A magical meditation on the powerful idea that we are connected to everything and everyone. Playful illustrations and funny, rhyming text show readers all of the many ways we are linked to every big, small, hairy, slimy, snuggly, scaly, floppy, flappy, bristly, buzzy, beautiful creature on Earth. "One of Bala Kids's inaugural releases, this waggish picture book takes its title to heart, emphasizing readers' connection to an eclectic roundup of people, objects, and phenomena."-Publishers Weekly "Jason Gruhl invokes Dr. Seuss with some light rhyming and brings up everything that entrances children-tarantulas, slime, comets, you name it. Ignasi Font's visually complex and incredibly funny illustrations (a blobfish that looks like Squidward?) will keep kids observing even on the hundredth read. The book is destined to become a dharma classic."-Tricycle Everything is connected. And since you are part of everything, you are connected to everything: to pharaohs, Ben Franklin, T. Rex, ancient Greece, to love and to poverty, hunger and peace!
A simple guide to one of life's most essential skills: cooking. New to the kitchen? Living on your own for the first time? Don't be intimidated! This useful guide has everything you need to cook yourself real meals with real food. Centered around 10 basic lessons to get you comfortable in the kitchen, this book will get you whipping up nutritious meals, satisfying snacks, and simple desserts for you and your friends in no time. Also included are notes on knife skills, essential (and nonessential) cooking tools, and stocking your pantry. This is your go-to guide for cooking basics.
Beloved master, visionary, poet, and revealer of profound spiritual treasures, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche was a paramount figure in the history of twentieth-century Tibet. He worked closely with H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama to reinvigorate Tibetan culture and spiritual practice following the loss of their homeland. Nyingma masters and devotees, both ordained and lay, unanimously appointed him Supreme Head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, and he served in this capacity until his passing in 1987. He wrote over two dozen volumes of poetry, music, history, philosophy, and most importantly revealed and restored sacred termas of Guru Rinpoche. In addition, he assembled and published texts which might otherwise have been lost and delivered unprecedented numbers of empowerments and teachings to hundreds of thousands of individuals. Khenpo Rinpoche had the great privilege of being a close personal attendant and secretary to His Holiness from 1980 through 1983. On two occasions, when they were alone, His Holiness told Khenpo Tsewang about the life of his father and in great detail about how His Holiness himself had taken rebirth. This book is the product of everything His Holiness told Khenpo Rinpoche, and also what Khenpo Rinpoche learned about him from his vajra brothers and sisters.
How much does our perception of God really matter? Many of us aren''t conscious of our image of a "higher power." For some of us, that unspoken image is a Judgmental Parent or an exacting Old Man in the Sky. For others, God is an Imaginary Friend who is there to fix problems after we create them. David Aaron can help you discover a mature, new understanding of God and lead you to discover the wellspring of Divinity within you. By drawing on teachings of Kabbalah that were secret for millennia, he helps you to reclaim the power you''ve given away to negative images of God or passive images of yourself. These mystical secrets of Judaism can offer reassuring guidance, meaning, and purpose to the lives of people of all faiths. In the journey to discovering God''s secret life you will: • Awaken to your life''s deepest purpose • Delight in a deeper connection to your true inner self, God, and others • Learn to experience God''s infinite love for you • Rise to new heights, cope with challenges, and make courageous choices • Achieve true peace of mind and freedom from anxiety Aaron shares these profound ancient teachings in simple, everyday language with a touch of wit and humor. Rich in personal stories and anecdotes, his examples from daily life help us tap the transformational power hidden within and illuminate the surprising paradoxes of spiritual growth. Awakened to finally experience a personal connection to God, we are at last able to receive God''s love unconditionally and discover our ultimate identity, divine purpose, and true happiness.
Based on the teachings of the Buddha, this book offers the most compelling and impassioned indictment of meat-eating to be found in Tibetan literature and is pertinent to anyone interested in vegetarianism as a moral or spiritual issue. The Buddha''s teachings show how destructive habits can be examined and transformed gradually from within. The aim is not to repress one''s desire for meat and animal products by force of will, but to develop heartfelt compassion and sensitivity to the suffering of animals, so that the desire to exploit and feed on them naturally dissolves. There are two texts presented here. One is an excerpt from Shabkar''s Book of Marvels, consisting of quotations from the Buddhist scriptures and the teachings of masters of Tibetan Buddhism that argue against the consumption of meat, with Shabkar''s commentary. The second, the Nectar of Immortality , is Shabkar''s discourse on the importance of developing compassion for animals.
