Spirituality and religious experience Books

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Book SynopsisThis book illustrates the union of astrology and psychotherapeutic methods, interpreting planetary symbolism in the light of attachment and personality theories, family systems, existential therapy, and Jungian dreamwork. Greg Bogart describes how he practises astrology therapeutically, in a way that’s emotionally centred, process-oriented, and strategic, focusing on tasks, intentions, and positive behavioural change. Abundant examples show how astrological insights can help resolve emotional and interpersonal conflicts related to past traumas, depression, alcohol abuse, compulsive media immersion, workplace stress, and marital disagreements. Seen and experienced through a celestial lens, relationships are a path to wholeness, and this book shows in practical terms how astrological insights open paths to greater harmony and synergy with our family, friends and spouses. Through the case studies in this lovely book we gain appreciation for our common human predicaments and derive insights that we can apply to our own lives. All astrologers will find its insights rewarding.Trade Review"Greg Bogart’s newest publication is a treat for the professional and upcoming astrological consultant and an important contribution to our field.” Frank Clifford, Principal of the London School of Astrology

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Book SynopsisSeasons of the Sacredoffers a timeless exploration and reminder of the sacred connection between humanity and the Earth and its cycles, appealing to readers of all ages. With inspiring guidance, this little bookoffers accessible spiritual perspectives, inspiration, and nourishment to support individual, cultural, and planetary renewal. In particular it helps the reader to reconnect to our source and sense of belonging in relationship to the natural world. Author LlewellynVaughan-Lee adeptly connects the reader to the deepest envisioning of contemporary challenges. Climatecatastrophe, refugees, cultural degradation, and political divisiveness are all contextualized within naturalcycles of birth, loss, and transition, and the reader is guided to listen through the fear and anxiety of our age to the deeper ground of belonging that calls from even the most destitute inner and outer landscapes.Seasons of the Sacred is a beckoning down into the simple rhythms of nature. With his guiding eloquence, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee moves us into conversation with the sacred, calling our awareness to the concealed gifts of each season. Drawing on the ancient poetry of Rumi, Hafiz, Julian of Norwich, Wordsworth, and others, we can''t help but fall into step with the numinous found in ordinary life.-Toko-pa Turner, author of Belonging: Remembering Ourselves HomeVaughan-Lee encourages reconnecting with the Earth in this heartfelt compilation of essays, poems, and illustrations [..] Suitable for readers of all spiritual persuasions, Vaughan-Lee''s soothing observations will inspire a more mindful contemplation of Earth''s rhythms.-Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisDeborah Roof, a queer Christian pastor, shares her experience,strength and hope and invites the reader to take their own spiritual journey. Exemplifying her authentic gift of hospitality Roof shares the truth she has come to know: divinity dwells within each one of us. She finds God in the wonder of the created world and in the scriptures she has come to love.  This is one woman''s story of faith, discovery, and joy.

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Book SynopsisLee Lozowick (1943-2010) was an original - a rare, American-born master who spoke the language of contemporary Westerners while firmly rooted in the longstanding spiritual traditions of both East and West. The book lays out his earliest spoken words, taken from both public talks and intimate gatherings with close students. In teachings given from 1975 through 1981, Lozowick offers his listeners (now readers), an opportunity for deep self-reflection. He does this by challenging the illusions of conventional thinking, and provoking emotional reactivity (albeit often humorously) as a way to highlight one''s denial mechanisms and attachments. Though Lee''s talks are edited to make them more accessible to the public, his raw, earthy, style consistently breaks through. Wide-ranging subjects include the sublime and esoteric (like his commentaries on the gnostic Gospel of Thomas) to the mundane and immediately practical, like his conversations about money, sex, and conscious childraising - a cause he advocated with passion throughout his ministry. The compilers and editors, Vijaya and Karuna, were among the early band who began work with Lee in New Jersey and then followed him out to Arizona in 1980. There, at his Prescott ashram, they lived in his close company until his death in 2010. Their careful and authoritative input on this project is the fruit of a lifetime of playing the game, as Lee used to say - engaging the recommended practices and work opportunities that generally stretched his students and devotees beyond their self-imposed limits. To the reader''s advance, the editors were present for most of these talks, and clearly remember the impact these spontaneous teachings had on themselves and others. Their dedicated efforts have made this transcribed material available to anyone in the world who might be able to make use of it in furthering their spiritual/transformational work. For newer students and those in the master''s community who have not previously heard them, these transcripts, set with the editor''s context, will be an invaluable resource.

