Ancient Teachings for Modern Times

This book will make you think, take a moment to breathe and reivaluate your beleifs, teachings,thoughts and feelings.

Thought provoking and getting to know and understand your true self.

This was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it. thanks for letting me have an advance copy. I'm new to this author.

It took me a while to even start the review for this book, because it's so wide-reaching and full of things, it's very hard to come up with where to start. Even the foreword for the book says, "you will not find any new ideas here - it is all old wisdom put together in one place". And that is true - it goes through energies, breathing, meditation, mindfulness and how your thoughts affect your surroundings and life quality, clearing your mind and all sorts of other bits and pieces that help out on your way to spirituality and peace, all through a somewhat new-age point of view. But the book is just so hard to sum up - because as you read, the ideas just glide over your brain, they just flow - so it's very hard to even find anything to say about it.

To outline what the book contains is hard - it's basically "everything new-age you can find out there". There's stuff on letting go and going with the flow, there's brief musings on meditation and breathing, on not worrying and concentrating on the positive. There is also some stuff about sleep and sleep schedules, and how this impacts our brain wave states. And of course, the bulk of the book and the idea that it keeps coming back to is, of course, appreciation and gratefulness.

But there is also a downside to having 'anything and everything' in just one book. It also feels unstructured and like it's got no end goal to all that's being told. There must be something in it that made me struggle through reading it for months. Maybe that's it's so unstructured and sort of meandering, or that it got vaguely preachy by the end, or that it didn't seem to have anything of concrete substance, but rather a lot of platitudes - I don't know. But it felt quite long to me when it actually wasn't. Despite that, I still think it's alright, especially if you're a beginner on these types of books - it did have useful thoughts.

So all I can say is that I mostly liked the book, it had a calming effect on me, although it also felt like a bit of a chore at times. I think it's a good collection of wise thoughts coming from many ancient philosophies and faiths and one that isn't centered on any one particular faith, but rather borrowing from a lot of them. It is presented pretty widely, so nothing delves into too much detail, but a lot of ground is covered. It's a good book to both read in sequence, as well as to just randomly open anywhere and read what you find.

I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

Ancient Teachings for Modern Times by Peta Morton
Book Review by Dawn Thomas

248 Pages
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing / O-Books
Release Date: November 19, 2019

Non-Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Ancient & Controversial Knowledge, New Age Mysticism, Personal Transformation, Self-Help

This book was written for me! Actually, everyone should read it. It is uplifting and made me feel so good. The author has a wonder writing style. There are fourteen chapters in the book each with a different topic. She added famous quotes depending on the subject.

Although it is a short book, I took my time reading it and savoring every word. There is positivity on every page. In fact, I even took pictures of sections so that I can paste them in my journal. I highly recommend this book to everyone but especially to anyone that needs more positivity in their life.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I had a free copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately I wasn't able to download it let alone read it to give a review. Deeply disappointing..

Ancient Teachings for Modern Times provides the reader with a great roadmap into spiritual ideas, meditation practices, healing techniques, and more. It’s suitable for both the newcomer to the path and the more experienced seeker, as it lays out information clearly and concisely with depth and understanding.

Despite the fact that many of the concepts covered are abstract or complex, Morton renders them accessible without diminishing their breadth, depth, or importance. Including both metaphysical ideas and current scientific thought, this book covers a plethora of spiritual subjects and provides a springboard for the reader to dive into specific topics as per their own interests.

Guiding the reader from vibration and energy through breathwork (honestly, if everyone could read this chapter I’m sure many of the modern-day stresses would cease to be!), thoughts, limiting beliefs, the language we use, and emotions, Morton lays the groundwork for the later sections of the book. Here, the tricker concepts of prayer, dark nights of the soul, integrity, gratitude and community are addressed. I particularly appreciated the inclusion of the chapters on taking responsibility and taking action, as these are subjects that are often overlooked in other spiritual self-help guides, and the realisation that we are all interconnected is at the heart of this book.

Despite its slim size, do not be fooled: Morton is concise with her words but her knowledge and experience are apparent, and what she offers here is great in terms of the sheer amount of information and the layers that are packed into this book. She is excellent at explaining how each subject is relevant to today’s world, and includes a variety of quotes from many authors and thought leaders from throughout history. This is a fascinating and absorbing read which comes very highly recommended, and should be on every spiritual seeker’s bookshelf.

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” ~ Nikola Tesla

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, O-Books, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Peta Morton has written an excellent and rather beautiful book about how ancient thought and belief is still relevant and gives us pointers about how we can live our lives in the current society. I liked it and I will keep it to dip into as it’s the kind of book that you can randomly choose a page and have something to think about or journal. It has quotes and is an easy read even where the ideas might require some thought. There are elements of academic research mixed in with quotes from famous people and overall the learning towards spiritual enlightenment is well laid out and easy to follow.

This is a very straightforward and clear book and I recommend it to anyone looking for some guidance towards a satisfying life. I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This would be a really good book for anyone who is new to the concepts of mindfulness, manifestation and energy healing. It is very readable and the ideas are clearly expressed. So even though it touches on some scientific concepts there is no need to have any prior knowledge to enjoy and understand the book.

What I particularly liked was the way the book was structured, with chapters covering topics such as our thoughts, our limiting beliefs, our breath, our emotions, taking responsibility and our place in the community. So although the concepts in the book were not new to me, the author author is very good at demonstrating the direct impact on our lives of each subject.

An extraordinary wealth of topics are covered in this book and the bibliography is extensive. Each chapter is interspersed with quotes from a variety of sources, writers and teachers from the Bible to Brene Brown to Bruce Lee. In fact some chapters seemed almost overwhelming as so many ideas are introduced.

