Autobiography: religious and spiritual Books

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Book Synopsis'The introductory account of Mr. Brunton's pony-back journey up the mountainside has real charm. One of his most interesting chapters gives a practical-minded consideration to the probable future of Tibet.' New York TimesPaul Brunton was one of a very small number of his generation to travel in India and Tibet so extensively at a time when very few were doing so with such insight and discernment. His journalistic skills produced magnificent descriptions of the snowy peaks and high-desert landscapes of the Himalayan region, but it was the lessons he learned from the holy men he met on his journey that transformed him into one of the great interpreters of the East. In this magnificent spirituality classic, he explains that we all need 'oases of calm in a world of storm', no matter what era we are living in, and that to retreat from our everyday lives for a while is not weakness but strength. By taking the trouble to discover the deep silence within us we will find the benefits of being linked to an 'infinite power, an infinite wisdom, an infinite goodness'. A Hermit In The Himalayas is a fascinating blend of travel writing and profound spiritual experience. As we accompany the author on his journey through the vast Himalayas ranges towards Mount Kailas in Tibet, he also shows us an even more remarkable - and timeless - inner path which will help us cope with the ups and downs of our contemporary world.Trade ReviewHis work is excellent. It has life, colour, movement * The Times *He has a really unusual gift for describing the majesty of the mountains, stark or snow-bound, under sun, moon and stars...his feeling and his vision are fresh. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe 'Vicar of Baghdad' encounters daily tragedy. What happened to his faith when a young girl in his congregation died, after much hope and prayer? He has met the best and worst: articulate, agreeable imams and rabbis; Christian venality and dishonesty. What has kept him willing to see the best? Every time he returns to Iraq he may be saying goodbye to his family for the last time. What do they think? He suffers from MS. How does he remain cheerful despite his physical weakness, and its progression? What does he say to God, alone in his study, late at night? He has been caught up in momentous events. Can he see the hand of God? Looking ahead, can he be optimistic about the future? Where are his sources of spiritual energy? He solicits prayer: why? 'Not everything God calls us to do is painless,' he comments. 'Much of my work is simply about showing love to the unlovely.'Trade Reviewan inspiring, awesome, concise read, warmly commended across cultures, genders and generations. * English Churchman *To win the Ultimate Christian Library award, a book must grab the average non-Christian reader at first sight. This year’s winner, Andrew White’s, does this and more, gripping the reader from its very first word. -- D Margaret Keeling * Librarians’ Christian Fellowship *`This is a very moving book which shows how this man give his life to God through faith, determination and courage whilst suffering from multiple sclerosis. Definitely worth reading.’ -- Barbara Gardner * The Lance *Table of ContentsContents1. My Previous Life 72. Why Go Into the Fire? 233. The Nature of Faith 434. Faith Amidst Tragedy 575. Faith Under Attack 676. Loss and Gain 797. When My Body Fails 898. Bearing the Heat 979. The Presence of the Almighty 10510. Moving Forward 12311. Friends in the Fire 13312. The Real Presence 141Epilogue 149Conclusion 153

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Book SynopsisThe powerful and moving story of a pregnancy doomed to end in death by the medical world, but for which God had other plans.

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Book Synopsis'They only awoke when the fire came through the roof...'. The words of the news presenter jolt the toddler into wakefulness. Arousing to consciousness from a twilight of hidden memories, she asks: Who am I, and where was my consciousness before it entered my body? In the first volume of her extraordinary true story, Judith von Halle tells of powerful spiritual experiences as a child and young person. Still in her third year, she begins to see the world with different eyes, observing things that people around here clearly cannot see - like the multicoloured currents of life - which her child's mind calls the 'magical life-force' - or the ability to maintain consciousness whilst asleep, or perceiving grotesque faces at the threshold to what she calls the 'World of Reality'. All the time, she is nourished by the 'venerable Light' that gives her strength and encouragement. As a 10-year-old, the young girl has a shattering soul encounter that reveals the universal source of wisdom and love, offering a pathway to her search for wholeness. In her private thoughts she mulls over existential, philosophical questions such as life and death, transience, love and God. Yet in the everyday she has to navigate between what she calls the 'day-theatre-world' and what she knows as the 'World of Reality'. She finds consolation in the realms of poetry, philosophy and art and experiences a breakthrough in her thinking, but it is not until the age of 25 that she is able to share her secret world of metaphysical knowledge. She discovers a group of people who have embraced an open-minded philosophy in which she finds astonishing correspondences with her own spiritual understanding. Here, she finds the concept of reincarnation, which brings her full circle - back to her original awakening to self-consciousness... Swan Wings is a courageous, moving and inspiring testimony to the immortal spiritual individuality of the human being, its origins, capacity and full potential.Table of ContentsChildhood and Youth - Afterword - Appendix I: From the Child's Diary (Facsimiles) - Appendix II: Additions to the Text

