Collection: Spirituality & Religion

The world of Fairy has intrigued humanity across folklore and literature for as long as we have written records and into the modern period. This book seeks to detangle the convoluted history of the world of Fairy by looking at the various cultural beliefs that form the basis of the wider view and explore how those beliefs interact and impact each other. We will explore the Irish Soal Eile, Scottish Elfland, English Fairy, and Welsh Annwn before delving into modern and popcultural understandings of this Otherworld so intrinsically bound to our own.

A funny, wise, and relatable exploration of how to stand firm amid the ups and downs of existence, from a renowned teacher and writer hailed as "the future of Buddhism"

In today's culture of intense polarization and constant change, how do we find the confidence to navigate life's challenges? Is now really the time for meditation, for looking inward? What do we do with mindfulness? Ethan Nichtern, described by Vogue.com as "a supercool, deeply kind brainiac," and one of the leading meditation teachers of our time, tackles these questions head-on in Confidence. This provocative book takes contemporary considerations of power, identity, ethics, and confidence to new heights, offering readers an essential guide to self-discovery.

Nichtern examines the Buddhist concept of the Eight Worldly Winds, the four paired opposites of praise and blame, pleasure and pain, fame and insignificance, and success and failure. By delving into these dichotomies, readers gain invaluable insights into their relationships with others (including teachers, friends, leaders, the disgraced, and the adored) and themselves. With four transformative meditation exercises, this book empowers readers to cultivate and access their innate confidence and wisdom.

In this forty-fifth anniversary edition, a humble, one-armed Swiss farmer named Billy Meier documents his date with destiny with hundreds of photos, videos, and written conversations with extraterrestrial visitors from the Pleiades star cluster. UFO...Contact from the Pleiades offers the inside story of one of the most remarkable and convincing extraterrestrial encounters ever reported.

For the first time--forty-five years after their original publication--the two photo-journal volumes of UFO...Contact from the Pleiades are combined in one book for a modern audience, with a new foreword written by Shirley MacLaine, a prologue written by Mexican UFOlogist Jamie Maussan, and a new introduction and preface written by Brit Elders.

This photo-journal presents the unique contact case of a Swiss farmer, Billy Meier, who claims to have met with the Pleiadians hundreds of times, compiling many layers of evidence including notes on their conversations, hundreds of photographs, movie footage, audio recordings of the craft, landing tracks of the spaceships, dozens of witnesses, and even metal samples of the craft itself. The quality and amount of evidence was convincing, making this unlike any case previously seen.

UFO...Contact from the Pleiades takes the reader back to a time before home computers, digital photography, and easily accessible photo enhancement programs. Yet the evidence--analyzed in laboratories around the world--could not be easily dismissed, and supported the claims of the contactee, Billy Meier. The breathtaking images, profound words of the Pleiadians, and the extensive investigation that spanned seven years are as relevant today as they were forty-five years ago.

For centuries Western scholarship, and the African scholars seduced by this body of knowledge, have not been interested in African "religions" per se, but what was worse, African scholars began not to study indigenous African spirituality on its own terms but through European eyes and intellectual categories. Okot p'Bitek, who is best known for Song of Lawino, was one of the first African scholars to call attention to this situation and argue African scholars need not "Hellenize" African spiritual practices and ideas and that what we have come to think as "African religions" are European versions in African disguise. This publication, along with a new introduction by Ghanaian philosopher Kwasi Wiredu, reintroduces a classic work to a new generation, especially for those with an interest in African spiritual cultures and in need of "decolonizing" them so that they be studied, appreciated, and engaged on their own cultural and historic terms.

What is dreaming, and what causes it? Why are dreams so strange and why are they so hard to remember? Replacing dream mystique with modern dream science, J. Allan Hobson provides a new and increasingly complete picture of how dreaming is created by the brain. Focusing on dreaming to explain the mechanisms of sleep, this book explores how the new science of dreaming is affecting theories in psychoanalysis, and how it is helping our understanding of the causes of mental illness.

J. Allan Hobson investigates his own dreams to illustrate and explain some of the fascinating discoveries of modern sleep science, while challenging some of the traditionally accepted theories about the meaning of dreams. He reveals how dreaming maintains and develops the mind, why we go crazy in our dreams in order to avoid doing so when we are awake, and why sleep is not just good for health but essential for life.

"Rilke's most radiant songs deserve the finest bilingual translation, plus the mind of a translator-poet. Mark S. Burrows provides both with exhilarating skill--and unlimited grace." --Stephanie Dowrick, author of In the Company of Rilke

On the centennial of the first appearance (1923) of Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus, award-winning translator Mark Burrows reveals their depth and meaning with a brilliant new introduction and translation.This new translation captures the lyric beauty of Rilke's poems, honoring their syntactic peculiarities and grammatical complexities as few translators have dared to do. Burrows' versions maintain the essential strangeness of language and abruptness of metaphor by which the sonnets attain their distinctive character in German. Burrows' approach replicates what one reviewer describes as the poems' "dazzling obscurity," refusing to resolve the deliberate difficulties Rilke's formulations present. The effect invites readers to linger with these sonnets, allowing themselves to be shaped in their encounter with them.

