Kuan Yin: Accessing the Power of the Divine Feminine is a beautifully illustrated book by Daniela Schenker, with original paintings by Antonia Baginski. The book itself is beautiful. It is a small hardcover, a little over six inches wide and almost 8 inches tall. It fits into a feminine hand quite nicely and can easily be tucked into a handbag.
The first two chapters of the book, about 30 pages, deal with Kuan Yin’s appearance in South Asian and Chinese cultures and how she evolved from a male image to a feminine one. These chapters also tell how Schenker, an astrologer, Feng Shui consultant, and holistic lifestyle consultant personally came to know Kuan Yin and become a devotee.

Over sixty pages, the heart of the book, offer 33 striking images of Kuan Yin drawn from various manifestations of the goddess throughout Asian art and religious practice. Each depiction contains an Antonia Baginski watercolor, a key word associated with the aspect of Kuan Yin, a folk story about her, and a meditation. Baginski has put several key components in each painting that are specifically tied to the aspect of Kuan Yin she has illustrated: specific colors, her dress, what she is holding, and other symbols. These pages are meant to be used for contemplation, either taking them one at a time or choosing one at random.

The last portion of the book offers other ways to connect with Kuan Yin. Schenker presents mantras, various meditations, ways to energize water, visualizations, sound and silence methods, and creating a Kuan Yin altar. The author also retells lots of tales about Kuan Yin and recounts where shrines to the goddess are located. There also are two appendices. One deals with a short listing of various aspects of Kuan Yin, and the other identifies symbols associated with her and what they mean.

I found this book a delight to possess and to read. The meditations and practices offered, though specific to Kuan Yin, are appropriate for other types of spiritual connection, even translating to other spiritual entities. The practices, though, do have a very feminine tone so they might not work with male spiritual aspects.

Schenker's Kuan Yin is highly recommended. It would be wonderful to see other books like this about other goddesses or the feminine Divine.

A beautiful book on Kuan Yin full of colour photographs and illustrations, along with invocations, meditations and visualizations to summon the healing energy of this goddess of compassion and liberation.

Includes: 33 of Kuan Yin's manifestations, each with its own contemplation and waterclour image; tips and techniques to create a devotional shrine to Kuan Yin; Namo Kuan Shi Yin Pusa - and other powerful mantras to invoke Kuan Yin's guidance and protection; and Kuan Yin's power place - the beautiful Chinese island of Putuo Shan.

"All beings, without number, I vow to liberate. Endless blind passions I vow to uproot. Dharma gates beyond measure I vow to penetrate. The way of the Buddha I vow to attain." Kuan Yin.