This book explores the entanglements of gender and power in spiritual practices and analyzes strategies used by spiritual practitioners to attain what to social scientists might seem an impossible goal: creating spiritual communities without creating gendered hierarchies. What strategies do people within these networks use to attain gender equality and gendered empowerment? How do they try to protect and develop individual freedom? How do gender and power nevertheless play a role? The chapters in this book together and separately demonstrate that, in order to understand contemporary spirituality, the analytical lenses of gender and power are essential. Furthermore, they show that it is not possible to make a clear distinction between established religions and contemporary spirituality: the two sometimes overlap, and at other times spirituality distances itself from religion while reproducing some of its underlying interpretative frameworks. This book does not take the discourses of spiritual practitioners for granted, yet recognizes the reflexivity of spiritual practitioners and the reciprocal relationship between spirituality and disciplines such as anthropology. The ethnographic descriptions of lived spirituality included in this volume span a wide range of countries, from Portugal, Italy, and the Netherlands to Mexico and Israel.

This is an original contemporary expression of the timeless wisdom of Enlightenment. The fruition of Andrew Cohen's fifteen years as a spiritual teacher, this book presents a radical psychology of liberation. It takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery that reveals not only the liberating fact of our true nature, but the way to live that truth in this world.

"Elizabeth Clare Prophet's book is a masterpiece. The rich tradition of the Kabbalah comes to life in a language that is accessible even to those unfamiliar with this ancient and classic tradition." Caroline Myss, Ph.D., NY Times bestselling author of "Anatomy of the Spirit."

This volume, first published in 2002, presents a sophisticated analysis of the musical instruments, repertoires, musicians and ensembles, and symbolism of the ritual music of Shamans of Seoul, Korea. Placed firmly in a social and historical context, it shows that Shamanism, considered superstition by many today, is alive and well in Seoul in a rich tradition reaching back to the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910), the capital of which was Hanyang (now Seoul). The instruments, dress and other accoutrements of courtly life from the Choson Dynasty have been taken up, although transformed, in contemporary rituals among spirit-possessed Shamans. Through a comparison of Hanyang kut - the rituals of the Hanyang Shamans - and the ritual practice of Inner Asian Shamans, and through an analysis of the relations of spirit-possession music rituals to musok, the indigenous religion of Korea, Seo sheds light on the role of music, spiritual practice and culture in present-day Korea.

Glossolalia (paranormal speaking in tongues) and zenolalia (paranormal speaking in allegedly foreign languages) are features of many sub-cultures and religions. The most obvious example is Pentecostalism, where every believer in many denominations is expected to speak in tongues at least once - the gift in other cultures being limited to individuals, shamans and mediums. This book, first published in 1978, surveys the practice of 'speaking in tongues' in anthropology, Christianity and spiritualism, and provides an analysis of the psychological, theological and linguistic considerations of the phenomenon.

New Age and holistic beliefs and practices - sometimes called the "new spirituality" - are widely distributed across modern global society. The fluid and popular nature of new age makes these movements a very challenging field to understand using traditional models of religious analysis. Rather than treating new age as an exotic specimen on the margins of 'proper' religion, "New Age Spirituality" examines these movements as a form of everyday or lived religion. The book brings together an international range of scholars to explore the key issues: insight, healing, divination, meditation, gnosis, extraordinary experiences, and interactions with gods, spirits and superhuman powers. Combining discussion of contemporary beliefs and practices with cutting-edge theoretical analysis, the book repositions new age spirituality at the forefront of the contemporary study of religion.

This book examines the current use of digital media in religious engagement and how new media can influence and alter faith and spirituality. As technologies are introduced and improved, they continue to raise pressing questions about the impact, both positive and negative, that they have on the lives of those that use them. The book also deals with some of the more futuristic and speculative topics related to transhumanism and digitalization. Including an international group of contributors from a variety of disciplines, chapters address the intersection of religion and digital media from multiple perspectives. Divided into two sections, the chapters included in the first section of the book present case studies from five major religions: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism and their engagement with digitalization. The second section of the volume explores the moral, ideological but also ontological implications of our increasingly digital lives. This book provides a uniquely comprehensive overview of the development of religion and spirituality in the digital age. As such, it will be of keen interest to scholars of Digital Religion, Religion and Media, Religion and Sociology, as well as Religious Studies and New Media more generally, but also for every student interested in the future of religion and spirituality in a completely digitalized world.