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Book SynopsisThis book traces the spiritual journey of Satish Kumar—child monk, peace pilgrim, ecological activist and educator. In it he traces the sources of inspiration which formed his understanding of the world as a network of multiple and diverse relationships. You Are, Therefore I Am is in four parts. The first describes his memories of conversations with his mother, his teacher and his Guru, all of whom were deeply religious. The second part recounts his discussions?with the Indian sage Vinoba Bhave, J. Krishnamurti, Bertrand Russell, Martin Luther King, and E. F. Schumacher. These five great activists and thinkers inspired him to engage with social, ecological and political issues. In the third part Satish narrates his travels in India, which have continued to nourish his mind and reconnect him with his roots.Trade ReviewSatish Kumar offers us the gift of So Hum—‘You Are, Therefore I Am’. His mental journey and inspirations need to become everyone’s inspiration, to help us to move from violence to non-violence, from greed to compassion, from arrogance to humility. * Vandana Shiva *Satish Kumar is, for me, the sage of the deep ecology movement. * Fritjof Capra, author of The Tao of Physics and The Web of Life *The life of this vigorous, wise, compassionate and humble man is an example to all of us about how to make the most of our gifts and create our own opportunities to serve humanity’s future * Hazel Henderson, author of Creating Alternative Futures *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword Part One: Encounters with Meaning Learning From Nature A Hindu Mind Mother Principle The Joy of Making Going to Laden: Meeting the Guru A Jain View of Reality Dharma Practice The Five Practices Self and the World Part Two: Quest for Wholeness Return to the World (walking with Vinoba Bhave) Soil, Soul, Society Learning from the Sun Truth is a Pathless Land (conversation with J. Krishnamurti) No Birth, No Death Rationalism and Non-violence (encounter with Bertrand Russell) Justice before Order (meeting Martin Luther King) Poverty and Progress (insights from E. F. Schumacher) Part Three: Travels in India Islam, a Religion of Peace A Land of Contrasts Temples of Delights A Culture of Crafts To Be a Pilgrim In the Footsteps of Gandhi Seeds of Renewal (visiting Vandana Shiva) Part Four: A Relational Philosophy You Are, Therefore I Am: A Reverential Ecology A Declaration of Dependence Notes Index

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Book SynopsisAutobiography of a Yogi is a timeless tale of a remarkable life and the power of yoga. It remains relevant today and was a favorite of George Harrison, along with the Bhagavad Gita.

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Book Synopsis“I've told you before, and I will tell you again, if you are unable to read the Holy Book you will be punished.” The teacher’s face was a mask of anger. “Understand?”Trade Review‘Told with searing honesty, heartfelt emotion and bucket loads of wit. [Alex] has risked death threats to tell this tale. It was worth the risk.’The Sun ‘This book will challenge how you think and cause you to question your moral values.’Steve McLaughlin, author of ‘Squaddie’ ‘A true story of courage and inspiration’Jasvinder Sanghera, author of ‘Shame’ and founder of Karma Nirvana

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Book SynopsisJenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised as a Scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In Beyond Belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details her experiences as a member Sea Org—the church's highest ministry, speaks of her "disconnection" from family outside of the organization, and tells the story of her ultimate escape.In this tell-all memoir, complete with family photographs from her time in the Church, Jenna Miscavige Hill, a prominent critic of Scientology who now helps others leave the organization, offers an insider's profile of the beliefs, rituals, and secrets of the religion that has captured the fascination of millions, including some of Hollywood's brightest stars such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

