Search results for ""karma""

Meditative reflection - the strengthening of thinking and feeling through the will - is one of the main methods of experiencing Anthroposophy. 'The best path to this goal', says Sergei Prokofieff, 'is inner work with the Foundation Stone Meditation, because this meditation is the quintessence of the whole of Anthroposophy, given in meditatively inspired form by means of earthly words.' Rudolf Steiner characterized the content of the Foundation Stone Meditation as having been spoken by him 'out of the will of the spiritual world', as 'verses heard from the Cosmic Word'. Due to its spiritual-mantric form, its text represents the characteristics of an archetype, and for that reason is a key to the most diverse areas of world and human existence. Depending on 'which spiritual portal is opened with this key', explains Sergei Prokofieff, 'one arrives at one result or another, and one and the same line of the meditation becomes a reply to the most varied questions'. Prokofieff applies the above method in this impressive work, illuminating various dimensions of spiritual science in the process. His research embraces, among other aspects, the relationship of the Foundation Stone Meditation to the being Anthroposophia, the spiritual hierarchies, human karma, the Rosicrucian, Michaelic and Grail streams, the Mystery of Golgotha, the two Jesus boys, the three spiritual sources of Anthroposophy, and even the Constitution of the Anthroposophical Society.

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Modern science can speak with authority regarding only a tiniest fraction of the earth's interior. We have, quite literally, scratched just the surface of our planet. Can we truly know what lies beneath our feet, in the unimaginably deep depths of the earth? Can the phenomenon of spiritual investigation add to this question? In this comprehensive volume, with notes and an introduction, Rudolf Steiner's utterances on this theme have been brought together for the first time under one cover. His unique overview gives a picture of the nine layers of the earth as they become visible via the research of the spiritual scientist. The layers range from the familiar 'mineral' on which we live, to the innermost core which Steiner connects to human and animal powers of reproduction. In between are layers such as the 'Mirror Earth', which represents qualities of extreme evil, and the 'Fire Earth', which is connected to natural catastrophes. The information Steiner conveys is never abstract or theoretical, but intimately related to the human being. The Fire Earth, for example, is acutely affected by people's will. When the human will is chaotic and untutored, says Steiner, it acts magnetically on this layer and disrupts it, leading to volcanic eruptions. He also describes other natural catastrophes - such as extreme weather and earthquakes - in connection to the interior of the earth and karma.

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In A Revolutionary Artist of Tibet author David Jackson focuses on the Khyenri style, the least known among the three major painting styles of Tibet, dating from the mid-fifteenth through the seventeenth century. The painting of Khyentse Chenmo, the founder of the Khyenri style who flourished from the 1450s to the 1490s, was significant for his radical rejection of the prevailing, classic Indic (especially Nepalese-inspired) styles with formal red backgrounds, enthusiastically replacing them with the intense greens and blues of Chinese landscapes. Khyentse was famed for his fine and realistic looking work, both as a painter and sculptor. His painting style has often been overlooked or misunderstood by scholars—sometimes misidentified as an early example of the Karma Gardri style — but it is a missing link in the history of Tibetan painting. The Khyenri style is now most closely linked with a small sub-school of the Sakya tradition, the Gongkarwa. The most important in-situ murals of the Khyenri style survive at the Gongkar Monastery in southern Tibet, south of Lhasa near the Gongkar airport. There we find murals by the hand of Khyentse Chenmo himself; many of them were covered by a layer of whitewash and thus escaped destruction during the Cultural Revolution. Jackson also brings to light several of Khyentse's paintings in museums outside Tibet, including some that have been unrecognized for over a century.

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"An occasion to appreciate Dexter’s resounding musical genius as well as his wish for major social transformation.”—Angela Y. Davis, political activist, scholar, author, and speakerSophisticated Giant presents the life and legacy of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon (1923–1990), one of the major innovators of modern jazz. In a context of biography, history, and memoir, Maxine Gordon has completed the book that her late husband began, weaving his “solo” turns with her voice and a chorus of voices from past and present. Reading like a jazz composition, the blend of research, anecdote, and a selection of Dexter’s personal letters reflects his colorful life and legendary times. It is clear why the celebrated trumpet genius Dizzy Gillespie said to Dexter, “Man, you ought to leave your karma to science.” Dexter Gordon the icon is the Dexter beloved and celebrated on albums, on film, and in jazz lore--even in a street named for him in Copenhagen. But this image of the cool jazzman fails to come to terms with the multidimensional man full of humor and wisdom, a figure who struggled to reconcile being both a creative outsider who broke the rules and a comforting insider who was a son, father, husband, and world citizen. This essential book is an attempt to fill in the gaps created by our misperceptions as well as the gaps left by Dexter himself.

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*** CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS AUTHOR OF THE YEAR 2022***Discover the entertaining, uplifting and intriguing tale of finding true happiness in unexpected places from the No. 1 bestselling author of Grown Ups'A total triumph' DAILY MAIL___________Ever wished you could trade your life in for a better one?One day, sitting in traffic, married Dublin mum Stella Sweeney attempts a simple good deed.When the result is a terrible car accident, she meets a handsome stranger with a Range Rover who wants her number - no, for insurance purposes - and in this meeting a seed is born which will change Stella's life forever.What happens next will take Stella thousands of miles from her old life, turning an ordinary woman into a superstar and, along the way, wrenching her whole family apart . . .Was meeting Mr Range Rover destiny or karma?Should she be grateful or just hopping mad?And can Stella grab a chance at real, honest-to-goodness happiness now it finally seems within her reach?___________'Keyes can deftly mix dark and light, tragic and comic in a way that only a handful of writers can' Irish Times'One of our finest writers' Jojo MoyesPraise for Marian Keyes:'Comic, convincing and true' Guardian'Mercilessly funny' The Times'Funny, tender and completely absorbing!' Graham Norton

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At the threshold that divides the elemental and etheric worlds, Are Thoresen encounters two spiritual entities – Vidar and Balder, ‘guardians of the threshold’ – whose task is to protect the spiritual border from uninitiated intruders. Building on previous reports, Encounters with Vidar offers startling new esoteric teachings, gleaned – through processes of spiritual knowledge – from these enigmatic gods. Here, Vidar and Balder emphasize the importance of clairaudience as opposed to clairvoyance (the latter particularly being open to attack from adversary beings). Through the process of working with the communications, the author begins to experience a transformation of his head chakras, leading to an awakening of ‘spiritual ears’. Whilst clairvoyance is like reading the holy script, clairaudience is akin to hearing the holy script, he learns. --- Amongst the wealth of fresh insights revealed here are the ‘fourth aspect of the soul’ (or ‘time-karma-Christ’); the task of eurythmy today; the whereabouts of the contents of the School of Spiritual Science; and the work of ‘Vulcan beings’ and other planetary entities. Thoresen offers reflections on his travels to western England (with its connections to Troy) and southern Spain (with its legacy of Moorish occupation). His intention is not to create new dogmas or beliefs, but to testify to the living reality of metaphysical dimensions of reality – and humanity’s latent ability to access them.

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While many deaf organizations around the world have adopted an ethno-linguistic framing of deafness, the meanings and consequences of this perspective vary across cultural contexts, and relatively little scholarship exists that explores this framework from an anthropological perspective. In this book, Erika Hoffmann-Dilloway presents an accessible examination of deafness in Nepal. As a linguistic anthropologist, she describes the emergence of Nepali Sign Language and deaf sociality in the social and historical context of Nepal during the last decades before the Hindu Kingdom became a secular republic. She then shows how the adoption of an ethno-linguistic model interacted with the ritual pollution model, or the prior notion that deafness results from bad karma. Her focus is on the impact of these competing and co-existing understandings of deafness on three groups: signers who adopted deafness as an ethnic identity, homesigners whose ability to adopt that identity is hindered by their difficulties in acquiring Nepali Sign Language, and hearing Nepalis who interact with Deaf signers. Comparing these contexts demonstrates that both the ethno-linguistic model and the ritual pollution model, its seeming foil, draw on the same basic premise: that both persons and larger social formations are mutually constituted through interaction. Signing and Belonging in Nepal is an ethnography that studies a rich and unique Deaf culture while also contributing to larger discussions about social reproduction and social change.