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Book SynopsisThe connection between the material and the spiritual levels of Being is established through devotion.

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Book SynopsisIn a bold attempt to help break the impasse in HinduMuslim relation, this book brings a much-needed perspective to a polarized debate on conflicting notions of secularism. It calls for de-hyphenating the so-called Muslim Question' (place of Muslims in a Hindu-majority India) from the wider debate on secularism and advocates a new HinduMuslim deal based around the centuries-old common cultural heritage skirting religious differences. In a refreshing break from liberal orthodoxy, the book explores the idea of a secular Hindu state which will recognize Hinduism as the official religion but guarantee equal rights to all its citizens, irrespective of their faith: a version of Britain's secular Christian state. An incisive analysis of why secularism failed and the rise of majoritarian Hindu nationalism, it underlines the urgent need for a new road map to restore communal harmony before it's too late for course correction.

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Book SynopsisDubbed 'a heroic gate-crasher' by New York Times bestselling author Glennon Doyle, Brian McLaren explores reasons to leave or stay within the church and if so, how ...Do I Stay Christian? addresses in public the powerful question that surprising numbers of people - including pastors, priests and other religious leaders - are asking in private. Picking up where Brian's warmly received Faith After Doubt (2021) leaves off, Do I Stay Christian? is not McLaren's attempt to persuade Christians to dig in their heels or run for the exit. Instead, he combines his own experience with that of thousands of people who have confided in him over the years to help readers make a responsible, honest, ethical decision about their religious identity.There is a way to say both yes and no to the question of staying Christian, McLaren says, by shifting the focus from whether we stay Christian to how we stay human. If Do I Stay Christian? is the question you're asking - or if it's a question that someone you love is asking - this is the book you've been waiting for.'Brian's new book on remaining Christian knocks it out of the ballpark in terms of framing and naming the questions. I cannot stop reading it. Thank you, Brian!'Fr Richard Rohr, OFM, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, author of The Universal ChristTrade Review'be prepared to be deeply challenged and hugely encouraged' [Praise for FAITH AFTER DOUBT] * Christianity Magazine *'challenging, provocative, and, at times, uncomfortable read' [Praise for FAITH AFTER DOUBT] * Church Times *He finds himself in a spacious place where Christianity can be much more concerned with being generous than being doctrinally correct... 'Do I Stay Christian' invites the reader also to become a traveler...this is an important, engaging, life-affirming book. * Reform Magazine *

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Book SynopsisWhat is needed now is for humanity to agree on the most important topic in human history. If we do so, we can produce spectacular results, changing life on Earth for the better—forever. This is not out of our reach. In The God Solution, acclaimed spiritual author Neale Donald Walsch explores how we can bring an end to anger, violence, disagreements between people and nations, financial hardships, poverty, starvation, and the suffering of millions. He explains how we can bring peace, prosperity, security, opportunity, and joy to people around the world. In short, all that humanity has ever hoped for or dreamt of—and what we were truly meant to experience—can be ours. This could happen virtually overnight. And it can be done with the embracing of a single idea.

