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This book covers several new age and magical practices from a very practical (as the name suggests) standpoint. The author covers crystals, aura colors, tarot, chakras, etc. There isn't any particular school or practice being followed, but the author clarifies that this is what works for her. I'm glad that she emphasizes that certain things are only meant as a complement to standard alopathic medicine, but she also suggests that certain herbs are the same as alopathic medication. They aren't. Also, crystals and herbs should be responsibly sourced. This book from 2020 should be aware enough of that if it is going to suggest them.

I came into this knowing a little bit about Meister Eckhart. The exposes the reader to many thoughts from Eckhart in his own words. The upside is that we do not run much risk of Eckhart's meaning being filtered by the author, but on the downside we lack some filtering that may have benefited an unfamiliar modern audience. I feel like Meister Eckhart requires a commentary. While the concepts make some sense on their own, they obviously would benefit from some explanation and context provided by commentator.

Growing up with Christianity, I've seen Satan deployed in many strange ways. Satan "made" people do things. Satan tempted people. People were "in league" with Satan. Satan was "behind a conspiracy to destroy Christians through the theory of evolution," etc. Elaine Pagels' book The Origin of Satan clears up a lot of where these different concepts and excuses came from. They once were very specifically aimed at different people or groups of people. Almost 2000 years later, those targets are gone or have evolved but we have kept using the rhetoric and tropes. The reader might not 100% buy into every single one of Pagels' theories, but they are all well argued and invite one to question the assumptions made for us from when we were children.

This poem is worth the hype. My particular favorite part is about the falcon. We all know of that friend/enemy/politician who is proud to be hooded next to a powerful person and assumes what this grandiose person give is worth more than anything out there. They get drunk on their proximity to power and it compromises their own morality. My one qualm with the poem is its lack of a dedicated poem for crow friends. Crows are the best. This translation by Sholeh Wolpe is very readable and approachable.

I had little knowledge about this topic before reading this book. In the introduction the author explains that there is a tendency to exaggerate the historical figure of Dara Shukoh positively or negatively. If nothing else, Avik Chanda demonstrates that Dara Shukoh was a complex person living in a complex situation. On the one hand, Dara Shukoh was a curious thinker who had genuine interest in religions and philosophies other than those he was raised with. On the other hand, Dara Shukoh was a royal of a combative empire. In many academic arenas he was brilliant. In many arenas that mattered most, such as warfare and diplomacy, he was an arrogant failure. The book is presented engagingly. While there were one or two specific topics I wish had been explored in more depth, it is a good overview of the topic.

This was my first time with the Ramayana. My education growing up was very European/United States focused, so I had very little context for this going in. For a first read, this translation seems like a good choice. The language is plain without being dry . It is lyrical without being overwrought. The story, of course, is very old and very well known. One doesn't get lasting power like that by being dull or artless. It is definitely worth a read. I would suggest breaking it up into smaller portions or episodes. That might, after all, be how the story was shared in ye olden times - shorter sessions by the fire each night - and it seems to be how it was written down as well.