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Zen Of The Spheres.

By Dave Finnigan. 100 copies, numbered and signed, published by Jugglebug; Edmonds, WA. $5.

Juggling may be one person's meal ticket or another person's idle amusement. But for those to whom juggling is a meaningful voyage of self-discovery, Dave Finnigan's new monograph, "Zen of the Spheres, "may be a guidebook.

Finnigan has applied his interest in Oriental philosophy to juggling, creating a short book (63 8-1/2" x 11" pages) that is rich in human insight. The tale surrounds a young man who travels to Taiwan with a group of other novices to participate in a juggling workshop with Master Huang. Isolated from the outside world, The Master teaches them juggling, but more importantly, uses juggling to teach them about themselves.

The unbound book is well written, fast reading, and loaded with Zen philosophy. One of the many short chapters begins, '''Is juggling really a path to enlightenment?, I asked that evening."

Master Huang replies, "There is little temptation in juggling to become proficient for worldly gain, since even the best Jugglers don't get paid that much. Jugglers don't get much recognition for their athletic skill. Because it is such a subjective art form, it is difficult to judge whether one person is actually better than another. Also jugglers are seen as foolish by many, which means their word carries little weight in circles of power and authority. So the usual motives for achievement - money, recognition, competition and power - are stripped away, leaving what? Nothing... or everything? It depends on your perspective."

The tale is not one of adventure and excitement, but of quiet revelation. Each student brings his or her own psychological baggage into the workshop, and the Master presents them with challenging situations from which they learn something more about how to find personal peace. Finnigan has printed just 100 copies of the book through Jugglebug, and numbered and signed all of them.

491 Pattems for the Solo Juggler.

By Martin Probert. Obtainable by sending bank draft for 16.15 Pounds Sterling (No dollars or other currency) to the author, Hartley, Plymouth, England. Airmail cost is in Europe: 17.85 Sterling, and in N. America: 18.80 Sterling.

For those willing to spend a little time learning a new language of juggling notation, 491 Patterns contains a lot of valuable new material. The drawings of paths, levels and ball positions for each pattern, along with shorthand instructions below each, look overwhelmingly complex at first glance. Probert's eight pages of instructions at the beginning of the book will help the patient and interested reader understand the notation. His "juggletoons," as he calls the drawings, contain all the information in one quick snapshot that you need to begin learning a new pattern. He even describes a way to animate the juggletoon and visualize the pattern in slow motion by moving paper dots along the pattern on the page.

Probert became intrigued with juggling ten years ago. He soon realized it would take a long time to expand his repertoire of tricks because he did not meet other jugglers very often. He developed his notation as a way of exploring possible patterns on his own, and a working system was in place by 1985.

The book includes patterns for all numbers from one to twelve balls. Foremost among those are 123 patterns for four balls and 134 patterns for five balls. It does not include body moves like behind the back, under the leg or chops. The patterns are all variations of moves which can be done with two hands in front of the body - cascades, fountains, half-showers, multiplex, etc.

The manual is extremely well produced. Its 8-1/2" x 11-3/4" format is ring bound so it will open flat to any page for easy reference while practicing. Three column per page are divided neatly to allow six different patterns on each page. The book is sprinkled with clever juggling cartoon silhouettes drawn by the author's daughter, and new chapter pages contain quotes pertinent to the material about to be presented. The introductory explanations of the system are reprinted in French and German at the back of the book for readers of those languages, and a technical addendum gives more information on it.

It is not a book for the beginning juggler looking for some quick, easy new tricks. But for jugglers seriously interested in exploring new patterns and willing to spend some time learning the notation, 491 Pattems will be a valuable addition to the library.