In Freedom, Love, and Action, Krishnamurti points to a state of total awareness beyond mental processes. With his characteristic engaging, candid approach, Krishnamurti discusses such topics as the importance of setting the mind free from its own conditioning; the possibility of finding enlightenment in everyday activities; the inseparability of freedom, love, and action; and why it is best to love without attachment.
The art of composing spontaneous songs that express spiritual understanding has existed in Tibet for centuries. Over a hundred of these profound songs are found in this collection of the works of the great teachers of the Kagyü lineage, known as the Practice Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Many readers are already familiar with the colorful life of the yogin Milarepa, an early figure in the Kagyü lineage, some of whose songs are included here. Songs by over thirty other Buddhist teachers are also presented, from those of Tilopa, the father of the lineage, to those of the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, as well as several songs by Chögyam Trungpa, the noted teacher of Buddhism in America who directed the translation of The Rain of Wisdom. The diversity of the songs mirrors the richness of Tibetan Buddhism and gives us clear portraits of some of its most eminent teachers. Their longing for truth, their heartfelt devotion, and their sense of humor are all reflected. These poems share a beauty and intensity that have made them famous in Tibetan literature. With its vivid imagery and deep insight, The Rain of Wisdom communicates a profound and timeless understanding.
Do you believe that life within an organization means death to the creative process? That creativity is the exclusive province of "artistic types"? Wrong! Shaun McNiff shows how we can all cultivate the special kind of creative energy that is generated by people working together in groups, whether in the workplace or other cooperative communities—wherever individuals come together to pursue a common goal through dialogue, interaction, and teamwork. Creating with Others is designed to address group creativity in both theory and practice. McNiff draws examples from the creative arts as well as from organizational life and everyday work situations. He shows how leaders can be facilitators of creative teamwork, and how artists and other creative people can collaborate fruitfully with others. The book includes exercises and questions that can be used in courses, informal discussion groups, and interactive e-groups. It will also help individual readers—ranging from beginners to artists seeking inspiration—to reflect upon their personal relationship with creativity. Readers will find that they are never alone in the creative process. Creativity is the basic interplay of life, and we establish a vital link to its power through engagements with others.
Dharma combat is a practice form unique to Zen in which student and teacher confront each other before a live audience, so to speak. The Zen master takes a seat at the front of the meditation hall and is approached by students, one by one, who challenge the master with questions. The Zen master challenges them in return, and the pithy, energetic exchanges become a teaching for all involved. Cave of Tigers is proof that the ancient practice of dharma combat is alive and well in American Zen. It consists of records of actual dharma combat sessions between John Daido Loori Roshi and his students at Zen Mountain Monastery. The highly charged encounters range from koan-like exchanges to practical discussions of meditation, Buddhist philosophy, and the always-pertinent issue of bringing spiritual practice into everyday life.
Jalaluddin Rumi has become one of the most widely read poets in our time. This collection of verse is drawn from Rumi''s masterwork the Mathnawi, often referred to as the Qur''an in the Persian tongue. The Mathnawi comprises six volumes of rhymed verse drawing on favorite stories from the Qur''an, tales of Sufi saints and masters, the sayings of Muhammed, folklore, and popular humor. Throughout its intricate tales, Rumi scatters precious gems of wisdom. Like jewels, his words seem to catch the light and reflect it to the reader''s soul. The Helminskis'' translations beautifully convey the subtlety, tone, and depth of the original texts.
There is a common misconception that to practice Zen is to practice meditation and nothing else. In truth, traditionally, the practice of meditation goes hand-in-hand with moral conduct. In Invoking Reality, John Daido Loori, one of the leading Zen teachers in America today, presents and explains the ethical precepts of Zen as essential aspects of Zen training and development. The Buddhist teachings on morality—the precepts—predate Zen, going all the way back to the Buddha himself. They describe, in essence, how a buddha, or awakened person, lives his or her life in the world. Loori provides a modern interpretation of the precepts and discusses the ethical significance of these vows as guidelines for living. “Zen is a practice that takes place within the world,” he says, “based on moral and ethical teachings that have been handed down from generation to generation.” In his view, the Buddhist precepts form one of the most vital areas of spiritual practice.