Many of us have spent too much time in our lives burned out and tired of the Christian walk. We don't leave our faith, because we love God and others, but we find it difficult to remain zealous and energized to serve him as we did before. Some of this may be due to simply growing older and physically not being able to maintain our previous schedules, but I think much of it is spiritual in nature. The answers often lie within.

Without balance and a proper orientation in trusting God to work, we can experience a fatigue that is faith damaging. We tire physically and spiritually, and our love for God may grow cold (Matthew 24:12). But, God is an expert at healing hearts and bringing life to the dead (Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26), and this ministry of healing continues to this day with his Son, Jesus. The topics covered will help you find rest in God. The men and women (therapists, ministers, counselors, teachers, and scholars) who authored these essays are often at the forefront of change in our churches.

Our hope and prayer are that your time in this book will allow you space, knowledge, and encouragement to find approaches that help you to connect with God, follow Jesus, and listen to the Holy Spirit in refreshing and life-giving ways.

Discover the tranquil wisdom of Chomei's 13th-century masterpiece, Hojoki, as it unveils the beauty of imperfection and the serenity of a simple life amidst the chaos of existence.

Hojoki is an introspective poem written in the 13th century by the enigmatic Japanese hermit Kamo no Chomei, who as a young man served in the capital as official court poet but later in life withdrew from society.

Composed in a time of devastating fires, floods, earthquakes, droughts and famines, Chomei's masterpiece reflects on the impermanence of things, expressing life's mysterious beauty and the profound wisdom to be found in nature.

Chomei paints a vivid picture of the chaos and suffering of the human condition. Amidst this turmoil, he discovers an oasis of calm in a simple mountain hut, where he contemplates the virtues of nature and the wabi sabi beauty of imperfection in all things.

In their friends,
People like to find affluence and a ready smile.

Compassion and honesty,
Not so much.

So why not make friends with music and nature instead:
The moon; the flowers?

********

I know my needs,
And I know the world.

I want for nothing,
And do not labor to acquire things.

Quietude is all I desire:
To be free from worry is happiness enough.

This new translation by Matthew Stavros, presented alongside the original Japanese, perfectly captures the profound serenity of Chomei's writings. His poignant verses serve as timely reminders that amidst the uncertainty of this world, true contentment can often be found in the simple life, in embracing fleeting moments, and in seeking solace in nature's beauty.

Updated to showcase color photographs, this spiritual classic presents the history and philosophy of Scotland's Findhorn Community. Findhorn was founded more than 40 years ago in far northeast Scotland on windswept and barren sand dunes that happened to sprout a miraculous garden. Plants, flowers, trees, and organic vegetables of enormous sizes began to grow in a small plot around the 30-foot caravan trailer inhabited by three adults and three children living on meager unemployment benefits. Guidance by God and absolute faith in the art of manifestation led the occupants to this unlikely locale to create a magnetic center that would draw people from all over the world. Their discovery of how to contact and cooperate with the nature spirits and devas that made the garden possible sparked a phenomenon that continues today, as Findhorn has grown into a thriving village housing hundreds of people from all over the world and an internationally recognized spiritual-learning center.

The must-have gift for grandparents and grandchildren!

Enjoy this new and inspiring look for the bestselling Letters to ... series with artwork by Laura Lhuillieur.

Whether your grandchild is still a baby or all grown up, sharing your stories gives the gift of a lifetime--and now, you can do it in style with this illustrated and sweetly designed package.

With this keepsake collection of 12 letters, you can fill each note with words of wisdom that only a grandparent can impart. Then postdate, seal with the included stickers, and save the letters to gift to your grandchild at a later date. Included are 12 letters from the original Letters to My Grandchild, such as:

• Here is a special story about our family ...
• What I want you to know about me ...
• The best advice anyone ever gave me was ...
• My wishes for you are ...

This perfect new grandparent gift or special occasion gift from grandchildren offers a wonderful opportunity to create a deeply personal family keepsake.

A NEW TWIST ON AN OLD FAVORITE: Created by Lea Redmond, author of the bestselling Letters to ... series that has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide, this fresh twist on the classic format with art from Laura Lhuillieur is a timeless baby keepsake.

GRANDPARENT GIFTS FOR NEW BABY: Inspired Letters to My Grandchild is a unique gift for expecting grandparents or a great add-on for a baby shower. This paper time capsule encourages deep connections between grandparents and grandchildren, capturing special moments during childhood to share in the years to come.

PERFECT KEEPSAKE: The finished set of special notes makes a great gift for a graduation, a milestone birthday, or a wedding day. Fans have praised the special value of a grandchild having a sample of a grandparent's handwriting to cherish.

