World Religions
This easy-to-understand overview of the basics of Buddhism is an invaluable resource for the new or seasoned practitioner This user's guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions--beginning with "What is the essence of the Buddha's teachings?"--and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron's responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction--as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life. Buddhism for Beginners is an ideal first book on the subject for anyone, but it's also a wonderful resource for seasoned students, since the question-and-answer format makes it easy to find just the topic you're looking for, such as: - What is the goal of the Buddhist path?
- What is karma?
- If all phenomena are empty, does that mean nothing exists?
- How can we deal with fear?
- How do I establish a regular meditation practice?
- What are the qualities I should look for in a teacher?
- What is Buddha-nature?
- Why can't we remember our past lives?
- What is karma?
- If all phenomena are empty, does that mean nothing exists?
- How can we deal with fear?
- How do I establish a regular meditation practice?
- What are the qualities I should look for in a teacher?
- What is Buddha-nature?
- Why can't we remember our past lives?
Stunning power lies at the heart of the Hawaiian islands. With unparalleled beauty and a rich sense of tradition, Hawai'i is truly a world apart--a magnificent culture unmatched in its modes of spiritual expression.
Celebrated author Scott Cunningham offers a sociological and historical perspective on the fascinating beliefs and practices of the Hawaiian people before the advent of Christianity. Discover traditional methods of divination, omen-reading, and sorcery; take a close look at the ways of the deities; learn about social customs, taboos, and superstitions; and see how ghosts and night marchers embody the Polynesian concept of the ever-present human spirit.
The spirituality of ancient Hawai'i was deeply rooted in the land, the wind, the rain, and the ocean. Hawaiian Magic & Spirituality will introduce you to its enduring legacy. An enchanting world of myth and magic awaits your discovery...
A unique collection of funerary texts from a wide variety of sources, dating from the 15th to the 4th century BC Consisting of spells, prayers and incantations, each section contains the words of power to overcome obstacles in the afterlife. The papyruses were often left in sarcophagi for the dead to use as passports on their journey from burial, and were full of advice about the ferrymen, gods and kings they would meet on the way. Offering valuable insights into ancient Egypt, The Book of the Dead has also inspired fascination with the occult and the afterlife in recent years. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
The myth of Shangri-la originates in Tibetan Buddhist beliefs in beyul, or hidden lands, sacred sanctuaries that reveal themselves to devout pilgrims and in times of crisis. The more remote and inaccessible the beyul, the vaster its reputed qualities. Ancient Tibetan prophecies declare that the greatest of all hidden lands lies at the heart of the forbidding Tsangpo Gorge, deep in the Himalayas and veiled by a colossal waterfall. Nineteenth-century accounts of this fabled waterfall inspired a series of ill-fated European expeditions that ended prematurely in 1925 when the intrepid British plant collector Frank Kingdon-Ward penetrated all but a five-mile section of the Tsangpo's innermost gorge and declared that the falls were no more than a "religious myth" and a "romance of geography." The heart of the Tsangpo Gorge remained a blank spot on the map of world exploration until world-class climber and Buddhist scholar Ian Baker delved into the legends. Whatever cryptic Tibetan scrolls or past explorers had said about the Tsangpo's innermost gorge, Baker determined, could be verified only by exploring the uncharted five-mile gap. After several years of encountering sheer cliffs, maelstroms of impassable white water, and dense leech-infested jungles, on the last of a series of extraordinary expeditions, Baker and his National Geographic-sponsored team reached the depths of the Tsangpo Gorge. They made news worldwide by finding there a 108-foot-high waterfall, the legendary grail of Western explorers and Tibetan seekers alike. The Heart of the World is one of the most captivating stories of exploration and discovery in recent memory--an extraordinary journey to one of the wildest and most inaccessible places on earth and a pilgrimage to the heart of the Tibetan Buddhist faith.
From ancient sages, spiritual teachers such as the Buddha, philosophers including Plato and Seneca to modern-day quantum physicists, life-long student of religions and spiritual traditions, philosophy and quantum physics, Clare Goldsberry, walks us through the mystery of death and dying, as well as the questions of the meaning and purpose of life. With her insights as a Buddhist practitioner and teacher, student of Hinduism, as well as the journey of the cancer diagnosis of her significant other and his death, she provides a unique view into living and dying as seen through the ages from those who've sought answers into this most mysterious of experiences--this thing we call death.