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Book SynopsisWhen Claire Bien first began hearing voices, they were infrequent, benign and seemingly just curious about her life and the world around her. But the more attention Claire paid, the more frequently they began to speak, and the darker their intentions became... Despite escalating paranoia, an initial diagnosis of Schizophreniform Disorder and taking medication with debilitating side effects, Claire learned to face her demons and manage her condition without the need for long-term medication. In this gripping memoir, Claire recounts with eloquence her most troubled times. She explains how she managed to regain control over her mind and her life even while intermittently hearing voices, through self-guided and professional therapy and with the support of family and friends. Challenging a purely medical understanding of hearing voices, Claire advocates for an end to the stigma of those who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, and a change of thinking from the professionals who treat the condition.Trade ReviewBien's memoir witnesses to the resilience of the human spirit and her determination to live a full life, thus illustrating that a person is more than a diagnosis. Therapy, medication, relationships and work are all critical components that enable a person to regain a life despite debilitating symptoms. She is a woman of courage. -- Nancy Kehoe RSCJ, PhD, Author of Wrestling with Our Inner Angels: Faith, Mental Illness and the Journey to WholenessRemarkable and inspiring. In a clear and resonant narrative voice, Claire Bien tells how she struggled and eventually surmounted auditory hallucinations and severe emotional turmoil while living a full life: maturing in the first generation of a Chinese-American family, marrying, working full-time, and nurturing a son in a supportive family and community. -- Selby C. Jacobs, MD, MPH, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Public Health, Yale School of Medicine, Department of PsychiatryThis is a revolutionary book, written by Claire Bien, who has experienced and dealt with auditory hallucinations-latterly without medication. Now living with a son and successful career, it tells of her determination not to let the disease beat her. ...Some of the book can be graphic, as Claire provides a full picture of the 'degree of horror' such a condition can engender; however, she also provides hope of recovery, 'even the most horrifying and bizarre beliefs are not sign and symptom of an irreparably broken mind.' -- New York Journal of BooksIn this candid, informative memoir, Bien, a trained facilitator for the Hearing Voices Network, describes experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations throughout much of her adult life. Having eventually learned to manage this condition, she aims to bring hope to others in the same circumstances. Bien details the most difficult and embarrassing periods of her life, including the deaths of close family members and her two troubled marriages, both which ended in divorce. The book chronologically documents Bien's life from her early years, through college, to her struggle to find a vocational calling, alongside the time line of her voices: their first appearance, her first hospitalization, and her subsequent recoveries. Bien's tone is matter-of-fact and often rings flat throughout her comprehensive accounts; the sentences are mostly declarative and devoid of much emotion. Bien is lucid and calm in looking back at her life and battles, displaying an admirably unflinching self-awareness. She's able to understand how she "was primed to hear voices" by biological and life triggers associated with her condition, and her journey will appeal to others struggling to overcome or better understand the same affliction. -- Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsForeword. Preface. Prologue. 1. Background and Early Years. 2. College. 3. The Graduate. 4. Searching for a Career. 5. My Father's Death. 6. Transitions. 7. Marriage. 8. Discovering Family and Heritage. 9. Jean. 10. Anger and Shame. 11. Early Voices. 12. Pineywoods. 13. Waiting for a Yale Bed. 14. Yale-New Haven Hospital. 15. Finding a Career and Recovery. 16. A Skirmish with the Voices in Europe. 17. The Working Mother. 18. If It's Just a Metaphor. 19. The Power of Love. 20. If You Start to Get Scared, Stop Listening. 21. Divorce. 22. Finding Community and a Measure of Faith. 23. Growing Up with Paul. 24. Arthur. 25. Tilting with the Shadows. 26. Understanding the Voices.

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Book Synopsis'Hard to put down - it's so personal and raw.' Sunday Times MagazineTrade ReviewSometimes shocking, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes very funny, Reva Mann's story is a fascinating glimpse into a hidden world, * Elle Magazine *Fascinating and harrowing in equal measure... * Daily Express *An incredible journey of rediscovery. * This Morning, ITV *There are moments of profound insight . . . read this book and then hide it from the kids! * Jewish Telegraph *The mantra of sex'n'drugs'n'rock'n'roll might have been coined for Reva Mann . . . the book at times makes one gasp aloud, she has done a service by opening a window on the strictly Orthodox world. * Jewish Chronicle *Gripping, harrowing and devastatingly honest. * Naomi Alderman *A fascinating journey . . . This is a searingly honest account of one woman's struggle with her faith and her health. * The Good Book Guide *Makes for riveting, compulsive reading. * Elle Magazine USA *For all her industrious bad behaviour, it is the quieter episodes of this candid memoir that are the most interesting; illuminating a quest of universal interest and fascinating local detail * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisRanchor Prime shares his spiritual journey exploring ancient Hindu cosmology through the eight elements. Illustrated with his own pencil drawings, the book reflects on nature, spirit, and the author's quest for wisdom.