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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 SynopsisTrade Review"Work Pray Code presents an extraordinarily fine-grained map of the traffic between religion and profit-seeking among Silicon Valley’s elite."---Fred Turner, Los Angeles Review of Books"A must-read for anyone interested in the rise of mindfulness in corporate culture, and anyone concerned with how Silicon Valley culture might be shaping and distorting modern ideas of the workplace and community-writ-large."---Ravi Chandra, Psychology Today"Fascinating. . . . Work Pray Code is at its best when Chen contextualizes the findings of her research within broader historical and sociological concepts, such as corporate maternalism, the constant productivity push, and reduced civic engagement. . . . her findings should interest (and perhaps alarm) anyone who cares about the health and growth of the American church."---Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, Christianity Today"A rich ethnography of Silicon Valley’s elite. . . . Compelling stories. . . . While Work Pray Code centers on the corporate mindfulness initiatives for elite tech workers, Chen also takes moments to explore the impacts of these programs on larger issues."---J. A. English-Lueck, Science"Work Pray Code offers a rare sociological interrogation of the socio-political forces that direct citizens toward the ends of workplaces while diverting their attention from the ends of a shared public life or democratic practice."---Andrew Lynn, The Hedgehog Review"A meticulous, absorbing ethnography of Silicon Valley workplaces. . . . Through Chen’s sharply focused sociological lens, [the quirks and perks of Silicon Valley work culture] inform a bigger story: about the human search for meaning and security in a world where a handful of companies and people wield so much power over what matters and who wins."---Margaret O’Mara, Foreign Affairs"[Chen’s] questions are eminently important ones."---Bonnie Nadzam, Lion's Roar"Chen reminds us that work is a fickle god, one that loves us only conditionally. She calls us back to genuine worship, to communities that care about us beyond what we can produce."---Jonathan Tran, Christian Century"Anyone who cares about the future of work needs to read this book."---Bob Trube, Bob on Books"A stellar socio-anthropological study of the secular monasteries that dominate our culture, where work is reframed as an act of devotion and devotion is co-opted by the hungry gods of Capital. Be careful what you worship."---James K.A. Smith, author of On the Road with Saint Augustine"Her book, both sociological study and cultural rumination, is worth reading. Filled with interviews with actual employees who've subbed in their work lives for a broader religious or community one. It'll resonate with anyone in the Valley daze."---Antonio García Martínez, author of New York Times bestseller Chaos Monkeys"Deeply researched ethnography. . . . [Chen’s] analysis is at its most powerful in the sections where she lets us hear from the people who manage and deploy spirituality in the workplace."---Anna Gibson, The Arts Fuse"Well-researched and engaging." * Choice *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Work Pray Code presents an extraordinarily fine-grained map of the traffic between religion and profit-seeking among Silicon Valley’s elite."---Fred Turner, Los Angeles Review of Books"A must-read for anyone interested in the rise of mindfulness in corporate culture, and anyone concerned with how Silicon Valley culture might be shaping and distorting modern ideas of the workplace and community-writ-large."---Ravi Chandra, Psychology Today"Fascinating. . . . Work Pray Code is at its best when Chen contextualizes the findings of her research within broader historical and sociological concepts, such as corporate maternalism, the constant productivity push, and reduced civic engagement. . . . her findings should interest (and perhaps alarm) anyone who cares about the health and growth of the American church."---Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, Christianity Today"A rich ethnography of Silicon Valley’s elite. . . . Compelling stories. . . . While Work Pray Code centers on the corporate mindfulness initiatives for elite tech workers, Chen also takes moments to explore the impacts of these programs on larger issues."---J. A. English-Lueck, Science"Work Pray Code offers a rare sociological interrogation of the socio-political forces that direct citizens toward the ends of workplaces while diverting their attention from the ends of a shared public life or democratic practice."---Andrew Lynn, The Hedgehog Review"A meticulous, absorbing ethnography of Silicon Valley workplaces. . . . Through Chen’s sharply focused sociological lens, [the quirks and perks of Silicon Valley work culture] inform a bigger story: about the human search for meaning and security in a world where a handful of companies and people wield so much power over what matters and who wins."---Margaret O’Mara, Foreign Affairs"[Chen’s] questions are eminently important ones."---Bonnie Nadzam, Lion's Roar"Chen reminds us that work is a fickle god, one that loves us only conditionally. She calls us back to genuine worship, to communities that care about us beyond what we can produce."---Jonathan Tran, Christian Century"Anyone who cares about the future of work needs to read this book."---Bob Trube, Bob on Books"A stellar socio-anthropological study of the secular monasteries that dominate our culture, where work is reframed as an act of devotion and devotion is co-opted by the hungry gods of Capital. Be careful what you worship."---James K.A. Smith, author of On the Road with Saint Augustine"Her book, both sociological study and cultural rumination, is worth reading. Filled with interviews with actual employees who've subbed in their work lives for a broader religious or community one. It'll resonate with anyone in the Valley daze."---Antonio García Martínez, author of New York Times bestseller Chaos Monkeys"Deeply researched ethnography. . . . [Chen’s] analysis is at its most powerful in the sections where she lets us hear from the people who manage and deploy spirituality in the workplace."---Anna Gibson, The Arts Fuse"Well-researched and engaging." * Choice *

