Showing results by narrator "Michael Toms" in All Categories

This gifted storyteller poignantly shares the memories of those mentors and teachers who profoundly influenced her life. She speaks of her voluntary muteness as a child. Even in this silence, "Mama" (Angelou's grandmother) spoke prophetically to the child's unbelieving ears: "You'll speak about the glorious nature of the human spirit and what we can be striving for."

This dialogue reviews Sheldrake's theory of "morphic resonance," which challenges some fundamental assumptions of established science. Sheldrake offers a revolutionary alternative to the mechanistic worldview, and points toward a new understanding of the nature of life, matter and mind. One of the more profound implications of Sheldrake's account here is his suggestion that the brain may be more like a tuning system than a recording device.

This discussion with a remarkable Benedictine monk who founded an ashram in South India is a beautiful, stirring exploration of human spirituality. In a rare synthesis of Christian, Hindu, and modern scientific thought, the late Father Bede discusses the infusing of gross matter and daily life with spirit, the finding of God "in the divine darkness beyond word and thought," technology and simple living, Black Madonnas, mysticism, and monastic life.

Vila is scared. Of course he is. Vila is always scared. He should feel safe. He is onboard the Liberator, the most powerful ship ever constructed. He is home - but he is certainly not alone. Ghostly figures stalk the corridors of the Liberator. Spectres who know Vila's name. Revenants. Demons. And Vila has nowhere to run.

An extraordinary visit with one of America's leading poets provides a unique exploration of the mystery of maleness. Bly uses fairy tales to illuminate the dark recesses of the psyche, and the result is a powerful intimation of the male experience and potential. From the soft, feminine male persona to the deeply buried wildman, Bly takes us on a journey through unmapped territory of the masculine. For men and women this is a conversation not to be missed.

"As a man is, so he sees." These words of mystical poet and artist William Blake are just as relevant now as they were when they were written in 1802 - perhaps more so. Throughout his life, Blake undertook a voyage beyond rationality and materialism to an interior, visionary realm where "all things appear as they are - infinite." Yet all human beings, he believed, are capable of opening their eyes to a fuller experience of life.

The combination of the latest brain research with the new image of reality's shape emerging from quantum physics challenges us to see ourselves anew, according to Pearce, who provides a wealth of knowledge about how we develop, learn, create and relate to the universe we inhabit. He suggests that intelligence is much more than just brainpower and may have its source in the human heart. For anyone interested in understanding how we learn and grow, his ideas are challenging and profound.

Stripping away the known and seeing reality for what it is, rather than for what our thoughts represent it to be, provides the theme for this compelling conversation. The late theoretical physicist David Bohm addresses the nature of thought and thinking, and how our conditioned minds become subordinate to the way we think.

When Del Tarrant joined the Liberator, he thought he'd left his past behind him - the gallant Federation officer with friends in high places. But the past has a habit of catching up to you. A man the Liberator crew thought dead crosses their path, now a fugitive on the run. He brings talk of an alliance, of a brave new future - but is Avon prepared to make a deal with the devil?

One of the foremost theoretical physicists in the world, the late David Bohm, tells why science has become specialized and fragmented at the cost of its soul. He describes his theory of the implicate order and goes on to explore its implications for human consciousness.

In addition to his own credentials as a writer, poet, teacher and mystic, Andrew Harvey became a dedicated friend and follower of the late Father Bede Griffiths, a scholarly, saintly Benedictine monk who founded and lived for decades in a Hindu-Christian ashram in South India. This unusual dialogue eloquently communicates the blessings of this extraordinary man.

The awesome potential of the human brain can only be tapped by providing the best possible learning environment at the earliest possible age. Scientific research has shown that television damages the full neural development of children's brains, crippling their capacity for symbol and metaphor. Pearce envisions a society in which our brains and spirits can develop to their highest potential.

When Frank Morgan sets up camp in a lush valley in Montana, the last thing he expects to see is fires lighting up the night sky as fields, farms, and homes are torched by gunslicks hired by two powerful ranchers. For the ranchers, the battle lines have been drawn in the form of newly settled farmland that's cutting through the ranges, separating cattle from grazing land and water. But the settlers are breaking no law and no one is going to prevent them from building their homes and becoming a real town.

Scientist Rupert Sheldrake brings you years of extensive research on animal behavior, challenging traditional scientific assumptions that pets do not warrant serious study. Well-known for his controversial and revolutionary theory of "morphic resonance" and "morphogenetic fields," Sheldrake applied this to his subject with ingenious questions that have resulted in confirmation that animals do indeed possess psychic and intuitive abilities.

How does a body of poetry written in a remote part of the world find its way to best seller lists in the U.S. over 700 years later? What is the compelling quality inherent in great literature that resonates throughout the ages? Coleman Barks, poet and translator of Jelalludin Rumi's poetry, explores the genius, mystery and rapture of Rumi's work; why he has become the most-read poet in America, and what his poetry has in common with the immortal writings of Dickinson, Emerson and Thoreau.

In the weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on August 29th, Audible reached out to customers in the affected area to offer help. Many customers responded and several agreed to be interviewed about their experience. Stories from the Storm was recorded in mid-November, in the days when many people were still clearing debris and figuring out how to restart their lives. These riveting stories will remind listeners of the heartbreak, confusion, and perseverance of the Katrina survivors.

Leaving naivete behind may open up the wilder regions of maleness, where men can wrestle with their demons and, in time, reach maturity and balance, according to Bly, poet and men's workshop facilitator. This is a fascinating dialogue which explores the mystery of maleness and includes Bly's storytelling mastery and poetry.

Farmer, ecologist, and writer Berry provides some rich and fertile ground for recreating life and culture. He speaks of enduring values, the wholeness of life and the interdependence of all creatures, especially humankind. Berry's self-discipline, ethical sense and human compassion come through as he leads us from the microcosm of his Kentucky hill farm to the macrocosm of a sane and reasoned planetary vision based on personal integrity, faithfulness, and love.

Krishnamurti addresses love, greed, violence, separation, time, death, conflict, and fear, discussing them all with a clarity and insight that makes the entire spiritual landscape appear newly visible and replete with possibilities. Krishnamurti also has much to say about the source of our problems, both personal and planetary, with appropriate comments on how to resolve them.

Anikwa and James, 12 years old in 1812, spend their days fishing, trapping, and exploring together in the forests of the Indiana Territory. To Anikwa and his family, members of the Miami tribe, this land has been home for centuries. As traders, James' family has ties to the Miami community as well as to the American soldiers in the fort. Now tensions are rising - the British and American armies prepare to meet at Fort Wayne for a crucial battle, and Native Americans from surrounding tribes gather in Kekionga to protect their homeland.