Customer Reviews

Liquid Light of Sex: Kundalini Rising at Mid Life Crisis

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This is an unusual book that covers a very wide range of approaches to personal transformation and spiritual knowledge. In some ways this attempt to integrate so much knowledge works well, but as my own interest is primarily astrology, I found some of the other content a distraction from her often original and insightful treatment of the major cycles of Saturn, Uranus and Chiron.

For example, although I have practised various forms of meditation and am familiar with the chakras and kundalini, I don't know if the correspondences to the more extreme physical, psychological and spiritual crises described at the Uranus opposition "mid-life crisis" are as Clow suggests. Yes there are unexpected shocks, energy shifts, and major changes of life direction at around age 40 when the transit kicks in, but whether this relates to the unblocking of chakras and the rising of kundalini is another matter, for me at least. Perhaps she is ahead of me here.

However, this book is packed with so many different perspectives, I would be surprised if many people could wholeheartedly embrace all of them! Shamanism, the end of the Mayan Great Calendar, scientific insights on energy fields, mythology, all feature. It is powerful stuff. There is some quality astrology and at times an unusual blend of "far out" cosmic ideas with a very firm grip on reality in the Western world. There are some interesting sociological observations on the pros and cons of different types of spirituality and a large number of case histories to demonstrate the key life stages described. I keep coming back to sections of the book that I personally find useful, and suspect that many others would do the same.

Since 1977, when I first began my "official" metaphysical journey, I have been a student and now instructor of astrology, numerology and metaphysics. I found Barbara's first book on Chiron/Rainbow Bridge, most insightful and helpful when I was directly experiencing Chiron's influence. It was one of the first books I reached for in my time of Kundalini Crisis. During my recent personal Kundalini Crisis/ Spiritual Emergence, I discovered her most recent book, Liquid Light of Sex. (It practically jumped into my hands.) I felt she was writing to me and for me. I deeply experienced much of what she was explaining and have, as a result of reading her book, been able to assist myself and others much more efficiently in their jouney. As as long time student of astrology, I have felt as she did, that Chiron was a significant discovery and have found her descriptions and explanations easy to follow and quite in alignment with my own experience and observations of numerous friends, family and client charts. I have also found that much of what she explains is also mirrored and supported in other books such as Pluto Vol II by Jeffrey Wolf Green, Sexual Energy & Yoga by Elisabeth Haich, Kundalini Rising by Barbara Condron, Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith and several of Dr. Heather Anne Harder's books, just to name a few. As a student of Eastern philosophies, I too believed the "warnings" put forth in the traditional yogic philosophies re: raising the Kundalini without the guidance of a skilled teacher. I was not looking for, nor did expect to have such an incredible experience this lifetime, HOWEVER, I did, and so have many others, spontaneously. I did not have the benefit of a teacher, I relied heavily on books such as this one. I have recommended this book to many and astrologically, I value her research/insight into this oft overlooked influence in the chart. A "must have" addition for professional and amateur astrologers (or novices) libraries & knowledge banks!

Clow proposes a theory of key life passages marked by (and specifically caused by) transits of Saturn, Uranus, and newly discovered Chiron to their places in our birth charts. Her causal position is based on work by respected British astronomer Percy Seymour, which found significant correlation between certain electromagnetic energy patterns and certain aspects (squares, oppositions, and conjunctions) among planets at the time of birth. Seymour wrote a book claiming to have proved the scientific validity of astrology on this basis. I found Clow's key life passages somewhat faulty in discussions of Saturn and Uranus, but her discussion of Chiron held great personal significance. Clow wrote to a general audience, but a basic understanding of astrology would allow the reader to reap more benefit. The inclusion of charts that allow the reader to find personal planetary positions and thus relate personally to her descriptions increased readability and interest. This is a use! ful addition ot the literature on human life cycles and their meaning.

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Barbara Hand Clow has learned to mine the Sedona vein of "New Age" gold. Beginning as an astrologer, she now seemingly churns out books on any title that might possibly be lucrative -- jack-of-all-trades, but master of none. Normally, this would not be a grave issue, this self-serving "guruhood" would merely be amusing: caveat emptor to the thousands of credulous followers-of-anything who will just as easily waste their money on books on snowboarding in the Himalayas or rotating the auric fields of one's chakrahs. However, in the case of kundalini, this cheerful hucksterism from the plastic shamaness approaches the spiritual equivalent of criminality: much information here is not merely inaccurate, but might actually cause harm. Ms. Clow does NOT come from a kundalini tradition or practice of many years' pendancy, nor has she credentials to be teaching this stuff -- blurbs by authors she edits do NOT credentials make.

Kundalini -- unlike most of the other New Age junk-food served up seemingly ad infinitum -- is NOT, as Ms. Clow's book seems to suggest, merely another Ouija board. The authoritative Eastern texts are replete with warnings to dilettantes that this is DANGEROUS stuff, best approached under a qualified teacher's guidance, certainly requiring a very serious and disciplined approach in any event.

Gopi Krishna's "Kundalini - The Evolutionary Energy in Man" is a salutary warning of the consequences of raising the kundalini without guidance.

Unfortunately, Ms. Clow never quite seems to get it. Her "Liquid Light of Sex" is a hodge-podge of half-formed opinions, assertions and poorly-thought-out prescriptions vis a vis kundalini, mid-life sexual crises, et al, sprinkled with the usual puree of half-baked "Crystal" jargon and "Have-A-Nice-Dayness."

Additionally, it is not particularly well written, though this is not particularly an impediment to book sales in this category.

As such, and unlike her other books, this one can potentially cause actual harm to the practitioner of these techniques, and, Hilly Rose/Art Bell notwithstanding, this is an arrogation of another (half-understood) tradition: Would you read "The Catholic Catechism Explained" by a South American Shaman who is demonstrably rather vague on what Catholicism actually is?

Hopefully not.

There are several superior books on kundalini, any one of which is better investment of one's book money.

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Mr. Williams is the former book critic of the SANTA FE SUN (specializing in metaphysics) and studied kundalini (maithuna and otherwise) for 12 years at the Temple of Esoteric Science in Los Angeles.

This unique work is 10-15 years ahead ot its time. Explanations of key life transits and sequence of events explain how, why, and WHEN, we experience many of life's lessons and challanges. Though the writing is mystical at times, she relates a profound truth. She also breaks new ground. Mr. Williams (previous) review confirms that her work is shaking up the old school of dangerously closed-minded New Agers. Thank heavens! New ideas must often come from outside the fields caged by "distinguished insiders." Learned experts have reputations which keep them in fear of being wrong and stuck in old traditions which are no longer appropriate for this stage of human evolution. Busting this group soul ego is the task of the Pluto in Leo generation. Barbara's wide field of knowledge is a great service in evolution of consciousness. We are living in an age where generalists are the great thinkers. She knows what she is talking about. I've experienced it. Its reality to me.