Through the 'dark night of the soul' to the depiction of the erotically-charged union of the soul and God, the poetry and prose works of the Spanish friar John of the Cross (1542-1591) offer a striking account of the transformation of the individual in the course of the Christian life.
The life and many afterlives of one of the most enduring mystical testaments ever writtenThe Life of Saint Teresa of Avila is among the most remarkable accounts ever written of the human encounter with the divine.
One of the important ecclesial developments over the last century has been the extraordinary rediscovery, retrieval and reinvigoration of the Christian contemplative tradition, a recovery that has been extraordinarily influential Theologians have begun to explore how aspects of the Christian contemplative tradition challenge certain prevalent views about the nature of God, the world, and persons, but this contemplative renaissance also raises crucial questions about a variety of more philosophical arenas such as how we construe the relationship between faith and reason, religious epistemology, theological metaphysics, philosophical hermeneutics and so forth.
Kabbalistic initiatory teachings for becoming a vessel for illumination, prophecy, and peace by creating an inner dwelling place for God's divine presence *; Reveals practices for self mastery and revelation based on the holy design of the first Hebrew Sanctuary, the lives of the Hebrew Prophets, and the Tree of Life *; Shows how the Tree of Life's ten sefirot correspond to the Torah's prophetic Ten Songs of Creation; to alchemical ritual practices of fire, water, air, and earth; and to specific parts of the body, emotions, and aspects of the soul Many synagogues and churches, including the First and Second Temples of the Hebrews, follow an archetypal design first used in the Ohel Moed, or Tent of Meeting, and its sacred Tabernacle, which housed the Ark of the Covenant and the Ten Commandments.
The "e;Scholastic Problem"e; was the focus of much debate in Islam for some centuries before it became the chief crux of learned discussion in medieval Christianity.
In this fascinating book, Richard Smoley examines the roles God has played for us and reconciles them with what we today know through science and reason.
An insider's account of the journey to become an ayahuasquero, a shaman who heals with the visionary vine ayahuasca *; Details the author's training and life as a curandero using ayahuasca medicine, San Pedro cactus, tobacco purges, psychedelic mushrooms, and other visionary plants *; Offers first-hand accounts of miraculous healing where ayahuasca revealed the cause of the illness, including how the author healed his mother from liver cancer *; Shows how ';ayahuasca tourism' symbolizes the Western world's reawakening need to connect with the universal life force For more than 20 years American-born Alan Shoemaker has apprenticed and worked with shamans in Ecuador and Peru, learning the traditional methods of ayahuasca preparation, the ceremonial rituals for its use, and how to commune with the healing spirit of this sacred plant as well as the spirit of the San Pedro cactus and other sacred plant allies.
Reveals the secret teachings of the Khwajagan, the Masters of Wisdom of Turkish Sufism *; Provides biographies for the entire lineage of teachers in the Naqshbandi order, such as Yusuf Hamdani, the first recognized Khwajagan, and Baha' al-Din Naqshband, from whom the Naqshbandi order of Sufis took its name *; Shows that this spiritual path focuses on expanding awareness of the heart to reach God-consciousness *; An essential guide for understanding Itlak Yolu, the Sufi path of Absolute Liberation, and fana', Annihilation in God Almost one thousand years ago a new and powerful nexus of spiritual transmission emerged in Central Asia and lasted for five centuries, reaching its culmination in the work of the Khwajagan, or ';Masters of Wisdom.
Revealing, in an original and provocative study, the mystical contents of the works of famous atheists Virginia Woolf and Iris Murdoch, Donna Lazenby shows how these thinkers' refusal to construe worldviews on available reductive models brought them to offer radically alternative pictures of life which maintain its mysteriousness, and promote a mystical way of knowing.
This thematic introduction to classical Islamic philosophy focuses on the most prevalent philosophical debates of the medieval Islamic world and their importance within the history of philosophy.
The ancient origins and divinatory power of the runes *; Uncovers the original divinatory meaning of each rune through the myths of its corresponding Norse god or goddess *; Includes beautiful full-color illustrations of the runic gods and goddesses *; Presents rune-casting spreads for divination and character analysis *; Explores the controversial history of runes from the Paleolithic Stone Age to today Invented long before the appearance of the runic alphabet Futhark less than two thousand years ago, the runes were originally created as symbols for specific deities.
Mystics who have spoken of their union with God have come under suspicion in all three major religious traditions, sometimes to the point of condemnation and execution in the case of Christianity and Islam.
