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Broken Open: How difficult times can help us grow
by Elizabeth Lesser'And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom' Anaïs NinElizabeth Lesser shows how it is possible to deal with fearful change or a painful loss and be reborn, like the Phoenix, to a more vibrant and enlightened self. In Broken Open she shares penetrating tales from her own life, the lives of those she has taught and counselled and the lives of friends and family, tales that explore the big challenges of death, illness and divorce, as well as the daily roller coaster rides of relationships, parenting and work. Woven into these stories are quotations from great poets and philosophers. And following them is a toolbox of valuable aids, including meditation, psychological enquiry and spiritual practice. The result is a book that runs the gamut of the human experience, and in a style that is genuine, funny, often heartbreaking, but always inspiring, she shows us how we, too, can allow the pain of adversity to break us open instead of breaking us down, making us bitter or closing our hearts.
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life (Charming Petite Ser.)
by Thich Nhat HanhThich Nhat Hanh is the subject of the upcoming major documentary Walk With Me narrated by Benedict CumberbatchLucidly and beautifully written, PEACE IS EVERY STEP contains commentaries and meditations, personal anecdotes and stories from Nhat Hanh's experiences as a peace activist, teacher, and community leader. It begins where the reader already is - in the kitchen, office, driving a car, walking in a park - and shows how deep meditative presence is available now. Nhat Hanh provides exercises to increase our awareness of our own body and mind through conscious breathing, which can bring immediate joy and peace. Nhat Hanh also shows how to be aware of relationships with others and of the world around us, its beauty and also its pollution and injustices. The deceptively simple practices of PEACE IN EVERY STEP encourage the reader to work for peace in the world as he or she continues to work on sustaining inner peace by turning the 'mindness' into the mindful. 'This is a very worthwhile book. It can change individual lives and the life of our society. ' H. H. the Dalai Lama.
An Angel to Guide Me: How Angels Speak to Us from the Beyond
by Glennyce S. EckersleyGlennyce Eckersley is one of our most loved angel experts. In her wonderful new book, An Angel to Guide Me, she explains how angels communicate with us through the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, as well as the mysterious sixth sense of intuition. Amazing true stories collected from around the world show how many of us have had incredible angelic experiences that appear to have been tailor-made for us, speaking to us individually through the senses in the ways we recognise and understand the best. These stories are illustrated by inspirational exercises, affirmations and quotations, which will help readers to connect with the angels themselves. From 'Visions of Angels' to the 'Touch of Angels' and 'Angels of the Soul', it becomes clear that the angels are indeed all around us, ready to communicate with us through the gateways of our senses whenever we are willing to welcome them into our lives.
A Complete Guide to the Soul
by Patrick HarpurWho am I? What's my life's purpose? Where am I going when I die?These questions lie at the heart of all our lives, yet clear answers seem hard to come by. A Complete Guide to the Soul explains that answers can in fact be found in a secret history that runs like quicksilver through Western culture, from philosophy and alchemy, to poetry and modern psychology. This hidden tradition places our soul at the centre of the universe and shows us how to recover a sense of meaning that so many of us have lost today.In this important book, Patrick Harpur explores the nature of our soul, as well as its destiny. He unpacks the myths that surround it and shows how it may actually be the very fabric of reality. And he explains that, not until we have a clear understanding of this invisible part of ourselves, can we discover the answers to many of our questions about existence and human nature. Ultimately, this knowledge could help us find our true place within the world in which we live.
The Relate Guide to Sex in Loving Relationships (Relate Ser.)
by Sarah LitvinoffSex is part of a loving relationship. However, really loving someone doesn't always mean the sex will be wonderful - it might be as routine and dull as brushing your teeth, it might be difficult, or it might just hardly ever happen. The good news is that you can turn a disappointing sex life into one that is enjoyable and fulfilling, and a satisfying sex life can be made even better. In The Relate Guide to Sex in a Loving Relationship, Sarah Litvinoff guides you through practical tasks, quizzes and talking points to help you discover the sexual person you are, with unique likes, dislikes and needs. You will: --Build your own unique sexual profile --Draw up your own 'better sex' plan --Separate sexual fact from fiction --Tackle common sexual difficulties --Learn simple sex-enhancing techniques. The inspirational yet down-to-earth methods highlighted in this book will make a satisfying love life possible for any loving and committed couple.
