The value of the book lies in the author's expertise in yogic theory and practice, the questions and responses of the students attending the course, and the many figures designed to facilitate understanding of yogic concepts and practice... both teachers and students will find the book useful as a supplemental text. The questions by the course participants are invaluable to instructors since they reflect the understanding and difficulties of beginning students...

"This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. This book examines the trajectory and development of the Japanese religious movement Agonshu and its charismatic founder Kiriyama Seiyu. Based on field research spanning 30 years, it examines Agonshu from when it first captured attention in the 1980s with its spectacular rituals and use of media technologies, through its period of stagnation to its response to the death of its founder in 2016. The authors discuss the significance of charismatic leadership, the 'democratisation' of practice and the demands made by movements such as Agonshu on members, while examining how the movement became increasingly focused on revisionist nationalism and issues of Japanese identity. In examining the dilemma that religions commonly face on the deaths of charismatic founders, Erica Baffelli and Ian Reader look at Agonshu's response to Kiriyama's death, looking at how and why it has transformed a human founder into a figure of worship. By examining Agonshu in the wider context, the authors critically examine the concept of 'new religions'. They draw attention to the importance of understanding the trajectories of 'new' religions and how they can become 'old' even within their first generation.

The first detailed account of the Ainu, the little-known aboriginal people of Japan, Neil Gordon Munro's classic work was based on decades of research in the first half of this century. Munro, a medical doctor who lived and worked in Japan for almost fifty years, studied the Ainu for years before finally going to live among them for the last twelve years of his life.

Munro's object in writing "Ainu Creed and Cult" was not only to give an account of his close observation of this mysterious people and their customs, but also to demonstrate to the world at large and to the Japanese in particular that the Ainu had an independent culture worthy of respect and preservation.

The author's unique insider's position among the Ainu enabled him to accurately describe their religious beliefs, homes, ceremonies, social organizations, arts, festivities, and funerary practices. "Ainu Creed and Culture" establishes the intricacy of the group's spiritual beliefs and ritual practices, a dominant force in their daily lives.

Munro's work stands today as a fine example of the anthropological method, as a historical record of those decades at the beginning of the century when the old Ainu ways were still followed, and as an eloquent and timeless plea for the dignity and survival of a minority cultural group.

Homer's "Odyssey "holds a timeless allure. It is an ancient story for every generation: the struggle of a man on a long and difficult voyage longing to return to love and family. Odysseus's strivings to overcome both divine and earthly obstacles and to control his own impulsive nature hold valuable lessons for us as we confront the challenges of daily life. "Sailing Home "breathes fresh air into a classic we thought we knew, revealing its profound guidance for the modern seeker.
Dividing the book into three parts--"Setting Forth," "Disaster," and "Return"--Fischer charts the course of Odysseus's familiar wanderings. Readers come to see this ancient hero as a flawed human being who shares their own struggles and temptations, such as yielding to desire or fear or greed, and making peace with family. Featuring thoughtful meditations, illuminating anecdotes from Fischer's and his students' lives, and stories from many wisdom traditions including Buddhist, Judaic, and Christian, "Sailing""Home "shows the way to greater purpose in our own lives. The book's literary dimension expands its appeal beyond the Buddhist market to a wider spiritual audience and to anyone interested in the teachings of myth and story.

"Chinese Religion" is a new introduction to the field of Chinese religion and culture. It seeks to guide readers through some of the primary source material and to introduce them to continuing, contemporary debates and interpretations of religious ideas, concepts and practices in China and beyond. Religious beliefs are never pursued and held in a vacuum; they are an integral part of a particular culture, interwoven and interactive with other elements of the culture and tradition. Chinese religion in this sense can be said to be part of Chinese culture and history. In this clear account, Xinzhong Yao and Yanxia Zhao move away from the traditional and outmoded definition of Chinese religion, the three institutional doctrines: Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism, towards a multi-layered hermeneutic of the syncretic nature and functions of religions in China. Additional features include questions for reflection and discussion and suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter.

This study deals with examples of Buddhist and Sivaite dvarapalas or temple-guardians from mainland Southeast Asia, compared to examples from Indonesia which are still in situ, that is to say on their original location, within the architectural layout of Buddhist and Sivsite sanctuaries. Two issues are dealt with. Firstly, that foreign frameworks (notably from southern India, southern Vietnam and Cambodia) iconographically and stylistically founded the dvarapala in Indonesia. Secondly, that the dvarapala in this latter area is the outcome of a distinct acculturation process of adoption and reinterpretation, based on local developments. This book contributes to knowledge of the dvaralapa, and as well as the text, provides a collection of 100 black-and-white plates of dvarapala statues. It is suitable for archaeologists, and those interested in Asian iconography and cultural history.