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Book SynopsisNew York Times-bestselling author Frank Schaeffer chronicles his coming of age as a rising evangelical star and his eventual journey out of the fold.Trade ReviewAmerican Author's Association website, December 2008 "A story that needed to be told...A very personal and brutally honest memoir, that opens up and exposes the underbelly of the evangelistic movement...Gives the reader a rare and different look at some of various leaders of the fundamentalist moment...The book may open some eyes and minds about the dangers of politics and religion...A must read book for serious seekers looking for their own authentic path to enlightenment, or at least some inner peace." De-conversion.com, 12/2/08 "A must read for the de-converting...It is brutally honest, eye-opening, at times laugh out loud funny, and heart breaking." Princeton Packet, 2/13/09 "Mr. Schaeffer knows what he's talking about. He was there, and his book lays it all out, chapter and verse." TCM Reviews "[A] moving memoir...For those interested in a different perspective on Francis and Edith Schaeffer, l'Abri, and the fundamentalist right-wing evangelical movement, as well as the touching story of someone deeply involved in it all, this is a must-read." Augusta Metro Spirit, 4/15/09 "In a witty recollection that takes a different path from the average evangelical story, Frank Schaeffer offers an intimate portrait of a life within and without the spotlight of mass congregations...Schaeffer is more than qualified to offer candid commentary concerning the religious right in these United States...Written with an intricate collection of detail, a smooth ability to turn elements of conflict into startling moments of realization, and a wonderful search for meaning." Tallahassee Democrat, 7/25/09 "Part memoir, part biography, and part expose of a fundamentalist moment in U.S. religion and culture. As memoir it is at times funny, at times moving. As biography it provides an interesting, not to say intimate, perspective on Francis and Edith Schaeffer. As expose it provides revealing glimpses into the emergence of the religious right and some of its most visible leaders." Evangelical Studies Bulletin, Spring 2008 "[A] breezy new autobiographical book...The inner story of young Frank(y)'s childhood, adolescence, meteoric phase as up-and-coming evangelical political activist, and subsequent career keep the pages turning...[An] entertaining and provocative read." Semi-Autonomous Collective blog, 12/27/09 "Aggravating at times, frustrating by moments, but overall terribly touching, Schaeffer isn't hiding any flaws from the picture he paints of his own family. If there is one book to understand where the religious right comes from, it's that one." Springfield News-Leader, 8/22/12 "Excellent resources for anyone interested in the strange history of the heretical anti-abortion doctrine being taught in American churches today for the purpose of garnering political support."

