Beyond Words is an introductory book to Dzogchen, a form of Tibetan Buddhist Practice that is becoming hugely popular among Westerners. At the heart of the Dzogchen teachings is learning how to integrate meditation with your everyday life without the need for any kind of formal methods or rituals. By applying presence and awareness in all your daily activities, such as going to work, preparing a meal, or driving a car, life itself becomes primary means for spiritual development. In this way, Beyond Words shows you how to walk a path of knowledge that offers direct insight into your true nature.

The book guides you through the theory and practice of Dzogchen as well as telling the stories of many of the great Dzogchen practitioners of the past, both men and women. It also places this ancient spiritual tradition within a firm historical yet living lineage -- an important factor in these times of false prophets. Fundamental Dzogchen practices such as pointing-out instruction and sky-meditation are elucidated within the context of more complex practices including dream yoga, dark retreat, and ultimately complete realization through attainment of the "rainbow body". It also includes methods for co-ordinating your energy, though practices such as Yantra Yoga, Chod, and the Song of the Vajra.

Beyond Words: A Concise Introduction to the Dzogchen Teachings, Julia Lawless and Judith Allan, Shang Shung Publications, Paperback, 194 pages, $27.00

A highly respected authority in the field of aromatherapy, Julia Lawless has written over 20 books and has appeared on TV and radio. She is owner of the essential oil company Aqua Oleum, a family business with its roots in the Natural Essence Company started by her Finnish biochemist mother. Julia's category-killing The Encyclopaedia of Essential Oils, originally published in 1992 and revised in 2014, has been translated into over eight languages and became the standard textbook for aromatherapy training on an international basis.