Zen is famous for koans (called kong-ans in Korean, and in this book), those bizarre and seemingly unanswerable questions Zen masters pose to their students to check their realization (such as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”). Fear of koans keeps some people from ever giving Zen practice a try. But here, through the experience of seeing a modern Zen master work with his students, you can see what koan training is really like: It’s a skillful, lively practice for attaining wisdom.This book presents the system of ten koans that Zen Master Seung Sahn came to call the “Ten Gates.” These koans represent the basic types one will encounter in any course of study. Each of the ten gates, or koans, is illuminated by actual interchanges between Zen Master Seung Sahn and his students that show what the practice is all about: it is above all a process of coming to trust one’s own wisdom, and of manifesting that wisdom in every koan-like situation life presents us with. For more information on the author, Zen Master Seung Sahn, visit his website at www.kwanumzen.com.
When Amanda first came to Dr. Sachs for treatment, she had attempted suicide more than once. Withdrawn and cynical, she refused to speak during her therapy sessions. Determined to connect, Dr. Sachs tried something unconventional: he wrote letters to Amanda between sessions and invited her to write back, thinking she might feel more comfortable opening up in this way—and indeed she did. This correspondence gradually built trust between them, helping her to survive and ultimately to heal.When No One Understands consists of twenty letters that Dr. Sachs wrote to Amanda over the course of her therapy. In these letters, Sachs reaches out to Amanda with the core message that there is nothing wrong with her—that adolescence is painful, complex, and challenging for everyone and that her emotional pain deserves to be honored, openly explored, and viewed with compassion. Dr. Sachs also addresses many of the common questions and concerns shared by all teens on such topics as relationships, breakups, drugs and alcohol, parents, family dynamics, and more.Along the way, Dr. Sachs offers adults an inspiring image of a truly open, human-to-human relationship between an adult and a teenager. Parents, mental health professionals, guidance counselors, educators, and others who work with teens will see how they might also bring honesty, compassion, and humility to bear in their interactions with young people in order to create truly healing and supportive relationships.
The Supreme Way is not difficult If only you do not pick and choose. Neither love nor hate, And you will clearly understand. Be off by a hair, And you are as far from it as heaven and earth.These vivid lines begin one of the most beloved and commented upon of all Zen texts, the Hsin Hsin Ming (“Faith in Mind”), a sixth-century poem by the third Chan patriarch, Seng Ts’an. The Hsin Hsin Ming is a masterpiece of economy, expressing the profoundest truth of the enlightened mind in only a few short pages. Master Sheng Yen’s approach is unique among commentaries on the text: he views it as a supremely useful and practical guide to meditation practice. “I do not adopt a scholarly point of view or analytical approach,” he says. “Rather, I use the poem as a taking-off point to inspire the practitioner and deal with issues that arise during the course of practice. True faith in mind is the belief grounded in realization that we have a fundamental, unmoving, and unchanging mind. This mind is precisely Buddha mind.”
Is sex an enemy that must be subdued before spiritual practice can happen, or is it a powerful creative force and a vehicle of enlightenment? There may be no completely satisfying answer—though the question has engendered discussion for centuries. David Guy''s contribution takes the form of a personal exploration of the place of sex in his own life and meditation practice, as well as in the lives and work of figures he has come to regard as pioneers on the boundaries of sex and spirituality: Walt Whitman, D. H. Lawrence, Alan Watts, and the erotic writer Marco Vassi among them. It also includes accounts of his pilgrimages to contemporary theorists, activists, and sex workers. From poets to prostitutes, everyone has something to say, even though the reconciliation of sex and spirituality may always remain something of a paradox—as expressed in the Zen koan from which the title is taken: "Why is it that the most clear-eyed monk cannot sever the red thread of passion between his legs?" David Guy''s answer is this honest and compelling exploration of the nature of desire.
