Monday, October 29, 2012

Andrew Cort: Guest Post and Giveaway


Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!


BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.
Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.
THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.
This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.


Author: Andrew Cort

A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.
In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.
Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture. Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.
He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred
Feminine: Women in the Bible.
Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.
Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.



SODOM AND GOMORRAH, FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
When Abraham (who, according to the Kabbalah, is the personification of the highest human quality: Loving-Kindness) learned of the impending destruction of Sodom, he beseeched the Lord to be merciful, and to spare the city, since surely not every single resident was a sinner. He asked God if He would be willing to spare Sodom if He found fifty righteous souls therein. The Lord answered, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty innocent ones, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” Feeling emboldened, Abraham then asked what would happen if He only found forty-five. Again the Lord said He would spare the city. Abraham then continued his questions: What about forty? thirty? twenty? Each time, the Lord agreed to spare the city. Then Abraham said, “Let not my Lord be angry if I speak but this last time: What if ten should be found there?” Again the Lord agreed. But that was it, and Abraham went no further.Why did Abraham stop at ten? Why not one? ‘Ten’ is certainly an interesting number. Pythagoras called it the Perfect Number, the Number of Man. Abraham may have been aware that God would one day reveal Ten Commandments to the children of Israel, and perhaps he felt there should be a minimum of at least one person keeping each commandment if Sodom was to be saved. Some legends suggest that Abraham recalled that Noah had eight righteous souls in his family, and since these eight had not been sufficient for God to spare that whole generation there was no need now to continue this conversation. Or perhaps, as some legends suggest, he simply felt confident that his nephew Lot, along with his wife, four daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren, would more than total ten righteous souls.But more than likely the story simply means that, while a certain degree of negativity and evil can be tolerated, forgiven, and eventually redeemed, there comes a point where it is simply too extreme and too dangerous, and has to be annihilated.Abraham, of course, made no claim to be the enforcer of this code: his role was solely to plead for Mercy – a good reminder for many contemporary people who feel called upon to personally judge and punish their particular choice of ‘sinners’. After all, the people in this story – including the horrible citizens of Sodom – are all symbols of qualities living inside us. They do not represent some ‘other’ person. This entire story is taking place right now within theconfines of every human soul. The real meaning of the story is that the negativity and evil that has to be ‘annihilated’ is our own.

BUY NOW LINKS:
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:
Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_C


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Check out the other stops coming up..
10/29 A Night's Dream of Books 
10/29 My World
10/31 My Devotional Thoughts
10/31 My Cozie Corner
11/1 Simply Infatuated
11/1 Reading, Writing and More
11/2 Fighting Monkey Press
11/2 The Bunnies Review
11/5 A Night's Dream of Books
11/5 My World
11/7 My Devotional Thoughts
11/7 My Cozie Corner
11/8 Simply Infatuated
11/8 Reading, Writing and More
11/9 The Bunnies Review
11/10 Fighting Monkey Press
11/10 The Bunnies Review

Monday, October 22, 2012

Andrew Cort: Guest Post and Giveaway


Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!


BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.
Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.
THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.
This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.


Author: Andrew Cort

A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.
In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.
Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture. Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.
He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred
Feminine: Women in the Bible.
Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.
Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.



WHY DID GOD BOTHER?