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Yoga, karma, meditation, guru—these terms, once obscure, are now a part of the American lexicon. Combining Hinduism with Western concepts and values, a new hybrid form of religion has developed in the United States over the past century. In Transcendent in America, Lola Williamson traces the history of various Hindu-inspired movements in America, and argues that together they constitute a discrete category of religious practice, a distinct and identifiable form of new religion. Williamson provides an overview of the emergence of these movements through examining exchanges between Indian Hindus and American intellectuals such as Thomas Jefferson and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and illuminates how Protestant traditions of inner experience paved the way for Hindu-style movements’ acceptance in the West. Williamson focuses on three movements—Self-Realization Fellowship, Transcendental Meditation, and Siddha Yoga—as representative of the larger of phenomenon of Hindu-inspired meditation movements. She provides a window into the beliefs and practices of followers of these movements by offering concrete examples from their words and experiences that shed light on their world view, lifestyle, and relationship with their gurus. Drawing on scholarly research, numerous interviews, and decades of personal experience with Hindu-style practices, Williamson makes a convincing case that Hindu-inspired meditation movements are distinct from both immigrant Hinduism and other forms of Asian-influenced or “New Age” groups.

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This book explores a wide range of philosophical issues in their connection with theism, including views of free will, ethical theories, theories of mind, naturalism, and karma-plus-reincarnation. In this clear and logical guide, C. Stephen Layman takes up eight important philosophical questions about God: Does God exist? Why does God permit evil? Why think God is good? Why is God hidden? What is God’s relationship to ethics? Is divine foreknowledge compatible with human free will? Do humans have souls? Does reincarnation provide the best explanation of suffering? Based on more than thirty years of experience in teaching undergraduates and in leading philosophical discussions related to God, Layman has arranged the text to deal with each of these eight questions in one or two chapters apiece. Many philosophical works take up questions about God, but the chapters of this book plunge the reader very quickly into the arguments relevant to each question. Layman presents the arguments cogently and simply, yet without oversimplifying the issues. The book emphasizes strengths and weaknesses of both theism and its metaphysical rivals. Readers will gain a clearer understanding of theism and naturalism, and of their sometimes surprising implications. The book can be used as a text in philosophy of religion and introductory philosophy courses. Professional philosophers will find significant, novel arguments in many of the chapters.

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'Suppose you have seen an event, have formed an idea about it, and you say something that is not true - in other words, something that is a lie. Then what flows from the object is correct and what flows from you is false and this collision is a terrible explosion; and each time you do this, you attach a gruesome being to your karma which you cannot get rid of again until you have made good what you lied about.' - Rudolf Steiner In a previously-untranslated volume of lectures, Rudolf Steiner presents shattering insights regarding the interaction of human and spiritual beings. He speaks, for example, about how perfumes can give certain spirits access to people on earth, or how phantoms, spectres and demons can be created through human deficiencies - or even how the arts of architecture, sculpture, painting and music allow 'good' or 'hideous' entities to enter our world. As he states: 'Learning about the effects of spiritual beings is of much greater help than moral preaching. A future humanity will know what it is creating through lies, hypocrisy and slander.' The lectures are divided into two broad thematic groups: the first relating to the inner path of knowledge and its relation to the yearly festivals, and the second focusing on the work of elemental beings in our everyday world. The 18 lectures are complemented with notes, an index and an introduction by Christian von Arnim.

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Enduring and accessible advice for living with wisdom and compassion?and meeting the end of life with courage and peace Through countless editions and across centuries, The Tibetan Book of the Dead has drawn readers intrigued by the Tibetan Buddhist view of the end of life. In a world that often ignores death or hides it from view, Tibetan Buddhists acknowledge it as the last of a countless series of endings in this lifetime. And after each ending comes a new beginning. The Tibetan Book of the Dead for Beginners draws on this timeless wisdom to help readers today live with more joy and approach the end with more ease. Lama Lhanang Rinpoche, born and raised in Tibet and now teaching in the United States and internationally, partners with student and meditation teacher Mordy Levine to share teachings inspired by The Tibetan Book of the Dead. They make clear that "how we live is how we will die." The book explores karma, impermanence, the bardos (or the "in-between"), and what happens next, sharing accessible practices to cultivate wisdom and compassion along the way. With empathy and warmth, Lama Lhanang and Levine offer support for readers grappling with their own mortality and those caring for loved ones transitioning from this lifetime. The Tibetan Book of the Dead for Beginners helps readers cultivate courage and embrace the unknown?not just in the final days, but every day.

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Given his energetic involvement in practical initiatives and extensive lecturing, Rudolf Steiner had little time to write books. Of those he did write - belonging almost entirely to the earlier years of his work - four titles form an indispensable introduction to his later teaching: Knowledge of the Higher Worlds, Occult Science, The Philosophy of Freedom and Theosophy. Theosophy focuses on a psychology based not on the usual duality of body and mind, but on the more ancient division of body, soul and spirit. Steiner describes in detail the functions and organs of these three aspects of the human being, and the objective realms to which they belong. Just as the body derives from and belongs to the material world, so do the human soul and spirit belong to their own specific realms. These are the dimensions through which all human beings travel in the life after death, and in which - after passing the 'midnight hour' - we prepare to seek our destiny, or karma, in a new life. Theosophy features one of the most comprehensive and condensed of all Steiner's accounts of these realms, and of the experiences which our immortal being undergoes in passing through them. The book ends with a chapter on the modern 'path of knowledge', in which Steiner describes the exercises through which every person may develop the latent powers of perception which are necessary for a knowledge of metaphysical worlds.

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The highest teachings on the nature of mind are like a diamond, transparent and indestructible, also reflecting the color of the society into which they are introduced. Originating in India, Buddhism migrated to Tibet, and is today taking a style more appropriate to educated and independent minds in the West. Lama Ole, one of the few qualified western lamas of the Karma Kagyu tradition, is a major driving force in this process, providing here a fresh, exciting summary of Buddha's timeless wisdom. This seminal work offers the liberating and powerful methods of Diamond Way (Vajrayana) Buddhism for readers seeking to incorporate Buddhist practice into their daily lives. In language that is witty, easy to understand, and without compromising on the essentials, Ole answers the questions that Westerners ask. How do Buddha's teachings utilize the potential of our full being in today's world? Through which practices may we experience mind as limitless space and bliss? How can one use the daily joys and difficulties in one's job, family, or partnerships for spiritual growth? And what is spiritual growth and how does one recognize it? "The Way Things Are" answers these questions and provides practical methods for developing mind, and makes the timeless wisdom of Buddhism accessible to an intrigued western audience, itself increasingly drawn to Tibetan Buddhism. This is a revised, much expanded (three times the length) and up-to-date edition of the original book published in 1997.

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Phil Pickett first tasted success in seventies band Sailor who scored with hits such as'Girls, Girls, Girls' and 'A Glass of Champagne'. However there can be no doubt that his greatest achievements have been as a performer and songwriter with eighties pop sensation Culture Club with the charismatic singer Boy George.Phil had been Culture Club's keyboard player and vocal arranger right from the beginning and the band were already huge when he started to collaborate on their songwriting. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!He co-wrote 'It's A Miracle' and 'Karma Chameleon'. The latter song was number 1 in every country in the world that had a chart, selling 1.4 million records in the UK alone."Pickett played extensively on all of Culture Club's records throughout this period and also co-wrote many other songs with the band including 'Move Away'.Throughout a long career, Phil has also been associated with a huge variety of artists, writers and producers including Paul McCartney, Phil Ramone, Quincy Jones, Joe Cocker, Jeff Beck, Take That & Malcolm McLaren.He has also written songs for West End musical theatre and Hollywood movies, including Electric Dreams, Top Secret & The Lost Boys. Phil's autobiography explores all the ups and downs of his career whilst being firmly focused on the exploits of Culture Club and Boy George, making this a must read for fans, as well as those fascinated by the music business itself.

