* Shares 159 short exercises and practices to tap instantly into your subconscious mind and receive answers to your most important questions * Explains how to dialogue with and understand the imagery and metaphors that arise during these practices * Offers powerful practices to discover your areas of "stuckness" and quickly clear them, thus releasing past traumas and ancestral patterns and freeing the flow of the imagination for enhanced creativity and joy in life In this step-by-step guide to kabbalistic practices to connect with your natural inner genius and liberate the light within you, Catherine Shainberg reveals how to tap instantly into the subconscious and receive answers to urgent questions. This method, called the Kabbalah of Light, originated with Rabbi Isaac the Blind of Posquieres (1160-1235) and has been passed down by an ancient kabbalistic family, the Sheshet of Gerona, in an unbroken transmission spanning more than 800 years. The modern lineage holder of the Kabbalah of Light, Shainberg shares 159 short experiential exercises and practices to help you begin dialoguing with your subconscious through images. The images that pop up during these practices are unexpected and revelatory, and she discusses how to open them to greater understanding. At first, they may show you aspects of yourself you don't like. But seeing them serves as both a diagnosis and a direct path to transformation. Fast and simple, the practices can help you discover your areas of "stuckness," release past traumas and ancestral patterns, free the imagination, and open the way to the bliss promised us in the Garden of Eden. Beginning this fertile dialogue with your inner world leads you to uncover your soul's purpose and manifest your dreams in this world. Once your inner dream world and outer reality have merged, you will be able to see your superconscious--your soul's blueprint--and experience the ecstatic illumination of a heart-centered life.

The twelfth century CE was a watershed moment for mysticism in the Muslim West. In al-Andalus, the pioneers of this mystical tradition, the Mu'tabirun or 'Contemplators', championed a synthesis between Muslim scriptural sources and Neoplatonic cosmology. Ibn Barrajan of Seville was most responsible for shaping this new intellectual approach, and is the focus of Yousef Casewit's book. Ibn Barrajan's extensive commentaries on the divine names and the Qur'an stress the significance of God's signs in nature, the Arabic bible as a means of interpreting the Qur'an, and the mystical crossing from the visible to the unseen. With an examination of the understudied writings of both Ibn Barrajan and his contemporaries, Ibn al-'Arif and Ibn Qasi, as well as the wider socio-political and scholarly context in al-Andalus, this book will appeal to researchers of the medieval Islamic world and the history of mysticism and Sufism in the Muslim West.

Including a textually long but spiritually endless journey toward insan al-kamil the perfect human this fourth volume approaches Sufism through the middle way, an approach that revives the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad. With an awareness of the social realities of the 21st century, concepts such as tranquility, the truth of divinity, life beyond the physical realm, the preserved tablet, the glorified attributes, and the beautiful names are delicately explained.

Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, 580 to 500 B.C.E., believed certain numbers held souls and incredible magical power... and one of those numbers happens to be 13.

Were the miracles performed by a mysterious Marian apparition at Fatima, Portugal, beginning on May 13, 1917 on each 13th day of the month until October 13, 1917, about a future solar event? Lewis has discovered that on October 13, 1917, the sun day danced in the sky and fell toward earth to the horror of 70,000 thousand people in Fatima, but not one witness described a golden sun. In fact, the sun aberrations were described as a huge stainless steel disc with a sharp edge.

Lewis theorizes the sun was a huge spacecraft and the Lady was an extraterrestrial who imparted a dire warning to humanity. The three secrets given to the three Fatima children by the Lady should have been released to the world by Vatican in 1960, but they weren't. Why? Did the message contain a catastrophic event or the truth that extraterrestrials exist and have an agenda for humanity?

Lewis further explores the spiritual war taking place on our planet now and how the number 13 is an occult number used by the Illuminati to wage their war against the Light.

Some of the strange synchronicities of 13:

- From May 13, 1917 through October 13, 1917 three children of Fatima, Portugal received three prophesies from a Marian apparition. Since 1917 the Vatican has refused to release the prophecies. Why?