How close is spirituality to psychosis? Covering the interrelation of psychosis and spirituality from a number of angles, Insanity and Divinity will generate dialogue and discussion, aid critical reflection and stimulate creative approaches to clinical work for those interested in the connections between religious studies, psychoanalysis, anthropology and hagiography. Bringing together an international range of contributors and covering many different types of religious experience, this book presents its theme in three parts: Psychoanalysis, belief and mysticism Anthropology, history and hagiography Psychology, psychosis and religious experience. Each section includes discussion of the hinterland between madness and religious experience from the perspective of a number of religions, autobiographical accounts of those who have experienced a psychosis in which spirituality played a key part and a comprehensive review of the position of psychology research into the meaning and function of spirituality in relation to the psychoses. Insightful, enlightening and wide-ranging, Insanity and Divinity is ideal for clinicians, academics and chaplains working in clinical settings.

Originally written as a manual of spiritual instruction, this crucial work of medieval Islamic thought examines Sufi and mystical influences within the Muslim tradition to provide insight into the intellectual and religious history of the Muslim world. Written by one of the most famous theologian-mystics of all time, it is an in-depth discussion of two essential virtues of the religious and spiritual life: patience and thankfulness. Compelling and insightful, this exploration defines these virtues and examines their place in the Islamic worldview, with particular attention paid to their attainment and the influences that divert people from these virtues. This first-ever academic translation includes an introduction to the structure and development of al-Ghazali's thought, as well as a biography, appendix, and index.

The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781472453983, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative 4.0 license. Experiences of hearing the voice of God (or angels, demons, or other spiritual beings) have generally been understood either as religious experiences or else as a feature of mental illness. Some critics of traditional religious faith have dismissed the visions and voices attributed to biblical characters and saints as evidence of mental disorder. However, it is now known that many ordinary people, with no other evidence of mental disorder, also hear voices and that these voices not infrequently include spiritual or religious content. Psychological and interdisciplinary research has shed a revealing light on these experiences in recent years, so that we now know much more about the phenomenon of "hearing voices" than ever before. The present work considers biblical, historical, and scientific accounts of spiritual and mystical experiences of voice hearing in the Christian tradition in order to explore how some voices may be understood theologically as revelatory. It is proposed that in the incarnation, Christian faith finds both an understanding of what it is to be fully human (a theological anthropology), and God's perfect self-disclosure (revelation). Within such an understanding, revelatory voices represent a key point of interpersonal encounter between human beings and God.

This accessible study of Northern European shamanistic practice, or seidr, explores the way in which the ancient Norse belief systems evoked in the Icelandic Sagas and Eddas have been rediscovered and reinvented by groups in Europe and North America. The book examines the phenomenon of altered consciousness and the interactions of seid-workers or shamanic practitioners with their spirit worlds in historical and political contexts. Written by a follower of seidr, this study not only investigates, but also addresses those new communities involved in a postmodern quest for spiritual meaning.

This key text presents an accessible and diverse exploration of spirituality in mental health practice, broadening the definition of spirituality to comprise a variety of transcendent experiences. Chapters include a brief history of the tensions of spirituality in mental health practice and consider a range of emerging topics, from spirituality among the elderly and energy work (Reiki), to spirituality in addiction recovery, incarceration, and hospice work. The book offers a close examination of the limits of the medical model of care, making a case for a more spiritually sensitive practice. Rich case examples are woven throughout, and the book is paired with podcasts that can be applied across chapters, illuminating the narrative stories and building active listening and teaching skills. Suitable for students of social work and counseling at master's level, as well as practicing clinicians, Spirituality in Mental Health Practice is an essential text for widening our understanding of how spiritual frameworks can enrich mental health practice.

At the time when existentialism was a dominant intellectual and cultural force, a number of commentators observed that some of the language of existential philosophy, not least its interpretation of human existence in terms of nothingness, evoked the language of so-called mystical writers. This book takes on this observation and explores the evidence for the influence of mysticism on the philosophy of existentialism. It begins by delving into definitions of mysticism and existentialism, and then traces the elements of mysticism present in German and French thought during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The book goes on to make original contributions to the study of figures including Kierkegaard, Buber, Heidegger, Beauvoir, Sartre, Marcel, Camus, Weil, Bataille, Berdyaev, and Tillich, linking their existentialist philosophy back to some of the key concerns of the mystical tradition. Providing a unique insight into how these two areas have overlapped and interacted, this study is vital reading for any academic with an interest in twentieth-century philosophy, theology and religious studies.

