Religion

An old cat considers himself as wise as can be, until he hears of a solitary ancient pine far away, under the boughs of which infinite insight can be found. So begins his journey to seek out this tree, along the way he meets a range of animals with their own stories to tell, each offering a piece of zen wisdom. Beautiful illutrated throughout.

"Discover the peace and joy that come when you dwell in the active presence of God, as the beloved author of Joni weaves contemporary insights with the timeless wisdom of seventeenth-century monk Brother Lawrence"--

Hidden in the darkness is an ancient secret suppressed by every aspect of our light-drunk modern worldthere is a Great Mother from the bottom of time who has always guided us through perils and calamities. Now is the hour of Her return.An exigent, affecting summons to rediscover the night.Kirkus ReviewsIs darkness synonymous with ignorance and evil? Or is it the original matrix from which all life emerges, and the Mother to whom it returns? Higher and higher levels of artificial illumination have suppressed our contact with the numinous since the Industrial Revolution, with dire consequences for society, our planetary ecology, and our souls. This mystical testament weaves together paleobiology, memoir, history, science, and spiritual archaeology to lead readers back into the lost mysteries of the dark. Not sinceThe Teachings of Don JuanorIshmaelhas a book diagnosed with such urgency and cultural coherence the problems at the heart of modern life.InWaking Up to the Dark, Clark Strand offers penetrating insight into the spiritual enrichment that can be found when we pull the plug on our billion-watt culture. He argues that the insomnia so many of us experience as the Hour of the Wolf is really the Hour of Goda wellspring of rest and renewal, and an ancient reservoir of ancestral wisdom and inspiration. And in a powerful yet surprising turn, he shares with us an urgent message for the world, received through a mysterious young woman he calls Our Lady of Climate Change (aka THE VIRGIN MARY), about the challenges we all know are coming.

Jamie Winship spent nearly 30 years living and working in conflict zones, and during that time he has learned an important truth: all human conflict originates from fear, and fear originates from a false view of God, ourselves, and others. Until we exchange what's false for what's real, we will never experience being fully alive, fully human, and fully free.Unpacking the power of knowing our true identity in Christ, Winship takes us on a journey of telling ourselves the truth, changing our mindsets, and experiencing actual life transformation that leads to radical courage in the face of all that life throws at us. With humor, clarity, and real-life practicality, Living Fearless is your invitation to listen closely to what God is trying to say to you about himself, about the person he created you to be--and also about all those other people he created and loves.If you want to discover the incredible difference abiding in Christ will make in your life and faith, get ready to do "a new thing" with God.

'The monk who taught the world mindfulness' Time In this enlightening series world-renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh shares the essential foundations of mindful practice and meditation.

Tells the story of two men, one white and one Native American, connected by their own understandings of life yet struggling to find a common voice. As they journey together through small Indian towns and down forgotten roads, these two men will travel beyond myth and stereotype, revealing an America few people ever get to see.

