Search results for ""author ink"

The Epilogue explores the different forms the New World Order might take. Will it be benign and engender the abolition of war, disease and famine under the auspices of the UN, or will it be malevolent and so usher in an era of world dictatorship under a tyrant of the Hitler/Stalin type? How democratic will it be? Will it replace North American civilisation or be a phase within its development? Gathering up all the threads of the book, it asks whether the nation-state can survive and what the lessons for the future are.

Read more less

In reading this translation we come closer to the impact the scriptures had on the people of the time than before.

Read more less

The "Bhagavad Gita" is a sacred scripture of epic dimensions and is the key sacred text of Hinduism. It means the "song of God" and is often called the "Song Celestial". Alan Jacobs uses contemporary free verse based on innovative metaphors to provide a clear meaning for today's readers. It is mandala poetry - each verse being a mandala for meditation.

Read more less

A comprehensive astrology package, this package consists of a book and a software package. It offers an in-depth analysis for each astrological configuration that an individual chart contains. including the Sign and House position of the Sun, Moon and Planets, the five major aspects between them and the Ascendant and Midheaven. In addition to thoroughly interpreting the natal chart, "The Instant Astrologer" also calculates and interprets Transits (planetary influences through time) for any month or year period, and the Synastry of any two individuals' charts (the chemistry between them). The book is divided into three sections covering the personality profile, the timeline profile and the relationship profile. The CD similarly consists of three modules that calculate the basic astrological data and then gives the page numbers in the book where interpretations are given. Complete reports can be shown on screen but not printed. Sit at home and instantly work out your own charts for partners, parents, colleagues, friends as well as yourself.

Read more less

For thousands of years we have tried to study, interpret and teach ourselves ABOUT Nature from our own point of view, through the lenses of our telescopes, microscopes and binocular eyesight directed outwards. We see a rigidly framed objective picture 'out there' that does not include our selves yet upon which we project our own image and psychology. This one-way view has brought us into profound conflict with our natural origins and one another. 'NaturesScope' evokes a different view, FROM Nature, which brings human beings and the world into empathic mutual relationship. It assists us in enquiring imaginatively and creatively into how to turn the narrowed down objective worldview around and see our selves and our world through nature's fluid lens of mutual inclusion. People who have experienced this view of natural inclusion have found it a source of profound inspiration.

Read more less

Private Investigator Tommy Storm is hired by a top Hollywood film producer to find his missing daughter and her leading man lothario. As Storm and his goody two-shoes doppelganger investigate the case, sinister forces conspire to commit the ultimate murder. The question is: who is on the side of the angels, and can either Storm tell the difference? As the truth unravels, Storm must contend with divine double dealings, saving his genitalia, the end of the world, the Second Coming, extremely violent debt collection, sexy dames, the meaning of it all and where the hell he can get a drink! So join Tommy on the case of a lifetime as he saves the world, his balls and maybe even gets the girl...unless it all goes hideously wrong. Which, of course, it will...

Read more less

The fundamental argument of this book is, first, that Richard Nixon, though not generally regarded as a charismatic or emotionally outgoing politician like Franklin Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan, did establish profound psychic connections with the American people, connections that can be detected both in the brilliant electoral success that he enjoyed for most of his career and in his ultimate defeat during the Watergate scandal; and, second and even more important, that these connections are symptomatic of many of the most important currents in American life. The book is not just a work of political history or political biography but a study of cultural power: that is, a study in the ways that culture shapes our politics and frames our sense of possibilities and values. In its application of Marxist, psychoanalytic, and other theoretical tools to the study of American electoral politics, and in a way designed for the general as well as for the academic reader, it is a new kind of book.

Read more less

A Ceremony for Every Occasion has been written as a guide for Pagans and non-Pagans alike who wish to celebrate the passing of the seasons, the Wheel of the Year and who need a Rite of Passage for different times in their life. These rituals are spiritual, at the same time non-religious in the general accepted term. They can be adapted and used in different parts of the World and with different Deity, with a little work or simply used exactly as written. This book is a practical, step by step guide, and contains a basic list of all the items needed to take along to a ritual site in order to perform the ceremonies. There are illustrations and instructions on for instance 'how to make a set of Handfasting Cords' with photos as a guide. Each chapter has an introduction with points of interest about the season and the Deity associated.