Spiritual teachings say that we are supposed to “find our way home again” – that is, we must seek spiritual Truth and become enlightened. But if we started at “home”, what was the point of sending us “down here” just so we can find our way back to where we started?? Perhaps one of the best explanations was given by Christ in his Parable of the Prodigal Son:  
A father had two sons. The elder of these remained always at home, never disobedient or unruly, faithfully working in his father’s fields and vineyards. The younger son, however, took his inheritance early and went far away from his father’s home, where he squandered all he had and wasted his life with riotous living. Eventually he hit bottom, and awoke to find himself penniless, hungry, a hired hand who fed another man’s pigs for a living. He saw that he had sinned against his father and against heaven, and he immediately determined to return home, admit his failures and shortcomings, and beg his father to take him on as a lowly servant, rather than remaining where he was and perishing of hunger. So he headed home. But while still far off his father saw him, was filled with joy and compassion, and ran to him and kissed him. When the young son admitted his unworthiness, his father ordered servants to bring him the finest robes and to prepare a great feast, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again! He was lost, and is found.” But when the elder son returned home from the fields and saw what was happening, he was very angry and complained bitterly to his father, “This boy, who now returns, wasted everything you gave him on harlots and debauchery. But allthese years I have worked for you faithfully, never transgressing, and you have never celebrated with a feast for me!”
The ‘father’ in this parable represents God. The elder son represents a child of God who never ventures out into the difficulties of material life. As a result, he has never experienced struggle, failure or sorrow, and he has never experienced triumph, passion or joy. He is ‘good’, he is innocent, but he can never change or learn or evolve. He has no future, he has no potential, his soul was finished as soon as it began, and as such he is of limited interest and limited use to his father. The younger son goes off into life and falls asleep to his father’s world. He is ‘bad’ and he quickly loses his innocence, he squanders everything and cavorts with harlots, he drinks in all the diverse experiences of earthly life, he feels and laughs and suffers and cries. In the end he realizes he is in a pigsty and makes the decision to begin the journey home. “Time to let go and let God”, he might have said.By the time he gets back, he has evolutionary possibilities that his innocent brother will never know – qualities that are highly treasured by his father. This son was ‘dead’: his soul, like ours, had descended into the world of illusion. But now, grown wise with the wisdom of experience, grown strong with the grit that only comes from enduring difficulties and overcoming obstacles, his soul has returned home to God and is ‘alive’ again. There is far greater joy in heaven for this accomplishment than for the bland, static existence of his older brother.Refusing the full experience of this world of sense, pain, and pleasure, is to reject the plan of God! Spiritual evolution cannot take place until involution is complete and every bit of life has been experienced. Only then can a real choice be made, and we have to make that choice from our own selves.
BUY NOW LINKS:
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:
Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_C



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, October 18, 2012



Welcome to the Prowl Trilogy tour hosted by I Luv Tours. Today, learn a bit about the author, Amber Garza, followed by a review of the final book, Unveil. Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

 
From her blog:  Hi! Thanks for stopping by. My name is Amber Garza and I LOVE to write. I've had a passion for writing since I was a little girl, making books out of notebook paper and staples. As an adult I've worked hard to make my dream of being a published a reality.  The Prowl Trilogy is my first finished series.. My next series will be out this October.

From Goodreads:   Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Smith is sent away to spend a boring summer at her grandma's. But then she meets Wesley. He tells her exactly what she wants to hear and has information about her past that no one else knows. It's almost like he can read her mind.
Only Wesley isn't who he seems.
By the time Mackenzie discovers his true identity it may be too late. She's in too deep and he won't let her go. Now Mackenzie must call on the strongest power of all in order to save her life. 

My Review:

I couldn't wait to delve into the final installation of this trilogy!  In Unveil, we follow on Kenzie's new Christian walk.  She faces many challenges.  Her first love, Isaac, has broken up with her and she barely speaks with him and Tanner won't speak to her at all.  Thankfully, she still has Haley, without her she feels she would be completely alone.  
Things start looking up as Tanner becomes friends with her again and her mom starts showing signs of the being the mom she never was before.  Her best friend, Haley, and her mom even go to church with her in this book!  
Suddenly, Kenzie's world starts crumbling..  Drake shows up in her mom's life again and threatens her ideal 18th birthday party (which is her very first birthday party).  During this party, begins the ultimate struggle between good and evil...
Can the people Kenzie loves most in this world save her and themselves from the evil all around them?  Can Kenzie finally make up her mind as to who her heart truly belongs??  
A very climactic ending sure to keep you on the edge of your seat and rooting for the good guys!
I gave this book 4.5 stars!

The Giveaway

What you can win: One (1) e-book from the Prowl Trilogy (Prowl or Entice or Unveil). Open internationally. There will be only one winner from this blog throughout the tour, although I will have a post for each book in the trilogy. Giveaway ends October 25th.


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There will also be a tour-wide giveaway. All three (3) e-books of The Prowl Trilogy + Surprise to one winner. Open INTERNATIONALLY, ends October 30, 2012. To enter this giveaway and find the tour schedule, click here.



You can buy the books via the following links:
Unveil on Kindle


If you would like to see my reviews for the first two books, follow these links..

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Future Terror by Kylar Green

11 years ago today, I gave birth to my first son..

Kylar..  I was so proud of him then, as I am today.  He loves to read just like me!  Today, in honor of his birthday, I am sharing a story he wrote for school.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

You'll never believe who was in the limo...

