A list of my favorite Earth-based Jewish books by Aron (agamman)

A list of my favorite Earth-based Jewish books by Aron (agamman)
This is a list of the best books that have aided and continue to aid me in my earth-based Jewish practice that

1. Cooper, David A., God is a Verb - A wealth of Jewish storytelling, general concepts and meditations. I have found this to be one of the best-written practical introductions on Jewish Kabballah. It does lack historical information about Kabbalah.

2. Frankiel, Tamar and Greenfeld, Judy, Minding the Temple of the Soul – This is an excellent book for those like me who never really got into prayer because it was so focused on the words. This covers words and body momement a well as visualization that balances the more cerebral focus (at least to me) of traditional prayer.

3. Frankiel, Tamar, Gift of Kabbalah – A very good introduction to Kabbalah. This focuses more on the practical aspects of the sephirot and focuses more on the psychological aspects of Kabbalah and how to use them. It’s a good contrast to David Cooper’s book.

4. Hunter, Jennifer, Magical Judaism - The first book actually on the topic of Jewitchery. Does very well in showing the diversity of people who might fit into our "tradition" unlike many introductions to this or that that I've seen out there.

5. Patai, Raphael, Hebrew Goddess – As the title suggests, he covers most the aspects of the divine feminine in the history of Judaism, but there’s also a lot of wealth here for exploring that within your own experiences.

6. Shapiro, Rami. M, Minyan – Although this isn’t exactly Jewish Pagan, this book presented me with the first options of ways of looking at Judaism in my own ways instead of having to do it the way “normal” Jews do. The chapter on the 10 Commandments (Or the Ten Utterances as he calls them) was integral in my own interpretations of them in terms of my own philosophy.

7. Silberman, Neil Asher, Heavenly Powers: Unraveling the Secret History of Kabballah - Although there’s a somewhat sociopolitical bent to this book, it works as a historical introduction to how Kabbalah developed. This is the only book I know of that covers the history in a complete way. Most books only do a scetchy overview.

8. Winkler, Gershon, Magic of the Ordinary – This in the introduction to Jewish Shamanism, we’re been waiting for. Clear, concise explanation of an earth-honoring vision of Judaism as well as Kabbalah. Highly recommended

9. Jewish Book of Days by Jill Hammer - Rabbi Jill's one of my current most influential thinkers / writers on my own path. I think it's important to include because it comes from someone who self-describes themselves as an earth-Based Jew. A day by day look at the Hebrew calendar.

10. God in the Body by Jay Michaelson - I think the body is very important topic and one often ignored in modern Judaism if not in Ancient Israel or Ancient Judaism. Contributer to Zeek, a great magazine for Jews of an "alternative" mindset.

11. Seasons of our Joy by Arthur Wascow - Although Rabbi Wascow's more Jewish renewal than I, it's one of the few guides of the Hebrew Calender and its holidays that takes agriculture cycles and the earth in his analysis.

12. Memoirs of God by Mark S. Smith - The topic of this book is the discussion of the phenomena he describes as Israel intention forgetting its polytheistic past in the process gives a good short history of the Jews including a great conversation about the parallels between the Ugarit pantheon to the Hebrew understanding of the divine as well as the changes that went on. It helped a lot in me understanding my own "pantheon" which I make no attempt to be ancient.


from
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jewitchery
posted by
agamman