Read more less

If History is written by the victors then this is His-Story, as corrected by the losers. The Parable of His-Story is a telling of the age where men have been in charge. Inspired by ideas of feminism and spirituality, it suggests that eternal rules are temporary examples of a one sided story, repeatedly told to glorify the masculine and denigrate the feminine. Charting the origin of this story at the dawn of civilization, the book details how his-story spread across the world through successive masculine-driven empires and affected our ideas of sex, gender, sexuality and race. As the financial system crumbles, as religious and political ideologies grow more extreme and as more of us contribute to a collective consciousness through the Internet, The Parable offers suggestions as to what we need to remember in order to bring ourselves, and our relations with our planet, back into balance. If you've ever wondered why zero has been taught to mean nothing, why gay has come to be synonymous with rubbish, and why all the major monotheistic gods are blokes, then this book is for you.

Read more less

This is I. This is the definitive yoga guide II. Catherine Foroughi presents this indispensable Gift for understanding yoga and Enlightenment. With this gift one is all. This is CYoga. This is It. Be the yoga expert as natural understanding from the teacher within and a relaxation in That space presents.

Read more less

In the beginning was the word, and...you know the rest. Not like this you don't. In a new twist on a classic tale, Tom Carver re-imagines the Old Testament without the leading character. The Newer, More English Version takes an erudite look at the supporting players of the Pentateuch, with no Jehovah to steal the show. What's left is a varied cast of egomaniacs, revolutionaries, war criminals, genii and perverts: Joseph, smug careerist and part-time psychoanalyst; Moses, a revolutionary firebrand who just wants to belong; Abraham, the world's first and greatest global branding strategist; and one very strange tree...

Read more less

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a Palm Reader? Can they really see the future by looking at your hands? Or do they just make it up? Can they really look deep inside someone and know everything about that person? Kind of gives you the shivers, doesn't it? Reading Between the Lines is a true story about real people, who have decided to change their lives. Their journey begins with the Palm Reader. Not a fortune teller, but a gifted, trustworthy person, who, through her intuition, holds the key to uncover each person's truth. How do I find my Soulmate? Do I have a Guardian Angel? Will I be rich? Will I be happy? What is my Soul Purpose? The answers to these questions (and more) are found within the pages of this book. Reading Between the Lines is your passport into the secret lives of real people, where you will see yourself reflected in the pages as you laugh, cry, and share in this magical journey towards fulfilling your dreams.

Read more less

Hoping to rediscover his deeper purpose, Rijumati, an English Buddhist teacher and businessman, embarked on a journey into the unknown: a round-the-world trip by land and sea that became a kind of pilgrimage. Months - and many crises - later he returned with new reverence for ordinary people and places, a sense of veneration for nature's wonders and a profound gratitude for being human. Part travel diary and part record of a spiritual journey, these pages evoke the sacred, remote places encountered in the outer world alongside the 'inner terrain' that unfolded along the way. If you have ever felt the call of the open road, longed to travel as a form of self-discovery, or just wanted to know how to stay sane whilst getting a visa stamp in Kazakhstan, then Pilgrimage to Anywhere is for you.

Read more less

Modern life is full of problems - in individuals and in society too. Increasingly we see damaged and disturbed children, mental health problems, addictions of many kinds, antisocial behaviour, and crime, violence and war. So it seems sensible to ask: does life have to be this way? Was it always like this for human beings? We've been around for maybe as much as two million years: surely we didn't evolve to live such difficult and dysfunctional lives? Do We Need To Be So Screwed-Up?! sets out to discover the answer to this question - and finds plentiful evidence to show that, on the contrary, human beings evolved to be naturally egalitarian, cooperative, and peaceful. Indeed, for over 95% of our history - until about 10,000 years ago - that is how we were: kind, cheerful and happy! This is a paradigm-busting re-evaluation of human nature and our potential for happiness.