A Path With Heart: The Classic Guide Through The Perils And Promises Of Spiritual Life
by Jack KornfieldPerhaps the most important book yet written on meditation, the process of inner transformation, and the integration of spiritual practice into our Western way of life, A Path With Heart brings alive the possibilities of inner peace, wholeness and the achievement of happiness. Written by a teacher, psychologist and meditation master of international renown, this is a warm, inspiring and, above all, practical book. Its gentle Buddhist wisdom will guide you through the ups and downs of contemporary living, such as addiction, psychological and emotional healing, problems with relationships and the difficulties of achieving a balanced life of simplicity.
Fateless
by Imre Kertesz'While the average reader cannot pretend truly to understand the reality of those who suffered in concentration camps, Kertesz draws us one step closer' ObserverGyuri, a fourteen-year-old Hungarian Jew, gets the day off school to witness his father signing over the family timber business - his final act before being sent to a labour camp. Two months later, Gyuri finds himself assigned to a 'permanent workplace'. This is the start of his journey to Auschwitz.On his arrival Gyuri finds that he is unable to identify with other Jews, and is rejected by them. An outsider among his own people, his estrangement makes him a preternaturally acute observer, dogmatically insisting on making sense of the barbarity - and beauty - he witnesses.
The Twilight Of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World
by Alister McGrathAtheism is one of the most important movements in modern Western culture. For the last two hundred years, it seemed to be on the verge of eliminating religion as an outmoded and dangerous superstition. Recent years, however, have witnessed the decline of disbelief and a rise in religious/spiritual devotion throughout the world. In this highly readable book, the distinguished historian and theologian, Alister McGrath examines what went wrong with the atheist dream and explains why religion and faith are destined to play a central role in the twenty-first century. A former atheist who is now one of Christianity's foremost scholars, McGrath traces the history of atheism from its emergence in eighteenth-century Europe as a revolutionary worldview that offered liberation from the rigidity of traditional Christianity and the oppression of tyrannical monarchs, to its golden age in the first half of the twentieth century. Blending thoughtful, authoritative historical analysis with incisive portraits of such leading and influential atheists as Sigmund Freud, Marx and Richard Dawkins, McGrath exposes the flaws at the heart of atheism and argues that the renewal of faith is a natural, inevitable and necessary response to its failures.
Spiritual Partnership: The Journey To Authentic Power
by Gary ZukavIn his first major book since the phenomenal bestseller The Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav reveals a revolutionary new path for spiritual growth.A great transformation is taking place. We are evolving beyond the limits of our five senses and increasingly able to access data that we could not previously detect. A new and surprising world is emerging, around us and within us. If we choose to realize its potential, we will forever alter our experiences of ourselves, our relationships and our surroundings.Gary Zukav explains how a powerful new dynamic is at play in human relationships. By focusing attention on the interior rather than the outer causes of suffering or joy, we can reach our full potential and generate authentic power, co-creating rewarding partnerships of substance and depth for the purposes of our mutual spiritual growth.Filled with fascinating examples as well as practical guidance, this remarkable book is the roadmap to profound change, pointing towards a fulfi lling, joyful way of life for us all.
The Harlot By The Side Of The Road: Forbidden Tales of the Bible
by Jonathan KirschThe Harlot by the Side of the Road is the first book to shed light on strange biblical passages which have largely been ignored by ministers, priests and rabbies because they semed too awkward to examine. Johnathan Kirsch retells these `forbidden' stories in con-temporary English, alongside thr original text, and demonstrates that the people in biblical times were as vulnerable, confused and prone to weakness of the flesh and failure of the spirit as any character in Homer, Shakespere or Dostoevsky, and wrestled with the same problems of the heart and mind hat still confront us today. He also explains how each story found its way into the Bible, why it was originally suppressed-and examines the rituals, customs and politics that bring these extraordinary tales alive for the contempoary reader.
Signs From The Afterlife: How the Other Side can comfort and inspire you
by Tj HiggsIn her first book, Living with the Gift, TJ Higgs shared the gripping account of her rise from difficult beginnings to becoming one of the nation's leading celebrity mediums. In Signs From The Afterlife she reveals the wisdom and psychic insights that have made her the star she is today.Brimming with incredible true stories, Signs from the Afterlife explains the ways in which TJ receives messages from the Other Side and communicates amazingly accurate information from those who have passed over. More than this, Signs from the Afterlife tells readers how they can use TJ's psychic techniques for themselves. Through reading the signs that are to be found all around us, we too can connect more closely with our lost loved ones and become the masters of our destinies. Generous, warm and with a great sense of humour, TJ shows us how to decode the signs from the Afterlife that are all around us.
