Five years of investigation by various Italian police forces have thrown light on a mysterious sect present throughout the country and abroad. Known to many as Un Punto Macrobiotico, it is an association recognised by the Italian Ministry of Solidarity for its benevolent social activity. But it was later accused of criminal conspiracy resulting in modern-day slavery and the hidden recycling of enormous amounts of money. But who is Mario Pianesi, guru and absolute boss of that psycho-sect? How did he create his own personality cult and an impressive personal fortune? How does the psycho-sect work? How was it born? How has it evolved? The author, who lived within this group for 25 years, gives a complete picture of the phenomenon. When the authorities began to investigate Pianesi, more than 40 ex-members of the cult came forward to denounce him. They spoke of sexual abuse, techniques designed to destroy the personality of the members, and mysterious deaths among those who followed the guru’s ‘medical’ advice – and this was the man who claimed to be able to cure any type of illness with his Mapi diet. How did a diet turn into a mind-control cult? This is an important book because it explains the manipulatory mechanisms that were capable of entrapping the minds of hundreds of thousands of people. An awareness of such systems can help us to avoid the traps set by the thousands of destructive cults all over the world, and it can allow people to cast off the invisible chains which bind the victims of sects.

Surpassing the scope and the thoroughness of the first edition, this new edition of The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions is the most wide-ranging and accessible resource on the historically significant and more obscure, sinister, and bizarre religious groups. Including many entries by scholarly specialists, this volume explains more than 1,000 diverse groups and movements, from such well-known sects as the Branch Davidians, Aum Shinrikyo, and Heaven's Gate, to obscure groups like Ordo Templi Satanas, Witches International, and the Nudist Christian Church of the Blessed Virgin Jesus. In addition to an exhaustive index and handy cross-references, the second edition includes over a hundred new topical entries on subjects relevant to understanding sectarian movements, from snake-handling and satanic ritual abuse to brainwashing and exorcism.This book, a must for all libraries and schools, will endure as the first and only point of reference for researchers, scholars, students, and anyone interested in fringe religious groups.

A macrobiotic diet is beneficial not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. Consisting of nuts, grains, vegetables, and other foods that are primarily whole, living, and unprocessed, it combines foods in a way that balances the body’s energies. Modern-Day Macrobiotics is both a cookbook and a practical guide to understanding and adopting a macrobiotic lifestyle. Along with menus and complete eating plans – including a one-day tone-up, three-day detox, ten-day regeneration diet, and four-month healing diet – it helps readers tailor a diet to their specific needs. Nearly 80 recipes cover every meal of the day, including dessert, and are tagged with icons indicating what types of energy the dish imparts. Colorful reference charts help readers find useful information at a glance. Health benefits; buying and storing ingredients; shortcuts and ten-minute meals; and ordering in restaurants are also covered. Luscious, full-color photographs capture the vibrant flavors of this healthy, delicious diet.

The world's most comprehensive, well documented. and well illustrated book on this subject. With extensive subject and geographical index. 345 photographs and illustrations - mostly color. Free of charge in digital format on Google Books.

One of the best introductory books on macrobiotic philosophy and diet. Contains charts and much useful information. A newly revised and expanded version of Pocket Guide to Macrobiotics.