The Oracle Books

The Truth is the Institute’s award-winning debut publication. Authored by Laurel, it is the first book in the Oracle trilogy. This work is a comparative analysis of the mythology, history, and politics of the five primary religions: Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. The book posits that these man-made religions no longer are serving humanity because they do not adhere to the messages of their prophets and are based on a patriarchal view of God.

The Truth includes an objective template for measuring the adequacy of any religion, and it ends by exploring the current spiritual polarization: Why are some people fearfully reverting to religious fundamentalism while others are eagerly embracing New Age and scientific theosophies? While not advocating any belief system, Laurel recommends that these now ancient religions should be updated and unified if they are to fulfill their primary purpose: To foster Earth plane peace and lead humanity toward Ethereal plane enlightenment.

The Love is a thought-provoking anthology narrated by Laurel and containing over 70 new and classic selections from best-selling authors and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Maya Angelou, Wendell Berry, Maxine Hong Kingston, Bill McKibben, Barbara Hand Clow, David Suzuki, Stephen Dunn, Madeleine L’Engle, Alex Grey, Gandhi, Susan McElroy, Henry Reed, Sharon Olds, Kabir, Brian McLaren, Margaret Starbird, Andrew Cohen, and Rumi.

The Love reminds us of the core message relayed by all of God’s prophets: Love is the Way. Once again, Laurel does not offer a definitive belief system. She merely underscores an obvious conclusion: The sectarian strife of orthodox religion will never lead us into the prophesied New Millennium or Fifth Spiritual Paradigm. Therefore, until a contemporary theology emerges which is capable of uniting humanity, the only rational path for our continued physical survival and spiritual evolution is the simple yet elusive religion of Love.

The Light, the last book of Laurel’s foundational trilogy, will be a more contemporary exploration of the nature of the Supreme Being, consistent with 21st Century philosophy, science, history, psychology, and spirituality. In addition, this book will examine the spiritual evolution of humanity along the Spectrum of Consciousness, in order to help readers identify where they are on their personal journey of faith.

The Light also will discuss the “New Human” – those souls who understand the interconnectedness of life and who are embracing the emerging Spiritual Paradigm. It is our destiny to survive the turbulence of the current apocalypse. Once we adopt a pluralistic and unifying theosophy, we will continue our evolutionary journey. But first, we must accept responsibility for our own divinity by seeking enlightenment. We also must update our concept of the Godhead to include sacred feminine energy. Only then will we reach the tipping point and move into the prophesied Fifth Spiritual Paradigm.

Most Christians earnestly strive to worship God and follow the example of Christ. But a belief that the Bible is literally true can put them in the odd position of defending falsehood, bigotry, and even violence. Is the Good Book even “good,” given its historical inaccuracies, scientific impossibilities, and moral contradictions? Trusting Doubt offers alternative explanations that are compatible with contemporary Christianity and provide a harmonious path to God based on logic and love.

Raised and educated in an evangelical environment, author Valerie Tarico speaks as a former “insider.” As such, she has identified the myriad issues that eroded her identity as a born-again believer and finally convinced her to trust her own doubt. Tarico holds a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Iowa, and she is a journalist for the Huffington Post and exChrsitain.net, where she writes about moral development, the psychology of belief, and wisdom convergence.

Psychologist Valerie Tarico has woven a tapestry of ten timeless folktales and created a world in which ideas – Deas – literally come alive. In this magical and morally challenging world, hard-won lessons are learned by and through orphans, trolls, animal guides, and entire towns. Often, a gentle, mystical interloper appears to guide our young hero or heroine to safety, but only after offering an adventure which teaches hope, perseverance, and love.

This poignant collection, originally written by Dr. Tarico for her own children, is mesmerizing young and old readers alike. In the style of traditional wisdom tales, these stories have layers of meaning that are fun and accessible to children, gratifying to adults, and inspirational to both. Parents who wish to teach courage and compassion will treasure these parables. Somewhere between Zen and folktales … child’s play and wisdom … dreaming the world and healing it … these stories reflect our shared moral values. Read them in a sacred setting of your own imaginings!