Open your mind and heart and discover how the sacred art of
fasting can strengthen your spiritual appetite

Fasting as a religious act increases our sensitivity to that mystery always and everywhere present to us . It is an invitation to awareness, a call to compassion for the needy, a cry of distress, and a song of joy. It is a discipline of self-restraint, a ritual of purification, and a sanctuary for offerings of atonement. It is a wellspring for the spiritually dry, a compass for the spiritually lost, and inner nourishment for the spiritually hungry. from chapter 9

Though fasting is practiced in some form by nearly every faith tradition throughout the world, it is often seen as scary or something only for monastic life. But fasting doesn t have to be intimidating. And it doesn t have to mean going weeks without food.

"The Sacred Art of Fasting" invites you to explore the practical approaches, spiritual motivations, and physical benefits of this ancient practice by looking at the ways it is observed in several faith traditions. Inspiring personal reflections, helpful advice, and encouragement from people who practice fasting answer your questions, allay your fears, and reveal how you too can safely incorporate fasting into your spiritual life.

Trust the Creativity within You Then Get Out of Its Way

This] is the invitation of the inner creative spirit: you are created to create. The creative potential within you is one of the things that makes you in the image and likeness of God. Whether your medium be music, watercolors, clay, gardening, woodworking, writing, cooking, dance or voice, the Creator has gifted you with creativity. Your gift in return is to use it. from the Conclusion

This inspiring guide shows you how to cultivate your creative spirit, particularly in the second half of life, as a way to encourage personal growth, enrich your spiritual life and deepen your communion with God.

Each chapter provides questions for reflection to help you identify your creative energy, overcome your insecurities, and connect with your chosen method of expression. Practical exercises at the end of each chapter help you awaken your creative spirit within.

Whether you re a novice or expert; young adult, middle age or golden age; you will be challenged by this invigorating call to set free your creative potential.

Open your mind and heart and discover how the sacred art of fasting can strengthen your spiritual appetite "Fasting as a religious act increases our sensitivity to that mystery always and everywhere present to us…. It is an invitation to awareness, a call to compassion for the needy, a cry of distress, and a song of joy. It is a discipline of self-restraint, a ritual of purification, and a sanctuary for offerings of atonement. It is a wellspring for the spiritually dry, a compass for the spiritually lost, and inner nourishment for the spiritually hungry." —from chapter 9 Though fasting is practiced in some form by nearly every faith tradition throughout the world, it is often seen as scary or something only for monastic life. But fasting doesn't have to be intimidating. And it doesn’t have to mean going weeks without food. The Sacred Art of Fasting invites you to explore the practical approaches, spiritual motivations, and physical benefits of this ancient practice by looking at the ways it is observed in several faith traditions. Inspiring personal reflections, helpful advice, and encouragement from people who practice fasting answer your questions, allay your fears, and reveal how you too can safely incorporate fasting into your spiritual life.

Discover How Hopkins's Spiritual Life and Vision Can Enlighten Your Own "Poetry and art and music seize upon the human experience in ways that reveal new possibilities of intimacy with the Divine. In the way they reach out and grab us by the heart at unexpected times, they reaffirm that the Holy will meet us when it chooses.…" —from the Preface by Rev. Thomas Ryan, CSP Gerard Manley Hopkins, Christian mystical poet, is beloved for his use of fresh language and startling metaphors to describe the world around him. Beneath the surface of this lovely verse lies a searching soul, wrestling with and yearning for God. Hopkins writes from a Christian background, and yet his themes speak to people of all faiths who seek a deeper understanding of the presence of God in all of life. This beautiful sampling of Hopkins's poetry offers a glimpse into his unique spiritual vision that continues to inspire readers throughout the world. The poems unite his two devotions, presenting mystical images of Christ in the natural world, which serve as a window through which you might also begin to see the Divine Presence in the world around you.

Selected as a Doody's Core Title for 2022! Continuing the long-standing Feigenbaum tradition as an authoritative, comprehensive echocardiography resource, the thoroughly revised Feigenbaum's Echocardiography, Eighth Edition, helps echocardiographers, fellows, clinicians, and sonographers master the art and science of echocardiography and stay current with all that's new in the field. Written by William F. Armstrong and Thomas Ryan, it guides you through pertinent physics, technology, clinical applications, and new developments in the field. As in the past, the book is written primarily for the practitioner who uses echocardiographic methods to care for and manage patients, with a focus on appropriate clinical applications. Features enhanced online content including echo clips, case studies, and more. Includes new content specifically for cardiac sonographers. Reflects new training guidelines for cardiology fellows emphasizing the importance of echocardiography in the general practice of cardiology. Describes the interrelationship of other imaging technologies with echocardiography and the role of echo as part of a multimodality approach to patients. Contains more than 1,600 high-quality illustrations - 600 in full color. Covers the use of 3D echocardiography and perfusion imaging; current AHA/ACC guidelines, appropriate use guidelines, and the mechanics and utility of strain and strain rate imaging. Enhance Your eBook Reading Experience Read directly on your preferred device(s), such as computer, tablet, or smartphone. Easily convert to audiobook, powering your content with natural language text-to-speech.

Biologist Margo Green (Penelope Ann Miller) teams up with police Lieutenant D'Agosta (Tom Sizemore) to investigate a series of grisly murders at her place of work - the Natural History museum. Can there be a link with the recently-arrived crates belonging to a missing anthropologist from Brazil? All that is found in the crates are some leaves covered with a strange fungus, which when analysed proves capable of mutating whoever eats it. When a guard is killed and a headless body interrupts the museum's exhibition gala, Margo and D'Agosta discover that there is an ancient killer monster on the loose.

A young woman named Deseray Underwood has been found dead, in her London lodgings, by her finance Samuel Mortimer. The body itself shows no signs of a struggle. Lestrade, baffled by the cause of death, summons the aid of Sherlock Holmes and his great powers of deduction. Holmes stumbles upon one single clue, a crystal blue bottle, which sends him and Watson on a wild chase through the streets of London in pursuit of answers to this young woman's sudden demise. A death that would make any benefactor very wealthy.