First published in France in 1929, Magic and Mystery in Tibet tells the story of the author's experiences in Tibet, among lamas and magicians. Alexandra David-Neel's memoir offers an objective account of the supernatural events she witnessed during the 1920s among the mystics and hermits of Tibet--including levitation, telepathy, and the ability to walk on water! She tells of great sages and sorcerers that she met; of the system of monastic education; the great teachers and their disciples; Tibetan folklore about these spiritual athletes; reincarnation and memory from previous lives; elaborate magical rites to obtain enlightenment; the horrible necromantic magic of the pre-Buddhist Bonpa shamas; mental visualization exercises to create disembodied thought forms (tulpas); visions; phenomena of physical yoga, control of the body heat mechanism; breathing exercises; sending "messages on the wind"; and much similar material. An unusual aspect of her book is that she herself experienced many of the phenomena she describes, yet she describes them with precision and in a matter-of-fact manner, permitting the reader to draw his own conclusions about validity, interpretation in terms of psychology, and value. Particularly interesting for the modern experiencer are her detailed instructions for tumo (the yoga of heat control) and creation of thought projections. This deluxe edition has all of the original photographs plus additional photos and maps, as well several introductions. Chapters include: Tibet and the Lamas; A Guest of the Lamas; A Famous Tibetan Monastery; Dealing with Ghosts and Demons, Disciples of Yore and their Contemporary Emulators; Psychic Sports; Mystic Theories and Spiritual Training; Psychic Phenomena in Tibet--How Tibetans Explain Them; more.
Let your imagination unfold, glimpse a land shrouded in mystery, and become enlightened through the profound spiritual truths of an ancient land. This dynamic book enables you to work with the Egyptian gods and goddesses--and gain deep insight into your nature while experiencing a full awakening of your consciousness.
Pathworking with the Egyptian Gods takes you deep into the Egyptian Mysteries, bringing nineteen major deities to life through guided pathworkings. After a soul-level initiation, you will tour this ancient land through astral travel techniques, commune with the gods, and bear witness to ancient Egypt's history, mythology, daily life, and spiritual practices. Discover the enduring legends behind the deities and connect to their potent energies with rituals, meditations, blessings, consecrations, hymns, and their sacred names.
Embrace the Egyptian gods with your heart and mind--and discover your true, innermost self.
Discover how to use the spiritual teachings of the Tree of Life to learn more about yourself, improve your experience on Earth, and fulfill your life purpose. The Qabalah is a Western non-religious mystic tradition (differing from the Kabbalah, which is an aspect of Jewish mysticism) offering teachings on the nature of divinity, the creation, the origin and fate of the soul, and the role of human beings. It consists of meditative, devotional, and mystical practices, including astrology, tarot, and magic. The central organizational system of the Qabalah is the Tree of Life - a mystical symbol consisting of ten interconnected spheres and considered to be a map of the universe and the psyche, the order of the creation of the cosmos, and a path to spiritual illumination. This introductory book breaks down the ideas of the Tree of Life into an easy to follow path, and shows how to use it effectively in our lives. Readers will learn:
- the meaning of each of the spheres
- a ritual and a meditation for each sphere
- the gods, archangels, crystals, and magical tools connected to each sphere and how to work with them
- how to set up a personal temple and create their own magical symbol
- how to chant the Qabalistic prayer to draw down the Archangels for protection This book was previously published in the Hay House Basics series.
- the meaning of each of the spheres
- a ritual and a meditation for each sphere
- the gods, archangels, crystals, and magical tools connected to each sphere and how to work with them
- how to set up a personal temple and create their own magical symbol
- how to chant the Qabalistic prayer to draw down the Archangels for protection This book was previously published in the Hay House Basics series.
Identifies the patterns of our planet's design within the natural landscape - Explains the geometry inherent in the mountains and coasts on all continents - Reveals how ancient monuments were built to reflect and enhance the Earth's design, often connecting sites around the world - Includes detailed maps that show the simple geometrical relationships among the world's mountains, coastlines, islands, and ancient monuments From continent to continent across the globe, Mark Vidler and Catherine Young reveal that order is everywhere on Earth. On remote islands, soaring summits, and level deltas, they unveil natural topographic patterns related to pi, the golden ratio, and right-triangle geometry. And as the planet's design emerges, it becomes clear that this hidden order in nature decided the location of ancient monuments the world over. Through detailed maps, Vidler and Young show how the locations of megalithic monuments reflect and enhance a natural pattern on the Earth that connects its major features. The rows of standing stones at Carnac in France, for example, point to the summits of Mount Everest and K2, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia is on a straight line joining Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and the tip of Cape Comorin in India. The authors examine the geography of many islands and each continent, including Antarctica, to show how the highest peak on each landmass falls on a line connecting coastal extremes. They reveal how circles of standing stones and man-made mounds mark intersections of these lines. They explore the connection between the Nazca lines in Peru and the Amazon, Nile, and Ganges deltas and explain how the locations of the Giza pyramids, Stonehenge, and Machu Picchu are integrated into the natural design on Earth. As they uncover geometric patterns on the Earth line by line, point by point, the authors reveal how the world's ancient monuments represent a form of transglobal communication that far predates the written word.
In yoga practice, mantra and kirtan (call-and-response devotional chanting) get short shrift in the West because they aren't well understood, though they are an integral part of almost every Eastern spiritual practice. They are designed to provide access into the psyche while their underlying mythology helps us understand how our psychology affects daily life. Sacred Sound shares the myths behind the mantras and kirtans, illuminating their meaning and putting their power and practicality within reach of every reader. Each of the twenty-one mantras and kirtans presented includes the Sanskrit version, the transliteration, the translation, suggestions for chanting, the underlying myth, and its modern-day implications. Based on Alanna Kaivalya's years of teaching and studying the myths and sacred texts, this book offers a way into one of the most life-changing aspects of yoga practice.