- On October 13, 1917 over 70,000 people at Fatima witnessed the sun fall from the sky and spin wildly. The sun was described as a plate of dull silver with a sharp edge. Oddly, not one astronomer noted anything usual with the sun that day.

- On March 13, 1997, thousands witnessed the largest mass sighting of UFOs ever seen in modern times over Phoenix, AZ, known as the "Phoenix Lights." The City of Phoenix was named after the phoenix bird which is connected to the sun. Was this another message of the solar event?

- On August 13, 2001 one of the largest UK crop circle formations in recorded history was created with 409 spiral circles (409 totals 13) perhaps by extraterrestrials.

- On May 13, 2008 Vatican astronomer Father Funes stated that intelligent beings could exist in outer space. Was this a hint about the Fatima message?

- On March 13, 2013 Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope, a date that also equals 13. He chose the name Francis I from the 13th century saint Francis of Assisi. Find out why this Pope may not be the benevolent person he conveys to the world. Learn why 13 is a number closely linked throughout his life and why he should be known as POPE 13.

- Several mass killings took place in the United States on dates associated with the number 13. Were the killings part of mind control and evil agenda? - On May 13, 2013 four X-Class flares exploded from the sun, which is the exact month and day the children of Fatima were visited by two angelic beings in 1917. Although the sun has been strangely quiet, NASA predicts the sun's magnetic poles are set to flip any time. Could this solar event cause a mega flares aimed at earth that could take down the entire electrical grid? Note: On November 13, 2013 the U.S., Mexico and Canada had a grid-down preparedness drill.

"Coincidence? "Not in your life These odds are astronomical," says Lewis. "Thirteen may be the key to Earth's destiny."

The Origin of Sufism; Self Criticism; Reflection; Privacy & Seclusion; Heart; Hope or Expectation; Asceticism. People follow the Sufi path when they sense that Islam has a deeper dimension. The resulting self-purification leads to this inner dimension of Islamic rituals, a deeper understanding of the Divine acts, and a greater knowledge and love of Him. After this, God draws the novice to Himself. With the help of a spiritual guide, the novice begins the life-long journey back to God. This continual process of spiritual development along a path of the innate human poverty, helplessness, and powerlessness before God is undertaken in the knowledge that everything comes from God. Each novice does what is necessary to grow spiritually, and God bestows the appropriate blessings and stations. The highest aim of creation and its most sublime result is belief in God. The most exalted rank of humanity is knowledge of God. The most radiant happiness and sweetest bounty for jinn and humanity is love of God contained within the knowledge of God; the purest joy for the human spirit and the purest delight for the human heart is spiritual ecstasy contained within the love of God. Indeed, all true happiness, pure joy, sweet bounties, and unclouded pleasure are contained within the knowledge and love of God. And Sufism is the school where people can realise the highest aim of creation. Approximate running time: 360 minutes

What is Sufism? Reaching true belief in Gods Divine Oneness and living in accordance with its demands; Heeding the Divine Speech (the Quran), discerning and then obeying the commands of the Divine Power and will as they relate to the universe (the laws of creation and life); Overflowing with divine Love and getting along with all other beings in the realisation (originating from divine Love) that the universe is a cradle of brotherhood; Giving preference or precedence to the well-being and happiness of others; Being open to love, spiritual places and associating with people who encourage the avoidance of sin and striving in the way of God; Being content with permitted pleasures, and not taking even a single step toward that which is not permitted; Struggling continuously against worldly ambitions and illusions, which lead us to believe that this world is eternal. Approximate running time: 660 minutes

