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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Aspects of religions (non-Christian) > Worship > General
"It's a nice piece of pageantry. . . . Rationally it's lunatic, but
in practice, everyone enjoys it, I think."-HRH Prince Philip, Duke
of Edinburgh Founded by Edward III in 1348, the Most Noble Order of
the Garter is the highest chivalric honor among the gifts of the
Queen of England and an institution that looks proudly back to its
medieval origins. But what does the annual Garter procession of
modern princes and politicians decked out in velvets and silks have
to do with fourteenth-century institutions? And did the Order, in
any event, actually originate in the wardrobe malfunction of the
traditional story, when Edward held up his mistress's dropped
garter for all to see and declared it to be a mark of honor rather
than shame? Or is this tale of the Order's beginning nothing more
than a vulgar myth? With steady erudition and not infrequent
irreverence, Stephanie Trigg ranges from medieval romance to
Victorian caricature, from imperial politics to medievalism in
contemporary culture, to write a strikingly original cultural
history of the Order of the Garter. She explores the Order's
attempts to reform and modernize itself, even as it holds onto an
ambivalent relationship to its medieval past. She revisits those
moments in British history when the Garter has taken on new or
increased importance and explores a long tradition of amusement and
embarrassment over its formal processions and elaborate costumes.
Revisiting the myth of the dropped garter itself, she asks what it
can tell us about our desire to seek the hidden sexual history
behind so venerable an institution. Grounded in archival detail and
combining historical method with reception and cultural studies,
Shame and Honor untangles 650 years of fact, fiction, ritual, and
reinvention.
Mock Ritual in the Modern Era explores the complex interrelations
between ritual and mockery, the latter of which is not infrequently
the unofficial face of claims to rationality. McGinnis and Smyth
consider how the mocking and parodying of ritual often associated
with modern rationalism may itself become ritualized, and other
ways in which supposedly sham ritual may survive its "outing." This
volume traces the evolution of "mock ritual" in various forms
throughout the modern era, as found in literary, historical, and
anthropological texts as well as encyclopedias, newspapers, and
films. Mock Ritual in the Modern Era places famous eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century authors in dialogue with contemporary popular
culture, from Diderot, Sterne, and Flaubert to the TV shows
Survivor and Judge Judy, and from Voltaire to the Charlie Hebdo
tragedy of 2015. Ritualistic and mock ritualistic aspects of comedy
and ridicule are considered along with those, notably, of
sexuality, medicine, art, education, and justice.
Counting the Omer is a Kabbalistic meditation guide to understand
the in-depth meanings of each of the forty-nine days between Pesach
(Passover) and the Shavuot celebration of the revealing of the
Torah. Rabbi Kantrowitz follows Kabbalistic guidelines to show how
the unique values of the sephirot interact each day, giving the
reader insight into the strengths of the day. Through this guide
the reader is led to meditate on the mystical qualities of life and
self.
"The Six Gates to the Sublime" is a classic Buddhist meditation
instruction manual explaining the six practices crucial to success
in traditional Indian Buddhist breath-focused (anapana) meditation
and calming-and-insight (samatha-vipasyana) meditation. Correctly
implemented, these six "gates" lead the meditator to realization of
the fourth of the four truths (cessation), of which the "sublimity"
referenced in the title is one of the four canonically-described
practice aspects. This classic was written by the sixth-century
monk and meditation master, Shramana Zhiyi (Chih-i), one of the
most illustrious figures in the history of Chinese Buddhism. Master
Zhiyi is famous for his role in the founding of the Tiantai
teachings lineage and for his authorship of a quartet of meditation
manuals of which this is one. The translator of this volume is the
American monk, Bhikshu Dharmamitra, a translator of numerous
classic works from the Indian and Chinese Buddhist traditions.
Find out what's going on any day of the year, anywhere across the
globe! The world's date book since 1957, Chase's is the definitive,
authoritative, day-by-day resource of what the world is
celebrating. From national days to celebrity birthdays, from
historical milestones to astronomical phenomena, from award
ceremonies and sporting events to religious festivals and
carnivals, Chase's is the must-have reference used by experts and
professionals-a one-stop shop with 12,500 entries for everything
that is happening now or is worth remembering from the past.
Completely updated for 2022, Chase's also features extensive
appendices as well as a companion website that puts the power of
Chase's at the user's fingertips. 2022 is packed with special
events and observances, including National days and public holidays
of every nation on Earth Scores of new special days, weeks and
months Birthdays of new world leaders, lauded authors, and breakout
celebrities Info on key anniversaries, such as the 100th
anniversary of the discovery of King Tut's tomb, the 75th
anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color line, the 200th
birthday of Louis Pasteur, the 100th birthday of Charles Schulz,
and the 50th anniversary of the Watergate arrests And much more!
All from the reference book that Publishers Weekly calls "one of
the most impressive reference volumes in the world."
The Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya in eastern India has long been
recognised as the place where the Buddha sat in meditation and
attained enlightenment. The site, soon identified as the 'Diamond
Throne' or vajrasana, became a destination for pilgrims and a focus
of religious attention for more than two thousand years. This
volume presents new research on Bodhgaya and assesses the important
archaeological, artistic and literary evidence that bears witness
to the Buddha's enlightenment and to the enduring significance of
Bodhgaya in the history of Buddhism. The book brings together a
team of international scholars to look at the history and
perception of the site across the Buddhist world and its position
in the networks of patronage and complex religious landscape of
northern India. The volume assesses the site's decline in the
thirteenth century, as well as its subsequent revival as a result
of archaeological excavations in the nineteenth century. Using the
British Museum's collections as a base, the authors discuss the
rich material culture excavated from the site that highlights
Bodhgaya's importance in the field of Buddhist studies.
Cries from the Heart answers a specific hunger millions share - a
longing for a personal connection to the divine. In times of
crisis, all of us reach for someone,or something, greater than
ourselves. Some call it prayer. Others just do it. For many, it's
often like talking to a wall. People are looking for assurance that
someone hears them when they cry out in their despair, loneliness,
or frustration. The last thing they need is another book telling
them how to pray or what to say, holding out religion like a
good-luck charm. So instead of theorizing or preaching, Johann
Christoph Arnold tells stories about real men and real women
dealing with adversity. Their difficulties - which range from
extreme to quite ordinary and universal - resonate with readers,
offering a challenge, but also comfort and encouragement. People
will see themselves in these glimpses of anguish, triumph, and
peace.
This concise (just 40 pages) and beautiful haggadah contains all
the elements for a complete and authentic seder. Its small size
(just 6 x 8") and straightforward text, and bright collage art will
capture the attention of seder participants and spark lively
conversation about social justice, freedom, and history.Ideal for
the host or seder leader who wants to run a short and meaningful
seder, bring a modern sensibility and fresh language tot he
observance, and add beauty to the seder table. Includes blessings
and the Four Questions in both Hebrew and transliterated Hebrew,
with English translations.
Valeri presents an overview of Hawaiian religious culture, in which
hierarchies of social beings and their actions are mirrored by the
cosmological hierarchy of the gods. As the sacrifice is performed,
the worshipper is incorporated into the god of his class. Thus he
draws on divine power to sustain the social order of which his
action is a part, and in which his own place is determined by the
degree of his resemblance to his god. The key to Hawaiian
society--and a central focus for Valeri--is the complex and
encompassing sacrificial ritual that is the responsibility of the
king, for it displays in concrete actions all the concepts of
pre-Western Hawaiian society. By interpreting and understanding
this ritual cycle, Valeri contends, we can interpret all of
Hawaiian religious culture.
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