Sharon Janis lived for ten years at an ashram in India where she produced videos on Indian spiritual philosophy before moving to Hollywood for a TV and film career. She also created a website of free multimedia resources, www.nightlotus.com. This information-packed paperback is tailor-made for seekers interested in discovering the bounties of spirituality. On a "cheat sheet" at the front of the book she lists "What Spirituality Can Do For You":

• Spirituality gives you a greater appreciation for everything in your life.
• Spirituality gives you more awareness of the bigger picture.
• Spirituality gives your actions more power, along with guidance on how to use that power.
• Spirituality brings you to a place of independent contentment.
• Spirituality is the key to overcoming sorrow.
• Spirituality encourages honesty and self-acceptance.
• Spirituality reveals that what you seek is inside yourself.
• Spirituality dissolves your limited ideas of who you are and guides you into greater respect.
• Spirituality helps you remember that everything is divine, even when it doesn't feel divine!

The same sheet addresses the perennial questions, What's the difference between religion and spirituality? Her answer: "Religion is the shell, while spirituality is the kernel within that shell. Religion is the map; spirituality is the territory."A good beginning. It opens the door to other chapters on Getting Acquainted with Spirituality, Spiritual Practice Makes Perfect, Living a Spiritual Life, This Conscious Universe: How You Connect, and The Part of Tens (Ten Small Things You Can Do to Uplift Your Life, Ten Spiritual-Sounding Lines and What They May Really Mean, Ten Opportunities to See Your Life with Spiritual Eyes, and Ten More Commandments). This paperback also includes an audio CD with 60 minutes of inspirational music from different traditions.

Here are some of the tips and insights we appreciated in Janis's overview:

• "Two important instructions that will help you find and express authentic spirituality in your life are 'Trust yourself' and 'Serve joyfully.' "

• "Pretty much any action can become a spiritual practice if you approach it with a spiritual attitude. Some traditional practices from various cultures include meditation; prayer; scriptural study; yoga; devotional chanting; rituals; spiritual art; martial arts and singing; calming your breath; watching your mind; ceremonial dance, mantra, rosary, and dhikr recitations; charity; archery; flower arranging; and gardening."

• "Approaching your spiritual practices freshly in each moment helps you to intuitively tap into the divine guidance from a state of inner surrender, openness, and enthusiasm."

• "When you're misbehaving and acting in ways you know are not helpful or right, you can follow the example of television nannies and send your mind for a time out in the 'naughty corner.' "

• "Negative effects of jealousy can include being in an agitated state of mind, losing enthusiasm for your own journey, or getting what you thought you wanted but not finding peace and happiness there. Therefore, keep your attention focused on what you want for yourself and not on jealousy over what others have."