The Passionate Heart [Paperback]

Zoe Ann Nicholson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003

Buddhist initiations, mystical desert experiences and past life revelations, combined with ancient Tibetan meditation techniques, defined Zoe Ann Nicholson’s life for eleven years. Walking in the door in 1982 as a political feminist, demanding liberation for women, Zoe meets an American meditation master who turns her world upside down.

Intimately written, Zoe's brilliant story-telling invites us inside of a controversial private Buddhist community where students learn to integrate the practicalities of modern Western life with the Eastern discipline of self-discovery in search of Enlightenment.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

ZOE ANN NICHOLSON holds a BA in Theology, Quincy University and a MA in Religion USC. She is the author of Matri, Letters from the Mother.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Lune Soleil Press (October 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0972392823
• ISBN-13: 978-0972392822
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,005,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Activist, author and speaker, Zoe Nicholson holds a B.A. in Theology, Quincy University, 1969 and a M.A. in Ethics, USC, 1975. She began her professional life teaching high school for five years. In 1976, she opened and operated The Magic Speller Bookstore, a women's bookstore in Newport Beach, CA. In 1982, she joined six women in Springfield, Illinois., in a public and political fast for 37 days in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. Her memoir is The Hungry Heart ~ A Women's Fast for Justice, from Lune Soleil Press.

With the close of her independent bookstore, she served for a year as Director of the Orange County Free Clinic. In 1985, she completed the professional computer program at Computer Learning Center and worked in hi tech, software development and recruiting for fifteen years. Since 2001, she is founding partner and manages Eclipse Data Systems and Eclipse Global. She is a member of the ERA Roundtable, a life-long member of NOW and proud member of the Veteran Feminists of America.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What life was like inside a private Buddhist community, May 15, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Passionate Heart (Paperback)

The Passionate Heart is the spiritual revelation and memoir of author Zoe Ann Nicholson, whose lifetime of political feminism and activism was incorporated the transformation and elevation of learning ancient Tibetan meditation techniques. Revealing what life was like inside a private Buddhist community where students were taught to integrate Western practicalities with Eastern self-discovery paths to enlightenment, The Passionate Heart is a moving, dynamic, and true story of dedication, study, exploration and spiritual growth.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for A Passionate Heart, October 29, 2003

By 

Terry Alexander - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Passionate Heart (Paperback)

A Passionate Heart is a loving, insightful and thought-provoking look into the spiritual, political and personal life of a student and her interactions with her teacher. I wasn't able to put it down until I read the last page. It left me waiting in anticipation for a sequel. Zoe's insight into the world of spirituality as it relates to women, meditation, and the evolution of a community based on the enlightenment of women are thought provoking, funny and sincere. I highy recommend this book to women and men who are attempting to traverse the razor's edge of spiritual practice in the world today.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding Enlightenment in Life Itself, October 20, 2003

By 

Tracy Ragan (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Passionate Heart (Paperback)

Passionate Heart is a remarkable story of one woman's search for transformation, personal growth, and enlightenment. She finds it in the most unlikely of places, simply life itself. Passionate Heart teaches how the acceptance of new life experiences is the key to finding happiness and learning to enjoy life in the current moment.

I have read many books over the years on the subject of personal growth and transformation. Some books tell a story about a student's magical journey of personal growth through interactions with a teacher that the reader could never expect to experience. Others simply tell a story about a single transformational experience that appears uncommon and unlikely for most. Passionate Heart is different. The story itself is a lesson. Passionate Heart is the teacher and the reader is the student. The reader is taught how to take the magical journey of life and use it to experience personal transformations - not just once, but over and over.

Even though the lessons of Passionate Heart apply to men and women alike, it is particularly empowering for women. It is simply a must read for women of all ages.