Talisman, Second Edition

Mentoring is the primary vehicle for spiritual insight and holistic growth today, and Talisman is written from the perspective of a mentee reflecting on the teachings of his/her mentor. It ends with the mentee becoming the mentor. This is why the second edition of this book is shorter, with the second section significantly revised. Originally, the second section took the reader back in time, to follow some of the dialogue Echo remembered. Most readers, however, were intrigued by Echo and wanted to go forward in time. They intuited correctly that the voice of "Echo" was a composite of real people. What happened to Echo? So the first section of this book remains an assessment of the spiritual quest for God in the postmodern world. It explores the significance of incarnation, but in the context of the power and depth of being rather than any dogmatic point of view: experience and mystery over knowledge and certainty. The goal is not to answer questions of existence, but to sustain the courage to be and provide reason to hope. The second section of the book introduces a methodology to reflect on one's position vis-a-vis the "eternal" in any particular "now." Echo not only continues to grow personally, but helps other spiritual travelers understand their own quest for God: Life-on-the-Edge, Life-in-Between, and Life-at-Peace. Meditation on the principles expressed through the "talisman" helps the spiritual traveler see where they have been, and discern where they are going. A talisman can be any form (object, song, data, etc.) that is grasped by Unconditional Being to become a portal linking finite yearning to infinite meaning. Here the talisman is a six-pointed star which has mystical significance for many religions. But whatever your talisman is, it will help you experience the nearness of God, in your unique cultural context, and find hope.