I was in my classroom one morning and Mr. Harned comes on the intercom asking for me to come to the office.  When I got to the office I saw my parents standing up smiling.  Mr. Harned pointed to the parking lot where a long white limousine is parked and he said that someone was here to see me.  So I walked outside and wondered who could be in the limo.  Slowly the dark tinted window rolled down as I got closer.  Finally I saw them, it was Harry Potter and some man.  While I was wondering who the man could be they jerked me into the limo and sped off.  Soon whirling colors were all around us then it finally stopped.
When the colors stopped the first thought through my mind was get out.  So despite my dizzying head-ache I opened the door and got out.  The man said "Do you know who I am?"  "No." I said awkwardly   "I am you."  I felt heavy and collapsed.
When I woke up I saw Brandon Lee and Dumbledore sitting beside me.  I heard screams outside the hi-tech room we were in.  I guessed I was in the future just then a little robot came up to me and that was correct.  The ground trembled and I heard more screams so I jumped up and bolted out the door.  I was shocked at what I saw.  
It was a 30  foot tall giant!  Without thinking I bent down picked up a gold sword and ran toward the beast. When I got there I slashed open his leg, gold blood squirted out.  He tried to hit me with his club but I dodged it and cut him again.  The giant screamed in pain, I felt unstoppable until he smacked.
I went flying through the air and landed on the cold hard ground.  I could barely breathe.  I thought I would die but then I felt something shaking my shoulder.  It was my mom, and that was just a dream.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

30 Blogs on Car Seat Safety



Posted on October 15, 2012 by admin | in Babysitting Jobs


One of the most important pieces of baby gear you’ll ever purchase is your infant’s car seat. In fact, car seats are such a non-negotiable baby purchase that most hospital administrators won’t even allow you to leave the hospital with your new bundle of joy until you have one in your vehicle and it’s properly installed. There are so many different recommendations regarding car seats that it can be difficult to determine which ones apply to your child. These 30 blogs offer advice and valuable information regarding a variety of subjects relating to car seats, and can help to eliminate any confusion you may have.

Car Seat Installation

The first time you attempt to install a car seat is likely to be a difficult, frustrating experience. With a bit of practice, though, you’ll be confidently installing your child’s car seat in no time. In the meantime, these five blogs can help you figure out the best way to adhere to current car seat installation guidelines...

To read the full article, follow this link..

Monday, October 15, 2012

Andrew Cort: Guest Post and Giveaway


Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!


BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.
Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.
THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.
This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.


Author: Andrew Cort

A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.
In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.
Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture. Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.
He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred
Feminine: Women in the Bible.
Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.
Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.





WHAT DOES ‘REPENTANCE’ REALLY MEAN?

Jesus ministry begins at the Jordan River, where John is preaching Repentance. This also signifies that our own journey of spiritual awakening must begin right here with Repentance. But what exactly is Repentance?
‘Repentance’ is generally understood to mean a sincere feeling of regret and sorrow (not merely a hypocritical claim of regret and sorrow) for a sin against God, as a result of which we hope to procure His forgiveness and avoid punishment for our evil acts.But actually, the Greek word that is translated in the Gospels as ‘Repentance’ is Metanoia, which really means to change one’s mind, to think in a new way. It implies a manner of thinking that is beyond our usual state of mind.The Bible consistently teaches that all spiritual attainment begins with thinking in a different way. Unless the Mind changes, unless our attitudes change, nothing in the world will ever change, for we will remain forever exactly as we are.At an early point in the New Testament, Jesus’ disciples bring up a recent story of some Galileans whom Pilate had viciously murdered. Jesus asks them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all the other Galileans?” He then reminds them of a recent disaster in which a tower had collapsed and killed a number of bystanders. “Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them – do you think they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem?” On the contrary, he says, none of this happened to these people because they were evil. They did not ‘deserve’ it.Then Jesus concluded by telling the disciples, “Unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
What are we to make of this strange warning!? It cannot mean that all the disciples will be murdered by Pontius Pilate or crushed by a falling tower. Nor can it mean that they will all necessarily be punished with a painful death if they do not feel the appropriate amount of guilt for all the dreadful things they have done in life: plenty of sinful people die peacefully in their sleep without ever seeking forgiveness.What this means is, ‘unless you change the way you think and awaken, you will die in a state of unconscious, meaningless, sleep, exactly as they did, and that means you will disappear forever, just as everyone does who dies unawakened.’This is what Jesus wants his disciples to concern themselves with. For him, religion is not about social morality – and certainly not a vindictive self-righteous morality or a sentimental need to be ‘good’. Religion is about the perfection and ascension of the soul, and this begins with Metanoia.