Read more less

The daughters of Danu has been written to encourage people regardless of where they are on their chosen path, to excite and encourage the reader to deepen their knowledge by inwardly asking themselves such questions as; Who are these magical characters, and what do they represent? Most of the ancient teaching methods were done through metaphor, symbolism and even parable, why? Because they work. For any beginner starting out on a Pagan learning curve, the Pagan scene can be very confusing and even disheartening. The key is is that once you know what questions to ask, the answers will be all that much easier to find, and this book will give the reader the incentive to unearth those questions. On the other hand, for the established Pagan, this book will be a joy to read and the roller coaster ride of an adventure that will resonate with what they have already learned. Regardless of who you are, how old or young, there will be something within this story that will inspire your spirit and lift your heart.

Read more less

We live in a time of disenchantment with the political formula of conservative, liberal, labour, communist, and need a reframed view of the issues we now face - the dangerous way humans are living on the earth; the disparity between richest and poorest; the loss of species, the globalisation of religious and social systems and the inherent conflicts inherent. This book explores how a radically revised view of the nature of the person can be linked more intelligently to the social system, and how both require an awareness that we live in a mysterious and awesome universe. To begin to do this, we need to examine more closely the stories and myths we are living out now, and which are arguably self-fulfilling prophecies.

Read more less

This is the first self help book that looks seriously into the psychology behind why women wear black. In certain cultures it is expected that women hide themselves behind black, however women worldwide choose to wear it for their own reasons. They believe it to be slimming, smart, chic and easy to co-ordinate. A colour to be melancholic in during times of trauma, illness and depression. All women want to look and feel great - how would they react if they knew that black could age their faces by years, drain their energy fields and make them feel tired. This book is a guide for women to find out whether black suits their temperament and their genetic colouring. Whether it truly enhances their looks and personality or drains them physically and energetically? A self help book that will be a must have purchase for all women. Foreword written by BBC Radio 2's Janey Lee Grace.

Read more less

Paganism is one of the world's fastest growing religions because mainstream religion fails to respond to many people's needs. Wicca, or Wisecraft, is a major tradition. Its earth-centered spirituality and connection to the forces of the Universe harmonize with humankind's most ancient heritage and origins. Wiccan ritual reconnects us to our ancestral roots when the divine resided in all, and all was sacred. Coupled with serious concerns about our environment, people are finding meaning in Wicca's nature-focused spirituality that is both environmentally interactive and spiritually integrated. Wiccan Celebrations is a complete illustrated guide to Wiccan ethics and practice based on the seasonal cycles; the Sabbats, the lunar phases; the Esbats, analogous to the life of the God and Goddess in their quest for insight and growth. The sacred rites of the Moon and Sun will introduce you to the soul of nature and cycle of infinity. A contribution to the sacred texts of Wicca, Wiccan Celebrations will lead you to you inner wellspring of identity, integrating your spiritual self with daily living.

Read more less

The truth about one of Britain's most infamous race murders has never been revealed. At around midnight on May 17 1959, a white gang ambushed 32-year-old Antiguan carpenter Kelso Cochrane on a Notting Hill slum street. After a brief scuffle one of them plunged a knife into his heart. The impact was as profound as the aftershock of Stephen Lawrence's murder more than forty years later. The previous summer Notting Hill had been convulsed by race riots. The fascists Sir Oswald Mosley and Colin Jordan were agitating in the area. So the news of an innocent back man stabbed in west London reverberated from Whitehall to the Caribbean. And when the police failed to catch the killer, many black people believed it would have been different if the victim had been white. Murder in Notting Hill is a tale of crumbling tenements transformed into a millionaires' playground, of the district's fading white working class, and of a veil finally being lifted on the past. Part whodunnit, part social history, it reveals startling new evidence about the murder.