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Book Synopsis Over the past ten years, the fields of social work and education have grappled separately with definitions of spirituality, ways to integrate spirituality into the classroom, and the rendering of spirituality as a meaningful concept for practitioners, students, and researchers. Social work and education have many commonalities in areas of engagement with children, families, and communities. For the first time, this book brings together these two professional disciplines for interdisciplinary discussions that advance our knowledge in the broad area of ""spirituality."" The book's three sections reflect broad topic areas created to facilitate dialogue between the contributors, all of whom have established expertise in exploring spirituality in education or social work. The first section of the book explores the historical and theoretical underpinnings of spirituality in education and social work. Examination of our respective heritages uncovers the religious roots within our professions and reveals a present understanding of spirituality that calls for active engagement in challenging oppression and working toward social justice. The second section shifts the focus to the pedagogical implications of incorporating spirituality into higher-education classrooms. The varied level of acceptance and the tensions that come from including spirituality, implicitly or explicitly, in the programs and coursework in our respective faculties are illuminated by authors in both professions. The final section explores issues related to practising and teaching in the field from a spiritually sensitive perspective. Table of Contents Spirituality in Social Work and Education: Theory, Practice, and Pedagogies, edited by Janet Groen, Diana Coholic, and John R. Graham 1. Introduction Janet Groen, Diana Coholic, and John R. Graham SECTION ONE Introduction to Section One: Historical and Theoretical Underpinnings 2. For Whose Purposes? Examining the Spirituality Agenda in Adult Education Leona English 3. Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Academic Settings John R. Graham and Michael L. Shier 4. Prisoners of the Story: A Role for Spirituality in Thinking and Living Our Way to Sustainability John Coates 5. Kindred Spirits? Challenges and Opportunities for the Faculties of Education and Social Work in the Emerging Teaching Focus on Spirituality Janet Groen SECTION TWO Introduction to Section Two: The Pedagogy of Spirituality in Higher Education 6. Spirituality and Professional Education: Contributions toward a Shared Curriculum Framework Daniel Vokey 7. The Ties That Bind and Unwind: Spirituality in the Secular Social Work Classroom Sarah Todd 8. Engaging the Noosphere: An Integral Approach to Teaching Spirituality Online Veronika Bohac Clarke SECTION THREE Introduction to Section Three: Implications for Practice 9. A Review of Spiritually Sensitive and Holistic Social Work Methods: Current Emphases and Future Directions for Research and Practice Diana Coholic 10. Contemplative Practices in Teacher Education: What I Have Learned John P. Miller 11. Toward Better Holistic Medical Education: What Can We Learn from Spiritual Healers? Ian Winchester, Russell Sawa, Nancy Doetzel, Hugo Maynell, Debbie Zembal, and Robbi Motta 12. Stress, Coping, Growth, and Spirituality in Grief Susan Cadell 13. The Role of Spirituality in Mediating the Trauma of Social Work Internships Rick Csiernik 14. Concluding Thoughts Diana Coholic, Janet Groen, and John R. Graham Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisEVEN IF THERE IS A REALM BEYOND MORTALITY, WOULD FINDING IT IMPROVE OUR LIVES ON EARTH? What use is Spirituality to a suffering world? Do prayer and meditation work? Addressing these questions, this title offers evidence that with patient perseverance, the grip of the ego and all the unhappiness it brings, can be loosened.