BUY NOW LINKS:Amazon paper book
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:
Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_C


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 8, 2012

Andrew Cort: Guest Post and Giveaway


Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!


BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.
Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.
THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.
This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.


Author: Andrew Cort

A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.
In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.
Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture. Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.
He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred
Feminine: Women in the Bible.
Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.
Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.




NOUS – “THE EYE OF THE SOUL”


Just as we all have many different appetites and emotions (which are usually in conflict, and which can be interested in all sorts of healthy or unhealthy objects), we also have many different, and often confusing, mental functions: we have random thoughts, images, and memories; we have stored facts and data; we have logical processes; we have practical knowledge about how to do various things; we have theories and beliefs and opinions and all kinds of prejudices, etc.Where, in the midst of all this mental clutter, is the True Ruler of the human soul?
Socrates believed that no one does evil consciously. Our thoughts and notions may certainly be irrational or even foolish, but we always believe that what we are doing in any given moment is the right and proper thing to do: if we knew that what we were doing was 'evil' we could not keep doing it. So the 'True Ruler' of the soul, that ought to be making decisions, would have to be that part of the mind which absolutely knows, beyond any mere opinion, the difference between good and evil − the part of our soul that is capable of unerringly discerning 'the Good'.
Does such a place exist? Plato thought so. He called this part of the soul Nous.
Nous is that special place in our intellect - beyond the confines of imagination, belief, and even reason - that arrives at knowledge by sudden, uncontradictable, insight. Such an insight (we have all had them) may follow in the wake of a long and painstaking period of questioning and pondering, or it may appear inexplicably out of the blue, but when it arrives it arrives in a flash. In general, these are rare and involuntary events, for this is a potential human faculty that usually lies dormant. But Socrates believed that it is possible for this faculty to become conscious and deliberate. In  fact, he said that 'awakening Nous'− not merely studying or thinking − is the highest task of anyone who wishes to perfect his or her soul. It is possible, even easy, to have a keen and clever mind, to know a great many facts, and to be filled with practical and theoretical knowledge, and yet to have no authentic Wisdom because one's Nous has never awakened. Such a soul is always like that ship whose captain has been narcotized, a ship which is either in a state of endless anarchy, or which has been taken over by one or another tyrannical usurper: some harsh or foolish passion, appetite, belief or prejudice, which 'rules' and ruins one's life.For Socrates, then, Wisdom is not about knowing many things or understanding difficult ideas. It is always and only about awakening one's soul to wonder and insight.

BUY NOW LINKS:Amazon paper book
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:
Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_C


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Thursday, October 4, 2012

Andrew Cort: Guest Post and Giveaway



Welcome to my weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours! I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!


BLURB:
The door is always open. The light is always ready to receive us. But we have to learn how to tread the path.
Fortunately for us, all of the wonderful myths and legends of ancient Greece, as well as all the sacred and beautiful stories of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, have the common aim of showing us, through symbols and allegories, a practical method for reaching spiritual enlightenment, for returning 'home'.
THE DOOR IS OPEN describes the seven precise steps that are revealed in all great mythology and scripture, along with enjoyable and effective spiritual exercises and activities that are suitable for individual seekers or groups of friends working together.
This is a story that has been lost and forgotten, even though the entire tale has been right before our eyes the whole time.


Author: Andrew Cort

A native of Boston (and life-long Red Sox fan) who came of age in the turbulent 1960’s, Dr. Andrew
Cort has followed a uniquely versatile path through life. He received his Bachelor’s Degree (in English) and Master’s in Teaching (Science Education) from Colgate University. He then went on to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from New York Chiropractic College (he practiced in New York City for ten years, focusing on nutrition, exercise, applied kinesiology, and the mind’s impact on physical health), as well as a Law Degree from Boston College Law School (he is a member of the Massachusetts Bar). During his years in New York, Dr. Cort served on the Executive Board of H.E.A.L., Inc. (“Health Education AIDS Liaison”) and wrote his first book, on issues of health care and the environment,Our Healing Birthright: Taking Responsibility for Ourselves and Our Planet (Inner Traditions, 1990, currently out of Deeply committed to education, spirituality, and activism, Dr. Cort has taught in a variety of colleges and schools, private and public, including The State University of New York in Morrisville, NY; Bay State College, in Boston, MA; The Desisto School, in Stockbridge, MA (a private school for troubled youth); Berkshire Community College, in Pittsfield, MA; and the Springfield Public School System, in Springfield, MA. Dr. Cort has taught courses in Mathematics, Physics, English, Mythology, Business Law, General Science, and English.
In addition to academic studies in literature, science, law and mathematics, he has studied the work of many spiritual traditions — from the Bible, Plato, the Qur’an, Dante, etc., to contemporary teachers including G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, Rudolf Steiner, Paul Brunton, Anthony Damiani, Sri Aurobindo, Mme. Blavatsky, Oscar Ichazo, and others.
Dr. Cort is the author of numerous books and articles on religion, spirituality, mythology, politics, history, science, education and healing, and how these all relate to contemporary American culture. Following in the tradition of Socrates, he considers himself a student, and not a teacher, of these extraordinary thinkers, philosophers, mystics, and writers. His work invites readers to study along with him.
He is also the Host of Spirit of the Berkshires on CTSB-TV, and available worldwide on Vimeo.com and on www.andrewcort.com. Also on there (and on YouTube) is his series of short videos on The Sacred
Feminine: Women in the Bible.
Andrew Cort lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, and can be reached at Andrew@AndrewCort.com. He is an accomplished, energetic, and articulate public speaker, and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.
Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, from his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETTER) click here. You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.