Angels of Divine Light: The Remarkable Autobiography Of One Of Today's Leading Angelic Healers And Spiritual Therapists
by Aidan StoreyGrowing up in the suburbs of Dublin, Aidan Storey was the youngest of seven, a much-loved, happy child who enjoyed family life and all the usual rough-and-tumble games he played with friends in his garden. The only difference was, when the friends left and the garden was quiet, Aidan was visited by Angels. Unafraid of the beautiful, luminous spirits who watched over him,it wasn't until much later that Aidan realized not everyone could see what he could see - and not everyone shared what was to prove to be an exceptional gift for healing. In this extraordinary autobiography, Aidan vividly recalls how the presence of angels sustained him through years of great turmoil - years when his happy, carefree world turned into one of misery and torment. As he recalls the sexual and mental abuse he suffered at the hands of two teachers in his Christian Brothers primary school, and the desperate, dark days of depression and isolation which followed, he tells of how the Angels helped him to claw his way back to life and, through the power of angelic healing, taught him how to bring light and love into his life and the lives of many others. Profoundly moving - and with a range of questions about issues such as death, relationships, the state of the planet, and many more, all answered by the Angels - this is an inspiring story of hope and forgiveness, and a testament to the healing power of Angels that will stay with you for ever.
Joyful Wisdom: Embracing Change And Finding Freedom
by Yongey Mingyur RinpocheIn this remarkable sequel to his book, The Joy of Living, Buddhist scholar and teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche explores the role of positive thinking and how to overcome anxiety in everyday life. Joyful Wisdom is divided into three parts, the way traditional Buddhist texts are organized: * Part One offers an overview of the basic unease we feel, how it evolved, its true source. * Part Two describes the methods of meditation that transforms our experiences into deeper insights. *Part Three explores the application of these methods to emotional, physical, and personal problems.Each chapter is underlined by examples drawn from Yongey Mingyur's personal experience, the stories of friends and teachers, and in particular the conversations with people he's met during the 12 years he has spent teaching around the world.
Sisters Of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Found the Hidden Gospels
by Janet Soskice'The hunt for early Bible manuscripts was among the most romantic of all the 19th century's grand quests...At the heart of this lively, inspiring double biography is the story of how a pair of spirited Presbyterian women made their own extraordinary discovery' Sunday Times Sisters of Sinai is the story of how Scottish twin sisters made one of the most important manuscript finds of the nineteenth century - an early copy of the gospels which lay hidden in the Sinai desert. We trace the footsteps of the intrepid pair from the Ayrshire of their childhood, as they voyage to Egypt, Sinai and beyond, coping with camels, unscrupulous dragomen, and unpredictable welcomes, not least from the academics of their adopted home in Cambridge. Fast-paced, informative and written with dry wit, this is a story of two remarkable women, undeterred in their spirit of adventure, who overcame insuperable odds to claim a place in history.
Emotional Alchemy: How The Mind Can Heal The Heart
by Tara Bennett-GolemanAlchemists sought to transform lead into gold. This book shows how we similarly all have the natural ability to turn the lead of our confused minds into the gold of insightful clarity. Tara Bennett shows how we can learn to see ourselves as we really are and thus learn to disengage from those emotional patterns that undermine our lives. Drawing on the latest research into cognitive science and neuroscience with ancient principles of Buddhist psychology, this profound yet very practical book shows how practicing mindfulness can heal the very heart of our being.'A wise and practical guide to emotional freedom' Joseph Goldstein, author of Insight Meditation'A wonderfully clear, compassionate and insightful guide to freeing ourselves from difficult emotions' Sharon Salzberg, author of LovingKindness'Written with humour [and] warmheartedness in lively prose -' Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth
The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali (Sacred Teachings Ser.)
by Alistair ShearerThe basic questions of Who Am I? Where Am I Going? What Is the Purpose of Life? are asked by every generation, and Patanjali's answers (given in the third century BC) form one of the oldest spiritual texts in the world. 'That which unites' is called 'Yoga' - and is thus much broader than the form of exercise so popular today. It is a way to restore our lost wholeness, our integrity as complete human beings, by unifying the personality around a centre that is silent and unbounded. Alistair Shearer's superb introduction and translation bring these ancient, vital teachings to life in the modern world and are for all those who seek the benefits of self-knowledge.
