivating look at the life of Jesus Christ, and Thomas explains what it was about Jesus' message that the church never wanted you to hear. The gospels in our Bible are only four out of dozens of Gospels that existed at the time of the early Christian church. Thomas explains what it was about these forbidden Gospels that so alarmed the church. Thomas talks about the actual birthdate of Jesus, and where Jesus may have been between the years of thirteen until the time he was thirty. He touches on the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, which suggests that there may have been a intimate relationship between Mary and Jesus. There is a chapter on the Star of Bethlehem that the wise men followed, and what star or planets the wise men may have been following. He's questioning, but not doubting anything in the faith, which is a fine line to walk, and I think he does that really well.

The Art of Dying: An Eastern Approach

This book approaches death from a eastern perspective, and from the culture of Tibet and the religion of Buddhism. Thomas Emerson brings us into the world of how dying is viewed in the east, and their approach of preparing for death while they are still alive. In the east they study certain scriptures to prepare themselves for the moment of their death, because they see death as an important next step in their spiritual lives. They believe that what you are thinking about at the time of your death determines the direction that your soul will go in the afterlife. So if you are thinking happy thoughts, you will go to a higher elevated existence. This is a great read about the possibilities of what happens when we die from an eastern perspective, and it doesn't saturate your mind with the usual western doubts about death. This book helps you to see a different view of death, which is really great! Thomas really opens up your mind to see dying more as a art.

Zero Point: Moments Beyond Conscious Thought

This book is a collection of essays that covers a broad array of topics ranging from yoga, sex, ghosts, to near-death experiences. It's sort of a beginner's guide to New Age philosophy, and it is a very interesting and fascinating book. Emerson talks about all of these deep spiritual issues in an extremely accessible manner, and that's something that I really liked the most about this book. I never felt talked down to, and it was all very clear. Even if you're not particularly religious, this is definitely a book you can still read, and it's very factual and not preachy. A portion of the book is made up of questions and answers that have come from Thomas Emerson's students, addressing a wide variety of topics. These questions really make you think for days after you have read the book. Which is something that is really unique to this book, just how deep he goes into these spiritual issues. If you are looking for something about New Age philosophy, or a bridge between science and religion, or if you are just looking for a book that is really going to make you think, I think you should definitely check out "Zero Point."

The Yoga Sutras: for a 21st Century

This book is about the famous eastern scriptures, or sutras, written about yoga by the spiritual Master Patañjali in 200 B.C.. It sounds very simple, but it definitely is not simple. These verses are really hard to comprehend, so Thomas breaks them down and explains what each verse really means. Patañjali was considered brilliant and enlightened, and what Thomas has done is taken these very profound verses and he explains them in modern day terms and language. In the United States we tend to see yoga only as different stretching exercises, and yoga is definitely much more than that. Yoga is actually about achieving a union with God, and the verses explain what different methods are used in the east to accomplish this. Thomas explains that yoga is really about achieving this union with God, and a inner union with your soul. It's very spiritual, and reading this book actually gave me much more insight into what yoga really is. I recommend this book to get a better insight into the topic of yoga.

The Yoga Sutras: for a 21st Century

This is a great book for people interested in eastern religion, whether you are a beginner or you are advanced in your understanding of eastern thought. Thomas does a wonderful job of breaking down the Yoga Sutras and explaining the fundamental beliefs of yoga. It's a great book for people who are just beginning to explore yoga or eastern philosophy for the first time, but it's also a wonderful reference book for people who are advanced scholars of the Yoga Sutras. Each of the 200 verses of the sutras are in bold in the book with a brief explanation by Emerson about the meaning of each verse and their relevance in our 21st century world. Thomas does a great job explaining yoga, and this in not just a book about stretching, yoga actually has eight different branches, and Thomas takes you through all of them, making sure that each verse is understandable and relevant to our lives today. The format is very similar to a Bible verse book, because the verses are numbered and followed by a clear explanation of each verse. You should definitely check out this extremely informative book on Yoga.