Read more less

Voodoo Science Park started life as a poetic film about the science of accident investigation practised by the Health and Safety Laboratory in the Peak District of England. In the book of the film, Victoria Halford and Steve Beard reveal the thinking that went into the preparation of the script. The Health and Safety Lab is the place where large-scale accidents such as tunnel collapses, fires and rail crashes are recreated to examine their destructive pathways. Halford and Beard explore the connections with imitative magic, drawing on the secret histories of dissident religious sects, miners and shamans as well as the prophecies of William Blake. They rethink the lab's industrial safety rigs as monstrous emblems of the state, as theorised by Thomas Hobbes, and retrace the steps of a journey the political philosopher took through the hollow lands of the Peak in 1626. Testimony from highwaymen, ramblers and urban explorers is collected along the way. The book is composed in a fragmentary style which weaves together philosophy, travelogue, history of science, sociology and religious study.

Read more less

This book is about the global environmental and economic crisis. It challenges the whole global economic system and its underlying beliefs, assumptions and values. We need a complete system transformation, a paradigm shift. This requires holistic and whole system thinking. It is a thoroughly hopeful book. The focus is on the possibility of a better world, a more fulfilling way of life, rather than what's wrong or what we have to give up. Could this book be the best one on the global environmental and economic crisis? The central argument is that we, ordinary people - 6.7 billion of us - need to use our people power to bring about a sustainable, fairer and non-violent world. This means putting our governments under constant pressure to do more and represent citizens' interests and not those of big business. There are many books about the global crisis. But few, aimed at empowering ordinary people, take a holistic approach. It is for those many people who are concerned, open minded and ready to act.

Read more less

"The Art and Science of Light Bulb Moments" is an interactive, educational and entertaining guide on how to have ideas on demand. Tom Evans explains how the mind works (and doesn't work) so you that you can experience inspirations about anything pretty much any time you like. Light bulb moments don't have to be random. You will learn the secrets to Whole Brain and Whole Mind Thinking, the importance of the breath and how to reconnect with your vestigial minds and the superconsciousness. You can find out where ideas come from and why most thoughts aren't necessarily your own. Reading this book will quite possibly change your world by helping you spot serendipities, making you luckier and even healthier and wealthier.

Read more less

'A Beard In Nepal 2. Return to the Village' is the story of Fiona and Tod's second visit to the village of Salle, high in the Himalayas of Nepal. They returned to take presents and supplies to the villagers. The book is again full of humour as the couple from Liverpool trek with Kalyani (the village school headmistress) to a remote, hidden valley where her new husband's family live, braving again those incredibly high, dangerous roads through the mountains. This book gives us more detail about the villagers lives, and the lives of the wonderful, happy village children, who live so very differently from their Western counterparts. It also touches on the downside of life in Nepal today; the corruption, the destruction of the forests, lack of electricity, and lack of clean water. 'A Beard In Nepal 2' tells us about Fiona and Tod's encounter with black, poisonous spiders; how they avoided having to eat a cockerel; a water buffalo that snores so loudly it has to sleep in its own specially built shelter; and once again the nightmare of travelling in a local bus through the remote tracks in the high Himalayas. The book also looks at developments in Kathmandu, such as the 'removal' of 10,000 street dogs in the last few months.

Read more less

Stephen Oakes has been studying and helping others with Energy Work for many years. He came to realise that despite the sophistication of our modern world there is little practical knowledge about the workings of our Human Energy Fields. Stephen has helped many people who have read, studied, done the course, got the t-shirt, and yet their lives are still lacking an authentic spirituality. Is it Karma? Are they being punished? No, they simply do not know enough, yet! Stephen says that there is no bar on making life work your way, all you need is a fully functioning and connected to source Human Energy Field (H.E.F). Every Little Thing Matters is a practical, friendly and easy to understand energy work 101 to this vital interface between your physical body and immortal soul. This book will show you how to work your H.E.F. with practical real-life examples that will illuminate you here and now, supporting you as you begin your journey into energy freedom. But...! You have to start somewhere. Start by reading this book.