The Direct Path: Creating A Journey To The Divine Using The World's Mystical Traditions
by Andrew HarveyDrawing on Tibetan, Hindu, Taoist, Christian and Kabbalistic traditions, Andrew Harvey shows why he believes the direct path is now essential to the future survival of humanity - and how the truth and vibrancy of this radical vision depends on reclamation of the Sacred Feminine.From visualisations to T'ai Chi to Tantra, this magnificent book also offers specific practices for honouring the body and spirit, yet sanctifying the whole of life. Lucid, forthright, accessible and helpful, The Direct Path is a comprehensive handbook that is as thought-provoking as it is practical, and as radical as it is timeless in its sincerity of purpose.
Sons And Daughters Of The Buddha: Daily meditations from the buddhist tradition
by Christopher TitmussChristopher Titmuss believes that the work of the great Buddhist writers can provide profound spiritual, religious, social, political and environmental insights. This collection of inspirational quotes, one thought-provoking excerpt for every day of the year, draws on the very best Buddhist writings from early sages to the work of contemporary writers such as Jack Kornfield and Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a book readers will want to keep for many years, and dip into time and again.
You Are Next: (Karin Schaeffer 1) (Karin Schaeffer #1)
by Katia LiefAn ex-cop with a death wish. A serial killer with a gruesome agenda...Detective Karin Schaeffer was a happily married mother until she got too close to catching a serial killer.The press nickname him The Domino Killer because he systematically murders whole families, leaving a trail of bloody dominoes as the only clues to his next victim. Having brutally slain Karin's husband and child, he left her a chilling message scrawled in her daughter's blood: YOU ARE NEXT.But now the Domino Killer has escaped prison and the police believe he's on his way to find her. And Karin is waiting...
The Bhagavad Gita
by Stephen MitchellThe Bhagavad Gita, or 'Song of the Spirit', is the best known book of India's national epic The Mahabharata. Based on a dialogue between Bhagavan Krishna and Prince Arjuna on the eve of a great battle, it is held to be the essence of Hindu spirituality, sacred literature and yoga, as well as exploring the great universal themes of courage, honour, death, love, virtue and fulfilment. Of interest to the large number of contemporary spiritual seekers - of any faith and none - who want to read the world's most important sacred texts, and to learn from their wisdom. Also useful for scholars of Vedic literature and students.
Christian Martyrs under Islam: Religious Violence and the Making of the Muslim World
by Christian C. SahnerHow did the medieval Middle East transform from a majority-Christian world to a majority-Muslim world, and what role did violence play in this process? Christian Martyrs under Islam explains how Christians across the early Islamic caliphate slowly converted to the faith of the Arab conquerors and how small groups of individuals rejected this faith through dramatic acts of resistance, including apostasy and blasphemy.Using previously untapped sources in a range of Middle Eastern languages, Christian Sahner introduces an unknown group of martyrs who were executed at the hands of Muslim officials between the seventh and ninth centuries CE. Found in places as diverse as Syria, Spain, Egypt, and Armenia, they include an alleged descendant of Muhammad who converted to Christianity, high-ranking Christian secretaries of the Muslim state who viciously insulted the Prophet, and the children of mixed marriages between Muslims and Christians. Sahner argues that Christians never experienced systematic persecution under the early caliphs, and indeed, they remained the largest portion of the population in the greater Middle East for centuries after the Arab conquest. Still, episodes of ferocious violence contributed to the spread of Islam within Christian societies, and memories of this bloodshed played a key role in shaping Christian identity in the new Islamic empire. Christian Martyrs under Islam examines how violence against Christians ended the age of porous religious boundaries and laid the foundations for more antagonistic Muslim-Christian relations in the centuries to come.
Christian Martyrs under Islam: Religious Violence and the Making of the Muslim World
by Christian C. SahnerHow did the medieval Middle East transform from a majority-Christian world to a majority-Muslim world, and what role did violence play in this process? Christian Martyrs under Islam explains how Christians across the early Islamic caliphate slowly converted to the faith of the Arab conquerors and how small groups of individuals rejected this faith through dramatic acts of resistance, including apostasy and blasphemy.Using previously untapped sources in a range of Middle Eastern languages, Christian Sahner introduces an unknown group of martyrs who were executed at the hands of Muslim officials between the seventh and ninth centuries CE. Found in places as diverse as Syria, Spain, Egypt, and Armenia, they include an alleged descendant of Muhammad who converted to Christianity, high-ranking Christian secretaries of the Muslim state who viciously insulted the Prophet, and the children of mixed marriages between Muslims and Christians. Sahner argues that Christians never experienced systematic persecution under the early caliphs, and indeed, they remained the largest portion of the population in the greater Middle East for centuries after the Arab conquest. Still, episodes of ferocious violence contributed to the spread of Islam within Christian societies, and memories of this bloodshed played a key role in shaping Christian identity in the new Islamic empire. Christian Martyrs under Islam examines how violence against Christians ended the age of porous religious boundaries and laid the foundations for more antagonistic Muslim-Christian relations in the centuries to come.
