In the early "70's" a friend and I challanged each other to read the other persons book which had the strongest influence on our young lives at that time. I don't even remember what I told Barney, my friend, what he should read. My challange was to read "The Passionate Mind" by Joel Kramer.

This book without a doubt has influenced me in many ways through out my life. It has released me from opressive ideas which had chained my mind with fear and guilt. I learned to see that many of my ideas and beliefs were arrogant and self-righteous.

It isn't necessary to believe, read it and experience real passion and freedom like you have never felt before.

I remember meeting Joel KRamer, author of The Passionate Mind, back in 1968 at a yoga group just north of San Francisco. I was a young searcher of truth who had experienced many of the teachers of the 60's ... and I found Joel to be a true gem, someone speaking from a depth of personal knowledge and experience, teaching a direct path to awakening the passion within each of us.

I still have an early copy of his book, and am just now ordering a new one for a friend, thirty-some years later (his later book was a bit too cerebral for me). His basic message, stated in short, clear prose, is that passion is to be found only in the present moment, and mainly through becomeing aware of the thoughts flowing through our minds ... and through the primal process of just watching (observing)our thoughts, they begin to self-correct.

I've based much of my deeper (spiritual) work as a therapist on Joel's early teachings, along with great insights learned from listening to Krishnamurti over the years ... and this book of Joel's (Passionate Living) is definitely invaluable to anyone on the spiritual path. I've quoted from the book in numerous of my own, and continue to practice his basic mind exercises for awakening true passion. The Passionate Mind is one of those texts that stays in your hands for years, being digested step by step ... and with great pleassssure!