Today's visit to our mailbox was both exciting and a bit scary. I knew that Amazon would have delivered a print copy of my new book, Break Free of Dogma, which consists of 93 posts that I selected from the early years of this blog, 2004-06.
But even though the cover and interior design files uploaded without a hitch, I couldn't be sure the book would look as good as I expected until I ripped open the Amazon package.
Delight! Here I am, doing the obligatory author-selfie thing.
I chose to have a painting of my mother when she was sixteen in the background, with her looking over my shoulder, because she was a huge book lover who would have enjoyed my book, being a spiritual-but-not-religious person herself.
There's both paperback and Kindle versions of the book available on Amazon. Even if you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll enjoy the posts that I selected for Break Free of Dogma.
Each continues to speak to me, even after so many years. Because my views have changed considerably since 2004-06, I preface each churchless "sermon" with a brief comment from my current perspective.
Re-reading the posts several times in the course of fashioning the book, I was inspired.
Hopefully others will be also. As I say in the Introduction, each of the 93 short chapters is just a few pages long, so if a post isn't appealing, the next one is right around the corner.
If you read my book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.
Wow! Congratulations! I have never bought anything through Amazon, but just may begin to do so! I do enjoy reading your blogs on Church of the Churchless. Thanks! God's Whisper, Creation's Thunder looks interesting, as do your others.Perhaps you could add them to Shambala and Wisdom Books distribution as well. 🙏😇😇
Posted by: Fairy | August 13, 2019 at 07:48 PM
I like your new "Books I've written" section! Pretty slick!
Posted by: anami | August 13, 2019 at 07:55 PM
Just got the Kindle version.
Ditto on liking the "books I've written" section, Brian Ji.
Posted by: Spence Tepper | August 13, 2019 at 08:46 PM
Well done Brian, and congratulations on the release of your book.
As you go through your blog, will you name each book differently?
Posted by: OshoRobbins | August 13, 2019 at 09:14 PM
"I like your new "Books I've written" section! Pretty slick!"
I just noticed that too. Brian needs to monetize harder. This blog is pretty active and I want him to get rich.
Posted by: Jesse | August 13, 2019 at 10:46 PM
OshoRobbins, yes, I plan to name the next book something else. When I select the blog posts, I'm sure a name will come naturally. Then maybe above the same subtitle I'll say; Volume 2 of Churchless Sermons...
It took me about ten seconds to choose "Break Free of Dogma." Pleasingly, I then found that there isn't any other book on Amazon with that name.
Posted by: Blogger Brian | August 13, 2019 at 11:43 PM
Breaking free of dogma certainly is liberating. As someone breaking free of Sant Mat I have felt able to now enjoy a drink on occasion without any guilt, and a recent reacquaintance with cannabis indica. Am now able to explore other meditative approaches and favor a more secularised mindfulness courtesy of Jon Kabat Zinn.
Notice that none of the accountability and conscience are shed, just the guilt, 'breaking of holy vows' and general Catholic style moral judgement that are all left behind. This leaves you with a more flexible and adaptable approach to spirituality that leaves the door open on metaphysics but is actually grounded in day to day empirical 'reality'.
Hope to enjoy reading this new book sometime soon. Good on you Brian, you are providing an important outlet and 'service' for people feeling restricted, guilt ridden and struggling with adherence to dogmas that do not withstand scrutiny!
Posted by: N _ GB | August 14, 2019 at 01:00 AM
Congrats on the book Brian! Looking forward to this one as well as the ones to follow.
Posted by: Amar | August 14, 2019 at 01:04 PM
A child asks who funded the terrorist activities that killed his family. Guru + Joker replies - I do not come at the time of death.
Posted by: Vinny | August 14, 2019 at 08:12 PM
Like the title. Perhaps may not have time to read it whole.
Though Ex you have become indirectly a part of same erstwhile group attracting not so Exers and Believers too to your blogs and books.
These have helped to straighten the minds - get to the bottom of spirituality if it exists even in one of the best schools of Spirituality open to mankind - the RSSB.
Best wishes.
PS: You may not be an Ex for Him, I believe.
Posted by: Meditator | August 16, 2019 at 09:08 AM