Kierkegaard's Journals and Notebooks: Volume 10, Journals NB31-NB36 (Kierkegaard's Journals and Notebooks)
by Søren KierkegaardFor over a century, the Danish thinker Søren Kierkegaard (1813–55) has been at the center of a number of important discussions, concerning not only philosophy and theology, but also, more recently, fields such as social thought, psychology, and contemporary aesthetics, especially literary theory.Despite his relatively short life, Kierkegaard was an extraordinarily prolific writer, as attested to by the 26-volume Princeton University Press edition of all of his published writings. But Kierkegaard left behind nearly as much unpublished writing, most of which consists of what are called his “journals and notebooks.” Kierkegaard has long been recognized as one of history’s great journal keepers, but only rather small portions of his journals and notebooks are what we usually understand by the term “diaries.” By far the greater part of Kierkegaard’s journals and notebooks consists of reflections on a myriad of subjects—philosophical, religious, political, personal. Studying his journals and notebooks takes us into his workshop, where we can see his entire universe of thought. We can witness the genesis of his published works, to be sure—but we can also see whole galaxies of concepts, new insights, and fragments, large and small, of partially (or almost entirely) completed but unpublished works. Kierkegaard’s Journals and Notebooks enables us to see the thinker in dialogue with his times and with himself.Kierkegaard wrote his journals in a two-column format, one for his initial entries and the second for the extensive marginal comments that he added later. This edition of the journals reproduces this format, includes several photographs of original manuscript pages, and contains extensive scholarly commentary on the various entries and on the history of the manuscripts being reproduced.Volume 10 of this series includes the final six of Kierkegaard’s important “NB” journals (Journals NB31 through NB36), which cover the last months of 1854, a period when Kierkegaard made the final preparations for and the initial launch of his furious assault on the established church. But in addition to this incendiary material, these journals also contain a great trove of his reflections on theology, philosophy, and the perils and opportunities of modernity.
A Travel Guide To Heaven
by Anthony DestefanoAn inspiring and comforting twenty-first-century 'virtual tour' of heavenHeaven is a place we are all interested in going to, but few of us know much about. Now, in this illuminating guide, Anthony DeStefano has developed a wonderfully original travel-motif to introduce readers to the after-life. Here, acting as our 'tour guide', he takes us on a vivid and realistic 'sight-seeing' trip through paradise - and he makes heaven come alive in a way that no other book ever has.Unlike many other spiritual works, A Travel Guide to Heaven does not preach, nor is it heavy-handed or judgmental. On the contrary, it is a fun, upbeat and remarkably reassuring portrait of heaven - a place that has intrigued and puzzled humanity throughout history.As you embark upon this imaginative journey of discovery, you will gain courage and strength from its inspiring message of hope - and your fears for the future will fall away. For those suffering the loss of a loved one, there is comfort in the knowledge that heaven is a place of abiding joy and love.
American Exorcism: Expelling Demons In The Land Of Plenty
by Michael CuneoConducted by officially appointed exorcists or by maverick priests sidestepping Christian sanctions, by evangelical ministers and Episcopal charismatics, the ancient rite of exorcism is flourishing in the new millennium. In New York alone, four priests have, since 1995, officially investigated over 40 cases of suspected demonic possession, the Archdiocese of Chicago has appointed its first full-time exorcist in over 160 years while exorcists have appeared on television, courtesy of the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Larry King. Written with objectivity, insight and a healthy amount of irony, AMERICAN EXORCISM is an inside look at this - to some extraordinary, to others preposterous and to many, terrifying - phenomenon. Having attended over 50 exorcisms in person, and interviewed many of the participants - both the exorcists and those who believed themselves to be possessed - Michael Cuneo explores this netherworld of American, and ergo, British, life, and reflects on the meaning of exorcism in the 21st century, and on the relationship between religious ritual and popular culture. As well recounting in gripping detail the ceremonies he witnessed, he touches on such provocative topics as the 'satanic panics' of the 1980s, repressed memory and ritual abuse.The result is a remarkably revealing, entertaining and fascinating work of cultural commentary.