Sacred Lives

Mike Rinder’s parents began taking him to their local Scientology center when he was five years old. After high school, he signed a billion-year contract and was admitted into Scientology’s elite inner circle, the Sea Organization. Brought to founder L. Ron Hubbard’s yacht and promised training in Hubbard’s most advanced techniques, Rinder was instead put to work swabbing the decks. Still, Rinder bought into the doctrine that his personal comfort was secondary to the higher purpose of Hubbard’s world-saving mission.

Whether new to the faith or a seasoned believer, you've likely found yourself at a crossroads, asking, "What do I do now?" Maybe you feel dry, and the deep connection you long for seems elusive. It's easy to feel frustrated or stuck when growth doesn't come as quickly as you hoped. But just like a gardener tends to his field, cultivating a more fulfilling life in Christ requires patience, intentionality, and the right tools.

¿Hay vida más allá de la muerte? Es la pregunta que probablemente todos nos hayamos hecho varias veces a lo largo de nuestra existencia. De hecho, la respuesta afirmativa ha sido la justificación y base de todas las religiones. Las experiencias cercanas a la muerte son, por ahora, la prueba más contundente de la existencia de la vida después de la muerte. En el audiolibro Burdman afirma que desterrar el miedo hacia la muerte solo es posible a través del conocimiento y la apertura de la consciencia humana.

Best-selling author Deepak Chopra states that within each of us is a book of mysteries waiting to be opened, and when it is, the secrets of the universe will be revealed to us. The secret of love is to be found nowhere but within us, along with the secrets of healing, compassion, and faith, and the most elusive secret of all: who we truly are.

In The Mist-Filled Path, Frank MacEowen shows how embracing the indigenous wisdom of Scotland and Ireland can lead to healing and transcendence. Using his own travels and teachings along with Celtic stories and myths, he explores ancient traditions, ecopsychology, the ancient mother, altars and hearths, "Oran Mor" (the Great Song), contemplation, and mysticism. The book tells how to draw on ancestral roots to find a personal spirituality that also works for the greater good.

Esteemed Bible scholars and teachers Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Z. Brettler take readers on a guided tour of the most popular Hebrew Bible passages quoted in the New Testament to show what the texts meant in their original contexts and then how Jews and Christians, over time, understood those same texts. By understanding the depth and variety by which these passages have been, and can be, understood, The Bible With and Without Jesus does more than enhance our religious understandings, it helps us to see the Bible as a source of inspiration for any and all listeners.

A Buddhist monk takes up arms to resist the Chinese invasion of Tibet - then spends the rest of his life trying to atone for the violence by hand printing the best prayer flags in India. A Jain nun tests her powers of detachment as she watches her best friend ritually starve herself to death. Nine people, nine lives; each one taking a different religious path, each one an unforgettable story. William Dalrymple delves deep into the heart of a nation torn between the relentless onslaught of modernity and the ancient traditions that endure to this day.

The Tao of Daily Life combines ancient Eastern wisdom with practical application—perfect for busy Western listeners! Derek Lin, Taoist master and expert in Eastern philosophy, brings his deep knowledge of this time-honored Chinese spiritual thought system into the twenty-first century. Using the powerful medium of stories and short dharma talks, Lin illuminates the Taoist secrets and engages the listener in their inherent wisdom.

We all have magic inside of us. It allows us to connect with the natural world and invite new opportunities into our lives. The Spell Book for New Witches shows you how to tap in to this power and cast simple spells that will help you protect your loved ones, create new relationships, advance your career, and live the life you deserve.

Baird Spalding played a ground-breaking role when he introduced the Western world to the wonders of a Far East expedition in 1894. The knowledge of "Masters" assisting and guiding humanity in the classic book LIFE AND TEACHING OF THE MASTERS OF THE FAR EAST became legend in metaphysical circles during the first half of the 20th century and continues today as a source of spiritual enlightenment. Spalding and the others were practical in nature and the thought of spiritual masters performing miracles seemed impossible.

Native shamanic traditions tell us that there are cords, strands, threads, and filaments of energy that flow to and through us, connecting us to everyone and everything in the universe. Some energy strands make us feel vibrant and alive. Others deplete and weaken us. Most of us are unaware of these energy strands, but they are extremely powerful forces that surround us every day.

The Unlikely Peace at Cuchumaquic is both an epic story and a cry to the heart of humanity based on the author’s realization that human survival depends on keeping alive the seeds of our “original forgotten spiritual excellence.” Prechtel relates our current state of ecological crisis to the rapid disappearance of biodiversity, indigenous cultures, and shared human values. He demonstrates how real human culture is exterminated when real (not genetically modified) seeds are lost.

When two humans come together as lovers, they mirror the divine union - the most sacred act of creation - and connect directly with the energy of all life. Thus the energy of your sexuality is the source of the greatest "magic" of all, namely the creation of life itself. In The Art of Sexual Magic, you will discover the sacred roots of sexuality not only as an erotic art but as a meditative tradition.

Whether you’re a novice curious about witchcraft but aren’t sure where to start, or a seasoned witch interested in deepening your practice, this warm, accessible, and nurturing interactive guide shows you the way. The Comfy Cozy Witch’s Guide to Making Magic in Your Everyday Life combines the practical charm of The Little Book of Hygge with the down to earth wisdom of The Spell Book for New Witches and the practical advice of Grimoire Girl,

Jenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised as a Scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In Beyond Belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details her experiences as a member Sea Org - the church's highest ministry - speaks of her "disconnection" from family outside of the organization, and tells the story of her ultimate escape.

New discoveries in archaeology and recent bestsellers and movies such as The Da Vinci Code and The Passion of the Christ have sparked a renaissance of the many controversies that have remained unanswered in Christianity and other religions. At the heart of these controversies is Jesus. With a unique perspective only Sylvia Browne could bring, The Mystical Life of Jesus is filled with the details of Jesus' inspiring life.

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) is one of the most beloved of the Catholic saints. In 1562, during the era of the Spanish Inquisition, Teresa sat down to write an account of the mystical experiences for which she had become famous. The result was this book, one of the great classics of spiritual autobiography. With this fresh translation of The Book of My Life, Mirabai Starr brings the inimitable Spanish mystic to life for a new generation, with contemporary English that mirrors Teresa's own earthy, vernacular Spanish, and that presents us with someone we feel we know.

The Light We Give lays out how we can learn to integrate ethical living to achieve personal happiness and a happier life. It speaks to those who are inspired to take on positive change but don’t know where to begin. To those who crave the chance to be empathetic but are afraid of looking vulnerable. To those who seek the courage to confront hatred with love and compassion. Singh reaches beyond his comfort zone to practice this deeper form of living and explores how everyone can learn the insights and skills that have kept him engaged and led him to commit to activism.

Although there are over one million practicing Wiccans around the world today, Wicca is one of the world’s few religions that is more likely to be studied on one’s own than through in-person guidance. And while there is plenty of information about the “Old Religion” available, all of the diverse and often conflicting perspectives can make it hard to know where to begin. Combining three of Lisa Chamberlain’s top guides - Wicca for Beginners, Finding Your Path, and Living a Magical Life - the Wicca Starter Kit is designed to provide newcomers to Wicca with a solid orientation.

To grasp the depth and height of the great I AM and to live life with the end (eternity) in sight is a believer's most significant accomplishment. Within each of His chosen people, God has placed a desire to know him, to worship him, and to live victoriously for him. He has shown us how to have the right perspective concerning this life and the one to come. And what God starts, he finishes.