[.ca] The Power of Karma: How to Understand Your Past and ... (ISBN 0060937475)

From Amazon.com:
In The Power of Karma, renowned psychic Mary T. Browne debunks our fatalistic assumptions about this mysterious universal law. "Many people think there's nothing they can do to change their karma--it's preordained so why bother trying to change their situation?" she writes. Yet karma is an active process, according to Browne, one that we can seize control of simply by taking positive action. Although many of her karmic theories are reassuring--basically, you get out of life what you put into it--some may find her delivery simplistic. Nonetheless, her carpe diem attitude toward improving karma is inspiring, whether it's dieting to lose weight or reaching out to a homeless person. Browne (Life After Death) uses her clients' real-life stories to illustrate how readers can alter and improve their karma. She also suggests numerous exercises, including guided meditations, jotting notes on index cards, and practicing karma-altering affirmations such as, "I will let go of the past" or "I'm not a victim and will not act like one." --Gail Hudson

Want to find out more about dealing with issues?:
I absolutely loved this book. Mary Browne is apparently a fairly well known psychic, and she offers advice here in the form of cases from her files of clients dealing with life issues. The book summarizes the tales of the woman that can't stop spending money, of other women that feel they would be better off leaving their husbands for the men they are having affairs with, and many other interesting stories. Browne also discusses the issues of reincarnation and karma. She specifically goes into the effects on one's karma from various actions, which is interesting and believable, even if the concepts of reincarnation and karma are not ideas you believe in. The most interesting point of the book for me was the specifics she provided on going through past lives. For anyone that is interested in this kind of thing, you must pick up this book. I have already recommended it to one friend, and I believe she enjoyed it greatly. I need to get my mom to read this book, and plan to read more books by Mary Browne.

I liked it at first:
When I first got this book I loved it but later when I got more into spiritual things I started to disagree with some of the things she says. All and all this is a good book.

A great Teacher:
Mary T. Browne never disappoints. In simple language, her lessons deliver understanding. In Love In Action, Mary T. explained how a life of service leads to fulfillment, satisfaction, peace and balanced karma. Life After Death explained the continuation of life and how karma always seeks balance. Like water seeking its own level, karma finds equilibrium in physical life or spiritual. No action lacks an equal reaction. Mary T. teaches that karma is action. The Power of Karma emphasizes this fact by supplying the reader with action. The serious reader has a supply of colored index cards and records the messages and keeps a Karma Journal. These exercises ensure that the reader/student is involved-action =karma.

A good message clouded by self-absorption:
I'm not going to bash this book because overall I found author Mary Browne's explanation of karma and anecdotal evidence of how it works to be effective and interesting. But she could have reduced the size of this book and saved some trees in the process by cutting back on the amount of time she spends praising herself. To say Mary Browne is full of herself is an understatement. This is an author who can barely get through a passage without shoe-horning in some reference to how gifted or evolved she is. For instance, she brags that she has a spirit guide - something she points out that most people don't have because they just aren't good enough. The descriptions of her sessions as a psychic to the wealthy ooze with arrogance, self-importance and condescension. The only person she seems to believe has surpassed her at all is her mysterious teacher, Lawrence, whom she emphasizes selected her as a pupil presumably because - you got it - she was just so darn worthy. The book is peppered with conversations between her and this near-perfect fellow in which they dazzle each other with their brilliance. After reading this book, while the concept of karma was clearer, the author remained a puzzle. Is Mary Browne really as egotistical as she appears or is she so insecure that she feels the need to prove her importance to readers ad nauseum? If it truly is karma to learn from the missteps of our current lives, perhaps the author can learn something from her own book and exercise a little humility in her next one.

A Great Help:
I bought this book after reading "Life After Death" which I loved. I find both books to be a great guide for living. I have read this book at least five times and I always become a better person everytime.