Negative emotions have much to teach us about ourselves and our relationships with others and the world at large. In The Kabbalah of Envy, Rabbi Nilton Bonder draws on the wisdom of the Talmud, Hasidic tales, and Jewish mystical lore in presenting insights into the effects of envy, jealousy, hatred, and anger. He shows that whether we are on the giving or the receiving end of these unpleasant emotions, we can learn to transform them and live peacefully in the spirit of the biblical commandment "Love your neighbor as yourself." Among the topics discussed are: • the consequences of malicious gossip, slander, and insults • cultivating humility as the middle path between pride and lack of self- esteem • learning to rejoice in the happiness and success of others • knowing when it''s better not to be nice • the proper way to correct or criticize others • living with ill-will and avoiding fights • forgiveness and reconciliation • turning your enemy into your best friend
The Jewish preoccupation with nourishment, diets, and the enjoyment of eating is often a source of humor. But nourishment is more than just food in the Jewish tradition: our eating habits determine how we are nourished on many levels, not just the physical. In this third volume of his trilogy, Rabbi Bonder teaches us about creating a healthy exhcnage between ourselves and our environment. The discussion includes: • how to eat consciously, with ecological and political awareness • how to connect with the energetic essence of our food • how to avoid becoming overweight—in the emotional, spiritual, and moral as well as physical sense • the inner meaning of religious customs and laws concerning food and eating Rabbi Bonder draws on parables and teachings of the Talmudic sages and Hasidic masters and examines a well-known text of Jewish law, the Shulhan Arukh, for its practical insights into diet and other concerns of daily life.
Volume Seven of The Collected Works of Ken Wilber includes: • A Brief History of Everything (1996) "Combining spiritual sensitivity with enormous intellectual understanding and a style of elegance and clarity, [this book] is a clarion call for seeing the world as a whole."— San Francisco Chronicle . • The Eye of Spirit: An Integral Vision for a World Gone Slightly Mad (1997) uses the spectrum model to create an integral approach to psychology, spirituality, anthropology, cultural studies, and art. • "An Integral Theory of Consciousness," an essay previously unpublished in book form, presents one of the first theories to integrate first-, second-, and third-person accounts of consciousness.
Volume Four of The Collected Works of Ken Wilber includes: • Integral Psychology, a concise version of Wilber''s long-awaited textbook of transpersonal psychology, presenting one of the first truly integrative models of consciousness, psychology, and therapy. • Charts correlating over one hundred developmental and evolutionary theories, ranging from ancient mystical traditions to modern theorists. • Essays on human development, art, meditation, spirituality, yoga, women''s studies, death and rebirth, science and mysticism, and transpersonal psychotherapies. • Wilber''s thoughtful replies to criticisms of his work.
Why have we come to revere Francis of Assisi, a simple thirteenth-century Italian merchant''s son, as a saint? Why has his appeal endured over eight hundred years and even expanded beyond the world of Catholicism to make him one of the most beloved religious figures of all time? This penetrating meditation on Francis''s life gently but sure-handedly cuts through every pious legend to uncover what is timeless and universally true about him. Christian Bobin''s unexpected and thoroughly original work presents a compelling image of a man whose power is found in humility, whose radical casting aside of wealth, honor, and even personal identity is inseparable from his overwhelming intimacy with God. Poetic, luminous, utterly hypnotic, The Very Lowly is a unique modern variation on the saint''s life that will entrance everyone, whether "religious" or—almost especially—not.