Can ecstatic experiences be studied with the academic instruments of rational investigation? What kinds of religious illumination are experienced by academically minded people? And what is the specific nature of the knowledge of God that university theologians of the Middle Ages enjoyed compared with other modes of knowing God, such as rapture, prophecy, the beatific vision, or simple faith? Ecstasy in the Classroom explores the interface between academic theology and ecstatic experience in the first half of the thirteenth century, formative years in the history of the University of Paris, medieval Europe's "fountain of knowledge." It considers little-known texts by William of Auxerre, Philip the Chancellor, William of Auvergne, Alexander of Hales, and other theologians of this community, thus creating a group portrait of a scholarly discourse. It seeks to do three things. The first is to map and analyze the scholastic discourse about rapture and other modes of cognition in the first half of the thirteenth century. The second is to explicate the perception of the self that these modes imply: the possibility of transformation and the complex structure of the soul and its habits. The third is to read these discussions as a window on the predicaments of a newborn community of medieval professionals and thereby elucidate foundational tensions in the emergent academic culture and its social and cultural context. Juxtaposing scholastic questions with scenes of contemporary courtly romances and reading Aristotle's Analytics alongside hagiographical anecdotes, Ecstasy in the Classroom challenges the often rigid historiographical boundaries between scholastic thought and its institutional and cultural context.

This is the fourth in an influential series of volumes on mysticism edited by Steven T. Katz, presenting a basic revaluation of the nature of mysticism. Each presents a collection of solicited papers by noted experts in the study of religion. This new volume explores how the great mystics and mystical traditions use, interpret, and reconstruct the sacred scriptures of their traditions.

Readers interested in Sri Aurobindo's life, poetry, philosophical thought, or spiritual practice can now find a great many resources to help them gain a deeper insight into this towering figure of twentieth-century India-one of the great triad that consists of Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sri Aurobindo. Given the large amount of literature now in existence, to wrestle with Sri Aurobindo's works and vision can take a lifetime. The question will always be, where to start to discover the measure of this man? How to begin to comprehend something of the great arc of life and spirit experienced by this extraordinary seer, thinker, poet, and mystic? These essays on the significance of Sri Aurobindo's six major works provide an excellent starting point for retracing his spiritual vision. They help us in so many ways to understand what he saw with such strength and conviction: how the historical evolution of cosmos, life, and history form one grand synthesis and symphonic whole. Aurobindo, the revolutionary turned yogi, was a puzzle to his contemporaries and remained one to later generations. This is probably still true today. But puzzles are there to be solved. These essays can help to do that. They dissolve some of the enigmas that surround Sri Aurobindo, even though not answering all our questions. They provide much substance for thought and further discussion, and invite us to gain a deeper familiarity with one of the great minds of modern India, whose inspiring spiritual message can transform one's life and help to change the world. -Ursula King from the Foreword

The experiences of an ordinary man on the pilgrim's path are charted in this narrative that walks along the Camino Frances to the shrine of Saint James at Santiago de Compostela and then on to Finisterre, the westernmost point of Spain. The history of the Camino is recounted, as well as several of the myths, legends, and miracle stories that have become attached-and given special meaning-to this itinerary. Emphasizing that personal myths are an essential part of this lore, this chronicle also includes stories from the confraternity of the pilgrims, people from all corners of the world who visit this walk for a great diversity of reasons, but all of whom leave having experienced the same miracle-that this pilgrimage will play a defining role in their lives.

Thomas Merton was recognized as one of those rare Western minds that are entirely at home with the Zen experience. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious concepts-early monasticism, Russian Orthodox spirituality, the Shakers, and Zen Buddhism-with characteristic Western directness. Merton not only studied these religions from the outside but grasped them by empathy and living participation from within. "All these studies," wrote Merton, "are united by one central concern: to understand various ways in which men of different traditions have conceived the meaning and method of the 'way' which leads to the highest levels of religious or of metaphysical awareness."

The Fire Within: This issue will center around the cultivation of advanced magical skills, featured pieces addressing the modern magical community such as protection magic for the pagan activist, the sacred relationships with Brigid, Goddess worship in the 21st century, and spell and ritual content. This issue will be available to the public in both hardcopy and e-copy from most major retailers, pagan and metaphysical shops, and Amazon. Contributors include: Devin Hunter Rowan Pendragon David Salisbury Gede Parma Ealayne Lockhart Storm Faerywolf Chas Bogan Tim Titus Taylor Ellwood Yeshe Rabbit