Read more less

'From humble beginnings as a private investigator in the Heavenly Court, Satan worked his way up the career ladder to become God's Chief Prosecutor. It wasn't long before he branched off and started his own global enterprise as Prince of The World. 'The Gospel of The Fallen Angel' is Satan's exclusive, honest account of the life and times of his greatest adversary, Jesus of Galilee.' When Jesus walked on earth he gave strict orders not to let anyone know who he was. My minions couldn't help themselves. They kept blurting it out! I had better self control. Until now! After 2000 years, I've finally broken my silence. Not bad going for the archetypal disobedient one! Satan Geraint's The Gospel of The Fallen Angel is a first to tell the story of Jesus from Satan's perspective. He tells the story of the real Jewish Jesus, not the fictitious Christ of the Christian church. A highly original, clever, often funny, alternative view of the Gospels. It has a lot to say about traditional Christianity that is interesting and uncomfortable. Its appeal is its modern message about what it means to be human, whether one is religious or not.

Read more less

Philip Gold, an accomplished writer, journalist, scholar, wandered forty years before returning to the Judaism he'd left behind. But he didn't return so much as bring back the seeds of a new kind of Judaism with him. YOM KIPPUR PARTY GOODS is much more than a personal tale, a memoir of pain and seeking told with humor and grace. It's also for everyone who's tired of going hungry in the supermarket of modern spirituality, who finds (over) organized religion irrelevant or distasteful, and who is looking to find - or create - something personal that might also speak to others. You don't have to be Jewish to read this or need this. Just be a human being who wants something more. For yourself For your world. For your God.

Read more less

Armageddon is a contemporary epic poem about the major event of our own time. Written in blank verse, it narrates the defining event for civilisation today: the American President Bush's struggle against the Islamic extremism of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, in the course of which Bush transforms himself, the US and the world. It follows the War on Terror from September 11, 2001 through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which some believe were illegally waged for reasons of oil. Covertly supported by Iran, bin Laden is shown as possessing at least 20 nuclear suitcase bombs (a purchase confirmed by Hans Blix of the IAEA in 2004), some of which he plans to explode simultaneously in 10 American cities - hence the title. The poem presents all sides of the War on Terror and makes sense of the first decade of the 21st century. Armageddon is Nicholas Hagger's second poetic epic. It is the successor to his Overlord, which was the first major poetic epic in the English language since Milton's Paradise Lost. Overlord was about the Second World War from D-Day to the dropping of the atomic bomb and also followed an American hero, Eisenhower. Like Overlord, Armageddon is also in the tradition of Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Aeneid, and its epic sweep includes higher and lower worlds in the Universalist manner. Both qualify as American epics, though written by an English poet. The only other poet to have written two major poetic epics is Homer.

Read more less

When we look at the world around us, one of the most common observations is that things have a tendency to go wrong. People make mistakes, have accidents and some of them commit deliberate acts of violence. Disease affects every single species of plant and animal on the planet. Natural disasters kill millions of people and decimate animal populations. Countless people and animals suffer through no fault of their own. Scientists explain these events in various ways depending upon whether they involve errors in human choices and actions or whether they are caused by natural events. Theologians give us a different set of religious explanations. At times it can appear as if there is a fundamental flaw in the universe. In this book, Adrian Hough uses his training and expertise as both a scientist and a theologian to approach this flaw from both directions and comes up with the astonishing result that both sets of reasoning might have the same fundamental explanation. Using this discovery he then develops a way of reconciling belief in a loving God with the hurt and damage which is caused when things go wrong.

Read more less

The other day, as I came out from the station, I caught a glimpse of dark hair and for a second, I thought it was you, Mina. So begins this searingly honest account, written by a psychotherapist, who returns from her summer vacation to discover that one of her patients has died unexpectedly: a young woman, with whom she had felt a particularly close connection. That day she carries on as normal, sees all her patients, only to wake in the middle of the night, sweating and shaking in the dark, and with the strangest sensation of falling. A rapid freefall ensues, a spiralling descent into grief and a kind of madness, as present and past collide and she begins to confront what she has always feared. A compelling narrative centred on death and love and loss, Do You Realize? raises profound and penetrating questions: What is grief? For who and what do we grieve when we lose somebody? and How do we live life fully and passionately, and yet, face up to death?