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The philosopher and educationalist Rudolf Steiner was also a radical dramatist who wrote four lengthy and complex plays. The first of these, The Portal of Initiation, is rich in content and artistically presented, but leaves us with questions: Why is the first scene so long and many speeches so lengthy? Why are our usual expectations of drama not met? Was Steiner really a competent dramatist? In this essential guide, Trevor Dance suggests that the first step to appreciating The Portal of Initiation is to understand Steiner's methods. The play belongs to the tradition of Mystery Dramas from ancient times - artistic works intended as vehicles for inner development. Steiner thus combines aspects of Goethe's alchemical fable The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily with the spiritual growth of contemporary individuals - all in the broader context of reincarnation and karma. With accessibility in mind, the author provides a clear synopsis of each scene and introduces us to the characters - a collection of rustics, sophisticates, hierophants and spiritual entities. Their dilemmas and challenges take place on many layers of reality: from a room in Sophia's house to the exalted Sun Temple. Revealing the enigmas behind the creation and content of The Portal of Initiation, Dance enables us not only to enjoy the play, but also to love it. His lucid guide - the first of its kind - is an ideal introduction for both individual readers and study groups.

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Spiritual Revelations from Beyond the Veil: What Humanity Can Learn from the Near Death Experience decouples spirituality from a religious context and perspective. It examines the intriguing accounts of people who have undergone a near-death experience (NDE) and what was revealed to them while outside their physical bodies. What those people vividly described went well beyond what can be found in religious scripture. The NDE accounts contain descriptions of Heaven and the higher spiritual realms, what interconnectedness/oneness means, the eternal nature and liberation of the soul consciousness, the gift of free will and its purpose, the nature of soul agreements, the universal laws of attraction, reincarnation, and cause and effect (karma), the nature of positive and negative energy, the significance of the death of our physical body as well as our spiritual rebirth and life review. The study and collation of more than 500 NDE accounts, and the identification of common observations and insights drawn therefrom, culminated in the writing of this book. Going beyond the current NDE literature, which mainly examines the historical, religious, philosophical, scientific and medical aspects of this phenomenon, Spiritual Revelations from Beyond the Veil concentrates on the important messages brought back from beyond the veil for humanity's knowledge and benefit. Some of the learnings, observations and insights from the Other Side presented in this book are truly remarkable, and in a few cases, they test the limits of human, Earthly comprehension.

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Bringing together the work of both leading and emerging scholars in the field of medieval gender studies, the essays in Rivalrous Masculinities advance our understanding of medieval masculinity as a pluralized category and as an intersectional category of gender. The essays in this volume are distinguished by a conceptual focus that goes beyo nd heteronormativity and by their attention to constructions of medieval masculinity in the context of femininity, class, religion, and place. Some widen the field of medieval gender studies inquiry to include explorations of medieval friendship as a framework or culture of arousal and deep emotionality that produced multiple, complex ways of living intensely with respect to gender and sexuality, without reducing all forms of intimacy to implicit sexuality. Some examine intersections of identity, explicating change and difference in conventional modes of gender with regards to regional culture, religion, race, or class. In order to ground this intersectional and interdisciplinary approach with the appropriate disciplinary expertise, the essays in this volume represent a broad cross-section of disciplines: art history, religious studies, history, and French, Italian, German, Yiddish, Middle English, and Old English literature. Together, they open up new intellectual vistas for future research in the field of medieval gender studies. Contributors include: Ann Marie Rasmussen, Clare A. Lees, Gillian R. Overing, J. Christian Straubhaar-Jones, Astrid Lembke, Darrin Cox, F. Regina Psaki, Corinne Wieben, Ruth Mazo Karras, Diane Wolfthal, Karma Lochrie, and Andreas Krass.

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Winner, 2023 Toshihide Numata Book Award, Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of California, BerkeleySince the early days of Buddhism in China, monastics and laity alike have expressed a profound concern with the past. In voluminous historical works, they attempted to determine as precisely as possible the dates of events in the Buddha’s life, seeking to iron out discrepancies in varying accounts and pinpoint when he delivered which sermons. Buddhist writers chronicled the history of the Dharma in China as well, compiling biographies of eminent monks and nuns and detailing the rise and decline in the religion’s fortunes under various rulers. They searched for evidence of karma in the historical record and drew on prophecy to explain the past.John Kieschnick provides an innovative, expansive account of how Chinese Buddhists have sought to understand their history through a Buddhist lens. Exploring a series of themes in mainstream Buddhist historiographical works from the fifth to the twentieth century, he looks not so much for what they reveal about the people and events they describe as for what they tell us about their compilers’ understanding of history. Kieschnick examines how Buddhist doctrines influenced the search for the underlying principles driving history, the significance of genealogy in Buddhist writing, and the transformation of Buddhist historiography in the twentieth century. This book casts new light on the intellectual history of Chinese Buddhism and on Buddhists’ understanding of the past.

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Winner, 2023 Toshihide Numata Book Award, Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of California, BerkeleySince the early days of Buddhism in China, monastics and laity alike have expressed a profound concern with the past. In voluminous historical works, they attempted to determine as precisely as possible the dates of events in the Buddha’s life, seeking to iron out discrepancies in varying accounts and pinpoint when he delivered which sermons. Buddhist writers chronicled the history of the Dharma in China as well, compiling biographies of eminent monks and nuns and detailing the rise and decline in the religion’s fortunes under various rulers. They searched for evidence of karma in the historical record and drew on prophecy to explain the past.John Kieschnick provides an innovative, expansive account of how Chinese Buddhists have sought to understand their history through a Buddhist lens. Exploring a series of themes in mainstream Buddhist historiographical works from the fifth to the twentieth century, he looks not so much for what they reveal about the people and events they describe as for what they tell us about their compilers’ understanding of history. Kieschnick examines how Buddhist doctrines influenced the search for the underlying principles driving history, the significance of genealogy in Buddhist writing, and the transformation of Buddhist historiography in the twentieth century. This book casts new light on the intellectual history of Chinese Buddhism and on Buddhists’ understanding of the past.

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Elizabeth Peyton s work has been acclaimed since the early 1990s, when she began exhibiting her intimate portraits of artists, musicians, historical figures, and friends. This new volume, prepared by the artist in collaboration with designer Brendan Dugan, founder of Karma bookstore and gallery, presents a concentrated view of a period bookended by two exhibitions in Brussels, one in 2009 and the second in 2014, a time of introspection, and the development of a more personal painterly language. This phase of Peyton s work is about a new realism and a considered situating of her interests and passions in relation to her own working practice. We see her range expand to take in lush still lifes composed of books, flowers, and fragmentary interiors; expressive, blood-drenched scenes drawn from Richard Wagner s operas; and many magnificent and subtle portraits of peers and mentors, historical or present-day. From David Bowie to celebrated tenor Jonas Kaufmann; from Delacroix and Giorgione to Peyton s artist peers such as Matthew Barney and Klara Liden; from Friday Night Lights star Taylor Kitsch to tattoo artist Scott Campbell, as well as numerous self-portraits, her work is about narrowing the distance between the self and the object of fascination. They are people expressing what it is to be human. Most art that s any good is trying to do that trying to put a voice to feeling. And in particular, the feeling of their time, writes Peyton.

