Arts and Culture

The ancients believed that music had the power sublimely to evolve or utterly to degrade the human psyche. Modern researchers have shown that music can exert a powerful influence on health, the state of mind, the emotions, and the physical body. Beethoven thoroughly understood this. Even in childhood he was aware of the inner power of music-its power to transform consciousness.

'Most people who journal use words. But words come from the left brain, which interprets experiences through our learned beliefs and expectations. As this breakthrough book demonstrates, there is a more effective way to journal---using images.

In The Cynical Idealist: A Spiritual Biography of John Lennon, author Gary Tillery brings readers the first spiritual and intellectual biography of this seminal musical and cultural figure. Much has been said about John Lennon the Beatle his rock star evolution and tragic fate.

'A woman in the audience once handed Elvis a crown saying, “You're the King.” “No, honey,” Elvis replied. “There is only one king - Jesus Christ. I'm just a singer.” Gary Tillery presents a coherent view of Elvis' thoughts through such anecdotes and other recorded facts.

'"A spiritual tone overlays these authors’ deconstruction of popular movies’ commentary on death and the afterlife. While [the book] reads like a series of columns in a highbrow cinema magazine, the Genellis’ work, like most of the more than sixty movies they mention, is both thoughtful and entertaining.