Perfect for:

• Gifts for first-time grandma, grandpa, nana, papa, or grandparents welcoming more children into the family
• A fresh twist on a guided journal or memory book to capture special moments with a grandchild to share in the future
• An engaging way to record family history for posterity
• Fans and users of other bestsellers in the Letters to ... series looking for a new aesthetic approach

Floundering in her second career, the one she's always wanted, forty-eight year old Cheryl Suchors resolves that, despite a fear of heights, her mid-life success depends on hiking the highest of the grueling White Mountains in New Hampshire. All forty-eight of them. She endures injuries, novice mistakes, and the heartbreaking loss of a best friend. When breast cancer threatens her own life, she seeks solace and recovery in the wild. Her quest takes ten years. Regardless of the need since childhood to feel successful and in control, climbing teaches her mastery isn't enough and control is often an illusion. Connecting with friends and with nature, Suchors redefines success: she discovers a source of spiritual nourishment, spaces powerful enough to absorb her grief, and joy in the persistence of love and beauty. 48 Peaks inspires us to believe that, no matter what obstacles we face, we too can attain our summits.

It's increasingly common to be invited to a wedding, funeral or other religious service for someone of a different faith. This easy-to-read religious etiquette guidebook helps the well-meaning guest feel comfortable and participate as fully as possible, with a brief description of worship practices and life-cycle ceremonies for 29 faith traditions.

A richly rewarding guide into a world filled with spirits, communion with the land, and a greater sense of belonging in the world.

At the root of most spiritual traditions is the aspiration to realize one's birthright: the intimate connection with the land and the spiritual energies that inhabit it. This connection with the land and its spirits is perhaps nowhere more powerfully felt than in the various traditions of paganism and witchcraft. But the conditions of modern society strain that relationship, leaving us feeling disconnected to our craft and unable to feel that deep and vital connection.

In Alive with Spirits, which is based on Althaea Sebastiani's popular online course, you'll discover a path to fully embrace a world filled with spirits, communion with the land, and a greater sense of belonging in the world--a worldview known as animism. You'll explore animism in a hands-on way that teaches through firsthand direct experiences. Through embodied exercises based in wholeness, you'll learn to see the world more fully for what it is and to better understand your place in it. You'll be invited to:

• ​Learn the three general types of local spirits and the breadth of variety that exists among them
• Explore the importance of relationships and what it means to be in community
• Uncover the way that the wholeness of the world is reflected in the wholeness of the self
• How to nurture right relationships with your local spirits

Alive with Spirits will provide you with a firm foundation from which to transform your witchcraft practice, rooting it into the land and in strong, respectful relationships with the spirits around you.

I lamented, as Holy Week rapidly arrived, that I didn't have a children's story of Jesus that reflected my beliefs that I could share with my two sons and their young minds, hearts and spirits. So I boiled down two thousand years of theology and almost three decades of ministry to the words you are about to read.

Tao Te Ching is the 2,500 years old source to Taoism, written by the legendary Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu. In 81 short chapters, he presented the world according to Tao, the Way, and how mankind should adapt to it. The book has become one of the foremost world classics of wisdom - maybe even more relevant today, than it was to Lao Tzu's contemporaries. This translation of the text focuses on the clarity and simplicity by which Lao Tzu expresses his fascinating cosmology and profound ethics. Except for a short foreword by the translator, Lao Tzu's text is uncommented in this edition, allowing it to speak for itself. Stefan Stenudd has also published an edition with extensive comments and explanations: Tao Te Ching. The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained.

"The Universal Laws of Awakening is an experience that transcends space and place-a journey of understanding and application. What I love is that each chapter by itself provides 'ah-ha' moments that create space to understand the roadmap to peace and happiness. It challenges us to reset and embrace the wisdom of the Universe-allowing our minds to experience life as it is intended-freely-accepting and appreciating the beauty of each moment." -Sandra King McCall, Fellow Seeker

"The Universal Laws of Awakening is an impactful, thoughtful, and transformational book that provides the principles and practical steps that will enable you to understand and overcome the challenges and trials of life and achieve God's purpose for your life. I have read and listened to many authors discuss their approach to mindfulness and awakening. This book provides information in a unique and powerful way that totally changed my method of thinking. It is grounded in spiritual and biblical truths. As the author stated, The Universal Laws of Awakening made it clear to me that I possess everything within me to face and overcome the challenges of life and live my life with joy, inner peace and gratitude. This is a book that I'll refer to over and over again. It's truly a classic." -Daryl Minor, Information Technology Consultant, Sunday School Teacher

If life has been feeling harder than it should, if decisions seem to overwhelm your mind, if you're ever laid in bed at night wondering if there was a better path for you, your answers have arrived. Now it is up to you to take the next step to unlock their secrets.

In her latest book, The Universal Laws of Awakening, health and life coach Tonya (TK) Kinlow channels the wisdom of the universe to comfort and guide anyone feeling lost, disillusioned with life, or at an impasse in their own existence. In this book, eleven easy-to-access truths are explained to simplify the workings of the universe. Each of these universal laws holds the keys to personal transformation and mental well-being.

Drawing from the laws of the universe, such as The Law of Vibration and The Law of Ebb and Flow, TK outlines, with compassion and encouragement, the spiritual forces that can provide nourishment and direction for even the weariest of souls. Although it may sound grand and immense, TK comforts every reader with the understanding that our mindset can be moved to embrace happiness and personal transformation, simply by reading and allowing these laws to become a guiding force for good in your life. Make this your soul's "season of expansion" and unlock the mysteries which have clouded your vision for far too long.

Your transformation is in hand.