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In the current geopolitical climate—in which unaccompanied children cross the border in record numbers, and debates on the topic swing violently from pole to pole—the subject of immigration demands innovative inquiry. In The Rhetorics of US Immigration, some of the most prominent and prolific scholars in immigration studies come together to discuss the many facets of immigration rhetoric in the United States.The Rhetorics of US Immigration provides readers with an integrated sense of the rhetorical multiplicity circulating among and about immigrants. Whereas extant literature on immigration rhetoric tends to focus on the media, this work extends the conversation to the immigrants themselves, among others. A collection whose own eclecticism highlights the complexity of the issue, The Rhetorics of US Immigration is not only a study in the language of immigration but also a frank discussion of who is doing the talking and what it means for the future.From questions of activism, authority, and citizenship to the influence of Hollywood, the LGBTQ community, and the church, The Rhetorics of US Immigration considers the myriad venues in which the American immigration question emerges—and the interpretive framework suited to account for it.Along with the editor, the contributors are Claudia Anguiano, Karma R. Chávez, Terence Check, Jay P. Childers, J. David Cisneros, Lisa M. Corrigan, D. Robert DeChaine, Anne Teresa Demo, Dina Gavrilos, Emily Ironside, Christine Jasken, Yazmin Lazcano-Pry, Michael Lechuga, and Alessandra B. Von Burg.

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Although Eastern Europe has been part of the Christian world for more than a thousand years, its spiritual identity remains a mystery. This mystery, says Sergei Prokofieff, can only fully be solved by looking behind external events and seeking spiritual - meta-historical - dimensions of reality. In illuminating the maya of outer history, Prokofieff reveals the forces that have been at work to hinder the progress of mankind: the materialistic Brotherhoods of the West and the occult aspects of both Jesuitism and Bolshevism. These adversary groups have created a 'karma of materialism', that the eastern Slavic peoples have taken upon themselves out of their 'exalted willingness for sacrifice'. Prokofieff shows how, from the earliest times, the future 'conscience of humanity' flowed from hidden mystery centres in Hibernia, to the eastern Slavic peoples. As a result, qualities of 'compassion, patience and willingness for sacrifice' developed in their souls, creating a truly Christian 'Grail mood'. Despite incalculable suffering - from the persecutions of the Mongol hordes to the Bolshevik experiment of the last century - this quality has become an unconquerable force. Will humanity be able to use the present opportunity granted by this sacrifice to fulfil the primary purposes of the present cultural epoch? Can the future mysteries of the Holy Grail be fulfilled? In this momentous work, breathtaking in its scope and detail, the author attempts a truly esoteric approach, penetrating to the spiritual wellsprings of Eastern Europe in the light of Rudolf Steiner's research.

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In a series of vibrant and lively essays, Steffen Hartmann focuses on a little-known but critically important theme relating to the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. Steiner described the collaboration between human souls connected to the Platonic and Aristotelian ‘schools’ or groupings – both here on Earth and in the spiritual world. These groupings of souls work within a wider metaphysical collective known as the ‘Michael School’, led by the ruling Spirit of our age, Michael. Prior to their births, millions of human souls were prepared within this School to help them face the challenges of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We may have forgotten these pre-existence experiences, but they can be reawakened within us, says Hartmann. Indeed, it is possible consciously to reconnect to our earlier incarnations and to perceive our karma. The book begins with this theme and leads to Rudolf Steiner’s ‘Michael Prophecy’ of 1924 – to his vision of the millennium and the era in which we now live, especially the crucial period between 2012 and 2033. Dealing with the ‘anthroposophical block’ in the emerging holistic building of humanity, the author contextualizes the topic with reference to direct personal experiences. The sharing of such considered experiences can help to stimulate self-reflection in the anthroposophical movement and contribute real spiritual substance to contemporary culture. This little book provides stimulation to spiritual seekers who carry within them deeper questions about life in the modern world.

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A new synthesis and expansion of the groundbreaking Seth teachings The Seth books, channeled by the late Jane Roberts in the 1970s, galvanized a whole generation of spiritual explorers. The entity known as Seth turned familiar mystical concepts into a radically new framework and introduced little known truths, including a unique understanding of how we create our own reality with our conscious beliefs. But in important ways, the Seth information hit a temporary dead end, especially through confusion about just what creating your own reality means. After nearly 5 decades exploring Seth’s ideas, along with many other spiritual approaches, John Friedlander, a member of Jane Roberts’s original Seth classes in 1974, has reframed the groundbreaking Seth teachings, recentering them in the awareness that all consciousness expands in all directions. He synthesizes Sethian teachings with an eclectic variety of concepts, schools, and influences, from aura reading, healing, and interpersonal engagement as taught by Lewis Bostwick, to Buddhism, reincarnation, karma, and the Theosophical practice of the seven planes, to conscious dying, nondual awareness, multipersonhood, and communication theory. Sharing engaging discussions from his classes, the author examines how you do create your own reality, but that no one controls reality, which is spontaneous and surprisingly creative. By recentering Seth in the awareness that all consciousness expands in all directions Friedlander reveals many ways to support the meaningful engagement of life as it is, bringing more pleasure not just to what is easy, but even to your tensions and contradictions.

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Dating back to the eighth century C.E., the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch is a foundational text of Chan/Zen Buddhism that reveals much about the early evolution of Chinese Chan and the ideological origins of Japanese Zen and Korean Son. Purported to be the recorded words of the famed Huineng, who was understood to be the Sixth Patriarch of Chan and the father of all later Chan/Zen Buddhism, the Platform Sutra illuminates fundamental Chan Buddhist principles in an expressive sermon that describes how Huineng overcame great personal and ideological challenges to uphold the exalted lineage of the enlightened Chan patriarchs while realizing the ultimate Buddhist truth of the original, pure nature of all sentient beings. Huineng seems to reject meditation, the value of good karma, and the worship of the buddhas, conferring instead a set of "formless precepts" on his audience, marked by embedded notes in the text. In his central message, an inherent, perfect buddha nature stands as the original true condition of all sentient beings, which people of all backgrounds can experience for themselves. Philip Yampolsky's masterful translation contains extensive explanatory notes and an edited, amended version of the Chinese text. His introduction critically considers the background and historical setting of the work and locates Huineng's place within the history and legends of Chan Buddhism. This new edition features a foreword by Morten Schlutter further situating the Platform Sutra within recent historical research and textual evidence, and an updated glossary that includes the modern pinyin system of transcription.

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An epic saga of samurai warfare in medieval JapanThis celebrated literary classic has delighted generations of Japanese. In its pages, you will find a vivid contemporary description of the fourteenth-century intrigues and battles that led to the destruction of the Hojo family, the military overlords of the nation, and made it possible for the Emperor Go-Daigo (1288-1339), one of Japan's most remarkable sovereigns, to reassert the power of the throne. Go-Daigo's first hesitant attempts to overthrow the Hojo, the early defeats suffered by his supporters, his dethronement and exile, the legendary exploits of his generals, the growing strength of his arms, and his ultimate return to the throne are all recounted in engrossing detail.The anonymous authors of The Taiheiki diversify their narrative through the skillful use of the rich treasure house of the Chinese dynastic histories, the verse of the Six Dynasties and T'ang, and the Confucian teachings underlying the strict warrior code of loyalty and filial piety. They write with a deep sense of the inevitability of karma—determined fate and the impermanence of man and his works—but the spirit of the age is reflected in their praise of valor and military prowess, their taste for descriptions of the trappings of war, and their frequent irreverent asides. Considered a part of the gunki monogatari, or war tales canon in Japan, The Taiheiki celebrates martial adventure and can be seen as a prose counterpart to the Homeric epics of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