This book will share with you concepts as diverse as why the chair you are sitting on is not as solid as you may think, and why the word 'but' may be influencing your life. It offers some ways we can immediately change the way we are feeling or the way we view a situation and also provides exercises to help the reader engage with the ideas in the chapter.

And having started by saying that the book would be a goldmine for anyone starting out on a journey of discovering how we create our own lives and realities, as the author said, we all need a gentle reminder from time to time - and this one is well worth reading.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.

Ancient Teachings for Modern Times is a interesting and informative book. It has some good advice and is well written.

Ancient Teachings For Modern Times is a fascinating book that shows the relevance of ancient thought and beliefs in the present day. A variety of subjects are covered and while most of it won't be new to readers of self-help books author Peta Morgan very eloquently covers the gamut of life-improving ideas handed down to us from teachers,thinkers and philosophers across the centuries .
It wasn't all for me and some of her ideas had me wondering what scientific back up she had for some of the things she has written about but there was more than enough else in the book that I could relate to.
The book is sprinkled with quotes from inspirational figures from Buddha to,somewhat bizarrely, Bruce Lee.
A really good read that once you've done the cover to cover thing is well worth dipping into at random when you feel like a bit of inspiration or something to ponder on.
Thanks to Peta Morton, John Hunt publishing and Netgalley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

A perfect book for exploration of one's self. Would sit nicely alongside those practicing yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Small chapters on specific topics are easy to read and digest, I particularly liked "The Wee Small Hours" - if you struggle to sleep then this is the one for you.

I liked this. It has lots of good quotes and some helpful exercises, and of course lots of wisdom. Maybe I read too much so I don't see much new anymore (some argue there are no new ideas; and this is ancient wisdom after all), so books like this for me are a set of nice reminders with an occasional a-ha. This is really well written and organized. Recommended.

I really appreciate the NetGalley advanced copy for review!!

In general, I thought this book to be very interesting, especially in the beginning. But once you are through the first chapter it becomes apparent that the book is not truly an in-depth study of the ancient teachings and how they can be used in today's time. Rather, it shows the practice of mindfulness with the help of randomly picked quotes from both 'ancient' and modern times. People who have read other books on this subject will probably have a good idea of all that's in this book already, and so it's better as an introduction for people who haven't yet read much about mindfulness and spiritual vibrations.

I had expected more research, and references that go with them. There are many statements that are not backed by scientific research so which makes me categorize this as a work of pseudoscience, rather than a work of philosophic teachings from Ancient times, applicable in modern times.

The quotes on their own were interesting and always had something to do with what the author was saying. Now, it's not that we were given much background on these quotes, or the original authors of them, so we are given no context whatsoever of the Ancient Teaching.

The author however has a sharp eye for nuances and her way of writing really brought things to light as she phrased certain facts, that is known as common knowledge, in such a way that I understood them better.

Overall, I think the author did a great job, it's just that the way this book is represented, the book seems to be more of a scientific work than a pseudo-scientific body to sell mindfulness. I had expected more history and more of the ancient teachings.

It can be very easy to take the ways of the world for granted. Reality is solid enough, especially if we happen to bump into a table. The world can seem like a miserable place where there is no introspection to examine why we should necessarily be so sure that the world is a miserable place.
This book sets out first by challenging both premises. In quantum physics, that table becomes vast empty space of pulsating energy and isn't solid at all whilst thoughts, miserable or otherwise, have to be thought up by a consiousness that generates those thoughts in the first place. It follows then that if we can change our thought and emotions, we can change our reality. Thought is extremely powerful.
Accordingly, this book in invites the reader to re-examine their ways of thinking and to re-evaluate their belief systems in order to grow beyond mindsets that they may have outgrown. That may be an uncomfortable proposition for those who don't wish to be confronted in how they too may be colluding in certain world issues: for example decrying global warming while using disposable plastics and aerosols themselves because they are so convenient, or complaining about corruption in high places whilst engaging in little tax fiddles themselves.
It was hard, however, not to find myself responding to the premises of the book without some irritation, after having encountered some of the less pleasant manifestations of New Age thought in the eighties ( and some of the gurus this writers quotes, such as Alice Bailey and Marianne Williamson are the same, only now we have The Secret too).
Thinking positive thoughts is perfect advice to give to an individual at job interview time, as prospective employers will pick up on negative thoughts and lack of confidence like lightning, for example. But what about larger political I justices and prejudices that one small frail individual could have not possibly co-created all by themselves?
The trouble with this kind of thinking, where collective inequality is not challenged collectively, is the individual gets blamed for their misfortune. Racial discrimination, rape, illness......all your fault. Interestingly, in one former Eastern Bloc country, a fair and simple tax system was introduced. The government gathered far more revenue than was ever imagined because most people were a tally happy to pay it. Transparency begets transparency.
All the same, there is probably still no doubt that many people remained chained to unproductive beliefs and attitudes living an unexamined life is less trouble, so the main thrust of the arguments put here is worthy. The job seeker may be
successful at the interview, and more.
There is one suggestion for insomniacs that might be of interest to the real seekers among assorted readers here. It is suggested that one of the reasons why many serious soul seekers might take up to getting up at three or five in the morning to meditate. Being still so sleepy at the hour of the wolf can have its advantages - being awake whilst closer to the dream state may allow for a lot more creative thinking as well as powerful meditational experiences.

Self help with a cosmic twist, Ancient Teachings for Modern Times neatly sidesteps religion and focuses instead on how opening oneself up emotionally to the subtle changes in the universe can improve your life.

A special thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a beuutiful book. I like howyou can read it all the way through or you can just open it and let the universe lead you to what you need to read. The teachings in this book are from mystic traditions around the world but they are applied to our modern mind and made easy to use. This is a wonderful book and I can't wait to purchase it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.