World Religions

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...

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.

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.

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.