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Book Synopsis''A profound meditation on a problem many of us will face; worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Atul Gawande''s Being Mortal'' KirkusAs the American born daughter of immigrants, Dr. Sunita Puri knew from a young age that the gulf between her parents'' experiences and her own was impossible to bridge, save for two elements: medicine and spirituality. Between days spent waiting for her mother, an anesthesiologist, to exit the OR, and evenings spent in conversation with her parents about their faith, Puri witnessed the tension between medicine''s impulse to preserve life at all costs and a spiritual embrace of life''s temporality. And it was that tension that eventually drew Puri, a passionate but unsatisfied medical student, to palliative medicine - a new specialty attempting to translate the border between medical intervention and quality-of-life care.Interweaving evocative stories of Puri''s family and the patients she cares for, ThTrade ReviewThis is a powerful memoir, which Puri narrates with honesty, poise, and empathy * Publishers Weekly *Moving memoir . . . an impressive debut . . . A profound meditation on a problem many of us will face; worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Atul Gawande's Being Mortal * Kirkus *Spiritually grounded, poetic, and brilliant . . . Puri has claimed her place in the ranks of illustrious physician-writers * Katy Butler, author of Knocking on Heaven's Door *That Good Night is a timely and important work: an insider's view of caring for the sickest patients and a moving exploration of life's impermanence. Sunita Puri's deft attention to language, both in her writing and in her work as a doctor, is a testament to the power of story, narrative, and context to help us make sense of life and its end * Lucy Kalanithi, MD, widow of Paul Kalanithi, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book When Breath Becomes Air *Rich with piercing insights about life and death in modern medicine, Dr. Sunita Puri's memoir braids together beautifully written narratives of her patients with her quest to understand her place in her family and her path as a doctor * Ira Byock, MD, author of Dying Well and The Best Care Possible *With exquisite prose, keen insight, and endless intellectual curiosity, Puri shows us the ways that dying is woven into living and, as such, deserves not just acceptance but close attention, deep respect, even celebration. This is a lively and fascinating book that will be a crucial part of the expanding cultural conversation about how we think about death. Everyone alive should read it * Meghan Daum, author of The Unspeakable *The face of the new generation of physicians, Dr. Sunita Puri's book reflects the art and craft of practicing medicine. There's no harder diagnosis to process than a fatal illness, and when it happens you need a doctor with the space, time, and desire to extend empathy. Without that, it doesn't matter what we mandate, legislate, propose or discuss. With that, Dr. Puri implicitly suggests, we can find out what our patients need to make their dying-and so also their living-easier, better, richer * Victoria Sweet, author of Slow Medicine and God’s Hotel *This thoughtful treatise on life, death, and medicine should make readers feel more grateful for every day they have because, as Puri and her colleagues come to realize, no one knows what's coming or when to their loved ones or themselves * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisThe collaboration between a future pope and young prelate is transformed into profound friendship when circumstances thrust Joseph Ratzinger into the Apostolic Palace, even as he expected to be released in retirement to his beloved Bavaria. Monsignor Georg Gänswein never left his side, and witnessed one of the most influential people of this century conduct his papacy on both sides of the curtain. From his appointment as private secretary in 2003, which was meant to be temporary, until the abdication of the pope in 2013 and subsequent years as emeritus, Monsignor Gänswein walked the same steps and weathered the same storms as his dear friend, the Roman Pontiff Benedict XVI. Here he offers the truth regarding the man and the papacy as a spiritual testament of a pope whose formidable legacy is often subject to unfounded characterizations of rigidity and secrecy. Written with the involvement of the regarded Vaticanista Saverio Gaeta, Mons. Gänswein offers an account of a particular decade in history and confronts false claims of intrigue and cover-up (Vatileaks, the Orlandi abduction case, the sexual abuse scandal, among other issues) to tell the real story of a pope who faced a changing landscape and a public who largely misunderstood him and his style of governance. Here we meet one of the most affable and intellectually formidable popes the Catholic Church has ever known, and a priest who might also be considered a prophet of the post-modern age. Gänswein brilliantly contextualizes many of Benedict's most poignant theological positions, and in giving us a sense of their origin reveals that Benedict seamlessly lived everything he promulgated. His faith was the single bulwark upon which his personality as both teacher and leader were built. No biography has yet to establish the integrity and heart of Joseph Ratzinger as well as his friend, Georg Gänswein, does here. As a spiritual testament more than just a journalistic exposé, Gänswein provides something only he can give––namely, the candid intelligence and sanctity witnessed up close. This is a remarkable and singular contribution to the history of the papacy and the record of the life of a saint. As Gänswein asserts, knowing this man is to encounter heroic virtue and an invitation to meet God, the greatest lover of mankind. Pope Benedict's own friendship with God will continue to provide warmth for as long as there are people on this earth who believe. Trade Review "Archbishop Gänswein offers us a beautiful illustration of the beautiful mind and even more beautiful person of Pope Benedict XVI––and in doing so makes a significant contribution to the contemporary history of the Church." ––George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow and William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies Ethics and Public Policy Center "Who Believes Is Not Alone is not only a finely drawn portrait of Pope Benedict XVI, but a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day workings of the Vatican bureaucracy. From his unique vantage point as the late Pope’s closest associate, Archbishop Gänswein provides new background and perceptive insights into the people, politics and events of a remarkable pontificate." ––Mary Ann Glendon, Author of In the Courts of Three Popes (forthcoming, Penguin Random House) "This book is a historical source for a momentous time in the life of the church written by a man of faith. It offers firsthand eyewitness testimony of the events surrounding the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Nobody who is interested in the pontificates of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis can ignore this book!" ––Msgr. Martin Schlag, Moss Endowed Chair for Catholic Social Thought at the Center for Catholic Studies-Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas "Archbishop Georg Gänswein has written a fascinating account of his more than twenty years of service to Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. The papacy depends upon the generosity of dedicated priests and bishops who answer the call to come to Rome from around the world to assist the Successor of St. Peter. Archbishop Gänswein brings the reader behind the scenes in the Vatican. He is both forthright and charitable in describing his moments of joy and of sorrow in serving Christ in the person of His Vicar on Earth. This is an important book for understanding the current history of the Holy See." ––Fr. Gerald E. Murray, Pastor, Church of the Holy Family, New York, NY, and member of EWTN's The Papal Posse "Like many, I have sat uncomfortably with Pope Benedict XVI's resignation. Like undigested food, it churned in my soul as I looked for answers as history has continued to unfold. But those answers remained elusive. I hoped, but did not expect, to find the peace to this question in this book; and yet I did. It is a deep and hearty read, not skirting thorny issues, but often providing surprising details. More than anything, it has helped me to understand more deeply the heart and mind of Pope Benedict XVI in his pontificate and his resignation, in beautiful and satisfying ways." ––Carrie Gress, Fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center, Editor of Theology of the Home series (TAN Books), and Author of The End of Woman (forthcoming, Regnery Publishing) "Archbishop Georg Gänswein served Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI with great fidelity for decades, including up to the very end of the pope emeritus’s life. Gänswein’s devoted service to the memory of the brilliant theologian-pope continues through this valuable memoir of their close association. It not only sheds further light on Ratzinger’s notable intellectual contributions, but it also illuminates his personal and spiritual gifts. Joseph Ratzinger dedicated himself to Christ and His Church; Gänswein’s edifying portrait of his mentor calls readers to take heart from his unswerving witness to the Truth. Benedict’s influence on Gänswein pervades this work such that it is an important exercise in truth-telling in its own right." Wilson D. Miscamble, C.S.C., Professor of History, University of Notre Dame, and Author of American Priest: The Ambitious Life and Conflicted Legacy of Notre Dame's Father Ted Hesburgh. "Who Believes Is Not Alone provides a privileged intimate portrait that, once again, confirms the consensus of esteem for Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI as a modern day Doctor of the Church and Church Father in the mold of Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome and Chrysostom. Archbishop Gänswein has placed us in his eternal debt as we continue to savor, for ages to come, the life and intellectual legacy of St. Benedict XVI, Pope and Doctor of the Church." ––Rev. Maurice Agbaw-Ebai, St. John's Seminary, Boston, MA