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Book SynopsisWriting to Awaken is an inspirational investigation of the self through expressive writing, guiding you along the path of awakening through radical truth-telling and self-inquiry. With targeted and revelatory questions, you'll be prompted to explore your own personal narrative-to write honestly about your deepest wounds, greatest challenges, hidden gifts, yearnings, and opportunities for growth-in order to discover a deeply authentic understanding of yourself and move toward a more liberated, truthful life.We each have our own story, a personal myth constructed from the content life presents us: we connect dots to shape the narrative, devise plotlines from circumstance, change characters, fashion conflicts, and adjust structure, settings, and themes as our lives unfold. But so often, over time, we come to believe that we are our story, identifying so strongly with the tales we've told ourselves and others that we cling to them for our very existence-even when they don't quite fit. The realization that there's a discrepancy between the narrative you've crafted and your authentic self can be disconcerting at first, but the exploration of that gap is a doorway to personal freedom, and this book will lead you through it.The writing exercises in this guide, one for nearly every week of the year, ask you to tell the whole truth about your experience. In doing so, you'll come to realize that once you engage in this radical truth-telling, expressing yourself with complete honesty, your story changes; and when your story changes, your life is transformed. Rather than sticking with your illusive and tricky "Story of Me," you'll be prompted to go even deeper, piercing your personal myth and illuminating aspects of psyche and spirit that give way to profound moments of understanding and personal healing.This is not a how-to book for writers; it's an invitation on a journey of self-discovery-a guide to facing yourself without flinching, accepting yourself as you are, surrendering to what is, and daring to question and transform what isn't true. With Writing to Awaken, you'll learn how to break free from the trance of mistaken identity and discover your essential, authentic self.

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Book SynopsisIngredients for a successful life are free: our thoughts. Transforming them leads to happiness and success. Swami Mukundananda teaches how to manage thoughts, be creative, meditate, and evolve spiritually. Focus on revolutionizing thoughts to fulfill life's purpose.

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Book SynopsisProvides a practical introduction to the discipline of preaching to oneself alongside fifty brief devotionals that will challenge readers to apply the law and the gospel to their own lives. Part of the Re:Lit series.

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Book SynopsisProfound empathy. Clear insight. A gift for healing. These are just some of the talents of the spiritually sensitive personyet these apparent blessings can often become a source of loneliness, self-doubt, and limitation. Belonging Here is a lifesaving book that shows how our spiritual gifts become entryways into both the depths of human connection and our innermost selves.Written by one spiritual sensitive for another, Belonging Here draws from Dr. Blackstone''s personal story as well as her 30-year psychotherapy practice, which has focused on teaching clients how to integrate personal healing and spiritual awakening through an embodied approach she calls the Realization Process. Join this pioneering teacher to explore five of the most common challenges of the spiritually sensitive, along with exercises and meditations for living mindfully and compassionately with each, including: Thin Skinhow to create strong but permeable boundaries between ourselves and the external environment Landing on Earthstaying grounded within the whole of one''s body by mending inner fragmentation Hearing the Cries of the Worldhow to open to our own joy even as we respond to the suffering in the world around us Shape Shiftersremoving the protective masks of the false personality The Strangerhow to make the return from self-exile to self-acceptanceYou can live authentically in a world that once seemed alien. You can find happiness and acceptance where isolation and confusion have reigned. You can come home at last, with Belonging Here.