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This unique work – the fruit of many decades’ research and experience – throws new light on the supersensible history and karma of the Michaelic movement since Rudolf Steiner’s death. It describes that movement’s evolution and transformation in the etheric world during the twentieth century, from the world-changing apocalypse of the 1930s and 40s through to the beginning of its incarnation on Earth at the end of last century. The book also focuses on developments in the practical and social work of building the community of the School of Spiritual Science, which embodies the new Michaelic movement in our time. As Ben-Aharon indicates, the Michaelic movement is searching for creative, courageous and enthusiastic souls to foster a strong community that develops – from one decade to the next – as a living organism. Based on the continuous resurrection of anthroposophy, this community strives to create a fully conscious meeting and communication with the school of Michael and Christ in the etheric world, in a form that is appropriate and demanded by the times. The transcripts of these lectures bring together the author’s experiences with anthroposophy over the last 42 years in the light of present communications from the spiritual world. It is based on contemporary spiritual investigation and individual, lived experience. From the Contents: ‘The Amfortas-Parsifal Duality of Modern Humanity’; ‘The Twilight of Humanity and its Resurrection’; ‘The Universal Language of Michael and the Being of Rudolf Steiner’; ‘The Anthroposophical Movement in the Present’; ‘The Etheric Form is Alive’; ‘The Resurrection of the Etheric Christ in the 21st Century’

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From Joseph Vogelsang and his mysterious peep-box to Hollywood blockbusters and Netflix, R.A. Savoldelli’s survey of cinema and film is based on practical experience – he was once the enfant terrible of Swiss cinema – and years of contemplation and study. He examines the difference between film as the ‘hypnotic monster’ referred to by the Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini, and the art of film that Rudolf Steiner aspired to. The author depicts the historical development of cinema from its origins, paying particular attention to science fiction – from Star Wars to The Matrix – and influential filmmakers such as Eric Rohmer, Andrei Tarkovsky and Pasolini. As a scholar of anthroposophy, Savoldelli gives a comprehensive assessment of Rudolf Steiner’s attitude to film. In addition to frequenting the silent cinema of his time, Steiner made several statements about the new artform in his lectures, letters and private discussions. The author examines and interprets these and complements them with commentary on Steiner’s attempt to produce a film on the theme of reincarnation and karma as well as his explorations with Jan Stuten of ‘light-show art’. Other topics in this penetrating study include: ‘Basic philosophical stances in the pioneer period of media studies’; ‘Steiner’s prophetic warnings about a technocratic form of civilization that will destroy humanity’; ‘Nostalgia for the art-house cinema that emerged in the 60s’; and ‘The project discussed by Alexander Kluge and Andrei Tarkovsky for a film based on Rudolf Steiner’s From the Akashic Records’. Anyone interested in the cinematic arts will find a treasure of stimulating ideas and new thought in this unique book.

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In 1997 Nigel Kerner first introduced the notion of aliens known as Greys coming to Earth, explaining that Greys are sophisticated biological robots created by an extraterrestrial civilization they have long since outlived. In this new book Kerner reveals that the Greys are seeking to master death by obtaining something humans possess that they do not: souls. Through the manipulation of human DNA, these aliens hope to create their own souls and, thereby, escape the entropic grip of the material universe in favor of the timeless realm of spirit. Kerner explains that genetic manipulation by the Greys has occurred since biblical times and has led to numerous negative qualities that plague humanity, such as violence, greed, and maliciousness. Racism, he contends, was developed by the aliens to prevent their genetic experiments from being compromised by breeding with others outside their influence. Examining historical records, Kerner shows that Jesus, who represented an uncorrupted genetic line, warned his disciples about the threat posed by these alien interlopers, while Hitler, a pure product of this alien intelligence, waged genocide in an attempt to rid Earth of all those untouched by this genetic tampering. Despite the powerful grip the Greys have on humanity, Kerner says that all hope is not lost. Greys exist wholly in the material world, so if we follow the spiritual laws of reincarnation and karma, aiming for enlightenment and rising above the material--a state the Greys are unable to reach--we can free ourselves from their grasp.

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"Deeply involving, instructive, and capable of touching any reader who cares about the search for meaning."--Mitch Horowitz, author of Occult America "In being so frank about his own struggles and fantasies, Greg's personal tale becomes something more universal."--David R. Loy, author of Money, Sex, War, Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution In 1971, when Greg Shepherd was in his early twenties, he left New Jersey and joined the Koko An Zendo community in Hawaii. What began as a quest for enlightenment became Greg's confrontation with his own inner demons: his need for approval, his distrust of authority, and his ego-driven fixation on achieving the profound spiritual breakthrough of kensho ("the Big K"). Later, in Japan, he struggled with prejudice and cultural rigidity and found his deeper meditations leading to actual panic attacks over fear of losing himself. Ultimately, he broke with Zen and his teachers to pursue a career in music. This frank memoir traces Greg Shepherd's meandering path from seeker to disillusionment, and, over a decade later, his way back to Zen and inner peace. We experience Zen practice in Japan and Hawaii and meet Zen masters Yamada Koun Roshi and Robert Aitken, the "dean of American Buddhism" (who had once pegged Greg as his successor). And we understand why Zen was so appealing to the American counterculture and how its profound lessons of focus and detachment remain insightful and important. Gregory Shepherd has studied Zen since the early 1970s in Hawaii and Japan. He is associate professor of music at Kauai Community College.

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Some people's path to anthroposophy leads them directly to Rudolf Steiner's early work and The Philosophy of Freedom, and this becomes the philosophical basis for their future exploration. Rudolf Steiner referred to this as a 'safe' approach.But many people's destiny leads them directly to anthroposophy itself, or via one of its practical initiatives, making it difficult sometimes for them to relate to the cognitive basis of anthroposophy. In this unique study Sergei O. Prokofieff offers fresh means of access to Rudolf Steiner's crucially important book, The Philosophy of Freedom. Prokofieff indicates why The Philosophy of Freedom is so important to anthroposophy. It is here that Rudolf Steiner lays the foundations for his method of research. In Steiner's own words: "One who is willing can indeed find the basic principles of anthroposophy in my Philosophy of Freedom". Prokofieff discusses the Christian nature of the anthroposophical method of cognition, and how it is integrally related to freedom and love. This in turn reveals the deeply Christian roots of The Philosophy of Freedom and its importance for modern Christian esotericism. In fact, says Prokofieff, the book holds a 'central position ...in the spiritual history of the Occident'. In considering its multifaceted 'cosmic-human dimension', the author discusses The Philosophy of Freedom in relation to the Mystery of the Resurrection, the Working of the Hierarchies, the Being Anthroposophia, the Fifth Gospel, Rudolf Steiner's Path of Initiation, the Rosicrucian and Michaelic Impulses, the Life Between Death and Rebirth, the Foundation Stone, the Christian Mysteries of Karma and the Science of the Grail.

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From America’s top psychic medium and the author of When Heaven Calls comes a new book that unveils the secrets of the afterlife, the truth about heaven, and inspires “us with his comforting certainty that we never die” (Gloria Estefan). Psychic medium Matt Fraser, author of When Heaven Calls, is back to unpack the number one question folks ask him: “What happens after death?” Although we might expect a complicated answer, it’s actually pretty simple: We never die! Drawing from thousands of conversations with Spirit, Matt pulls back the curtain on life’s hidden revelations: -What happens when we cross over -The beautiful realities of heaven and eternal life -The guardian angels who keep us safe on Earth (including our pets who have passed) -The role of dreams and how souls appear to the living -Love, romance, and soul mates beyond life -Ghosts, hauntings, negative souls, energy vampires, and psychic protection -Destiny, free will, and second chances -Regrets, amends, and forgiveness from heaven -Figuring out your gifts and purpose -Karma, kindness, and living in the divine flow -How to recognize the signs and messages our loved ones send us from heaven As Matt explains, “We all have our own ‘phone line’ to communicate with heaven. All we have to do is figure out how to use it.” Revealed through never-before-told stories, the wisdom in We Never Die “is healing the world by making sure we have a strong emotional and spiritual connection, which is the foundation for a healthy life” (Karamo Brown, star of Queer Eye and author and author of Karamo).