A NEW LOOK AT ADAM & EVE: Part 2 – “The Fall”
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”Notice here that Adam’s behavior in this story is completely passive. Throughout the scene, he is silent. The Serpent and Eve have their discussion, she decides to eat the fruit, she gives some to Adam, and he eats it too. That's all it says!The story doesn't say that Eve tempted Adam, and nothing in the narration or in his silence suggests that she did.
There’s no indication he’s reluctant to eat the fruit, that his better judgment is overwhelmed by Eve's treachery, or even that he thinks about it at all. He says nothing and he takes no initiative. It’s merely a passive act of acquiescence.Socrates will later describe the human soul as composed of three parts – the Thoughts of the Mind, the Emotions of the Heart, and the Needs and Appetites of the Body. He shows us that these parts are in a state of total chaos and disorder.
To ‘perfect’ one’s soul means that each of these parts must perform its own proper task in a well-ordered harmony with the others.In the story of Eden, which is a parable of our inner life and the need to evolve and perfect our soul, Adam represents the Mind, Eve represents the Heart, and the Serpent represents the Body. (This is typical ancient mythological symbolism: males = mind, females = heart, animals = body). In their proper alignment, the Mind should be the Active principle that governs the soul. The Body should the Passive principle which supports the efforts of the Mind. And the Heart should be the Reconciling principle that protects and nurtures the soul under the guidance of the Mind. But what happened in the Garden of Eden is that the appropriate ‘order’ became inverted. The serpent (the Body) interfered, took the active lead, and persuaded Eve (the Heart) to go along with its wishes. Adam (the Mind), silent and oblivious, passively joined in.This was the real ‘sin’ that occurred in the Garden of Eden, and that recurs in each one of us. This is the ‘Original’ (in the sense of ‘fundamental’) sin – the sin of an inverted soul. It takes very little imagination to see that this allegory provides a complete and accurate description of our contemporary life – the pop culture, the greed, the obscenity. The Body’s appetites are completely in charge of what we do, the Heart’s emotions fawn over these cravings, and the Mind (at least in the sense of genuine Wisdom) sits back silently and lets it all continue. ‘Original Sin’ is not “something an evil woman did a long time ago”. Quite the contrary, we are all committing this sin right now. It is high time we stopped blaming ‘Eve’.When God returns to the Garden of Eden, his instructions are really quite simple. If the soul wants to evolve, the Serpent must crawl on its belly – in other words, the Body must be Passive and focus on the Earth. Adam must “earn his bread through the sweat of his face” – in other words, the Mind (the "face") must make active efforts ("sweat") and take control. And Eve must “obey” her husband.But this last statement should never have been twisted into a sexist command about social and marital relations. It’s an inner symbol which simply means that the Heart (in all of us) must be obedient to the intelligence of the Mind, not the cravings of the Body.


BUY NOW LINKS:Amazon paper book
Amazon Kindle copy

ONLINE LINKS:
Website & Blog http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3
Twitter www.twitter.com/andrewcort
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_C


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Monday, October 1, 2012

Whispers in the Woods: Excerpt and Giveaway



Welcome to my stop on the Whispers in the Woods book tour hosted by Virtual Book Tour Cafe!  I hope you enjoy the information I give here, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!


