Soly Paraiso

Books that can change your life

Posted: 10/30/2008

Ever since I can remember, I loved to read books. Since my Grade 1 days (the Primer book with the Little Red Hen) to my elementary days-history, geography books, to high school days-literature and science books, I was hooked on books.  Even when I was taking up Freelance Journalism and Authorship with the International Correspondence School in England, I enjoyed the English novels aand short stories that I studied.  Of course in my teen age years, I loved to read romantic love stories and other fiction. But as I grew older my preference in reading books changed.  I began to read non-fiction, biographies of great men and women, books in philosophy and psychology, self-development books, books on religion, inspirational and motivational books.  I began to realize that  "the books that help you are the books that make you think the most.  A book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty"-Theodore Parker. I love to read great quotations from great thinkers.  Even these great thinkers used to quote greater thinkers of the past.  I love to read not only books in print but e-books and listen to audio books by modern writers and motivators.  They are a source of inspiration to me. They make me think hard.  They make me wonder, what really is the meaning of life, why are we here.  What is our connection to the Universe. I have profound admiration for great philosophers and poets like Ralph Waldo Emerson, William James, Henry David Thoreau and others. These great thinkers and philosophers have left valuable lessons to us that are worth pondering: lessons on love, honesty, dignity, perseverance, faith in ourselves and most importantly, faith in God. We learn that there is a Univerasl Life Energy that permeates everrything in this great universe. That there is a thread that binds us  to all creation, that there is no separation.  That there is a divine energy within us all.  Even modern writers and thinkers are one in saying that our present existence will have its ultimate reality in the Source, the First Cause, God, Infinite Intelligence or whatever you may call It. Have you ever wondered what the world's great discovery is? I do. I often wonder, was it the airplane? The television? The computer? The cell phone? the I-Pod?  But because of the "Law of Attraction" I came to the conclusion that the greatest discovery of the modern age is the power of the mind!  Those inventions first exist in the minds of men as ideas. They imagined it, they visualized it, and through the Law of Attraction, they were able to manifest it.  And in the final analysis, it is the Mind that is connected to the Universal Energy or God.  Because Man is created in the image of God, then Man is a co-creator with God.  So Man can create whatever he thinks of. As Napoleon Hill says in his book, "Think and Grow Rich"-"what the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve." These great thinkers and philosophers put their ideas in books that they have written, which influenced countless human beings.  Great world leaders have depended on books that made them great. That is why we see presidents, past and present, who have built libraries full of all kinds of books.  They are all book lovers.  They derive their knowledge and wisdom from reading great books.  Such is the power of books. Let me share with you a list of books that really influenced me in my life: (1) First and foremost is the Holy Bible,  (2) the Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, (3) Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, (4) The Master Key System by Charles Haanel, (5) The Self You Have To Live With by Winfred Rhoades And books by modern writers and thinkers: (6) Our Ultimate Reality by Adrian Cooper, (7) Books by Dr. Wayne Dyer: (a) Your Sacred Self, (b) Wisdom of the Ages, (c) Real Magic, (d) You'll See It When you Believe It, (e) There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem  (7) Books by Dr. Deepak Chopra: (a) Ageless Body, Timeless Mind,(b) the Happiness Prescription, (c) The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success,(d) Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment (e) the Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life and many more. How about you?  I hope you also have a list of inspirational and motivational books that help you much in discovering your true purpose in life, books that will change your life.

A moment of reflection: Autumn

Posted: 10/05/2008

"The falling leaves, drift by my window,  "The autumn leaves of red and gold...." Nat  King Cole Yes, it's autumn!  The heat of summer is slowly fading away. Summer's green leaves are being transformed into red and gold.  As I walk around, I can almost smell the earth.  I can feel the wind stirs as it rustles the leaves which fall around me.  Everywhere I look I cannot help but wonder about the beauty all around.  God has created the seasons with  each own unique quality: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall!  How can we not appreciate the mystery of the changing of the seasons?As the season changes, so does our mood, it seems.  Do you not notice that during summer when it is really hot, there are those who are hot-tempered?  Is it because of the hot weather that some people fly off the handle at the slightest provocation? Some blame it on the weather, some say it depends on  what month one is born-like when you were born on August, (in the Philippines, that is,)you tend to be hot-tempered  because  August is a hot month.  And when you were born on January, a cool month, you have a cool temperament. Anyway, let's welcome the cool months of autumn.  Although global warming is now threatening the whole world as some scientists predict, it is best to enjoy the present weather, fall or autumn, as it is called here in the States.  What can be more exhilarating than to enjoy the beauty all around us in the Here and Now?  Never mind who will win as president of the United States; whether the bailout of the federal government of the present financial predicaments of giant corporations like the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Merill Lynch, AIG as suggested by Pres. Bush will push through or not.( Note: As of date, the bailout has been approved by both Houses Of Congress and has been signed by the President.)  This is not to say that we are not concerned on what's going on today here in the United States, but this is a matter which we have no control of.  As a famous philosopher said, " There's no sense in worrying about things we have no control of, and there's no sense in worrying about things we have control of."  In other words there is no sense in worrying about anything. Period. We have no control of what's going on outside us, but we have control of what's going on in our minds.  So let God fill our minds with good things so that  we will "remain young and strong as an eagle!"  Let us do whatever makes us happy this autumn season- maybe by lending a helping hand to those who need help, not only on autumn, but on winter summer or fall.  Let us "End the struggle, and dance with Life!" as Dr. Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.  advised. Forget all your problems and just enjoy the cool, beautiful months of autumn!