Rise to the Sun

7 Footsteps and 7 Prayers for Getting Out of Hell

By: Richard J. Marks

Narrated by: Richard J. Marks

Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Rise to the Sun: 7 Footsteps and 7 Prayers for Getting Out of Hell plays with travel and journey in two senses - forward on a physical road and into the heart of the self. This book on spiritual healing is a voyage to freedom set in the context of our times. A timely and necessary work, Rise to the Sun illustrates how humankind must seek to heal its own innate suffering before it can hope to succeed in healing the various external crises affecting our planet. The 7 Footsteps and 7 Prayers unlock a kinder, gentler, and long-lasting engine for transformation. As we leave hell behind, we unlock and unchain all that prevents us from being worthy of love.

This gentle book guides us to feel safe in the face of change - to actualize new ways of seeing life and gaining freedom. The art of living is learning to be good to ourselves. The author, along with the brave women and men who open up their stories and teachings, are our living teachers.

The Prayers by C.L. Sulzberger; Padraig O Tuama; Hermann Hesse; Nancy B. Black, MD, colonel, US Army, retired; the Iroquois/Haudenosaunee Confederacy; the Mother (Mirra Alfassa); Annie Besant; and Richard J. Marks give us something to do: They guide us actively toward seeing what needs to be released, surrendered, completed, forgiven, and cherished. They also bring us into the heart.

With gratitude to Tom Vendetti for providing the soul-stirring music track “Processions” by Keola Beamer, from the concept album Himalayan Sessions, recorded in Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan.

Cover design by Gjorgji Pejkovski. Audio editing by Marko Mrdja and Uros Stojni.

©2020 Richard J. Marks (P)2020 Richard J. Marks

An original author and a first-class audiobook

An original author who has important things to say, and says them beautifully: a first-class audiobook.
There is a double journey in this book, inward to freedom and outward to love. The author is exceptionally original in guiding us in practice through this journey.
My experience of this book is real. Real — because it allows me to touch my own heart. It leaves the personal responsibility up to me. This book brings me to see myself, and that I can change my outlook at life. This book’s gift is helping me learn not just to see myself, but to change. What’s the key? Taking personal responsibility for myself, and ultimately, for our children, our friends, our planet. In short, everything we share starts within—liberation starts within. Personal responsibility is what I learned originally (when I was younger) from the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre; now, as I listen to and read Rise to the Sun, Richard Marks teaches personal responsibility and brings it alive.
Richard Marks doesn’t instruct “how" to do things. Instead, he gives us the gift of sight. I feel he is showing us ways to open up to all that is already within us. We all have this power. Wow! I have for so long needed to learn what self-love means, and here I am finding it. It’s richer than I imagined. The author’s voice is soothing, mellifluous, authentic—as he provides originality in re-framing many ways of seeing what freedom is. I am not religious, but I have learned to enjoy and also use the “prayers” in this book.
Just as we traveled with The Little Prince, written long ago by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, we embark with Richard J. Marks on a journey to freedom and love. The essence is similar: life is worth living if it is lived not only for oneself but for others. Like the Little Prince, Rise to the Sun gives us the bravery not to be afraid of the universe. An illuminating process to rise to the sun.
- Marc-Olivier Strauss-Kahn, Trustee, American University of Paris

How Good it is!

Richard Marks has written a wonderful book ...covering all sorts of subjects. This book will bring good gifts to many people. Listening to Richard read from his book one realizes that love is central at all times. This book reflects that. In a new phase of human life our emotions have to catch up with our desire for a better life. Like Richard, I want to see kids, parents, professionals, the elderly and the disadvantaged touch each others life through spiritual growth. People are in need of more Empathy and Love. This book reflects this.

A gentle and fine book about the Soul

Reading Richard Marks' written word and hearing his voice on the audio version of "Rise to the Sun" takes us out of the dark and shines love into our souls. The author, who is a great storyteller, narrator and writer, delivers us to the kind of place we want to be, where there is freedom from the rage and darkness that can consume our troubled souls. I believe he is absolutely right in that we need to re-tune ourselves and re-learn how to be free! Here is a thinker/writer who gathers us with complete honesty and compels us to change, while constantly bringing us forward through beautiful cultural teachings from all over the world. Love is always on time, and thus, I'm happy to recommend this book and audio version for everyone, who will receive, as have I, comfort and joy.