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Book SynopsisAndrew Newberg explores the latest findings of neurotheology, the multidisciplinary field linking neuroscience with religious and spiritual phenomena. He investigates some of the most controversial—and potentially transformative—implications of a neurotheological approach.Trade ReviewA tour de force in this emerging field, Neurotheology provides a superb review of the science to date and shows the many directions the field may go in the future. This book raises profound implications for neuroscience, medicine, theology, and philosophy. Fascinating and clearly written and accessible for everyone. Truly mind-blowing. -- Harold Koenig, Duke University Medical CenterThis book offers the promise that ‘neurotheology’ can help move us beyond the conflict between science and religion toward the truth or at least to a more unified and universal perspective on the interface between spirituality and the brain. Neurotheology covers many potential points of contact between science and religion, acknowledges the existence of complexity and the dangers of simple reductionism, and presents clear information on the capabilities and limitations of various forms of neurological assessment. -- John Peteet, Harvard Medical SchoolIn Neurotheology, Andrew Newberg discusses the possibility of a fruitful dialogue between neuroscience and religion and how this sort of investigation may have a profound impact on how we see spirituality, ourselves, and life. A world expert in the neuroimaging study of spiritual experiences, Newberg proposes a nondogmatic approach to the scientific study of spirituality and successfully advocates for fruitful exchanges between science and religion. -- Alexander Moreira-Almeida, Federal University of Juiz de ForaA magnificent work! Newberg is a superb scientist, yet still writes for a curious reader or college student an entirely gripping scholarly account. He addresses some of humanity's all-time epic questions of ultimate meaning with systematic, fine grain research that could only be technically possible in the past decade. A true work of scholarship, with rigor, artful synthesis, and a deep bench of knowledge around spirituality and religion. -- Lisa Miller, Ph.D., Professor and Founder, Spirituality Mind Body Institute, Teachers College, Columbia UniversityThis is an excellent introduction to the emerging field of neurotheology as well as a concise assessment of the contributions of neuroscience to our understanding of a broad range of religious and spiritual issues. * Reading Religion *This volume serves as both a great introduction to the various empirical approaches available to the study of religious phenomena and a strong argument for the crucial role of neurophysiology in aiding the psychology, cognitive science, and anthropology of religion to better understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of religious experience and behavior. * Quarterly Review of Biology *This book very usefully highlights complex material related to brain research and neuroscience as applied to areas of human experience broadly categorized as religious. * Religion *[A] comprehensive look at the field of neurotheology, or the neurology of religion. . . . Given that the larger relationship between science and religion has been contested for centuries, Newberg’s latest evidential support for a scientific understanding of why humans practice religion will be a welcome overview for interested readers. * Publishers Weekly *Newberg's book will be of most value to those who are struggling to reconcile science and spirituality. * Choice *Table of ContentsIntroduction: If Neurotheology Is the Answer, What Is the Question?1. Neurotheology and the Happy Prison of the Brain2. What is Neurotheology?3. Neuroscience and Neurotheology4. What is Religion from a Neurotheological Perspective?5. What is Spirituality from a Neurotheological Perspective?6. Neurotheology and the Evolution of Religion7. Neurotheology and Psychology8. Brain Pathology and Religion9. Religious Myths and the Brain10. The Ritualizing Brain11. Religious and Spiritual Practices12. The Spiritual But Not Religious Brain13. Free Will and the Brain14. Escaping the Prison of the Brain: Mysticism15. The End of Faith and the Beginning of NeurotheologyNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisA beautiful collection of blessings to support you through both the ordinary and extraordinary events of life, from the author of the bestselling Anam Cara “John O’Donohue is a man of the soul.”—Times (London) To Bless the Space Between Us is a compelling blend of elegant, poetic language and spiritual insight to offer readers comfort and encouragement on their journeys through life. John O’Donohue, Irish teacher and poet, looks at life’s thresholds—getting married, having children, starting a new job—and offers invaluable guidelines for making the transition from a known, familiar world into a new, unmapped territory. Most profoundly, however, O’Donohue explains “blessings” as a way of life, a lens through which the whole world is transformed. He awakens readers to timeless truths and shows the power they have to answer contemporary