Read more less

We are all intuitive lovers. Intuition is instinctive knowing. No one could teach you how to kiss. After all kissing is different for every couple and different from one movement of the lips and mouth to the next. The sexual attraction between people can be so tangible you can almost breathe it. Yet on other occasions we wonder if it's wishful thinking or our imagination. Intuition is the key to controlling much of the anxiety that lack of answers from our partner can cause in a relationship, but also feeling that we can trust ourselves even over our partner through our intuition allows us to open our hearts. "Intuitive Lovers" takes you on a journey to trust your intuition from first encounters with a possible partner, detailing how to use intuition from Internet dating to long term conscious loving.

Read more less

This workbook, which consists of 60 short self-study units, is called "On Business and for Pleasure" because although it has been designed to help students with the Business English they need for their work, it is hoped that the challenges it sets will, at the same time, prove to be enjoyable. An Answer Key has been included so the learners can check what they have done, and thus work independently, if that is what suits them best. And the exercises are of the kind of length that will enable students to work on them when they have relatively short periods of time to spare, such as while commuting to and from work on public transport. The size of the book should make this convenient too, with it being available in paperback rather than in a larger format.

Read more less

Theology is no laughing matter. Usually. This book gives a concise history of Christian theology based on a mysteriously discovered set of seventy-four limericks. Readers who already know the history of theology will read about it from an unfamiliar perspective - and beginners will learn the basics in an accessible form. The limericks range from Gnostic theology to the early ecumenical councils, then Augustine on the Trinity, Anselm of Canterbury's ontological argument and Thomas Aquinas' series of arguments for the existence of God, through the Reformation, and on to Karl Barth and Paul Tillich. If all of this seems unfamiliar, the accompanying text should help sort it all out.

Read more less

Anekant is a new political philosophy with ancient spiritual roots. It derives from the teachings of the Jains in India, but is relevant to all cultures and all times, especially our present interconnected yet dangerously divided world. Anekant literally means 'Many-Sidedness'. It recognises that there are an infinite variety of paths towards the same truth and so the search for truth must be undertaken with humility. All beings - including humans - are on the same journey. Those who are certain that they have grasped the truth are likely to be the furthest from it. "Many-Sided Wisdom" teaches us that human supremacy is a delusion - leading to ecological destruction, the oppression of other species and exploitation of human by human. Practising Many-Sidedness is about realising that 'society' means more than just humans, because it embraces all forms of life. We should learn to co-operate instead of competing with each other - and work with nature rather than pointlessly attempting to 'conquer' it.

Read more less

Written over half a century ago by two ladies, the Two Listeners, who wished to remain anonymous, this has had proved one of the best selling devotional books of all time. With its companion volume, sales are well over 10 million copies worldwide. Those who have suffered pain and worry know how hard it is to write of serenity within. The message of comfort and hope that breathes through the pages of God Calling was forged out of adversity, and as a result has touched the hearts of millions.

Read more less

'Everything shifts in the Caucasus, blown by some of the strongest winds on earth. Even the ground moves, splintered by fault lines. In early Georgian myths, it is said that when the mountains were young, they had legs - could walk from the edges of the oceans to the deserts, flirting with the low hills, shrouding them with soft clouds of love' - Griffin, 2001, p.2. But what about those aspects of life which remain relatively constant - the traditional practices of the mountain people, the practices that are reflected in their folktales and their folklore? It is these constants that this study concentrates on, in particular those that relate to shamanism.

Read more less

The universe is filled with countless gods, goddesses and nature spirits. Many made themselves known to the Druids of ancient Northern Europe. How can modern day Druids make contact with these age-old Beings? "Old Gods, New Druids" offers a series of twenty humorous and informative lessons that can be used for group or solitary study and is ideal for people interested in Druidry and the Pagan spirituality of ancient Britain and Ireland. Learn about the ancient Gods and other spirits, along with methods of honouring them through ritual, mysticism, poetry and storytelling. Find a spiritual discipline that embraces responsible hedonism whilst venerating the Land and all her children. The growing worldwide interest in the old polytheist religions has lead people to attempt to reconstruct the shattered traditions of earlier times. This book provides a model for recreating a working, coherent theology for anyone wanting to commune with their Gods and the Living Land, regardless of their origins or heritage.