This is the 6th Edition and 5th revised version of this translation.The Qur''─ün is, in its own words, "light," which means that it is self-manifesting, with no need of an external source of illumination; other things need light to become visible and manifest. With it God guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace, and brings them out from darkness into light by His will, and guides them to a straight path (5:16).Of course, the Qur''─ün is not an exception among revealed scriptures in that it is a source of light and guidance. According to the Qur''an, so were the Torah and the Gospel, scriptures given to Moses and Jesus. All scriptures of Divine origin are a source of light and guidance.Nothing is more important for man than the knowledge of the very Source of reality. Any knowledge that is not informed with this awareness is just a kind of ignorance. All effort that does not derive from this knowledge is ultimately fated to end in futility and failure. The Qur''─ün claims to be the most reliable source of this knowledge and the best guide for human endeavor. It teaches that the Source of being is also the chief Source of guidance.Expert Opinions About This Translation:This is a wonderful translation. It is both faithful and fluent. [The translator has] struck a nice balance here. It is a real improvement over existing translations.-Dr Muhammad LegenhausenWhat Qarai has accomplished... is a revival of the art of translation as an adjunct to the understanding of the original, skillfully adapted to the needs of the English-speaking student of the Qur''an... He has opted always for the maximum degree of closeness to the Arabic compatible with comprehensibility, thereby coordinating translation with original in the most substantial of ways.Although Qarai envisions his translation as a paraphrase of the Qur''anic meanings, as a tool for gaining access to the original, it must be stressed that his translation reads extremely well even if regular cross-reference to the Arabic not be the purpose of the reader.The language Qarai has chosen is clear, chaste, straightforward and dignified, distant from both the archaisms and the modernisms that have been affected by other English translators of the Qur''an.... It is plain, indeed, that a serious and profound appreciation of the Qur''anic message has animated the whole of Qarai''s successful labours. We warmly recommend his translation to all with a serious interest in the Qur''an-Prof. Hamid AlgarAs a person who was part of a team that worked on a translation, I was often asked during this process what translation I recommend.... What I want to do in this video is first talk about two translations that I do recommend and I have often recommended, which are those by A. J. Arberry and the one by Ali Quli Qarai.... I really found this (Ali Quli Qarai''s) translation to be quite excellent, and I was really surprised when I came upon it, because hardly anybody has spoken about it. One of the great things about this translation for somebody who is learning Arabic is that the translation has Arabic right next it, but it has it phrase by phrase-not just the whole verse, but the exact phraseis next to the exact Arabic. So if you are studying Arabic, you can use this very well to identify the exact translation and the Arabic.. . . [I]t is more accurate and more consistent than almost any other translation and more accurate than Arberry, in fact. I dont''t think I found any passage where I could say that Ali Quli Qarai made an egregious mistake.-Prof. Joseph Lombard (member of the team of translators of The Study Qur''an, in a video talk)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjsyGOaWEBw

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good fright..."What if St. Nicholas was really a young, mad trickster and you had the one thing he wanted? What if the only person who agreed to protect you from him had a past of letting those he's meant to protect die? What if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you gained the ability to see a whole other world tucked into the cracks of your own?Helen Bell is a student with a past she'd rather not remember and a high school social life that doesn't exist. Almost everyone she passes either forgets she's there or doesn't notice her in the first place. She survives her life in the shadows by focusing on her studies. Until the day everything changes. When a strange encounter leaves Helen able to see a species of invisible people existing among us, naturally she assumes she's going delusional or is getting ill from the cold Canadian weather. But when a young, handsome Winter guardian appears to aid her in a crisis, and a train horn starts blasting over the city in a search to hunt her down, she finds herself in the middle of a war where nothing is quite as it seems, and what's "right" isn't always right. "No matter what happens," her Winter guardian warns as creatures all down the street begin to shriek and freeze in place, "Don't move a muscle..." Zane Cohen is a young, retired Patrolman. Even though he craves mischief and would rather play tricks on snow rabbits than get dragged back into the guardian life, he finds he can't help himself when he meets Helen Bell. She's not suitable to play the games of the Rime Folk. If she's not careful, she's going to get herself killed. And he shouldn't care, but... But a long time ago, he believed in an ancient "Truth". This same Truth begins calling Helen's name across the snow, forcing her to make the ultimate decision to either run back to her empty life, or do the unthinkable-to face off with the Snow Queen in The Quarrel of Sword and Bone; a match that takes place in a Winter arena before one thousand witnesses and will likely mean certain death. So, the retired Patrolman becomes not so retired after all. A Soul as Cold as Frost is Jennifer Kropf's debut novel, ideal for fans of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms by Meredith Rusu and Ashleigh Powell. Book Facts:*The Winter Souls Series is an adventure for ages 10+, loved by teens and parents alike.*This series contains a Christian allegory.*A Soul as Cold as Frost was rewritten, reimagined, and reformatted with illustrations by Kyannah Durocher in 2024 for a better reading experience."Wow, I loved this book! This book was a magical twist between Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, and Spirited Away, yet somehow read as effortlessly original. It was gripping, fast paced and full of action, yet not lacking in heart. Highly recommended for young YA readers upwards." - Alice Ivinya, USA Today Bestselling author of Stars May Burn"Fans of Alice in Wonderland would love this story. The Christian allegory is also beautiful and so well done. I love how this story emphasizes the power inherent in speaking the truth." - Stefanie Lozinski, author of the Storm & Spire series "The Chronicles of Narnia meets Harry Potter. This fantastic winter tale is the perfect blend of classic portal fantasy and the magical world co-existing with our own. This magical Christian fantasy adventure totally hits the spot and got everything right. It is a beautiful reminder of what is truly important in life." - USA Today Bestselling author Astrid V. J.

