Edred's most recent post in this conversation is quite interesting and clarifying.

I decided to post this separately because I think it goes beyond the interesting conversation occurring on Edred's post and might add clutter if posted there,

I suppose my understanding of "isolate intelligence" comes mostly from Edred's works, and I guess I see it as a thesis in a Hegelian dialectic.  This is, naturally, not the only answer possible where very abstract concepts like consciousness are concerned.

I think Havamal 138 provides a couple of important paradoxes which I interpret as including isolate intelligence, some sort of intelligence unified with the world, and the synthesis of the two.  My own interpretation here is that Odhinn sacrifices himself (isolated intelligence) on himself (the Tree/Universal Consciousness) to himself (what he will become/the synthesis).  This is read through the filter of Voluspa 17-19 as mentioned before.

I suppose the main influences in my reading of the myth this way is "Psychosynthesis" by Roberto Assagioli, though "Paradox Games" by Waldo Thompson has strengthened that conclusion for me.  Also, while I formed this conclusion before reading the Upanishads, I have concluded that the same approach is taken there regarding Atman and Brahman.

Naturally, if one looks to other thinkers, the conclusions might be different.   How do others approach this process?  More interestingly, where do others part ways from my approach?

I have set the book up on Google Books and it is now live.

http://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&id=GkQeAhqaybUC

If you are an author (or are interested in recent developments regarding out-of-print books), read more below as to how this can be leveraged as well as some thoughts on the recent settlement with the Author's Guild.

I have started the project for my next book, with some help.  One of my learners sent me  copy of "Anglo-Saxon Leechcraft" by Henry Wellcome. Although the work is somewhat dated (originally published in 1912), I have decided to add an introduction and republish it.  See below as to why I think that this book is important.

Amazon UK should be carrying The Serpent and the Eagle within the next month.  If you are in the UK and would like to order a copy, I would suggest waiting and doing so there so as to avoid more shipping than necessary (if you purchase it from Amazon UK, it will probably be printed in the UK).

I was reading the Metafont Book or maybe it was the tutorial and it gave an interesting caution:  Once you start down the road of font design you will NEVER be free from it.  Every time you look at a book you will be analyzing its typeface.  Unfortunately book design does the same thing.  So here are a few words of warning before others go down the book design addiction path.....

My publisher (Booksurge) currently has a 1-2 week timeframe to print my order.  Therefore I am expecting to ship the book before the end of February.  It might ship a week later than the earlier Feb 15th estimate.  Then again, it might ship on time.

I got my proof of The Serpent and the Eagle today.  The margins had shifted a little (gutter margins were about 1/8 in. smaller, and on the edge of what I found acceptable).  This may have to do with how the paper is cut in the perfect binding format.

This really was the first book I designed.  While I see a few issues I would like to correct on my next one, overall, I am happy with the process and the result.

Writing the book was comparatively easy once the inspiration struck, but getting it ready for publication was not.  Yet now I am an addict.....