T.J. Dell
When T.J. isn't reading or writing (which is almost never), she is enjoying a blissfully boring life with her family in Maryland.  Her two greatest wishes are to serve on a Starfleet Starship or to be invited to join the Justice League.  Sure her chances are slim, but she's a big believer in dreaming big.  A hopeless romantic to her very core, T.J.'s books explore every corner of the wobbly-kneed-world of romance novels. She has a particular penchant for Young Adult themes.  Dell's debut novel 'Her Best Friend's Brother' is enjoying its tenth month as an Amazon best seller, and her popular Elfkin Series is hot on its heels.




From Goodreads:  If it can kill you-- how can it be love?
When Evie Parker meets Lucas Spencer she begins to feel hope again. Lately she's been going through life in a fog and Lucas is all about teaching her how to have fun again. For the first time since the accident she knows what it means to be happy.
So who cares if Lucas is a little odd. It isn't that strange that she's never met his parents, or that teachers never seem to notice when he's late for class. Evie tries not to care, but on top of all his peculiar behavior she's been feeling kind of sick lately-- ever since she met Lucas actually.
When Lucas decides it is time to come clean with all his secrets Evie has to make some hard decisions.




Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Independently published
Release Date: May 21, 2012

An Excerpt from Whispers in the Woods.

“Is something wrong with your pizza?” Lucas paused between giant bites of his dinner. Two huge slices piled high with every topping on the menu were still waiting on his plate. He’d already polished off one.
“No. I’m just letting it cool off. I prefer to be able to taste my food.” My own single slice of pepperoni pizza was still piping hot and therefore untouched in front of me.
Lucas held one of his hands over my food, gauging the temperature. “It should be cool enough.”
As always, he was right. A moment before steam had been drifting off my plate, and now it was perfectly cooled: still warm enough to taste good, but nowhere near hot enough to burn my taste buds off. All thoughts of how wrong that was got pushed to the back of my mind—along with all other similar thoughts I’d been ignoring for the past forty-eight hours. That area of my mind was getting mighty crowded lately.
“Eat, Evie. You’re making me self-conscious.” Lucas’s voice pulled me back to the conversation. He was grinning around a big mouthful of his third slice.
“I really don’t think that’s possible. Besides, food clearly doesn’t affect your body the way it does a normal person.”
His jaw hung open. The way he was staring at me—well, I may as well have smacked him. “What do you mean?”
I blushed. Probably I should have kept that to myself. “Nothing. I just… well, look at you. I’ve watched you consume a gazillion calories over the last two days and you still look… well, the way you look.”
“I think there is a compliment in there somewhere.” A grin broke out on his face.
“Umm… yeah. I guess.” Man, that was embarrassing!
Lucas got up from his chair and settled himself next to me in the booth. “You don’t think I’m normal?” His whisper was low and husky, and his breath tickled against my ear.
“Are you?” Could he hear my heart? Could everyone in the building hear it? It was certainly beating loud enough.
“If I’m not normal, does that bother you? Would it matter? Would you still have agreed to come here with me?”
“Probably.” My voice was squeaking.
“Which one, Evie?” He lifted his hands to frame my face. His beautiful soft eyes bore into mine as though this was the most important conversation he’d ever had.
“Probably I would still have come to dinner with you.”
Relief flashed in his eyes—and something else, too. At the time I couldn’t recognize it for what it was: guilt. “I’m not sure you know what you’re saying, but I’ll take it anyway.”
He tasted like pizza. That was the first thought to register in my brain after his lips touched mine. It was also the last thought. The entire restaurant melted away. In a corner to our left a kid was screaming for more French fries. Two tables to our right a group of kids argued as they counted their pocket change on the tabletop. All around us arcade games buzzed and beeped while children cheered. I heard none of it.
I know what you’re thinking. And yes, we were in a family restaurant surrounded by children. But I swear it wasn’t like that; not on the outside anyway. His kiss was soft and sweet. His hands never left my face. The amazing, earth-shattering, life-defining
moment was happening on the inside. Something deep inside me snapped. Not snapped apart. God knows I’d been broken into enough pieces recently. It was more like snapping together. It felt like finding last piece of sky in a big jigsaw puzzle. I could feel him. Just like the day before, only times a thousand.
“Oh wow.” I grinned when we pulled away.
“Uh-oh,” he said at the very same moment.

Andrew Cort: Guest Post and Giveaway


 My weekly guest post for The Door Is Open by Andrew Cort, hosted by Innovative Online Book Tours , will be appearing on my other blog.  Please follow the link and enjoy today's post!  Don't forget to enter the giveaway below!!