A road map to harness the power of our collective human consciousness as a source for healing our traumatized worldWe are all interconnected-and dependent on each other to shape the world in which we live. Yet even though technology has allowed us to digitally share our lives with more people than ever, the result has been a growing pattern of personal isolation, alienation, and division. Why is this? "We are seeing the manifestation of collective trauma," says luminary Thomas Hübl, who has reached thousands of people around the world through his teachings on mysticism and healing. "The profoundly complex challenges we face demand a new level of human collaboration." In Attuned, Hübl, together with writer Julie Jordan Avritt, shares a visionary guide for individuals, therapists, and other professionals committed to healing our struggling world. Attuning to a person, group, or organization means coming into resonance by listening mindfully to the inner sensations, feelings, images, and information that arise. At the core of the book is the "relational field"-a vast matrix of energy through which information is shared within, around, and between us. In each chapter, you'll find insights and practices for perceiving and tuning in to oneself and others, and ultimately contributing to the healing of this field, including:. The mystical and evolutionary principles behind human development and connection. Resources for embodying resilience, processing toxic stress, and regulating our individual and collective nervous systems. Attunement practices for working with the effects of trauma in yourself and across communities. Transparent communication-a practice of relating through authentic awareness and vulnerability. Guidance for group facilitators, healing ancestral trauma, and moreBy embracing our interdependence, we can activate what is needed to respond to and evolve through the challenges of our age. "It may take only a small number of us," explains Hübl, "to establish a new level of collective coherence-to share our light, heal our wounds, and realize the unawakened potential of our world."

Connect to the magic of the world around you for healing, empowerment and self-careNature is filled with hidden, elusive energies: the growth spirals of sunflowers, the electromagnetic spectrum of rainbows, the bio-energy of trees and the sound waves of thunder. Working with the potent energy of nature's bounty, you will learn to nurture and embrace your inner guardian witch through spell work.Brimming with rituals, wishes and enchantments to encourage spiritual growth, abundance and prosperity, and featuring beautiful illustrations from the author, this book is an illuminating guide to harnessing the earth's power for personal reflection. It reveals how magic can be used as a reciprocal force for good that protects and promotes our well-being, as well as that of our planet.The Little Book of Earth Magic is for those who seek to form a meaningful connection with nature and take their spiritual practice to a new level.

In the mid-eighteenth century, as new ideas begin to sweep the continent, a young Jew of mysterious origins arrives in a village in Poland. Before long, he has changed not only his name but his persona; visited by what seem to be ecstatic experiences, Jacob Frank casts a charismatic spell that attracts an increasingly fervent following. In the decade to come, Frank will traverse the Hapsburg and Ottoman empires, throngs of disciples in his thrall as he reinvents himself again and again, converts to Islam and then Catholicism, is pilloried as a heretic and revered as the Messiah, and wreaks havoc on the conventional order, Jewish and Christian alike, with scandalous rumours of his sect's secret rituals and the spread of his increasingly iconoclastic beliefs. In The Books of Jacob, her masterpiece, 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Olga Tokarczuk writes the story of Frank through the perspectives of his contemporaries, capturing Enlightenment Europe on the cusp of precipitous change, searching for certainty and longing for transcendence.

Your magickal practice has the power to support and guide you through even the darkest of times.We all go through difficult times. We all feel loss and confusion, and we struggle with seeminglyinsurmountable problems. For any witch sitting in the light of a candle flame, at a low place in theirlife, this book shows how magickal practice can be a powerful support.Following on from the hugely successful Rebel Witch, Witch in Darkness offers tons of practical, step-by-step workings to show practitioners how to customise and optimise their craft to use as armourto survive the toughest times you can go through. It offers empathy, encouragement and a hugecollection of ideas ranging from simple mindset shifts to weird, rare workings. The author brings together knowledge from thousands of hours as a spiritual counsellor andwitchcraft mentor using sorcery and spiritual techniques to overcome life’s challenges.From relationships and family ties, to work and money; from bereavement to mental andphysical health issues, and even crises of faith; this book can be referenced over and overagain.Kelly-Ann shares, with radical honesty, her own struggles, resistances and eventualsolutions. Alongside her voice are the experiences of other witches, making this a trulyaccessible and inclusive guide.Each chapter opens with a statement of power to be read aloud as heart-warming remindersof self-belief and confidence.The book reminds you that witchcraft has alchemical power. It can help you find joyful sovereignty inloneliness, and it brings you home to yourself when you’re not sure who you are and where you’regoing. This is a manual for getting back on track, magickally and spiritually.