From John Chrysostom in the fourth century to Teresa of Avila in the sixteenth to William Butler Yeats in the twentieth, this wide-ranging collection is a treasury of writings on prayer from throughout the history of Christianity. Lorraine Kisly has arranged the material according to the great general themes of prayer—such as praise, thanksgiving, repentance, and purification—to make this anthology serve as a course in Christian prayer for anyone, as well as a marvelous companion for the contemplative journey in general. "If this book is read truly," says Bishop Seraphim Sigrist, in his introduction, "the reader will surely find the beginning of prayer itself, and this is to open another book with no end at all." Christian Teachings on the Practice of Prayer features writings by: • Angela of Foligno • Augustine of Hippo • Bernard of Clairvaux • Dietrich Bonhoeffer • Ephrem of Syria • Francis of Assisi • John Donne • George Fox • C. G. Jung • Søren Kierkegaard • C. S. Lewis • Martin Luther • Thomas Merton • Meister Eckhart • Henri Nouwen • Flannery O''Connor • Marguerite Porete • Seraphin of Sarov • Teresa of Avila • Pierre Teilhard de Chardin • John Wesley • Evelyn Underhill • many more
Kimberley Snow offers an outrageously funny and honest account of her adventures as head cook at a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center. With her earthy sensibility and sharp sense of humor, the author shows this world in a light devoid of preciousness—while expressing with heart the integrity of the spiritual work being undertaken. We come away from our visit to this exotic realm having found it both extraordinary and surprisingly familiar. The neuroses, obsessions, and petty concerns exposed by Snow—both in herself and her fellow staff members—prove to be grist for the mill for discovering the grace inherent in life just as it is.
"Don''t-know mind" is our enlightened mind before ideas, opinions, or concepts arise to create suffering. Practicing with don''t-know mind has long been a central concern of Korean Zen. Here, an American Zen master in the Korean lineage brings the teaching to life by using stories about the Chinese and Korean Zen masters as jumping-off points for his own teaching. Don''t-Know Mind is a clear, direct, and heartfelt presentation of Zen teaching applicable to anyone, both for formal practice and for all the rest of life.
The term "engaged Buddhism" was coined by the Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh as a way of asserting that Buddhism should not be passive or otherworldly, but on the contrary, that Buddhists should be deeply, compassionately involved in every aspect of society where suffering arises. Not Turning Away is a treasury of writings on the philosophy and practice of engaged Buddhism by some of the most well-known and respected figures in the movement, gleaned from the pages of the magazine that is the primary forum for engaged Buddhism in America and elsewhere: Turning Wheel: The Journal of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. Not Turning Away provides a history of the engaged Buddhism movement, an analysis of its underlying principles, and inspiring practical examples of real people''s experiences in putting spiritual practice to the test on the personal, national, and global levels. The range of topics—from political oppression to prison work, disability, racism, poverty, nonviolence, forgiveness, the student-teacher relationship, and homelessness—demonstrates the applicability of Buddhist teaching to every concern of modern life. Contributors include: Robert Aitken Jan Chozen Bays Melody Ermachild Chavis Zoketsu Norman Fischer Thich Nhat Hanh Jack Kornfield Kenneth Kraft Joanna Macy Jarvis Jay Masters Fleet Maull Susan Moon Wendy Egyoku Nakao Maylie Scott Gary Snyder Robert Thurman Joan Tollifson Diana Winston
Morihei Ueshiba (1883–1969), founder of the Japanese martial art of Aikido, is one of the greatest and most beloved martial artists in history. Remembering O-Sensei is a portrait of Ueshiba as told by his uchi-deshi, the students who lived and trained with him as his disciples. This collection of memories—gathered here for the first time—captures the essence of this extraordinary martial arts master and visionary, revealing Ueshiba''s teaching style, his daily habits, his philosophy of life, the lovably human aspects of his personality, and his deep belief that Aikido could be used as a means to creating peace and harmony in the world. The book also provides a snapshot of a fascinating time in Japanese history when a student would apprentice with his master by essentially moving in with him and receiving instruction through rigorous training sessions, and also by serving him and observing his actions in daily life. Most of the students whose remembrances are included in this book went on to spread the teaching of Aikido throughout the world and became masters in their own right.
Qigong is a traditional Chinese movement practice that is most often done to maintain health or to relieve specific illnesses. Here, Sat Chuen Hon, a master teacher and practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist healing arts, presents a system of six gentle yet invigorating exercises, along with complementary meditations and vocalizations, which can improve overall health and increase energy. Hon includes both the physical exercises and the accompanying meditations and vocalizations, which deepen the healing effects of the practices. Hon is a warm and humorous guide who makes the practice and philosophy of qigong accessible and relevant. The text includes step-by-step illustrations and is sprinkled with stories and anecdotes from the author''s twenty-two years of practice.
Prenumerera på vårt nyhetsbrev för att få fantastiska erbjudanden och inspiration för din nästa läsning.
Genom att registrera dig accepterar du vår personuppgiftspolicy.