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Containing a wealth of material on a variety of subjects, Light for the New Millennium tells the story of the meeting of two great men and their continuing relationship beyond the threshold of death: Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) - the seer, scientist of the spirit, and cultural innovator - and Helmuth von Moltke (1848-1916) - a renowned military man, Chief of the General Staff of the German army during the outbreak of the First World War. In 1914, following disagreements with the Kaiser, Moltke was dismissed from his post. This led to a great inner crisis in the General, that in turn drew him closer to Steiner. When Moltke died two years later, Steiner maintained contact with his excarnated soul, receiving communications that he passed on to Moltke's wife, Eliza. These remarkable and unique messages are reproduced here in full, together with relevant letters from the General to his wife. The various additional commentaries, essays and documents give insights to themes of continuing significance for our time, including the workings of evil; karma and reincarnation; life after death; the new millennium and the end of the last century; the hidden causes of the First World War; the destiny of Europe, and the future of Rudolf Steiner's science of the spirit. Also included are Moltke's private reflections on the causes of the Great War ('the document that could have changed world history'), a key interview with Steiner for Le Matin, an introduction and notes by T. H. Meyer, and studies by Jurgen von Grone, Jens Heisterkamp and Johannes Tautz.

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• Shares data and meta-analysis from a large volume of extremely sophisticated experiments that provide proof for the existence of psi phenomena • Explores evidence of past lives, intuitive knowing, and other spiritual phenomena • Reveals the author’s own inexplicable experiences as well as her conversations with scientific colleagues, high-level experts, and government officials Neuroscientist Mona Sobhani, Ph.D., details her transformation from diehard materialist to open-minded spiritual seeker and shares the extensive research she discovered on past lives, karma, and the complex interactions of mind and matter. She reveals her conversations about spirituality, consciousness, and anomalous occurrences with scientific colleagues as well as high-level experts and government officials, as she searched for proof of a meaningful cosmos. She discovered that psi research has been conducted on a grand scale for more than a century--by hundreds of scientists with hundreds of thousands of participants--and that there exists substantial evidence for the reality of psi. She examines meta-analyses of these experiments, such as that of the Ganzfield tests, which showed the odds against chance of 12 billion to 1--throwing our current scientific materialist paradigm into question. Providing a deep dive into the literature of psychology, quantum physics, neuroscience, philosophy, and esoteric texts, Sobhani also explores the relationship between psi phenomena, the transcendence of space and time, and spirituality. Culminating with the author’s serious reckoning with one of the foundational principles of neuroscience--scientific materialism-- this illuminating book shows that the mysteries of human experience go far beyond what the present scientific paradigm can comprehend and leaves open the possibility of a participatory, meaningful Universe.

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Jan Westerhoff unfolds the story of one of the richest episodes in the history of Indian thought, the development of Buddhist philosophy in the first millennium CE. He starts from the composition of the Abhidharma works before the beginning of the common era and continues up to the time of Dharmakirti in the sixth century. This period was characterized by the development of a variety of philosophical schools and approaches that have shaped Buddhist thought up to the present day: the scholasticism of the Abhidharma, the Madhyamaka's theory of emptiness, Yogacara idealism, and the logical and epistemological works of Dinnaga and Dharmakirti. The book attempts to describe the historical development of these schools in their intellectual and cultural context, with particular emphasis on three factors that shaped the development of Buddhist philosophical thought: the need to spell out the contents of canonical texts, the discourses of the historical Buddha and the Mahayana sutras; the desire to defend their positions by sophisticated arguments against criticisms from fellow Buddhists and from non-Buddhist thinkers of classical Indian philosophy; and the need to account for insights gained through the application of specific meditative techniques. While the main focus is the period up to the sixth century CE, Westerhoff also discusses some important thinkers who influenced Buddhist thought between this time and the decline of Buddhist scholastic philosophy in India at the beginning of the thirteenth century. His aim is that the historical presentation will also allow the reader to get a better systematic grasp of key Buddhist concepts such as non-self, suffering, reincarnation, karma, and nirvana.

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"Think not that dreams appear to the dreamer only at night, the dream of this world of pain appears to us even by day."In this book, famed author Lafcadio Hearn presents 14 fascinating stories—including deathless ghosts and yokai, local folklore and haunted places, as well as Buddhist traditions. This edition includes a new foreword by Michael Dylan Foster which explains the book's importance as a Japanese cultural and literary classic.The Japanese have two kinds of ghosts in their folklore—the spirits of the dead and the spirits of the living. In Ghostly Japan examines both and, in the process, offers a fascinating window into Japan's supernatural and spiritual world.The 14 stories include: "Fragment"—A young pilgrim encounters a mountain of skulls and is shown a terrible truth "Ingwa-banashi"—On her deathbed, a dying wife bequeaths to her young rival a sinister and horrific gift "A Passional Karma"—A spectral beauty transcends death to return for her handsome samurai lover "Story of a Tengu"—A priest saves the life of a Yokai monk and is granted a wish, but the outcome is not as expected While some stories contain spine-tingling imagery, others offer looks into Japan's rich culture and folklore. "Bits of Poetry" offers an engaging study on the nation's fascination with verse, "Japanese Buddhist Proverbs" explains the meaning of several traditional Zen Buddhist sayings and "Incense" examines its use in rituals to summon and banish spirits.Whether you're interested in classic ghost stories, or simply want to enjoy the prose of a legendary writer, In Ghostly Japan affords countless delights.

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Perl is a very powerful tool for Oracle database administrators, but too few DBAs realize how helpful Perl can be in managing, monitoring, and tuning Oracle databases. Whether you're responsible for Oracle9i, Oracle8i, or earlier databases, you'll find Perl an invaluable addition to your database administration arsenal. You don't need to be a Perl expert to use the excellent applications and scripts described in Perl for Oracle DBAs. The book explains what you need to know about Perl, provides a wealth of ready-to-use scripts developed especially for Oracle DBAs, and suggests many resources for further exploration. The book covers: * The Perl language -- an introduction to Perl, its rich history and culture, and its extensive text processing and data transformation capabilities. * The Perl/Oracle architecture -- Detailed information about Perl DBI, DBD::Oracle, the Oracle Call Interface (OCI), Oracle::OCI, extproc_perl, and mod_perl, the modules that allow Perl programs to communicate with Oracle databases. * Perl applications for Oracle DBAs -- Profiles of the best Perl open source applications available for use and customization by Oracle DBAs: Perl/Tk, OraExplain, StatsView, Orac, DDL::Oracle, SchemaDiff, Senora, DBD::Chart, SchemaView-Plus, Oracletool, Karma, Embperl, and Mason. * The Perl Database Administration (PDBA) Toolkit -- a comprehensive suite of specialized, ready-to-use scripts designed to help Oracle DBAs perform both routine and special-purpose administrative tasks: monitoring the Oracle alert log and databases, creating and managing Oracle user accounts, maintaining indexes and extents, extracting DDL and data, troubleshooting and tuning database problems, and much more. The book also explains how Oracle DBAs and developers can extend the toolkit and solve their own database administration problems using Perl.

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Teachings from the Sirian High Council to help humanity as we merge into the 4th dimension. In 1996, while visiting the Julia Set crop circle in England, Patricia Cori experienced a galactic out-of-body journey—a transformational awakening that attuned her to a group of interdimensional light beings known to her as the Sirian High Council. Serving as their scribe now for more than 25 years, she shares the insights and teachings of these six-dimensional Sirian Light Emissaries to help humanity as we merge into the fourth dimension and face our collective karma—the source of so much of the dramatic events now unfolding around the world. Sharing new revelations that affirm the veracity of past prophecies as well as transmitting new visions for the human race, Cori’s messages from higher realms empower readers to peer fearlessly into the darkness, to understand it, and to focus on the light for all humankind and the earth. She explains how the Sirians hold us to our responsibility as guardians of this planet, with sound direction and advice for how to survive our imminent collective ascension and global awakening to new levels of conscious awareness. The Sirians’ discussions explain what we are undergoing right now and delve into many of the most crucial issues of our time, including the rush to merge the human mind with artificial intelligence, ET disclosure, cloning, the slipping of time, and the dark forces that are losing their grip on our planet and humanity. As the struggle between darkness and light is being fought at every level, Cori reminds us to take comfort in the fact that the Sirian High Council foresaw and told us how this time of immense upheaval would be the last phase of our passage out of the darkness and into illuminated states of consciousness and the light of planetary renewal.