"The material in this volume is invaluable for those who sincerely wish to understand the Buddhist path and begin to follow it." -Venerable Sangye Khadro, author of How to MeditateThe third volume in the Dalai Lama's definitive and comprehensive series on the stages of the Buddhist path, The Library of Wisdom and Compassion. Knowledge of buddha nature reveals and reconciles the paradox of how the mind can be the basis for both the duhkha of samsara (the unpurified mind) and the bliss and fulfillment of nirvana (the state of true freedom and peace). To illustrate this, Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature first takes readers through Buddhist thought on the self, the four truths, and their sixteen attributes. It then explains afflictions-including how they arise and their antidotes-followed by an examination of karma and cyclic existence, and, finally, a deep and thorough elucidation of buddha nature. Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature shows us how to purify our minds and cultivate awakened qualities. "This book is a veritable tour de force in its explanation of the role of the mind in samsara and the realization of nirvana, which is the mind's own ultimate nature. In its examination of buddha nature-spanning early discussions of the mind's potential in the Pali canon through to the teachings of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection-it casts a bright light to dispel the darkness of materialism, which deludedly reduces the mind to a mere epiphenomenon or emergent property of the brain. Books such as this are urgently needed to trigger a true revolution in the mind sciences."-B. Alan Wallace, founder and president, Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies

A visually stimulating journey for anyone interested in learning more about the world of the Bible.The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary offers a wealth of insight into the historical, chronological, archaeological, geographical, social, theological, and biographical aspects of the Bible. Through the articles, sidebars, charts, maps, and full-color images included in this volume, the text of the Old and New Testaments will come alive for you as never before. As a condensation of the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, the information contained within this reference work is solid and biblically sound. The material is based completely on the NIV and cross-referenced to the King James Version.Features include:Over 7,200 entries with up-to-date scholarship, archaeological findings, and more75 full-color maps created with new mapping technologiesOver 500 full-color photographs, charts, and illustrationsUnderstanding the Bible can be difficult. The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary will help you make sense of the Bible's context, people, places, and objects so you can better understand and apply the scripture. Ideal for pastors, Sunday school teachers, students, and general Bible readers.

A riveting account of how a popularly elected leader has steered the world's largest democracy toward authoritarianism and intoleranceOver the past two decades, thanks to Narendra Modi, Hindu nationalism has been coupled with a form of national-populism that has ensured its success at the polls, first in Gujarat and then in India at large. Modi managed to seduce a substantial number of citizens by promising them development and polarizing the electorate along ethno-religious lines. Both facets of this national-populism found expression in a highly personalized political style as Modi related directly to the voters through all kinds of channels of communication in order to saturate the public space.Drawing on original interviews conducted across India, Christophe Jaffrelot shows how Modi's government has moved India toward a new form of democracy, an ethnic democracy that equates the majoritarian community with the nation and relegates Muslims and Christians to second-class citizens who are harassed by vigilante groups. He discusses how the promotion of Hindu nationalism has resulted in attacks against secularists, intellectuals, universities, and NGOs. Jaffrelot explains how the political system of India has acquired authoritarian features for other reasons, too. Eager to govern not only in New Delhi, but also in the states, the government has centralized power at the expense of federalism and undermined institutions that were part of the checks and balances, including India's Supreme Court.Modi's India is a sobering account of how a once-vibrant democracy can go wrong when a government backed by popular consent suppresses dissent while growing increasingly intolerant of ethnic and religious minorities.

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before."e;My life doesn't look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?"e; When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That's when The Voice of Giving Up appears.Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he's discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we're here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life's brightest gifts.In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott's beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after:Disappointment at how life is turning outSuspecting we are not prepared or smart enoughLosing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purposeTake the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

A decadent collection of magical dishes and feasts created by the herbalist, witch, chef and co-owner of Catland Books, Melissa Madara.

A Christian pathway into mindfulness, using the gospels, poetry and storytelling

The new book from Pete Greig - his first since 2007 - which continues the story of 24-7, the global prayer movement he founded, as begun in Red Moon Rising.