For years Howard Storm lived the American dream. He had a fine home, a family, and a successful career as an Art Professor and painter. Then, without warning, he found himself in hospital in excruciating pain, awaiting an emergency operation. He realised with horror that his death was a real possibility, but as an atheist he was convinced that his demise would mark the end of consciousness. Storm was totally unprepared for what was to happen next. He found himself out of his body, staring at his own physical form. But this was no hallucination; he was fully aware and felt more alive than ever before. In his spirit form, Storm was drawn into fearsome realms of darkness and death, where he experienced the terrible consequences of a life of selfishness and materialism.However, his journey also took him into regions of light where he conversed with angelic beings and the Lord of Light Himself, who sent him back to live on earth with a message of love. "My Descent into Death" is Howard Storm's full story: from his near death experience in Paris to his full recovery back home in the States, and the subsequent transformation of his life. Storm also communicates what he learned in his conversations with heavenly spiritual beings, revealing how the world will be in the future, the real meaning of life, what happens when we die, the role of angels, and much more. What he has to say will challenge those who believe that human awareness ends with death.

The future of America, in many ways, depends upon an understanding of the proper role of religion in our shared life as a republic. Discussions and debates on the topic have too often generated noise, platitudes, stereotypes, name-calling, and the distortion of vitally important issues, instead of constructive conversation among citizens--until now.

Of all the voices commenting about American religion today, none is more credible or better known than that of historian Martin E. Marty. A respected scholar, author, editor, and media commentator, he has-perhaps better than anyone else in the field-a deep grasp on the complex issues surrounding public religion.

* Unique synthesis of ideas from theology, science, and spirituality on aging and dementia * Provides information, resources, and examples Dementia: a specter that haunts many, either as a fear for the future or as lived reality with a loved one. It has been called the "theological disease" because it affects so much of how we define our humanity: language, long-term memory, and ability to plan the future. The church has a role in bringing hope and shepherding the spiritual journeys of people with dementia and their families. Beginning with current theological models of personhood, concepts about the self and spirituality are explored through the latest research in medicine and neuroscience as well as from work on spirituality and aging. The final chapter focuses on narratives of successful programs in churches and retirement communities designed to minister to people with dementia alongside their families and caregivers.

A four-tape set of dialogues that explore living from an integral perspective. A fascinating range of subjects are covered in the course of these discussions, including free will, the nature of thought and consciousness, engaged living, and quantum reality. Listen to one of modern spirituality's clearest thinkers as he interacts with interviewers, spiritual seekers, and inquirers in the attempt to bring the intelligence of conscious living to the ordinary difficulties of life.

A raw, intensely personal memoir of spiritual exploration from one of the world's great commentators on religion. After seven years in a convent, which she left, dismayed by its restrictions, an experience recounted in Through the Narrow Gate, Karen Armstrong struggled to establish herself in a new way of life, and became entrapped in a downwards spiral, haunted by despair, anorexia and suicidal feelings. Despite her departure from the convent she remained within the Catholic Church until the God she believed in 'died on me', and she entered a 'wild and Godless period of crazy parties and numerous lovers'. Her attempts to reach happiness and carve out a career failed repeatedly, in spectacular fashion. She began writing her bestseller A History of God in a spirit of scepticism, but through studying other religious traditions she found a very different kind of faith which drew from Christianity, Judaism and Islam and, eventually, spiritual and personal calm. In her own words, her 'story is a graphic illustration -- almost an allegory -- of a widespread dilemma.;It is emblematic of a more general flight from institutional religion and a groping towards a form of faith that has not yet been fully articulated but which is nevertheless in the process of declaring itself.' Her lifelong inability to pray and to conform to traditional structures of worship is shared by the many who are leaving the established churches but who desire intensely a spiritual aspect to their lives. The Spiral Staircase grapples with the issue of how we can be religious in the contemporary world, and the place and possibility of belief in the twenty-first century.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Prodigal Prophet Timothy Keller comes the definitive Christian book on why bad things happen and how we should respond to them. The question of why God would allow pain and suffering in the world has vexed believers and nonbelievers for millennia. Timothy Keller, whose books have sold millions of copies to both religious and secular readers, takes on this enduring issue and shows that there is meaning and reason behind our pain and suffering, making a forceful and ground-breaking case that this essential part of the human experience can be overcome only by understanding our relationship with God. As the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, Timothy Keller is known for his unique insights into religion and culture. Keller's series of books has guided countless readers in their spiritual journeys. Walking with God through Pain and Suffering uses biblical wisdom and personal stories of overcoming adversity to bring a much-needed, fresh viewpoint to this important issue.