The apostle Peter is a pillar of the church whose writing has been overlooked until recently when scholarship remedied this gap, significantly elevating Peter's letters.
*; Traces the journey of Otto Rahn, the occultist and one-time SS member who sought the Holy Grail and traveled widely throughout Europe as a researcher until his mysterious death in 1939*; Explores the modern legacy of the officially heretical Christian sect known as the Cathars*; Follows the author's own investigations into the location of the Grail and Rahn's legacy, taking readers on a journey through occult EuropeMeticulously following controversial 20th-century occultist, historian, and partially Jewish SS member Otto Rahn's investigations into the Holy Grail and Catharism, author and filmmaker Richard Stanley enters into the occult world of Europe.
Apophatic theology, or negative theology, attempts to describe God, the Divine Good, by negation, to speak only in terms of what may not be said about the perfect goodness that is God.
In this sixth and final volume in the Foundation of Buddhist Thought series, Geshe Tashi Tsering brings his familiar, helpful approach to the esoteric practices of Buddhist tantra.
An innovative, spiritual workbook that integrates the Tarot and the Kabbalistic tradition of Counting the Omer *; Explores the origins and meaning of the 49-day Kabbalistic meditative practice of Counting the Omer and how it can lead to spiritual revelation, personal insight, and connection with the Divine *; Reveals the correspondence of the Tarot's minor arcana with the Sephirot of the Tree of Life and explains how both relate to the Omer meditation *; Provides a daily practice workbook that explores the related Sephirot and Tarot cards for each day, examines their Kabbalistic and spiritual meanings, and provides questions for daily reflection and meditation guidance The 49-day mystical practice known as Counting the Omer is an ancient Jewish ritual observed between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot (also known as Pentecost).
Purification of the soul is a principle that is central to understanding Islamic spirituality but despite this, relatively little has been written explicitly in the Islamic tradition regarding this discrete method of spiritual purification.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, a controversial school of Russian religious and scientific thinkers emerged, united in the conviction that humanity was entering a new stage of evolution and must assume a new, active, managerial role in the cosmos.
Sri Ramakrishna is widely known as a nineteenth-century Indian mystic who affirmed the harmony of all religions on the basis of his richly varied spiritual experiences and eclectic religious practices, both Hindu and non-Hindu.
This book explores Icelandic spirit work, known as andleg mal, which features trance and healing practices that span earth and spirit realms, historical eras, scientific and supernatural worldviews, and cross-Atlantic cultures.
Integrating numerology, astrology, Kabbalah, and the contemplative life*; Connects the traditional, symbolic, psychological, alchemical, astrological, and numerological meanings of each of the 78 cards of the Tarot to its deepest meaning, the one closest to its spiritual core*; Reveals how the Tarot offers a hands-on way to learn multiple spiritual practices and metaphysical systems, including numerology, astrology, psychology, and Kabbalistic wisdom*; Details how to use the Tarot to calculate the numerological value of names, words, and dates, including birthdays, to reveal their metaphysical significanceAs John Sandbach illuminates in depth, the tarot is a portal to realms of wisdom.
Humility, being open and receptive to all experience, is the key to becoming one with the spontaneous patterns of the universe *; Integrates classic teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism with principles of quantum physics to reveal the science of the enlightened masters *; Reveals how we are each capable of shifting from the aggressive path of the warrior to the humble path of the sage *; Explains how the key to catching the current acceleration of conscious evolution is humility From Krishna and Lao-tzu to Buddha and Jesus, each enlightened master discovered how being receptive to all experience was the key to becoming one with the universe and its spontaneous patterns of order and chaos.
This book is about the emergence of a new activist Sufism in the Muslim world from the sixteenth century onwards, which emphasized personal responsibility for putting Godas guidance into practice.
Sufism is often understood to be the mystical dimension of Islam, and many works have focused on the nature of "e;mystical experiences"e; and the relationship between man and God.
*Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, New Statesman, Air Mail, and more * Longlisted for the Chautauqua Prize * Recipient of a Whiting Grant*A ';haunting and elegant' (The Wall Street Journal) story about love, faith, the search for utopiaand the often devastating cost of idealism.
Acclaimed evangelical speaker and writer Tony Campolo teams up with spiritual director and teacher Mary Albert Darling to reveal some gems from the liturgical Christian tradition to Protestants who may be ready for a refreshing change.
Part fascinating history and part practical manual, this engaging guide takes the position that the Ouija Board is indeed as powerful as its detractors claim, revealing the dark secrets and hidden truths of this curious, enduring ';game.