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"The papers composing this volume treat of the inner rather than of the outer life of Japan, for which reason they have been grouped under the title Kokoro (heart). [This] word signifies also mind, in the emotional sense; spirit; courage; resolve; sentiment; affection; and inner meaning, just as we say in English, "the heart of things." —Lafcadio HearnAs an interpreter of Japan for the West, Lafcadio Hearn has no peer. His books are still read with fascination by foreigners and Japanese alike—a tribute to his keen powers of observation and the vividness of his prose. Kokoro is Hearn's love letter to Japan—his exploration of the genius of Japanese civilization and the wonder he felt at encountering these islands and their inhabitants.The 15 extraordinary stories in this book include: "Kimiko"— A beautiful geisha hatches a desperate plan to save her mother from poverty but then must make a heartbreaking choice. "A Conservative"— A samurai's son embraces the West and travels to Europe but finds his new home to be a shallow and faithless land. "A Street Singer"— A woman captivates crowds with the beauty of her voice, but her life story goes much deeper than her musical talents. "By Force of Karma"— The peculiar tale of a Buddhist priest who receives a letter from a mysterious woman and ultimately takes his own life. Published six years after Hearn arrived in Japan, these stories focus on the inner spiritual life of the Japanese. Sometimes touching and always compelling, they are drawn from Hearn's own experiences, telling stories of the people and customs that still make Japan so unique. Kokoro includes an informative foreword by Patricia Welch which highlights how, 125 years later, our understanding of Japan can still be deepened by Hearn's heartfelt prose.

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We negotiate more frequently than we realize not only in the workplace but also with family, friends and neighbors. Negotiation is like breathing, which we do all the time—although we seldom take the initiative to learn proper breathing techniques. Likewise, we fail to acquire skills for a meaningful and efficient way to negotiate. Here, in pursuit of developing our skills, we approach the subject from our spiritual core, our authentic self that is conscious of our inner connectedness. In doing so, we are aware that even though terms such as haggling and bargaining are synonymously used with negotiation, they are vastly different.Enlightened Negotiation™ introduces a new vocabulary, a new set of practical tools, and an expansive new perspective on the familiar concept of “win-win”negotiations. It draws on basic spiritual principles revered by many wisdom traditions to transcend the competitive or combative model of dispute-resolution and instead tap the natural power of divine potential —the innate desire of the human spirit to connect, communicate, and co-create solutions that move all parties forward and upward as one. The 8 Spiritual Laws of Negotiation: Trust, Intention, Communication, Strength, Flexibility, Mindfulness, Manifestation and Reflection, provide a new paradigm for the emerging generation of conscious entrepreneurs. It shows how to bridge the worlds of materiality (business, money), governance (personal, family, community), and spirituality (actualization of our authentic self). The significance of number 8 is that it represents Prosperity. It also represents infinity, continuity, and karma. The effects of negotiation linger well beyond any immediate agreement. Enlightened Negotiation™ fills the void between business, spiritually oriented and research supported methods and is as applicable to family and personal relationships as it is to business and even global conflict situations requiring negotiated resolutions.

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Rudolf Steiner's third great lecture course to physicians has a completely different character to his previous presentations. Delivered in response to a group of young doctors - who approached Steiner with the specific request for a course that would be 'quite intimate', but should not contain anything ' - which appealed only to knowledge and the intellect' - it offers unique, groundbreaking insights into the practice and art of healing. Steiner speaks about the influence of cosmic and earthly forces - the periphery and centre - on the human being. Proper understanding of these processes enables the physician to comprehend the actions of plants and minerals used in anthroposophic medicines, and thus to prescribe appropriate and individually specific remedies. Steiner paints a picture of the human being as a complex confluence of the forces of heredity, forces from the cosmos, and an individual's unique spiritual nature. The physician has to understand these relationships in order to be able to help effectively when they are out of balance. Steiner stresses the importance of personal development for physicians, and offers plentiful instructions for a meditative practice intrinsic to their work. Among a wealth of other topics, Steiner addresses inflammation and excessive growth; the nature of scarlet fever and measles; the importance of a child's food and breast milk; the functions of the liver, heart, head and skeleton; the incarnation process; karma as a guide for the physician; morality as a force streaming in from the cosmos; the cosmic trinity of Saturn, Sun and Moon in the healthy and sick human being; and the involvement of the heart in thinking. Included here are Rudolf Steiner's answers to questions, and the first newsletter from the Medical Section, with a key meditation for physicians. This volume also features 18 full colour plates of Rudolf Steiner's blackboard drawings, a comprehensive introduction, index and notes.

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In the uncertainty following the end of the First World War, Rudolf Steiner perceived a unique opportunity to establish a healthy social and political constitution. He began lecturing throughout post-war Germany, often to large audiences, about his social ideas. Here, speaking to a more intimate grouping at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland, Steiner seeks to deepen the themes of social threefolding, showing specifically how new social thinking is integral to anthroposophy. Steiner speaks of the superficiality of the materialistic view of history, originating with the economic shift amongst the population at the time of the Reformation. Back in Egyptian-Chaldean times, initiates ruled out of spiritual impulses. Later, in the Greco-Roman period, priests had power over their congregations. Today, homo economicus – or `economic man’ – has become the dominant idea, with the capitalist and the banker taking control. But the healing of social relationships can only come about through different modes of thought; the life of spirit must be separated not only from politics but also from economics. True social understanding allows for comprehension of karma – the appreciation of each person’s individual destiny. In parallel, says Steiner, we should work towards a global consciousness, as true social ideas are founded on people feeling themselves to be citizens of the world. In an important corollary, Steiner studies the incarnations of three significant spiritual beings in human evolution: Lucifer, Christ and Ahriman. Lucifer incarnated in the third pre-Christian millennium, Christ incarnated at the dawn of a new age, whilst an incarnation of Ahriman in the West is immanent. Ahriman is preparing this incarnation by insidiously promoting various ideas, for example that economic security is sufficient for healthy public life. A new wisdom must be achieved out of free human will, says Steiner, or else we will succumb to Ahriman.

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'The intention is to take a practical subject and show how our spiritual science with anthroposophical orientation truly can play an effective role in everyday life.' - Rudolf Steiner Following his first major lecture course for medical practitioners, Rudolf Steiner sought to elaborate and deepen his 'extension' of the art of healing from a spiritual-scientific perspective. In this collection of addresses, discussions, question-and-answer sessions and lectures - running parallel to his major medical cycles - Steiner comments on contemporary medicine's emphasis on experimental, materially-based research and its subsequent lack of attention to therapy. Steiner's intention is not to detract from developments in medical science but to build on them with spiritual science - not quackery but a true art of medicine. The medical practitioner has an important task: diseases must be cured, and it is wrong not to intervene and simply to allow 'karma to take its course'. Speaking to audiences ranging from members of the general public to small groups of medical professionals, Steiner offers new insights into our understanding of human organs such as the brain, kidneys and liver, as well as the efficacy of healing substances including arsenic, sulphur, arnica and essential plant oils. He studies a broad range of specific medical conditions, giving advice on cancer, hysteria, rheumatism, gout, skin eruptions, typhoid, diabetes, haemophilia, syphilis, gonorrhoea, asthma, glaucoma, leukaemia, smallpox, insomnia, and childhood diseases such as measles. His commentaries on a raft of contrasting subjects - such as psychiatry, sexual maturity, memory, poisoning and detoxification - present challenging perspectives for patients and medical practitioners. Steiner's surprisingly non-dogmatic advice on vaccination, for example, gives a refreshingly balanced, and perhaps unexpected, point of view. This volume also includes a lecture on eurythmy therapy, a comprehensive introduction, index and notes, and nine full colour plates of Rudolf Steiner's blackboard drawings.