Fear has taken on an outsized role in our current cultural and political context. Manufactured threats are advanced with little to no evidence of danger, while real threats are exaggerated for self-interested gain. This steady diet of fear produces unhealthy moral lives, leading many Christians to focus more on the dangers we wish to avoid than the goods we wish to pursue. As a fearful people, we are tempted to make safety our highest good and to make virtues of suspicion, preemption, and accumulation. But this leaves the church ill-equipped to welcome the stranger, love the enemy, or give to those in need. This timely resource brings together cultural analysis and theological insight to explore a Christian response to the culture of fear. Laying out a path from fear to faithfulness, theologian Scott Bader-Saye explores practices that embody Jesus's call to place our trust in him, inviting Christian communities to take the risks of hospitality, peacemaking, and generosity. This book has been revised throughout, updated to connect with today's readers, and includes new discussion questions.

Dr Deepak Chopra, the world-famous pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, addresses one of the fundamental questions of existence: what happens when we die?. Drawing upon personal experience, the wisdom of ancient Vedic philosophy and state-of-the-art particle physics, Chopra helps us to overcome our fears about dying and to consider the fantastic possibilities that may await us in the afterlife. This is the book that Dr Chopra has been preparing to write his entire life. In it, he considers the theory that death is an illusion of the senses and that the soul survives in an ongoing spiral of refinement, ending in enlightenment. Thought-provoking exercises offer a first-hand experience of these and other ideas, helping you to make sense of your own spirituality whatever path you choose to follow, and offering you your very own map of eternity.

A devotional-style book for the modern seeker, intended to help them remember the divine wisdom they carry within and utilize it to create a life that is authentic. Are you ready to activate your inner goddess? 365 Days of Divine Feminine Wisdom is a devotional-style book for today's spiritual seeker. In it, you will learn how to deepen your connection with yourself and your spirituality, discover who you really are, and find the courage to create a life you love by using your innate gifts and power. Each daily entry reflects upon the different aspects of Divine Feminine energy that are always active within us, regardless of age or experience: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. These aspects are linked to the milestones that we experience throughout our lives as we get in touch with the goddess within us. These aspects are also connected to the phases of the moon, as well as to the seasons. Each daily entry draws wisdom from the three-part feminine archetype, according to the time of year: January to April provides inspiration from the Maiden aspect; May to August offers guidance from the Mother aspect; and September to December reveals knowledge from the Crone aspect. This helps readers gain a full understanding of their innate gifts and wisdom, as well the phases they naturally go through each year as they continue to grow, evolve, and live their best life.

In this final volume of the series "Jesus, the Christ", Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind continues his careful and critical examination of the scriptures and practices of Christianity, and contrasts them with the requisites of true spiritual growth and the unification of man and God. Dr Thind asks hard questions, and answers them with keen and cutting insight. Why was God's greatest creation -- man -- so imperfect as to require a saviour? Why did God wait millennia before sending him; and why is man's redemption still incomplete, two thousand years later? How -- and by whom -- were the gospels composed, and why is there no record of Jesus' life other than the brief period of his ministry? What meaning can we ascribe to some of Jesus apparently irrational words and deeds? And why does Jesus never smile, but often weep? No defunct saviour -- be he Christian or Sikh, Jew or Gentile -- can ever save mankind. Rather, a living and present guru is needed to assist each individual in seeking his own perfect unification with God, which can only be accomplished through meditation on His Holy Nam. The seeker must transcend both his human and animal nature, and all other pairs of opposites, knowing that struggle and suffering are essential to the growth of the soul on its Godward path. Ultimately, we must learn to see reality with God's eyes, as He Himself sees it. This rational, pragmatic, and testable approach to religion is the essence of Sant-Mat, or Spiritual Science. Indeed, science and religion are complementary, not opposites -- for, as Dr Thind points out, what is true in one cannot be false in the other.

WORLD-RENOWNED BESTSELLING AUTHOR CARLOS CASTANEDA'S SELECTION OF HIS WRITINGS ON THE SHAMANS OF ANCIENT MEXICO

Near the end of his life, Carlos Castaneda gathered together and reviewed his seminal works on his training as a shaman initiate, recorded in a literary career that spans over thirty years. The result is this groundbreaking collection of quotations -- the essence of Carlos Castaneda, drawn from his landmark volumes including The Teachings of Don Juan, Journey to Ixtlan, A Separate Reality, and Tales of Power. Enhanced with an introduction and original commentary by the author, this powerful work illuminates the shaman's life as never before. Castaneda's words explore how the ancient shamans could literally touch and direct the wheel of time -- a profound yet pragmatic tradition that can be felt even in our day.