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Book SynopsisSuicide claims a million lives a year. Each one leaves behind survivors – shattered, grieving, angry, guilty and often despairing. Al Hsu is one such survivor. On an ordinary Thursday morning, he answered the phone and discovered that his father had taken his own life. For months and even years afterwards, he wrestled with intense emotional and spiritual questions. There were no easy answers. But he drew deeply from the resources of his Christian faith and the God who offers comfort and hope. Whether you have lost a loved one to suicide or provide pastoral care to survivors, this book will be an essential companion on your journey. This revised and expanded edition includes helpful information for churches and a useful study guide. ‘Graciously points us towards life and light, which can be so hard to see in the darkness left by suicide.’ Amy Simpson ‘One of the most helpful books I read after our son Matthew died by suicide.’ Kay Warren ‘Sad, painful, comforting and wonderful . . . I know of no other book so comprehensive, sensitive and healing.’ Richard WinterTrade ReviewAny person who wants to move from ignorance and denial of the problems raised by suicide will find in this book an honest and insightful understanding as well as a warm concern to help the reader. -- Dr Gaius Davies, Consultant Psychiatrist, King's College Hospital * Original edition of the book - *

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Book SynopsisAre you haunted? This multi-award-winning book brings the information that many who suffer spiritual trauma have been waiting for, topics such as: spirit guides and different types of other dimensional entities and gaining the tools to effectively manage them.

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Book SynopsisA brilliant, sensitive storyteller, Cole Moreton produces perfectly formed mini epics that are both thought-provoking and hugely entertaining--Anita Anand, bestselling author and broadcasterCole proves how we all need stories in our lives. Proper stories. Well told... this hits just the right spot'--Fi Glover, co-host of 'Off Air…With Jane & Fi'.'Clive James raged against the dying of the light, as you would expect from a man who had punched out prose like a prizefighter all his life; yet he also showed grace and gratitude at being allowed to stay in that light for a little while longer. He saw beauty in even the smallest things. Every moment was potentially precious, because there were so few left. As his daughter Claerwen said, for him 'Everything was Extraordinary.'' What if we could learn to live with such awareness long before the end? To appreciate every moment, and every encounter with another huTrade Review'Cole proves how we all need stories in our lives. Proper stories. Well told... this hits just the right spot' * Fi Glover, co-host of Off Air … With Jane & Fi. *'A brilliant, sensitive storyteller, Cole produces perfectly formed mini epics that are both thought-provoking and hugely entertaining' * Anita Anand, bestselling author and broadcaster *

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Book SynopsisFrom his adventurous youth in a rough-and-tumble American West to his far-flung trek across a still mysterious Asia; from his two-decade search for the essence of life to the triumph of Dianetics and Scientology -- such is the story L. Ron Hubbard recounts in a lecture so legendary, it has been heard by millions. How could one man discover the source of human aberration and provide an actual technology by which Man could rise to greater heights of honesty, decency and personal freedom? The answer is here, in his personal account of his long journey to bring about a new state of being Man had dreamed of for over 2,500 years, a story that could only be told by the man who lived it.

