#What Is a Near Death Experience? Is a wonderfully informative new book by Dr. Penny Sartori, author of The Wisdom of Near Death Experiences. It is part of the new series, #WhatIs, from Watkins Publishing. Written in a Q and A format, and loaded with case studies, this latest volume is densely packed with research about the incidence and types of NDEs, as well as thoughtful reflections about what they may mean for each individual, their families and for the world.

As reported in The New York Times, Peter Wohlleben’s book, a surprise hit titled “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries From a Secret World,” has verified what many nature enthusiasts, and virtually all native peoples have believed for years: that plants, in this case trees, have feelings too. Since the publication in 1973 of “The Secret Life of Plants,” by Peter Tompkins, enormous research has shown that plants hear, feel, and communicate in a variety of ways.

“For centuries, individuals stricken with some debilitating diseases, have been treated with bee stings in order to effectively treat their symptoms.” The life work of Charles Mraz, father of bee venom therapy.

Robert Moss’s books are always wonderful — full of mystery and creativity, magic and glimpses of other worlds. But his newest offering, Sidewalk Oracle, seems to be particularly joyful. Sub-titled “Playing with Signs, Symbols, and Synchronicity in Everyday Life,” the emphasis here is on the playing. Filled with enchanting stories, examples of synchronicity, and other “winks” from the universe, the author captures the joy and wonder of being attuned to a broader, deeper reality.

“In her book, Tasting the Universe, Maureen Seaberg takes readers on an “Eat, Pray, Love” style exploration of this fascinating, newly discovered phenomenon. Occurring in about 5% of the American population, synesthesia is scientifically described as a cross-wiring, or lack of chemical inhibition, between brain neurons… A violinist sees a scarlet form when he plays a certain note. A rock star sees waves of blue and green as she composes a ballad, while an actress tastes cake when she utters the word “table.” This fascinating mingling of the senses is called “synesthesia,” and the people who possess this amazing gift are called “synesthetes.” ”

In an excerpt from Feeling Great: Creating a Life of Optimism, Enthusiasm and Contentment by Dadi Janki, Peter Vegso, and Kelly Johnson, the authors write: Optimism opens a door in difficult or hopeless situations. Optimism knows that there is always a way, no matter how many doors have been shut, and it believes that there is always a good alternative. No matter what the crisis, an optimistic outlook will tell you that the situation you are facing is a sign that you need to find a different way of thinking or a new way of doing things.

Stephen Thomson and Michael Guarino have done readers a real service in Retreats In Print. Based on years of notes and anecdotes from their live workshops and retreats, Volume 1, “Spirit Guides and Invisible Influence,” is a treasure trove of knowledge about our guides, their purpose, how to learn more about them and how some may move into or out of our lives over time based on our interests and what’s happening in our lives.

In his latest newsletter, Dr. Mercola interviews Steven Druker, author of Altered Genes, Twisted Truth, a fascinating new book describing how GMOs came into being and have been allowed to permeate our food supply through illegal means and without legally required safety testing. From the article on www.mercola.com , “On January 24, a statement signed by 300 scientists, researchers, physicians and scholars was published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Sciences Europe, 1 asserting that there is no scientific consensus on the safety of GMOs. Moreover, the paper… states that the claim of scientific consensus on GMO safety is in actuality ‘an artificial construct that has been falsely perpetuated.’ The paper also notes that such a claim ‘is misleading and misrepresents or outright ignores the currently available scientific evidence and the broad diversity of scientific opinions among scientists on this issue.'”

In an excerpt from her fascinating new book, The Making of a Mystic, author Paddy Fievet writes: “Just as I walked beyond the base of the Mary Magdalene Tower, I noticed the plethora of blooming wildflowers in front of me. Most of them were of a light shade of purple splattered with touches of the color of an early morning sunrise. Each stalk had many flowers upon it, bending and swaying slightly in the easy spring breeze flowing up and down the mountainside. Meandering slightly off my path, I eased down among those wildflowers. For a while, I just sat there, noticing intricate details about each leaf, each stone in the walls, and each flower stalk….”