Reviews:
New Connexion, Pacific Northwest's Journal of Conscious Living:
Mary Ellen Flora is the co-founder of the Church of Divine Man
and has taught meditation techniques for two decades. By her own account, the
techniques provided in her book are simple and accessible. Meditation is a tool
anyone can use to listen to his or her inner voice. Some persons refer to the
guidance as God, angels, or guides. The important point stressed in the 96
pages of the book is the truth of our innate connection to God. We are all
spirit. Ms. Flora offers this gentle reminder throughout to encourage her
readers to accept that basic premise.
With the assistance of black and white illustrations, the basic
techniques required to become a practitioner of this spiritual tool are
provided. Ms. Flora begins with an explanation of meditation followed by the
first technique in grounding; something I’ve noticed is absent in other works
and meditation classes. Her advice is honest and sincere. She warns against
taking this new way of relating to yourself, your spirit and your physical
world lightly. "Many give up meditation practices after a short time, as
they are disappointed by the results. They begin to experience all the
disturbing or painful energies they have created and allowed in their reality,
and stop meditating before they work through the difficulties."
Central to the technique is the visualization of roses, focusing
on them during creation and destruction exercises. These are valuable experiments
with manifestation. I was comforted by the constant sense of safety throughout
the text and this is from the point of view of an individual who had a
disturbing and intrusive experience during my first attempt to center myself
with meditation several years ago. I cannot think of anyone who could consider
a rose threatening and it bolstered my resolve to keep my intention focused.
Extra support and reference is provided for beginners as well as
long-term practitioners with the companion 63-minute cassette tape*. On Side
One you are guided by the author’s voice through five spiritual techniques.
Once you are comfortable feeling your energy systems, Side Two leads you
through two practice meditations. Mary Ellen Flora’s voice is lilting and
confident. She keeps her instructions for meditations, manifestation practices,
and advice to the point and clearly understandable.
Meditation: Key to Spiritual Awakening has
encouraged me to resume my meditation practice with a sense of security,
comfort and unconditional love. You can purchase this book, audiotape and
others in the key series via CDM Publications, 2402 Summit Avenue, Everett, WA
98201, 1-800-360-6509, or the website www.c-d-m.org.
--- Review by Kimberly A. Bennett
Northwest Literature, Bellingham, WA:
Meditation: Key to Spiritual Awakening
is written for those seeking validation of their spiritual abilities
and the ways and means to tap into them. It provides a roadmap for the
healer who wishes to change self and world; for the opening of the
spiritual system and communication with spiritual guidance... it's
packed with information, insight and encouragement for all travelers on
the journey within.
The book presents spiritual techniques... complete with exercises
to help you experience and validate their effects. Mary Ellen leads
into the techniques with an essay describing the purpose and goals of
meditation. She provides useful insight into the effects of meditation
on the individual, the distractions that pull the individual away from
meditation, and how to overcome these distractions.
There's revelation in here for the novice and the adept: the kind
of revelation that lends itself to repeated reading, like poetry,
providing new insight at each return.
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