Title first published in 2003. Shamanism has a contradictory position within the Korean cultural system, leading to the periodical suppression of shamanism yet also, paradoxically, ensuring its survival throughout Korean history. This book examines the place of shamans within contemporary society as a cultural practice in which people make use of shamanic ritual and disputing the prevalent view that shamanism is 'popular culture', a 'women's religion' or 'performing arts'. Directly confronting the prejudice against shamans and their paradoxical situation in a modern society such as Korea, this book reveals the cultural discrepancy between two worlds in Korean culture, the ordinary world and the shamanic world, showing that these two worlds cannot be reconciled. This unique study of shamanism offers a significant contribution to growing studies in indigenous anthropology and indigenous religions, and provides a captivating read for a wide range of readers through retelling the stories-never-to-be-told involving shamanic ritual.

While there is truth in the idea that our past shapes our future, the gospel is all about the counter-intuitive promise that God is shaping us right now toward God's vision of who we will become. It is not our past that makes us into the image of God; God's redeeming love does that. In God, who we are not yet is shaping who we become. Appealing to anyone drawn to a deeper understanding of their own story and a richer sense of God’s transforming presence, this book will have special resonance for people at turning points in their lives. Career changes, loss of a loved one, graduation, illness, divorce, birth of a child, entering middle or later years: Life is filled with turning points at which we feel compelled to tell our story in a new and different way. Each chapter focuses on a gospel passage, leading to a reflection on a significant point in the author's life which uncovers deeper and more personal meaning in the biblical text. Questions conclude each chapter, engaging readers to look at their own lives—good and bad—and find God, experiencing the joy, surprise, and healing of God's future rewriting the past.

"Wrestling with Our Inner Angels" is Nancy Kehoe's compelling, intimate, and moving story of how she brought her background as a psychologist and a nun in the Religious of the Sacred Heart to bear in the groups she formed to explore the role of faith and spirituality in their treatment - and in their lives. Through fascinating stories of her own spiritual journey, she gives readers of all backgrounds and interests new insights into the inner lives of the mentally ill and new ways of thinking about the role of spirituality and faith in all our lives.

The mind contains the seeds of its own awakening-seeds that we can cultivate to bring forth the fruits of a life lived consciously. With Mindfulness, Joseph Goldstein shares the wisdom of his four decades of teaching and practice in a book that will serve as a lifelong companion for anyone committed to mindful living and the realization of inner freedom. Goldstein's source teaching is the Satipa??hana Sutta, the Buddha's legendary discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness that became the basis for the many types of Vipassana (or insight meditation) found today. Exquisite in detail yet wholly accessible and relevant for the modern student, Mindfulness takes us through a profound study of: * Mindfulness of body, including the breath, postures, activities, and physical characteristics * Mindfulness of feelings-how the experience of our sense perceptions influences our inner and outer worlds * Mindfulness of mind-learning to recognize skillful and unskillful states of mind and thought * Mindfulness of dhammas (or categories of experience), including the Five Hindrances, the Six Sense Spheres, and the Seven Factors of Awakening "There is a wealth of meaning and nuance in the experience of mindfulness that can enrich our lives in unimagined ways," writes Goldstein. In Mindfulness you have the tools to mine these riches for yourself.

A discussion of theory and practice, focusing on methods, outlines, guides for study, the use of illustrations, and the selection of texts.

Create an intimate relationship with Spirit...This common-sense guide offers practical steps for staying in tune with Spirit midst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For listening to the still small voice within. For living in the here and now. These keys, gleaned from the ancient wisdom of the world's spiritual traditions, also show how to discover your soul's core passion, create a sacred space, and use every encounter and circumstance as an opportunity to grow.