Read more less

There are many valid, reasons why people start to meditate. The experiences of Dada Jyotirupananda tell him that if you persist with a meditation practice, you'll sooner or later seek answers to the deeper questions even if you didn't start to meditate for any spiritual or esoteric reason. "Meditation: Searching for the Real You" will provide you with tools that can help you to meditate and will help you gain a stronger commitment to regular meditation practice. Learn about how to meditate, about yoga exercises and related practices. Learn how to be healthy through your own efforts and how to adopt a code of conduct that will see you through life's difficulties, and will help guide you to the deepest fulfillment.

Read more less

Sound has been used for thousands of years to help improve health and wellbeing. In "Sounding the Mind of God", Lyz Cooper brings ancient knowledge together with easy to digest 'new' science to demonstrate how sound can be used in an easy way to make positive changes to your life. This book contains a range of simple, fun exercises which include the use of the voice, Himalayan singing bowls, chimes, drums and more. If you are in need of a quick pick-me-up, try the 'sonic caffeine' exercises - or if you need a stress buster, how about some 'sonic hot chocolate'?

Read more less

If there were ever a subject that may need a fresher coat of paint, prayers would be near the top of that list-well at least for some of us. For those of us who were raised in the tradition of Christian homes, we all know the drill when it comes to striking a pose for prayer. When aiming to present yourself to God, it was expected that all eyes be closed, heads bowed, fingers clasped and 'Amen' had better follow anything you might have just muttered under your breath. This is the personal and true story of one young woman's struggle to pray with intention, sincerity and depth only to be taught these elements from an angelic presence to pray with just a glimpse at a picture in mind, heart and soul. 'Prayer can be done this quickly, this is how we communicate', an angelic voice whispered.Thus, 'Picture Prayers' were relayed and a new form of prayer had come into light for her and quite possibly-the world. It was all so quaint, so poised and so natural, praying in pictures had changed her life and connection with God forever! Heidi Hollis is a writer, occupational therapist, lecturer, and advice columnist. She lives in Wisconsin, USA.

Read more less

War, terrorism, poverty, all can be traced to one single event: the switch, about 6000 years ago, from goddess - to god-worship. This switch rumbled over the landscape when a large part of the planet turned to desert, and hundreds of thousands of the world's first farmers starved to death. The switch from goddess to god helped lock into place a new starvation culture, one that might have faded away once its usefulness had passed. Instead, this new culture became set in stone and passed down from generation to generation. Even in the midst of plenty, the deep-rooted and largely unconscious fear of starvation haunts its bearers. Starvation culture is now threatening to wipe us off the face of the earth. The fix is in coming to terms with starvation culture, ditching the gods, and switching back to goddesses. This book tells how to do that.

Read more less

Although these Graces are mostly drawn from the great Christian tradition, they are all directed to the present time, to life as we lead it. Every day we make unexpected discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. Likewise, in a spirit of serendipity, these Graces are not categorized. They are to dip into whenever you need the comfort of words that show us that we are not alone and that our private joys and sorrows, irritations and minor triumphs, have been, and always will be, common to humankind. In this book each Grace has its own minute prayer mat on which you may, perhaps, in your imagination, kneel down and rest your spirit for a while.

Read more less

The Celts, the old Norse and Germanic people, the Greeks of the time of Homer and Hesiod, and other ancient heroic societies are popularly believed to be tribal warrior cultures, where the light of civilisation had not yet dawned. In fact, this is far from the case. Many of our own most fundamental ideas about politics, justice, friendship, true love, the good life, and especially the notion of Virtue itself, come from their world. To them, virtue had nothing to do with purity, nor modesty, nor God-given laws, nor sin and guilt, nor with any Sunday-school pretentiousness.Rather, it originally meant 'excellence' and 'greatness of soul'. It was tied to more assertive qualities like strength and courage, and to social qualities like friendship. It was also connected to spiritual principles like the nature of the soul, the hope for immortality, and even the pursuit of happiness itself. Using ancient heroic epics and sagas like "Beowulf", the "Illiad" and "Odyssey", the "Eddas", the "Tain Bo Cuailnge", and literature inspired by them including the works of the Renaissance and Romanticism, Shakespeare, Tolkien, and J.K. Rowling, this book explains the world-view that gave birth to our virtues. In that world-view, life involves inevitable confrontations with inexplicable events like fortune, nature, other people, and death itself. However, the good life itself becomes possible when we face them and respond to them. Finally, the book calls for a revival of heroic and classical virtue in our time.

