David Christopher Lane

I first learned of Errol Flynn's life and work when by chance I happened upon his autobiography, My Wicked Wicked Ways, in audio format at the Huntington Beach Library some two decades ago. It was an exhilarating find as it is one of the funniest and most insightful books I have ever listened to in my life. In fact, it was so good that I got a copy of the book and read it cover to cover again, and I was even more mesmerized by Errol Flynn's hilarious stories and pithy insights the second time around. I became an instant fan and sought out as much information as I could about this charming rogue who had starred in some of the most popular movies in Hollywood from the 1930s and 1940s, including his breakout role in Captain Blood. Besides being regarded as one of the handsomest men to ever adorn the silver screen, Flynn was also a scandalous character in real life skirting the very edges of what was legally permissible during his day. Yet, what I found most endearing about Flynn was his philosophy about life and how open he was about his own contradictory nature. Over time I read everything I could by and about Errol Flynn, including his underrated novel Beam Ends, published in 1937. What makes Errol Flynn so continually fascinating is that he lived a life that was so adventurous and seemingly impossible it borders on the surreal, particularly given the cultural norms of that time period. Refreshingly, Flynn makes no apologies for his lifestyle and even revels in his iconoclastic ways. It is difficult, if not misleading, to summarize Errol Flynn's philosophy in just two sentences. Yet, I do think Flynn captures the essence of his thinking when he opines, "I know that truth is sometimes an octagon and that I am one. Contradiction is a cardinal element of life and of itself may be no contradiction." The following book contains a series of pregnant quotes from Errol Flynn (with occasional commentary by myself) conjoined with a treasure trove of photographs of him throughout his career.

A Brief Introduction to the Octagonal Philosophy of Errol Flynn

What Would Errol Do?

Heretical Thinking has five distinct chapters, raising critical questions concerning how to properly study mysticism, the radical (and forgotten) message buried within the life and death narrative within the Four Gospels concerning what early Christianity really taught, the differences between eastern and western religions via certain mythological icons, why karma theory may be nonsensical, and finally exploring the connection between mysticism and quantum theory. This short book is a heresy of sorts since it argues for viewpoints not generally understood or accepted. Professor Lane is a well known expert on debunking cults and for advocating critical thinking in religious circles.

The Radical Option

Heretical Thinking

The practice of listening to subtle, inner sounds during meditation to concentrate and elevate the mind has a long history in various religions around the world, including Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Today there are a number of new religious movements that have made listening to the inner sound current a cornerstone of their teachings. These groups include the Radhasoamis, the Divine Light Mission, Eckankar, the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA), MasterPath, the Sawan-Kirpal Mission, Quan Yin/Ching Hai, Manavta Mandir, ISHA, and a number of others. In this study we provide a historical and comprehensive overview of these movements and how they have incorporated listening to the inner sound as part of their spiritual discipline. We are particularly interested in the distinctive and nuanced ways that each group teaches how to listen to the inner sound current and how they interpret it in their own unique theologies.

A Historical Overview

The Sound Current Tradition

Andrea Diem-Lane

You Are Probability: Surfing The Matrix

This text contains a number of timeless essays from several classic (and mostly out of print) works focusing on the love of books, collecting books, organizing one's library, and how books become lost over time. It is a judicious selection on bibliomania from such distinguished authors as Eugene Field, Christopher Morley, and Issac Disraeli.

David Christopher Lane

Books

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