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Book Synopsis12 CDs. The Life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has been a topic for many books and studies. Gulen''s approach to the life of Rasulullah, "the pride of humanity". This is not cronical biography. It differs from other books on the Prophet in the sense that Gulen assumes a psychological and sociological analysis on the various aspects of the Prophet''s life portraying him as a compassionate father, a profound spiritual leader, a wise statemen, a courageous commander, a loving husband, a most reliable and trustworthy person. Approximate running time: 840 minutes.

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Book Synopsis'Touching Cloth can be compared to Adam Kay's This Is Going to Hurt and the writings of the Secret Barrister' Observer'I laughed my way through this... Funny, fascinating, and gorgeously humane' Marina Hyde'Funny and touching in equal measure' Tom HollandA laugh-out-loud memoir of becoming a 21st-century priest, Touching Cloth is also a love letter to the Prayer Book, Liverpool, funerals, cake tins, lager and, above all, to what the Church of England can be at its best. The very word 'reverend' inspires solemnity. To be a priest is to dedicate one's life to quiet prayer and spiritual contemplation. Isn't it?Fergus Butler-Gallie reveals what it's like to become a priest in the twenty-first century. Find out why black really is slimming, how to keep a straight face when someone is inadvertently hot-boxing a funeral, and which royal-themed biscuit tin can best contain a very loud personal alarm that no one knows how to switch off. Spot a sweet old lady trying to pay for a taxi with coinage from fascist Spain? Congratulations, shepherd, she's your problem now.Behind the daily scrapes is an all-too-human love letter to the Church of England, and the amazing variety of people who manage to keep it going, providing a listening ear, company and community at a time when so many people desperately need it, as well as a reflection on what it means to follow a spiritual path amid the chaos of the modern world.Trade ReviewA witty and adept guide to the foibles of the well-intentioned and all too human figures who follow holy orders... Touching Cloth can be compared to Adam Kay's This Is Going to Hurt and the writings of the Secret Barrister... there is a warmth and wit here that recalls everyone from Wodehouse to that other godly humorist GK Chesterton. -- Alexander Larman * Observer *I may be a non-believer, but I laughed my way through this warm and witty book, which made me admire the irreverent reverend Fergus Butler-Gaillie even more than I already did. It is so engagingly written, and could sit deservingly in the tradition of Monica Dickens's tales of muddling amusingly through in unusual jobs where one might not be considered "a natural" (very high praise!). It's funny, fascinating, and gorgeously humane. -- Marina Hyde, columnist and author of What Just Happened?Funny and touching in equal measure, the diary of a priest that ranges from slapstick to the hauntingly profound. -- Tom Holland, author of DominionTouching Cloth is a delight - a masterclass in the way pleasure, laughter and even God can be found in the most mundane moments of daily life. -- Edward Stourton, author of ConfessionsA warm-hearted and frequently hilarious insight into the daily life of the clergy that won over this inveterate atheist. -- Nick Pettigrew, author of Anti-SocialIrreverent and hilarious... The pitfalls of human physicality form the essence of the book's comedy... What he wants to remind us, I think, is how far from being perfect all who might aspire to being saints are. * The Times *If Butler-Gallie's entertaining book is anything to go by, [clerical life is summed up by] moments of great solemnity very often punctuated by uproarious mirth. * Daily Mail *A rich store of anecdotes, both sacred and profane... Whatever his failure to progress up the hierarchy of the Church, he has an established place as one of its most acute and amusing chroniclers. * Spectator *Searingly honest.. Butler-Gallie is the priest you want in your parish. * i newspaper *Butler-Gallie loves the Church of England, even with its foibles, loves being a priest, and especially loves the ordinary people there. It is a book of humour, but also of deep humanity.... Great clowns give us amusement, but also have a quality of sadness and great depth. This book has that great duality. * Church Times *Butler-Gallie's tales are narrated with a voice and self-deprecatory humour somewhere between Viz and PG Wodehouse. The stories are all gloriously funny, but, like all good clerical effusions, they have a serious point. * Literary Review *The best literature is often about finding laughter in the darkest places. But, set against the backdrop of a year working in the Church of England, this vein of comic writing has even greater resonance, forming a searching examination of the function of faith in modern Britain... it would be hard to find a more personable and humane guide. -- Nicholas Harris * Mail on Sunday *Brilliantly funny, as well as being a rich meditation on ordinary life * TLS *