Healing and Helpful

Feeling a tad overwhelmed by life, I closed my eyes and listened to Richard Marks' gentle words in the audio of his book “Rise to the Sun.” What a fabulous experience! I felt a sense of joy -- a sense of hope -- and a sense of calm that I hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

Richard Marks' book helped me be gentle with myself and I am thrilled that he now has an audio version. Every time I have listened to “Rise to the Sun” I have heard something new…a possibility, an approach, a revelation…and these have been truly wonderful for me.

I am certain that many people will love and be helped by this book.

Transformational

The dramatic rendering of this audio brings stories, characters, and emotions to life in a way that reading the book in my own head simply couldn't. At first, I didn't think I needed to read the book at all, I didn't feel in 'hell'. But soon enough, I found myself in a beautiful experience that provided - step by step - a liberating sense of transformation. Thankyou!

Inviting us to walk into a better future!

-From Margery Arent Safir, Ph.D., President and Director, The Arts Arena International:

This is a universal healing book. People all over the world who want to make a difference in the culture changes in our world need to read this book. It offers a hand and invites us to walk into a better future. I have it read with great emotion, at times sadness, at times joy. The journey is one of pain and healing, a voyage to freedom inserted in the context of our times. The author is an unusually generous, caring, and gentle man; an open man.

Personal encounters, discoveries, and friendships appear within the larger context of the history of thought, politics, spirituality, and the planet. There is beauty along the way, and at the base of every step is love.

The storytelling is structured around geographic spaces, and woven together with quotations of wisdom -- both Eastern and Western. It takes us from dense urban spaces to solitary natural ones ... in China and Rajasthan, Washington, D.C. and Valley Forge and Canada, the American West and Los Angeles and even three childhood years in the former home of Mae West!

As my headline indicates, I can't forget the ways this book presents ways of thinking that will walk us together into a better future. It provides a clear path of sharing that will help our culture change more quickly and transform what it means to "move forward."

A memorable, rich and deep exploration of heart, soul, and mind.

Worth a listen or read for an important message

This book offers a unique personal narrative and a meaningful method to release one's own chains, face one's demons, and move forward into one's own freedom. Buttressed with poetry, artwork and inspiring quotes, I keep this close to reread and get new inspiration. I have read it several times. Each reading offers new insight into the self and into the author's adventure and courage.

It is especially lovely to hear to the Audible version of the book and to hear the author read in his mellifluous and comforting voice. His tone reveals concern and love for the listener. Highly recommend.

On the path to cultural evolution

Richard Marks does something unexpected, by taking cultural evolution into spirituality. After listening to his book, I am encouraged we are going to survive very well. This author shows us how to transition from a life with dwindling hope to a world in which freedom connects with empathy and power within a networked culture of activism and agency through love.

For these times.....

This book was so perfectly timed. In these days of isolation and separation, of worry, uncertainty and even fear, the author quietly and calmly guides one on a pathway. But most especially being narrated in the gentle loving voice of the author, there is great comfort. Not only is the book a guide but I hear......the author understands, quietly rides beside me in my car, and says, “Yes my friend, there is indeed hope and I am here with you on this journey.” For me this has been the first time a book morphed into a living presence. I may carry a book under my arm or be aware of it as I set it on the night table..... but this is a book that takes on an almost physical presence and as I listen I know that the author is my friend, that we are on this journey together, and there is hope and Love and we will not only be okay. We will be so much better. Bravo Richard Marks.

A BEAUTIFUL BOOK

Similar to Derek DelGaudio's "IN & OF ITSELF", RISE TO THE SUN is almost impossible to easily describe. In the most simplistic terms, it is a beautifully written guidebook on how to connect the internal to the external in order to obtain and heal a better you. Richard Marks deftly steers away from being preachy by offering ruminations and personal experiences to accept who we are and how to get to a better place. It is purposeful and spiritual but not in the traditional religious sense. I look forward to hearing more from Richard and benefiting by what this insightful author has to say.