Read more less

In our self-help oriented culture, we are often given the message by experts that we can achieve whatever we desire. "You Can Only Achieve What Is Possible", proclaims, quite to the contrary, that you can only achieve what is within your remit. This book is about realising our own limitations and learning to desire what we really need, rather than what we want. When we can achieve this, we can change our lives for the better. Each chapter begins with a case study and then discusses and dissects a particular notion held by various self-help experts and suggests an alternative theory. The chapters conclude with meditation, healing and intention-based techniques to help people get to grips with their own intuition and start achieving what is possible, rather than worrying about what isn't.

Read more less

With current corporate economics, the environment is being depleted and destroyed at an unsustainable rate, but abandoning the quality of life offered by advances in science and technology to return to some primitive lifestyle, is not a realistic option. "The Tao of Holism", a blueprint for 21st century living, is a source of factual and statistical data on many topics of widespread concern - health, nutrition, education, economics, religion, breakdown of society, depletion of the environment's resources and exploitation of third world communities, with opinions from a number of experts in each field. This book aims to inform opinion makers to influence society and governments and empower people to live within our environmental resources, outlining the steps we must take as individuals and societies to live holistically and safeguard the planet to ensure economic stability and environmental preservation.

Read more less

Have you ever stood beneath a majestic 300 year old oak tree and thought, this tree lived before I was born, and will be alive long after I'm dead? Have you ever wondered about such a tree might have witnessed during its long life, and thought, if only it could talk? This is the story of an oak tree, from birth to death. Using the tree as our witness, we see many small moments in history - moments that rippled outward to affect the world. Intimate family moments and tragedies all take place under the oak's shade. But the tree is more than a witness, it is connected to all the life around it. It, too, has its tragedies, its suffering, and times of renewal. After reading this, you won't think the same way about trees again.

Read more less

In the last two centuries, some of Hinduism's greatest saints and scholars have lovingly embraced Christ and made him their own. Continuing and aggressive Christian mission in India is now making some Hindus anti-Christ as well as anti-Christian. Mission agencies are pouring millions into India to "save" the "heathens." Religious tensions are increasing, hitting the headlines and claiming lives. Find out why mission disturbs Hindus. Find out how they have responded to their encounter with Christ and Christianity from colonial to contemporary times, in India and in the West. This is their story in their words. Discover how Hindus revere the Christ of faith rather than the Jesus of history. Explore the universal but not exclusive Christ of Hinduism. Find out the rich social and spiritual dimensions Hindus bring to reflection on Christ. Knowing and understanding others is always challenging. Make your own interfaith journey and discover what happened when Christ crossed the Ganges.

Read more less

The Christian life is not about giving up, but taking up. The call of Jesus to discipleship is a positive one-love God and your neighbour. It's not about being serious, but happy and loving. It's not a constant battle against small temptations. It's because Jesus didn't spend all his energy fighting the temptations of the world that he was able to withstand genuine temptation. This series of studies of his life takes a look at stories from the gospels which illustrate the way in which temptation came to Jesus in his ministry-the temptation to stay where he was comfortable and known; to divide people into friends and enemies; to avoid confronting problems, and many others. They are the serious temptations we all face, and which Jesus answers. Quotations from the gospels are taken from GOOD AS NEW, the new translation of early Christian scriptures to be published later in the year. "John's presentation of the Christian gospel is of extraordinary power simply because it is so close to the prose and poetry of ordinary life. Instead of being taken into a specialised religious frame of reference-as happens even with the most conscientious of formal modern translations-and being given a gospel addressed to specialised concerns-as happens with even the most careful of modern "devotional books-we have here a vehicle for thinking and worshipping that is fully earthed, recognisably about our humanity." Rowan Williams

Read more less