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Book Synopsis"Wherever it may be, the candle burns, and in burning it gives others light. That is the way you must be." When the soul burns with love, the ego softens like wax and dissolves, and others benefit by the light it transmits. So taught Pir Rasheed Kaleemi, a Sufi master who lived in Hyderabad, India. The Merciful Door narrates what his American disciple learned from him over a decade of living in India and translating his teachings into practice in America. This book, born out of a direct request from Pir Rasheed himself, records the intimate conversations, mystical teachings, spiritual practices, and Qawwali songs that they shared. How is the soul related to the spirit? What is the body and how do we discover its hidden treasures? What is the eternal sound and how do we listen of it in music and in nature? How can we navigate interpersonal challenges, gender difference, sexual desire, political conflict and religious fundamentalism? The Sufi teacher offers his disciple insights from the Quran, the Prophet Muhammad''s example, and the rich depths of Sufi poetry in Persian and Urdu to illuminate these questions and other guidance. The book also reveals teachings of the Kaleemi Order, which combines Chishti and Qadiri initiations, with ancient roots in Arabia and India and modern global branches.

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Book SynopsisAn intellectual with a distinctive spiritual charisma, a prolific writer and poet, M Fethullah Gülen has been an extremely effective and popular scholar of Islam for the last 3 decades. This work presents Gülen through a short biography, a selection of various articles, his views on modern education and its importance, and how he has been presented in the media. It is by no means a comprehensive presentation of his life and influence upon millions of people; rather, it is meant to serve as an introduction to those who desire a better understanding of Gülen''s message and what it has accomplished over the years.

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Book SynopsisThe New Resurrection is an autobiographical account of an astonishing miracle experienced by author Ryuho Okawa in 2004. This event was adapted into the feature-length film Immortal Hero, released in Japan, the United States and Canada during the Fall of 2019. Chapter 1 recounts the incredible story of Ryuho Okawa's resurrection from physical death. At the age of 47, Okawa suffered a severe episode of chest pain and was rushed to a local hospital. Upon intake, attending physicians remarked "you should be dead ..." as the medical examination revealed that Okawa's heart had stopped. Unbelievably, during the onset of cardiac arrest, he was fully conscious and responsive, witnessing the startling diagnosis unfold by a team of respected physicians at a prestigious Tokyo hospital. Chapter 2 is a transcription of a live Q&A session from the 2019 lecture "The New Resurrection" in Tokyo, Japan, where Okawa candidly recounts how his life has changed post miracle. In chapter 3, Okawa publishes 15 select poems, out of 108, that he composed from his hospital bed amidst a modest recovery. For the first time, Okawa shares sincere thoughts and contemplations as he faced and overcame death. Today, Okawa lives each day with the readiness to die for the Truth and has dedicated his life to selflessly guide faith seekers towards spiritual development and happiness. In testament to Okawa's earnest resolve, the appendix showcases a myriad of accomplishments by Okawa, chronicled after his miraculous resurrection.

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Book SynopsisScriptures and holy books are not understood in their right perspective unless one becomes an initiate or twice born. However great a scholar one may be, one cannot really appreciate the facts presented therein in the real sense. Why this is so, and what is the way back to our original spirituality, is the subject matter of this book. The book presents the author''s autobiography, giving details of the evolution of the universe and then various methods of transcending normal consciousness to become twice born. Finally the method of Shakipat for a quantum jump into divinity through the power passed onto a disciple by the Guru is presented. The author has given his recommendations and suggestions to the seekers based on his personal experiences.

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating autobiography of the Dead Sea Scrolls expert who also embodies the journey of Jewish-Christian relations in the twentieth-century.

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Book SynopsisA picture of what it is like to live and work as a theologian. Incorporates Macquarrie's own reminiscences, some unpublished lectures and correspondence from distinguished theologians. Also includes a survey of his major works and a full bibliography.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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