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Book SynopsisIn this rare window into Zulu mysticism, Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa breaks the bonds of traditional silence to share his personal experiences as a sangoma-a Zulu shaman. Set against the backdrop of post-colonial South Africa, Zulu Shamanrelays the first-person accounts of an African healer and reveals the cosmology of the Zulu. Mutwa begins with the compelling story of his personal journey as an English-trained Christian schoolteacher who receives a calling to follow in his grandfather''s footsteps as a shaman and keeper of folklore. He then tells the stories of his ancestors, including creation myths; how evil came to the world; the adventures of the trickster god Kintu; and Zulu relations with the fiery visitors, whom he likens to extraterrestrials. In an attempt to preserve the knowledge of his ancestors and encourage his vision of a world united in peace and harmony, Mutwa also shares previously guarded secrets of Zulu healing and spiritual practices: including the curing power of the sangomaand the psychic powers of his people.Trade Review“There is medicine for the soul here. One feels Credo Mutwa’s wonderful humanity and the genius of his people in these stories.” * Luisah Teish, author of Jambalaya and Carnival of the Spirit *“V. Credo Mutwa paints a stunning picture of the complex world of Zulu cosmology and traditions. The colorful array of stories and the science of healing he offers with humility take us into the heart of African ancestral wisdom. His courage in revealing to the world what would otherwise remain hidden commands respect and reverence.” * Malidoma Somé, author of The Healing Wisdom of Africa and Of Water and the Spirit *"Zulu Shaman is a special and fascinating glimpse into an all but vanished world." * SirReadaLot.org, February 2004 *"He weaves a rich tableau of mother godesses and tricksters amidst a climate of discrimination, urbanization and violence." * Eric Lerner, Ashe!, February 2004 *"Mutwa's friendly, personal writing is accesible, making the book suitable for general readers." * David Paulsen, New Age Retailer, May/June 2004, Vol.18 No.3 *". . . the rich amount of folklore and spiritual stories found throughout the book creates a very inviting atmosphere for the reader." * The Cauldron Brasil, October 2006 *"This book is a good addition to the knowledge of African spirituality as well as being a personal account that for sure will benefit the spiritual journeyman from all edges of the compass." * The Cauldron Brasil, Oct 2006 *“I cannot recommend this book enough and tell you to get it as soon as you can and delve into its depths to learn the ways of the Zulu shaman. It is unforgettable and I could easily read it over and probably will in the future.” * Jeffery Pritchett, The Church of Mabus *Table of ContentsZulu ShamanDreams, Prophecies, and MysteriesContents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FOREWORD BY LUISAH TEISHEDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 1. The Way of the Witch Doctor The Illness Beginning the Cure The Sangoma's ApprenticeThe Lore of the Soul How a Sangoma Cures The Bone Oracle The Sangoma's Creative and Psychic Powers2. The Great Goddess The Tree of Life How Evil Came into the World Amarava and the Second People The Childhood of the Second People3. Of Goddesses and Gods The Four Winds of the Goddess How the Birds Saved the Earth Ngungi, the Crippled Smith of the Gods The Gift of the Magic Flower 4. Tales of the Trickster The Theft of Fire Kintu and the Cattle of the Sun Kintu and the Star Goddess The Trickster's Revenge 5. The Song of the Stars The Song of the StarsFire Visitors Extraterrestrial Beings Communion 6. The Common Origin of All HumanityCommonalities of Myth, Ritual, and CustomRoots and Commonalities of Language On the Family On Banishing Fear7. Dreams, Prophecies, and Mysteries On Sleep and Dreaming Prophecies On the Sacred Rock CarvingsScience and Religion A Path to Wisdom The Boundaries of Human LifeNOTES INDEX

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