Every play a children's game called Chutes and Ladders? This is it's original metaphysical predecessor, played by saints and children in India. Each row of squares is a different chakra, and each square concerns a challenge or opportunity of that chakra. Instead of ladders you have arrows that raise your consciousness, instead of chutes you have snakes that lead you back downward. Your path through the game is your metaphysical path through life.

As someone who is not an expert in Indian philosophy, I found the book a bit challenging, especially when all I wanted to do was play the game, not get caught up in the detail of it. I am sure someone will or has created a more playable booklet with only a few lines for each square.

The board design is lovely, and the structure behind the game unique. A must for any spiritually oriented person's collection. The game also replays well, and even after having owned my copy since not long after it came out, it is still a game I come back to, think about and play.

Provides insight into our own consciousness and a key to divine knowledge. Four things are necessary for one or more to play: the book and game board, a die, and a significant object that belongs to the player, such as a ring, to serve as the player's symbol during the game. Each of the seventy-two squares on the board represents a virtue or vice, an aspect of consciousness or a plane of reality; the players' progress is dictated by the fall of a die corresponding to the forces of karma. Simultaneously a game and a serious method of enlightenment, Leela parallels the spiritual journey toward liberation, advancing the player along that path by means of the self-exploration that the game demands. Repeated playing of Leela will reveal past karmas, current concerns, and the cosmic patterns governing your life. 1st Row: The Fundamentals of Being. 2nd: The Realm of Fantasy. 3rd: The Theater of Karma 4th: Attaining Balance. 5th: Man Becomes Himself. 6th: The Time of Penance. 7th: The Plane of Reality. 8th: The Gods Themselves

I am buying this game after having played it at a friend's house. This game can spark much discussion, self-reflection, and interpersonal sharing at a deeper than usual level - and for this reason alone it is worth 'playing'. Also, I loved the detailed playbook - It is like a concise handbook of Indian spiritual metaphysics! A very worthwhile and handy item to have on your bookshelf.

These shortened versions make Shakepeare's plays worthwhile to read. They clear up all of the old English phrases and metaphors, which can split the reader's mind. I like this, but as for performance, I'd prefer the real Shakespeare language played. The prose dialogues between the two lovers are not as smooth as the poetic lines. But the nature of their words makes up for it. I've seen many Shakepeare's plays on film being shortened and it makes the play sound better. Buy this one!

This book is a concise introduction to Indian music for middle-school readers. The text is very clearly written and highly informative. It includes chapters on Indian culture, styles of Indian music, Indian music theory (ragas and talas), Indian instruments, and Indian music history. Each topic is covered in one or two pages, followed by a short list of questions, and a musical activity or suggestion for further research. The book is filled with photographs and illustrations (all in black and white). There is a short list of further references at the back, and apparently an accompanying cassette can be purchased separately. The book is designed to be used for formal study; it could easily be used by interested homeschoolers or by any curious youngster.

Overall, I found the book quite engaging. However, I was a bit disappointed with the superficiality of the summary questions, which were little more than reading comprehension questions, requiring no synthesis or analysis. The musical activities were well done, but I was quite surprised to see that the Indian names of the notes, Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Da Ni, were never mentioned anywhere in the text, and this is a very serious omission in an introduction to Indian music. (On the other hand, the basic rhythmic syllables on the tabla are covered). Maps of India in the book consistently omit the easternmost states- -whoops. The section on music theory also covers only Northern classical music, and does not include any examples from other areas.

This book contains seventeen poems and nineteen articles. The articles are feminist, anti-racist, and exhibit a level of reflection uncommon for an anthology. There is very little "weak" material. The very best pieces are those which relate discussions between the authors, such as ""Purifying" the (Identi)Ghee: South Asian Feminist Gup-shup," "Towards a Feminist Bisexual Politic: A Discussion," and "A Conversation About The Arab Lesbian and Bisexual Network." Much of the focus within the articles is on the relations between bisexual women and the lesbian community. It is informative to see the way the authors connect their experience of being marginalized for their sexuality with similar experiences around gender, race, and class. Since this is published by Sister Vision Press most of the contributors are women of colour. This presents a wide range of bisexual women's experience, not only that of white academics. As an indication of the issues which are particularly important to bisexual identity within Canada this book is indispensible. On the negative side, the resources listed in the back are out of date, partly because the bisexual community in Canada is developing and changing rapidly.