The CD that comes with this book is like attending a class taught by Mr. Penczak. There is an extremely subtle background of music. Chris speaks in a controlled, pleasant voice and allows plenty of time to attune oneself to his style and the experiences being undergone. While nothing can replace the person-to-person interplay of a "real" class, this CD/book combination comes close. It is the first in a projected series designed to bring his classes to those unable to attend in person, for whatever reason.

Unlike many authors, Christopher admits to not being perfect. He makes mistakes, has doubts, and, in general, comes across as a real human being; unlike many other authors who strive to hide their imperfections from their readers. This makes his lessons all the more accessible and believable, since the reader can understand how he arrived at the information he is passing along.

While I do not share all his attitudes regarding shielding and healing (we have had very different training and life experiences), I am familiar with his sources and know that they are effective. The single most important part of this kind of working is confidence in yourself and the techniques you use. Christopher works hard to instill that confidence. The techniques he teaches are relatively simple, and highly effective. If you want to learn simple, effective methods of shielding yourself, this is an excellent book to own.

Listening to the CD which accompanies this book will provide you with a template for your own rituals. Christopher's voice will gently lead you through the rituals and the intonations. I do wish, however, that he had inserted notes in the text referring the reader to the appropriate track when discussing the techniques. That was my only quibble with this combination, which I hope inspires other authors to include CDs with books on ritual techniques. Not having a feeling for cadence, or pronunciation of unfamiliar terms is often a deterrent for learning new techniques when just starting out.