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What does a pathetic class of misfits have in their arsenal to combat their schoolteacher’s alien technology, bizarre powers and...tentacles?! Ever caught yourself screaming, “I could just kill that teacher”? What would it take to justify such antisocial behavior and weeks of detention? Especially if he’s the best teacher you’ve ever had? Giving you an “F” on a quiz? Mispronouncing your name during roll call...again? How about blowing up the moon and threatening to do the same to Mother Earth—unless you take him out first?! Plus a reward of a cool 100 million from the Ministry of Defense! Okay, now that you’re committed... How are you going to pull this off? What does your pathetic class of misfits have in their arsenal to combat Teach’s alien technology, bizarre powers and...tentacles?! Koro Sensei’s lessons in verbal defense are put to the test when Karma must use his brains instead of his brawn to rescue a classmate. Then things finally begin to go smoothly for the students of 3-E. Everyone receives some good news about their futures, and Nagisa settles on a career goal. But the peace is broken when the world’s nations miraculously manage to coordinate their efforts long enough to launch a plan to assassinate Koro Sensei—with the aid of the strongest mercenary in the world and an ultimate weapon! Will anyone break ranks to protect everyone’s favorite tentacled teacher…? * The surprise hit, a bizarre action comedy about a tentacled teacher with a heart, is a consistent Bookscan and New York Times graphic novel best seller. * Releases 6 times a year for 21 volumes. Series ends at 21. * Creator Yusei Matsui attended NY Comic Con 2016 (170,000 plus attendees) for panels and signings.* Assassination Classroom has sold over 163,000 copies in the US over 14 volumes (Bookscan 2/17). * Nominated for 2016 Eisner Awards for “Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia.” * Funny, action-oriented, heartwarming—plus plenty of kinky fan service.

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'A radiant debut' EMILY HENRYTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!Six summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right.They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser that has felt too true for the last decade, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life. Instead of glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends, and keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart. Until the day she gets a call that sends her racing back to Barry's Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek - the man she never thought she'd have to live without. For six summers, through hazy afternoons on the water and warm summer nights working in his family restaurant and curling up together with books, Percy and Sam had been inseparable. And slowly that friendship turned into something breathtakingly more, before it fell spectacularly apart.When Percy returns to the lake, their connection is as undeniable as it had always been. Percy must confront the decisions she's made and the years she's spent punishing herself for them, in order to determine, once and for all, whether their love might be bigger than the biggest mistakes of their past.Told over the course of six years and one weekend, Every Summer After is a big, sweeping nostalgic story of love and the people and choices that mark us forever. 'The magic and romance of summer is palpable' Popsugar'Your next must-read beach-read' Ashley Audrain 'A sweet story about second chances, and how the future we imagine for ourselves is never quite what it turns out to be' Jodi Picoult'Perfect for those who covet steamy summer dock days and second-chance love stories. I devoured it!' Karma Brown'A quintessential summer novel, full of longing and lost love, and hits on so many beloved tropes' BuzzFeed

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Nacida en Alabama, Paula Vauss pasó la primera década de su vida en la carretera junto a su joven madre de espíritu libre, Kai, una cuenta cuentos itinerante que mezclaba la mitología hindú con la tradición oral sureña para reinventar su historia mientras vagaban. Pero todo, incluyendo el nombre de nacimiento de Paula, Kali Jai, cambió cuando ella relató su propia historia: una que llevó a Kai a la cárcel y a Paula a sistemas de hogares temporales. Separadas, guardando cada una sus propios secretos, el intenso vínculo que antes compartían quedó fracturado. Ahora Paula se ha reencarnado en una dura abogada de divorcios con un exitoso bufete en Atlanta. Aunque no ha visto a Kai en quince años, sigue haciendo pagos a esa deuda kármica, hasta el día en que su último cheque fue devuelto en el correo, junto con una nota enigmática: «Voy a hacer un viaje, Kali. Voy a volver al principio; la muerte no es el fin. Tú serás el fin. Nos volveremos a encontrar, y habrá nuevas historias. Ya sabes cómo funciona el karma». Entonces, el secreto más guardado de Kai llega literalmente a la puerta de Paula, llevando su vida al caos y cambiándola de ser hija única a ser hermana mayor. Desesperada por encontrar a su madre antes de que sea demasiado tarde, Paula emprende un viaje de descubrimiento que la llevará de nuevo al pasado y a los rincones más profundos de su corazón. Con la ayuda de su examante Birdwine, un detective privado emocionalmente volátil que sigue estando enamorado de ella, esta brillante mujer, experta en familias destrozadas, ahora tiene que descubrir cómo restaurar una: la suya propia. Esta es una historia sobre la historia misma, cómo los relatos que contamos nos conectan, nos quebrantan y nos definen, y cómo los finales y los principios que escogemos pueden destruirnos… y restaurarnos. Con toques de humor y una perspectiva conmovedora, la querida autora best seller del New York Times, Joshilyn Jackson, está en su mejor momento.

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Has your love life ever felt needlessly complicated? With this book, the secret inner workings of your love life are revealed!Your birth date reveals more about you than you might imagine.Have you ever wondered why some people are afraid of commitment or why others always put work before love? Is the person you are dating right for you? Why is your best friend such a hopeless romantic? Finding love is no longer a mystery to be unraveled. This collection of love affirmations and insights will help find the answers to every question you've ever had about your personal relationships.Robert Lee Camp is known throughout Hollywood for his accurate and insightful celebrity readings. His unique fortune-telling system is based on a science used by the ancient Egyptians. Now, you can try this in-depth but surprisingly simple system for yourself—a unique combination of astrology and numerology that can be mastered in a matter of hours.Featuring new chapters that explores famous celebrity couples, this latest edition of Love Cards will teach you how to perform a complete relationship reading between two people. The perfect gift for any anniversary, wedding shower, or romantic gift occasion, Love Cards allows you to explore the science of your love language. Look up your Birth Card, the cards of your lover, family, and friends, and then discover:Who am I most compatible with in love, sex, romance, and marriage?How do my Karma and Past Life Cards affect my present relationships?Why have I chosen past partners, and how can I make better decisions about my future?Which celebrities share my birthday?Find Your Birth Card Now and unlock the mysteries of love!Love Cards is a guide to help you understand why you are the way you are, and allow the same insights for you about your partner. Is the key to a happy love life in the cards?

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A corrective to the contemporary idea that Buddhism has always been an environmentally friendly religion In the current popular imagination, Buddhism is often understood to be a religion intrinsically concerned with the environment. The Dharma, the name given to Buddhist teachings by Buddhists, states that all things are interconnected. Therefore, Buddhists are perceived as extending compassion beyond people and animals to include plants and the earth itself out of a concern for the total living environment. In The Buddha's Footprint, Johan Elverskog contends that only by jettisoning this contemporary image of Buddhism as a purely ascetic and apolitical tradition of contemplation can we see the true nature of the Dharma. According to Elverskog, Buddhism is, in fact, an expansive religious and political system premised on generating wealth through the exploitation of natural resources. Elverskog surveys the expansion of Buddhism across Asia in the period between 500 BCE and 1500 CE, when Buddhist institutions were built from Iran and Azerbaijan in the west, to Kazakhstan and Siberia in the north, Japan in the east, and Sri Lanka and Indonesia in the south. He examines the prosperity theology at the heart of the Dharma that declared riches to be a sign of good karma and the means by which spritiual status could be elevated through donations bequeathed to Buddhist institutions. He demonstrates how this scriptural tradition propelled Buddhists to seek wealth and power across Asia and to exploit both the people and the environment. Elverskog shows the ways in which Buddhist expansion not only entailed the displacement of local gods and myths with those of the Dharma—as was the case with Christianity and Islam—but also involved fundamentally transforming earlier social and political structures and networks of economic exchange. The Buddha's Footprint argues that the institutionalization of the Dharma was intimately connected to agricultural expansion, resource extraction, deforestation, urbanization, and the monumentalization of Buddhism itself.

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