From a world-renowned painter, an exploration of creativity’s quintessential—and often overlooked—role in the spiritual life   “Makoto Fujimura’s art and writings have been a true inspiration to me. In this luminous book, he addresses the question of art and faith and their reconciliation with a quiet and moving eloquence.�—Martin Scorsese   “[An] elegant treatise. . . . Fujimura’s sensitive, evocative theology will appeal to believers interested in the role religion can play in the creation of art.�—Publishers Weekly   Conceived over thirty years of painting and creating in his studio, this book is Makoto Fujimura’s broad and deep exploration of creativity and the spiritual aspects of “making.� What he does in the studio is theological work as much as it is aesthetic work. In between pouring precious, pulverized minerals onto handmade paper to create the prismatic, refractive surfaces of his art, he comes into the quiet space in the studio in a discipline of awareness, waiting, prayer, and praise.   Ranging from the Bible to T. S. Eliot, Mark Rothko, and Japanese Kintsugi technique, he shows how, unless we are making something, we cannot know the depth of God’s being and God’s grace permeating our lives. This poignant and beautiful book offers the perspective of, in Christian Wiman’s words, an “accidental theologian,� one who comes to spiritual questions always through the prism of art.

THE MEMOIR OF WILD WILD COUNTRY'S MA ANAND SHEELA Everyone in the world has an opinion of me! I do not expect them to change. I accept life as it comes!’ Irrepressible, honest, bold and charming, very few can claim to have lived life on their own terms as Ma Anand Sheela has. Yet controversy continues to follow her. Whether it is her portrayal in Wild Wild Country or the Osho International Foundation's take on the Netflix series, a wide spectrum of opinions has cloaked for too long the real Sheela Birnstiel. In the 1980s, she was the personal secretary of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and managed the Rajneesh commune in Wasco County, Oregon, USA. She was eventually sentenced to prison, served her time and walked out in three years. Today, she runs homes for the disabled and the elderly in Switzerland. Almost three decades later, she is still in love with Bhagwan and his teachings. From rebuilding her life from scratch in Switzerland to an interview with Karan Johar on her grand return to India, she is adored and vilified by the world at the same time. In her memoirs, By My Own Rules, Ma Anand Sheela bares all-her life, her lessons, her beliefs, her inspiration and what makes her live life on her own terms.

Learn to initiate the integration of your clients' spirituality as an effective practical intervention. A client's spiritual and religious beliefs can be an effective springboard for productive therapy. How can a therapist sensitively prepare for the task? The Therapist's Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling is the first volume of a comprehensive two-volume resource that provides practical interventions from a wide range of backgrounds and theoretical perspectives. This volume helps prepare clinicians to undertake and initiate the integration of spirituality in therapy with clients and provides easy-to-follow examples. The book provides a helpful starting point to address a broad range of topics and problems. The chapters of The Therapist's Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling are grouped into five sections: Therapist Preparation and Professional Development; Assessment of Spirituality; Integrating Spirituality in Couples Therapy; Specific Techniques and/or Topics Used in Integrating Spirituality; and Use of Scripture, Prayer, and Other Spiritual Practices. Designed to be clinician-friendly, each chapter also includes sections on resources where counselors can learn more about the topic or technique used in the chapter-as well as suggested books, articles, chapters, videos, and Web sites to recommend to clients. Each chapter utilizes similar formatting to remain clear and easy-to-follow that includes objectives, rationale for use, instructions, brief vignette, suggestions for follow-up, contraindications, references, professional readings and resources, and bibliotherapy sources for the client. The first volume of The Therapist's Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling helps set a solid foundation and provides comprehensive instruction on: ethically incorporating spirituality into the therapeutic setting professional disclosure building a spiritual referral source through local clergy assessment of spirituality the spirituality-focused genogram using spirituality in couples therapy helping couples face career transitions dealing with shame addiction recovery the use of scripture and prayer overcoming trauma in Christian clients and much more! The Therapist's Notebook for Integrating Spirituality in Counseling is a stimulating, creative resource appropriate for any clinician or counselor, from novices to experienced mental health professionals. This first volume is perfect for pastoral counselors, clergy, social workers, marriage and family therapists, counselors, psychologists, Christian counselors, educators who teach professional issues, ethics, counseling, and multicultural issues, and students.