The journey of Jesus of Nazareth, called the Christ or the Anointed One, is the template for every human being in search of reconnection with their spiritual origins and identity. He is known as "the first fruit of many" and the stages of his spiritual journey, along with his teachings, trace the path -- the Way -- for each human being of every century and culture toward their true destiny: encounter with the living Presence which transforms us into "partakers of the Divine Nature." This book is divided into two sections: PART 1 The Journey PART 2 The Fruits of the Journey Included are some of the following themes: Wilderness The Invitation The Core Teachings Becoming Disciples Rebirth Meister Eckhart and the Birth Within The Dark Night of the Soul Lost Teachings of Ancient Christianity The Individual and the Community Learning to Forgive

"Creation of the New" is a post-apocalyptic vision for our times. Imagery and metaphor best describe "Creation of the New." Its words reflect the powerful effects brought forth by its author Mari Perron. Her authentic mystical voice is reminiscent of Mechtild of Magdeburg; at once feminine and supremely intelligent. "Creation" introduces a post-apocalyptic era. Perron is not hesitant to use apocalyptic language, or to acknowledge the apocalyptic nature of the times in which we live, yet her emphasis is upon the prophetic announcement of the birth of the new "Babe," the "jewel of humanity" hidden in the obvious. Creation's message is of imminent importance in these turbulent and painful times. As we each experience the apocalypse with ourselves - as the death of the old and birth of the new - the same crisis of death and rebirth is occurring in the world. It is in progress. Our awareness and embrace of this transformational time is crucial to keeping "the burning Cause of hope alive within the heart when no cause is left for hope."

The 'Pistis Sophia' is arguably the most important Gnostic document we possess. Dated as early as the second century AD, this Coptic manuscript was found in Egypt and, until the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library, constituted the major source of unbiased knowledge on the Gnostic faith. This ancient text relates that Jesus remained in the world for a further eleven years after his resurrection, and taught his disciples the secret doctrine of initiation, in obedience to the Divine Will, which instructed Him to reveal the highest mysteries of salvation to humanity. The book is remarkable for its deeply mystical teaching, its description of the spiritual hierarchies, its belief in reincarnation, and the comprehensive account it gives of the ascent and descent of the human soul. It is an extraordinarily comprehensive body of doctrine and, among a host of other insights, grants us a new perspective on Baptism, the Psalms, the role of women in the church, and the basic teachings of the New Testament.

Between 1300 and 1500 C.E. a new form of Sufi Islam took hold among central Islamic peoples, joining individuals through widespread networks resembling today's prominent paths and orders. Understanding contemporary Sufism requires a sophisticated analysis of these formative years. Moving beyond a straight account of leaders and movements, Shahzad Bashir weaves a rich history around the depiction of bodily actions by Sufi masters and disciples, primarily in Sufi literature and Persian miniature paintings of the period.

Focusing on the Persianate societies of Iran and Central Asia, Bashir explores medieval Sufis' conception of the human body as the primary shuttle between interior ( "batin") and exterior ( "zahir") realities. Drawing on literary, historical, and anthropological approaches to corporeality, he studies representations of Sufi bodies in three personal and communal arenas: religious activity in the form of ritual, asceticism, rules of etiquette, and a universal hierarchy of saints; the deep imprint of Persian poetic paradigms on the articulation of love, desire, and gender; and the reputation of Sufi masters for working miracles, which empowered them in all domains of social activity.

Bashir's novel perspective illuminates complex relationships between body and soul, body and gender, body and society, and body and cosmos. It highlights love as an overarching, powerful emotion in the making of Sufi communities and situates the body as a critical concern in Sufi thought and practice. Bashir's work ultimately offers a new methodology for extracting historical information from religious narratives, especially those depicting extraordinary and miraculous events.

This collection of contributed essays challenges the widely accepted interpretation of mystical experience as a constructed and mediated product of previously held beliefs and concepts. Forman and his colleagues argue for the existence of a single type of mystical experience that cuts across cultural and linguistic lines.

The most complete collection of Eckhart's writings: Sermons and Collations; Tractates; Sayings; Liber Positionum; In Collationibus; The Book of Benedictus; Bibliography.

THIS 80 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: At One with the Invisible Or Studies in Mysticism, by George Aaron Barton. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766175324.